Porcelli's

6500 SW Virginia Ave, Portland, 97239
*This is a Plain Jane favorite!*

Oh. My. God. I would be happy to die here. My stomach will explode just like Mr. Creosote in Monty Python's The Meaning of Life because it is so good I just can't stop.

I first heard about Porcelli's from some fellow food-fiends who took me there for brunch. Brunch at an Italian restaurant? Yes. And it was good. No, it was great. The breakfast menu is on the small side, but they have the important stuff, like eggs benedict and a plain ol' eggs/bacon/potatoes/toast combo.

But that's deceiving, because their potatoes are anything but "plain ol'." I'm not exactly sure what they do to them, but it's freaking amazing. I was expecting the same old rosemary home fries, but instead I got something more like a potato casserole with onions, cheese, paprika, and god-knows-what. Whatever you do, do not substitute hash browns; you will be sorry you missed the house potatoes.

The eggs benedict would have been perfect if I had remembered to order my eggs poached hard (I HATE runny eggs!!), but the English muffin, ham and hollandaise were divine.

On my second visit I had dinner. Since it was my first dinner experience at Porcelli's, I just had to try their fettuccine alfredo with shrimp. I couldn't believe it; it was almost too rich for me! It was a vat of heavy cream and butter and melted parmesan in which swam perfectly-cooked fettuccine noodles and shrimp.

And, oh yes, the Caesar salad was very good: fresh romaine, garlicky dressing, house-made balsamic vinegar croutons, freshly grated parmesan cheese. Drool, drool, drool...

The only thing that makes me sad about Porcelli's: no booths! But to be honest, I was so busy enjoying my food that I barely noticed. The interior is very pleasing: simple yet elegant.

The pricing, well, the breakfast was definitely average, at $8-10 a plate for a good-sized portion. The dinner is a little spendier at $12-15 a plate, but totally worth it. And you do get free bread with your entree. =*)

The verdict: Thank goodness for a decent job and regular martial arts classes; I can afford the bill and the calories.

Update: Have since revisited this fine establishment for dinner. Still give it rave reviews. My companions and I had the wild mushroom ravioli in cream sauce, lobster ravioli in lemon-cream sauce with capers, and a lovely risotto with mushrooms and artichoke hearts in a cream sauce. (Sorry; I don't remember the Italian names of these dishes.) All absolutely divine. Has earned a Plain Jane Favorites award.

On the down side of this last visit: the salads weren't as impressive this time, and the live music was neither welcome nor conducive to a pleasant dining experience. Was not that they were bad; just that they were too loud for the space and wanted attention, which I think is too much to ask for people stuffing their faces with cream sauces and trying to have a conversation.