Adelleda

Come for the Fresh Pasta, Stay for the Cultured Malört Butter and Playful Cocktails at Portland’s Adelleda | Eater Portland

"Shining on Grand and Couch, this newly opened spot from the team behind Vtopian and now-closed Unwind showcases Chef Riley Shepard’s symphonic ode to Portland’s seasons with delicate pastas, precise garnishes, and complex sauces — if it’s at the farmers market, you’ll find it on the menu. I consider the rotating gnocchi and bucatini a must: recently, Parisian gnocchi — airy pâte à choux dumplings — came coated in honeynut squash, brown butter, and sage, then topped with poached cranberries and hazelnuts, while toothsome bucatini was dressed in onion soubise with cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. Don’t sleep on the salads; in late November, root vegetables reign (beets three ways, sunchokes, fingerlings), and Oregon-grown Italian bitter greens like puntarelle arrive dressed to highlight the vegetables at their peak. Be adventurous: Shepard blends Midwestern and Oregonian goodness with European sensibilities, exemplified by cultured Malört butter for bread and pickles and a giardiniera that brightens a rich risotto lobster mushroom etouffee. Despite the cavernous space — once a vacuum store — the room feels warm and inviting, combining the coziness of a ’70s home bar with the grandeur of a hotel lobby. For an insider move, order the martini, which comes with a full snack plate of seasonal pickles and olives stuffed with Vtopian’s cheeses — a must for martini and pickle lovers; the cave-aged Brie will turn non-vegan heads, especially with crisped baguette and seasonal mostarda." - Anastasia Sloan