Nostrana

photo credit: rommelarch.com

When my boss found out that I am "into food" (and who isn't, really?) we made a deal that I would pick a few top restaurants in Portland, and each week we'd try one on the list. When I researched the top restaurants, Nostrana appeared on several lists, including the Zagat Top 10 Restaurants. We made reservations for a Wednesday night at 8pm. The atmosphere of the restaurant was very cool. Exposed ductwork and beams, a bar that looked like a library, a wood-fired oven, and lots of big windows to let in the light. The only complaint was that the windows and doors were left open for the fresh air, but the night was a little chilly by 8pm. I imagine it would be amazing on a beautiful summer evening, though!

Library Bar - photo credit: The Gilded Panther

Michael ordered a cauliflower and leek soup to start, and I had the mista salad. Michael loved the soup and said it was fantastic. My salad was a very regular salad (it's hard to get fancy with tossed vegetables), although I did like that I could make my own oil and vinegar dressing at the table. They also served us some delicious focaccia bread with a nice, mild olive oil.

One of the standout aspects of dinner was the service. We both ordered a glass of wine, and not three minutes after our glasses had been delivered, the manager returned to our table with a fresh glass for me because the bartender suspected that the bottle might have turned. I hadn't even noticed! But that was a very impressive preemptive action, rather than letting me drink a potentially poor glass of wine, or wait for me to raise a complaint. Another example of the superb service was that each time we ordered, the waitress offered very helpful suggestions, and when we decided, she was very enthusiastic about our choices. This made me feel like I had truly picked the right dish, and I looked forward to what was to come.

After the first course, we each ordered a pasta. I had the ravioli with lamb, potatoes, ramps, white whine and chevre. Michael had the spinach and egg fettuccine with smoked salmon, shallots, capers, white wine cream, and chives. I loved my ravioli - the lamb was really tasty, and the white wine sauce was nice and light. The chevre added a bit of richness, but it didn't overwhelm the dish. Michael enjoyed his fettuccine, but wished it would have been served warmer. It was a bit tepid for his taste, although the flavor was very nice.

For dessert, we both ordered budino (which we had to look up!) and they really put the meal over the top. I had a butterscotch budino with salted caramel sauce. It was served in a small glass, with the caramel layer on top. The salted caramel was really good. It was quite salty, which I happen to love, and it paired very nicely with the sweet butterscotch pudding.  Michael had the chocolate budino, which came out more like a souffle, topped with chantilly cream. He said it was rich but light, and really enjoyable.

Overall, the dinner was great! Great atmosphere, great food, fantastic dessert, and attentive service.

Nostrana
1401 SE Morrison, Portland OR