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(Photo Courtesy of yelp.com)
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EAT AT ... RISTORANTE ROMA
As a lover of all things Italian, I am always in search of the perfect bowl of pasta. When my friends told me about Ristorante Roma located two blocks from Portland's Pearl District, I was practically running there.
With only about eight or nine tables available in the entire restaurant, I thought this couldn't possibly be good enough to attract a crowd and keep them coming back for more.
Oh, how wrong I was.
My friends were smart enough to call ahead for a reservation, so we were seated right away. The meal began with a complimentary sourdough bread basket for the table with olive oil vinaigrette for dipping. The waiter was enthusiastic and attentive, greeting my friends (who are frequent diners) by name. Each table was lit by candlelight, and beautiful red tablecloths accented the Italian scenery painted on the walls. It felt like I had literally stepped into Rome.
My friends talked about the stuffed crab ravioli in this creamy white wine sauce the entire drive there, so I had to try it. Our meals arrived before we were able to finish the bread. By the first bite, that plate of Italian heaven may have changed my life. I am definitely in a relationship with that plate of pasta, and no other dish will ever compare.
As someone who usually seeks out a doggy-bag to help me clear my plate, I was surprised when I was wiping my plate clean with the leftover bread. I still have dreams about it.
The prices usually average between 15 to 20 dollars a plate, which is a reasonable cost for excellent service and artistically crafted dishes. And for those of you who like to save the animals, Ristorante Roma even accommodates to Portland's many vegetarians with a variety of meat-free pasta dishes.
This is a great place to take your date to make up for a less -than-perfect Valentine's Day, the dimmed lighting will make you both pretty. But make sure you call ahead for a reservation because seating is limited.
– Rachel McIntosh
SKIP ... DUE DATE
"Due Date" stars Robert Downey Jr. and Zack Galifianakis, two of the highest-profile names in the industry. The movie was made with all the perfect ingredients required for a good comedy these days. Neurotic yet beloved all-star cast? Check. Celebrity cameo? Check. Intoxicated decision-making? Check. Unfortunately, something went wrong in the cooking (actually, ‘baking' might be a more adequate term).
After the completely unfeasible yet funny intro sequence passes, the movie starts to roll down a slippery slope. And by roll, I mean barrel. And by slope, I mean cliff. The plot is that of a typical roadtrip comedy: Downey and Galifianakis haphazardly meet and have to drive from Atlanta to Los Angeles before Downey's child is born. Along the way, they run into some problems (surprise!). My favorite scene (actually, the only scene I tolerated) was a well-scripted run-in with border control. I wouldn't go so far as to advise you to watch the movie for that scene, but it definitely wouldn't be detrimental to look it up on YouTube.
According to the movie's official press release, Downey plays a "high-strung father to be," which is Warner Bros parlance for "let's take Tony Stark, subtract net worth, subtract charm/devil may care attitude, replace with vindictiveness." I don't think Galifianakis' character even warrants an explanation. Just imagine his character in every movie you have or will ever see him in. Basically, this movie brought nothing new to the world, which is why I begrudge it.
– Philippe Boutros
(Photo Courtesy of filmophilia.com)
