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Overall Ratings: ***
Overall Review: Overall, the dinners were good but
not excellent. The atmosphere in the restaurant was
lacking, especially when you could actually see the toilet
when the restroom door was opened.
Review Date:
January 19, 2007
Cuisine: Northern
Italian
Alcohol: Wine bar with beer & wine, and
spirits.
Attire: Casual
Location: Southwest
Portland in the Hillsdale area.
Open Hours:
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Sunday:
5:30 to 9:00 p.m.
Friday and Saturday: 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Closed Monday.
Parking: Parking lot across the street
Price Range:
Moderate
Antipasti: $6.00 to $15.00
Primi: $8.00 to $13.00
Secondi: $19.00 to $26.00
Contorni: $6.00
Dolci: $9.00
Reservations:
Reservations suggested
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Rating Key
Explanations:
* Bad
(will never go back)
** Fair (below average - will not go back)
*** Good (would consider dining there again)
**** Very Good (will definitely go back)
***** Extraordinary (will be back as soon as
possible)
I make every
attempt to remain anonymous while reviewing each
restaurant. All meals are paid for by
myself.
This way, I can report the most honest and
trustworthy restaurant reviews possible. Other
recognizable critics frequently get special food
and service. I forgo any perks so that my
restaurant experience will be similar to yours.
If you would like
to add a review of this restaurant, email
Linda Stradley.
Also feel
free to send me suggestions of restaurants for
review.
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Alba Osteria & Enoteca
This restaurant is tucked away in the Hillsdale area. "Osteria"
is another name for trattoria. The chef uses fresh, seasonal
Northwest and Italian ingredients to build mostly Northern Italian
dishes.
The restaurant is small and the
building is old, but they have managed to squeeze in two dining
rooms and a wine bar. The open kitchen is located between the wine
bar and the dining rooms. They have hung a dingy looking gray
curtain between it and one of the dining rooms. It would be much
better if they just removed the curtain. I find it interesting to be
able to glance into the kitchen. Their public restroom is not
pleasingly located! When the door opens, the diners can see into it. This didn't make for a great dining experience for
most people.
What we ordered with diner's comments:
 Antipasti:
Fried
Wallapa Bay Oysters with Celery Root Salad - $11.00
Since we had oysters lovers in our group, this was what three of
them
ordered. The oysters were perfectly prepared and so delicious!
My husband let me have a taste. These fried oyster should not be
missed.
Salad of Smoked Trout, Pickled Egg,
Chicories, Greens, Mustard Vinaignette - $10.00
Presentation of beautiful, and the pieces of smoked trout around the edges of the salad were
delicious. As for the pickled eggs, these were not pickled but just a
regular hard-cooked sliced egg. Very disappointing, as I ordered
this salad especially for the pickled eggs. The greens were
all bitter green and not a good mixture.
Primi:
Risotto Al Barbera with Pancetta and Pecorion -
$13.00
I ordered this as my main course. I love risotto and don't
usually take the time to make it at home. My digital photo of this
dish didn't turn out, but the risotto was very good. The
flavors married well together. I would order this again. The
presentation was bland with no garnishment.
Secondi:
Today's
Fresh Fish - Tombo Tuna with a crushed pepper crust and red wine
sauce. - Market Price (I forgot to check the price)
The tuna was perfectly cooked and not dry. Both of our
friends ordered this dish as they don't eat beef. One of them didn't
care for the pepper crust on the outside of the tuna. He did say that
this Tombo Tuna was better than the one he had recently eaten in an Hawaiian
restaurant.
Brasato
Al Barolo Al - Beef Braised in Barolo - $21.00
As my husband is a beef lover, he ordered this dish. He called it an
Osso Buco without the bones. It was a very ample serving of
beef, but it was overcooked and dry. My husband didn't even eat all of it. I
guess that tells you what he thought of it. As you can see, my
digital photo didn't turn out well.
Dolci:
Tangerine
Tartlet with Ginger-Walnut Streusel - $9.00
Our friends shared this dessert. They were surprised to find out that it was
served warm and not cold. They said it reminded them of a pecan pie. Overall, they
liked it.
Chocolate Bonet & Panna Cotta Duo - $9.00
My husband and I shared this dessert. The chocolate bonet was slightly overcooked and stiff, and the panna cotta was so soft,
that it was almost on the verge of not holding together. That being
said, we still enjoyed it very much. |
