Portland Monthly

June 2007

Starbucks isn't the only business whose sudden appearance signals that a neighborhood has become a city's newest "it" location. In Portland, plenty of small, local businessess materialize much earlier than the coffee megachurch, not the least of which are our pizza joints. And just as teh owners of Bella Faccia pizza had the foresight to open their funky parlor on NE Alberta St before foot traffic even existed there, they've staked a fortuneate claim on the main thoroughfare of North Portland's Kenton neighborhood. But crisp pies aren't the only thing coming out of the oven: While the front room mostly sells slices and pizzas to go, the backroom houses a chic, candlelit dining room that offers a full wine, beer and bar selection, as well as an extensive menu (also available up front) of affordable heroes, paninis, salads, pasta and risottos, amoung other Italian-inspired dishes. A simple appetizer of roasted asparagus wrapped in prosciutto and drizzled with lemon oil ($6.50) is the perfect lead-in to an entree of ravioli stuffed with cambozola cheese, apple and ricotta ($10.50). If spaghetti marinara ($7) or baked penne ($9) isn't your thing, you can always order a Pocket Aces pizza ($14/$23) - topped with smoked mozzarella, pancetta, caramelized onions and a tangy tomato sauce. Judging by the number of savvy diners walking in on a Sunday evening, this new pizza and pasta bastion arrived right on cue.