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Ribollita | 41 Middle St, Portland | 207.774.2972
Maria’s | 337 Cumberland Ave, Portland | 207.772.9232
Vignola | 10 Dana St, Portland | 207.772.1330
Grissini | 27 Western Ave, Kennebunk | 207.967.2211 |
While studying at The American University of Rome in Italy, I met my boyfriend, Gianluca, and we immediately clicked over our love of good food. When he came to visit my family in Maine this summer, I took him to four “Italian” restaurants — three in Portland and one in Kennebunk — to show him how a country notorious for its junk food and bad eating habits interprets some of the finest cuisine in the world. Here’s what he had to say:
Vignola
A more casual version of its counterpart Cinque Terre, Vignola offers both lunch and dinner with an Italian-influenced menu and an extensive wine list.Gianluca and I sat down to lunch on a rainy afternoon. Glancing around he said, “This place reminds me of an enoteca (wine bar) on Via Cavour in Rome, only brighter.” Despite the gloomy outdoor weather, the large windows and white tablecloths provided an uplifting atmosphere.
We began with our favorite Sicilian wine, Nero d’Avola, and a salumi misto, a typical Italian antipasto. Gianluca then had beef ravioli, and I vegetable minestrone.
“How’s the ravioli?”
Gianluca shrugged and thought for a moment, choosing his words carefully.
“I don’t know ... different. Yes, it’s good, but not something you’d find in Italy.” My minestrone, however, pleased him. And me: I remember eating basically the same thing at his mother’s house.
For dessert we split an experimental version of the traditional panna cotta (translation: “boiled cream”), this time flavored with orange and basil. “Too many flavors for a simple dessert,” he said.
Ribollita
This cozy locale is named after a traditional Tuscan soup.
Gianluca’s jaw dropped at the sight of the menu: panzanella, tortellini in broth, prosciutto and melon, penne arrabbiata, cannelloni, saltimbocca, ravioli — all traditional Italian dishes. “Thanks to this restaurant, you Americans can learn how to eat like you should eat,” Gianluca said. He raved about the bread and the house wine, claiming it was exactly the same as you would find in Italy.
We started with an antipasto plate and the panzanella, a Roman dish that originated from pouring water over hard, stale bread. Luckily, Ribollita’s recipe was a much tastier elaboration on the theme. The antipasto plate was a delectable sampling of Italian meats, cheeses, and vegetables.
Our entrees of tuna and salmon were less traditional, but innovative in their preparation. Both were accompanied by fresh vegetables and potato-mascarpone cakes.
Grissini
I couldn’t resist bringing Gianluca to this self-described “Italian bistro” in my hometown, which greets customers with a pretentious “Buonasera” when they walk through the door.
For a restaurant literally named “breadsticks,” the grissini served were stale. “About two days old,” Gainluca diagnosed. The accompanying extra virgin olive oil, however, was up to par (though it is a common misconception that Italians dip their bread in oil).
We split a pizza to start. After a few thoughtful nibbles, Gianluca nodded. “This seems like the closest thing you can get to pizza in this country.” He then ordered salmon drizzled with a balsamic topping and a seafood pasta for me. The presentation was impressive, but my spaghetti was overcooked — a sin in Italian cuisine.
For dessert I made the bold move of getting the tiramisu, expecting a jarring American version of my favorite sweet. I was pleasantly surprised. Even Gianluca agreed that it was almost as good as his mother’s.
Maria’s
The classic Italian atmosphere is what puts Maria’s on the top of Gianluca’s “most Italian” list.
Upon walking in, an excited smile crossed his face.
“This seems like an elegant Sicilian restaurant right out of the 1950s.” He surveyed the menu while humming along to the music — both opera and traditional — that quietly played from the speakers.
The lunch menu included typical Italian dishes, salads and soups, pizza and pasta. We split an antipasto of meats, cheese, and vegetables atop a large salad while sipping Valpolicella Chianti. Something about the dark hues of the dining room convinced me that at any given moment a character from The Godfather would turn the corner.
After baked haddock and shrimp scampi (both with angel-hair pasta), we finished with their homemade gelato topped with Maine blueberry sauce and two espressos. The gelato transported me back to those hot days in Rome where the cold dessert is the only relief. Gianluca sipped his espresso smugly.
“Finally, a real coffee.”
Email the author
Kelsea Brennan-Wessels: portland-feedback@thephoenix.com.
