The 38 Essential Restaurants and Food Carts in Portland

"The shelves of this candlelit Burnside restaurant support bottles of fine olive oil and canned tomatoes, the foundations of the pasta dishes that emerge from its kitchen. Meals start with antipasti, in particular an array of surprisingly spiced marinated vegetables and pickles — mushrooms are juicy with a hint of cinnamon in the brine, for instance. Octopus is meaty and savory with lovely char, with olives providing an oceanic echo. From there, a parade of pastas show range: Fettuccine arrives coated in a thick, dreamy lemon cream, almost a Bizarro World alfredo, while perfectly al dente radiatori collect bits of saffron-scented lamb among their folds. If available, visitors should not miss the restaurant’s cabbage, charred within an inch of its life with a custardy center." - Eater Staff