Pizzeria Nostrana

I don’t understand what how a place can keep guests waiting for 2 hours. It took them 2 hours to serve us. We arrived a 6:45p for a birthday party w/ 2 small children and we finally received our bill at 9pm. We ordered pizza. That’s it. Salad and Pizza. Oh, and a 60 dollar bottle of Vietti Barolo. The bill came to 182.00. they didn’t however deliver our food for the kids! Ice cream. A simple stupid dish of ice cream took them 30 minutes?! Finally, we got up and left. Did they apologize? Did they say ANYTHING? no it was, “uh, so you are leaving?” Why yes, you stupid pathetic excuse for protoplasm, what does it look like we are doing?
Here is a paraphrased transcript of the interaction with the grey bearded dullard who pretends to run this hash-counter:

Me: I notice you gave yourself a 30 dollar tip. I don’t tip on wine when I order bottles over 50 dollars, especially since I know you’ve marked it up 300%. Moreover, you burned my food, took 3 hours to serve us, you NEVER brought out our desserts and never acknowledged that people who were sat AFTER us ate BEFORE us.

DumbA$$: That is our policy, if it is on the menu, we add the tip to parties of 6 or more.

Me: Oh really, since when do 2 four year old girls who are sleeping due to waiting 3 hours for their food count as PEOPLE? When a 30 dollar tip is in order that’s when. You didn’t serve them anything but bread and water. Our dogs get better service than that.

DumbA$$: Uh, yeah. So it is your right to remove the pre-set 18% gratuity?

ME: That’s funny, pre-set GRATUITY? That kinda defeats the purpose of a GRATUITY. You failed. REmove it immediately.

At this point, I removed the tip and mentioned on the bill that the server take her tip out of the exorbitant markup on the wine.

This was my 2nd trip here. The first trip made me sick with disentary due to a soup that was left at room temp for 4-5 hours. I gave it a second try. Never again.

The Portland eating scene is a simpleton’s paradise. Portlanders are primarily an insular bunch who get most of their world culinary views from their Pac northwest idol, Rick Steves. This navel-gazing, not-invented-here town has a giant chip on its shoulder. Portland is the DMZ somewhere between religious zealots and white supremists. This town is runty little place filled with wannabes and never-weres. It doesn’t surprise me that the Much Ado About Nothing City of Portland would fawn over such a mediocre place. The title of the next book on PDX restaurant reviews should be called Less Than Zero: A guide to self-deception in a town of Lumber Lesbians and Nike Performance Be-Fleeced NewMen.

Nostrana…. Just DONT Do It.

This is a pretty fantastic place and the tartufo infused buffalo mozzarella pizza I ate may be one of the best pizza’s I’ve ever had. You’ve got to try it!

We were visiting from Seattle, and to my mind, it was something like a cross between the thin crust goodness of Tutta Bella and the more expansive menu of Osteria La Spiga. It’s definitely top notch, and not at all stuffy or over priced, especially considering the quality of the ingredients used.

Ignore the foodie hype about whether or not this place deserves its stellar reputation. Take a seat at the counter overlooking the kitchen and decide for yourself.

Nostrana has opened at 1401 SE Morrison (one block East of Zells on the North side of Morrison in a new building). It’s beautiful and wonderful to behold (both visually and gastronomically).

A review with a recent menu is at the following link: http://www.portlandfoodanddrink.com/?p=194

We had the Corona Bean appetizer described in the review – outstanding but very substantial. To save room for entrees, I’d recommend splitting it at least three ways. (BTW, the “giardiniera” mentioned in the menu description is essentially a vinaigrette.)

We also had the Nostrana salad described in the review. It’s essentially a Caesar salad made entirely with radicchio (a species of red chicory). Unlike the reviewer, we thought it was perfect. Even the croutons – we thought they were the best we’ve had and felt they had to be from the Baker & Spice bread. Maybe they switched on the reviewer – maybe he or she was in a sour mood. (Who can trust a reviewer who doesn’t love radicchio?) By the way, those of you familiar with Gino’s, co-owners Mark and Debbie Accaurdi’s other place in Sellwood, will wonder where the garlic went. This version of Caesar dressing does not over power you with garlic.

Our entrees were grilled pork ribs (dry seasoned) and a Salumeria di Carlo mild Italian sausage in a grape sauce with soft polenta. Both were perfect.

Our dessert was an apple-fig crisp. It was mostly fruit and very little crisp and served with warmed heavy cream added at the last second as it was served. We both agreed it was the best apple dessert we’ve ever had. An absolute winner.

Nostrana is Italian for “ours” and is used idiomatically for local (i.e., provisions from “our” area). They pride themselves on using local produce and meats. (Local is broad enough to include blue cheese from Rogue Creamery in Medford and Salumi meats from Seattle).

We didn’t have one, but they have a very expensive wood-burning pizza oven they imported from Italy. The pizzas looked wonderful.

The only drawback was our service was a little slow. It was not the confusion cited in the review above, and it was very friendly. But courses were a little too long apart.

It’s hard to decide this on just one visit, but I think I have a new favorite restaurant.