Luce — Restaurant in Portland

Okay, so I recently checked out this adorable little Italian place in Portland called Luce, and I have to tell you, it was a great experience! It's got this cute, intimate vibe, almost like a tapas bar with their tasty small plates. They've got a good wine selection too, which is always a plus. I definitely recommend going with a group so you can try a bunch of things. Now, I wasn't a huge fan of their Ragu Tagliatelle – it had this weird smell that just didn't do it for me. But the gnocchi and the roasted beets? Delicious! And you won't believe it, but the cabbage side dish was possibly the most exciting thing on the menu with this deep, rich caramel flavor. Just a heads up, they don't take reservations and it gets pretty busy, so you might have to wait around 30-40 minutes for a table unless you get lucky. Actually, the first time I went, we stumbled upon Luce on our way to another place, and it looked so darling inside that we totally changed our plans. And I'm so glad we did! We started with an antipasto plate – the cauliflower and stuffed fried olives were both fantastic. We also shared a pasta dish, and the name is escaping me, but it was stuffed with potato and golden raisins (you barely noticed the raisins!) and had these light, crispy breadcrumbs on top. It was really good and kind of unassuming. I highly recommend trying it, especially since they let you order half portions of the pasta, which is perfect for sampling! For our mains, we went with the baked stuffed trout and the hanger steak, plus a side of leeks with butter and grilled cabbage. We loved everything, but the hanger steak and the grilled cabbage were definitely the standouts. To finish things off, we got a couple of desserts. The buttermilk panna cotta was seriously off the hook! The ricotta cheesecake was just okay for me (but if you're a ricotta fan, you'd probably love it). Our server, I didn't catch his name, was awesome. All of his recommendations were spot on, and the service was just perfect. The atmosphere is really darling – the restaurant was buzzing but still felt cute and quaint. I'd definitely recommend this place for a date night! Honestly, this is the kind of place I can see myself coming back to again and again for a solid Italian meal. I haven't tried a ton of Italian spots in Portland yet, but so far, this is my favorite. The other time I went was on a Saturday night around 6:30 pm, and we were able to get a table outside in about 20 minutes (the wait inside was longer). They don't do reservations, but they take your phone number, which is great because you can wander around and check out the nearby cocktail bars or shops while you wait. We split focaccia, three half portions of pasta, one main dish, one side, and two desserts between the four of us, and we were all perfectly satisfied. Seriously, get the half pasta portions – they're all so unique and flavorful, it's impossible to...

Ok this is not the most elegant restaurant in the world, but it is comfy enough to enjoy the fantastic food available therein. No pretense here; just great food in a unique setting. Antipasto items are $2.00 each, and are true small plates - - two polpettes, either salt cod or cauliflower; wonderful crostini (two slices with either fig/goat cheese or a liver mousse spread over them,) a small portion of cold, spiced cooked mussels, and so on. Pasta portions are available as half or whole portions, with a half ideal for one and a whole perfect for sharing. Sharing, in fact, is a great idea, since you can put together really interesting combinations of antipasto, pastas, salads, and 'main' courses. The salads deserve a shout out; nice big servings of very fresh ingredients, with several types available. The lunch special at $14 gives you several ways to put a meal together; the one with Hangar Steak, Focaccia (choice of three varieties) and herbed salad is quite a decent meal and satisfies completely. Add a glass of very palatable wine for $5 and you feel like you're on a side street in Italy. I beg to differ with the reviewer who described the portions as small and expensive. Sure the $2.00 plates are small. They are also highly affordable and beautifully executed. Half pastas fall under $10; the amazing octopus salad (expensive ingredient) is $10 for the half and $20 for the very generous whole portion. Highly recommended.

The restaurant is small, and service is, shall we say, elegantly slow. So don't go there when you're in the midst of a pressing schedule. Let the meal unfold at its measured pace for...

A life skill one picks up in college is surviving on pasta (or ramen, but that’s another story). Unfortunately, this has the side effect of making Italian food seem prosaic. Spaghetti with "meat" sauce becomes an embarrassing punchline. Eventually, you graduate to “fancier” options—chain restaurants cloaked in upscale branding—and, if you're lucky, find your way to a place like Luce.

Tucked at the corner of Burnside and Southeast 22nd Avenue, Luce offers mindfully prepared comfort food for early birds who snag a table and for the patient ones who don't mind the wait (if you arrive after 6 PM, you're in the latter camp). It’s our "infrequent rotation special occasion" spot—which may sound contradictory, but is meant as high praise. This place is fantastic.

The pastas are a textural and flavor revelation, putting to shame anything I might attempt at home. This is the work of professionals. My personal go-to is the à la carte hanger steak: no frills, just quality—each bite bolstered by a lightly crisped rosemary sprig that functions less as garnish and more as condimental companion. It's a masterclass in restraint and execution.

The antipasti deserve their own spotlight. The olives and focaccia were made for each other, the olives’ oil doubling as a dip for the salt-flecked bread. The marinated beets and roasted sweet peppers (with delightfully sneaky peppercorns) were so good, we ordered another round.

With a meal this stellar, we have to pace our visits lest we become too accustomed to Luce’s delights. I can’t tell you exactly when we were here last, but I know it was too long—and somehow,...