Genoa
2832 SE Belmont, Portland, Oregon, 503-238-1464
Genoa was a rarity indeed, serving fixed price 7-course dinners based on the unfamiliar cooking of northern Italy. Compared to the local steakhouse, Genoa was expensive. The seven courses overwhelmed those accustomed to choice of soup or salad. And because there had never been a restaurant like this here before, it soon became necessary to make reservations weeks or months in advance.
But that’s history. Now you can usually get a table on a week night with very short notice, and weekends only require a week’s foresight. The menu, which changes every two weeks, is beginning to shift toward Fall.
On a recent visit, the antipasto combined paper-thin slices of soppressata sausage with a Sicilian-style spinach and chard marmalade sweetened with raisins on slices of fried, marinated butternut squash and crunchy croutons of semolina bread sprinkled with red pepper and oregano.
Zuppa di funghi simmered chanterelle, porcini, and shitaki mushrooms in a clear beef broth flavored with sweet vermouth and sprinkled with Parmigiano Reggiano, a wonderfully simple soup that evoked sensate memories of the rainy coastal forest. It was followed by a sizzling hot plate of lasagne verde, fresh spinach noodles layered with tomatoes, proscuitto, mozzarella, and, for a nice crunchy contrast, breadcrumbs.
The fish course, merluzzo con carfioci, topped a small, grilled filet of sea bass with slices of baby artichokes that had been stewed in olive oil. It all rested on a bed of olive oil-infused mashed potato, something not usually served with fish but surprisingly appropriate here. Next came the entree, always a choice between three items, usually a fish, fowl, and meat.
Very large and meaty Gulf shrimp were sauteed and served with grilled polenta and eggplant with a sharply flavored red wine and tomato sauce called raito, thick and studded with capers and oil-cured olives. The fowl was a brace of quail roasted to a nutty bronze after a brushing with a honey-based glaze, and red meat was represented by Oregon lamb, the half-rack marinated in olive oil, garlic, rosemary, sage, and pepper before roasting.
Desserts are a strong point, from the signature boccone dolce to an array of chocolatey tortes, fruit tarts, and custard of some kind. There are alternatives to the rich and caloric, too, like a recent vanilla ice milk, light and with a pleasant crystalline texture, surrounded by sliced figs drizzled with caramel sauce.
Course number seven is fresh fruit, your choice from a proferred bowlful. While it may seem superfluous, a crisp pear or handful of grapes provides a refreshing, palate-cleansing finish, and fruit is a perfct accompaniment for an after-dinner glass of Sauternes or Port.
Is that too much food? Not if you’ve arrived hungry and allowed for the leisurely pace. It’s not unusual to spend more than two hours here, and the staff gives you just enough time between courses to sit back and let the food settle. And you can always choose the four-course meal, which drops the soup, fish, and fruit.
Since a partnership of Genoa’s cooks and serving staff bought the restaurant a couple of years ago, the emphasis has shifted away from strictly northern Italian cuisine. You’ll encounter less butter and cream, and the menu explores the varied cooking of Italy’s other regions, from Sicily’s sweet-and-sour North African influences to Tuscany’s game or bread-based dishes.