Renata - Visit #19

A special entry from Veggie Doughboy:

       

          Throughout our pizza journey this year, I admittedly have developed some skepticism over the quality of pizza restaurants who don't feature pie as the primary offering on their menu.  When I walked through the door into Renata earlier this week, my feelings were no different however after our visit with our partners, I tell myself, damn that was good pizza.

          Stop #19 took PDX Doughboy and I to Renata in SE Portland. In it's short time in business, the restaurant has earned the reputation as being one of the top restaurants in the city, with The Oregonian declaring it Portland's "Restaurant of the Year" in 2015. The restaurant dinner menu includes only three pizzas and the bar menu, four of their own. We ordered a Margherita, Pomodoro from the restaurant menu and a Bianca from the bar.

Marga

         "The crust, WOW..." were words stated by PDX Doughboy to describe the crust. The crust of each pizza had a crunch, char and subtle saltiness that elevated the flavor above any other crust we've had all year. One pet peeve I have is for crust to not be flimsy but instead, be able to support the weight of the toppings placed on a slice. Renata achieved this but largely by how small the slices of each pizza were sliced. Whether it was by design or not, I do not know but the smaller slices did not fall apart, we were not forced to fold them (if we chose not to) and this did improve the structural integrity of each piece.

          The margarita was solid; not much to say. I enjoyed how the basil was baked into the pizza a little more than some other pies we've had this year. PDX Doughboy argues the slice would have been better served with the basil added at the very end to promote a more fresh basil taste. We sometimes agree and often disagree. We respect there is a large level of subjectivity in what one likes out of a pie.

Bianca

            We have had some good Bianca pizzas this year and Renata's rendition was no slouch. The creaminess of the mozzarella was great and nicely complimented the lightly charred ricotta and the subtle saltiness of the crust. There was also a garlic and lemon taste that came through the pie.

Pomodoro

          Lastly, we had a Pomodoro. The Pomodoro was topped with arugula, cherry tomatoes and Stracciatella. Stracciatella is a softer, creamier variation of buffalo mozzarella. The stracciatella had a salty taste that went very well with that of the peppery arugula and the sweetness of the cherry tomatoes. These three toppings together were a perfect trio. The arugula also stood up well on the pizza. It did not wilt nor become soggy like some of the other slices we've had this year.

           The qualities at Renata set it up to be a great place to visit for a pizza tasting with a group of friends or family. PDX Doughboy and I each had 9 slices (remember, they're smaller) and felt primed for a run or bike ride when we were done. The pizza seemed easier to digest. We respect this place has developed a reputation for more than just pizza but wouldn't complain if there was a larger selection of pies to choose from the next time we visit. It was disclosed to us the pizza's served in the bar are generally prepared differently from that of the restaurant (and are offered at a lower price point).

          Take all of this into consideration when you visit and enjoy!!

Overall Rank: #3!