Recently, on Thursdays at Renata they have been offering a special risotto a la minute which is finished in a parmesan cheese wheel in the middle of the room before being brought to your table. This is a little similar to the cheese wheel experience/dalla forma pasta I enjoyed in LA that I wrote about previously, but is focused at Renata on a rich creamy risotto in a cheese wheel only available on Thursdays. I don’t currently know of any place else in Portland offering anything finished in a cheese wheel.
Thursdays at Renata is Risotto in a Cheese Wheel
Renata’s Italian Happy Hour – Aperitivo
I’ve been a big fan of Renata since they first opened, as I first wrote about almost a year ago. Back then, I was really impressed by their beautiful patio as well as their incredible pastas and in house aged whole animal (which would appear once in a while when the aging was complete as a special dish on the menu) and the craft cocktails. And then came the rush of the people when Renata was announced as Oregonian’s 2015 Restaurant of the Year, and they went through a trial by fire every day.
Now the rush of the trendy crowds have calmed down – on recent visits I dined with sweet senior citizens and families with kids during early dinner seatings, and then with a range of ages of professionals on business or on date night or with a boisterous group of friends later in the evening. The breathing room now gives Renata the opportunity instead of focusing on executing all the food to the necessary volumes, a chance to experiment and tweak the menu based on new ideas. One of those new ideas is Renata’s Italian Happy Hour – Aperitivo.
During Aperitivo, located in the bar and patio only from 4 PM – 6:00 PM Monday – Friday, what was once a Punch Hour before they begin Dinner Service now celebrates Italian Street Food and seasonal cocktails. For spring, this included for instance on their menu the Spring Cocktails of Arrossire with cappelletti, punt e mes, benedictine, soda or Paper Moon with pisco, vermouth, bay leaf, chamomile, egg white, lemon.
I tried the pretty pink house cocktail of Occam’s Razor with vodka, elderflower, blackberry, citrus and prosecco. Or go for the Old Fashioned Flight included one rye with demerara, one bourbon with smoked maple. and one made with scotch and burnt honey.
Meanwhile, on the food menu enjoy bites such as
Salt and Vinegar Pork Rinds which have this light airy feel of a pork rind but then you pucker up after a bite!
Salumi alla Casa plate, this visit with spicy coppa, mortadella, prosciutto cotto, Vacca Bruna parmigian
Formaggio plate, for this visit that included Sheep with bloomy rind cheese Valentine, Cow hard rind cheese Andrea Menzazana, and a Sheep + Cow washed rind cheese Willow Creek
Stuffed Fried Olives with Trotter and Calabrian Chili Aioli look like aracini, but don’t be fooled – there is an olive in there, adding a nice counterpoint to the deep fried exterior
Aracini with pork sugo and fontina are creamy and rich
The other tasty “ball” item on the menu (besides the marinated olives which I did not try – but those are more like ovals right?) are these juicy and large Polpettine, a dish of lamb and beef meatballs with polenta that are decadant just like the aracini.
While the Ceci Bean Panelle with pecorino and lemon are light ceci bean fritter that’s impossible to only have 3 or 4 of them…
Dumplings are given a crispy crunchy exterior but oozy cheesy interior via these Panzerotti with mozzarella and marinara, which is one of my recommendations as it’s one of my favorites of the Aperitivo menu.
My other recommendation and outstanding item on the menu are these Piadina with broccoli pesto, ham, and ricotta which make use of the pizza oven and dough to make a flatbread sandwich that is crispy like a quesadilla’s tortilla on the outside but stuffed with goodness like a panini but without all the heavy bread.
In Chicago, one of my super fond food memories that I haven’t been able to find very often is enjoying smelt – back then we got them from DiCola’s Seafood, with mom driving after school to order us the fried smelt by the pound that we started eating just barely past the door. Now Renata has offered me an outlet via their Fritto Misto with calamari and smelt that unlike most calamari you find (I should know – my brother loves calamari and orders it every time it’s on a menu when we dine out), Renata’s version is very lightly battered to a crisp and not soggy with oil.
I know their Aperitivo is only a short period of time on weekdays – and coming in from Hillsboro where I work, sometimes public transit doesn’t work in my favor and I get there too late. But, I still encourage you to visit. One of the obvious pleasures of Renata is the incredible pastas they have there – I’ve ever had one I didn’t enjoy. There are pasta shapes that I’ve encounted for the first time here, such as when I had Pici with roasted suckling pig and green garlic which is a firm tubelike pasta to when I had Squid Ink Corzetti with Lamb sausage, clams, and breadcrumbs where corzetti is a stamped flat pasta.
One of the more secret pleasures is that Renata buys whole animals and ages them after doing their own butchering and often uses the whole animal. So, whenever I see for instance any beef on the menu, I am there, enjoying a secret steak that I think is among the top 3 in Portland when it appears.
Don’t overlook the smaller ways that the meat may show up on the menu – from being in the pasta to on Chef Matt Sigler’s super on point crostini in the Bites section of the menu (more like half an open faced sandwich!) like this Crostini with Beef Brisket, Horseradish, and Potato Artichoke Puree on that perfectly chewy Pugliese. I was torn on whether to enjoy the beef brisket as part of the whole dish or pick off bits of that melt in your mouth beef to enjoy on its own. I did both.
And look for anything on their grill and fire, like here Grilled Octopus or a side of Coal Roasted Polenta with Gorgonzola picante
In checking out their wine list, ask about the wine selections from the Lava Bar section. These are incredible selections of wine where the grapes are grown on volcanic soil. It was only after a friend who took notes and always asked about vineyards and soil that I started taking those same notes, and I realized that whenever at a tasting event or room I tried volcanic soil wine 8 out of 10 I would end up purchasing a bottle. So clearly I have a preference for it – regardless of grape. Maybe you do too – come give it a try!
One of my favorite patios in Portland is the one at Renata, and I confess I’m there pretty often. What do you think of the updated Italian Street food Aperitivo happy hour there, what would you order? Where is your favorite outdoor patio for dining in Portland?
Disclosure: I attended a complimentary shared blogger Aperitivo happy hour, but I also returned on my own and on my own dime multiple times. I will always provide my honest opinion and assessment of all products and experiences I may be given. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are entirely my own.
Salt Fire Water Dinner with Salare and Renata
Last month in October, I attended the Salt Fire Water Dinner with Salare and Renata. If you haven’t heard, the #SaltFireWater is a dinner series held at Jacobsen Salt Co. and Bee Local’s Headquarters in Southeast Portland and presented by Williams-Sonoma Open Kitchen.
The two chefs take turns providing dishes for a multi-course dinner that highlights the artisanal salts from Jacobsen Salt Co and honey from Bee Local and ingredients sponsor New Seasons Market. Then all guests eat at a beautiful table together like one big dinner party in a single seating after an initial wine and passed hors d’oeuvres. An Oregon wine producer is always featured as part of the meal experience.
They have two upcoming dinners for December: a Dungeness Crab Feed on Sunday December 6 featuring Chef Jaret Foster of Foster’s Craft Cooking starring piles of massive amounts of Linda Brand Crab on table, as well as a dinner on Saturday December 12 bringing together a TBD announced chef plus Chef Gabriel Rucker of Le Pigeon for a six course dinner!
To give you an idea of what these dinners are like, please read on for my recap of the Salt Fire Water Dinner with Salare and Renata, or check out the recap of the dinner with Salt Fire Water with Ivan Ramen + Lang Baan.
This dinner brought together two chefs who have just recently opened restaurants in the past few months in Seattle and Portland. From Seattle we had food by Chef Edouardo Jordan of recently-opened Salare (formerly chef de cuisine at Bar Sajor in Seattle). From Portland, Salt Fire Water brought to pair up with Chef Edouardo the chef of the Oregonian’s Restaurant of the Year, Chef Matthew Sigler of Renata. Although I’ve yet to dine at Salare, I’ve visited many times and raved about Renata previously. Their dishes were paired with Love & Squalor wines.
Let’s take a look at the courses!
First: Passed Hors d’oeuvres
During the first 30 minutes or so, after hanging up your coat on a coat rack you can visit the Jacobsen Salt and Bee Local sample table to try out the latest new flavors and really appreciate the bounty of richness of the various products. I’m a huge fan of the Bee Local Honey flavors of White Oak Smoked honey and Cherry Wood Smoked honey, and I can never turn down a sprinkle of Jacobsen White Truffle Salt or Black Truffle Salt, and crushed on the Stumptown Coffee Flake salt.
The Love & Squalor wine during the passed appetizers time was a 2014 Pinot Gris from Willamette Valley that I might have had 2 glasses as it was so refreshing and paired so well with every single bite or even just tastes of the salt and honey. On hand pouring was winemaker and wine geek Matt Berson himself, as well as his wife and the artist behind their wine labels, Angela Reat.
One thing that is hard with Passed Hors d’oeuvres is that I get caught up chatting with people so I think I missed one of the bites from Renata, a Kohlrabi and Apple shooter with Dungeness Crab and Jacobson Chili Lime Salt . I started out though with a bit of Parsnip Soup with Matsutake Mushroom and Jacobsen Black Garlic Salt prepared by team Salare.
Next I cooled down my palate temperature-wise with Pacific Bresaola Salad with Root Vegetables and Jacobsen Rosemary Salt also by Salare.
The delicious but awkward bite of Pacific Octopus with Collard Greens, Peanut Sauce and Jacobsen Habanero Salt by Salare because that was one giant bite of octopus ball!
Parmesan Fritter with Bee Local Honey and Jacobsen Truffle Salt, Prosciutto, and Ancient Heritage Dairy Isabella cheese by Renata was another messy bite (you had to smear and pick up at the same time) but it was incredibly delicious. I may have had like 3 or 4 of these.
Second Course
We were now able to sit down and were poured a glass of Love & Squalor 2013 Riesling.
The course of Broccoli Sformato with Brassica Salad, Anchovy, Jacobsen Ghost Chili Salt by Renata was fantastic.
Third Course
Next was the Squid Ink Macaroni with Giant Squid, Sea Beans, Shishito Peppers, Sauce Diavolo and Jacobsen Smoked Salt by Salare paired with my favorite wine of the night, the Love & Squalor 2011 Pinot Noir Antsy Pants (barrel select).
Fourth Course
For the entree, a Mushroom Stuffed Quail with Jacobsen Salt Baked Celeriac, Carrot, and Almond Pesto by Renata was paired with Love & Squalor wine a 2012 Pinot Noir. I thought I was already pretty full, but somehow found room to clean this outstanding plate of flavors and textures absolutely and completely.
Fifth Course
Dessert was Gingerbread Layer Cake with a touch of Bee Local Bee Pollen, Molasses Ice Cream, Pomegranate Caramel, Bee Local Honey and Pear Compote. The Bee Pollen is from Damian Magista of Bee Local’s own backyard hive!
You can check out more gorgeous photos from this dinner at the Jacobsen Salt Facebook page for #SALTFIREWATER – Salare + Renata.
Which of these dishes sounds most intriguing to you? Have you had Jacobsen Salt or Bee Local honey, what are you favorites?
Renata – First Look
You may have seen that yesterday that the Oregonian, besides publishing a huge list of Portland’s 101 Best Restaurants, also named the 3 top restaurant awards for 2015. They dubbed Xico Cuisine of the Year, and Kachka the 2015 Rising Star Restaurant. And then, in a ballsy and perhaps purposely controversial move (and therefore generating lots of buzz and chatter and readership, which probably is half the point of the article anyway rather than just providing information), named 2015 Restaurant of the Year as Renata, who has only been officially open since the beginning of June (soft opening for a couple weeks before that).
I myself have still been deliberately waiting to write on what I think of Renata. I had eagerly been anticipating the opening of Renata back when it was still pop-up Project Grace, and so far had an opportunity to visit Renata a few times already. But, I was waiting to see what Renata would really be like when the rubber meets the road… and now with this announcement their test of execution of kitchen and service has been quickly accelerated. You will want to make reservations – they accept OpenTable Renata if you are trying to go now given the new buzz.
The dining space at Renata is airy and open. There are some tables of 2, and then these “Y” tables that can accommodate in different configurations larger parties or partially communal eating. It reminds me of restaurants I’ve seen in LA, where there is a bit of see and be seen to the dining scene .
On one visit I would take turns gazing lovingly on the food, paying attention to my dining companion, and glancing over to see what Andy Ricker at one table and Jeffrey Morgenthaler at a different table were eating and drinking while also being charmed watching the children of owners Nick and Sandra Arnerich eat at a counter with Sandra’s mother – 3 generations enjoying Renata. My visit on May 27 was also the same day Stephanie Yao Long took all those photos you saw accompanying the article announcing Renata as 2015 Restaurant of the Year so I got to watch that as well – I assumed it was for their “First Look” article (yes, I’m totally in a few of those photos).
And, Renata has a fabulous patio, if you are prepared for dealing with no shade on a cloudless day. Since this photo they have added one large patio umbrella in the middle so you still get lots of sun.
I appreciate how the bar faces windows, and most of all, not only do they have purse hooks under the counter but also outlets to charge your phone if you have your power cord handy! Thank you for your thoughtfulness, thank you.
The back away from the patio has mirrors, making the interior seem more spacious, and the whole restaurant fills with light thanks to the floor to ceiling windows/door. The wall between the patio and the restaurant are door panels that Renata can choose to open to let the breeze in, if they wish to, so the entire patio and restaurant can become one flowing space.
The patio is going to make this such an attractive al fresco lunch and dinner spot this summer and however long the weather cooperates until the rain comes. They canceled plans for now to host lunch service given how busy they are after the press
I don’t want to really review them until they have been open a bit longer, but thought I’d share the food photos at least to entice you… and to maybe explain why Michael Russell named them Restaurant of the Year, even though there is barely any write up out there on them yet.
The menu is divided into small plates which are in a box to the right side of the daily printed menu, with a section for Stuzzi or Bites, Tavola or Boards, and Antipasti. Next, in the main eating ring are half a dozen Primi Pasta dishes, a handful of Hearth/Grill dishes and Forni/Oven pizza dishes from their brick oven, and a couple Contorni/Sides.
There is also a bar menu that doesn’t even capture the creativity tempered by incredible balance that is coming out. For instance, here is the cocktail Fortune Teller, with amaro ciociaro, lemon, marionberry, cacao, and ginger. I loved taking sips of the sweet and sour beverage and then little bites of the spicy ginger.
Here is the Sicilian Advantage, with cynar, honeydew mint basil soda, and little sprinkle of sea salt. I was not expecting and loved the touch of the melon ball with a mint skewered in it.
On the slightly stronger sipping side but just as delightful as the Sicilian Advantage is this Renata cocktail of Trevi Fountain with aperol ice cream, volstead vodka, luxardo maraschino and chinotto soda. You can use the spoon to take a little taste of the sorbet before it melts and becomes a contribution to the drink profile.
Renata cocktail version of a flip called The Prince with bank’s 5 island rum, hazelnut orgeat, lemon, egg, aromatic bitters and nutmeg
Or go classic and citrus with this cocktail of Nights in Cabiria with ransom old tom gin, strega, apricot, lime, calabrian chili tincture
From the Stuzzi or Bites section, the Radish Crudite with whipped lardo which has turned into other crudite/vegetable options based on what they desire to serve.
The Crispy Trotters with Salmoriglio and Calabrian chili was a perfect mix of crispy and soft and disappeared quickly. Don’t be scared off by the trotters in the name, you might be able to trick your dining companion (I was sorely tempted) if you do not explain what trotters really are.
For something lighter if the day is hot, consider the Crostini with sheep milk ricotta, bottarga, and lemon or whatever crostini they are serving.
My bread recommendation would be though from the Tavola or Boards section, where you should order the Pane basket that includes foccacia, pugliese, and tomato panettone with 3 accompaniments that included porcini whipped butter, honey, and an olive compote. Make sure you ask if they have the porcini butter, because that alone makes this worth the price.
Also from this section is the Board of Salumi with prosciutto cotto, pork terrina, coppa di testa and accompaniments, which is pretty substantial and that melt in your mouth meat needs to be shared.
From the Antipasti section, Smoked King Salmon with spring vegetables, rye crumble and salsa verde. This dish updates based on what is fresh, so on another visit the Smoked King Salmon was accompanied by beets, horseradish, blackberries and pistachios instead, and another visit showed raspberries instead of blackberries.
From the Primi section, the pasta types change often, though there is usually a cavatelli, tagliatelli, toasted flour paccheri, squid ink chitarra, and agnolotti. On one visit, I had this Carrot Top Cavatelli with lamb sugo and morels. On another visit, the Carrot Top Cavatelli now had lamb sugo, AHD why, and morels.
The Isabelli Scarpinocc is a signature dish here, here with porcini mushrooms and pine nuts is perfect. You will want to carefully consider and appreciate each perfect pasta parcel of deliciousness – don’t rush through the dish. It’s not going to be a family style Italian heaping dish – the serving is exactly that of a primi, to be enjoyed but not fill you completely so that you can’t get to the mains.
No photograph, but the Squid Ink Chitarra is another recommended pasta dish, a little scary looking with its dark inky bowl of shadows, but bursting with layers of flavors (the version I tried included salumi cotto, clams, and English peas). If you see an unusual pasta combo, take the plunge (for instance, below the Porcini Mushroom Tajarin from Renata with brown butter, duck giblets and pine nuts). Matthew Sigler is making magic with all the pastas, no matter what they are. YOU MUST ORDER A PASTA! MUST!
From the Forno section, Cavalo Nero pizza with sausage, pecorino and green garlic was tasty, but I can’t say it currently ranking among the top 10 in Portland – only time will tell what they can do.
I’ve only had one grill/mains. At almost $30, they were pretty pricey and getting the smaller dishes and pastas seemed like a better value – the exception I made was for the Beef Tagliata with radish, nasturtium pesto, and turnip puree. I had read they had purchased a whole cow, so I was anticipating when it would finish aging and be ready for a dish. That meat was melt in your mouth.
Also not photographed or ordered were the Ancient Heritage Dairy cheese plate – I’ve had AHD cheeses for many years from the Portland Farmers Market at PSU on Sat, and am so excited to see them being able to create more in the same building housing Renata. You can peek into the windows to see the production facility that rivals the viewing station at the Seattle Pike Place Market Beecher’s Cheese storefront – I hope that the other storefront I see still in progress will house easy access to some of the AHD cheese as well as Alma Chocolate in that last retail space.
The private dining room for Renata lets you look at some of that delicious cheese on one side of the wall!
Dessert, particularly the gelatos, are a surprise of flavors. For instance, here a scoop of Sourdough cherry jam with lovage and one scoop of AHD Whey Sorbetto. Other options I’ve seen include Malted chocolate, Anisse hyssop, and Mint cocoa nib shortbread. Don’t be afraid of anything at Renata, it may blow your mind
Dessert of Olive Oil Cake with Lambrusco zabaglione, strawberries and almond brittle was light and easily sharable.
And then, here are these adorable mini cookies that came with the check for a sweet goodbye from Renata
All what you saw above was not during any visit where Renata was at capacity, so my meals were leisurely. The service as among the best I have seen in most restaurants, where each staff member feels responsible to make your experience the best it can be. There’s no asking for something and the staff member says they’ll go get your server. If they see a dish is empty, or your water glass only half full, they will take the initiative to clear your table, to get a pitcher to refill your glass, to ask make eye contact to see if you need anything but otherwise continue their watchful stroll looking where to help.
In Portland, it’s not often I see this attentiveness but yet unobtrusiveness. At the same time, I was never there on a Fri or Sat night when the restaurant was bustling – part of the reason why this is not yet a review. But, I can see what the Oregonian saw – the incredible potential where all Renata needs to do is continue to be at this level – to earn Restaurant of the Year. Ever since my first visit I’ve mentioned Renata to anyone looking for a recommendation – the starters and pastas and cocktails I’ve experienced thus far have me crushing on Renata pretty hard.
What items seemed interesting to you from the Renata menu? What do you think of a restaurant not yet 1 month old being named 2015 Restaurant of the Year? If you want to go, make sure you make reservations!