After a long day of travel, I didn't want to venture too far from the hotel so I decided to go to the restaurant on site, Nel Centro. It was an excellent choice!!The restaurant was light and airy, and the wait staff was very friendly. I started with the Spring Minestrone alla Genovese -- the vegetables were crisp and fresh, and the small sprinkle of romano cheese on top really set it off.
For my main, I decided to try the evening's special, Braised Lamb Ragu with Rosemary Gnocchi and Shaved Parmesan. Absolutely delicious! The rosemary in the gnocchi was not overpowering but added a nice complexity to the dish. The lamb was cooked perfectly and the sauce was nicely finished with a small bit of butter which gave it richness. The extra bonus was that the portion was very European -- enough to let you appreciate the dish but not enough that you were too full and you were left wanting a bit more. I wish more American restaurants followed this philosophy. To me, its not the quantity but the quality of the food that defines how good the restaurant is and I will pay for quality.
Although I don't make it a practice, I did have dessert. The dessert menu had lots of great choices but I settled on the Fromage Blanc Tart with Pine Nuts and Cherries. Light and refreshing.
Of course, any dinner in Oregon would not be complete without an Oregon Pinot Noir. In fact, the weather was so perfect, I ended up in the hotel courtyard after enjoying the great weather and sunshine, reading my book and sipping a second glass.
I would highly recommend Nel Centro (and the hotel I'm staying at, Hotel Modera)!! I plan on eating here again while I'm here in Portland. Gets 4.75 stars out of 5.
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