Bite Club: Cavatelli and mussels at Campana
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The pork ragu cavatelli on the left. Photo: Meira Gebel/Axios
Red sauce Italian restaurant Campana is aging like a fine wine. It's become not only a staple in Portland's Woodlawn neighborhood, but remains a standout in the city's culinary scene just five years after opening.
Zoom in: Initially a pop-up focused on East Coast Italian eats, chef-owner George Kaden's Campana quickly cascaded onto nearly all the "best of" lists and then permanently replaced its host, Grand Army Tavern.
What to try: Starters include finger food favorites like marinated olives in fennel and orange peel, as well as whipped salt cod and potato dip with taralli (twisted cracker-like breadsticks).
- The appetizer list has classic Italian salads and dressed up seasonal vegetables, while entrees include items such as handmade pastas and red wine-marinated chuck short ribs.
- We ordered the pork ragu cavatelli and the mussels in spicy marinara.
Best bites: Perfectly chewy, tightly rolled bites of cavatelli are silken with crumbled pork, tart tomato ragu and aromatic toasted rosemary then topped with whipped ricotta. In a word: Heaven.
- The mussels are fatty, drenched in garlicky, spicy tomato sauce and served with warm, thick slices of Grand Central Bakery's campagnolo loaf, sprinkled with flaky sea salt.
- If eaten out on the patio al fresco, you could be easily transported.
The bottom line: The service all but exceeds what is on the plate. The happy hour menu is worth a trip alone. Grab a cannoli, too.
