Bella Gioia—Italian for “beautiful joy”—is a new restaurant located in the Pearl District. Most regard this area of Portland to be a yuppie locale, full of expensive stores and restaurants that are not really worth the extra money. And this statement is usually correct. However, I was fairly charmed with this particular addition to the neighborhood. Not that the area needs any extra Italian restaurants.
If you have ever been to the South, you will know that dinner there is often a sit-down affair. Food is enjoyed leisurely and no one leaves the table until everything has been eaten.
Among life’s infinite catalog of problems (don’t even get me started on that little bitch called bipedal movement) is this issue of having to actually talk to your potential mates.
The day started at 5 a.m. in below-freezing, dark and windy conditions. The streets seemed oddly vacant as we began the walk to the Capitol with only National Guardsmen on every corner.
Coffee. It’s what my father would call an “honest drink.” It’s not complicated, easy, with no surprises.
Portland boasts a broad range of delicious eateries. It is possible to enjoy a wide variety of food, from many different cultures. However, one thing I have felt was missing from Portland was a really great Indian restaurant. It was hard to find one that blew my mind. I’ve eaten at some fabulous Indian places, and was hard pressed to find one in Portland that matched up.
Narcisse is a new and deliciously dark shop in the up-and-coming area of Southwest Portland that borders the Pearl.
Chef Robert Reynolds has traveled an interesting road to his current career. After being mentored by some of the best, he was encouraged to open his own restaurant in San Francisco, and did so. However, he currently resides in Portland, and rather than owning his own restaurant here, he has moved on to greater pursuits.
When did Americans forget about classic American dishes? Somewhere between Chinese takeout, Lebanese restaurants, Pho and raw foodism, we forgot about America’s delicious range of comfort eats. This is where Blue Plate steps in.
After six months of planning, working and preparing, Eric Rose and Matthew Busetto finally opened a new restaurant: The Firehouse. The cooking complements the name and, yes, it is really a restaurant in a firehouse. The eatery is located in the historic Dekum Firehouse (built in 1913). This firehouse used to be a horse stable on the lower level, and a dorm for firefighters on the top. Interestingly enough, the horse stable area is now a decadent restaurant, restored, re-furnished and beautiful.
If you like to travel and you like to eat, it’s easy to find a combination of the two at Costello’s Travel Caffe. With a European menu and worldly flair this little café in North Portland is a delightful spot where travelers and foodies can unite over a fresh artisan pizza, pasta or homemade soup. With many loyal customers, and daily events with a multicultural theme, Costello’s is certainly a place to lounge, catch a foreign film and, of course, eat.