Verdigris Chef-Owner’s Newest Venture Will Be an Italian Spot

Johnny Nunn, chef and owner of the bucolic French-inspired bistro Verdigris, is getting ready to launch a new project, an Italian restaurant called Corzetti, the Mercury is reporting.

Corzetti is set for the space vacated by fried chicken spot Muscadine on NE Prescott, a few blocks from where Verdigris stands. It will focus on handmade pasta, with classic dishes like spaghetti and meatballs, rabbit cacciatore, and squid ink chitarra. The restaurant will always have an example of corzetti, its namesake, on the menu, which is a coin-shaped pasta that is “stamped” with a design. Prices will be lower than many other pasta spots in town, with entrees generally coming in under $20.

While Chef Nunn has spent the last few years cooking French-inspired cuisine at Verdigris, and before that at the now-shuttered Brasserie Montmartre, he says he’s excited to move into a more specific and Italian based direction, telling Eater, “We opened Verdigris three-plus years ago and have been excited about the notion of a sister restaurant with a more specific focus. Whether it’s a traditional trattoria dish or an Italian American contribution, the association people have with this cuisine is undeniable and approachable.”

The Italian spot is expected to open in April, if all goes smoothly.

• Verdigris’ Johnny Nunn Unveils Plans for Corzetti, His Upcoming Italian Eatery [Portland Mercury]
• All Verdigris coverage [EPDX]