Alba Osteria

I’m going to keep this short because it is not good news and that’s not because of their food. As per our waitress last Saturday they will be closing on 1÷1÷11 after 8 years.
I’m sorry to all those who have been loving them long before I ate there. I can only add that their ricotta gnocchi were like nothing I had ever tasted before– melted into creamy cheesy goodness almost before your teeth made contact. I have never been a gnocchi person but if I could get a written guarantee that they would always be this light and delicious I’d be a convert.
Sad that we won’t be able to add this to our list of local (meaning SW) places to go…

It’s sad to hear that this place is probably going out of business :(. Go there and spend money! This is the best Italian food in the entire metro area, if not the northwest.
We went there for my girlfriend’s birthday on a whim. Started with the albacore stuffed peppers and they were absolutely delicious. The sweetness of the peppers perfectly complimented the strong, acidic qualities of the tuna.
Next, we both got the gnocchi and were blown away. It was nothing any gnocchi either of us had before. The stuff practically melted in our mouths and was so unbelievably rich and satiating.
Again, even though the location is weird, please go here and spend your money. We can’t let this Portland gem go out of business!

AWSOMENESS!
Food is original, fresh and delicious!
HOMEMADE pasta!
Everything was very tasty, service good and price totally reasonable.
We may have been lucky to get in right away since it was a late week night. We will be back SOON!

We had dinner here last week to celebrate getting the keys to our first home, not far away.
We had a great meal. Yes, we did. However, maybe it was built up too much in mind after reading so many glowing reviews, because, well, it didn’t rock my world.
The agnolotti I started with was very tasty, although the portion was small, and it was served just barely warmer than room temperature.
The Lamb shank I ordered was delicious, and enormous.
The cassata cake was decadent and rich.
The wine (Barbera d’Alba) was great. My husband seemed happy with his food as well.
One thing about this restaurant, I hope you have plans to work off the calories afterwards, because every single dish on the menu was a calorie bomb.
I don’t have any real complaints about the place, it just wasn’t WOW — 5 stars! good. I’m sure we’ll visit again soon enough, and maybe my socks will get rocked next time.

I would give Alba Osteria six stars if I could. Our meal there was phenomenal! On the one hand, I thought of not writing a review or keeping it low key, because I want this place to stay just as it is (which is, easy to get a reservation). On the other hand, if I were other people, I’d want to know about this place too! I’ve been trying out lots of different Portland area restaurants this year and hadn’t yet found any place that was really, really good. We’ve been to some of the sort of fancy, trendy restaurants (like in the Pearl), and I just wasn’t impressed. Okay/​good food, but nothing that wowed me. I used to live in New York and I had a favorite Italian restaurant that was very hard to leave. Now, life is all better now that I’ve found a replacement!
Our appetizers (salamis, and peppers with albacore) and desserts (cassata cake and flourless chocolate) were very good. But my entrée I will never forget: the most perfect gnocchi. They were ricotta gnocchi with morels, and they melt in your mouth.
I like that this place is right on Capitol Highway and not in some über-​trendy section of town– a couple came in dressed in workout clothes, and some people are dressed up. It doesn’t matter! It’s a nice casual place with excellent food.

is there anything better in life than butter? A I know… CREAM and butter. The pasta is amazing… also the service… I just wish that they had other potions to go with the pasta…
They sell the pasta so you can cook at home! A good-​cheap option. Sure beats making it yourself!

The gnocchi was phenomenal (leeks, cream and pecorino). The fabled agnolotti was good but not great. I felt like it was a little plain although the meat was delicious. The albacore stuffed peppers were delectable but the serving is a little small. Atmosphere is pretty good (a little home). The enoteca room had a lot more class. You can bring your own wine or pick from a limited glass list (five) to a larger range of bottles. The barbaresco they were serving was ok but nothing super special. not sure if 16 bucks each for the primi dishes was reasonable but the gnocchi was so delicious I was impressed nonetheless

Every time I visit Portland, I am guaranteed 3 things.
1. Going home with an arm load of books from Powell’s.
2. The company of great friends and family
3. Eating good food at non-​chain places.
Our party of 4 stumbled into this place on a Saturday night and we had our choice of tables. The place was empty. But let me tell you something about me. It’s a secret. And I swear that it is true. After I walk into an empty place, it almost fills up by the time I leave. Swear. Ask my pedi lady. She calls me her good luck charm.
Our service was decent and our food was outstanding. My friend’s gnocchi was of perfect texture but a bit salty. My vinagarette salad perfectly paired with my calamari and lemon aioli sauce.
The desserts were divine. Pear bread pudding and a Chocolate Toffee Torte.
Why not five stars? I couldn’t get my iced tea filled… look, I don’t need fluid constantly… but a second refill should happen without my having to ask for it 3 times. And the heater was ridiculously set too high.

Cut to the chase: Alba Osteria is one of the very best Italian restaurants in the USA. Period. And it never ceases to amaze me how overlooked it is in Portland. «It’s so far away,» is a complaint I’ve seen on other review boards. Well, from my Woodstock home, I can get to Alba just about as quickly as any place downtown, so the «it’s out of the way» excuse doesn’t cut it. I’ve been to Alba at least 15 times, and I must say, with a couple of exceptions, everything I’ve had here has been exemplary. Now, how should I know? Well, I’ve been to Italy more than a dozen times to research and study food, including a visit to Alba, in Piedmont, during the famous white truffle fair. I can cook the stuff pretty well, and once upon a time, attempted to buy a restaurant in Montalcino, south of Florence. So I do know a thing or two about this food. Well, Alba Osteria, in far away Hillsdale nails this stuff spot on. I’ve only been to one or two other places in this country that come so close to the flavors and tastes I’ve had in Italy… and one of the secrets is simplicity, don’t fuck with a good thing, don’t add stuff that doesn’t need to be there (why do so many American Italian places insist on putting cream and or green peas in carbonara???).
Alba specializes in the food of Piedmont, in NW Italy at the foot of the Alps and the home of great wines like Dolcetto, Barbera, Barolo, Moscato d’Asti and so on. And where you find great wine, you find great food, and Alba doesn’t disappoint… oh, they have probably the only all-​Piedmont wine list in any restaurant in the US, and that takes balls in my opinion… and so, the kitchen, as in Piedmont, matches the wine. Cut to another chase: the highlight of the menu, also in my opinion, is the agnolotti, a tiny stuffed pasta featuring a paper-​thin pasta sheet filled with a mixture of roasted meats and chopped greens. I’ve had some good agnolotti in Alba in Piedmont and Alba in Portland is as good as any I’ve had there. No kidding. Get it with the butter and sage, and you will, or should, experience a rare, etherial dish that has few equals in any genre in Portland, with no doubt. Their ultra thin tajarin, a hand-​cut pasta… think the angel hair version of fettuccine. Another standout is the carne cruda, hand chopped raw beef simply seasoned with lemon, salt, parm and maybe lemon (my version has lemon)…my formerly vegetarian son loves it, it’s that good. In fall and winter they offer bagna cauda, an anchovy and garlic «sauce» in which they bake various things, usually jerusalem artichokes I believe. Salads are great, they always do nice things with seasonal, local produce, they also usually feature an interesting lamb dish, a duck, and some pork on the menu, all very well executed.
Ok, I think you get the picture. For me, this is the best restaurant in town because, unlike some of the others that get this label, Alba is absolutely and totally true to their inspiration, the cucina piemontese from the enchanting area around Alba, Asti and Bra… with that as a model, as long as you don’t try to exercise a «chef’s ego» and fuck it up with stuff that doesn’t belong, how can you go wrong??? Hell, 10 stars! (My price per person assumes a bottle of wine for two, plus a coffee or two after dinner)

I am…
Speechless.
Well, almost. Not to diminish Shirley B.‘s awful experience, but in Alba Osteria’s defense, I must say that I ate immaculately prepared raw beef, and the thymus gland of a calf and walked away unscathed.

To dine at Alba Osteria is to find yourself amidst Piemonte’s mystical hills and valleys, ancient castles, and gorgeous vineyards. Such is the evocative transporting power of this region’s amazing wine and cuisine. That it can be had at reasonable prices, right here in Portland, with such stunning authenticity is a gift beyond measure (well, at least I think so).
Seriously though, where else could you sip a Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera, or Dolcetto and have it pair so perfectly with the food being served? Where can you find Agnolotti Dal Plin, Carne Cruda Al Albese, or Tajarin?
Recently an amazing friend who we were hosting offered to treat us to a meal here. I’d been longing to go back, and she’d heard rave reviews from our friend in common with whom we’d eaten here last. Having been before I had high expectations, especially since this time we brought in a 13 year old Barbaresco (this is actually a little on the young side to be drinking this, but I doubted a better opportunity would arise).
Alba did not disappoint.
This Italian fairy tale dinner (I refer to it so, because due to our current economic situation it’s unlikely to happen again anytime soon, plus for me this was a foodie fantasy come true) began with a selection of Antipasti that included Carne Cruda, Asparagus, and Salad. The subtle flavors of chopped raw River Run beef enhanced by the lemon and slight saltiness of the cheese… maybe it could’ve been served a touch warmer, but I’m still having wonderful flashbacks.
It’s worth noting at this point that the whole experience was enhanced by the wine we brought. Of course equally of note is that Alba has an awesome all Piemontese wine list (and if Barolo and Barbaresco are out of your price comfort zone Barbera is an amazing food friendly wine and a great value). Speaking of value, bottle prices here are completely within reason, a practice for which they should be applauded.
Our primi (which ended up being more less my primi as I devoured most of it) was the Agnolotti Dal Plin. These delicate mini pasta pillows filled with pork, veal, and rabbit haunt my thoughts daily. Served in a rich earthy brown butter sauce they arrived just as pasta should coated, but not swimming. It’s when eating this dish, that I can close my eyes and feel like I’m suddenly in Alba. So good that I’ve considered stopping by and getting just this to go.
The secondi’s were no less stunning or savory. Roasted Su-​Dan Farm Lamb Chops with Taggiasca Olive Tapenade. Grilled River Run Organic NY Steak, horseradish, Agretti, Truffle Salt Fried Potatoes. And finally fork tender Braised Beef. The lamb was just right, as was the juicy steak, and melt in your mouth braise.
Piemontese cuisine, and Alba Osteria, is not about pizazz or spectacle. It’s not colorful, it’s not about being stylish or modern. There’s no spaghetti or lasagne on the menu. No Saltimbocca, pizza, or Carbornara (btw all things I happen to love, I just love this more). It’s about fresh high quality ingredients made into delicious down to earth dishes paired with some of the greatest wines in all of Italy, if not the world.
True, the Olive Garden masses might not find enough familiarity here, but for those oenophiles enamored and enchanted by Piemonte this just might be a small preview of heaven.
Neither words nor these two photo collages can fully describe this bliss:

One of the first «nice» restaurants my wife and I have gotten a chance to eat at in Portland, Alba does not mess around. The dining area is plain and really fairly boring. That’s okay though, Alba is focusing on the food. Post-​modernistic BS décor doesn’t make your risotto taste better and if that is what it takes to make this menu as good as this, I don’t even need plates — I’ll eat it off of a concrete floor.
You know it is a good meal when you still remember it fondly months after going. I have yet to see a more imaginative menu in Portland. My wife got the gnocchi, I the duck confit. The duck was STUPID good. The mixture of fatty, sweet and savory on this dish was so well played. I got different parts of the dish with every bite. My wife really liked her gnocchi but I did not taste it, I was too busy with the duck. The wines they selected for us were very good and paired well with our respective dishes. The desert was pretty darn good as well.
Now, we have only been once and we went on a random week night. But, this place was empty and I just don’t get that. Sure, it is out of the way for most, but this place is worth the drive/​bike ride/​jet pack launch to eat here. Go now!

Maybe I try to be funny in some of my reviews, but I must treat this restaurant with the highest respect and be quite serious here. As serious as highway 217 at rush hour. If I were to read this review out loud I would whisper, or at the very least, speak in hushed tones.
This is among my favorite restaurants in Portland and if you have tried it it is probably near the top of your list too. The roasted onion with Gorgonzola is, perhaps, the greatest appetizer, or, antipasti, if you will, I have experienced. It is a whole onion, cooked to proper softness, and stuffed with chantrelles and the perfect amount of Gorgonzola. I could be brought to tears just thinking of it.
The gnocchi has a lovely cream sauce with a nice sharp cheese flavor lurking in every bite. I believe it to be the pecorino they list on their out of date online menu. The gnocchi is so fresh and, while it seems difficult to prepare a bad tasting gnocchi, this is a cut above.
I also had lamb that was tender and nicely marinated, probably with wine from their impressive list. It was so tasty and highly enjoyable, but the other two dishes outshined it as the true stars of the evening.
Most people probably have to go out of their way to eat here, as it is kind of tucked out of the way in Hillsdale. But do so. This is a destination restaurant, and will be worth your time to seek it out.

This isn’t a trendy restaurant, and that’s okay. What Alba lacks in «coolness» factor, it makes up for in the food (mostly — see my gripes below). We had dinner here the other night for my MIL’s birthday. It was the first time any of us had been here, so a few of the menu items were foreign to us, but the waiter was extremely gracious in explaining everything and making wine suggestions as well. We took a bit longer than usual to decide what to order, since we didn’t know the menu very well. I would have appreciated some bread or something to nosh on during the 15 – 20 minutes it took us to decide what to order. The bread eventually came when our appetizer arrived — some sort of cheese-​filled onion thing. It was tasty, but maybe just seemed that way because I was starving!
Next came the grilled summer squash salad. This was a very simple, but totally tasty dish. I really loved how they didn’t over-​do it, kept all the flavors clean so that you could actually taste the individual elements. For our primo, my husband and I shared their house specialty, the agnolotti. This to me was one of the most authentically Italian, and most sublime dishes I’ve had here in Portland. They absolutely nail this dish. I also had the halibut for my secondo. I’ve had better, more interesting halibut, but this was decent and was perhaps saved by the wonderful flavors of the corn sauce and mashed potato side. Dessert was the molten chocolate cake, which was super rich (as it should be), but maybe a tad too far on the molten side — quite drippy.
Overall, I really enjoyed my meal and I’d come back here again, but I do have a few criticisms that need to be aired out. For one, I thought the chairs were really uncomfortable and kept getting caught on the floor rugs. Second, the plating here leaves something to be desired. Not much thought goes into presentation, and I’ll admit that although I don’t like meals that look like you need a degree in Architecture and Design, I do appreciate a few splashes of color and dabs of reduction. And my last major gripe is the lack of regard for the veggies on the main dishes. There were 4 different secondis ordered at the table, and looking around it seemed like the vegetables were clearly an afterthought, as if the chef didn’t think anyone would eat them, so why make them any good? I like veggies. I respect veggies. I wish my veggies were treated better, in at least the same regard as the main part of my dish. /​gripe

We have been a fan of Alba for a long time. Great wine list and the owner goes to Italy once a year to pick up some new recipes. Doesn’t get much more authentic than that! We enjoy the place so much that my husband and I decided to have our rehearsal dinner there. It was a HUGE hit. We had a large enough group that they even shut the restaurant down for us that evening. The wait staff is extremely gracious and very knowledgeable. On one occasion I was there for dinner and the power in the dining room went out. Rather than freak out, they brought out a ton of candles and candelabras and created and extremely romantic atmosphere. The food still came out hot on time.

When my friend raved about his dinner with his Italian friends in an Italian restaurant on Capitol Highway, I got curious!
I was also afraid and petrified, because it hasn’t been Unilocaled and I’ve never been to that neighborhood (Hillsdale) before. But how bad it can be, so girlfriend and I took the road less traveled.
{ «Where is he } { „Yay, one more }
{ taking me? } /​{ 1^st review“ }
{ Is he gonna pop } /​
{ the question?» } /​
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Alba is homey, with three rooms and kitchen in the middle. Tables are not cramped and could be an excellent date spot.
Wine list is extensive, and your friendly server can guide you since I can’t.
Their menu on the website is not current, so pay close attention here!
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| Antipasti (about 10 dishes) |
| |
| Lettuces w/​herb vinaigrette $ 6 |
| More salad options ranging from $ 10-​$ 12 |
| Carne cruda (Italian steak tartare) $ 12 |
| Fritto Misto ($ 12) of oysters and prawns |
| Cheese plate ($ 9), Piemontese marinated veal meat balls ($ 10) |
| Artichokes baked in bagna cauda ($ 9) |
| |
| Primi (3 homemade-​everyday pastas) |
| Tajarin w/​veal sausage ragu $ 14 |
| w/​butter and sage $ 8 |
| Agnolotti filled w/​pork, veal and rabbit $ 14 |
| Ricotta gnocchi w/​mushrooms, leeks and cream $ 14 |
| |
| Secondi (6 + 2 specials) |
| Pancetta wrapped sweetbread w/​mushroom, marsala $ 24 |
| Lamb chops and lamb– borlotti bean brasato $ 23 |
| Braised pork shank, slow roasted pork belly $ 21 |
| Beef braised in nebbiolo and mushrooms $ 22 |
| Goose leg w/​orange sauce and semolia dolce $ 19 |
| Grilled spice rubbed duck breast, red cabbage, apples, saba $ 22 |
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We tried the fritto misto and two pasta dishes.
Fritto Misto: Very good and light. Comes w/​a salad of celery root, carrots and mayo, and a caper salsa.
Tajarin w/​butter and sage: Tajarin pasta tossed in a basic butter&sage sauce. Simple and good.
Agnolotti: It’s like a very tiny ravioli and just melts in your mouth. My favorite.
We ended with a Panna cotta ($ 7) served w/​huckleberry compote and meyer lemon sauce. It was good but not as good as Mingo’s.
Overall excellent pastas, friendly staff and just bad location (for me!).
If you do plan to go, take their phone# w/​you as you might get lost!