Perfectly situated in the heart of Hudson, Portabella offers a chic and cozy culinary experience that rivals any 5 star establishment. You may vaguely recall other eateries that were housed in that very same building
Perfectly situated in the heart of Hudson, Portabella offers a chic and cozy culinary experience that rivals any 5 star establishment. You may vaguely recall other eateries that were housed in that very same building (72 Rue Cameron, Hudson) in the past, however, after dining there I can personally promise you that Portabella is in for the long game. Co-owners and homegrown Hudsonites Devin Kelley-Chalifoux and Chef Ricardo Carbone offer a carefully curated menu that will make your tastebuds sing, a fully stacked bar with signature cocktails, and portion sizes that will ensure you get to take some of your meal home for a late night snack; No matter the occasion – This is where you want to eat!
Let’s start with THE FOOD…
Both the lunch and dinner menus are a testament to the chef’s dedication to offering a gastronomic experience. In all honesty, I haven’t had a chance to stop in for lunch …YET.
But, just in reading the menu, my mouth began to water so it’s absolutely on my to-do list!
Here is what I do know though! The supper menu features a variety of smaller plates, reminiscent of traditional tapas. The Platter choices offer an intentionally selected group of plates specifically designed with flavor profile matches, or plates that compliment one another for the best culinary experience. I, unfortunately, wanted to sample a bit of everything and didn’t follow their recommendations and… regretted it almost immediately. Don’t get me wrong, everything I ate was ridiculously delicious, but I ordered a lot of the “heavier plates” (I like to live on the wild side I guess?) and felt so full, I nearly fell into a food coma at my second serving and still had 2 plates to go! (Don’t worry… Being the glutton that I am, I made it through to the end)
Sooooo take it from me, when a professional makes a suggestion – go with it! My next visit (which will be very soon!) will definitely follow in line with the Platter recommendations made by the guy who created them. Afterall – he IS the chef… and MOST likely knows more about food pairings than me (but don’t tell anyone I admitted that!).
Also, don’t stress about going in and not knowing what to choose! Whether you’re a meat eating monster like me or you tend to stick to a plant based diet (also me sometimes…) they offer an amazingly delicious variety that not only satisfies your palette but will leave you feeling satiated; And, the dishes are perfect for sharing, allowing you and your compadres to sample more than one platter at a time. My next suggestion – don’t bring a Joey… (Joey doesn’t share food! – Friends reference anyone?? 😉
FInally, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention one of their standout dishes… Ok two.
The first is their rendition of the classic Caesar salad. From the house-made dressing that is both tangy and rich, to the addition of non-traditional veggies that will seriously surprise you, I promise you will thank me once you’ve had it! Spoiler Alert** Instead of boring bacon bits (like the use of alliteration there??) they top off their masterpiece with candied pork belly… seriously.. Yumm.
The second recommendation is …hold on for a sec because I am going to go on a tangent here. Do you know why they chose the name Portabella for their establishment? Well I will tell you!
A – Because they use that lovely, meaty and flavourful fungi in many of their signature dishes and B- because its a cool play on words “Porta Bella” meaning “The Door to beauty”. #verydemure #verymindful – I couldn’t help myself…
Ok, so now that you have that tidbit in your pocket for your next dinner time conversation starter, here is my second recommendation, the vegan General Tao. It’s marinated, deep fried lion’s mane mushrooms in a sweet and spicy sauce – by the way – Lion’s Mane mushrooms are SUPER healthy for ya – so you can enjoy this version of the famous chinese dish guilt free! And honestly, you won’t even notice that it’s not chicken. It’s fantastically scrumptious!
Now for THE DRINKS…
Either for your next 5 a 7 or treating yourself to a pre-meal cocktail – their bar is stacked and ready to offer you old time favorites or new signature sips! Bar Manager and co-founder Devin really does believe that every drink is a work of art – and he paints a great picture! My cosmo was on point and he didn’t skimp on the vodka! Ask him to help you pair a wine to your choice of platter and he is more than happy to offer suggestions that will help bring out the flavors of each dish!
Final Words…
We are lucky to live in a series of close knit communities that now offer a myriad of choices when it comes to dining out, without having to cross over any torturous bridges. Within all those choices, I highly recommend Portabella!
Not only does Portabella bring you fine dining “à la Montreal” without having to leave your own backyard (and sit in your car for lord knows how many hours in traffic!) but the price/quality/quantity ratio is unlike any tapas resto around. Plates are very well proportioned, reasonably priced given their high quality ingredients, and with a Menu change every season (Stay tuned for October when the new Fall Menu is introduced!) you’re bound to find new favorites, every time you visit!
Bon Appétit!
xoxo Lilly
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