Castagna Restaurant
| Address: | 1752 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97214, USA |
| Phone: | +1 503-231-7373 |
| Site: | castagnarestaurant.com |
| Rating: | 4.3 |
| Working: | Closed Closed 5:30–10PM 5:30–10PM 5:30–10PM 5:30–10PM Closed |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 6
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Mark Knell
Consistently and somewhat-quietly amazing. Wine pairings have to be tried to be believed. (Im not usually impressed by restaurants wine pairings, and not because Im some wannabe sommelier who thinks he knows better; I know very little about wine--partly because most wine "experts" seem to be far more proficient at memorizing wine information than knowing what tastes good with what. If I thought someone could teach me to pair wines likes Castagna does, Id start studying tomorrow.) Its less flashy under the current chef than in its previous iteration as a molecular gastronomy showcase. But, doing fewer things to invite the term "showcase" is rarely a bad thing for the inherent quality of a product, and the offerings here havent suffered a bit. Instead, the food is more reliably about food than a staged "experience of food." Its less meta. I know, thats pretty much what most pro critics have written, but in this case I agree. Id further add that a meal here has enough evident control behind it--there are several surprises but few dissonant alarms, which were a risk with the previous chef--that its now food worth thinking about, like a writer whos found her voice. It rewards contemplation. How does this next dish play against its wine? Am I tasting the one differently now, when it follows the other? (Hint: usually yes, and in intriguing, often astounding ways.) I dont recall asking those questions in Castagnas previous incarnation. Back then, I was dazzled and entertained and well fed, but I was less likely to ask "Why?" than "How in the world?" Now Im actually tasting the tasting menu. Yes, "authorial voice" and "why" is an odd set of criteria to apply to a restaurant. But at Castagna, the chefs tasting menu with wine pairings is not operating in the same economic circles as most restaurants. At these prices, everything is under the microscope, and every last thing should be everything youd expect, plus a little extra to wonder about. It should be dinner and a show and, for lack of a better term, food for thought. On our latest visit, for me and my lovely and ever-discerning wife, it was.
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A Private User
I feel compelled to write a quick review from our recent visit. This is due to the fact that the major press here in Portland is entirely unreliable and misguided in their reviews. Yes, I mean you Karen Brooks. Ive given up even reading her ilk, focused on food carts and ethereal hipster hype. Its time for us all to spread our own opinions. So, why read this? I trust my families tastes and opinions much, much more. The older folks among us learned to cook from Gourmet and Julia back in the day. They honed their tastes cooking wine club dinners and 20 years of travel to the best restaurants in the US and Europe. The younger of us are, well, were learning from them quickly. Castagna is a hit. Matthew Lightner is doing great with a three tiered menu that is inventive without being coy, embraces local and fresh without stamping it on your plate and refined in a way that the Karen Brooks "comfort food" chain of restaurants may not understand. Yes, there is nitrogen frozen horse radish and sous vide duck egg. But it isnt trickery...it is elegantly delicious. The chefs menu can be selected by only a few at a table. This is important. You just cant do this in NYC or Napa. And there is a reason: the service of the tasting menu invariably suffers a little. Amazingly, this wasnt the case at Lucier, but the goals of the service staff at Castagna are markedly lower than the brigades and what it implies. It is probably appropriate for their goals. Favorite dishes: Mussels with char grilled leeks, Smoked Sturgeon with chervil and cardoon, Salsify and the two mentioned above. Price: spot on for the experience in my opinion. Wine List: heavy on French/Italian. Id like to see more locals, and better local choices. Seems in general the selections are more fruit forward which complements the menu well, however. It is fine dining.
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A Private User
Wow....what a change for the dark side. It felt like the chef was trying overly hard to wow the diner with an intricate and overly complex set of tastes per bite, so it makes sense that the 1st and second courses were only a couple of bites each I guess. Way too much money for food that just tried to hard to be good. And what is with all the fat? steak covered with a thin sheet of fat, lamb covered with a quarter inch slab of fat -- sure you could pull it off, but why put it there. The steak and potato fat combo looked very much like a spiders web had caught some unsuspecting cook by surprise. I really missed the butter lettuce salad and was tempted to go next door to the cafe for one when the waiter told us they served it there. Ill never come back to the restaurant, which used to be my #1 fave. May be back to the cafe at some point, but a MAJOR disappointment. I felt like we gave it the old college try, tried not to pre-judge, but the end product of everything except the desserts was just over-priced so-so food. The desserts were the one bright spot. We tried 3 items and each one was very good. Ill miss the old Castagna.
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A Private User
This place is amazing! I made a reservation, and flew to Portland to be wowed, and I was! Eating here isnt just filling your stomach, its an experience. The ambience is amazing! The servers are like quiet vampires, they appear at the perfect time. It seemed like my water glass was always filled, but I never noticed someone filling it. They are impeccable with their timing. I loved being able to have good conversation without abrubt interruption to see if I was enjoying myself. The food was intense to say the least. Another reviewer used the word challenge, and I find that very fitting. Each course was its own little complex world of flavors and textures. The Chefs Tasting was pricey, but well worth it! I ate there three weeks ago and Im still thinking about that meal with all of its perplexities. Im looking forward to my next trip to Portland just so I can visit this gem again. The food makes you think, and I like that.
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Stephanie Carstens
A phenomenal experience! My husband and I went here for my birthday dinner. Everything was perfection: the food, the service, and the ambiance. We went on a Saturday night and they were just the right degree of busy but there were still a few tables available. We started with the cheese platter which is an absolute must! The Brie was so rich and full, the manchego mild, and the Cherry chutney and the honey were excellent pairings. I had the albacore which was cooked perfectly with a corn relish. The corn was sweet and juicy. My husband had a burger and fries and they were delicious! Perfect for the less experimental eater. The wine was light and fruity. The only miss was dessert. We had the lemon cardamom donuts and the flavor is right on but the texture is off, too doughy and heavy. The staff and the chefs were helpful and friendly. Thank you cafe castagna! We will be back!
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Marie T Fisher
Dinner reservations were surprisingly easy to come by post-Thanksgiving. We were seated immediately and the space was warm, despite being near the entry door. My companion and I shared the $3 rustic Philippes bread with butter and fleur de sel (the bread was delicious, though not warmed, but the butter was room temperature which is always a plus) and the $9 brussels sprouts with chickpeas and herbs (which I highly recommend as they were extremely flavorful, generous in size, and sans meat). The $16 crimini and arugula pizza was just the perfect amount of oily and crispy, perhaps a bit salty but thats really a personal preference and could have been due to the tellegio. It was also large enough to take some to go. My companions $15 burger was prepared as requested (rare) and thoroughly enjoyed with bacon and cheddar (for additional $4).
