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Presenting Portland's 13 Favorite Pasta Dishes

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Image of Tabla courtesy Avila/EPDX

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Last Friday, Eater asked readers to shoutout their favorite pasta dish in Portland, and if there's one thing we've learned, it's that every neighborhood really does have its one go-to pasta joint. So here now — in random order — are 13 of Portland's Favorite Pasta Dishes, as voted by Eater readers. If your favorite still isn't on the list, do give it a shout in the comments.


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Tabla Mediterranean Bistro

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Adam Berger's Tabla garnered many votes for its pasta dishes, though consensus was split between two familiar menu offerings: the tajarin with truffle butter and a chard-and-ricotta ravioli with poppy seed butter. Says a reader of the latter: "For my money, it's hard to beat Tabla's chard/ricotta ravioli with a poached farm egg. So simple, and so perfect." Another declares, "Tajarin pasta with truffle butter at Tabla will be served at my last meal."

A Cena

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Of all chef Gabe Gabreski's house-made pastas at Sellwood's a Cena Ristorante, none stir up a fervor like his agnolotti, featuring corn and mascarpone raviolini paired with butter-poached Maine lobster. More than one reader dubs it "to die for." [Photo]

Ava Gene's

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Many general votes came in for the still-newish Ava Gene's, which one reader says "has certainly opened my palette up to just how toothsome and varying pasta can be." Vague consensus gives the win to Ava's orecchiette with sausage or sagna ricca with lamb ragu. As one commenter says, "I could eat the Sagna Riccia at Ava Gene's daily."

Three Doors Down Cafe

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Hawthorne's neighborhood Italian spot Three Doors Down has been steadily serving up great dishes of pasta for 18 years, gathering fans for everything from its penne vodka to seafood fra diavlo. One commenter claims that allegiance to one particular dish is difficult, citing a laundry list of favorites: "Vodka sausage pasta at Three Doors Down. Or the spaghetti and meatballs at Three Doors Down. Or any pasta dish at Three Doors Down." [Photo]

Piazza Italia

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The Pearl's 13-year-old Piazza Italia pairs a lively soccer bar with rustic pastas like bucatini all'Amatriciana and linguine alle vongole. Reader votes arrived for the spot's simple pasta marinara, and the dish affectionally named "Gino's fave" for Piazza's late owner Gino Schettini. It features linguine with egg, prosciutto, onion, parmesan, and black pepper. [Photo]

Le Pigeon

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Gabe Rucker's probably best known for his meaty experiments, but his pasta dishes earned props from more than one commenter. One reader pens a straight-up mash note to a few recent Le Pigeon dishes: "My favorite pasta dishes from Chef Rucker in 2013 are 1) the spaghettini with smoked mackerel and clam butter, 2) the gnocchi made of chicken, and 3) sweetbreads with boar neck ragu, pappardelle and fennel (although the pasta was not the main component of this particular dish)."

Caffe Mingo

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Chef Jerry Huisinga's NW institution Caffe Mingo has accumulated a fair share of fans in its 20 years in business. The newly pared down menu features one housemade pasta nightly, and one reader admits that "I'm addicted to the penne al sugo." Currently, the one on offer is a sugo of beef braised in Chianti and espresso. [Photo]

The diminutive Northwest-meets-Italian spot DOC constantly switches up its pasta offerings (currently, the menu features a risotto and a cavatelli with pork sugo). But one reader craves DOC's nettle, truffle, and mushroom lasagna, served with a duck egg on top.

Mucca Osteria

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According to one reader, chef Simone Savaiano's Mucca Osteria makes the town's top pasta: "House-made and always the epitome of al dente." The selection varies, but another commenter suggests the rabbit papardelle whenever it's available.[Photo]

Tasty 'N Sons

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Tasty N Sons is obviously better known for its breakfast-ish items (shakshuka, hash, frittatas), but at least one reader prefers the restaurant's fettucine with ragu and mascarpone, available on the dinner menu as a "small plate." The same reader adds: "They also know how to make a proper carbonara."

Taste Unique

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Mostly take-out spot Taste Unique offers both completed pasta dishes and separate cartons of sauce for guests to recreate an Italian meal at home. Chef Stefania Toscano's lasagna could be a contender, but one reader suggests any fresh pasta featuring Toscano's Norcina cause: "Norcina is rich and full of flavor. Chef Stefi makes her own sausage so her Norcina rocks." [Photo]

Sauvage et Fausse Piste

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Chef Jesse Skiles' supperclub-within-a-restaurant recently expanded its menu to feature separate sections for snacks, mains, and grains, and one commenter sings the praises of its bucatini primavera, served with nettles, clams, and preserved lemon.

Justa Pasta Co

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Casual restaurant Justa Pasta offers at least a half-dozen housemade daily pastas (including three stuffed raviolis), which diners can mix-and-match with their choice of sauce. Writes one reader, "Justa Pasta is always reliable and simple — the way Italian pasta dishes should be."

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Tabla Mediterranean Bistro

Adam Berger's Tabla garnered many votes for its pasta dishes, though consensus was split between two familiar menu offerings: the tajarin with truffle butter and a chard-and-ricotta ravioli with poppy seed butter. Says a reader of the latter: "For my money, it's hard to beat Tabla's chard/ricotta ravioli with a poached farm egg. So simple, and so perfect." Another declares, "Tajarin pasta with truffle butter at Tabla will be served at my last meal."

A Cena

Of all chef Gabe Gabreski's house-made pastas at Sellwood's a Cena Ristorante, none stir up a fervor like his agnolotti, featuring corn and mascarpone raviolini paired with butter-poached Maine lobster. More than one reader dubs it "to die for." [Photo]

Ava Gene's

Many general votes came in for the still-newish Ava Gene's, which one reader says "has certainly opened my palette up to just how toothsome and varying pasta can be." Vague consensus gives the win to Ava's orecchiette with sausage or sagna ricca with lamb ragu. As one commenter says, "I could eat the Sagna Riccia at Ava Gene's daily."

Three Doors Down Cafe

Hawthorne's neighborhood Italian spot Three Doors Down has been steadily serving up great dishes of pasta for 18 years, gathering fans for everything from its penne vodka to seafood fra diavlo. One commenter claims that allegiance to one particular dish is difficult, citing a laundry list of favorites: "Vodka sausage pasta at Three Doors Down. Or the spaghetti and meatballs at Three Doors Down. Or any pasta dish at Three Doors Down." [Photo]

Piazza Italia

The Pearl's 13-year-old Piazza Italia pairs a lively soccer bar with rustic pastas like bucatini all'Amatriciana and linguine alle vongole. Reader votes arrived for the spot's simple pasta marinara, and the dish affectionally named "Gino's fave" for Piazza's late owner Gino Schettini. It features linguine with egg, prosciutto, onion, parmesan, and black pepper. [Photo]

Le Pigeon

Gabe Rucker's probably best known for his meaty experiments, but his pasta dishes earned props from more than one commenter. One reader pens a straight-up mash note to a few recent Le Pigeon dishes: "My favorite pasta dishes from Chef Rucker in 2013 are 1) the spaghettini with smoked mackerel and clam butter, 2) the gnocchi made of chicken, and 3) sweetbreads with boar neck ragu, pappardelle and fennel (although the pasta was not the main component of this particular dish)."

Caffe Mingo

Chef Jerry Huisinga's NW institution Caffe Mingo has accumulated a fair share of fans in its 20 years in business. The newly pared down menu features one housemade pasta nightly, and one reader admits that "I'm addicted to the penne al sugo." Currently, the one on offer is a sugo of beef braised in Chianti and espresso. [Photo]

DOC

The diminutive Northwest-meets-Italian spot DOC constantly switches up its pasta offerings (currently, the menu features a risotto and a cavatelli with pork sugo). But one reader craves DOC's nettle, truffle, and mushroom lasagna, served with a duck egg on top.

Mucca Osteria

According to one reader, chef Simone Savaiano's Mucca Osteria makes the town's top pasta: "House-made and always the epitome of al dente." The selection varies, but another commenter suggests the rabbit papardelle whenever it's available.[Photo]

Tasty 'N Sons

Tasty N Sons is obviously better known for its breakfast-ish items (shakshuka, hash, frittatas), but at least one reader prefers the restaurant's fettucine with ragu and mascarpone, available on the dinner menu as a "small plate." The same reader adds: "They also know how to make a proper carbonara."

Taste Unique

Mostly take-out spot Taste Unique offers both completed pasta dishes and separate cartons of sauce for guests to recreate an Italian meal at home. Chef Stefania Toscano's lasagna could be a contender, but one reader suggests any fresh pasta featuring Toscano's Norcina cause: "Norcina is rich and full of flavor. Chef Stefi makes her own sausage so her Norcina rocks." [Photo]

Sauvage et Fausse Piste

Chef Jesse Skiles' supperclub-within-a-restaurant recently expanded its menu to feature separate sections for snacks, mains, and grains, and one commenter sings the praises of its bucatini primavera, served with nettles, clams, and preserved lemon.

Justa Pasta Co

Casual restaurant Justa Pasta offers at least a half-dozen housemade daily pastas (including three stuffed raviolis), which diners can mix-and-match with their choice of sauce. Writes one reader, "Justa Pasta is always reliable and simple — the way Italian pasta dishes should be."

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