Alba Osteria

Was looking foward to try this place for the first time but came away disappointed. The food was only OK. My leg of lamb wasn't (it was a lamb steak!) and the service was very slow. One hour between the first and second courses! more

my gf and i went to alba for the first time and it was well worth the search (i got a little lost). it was romantic, the pasta was excellent and the service was excellent too. recommended! Pros: ambience, food, value more

This little Hillsdale spot is a gem! Great food, great service, great atmosphere...what more can you ask for?! Flavors are subtle yet exciting. Try the angliotti...oh, my gosh! Pros: Great Food, Friendly Servers, Reasonable Prices more

First off, I'm not normally a huge fan of Italian fine dining. I'm just biased towards a definition of Italian that means massive plates of pasta with sauces loaded with garlic and olive oil -- you know, the kind of place that simply doesn't exist in Portland. But Alba has changed all that for me -- the food is simply outstanding. I even overcame a life-long avoidance of sweetbreads and tried the sauteed chicken liver and sweetbread entree, which was amazing. I would only point out that the Citysearch $$ rating should probably be $$$, but by all means worth it. Pros: Awesome food, Interesting space more

It is becoming more and more difficult to find restaurants in Portland that combine great food with fabulous service. We are so glad that we found this one! Our waiter had great recommendations from the wine list and everyone was very friendly and helpful. We will definitely return. Pros: Service, Atmosphere, Wine List more

Though the restaurant is certainly geared toward adults, children are just as welcome. Frankly, I get a little tired of hearing parents complain about having to eat at fast food restaurants just because they have kids. So, take a suggesiton and expose your children to all types of food and you will be suprised how well they adapt. That said, Alba Osteria and Enoteca kept my 9 and 11 year old very happy and just as impressed as the adults and I'm quite happy that there were no crayons or ""children's plates"". The food, from the appetizer through to the desert and the coffees (take a lesson, Starbucks) were excellent. This is one of the few places where the service also matched the quality of the food. Though only four months old, I hope this restaurant stays for a long time. more

A friend and I tried out this new spot and loved it. The food was absolutely wonderful- we had a simple white bean starter, halibut, and pasta, and a cheese plate. The fish was done to perfection, everything was superb, right down to our desert. Service was attentive, but not too much, and everyone there was smiling and happy. I absolutley recommend it and will be back. Pros: excellent food, good service Cons: wish it were downtown, was slightly drafty more

Everything was fantastic. The menu is broken down into various traditional Italian courses, which of course tempts you to try a little of this and that ( or in our case, a lot!). We started off with Asparagus with Fonduta and Cardoon Gratin. Both were delicious. I had the Tagliatelle with Leeks (Yum!) and my husband had the Pork with Gorgonzola Polenta (he ate all but one bite, and I could tell that leaving that behind was truly painful). We finished off with Caramel Pot du Creme ... and all I can say is ... ohhhh my! Pros: Regionally Authentic, Friendly Staff Cons: Justifiably Spendy more