Oregon is home to a lot of restaurants, bars, wineries, and breweries, and though certain spots generate all the buzz, there are tons of hidden gems that the majority of Portlanders — ourselves included — just aren't unearthing. To help guide us to these potential discoveries, we've enlisted some of our city's many food luminaries to share their under-the-radar recommendations for a weekly feature dubbed Dining Confidential.
Image of Decarli courtesy Michele R. via Yelp
A day after Mother's Bistro chef and owner Lisa Schroeder announced she has sold her downtown Italian restaurant, Mama Mia Trattoria, Schroeder shares with Eater one of her other go-to Italian eateries. Here's what the winner of the International Culinary Association Professionals 2010 "Chef/Restaurateur of The Year" has to say about one of her favorite places in the 'burbs:
"I live in Raleigh Hills, and independently-owned restaurants are very hard to find in my neck of the woods. I'm always searching for a place to eat close to home on my days off, so when I found out about an Italian-influenced restaurant called Decarli in Beaverton, I was eager to give it a try and have become an avid fan. Decarli has a fun atmosphere, a big dining room with wood tables, exposed brick walls and a huge brass chandelier, so it feels rustic, elegant, and homey at the same time. We're always greeted with a smile and the service is professional and on point. One of the best things about DeCarli is it's not all pasta and pizza. Most of the people in my life — including me — try to avoid gluten, and Decarli has extensive gluten-free offerings, making it difficult to choose what to eat. They have great entrees that vary with the seasons, carefully composed and thought out, with accompaniments that complement each other perfectly. Thankfully my friends know the rules when dining out with me, so we each get something different and share. Their brick chicken (chicken roasted under a weight so it's crispy and golden brown) with soft polenta, morels, and peas; and beef short ribs are real stand-outs. One of my favorite things on their menu is their polenta fries with a gorgonzola butter dipping sauce — oh my god, delicious! A perfect bread replacement if ever there was one, and great to nibble on while negotiating with my fellow diners on what they'e going to eat next!"
· Decarli Restaurant [Official Site]
· All Previous Lisa Schroeder Coverage [EaterPDX]
· All Previous Dining Confidentials [Eater PDX]