Radici
142-144 Congress St
Portsmouth, NH
603.373.6464
www.radicirestaurant.com
Located in Downtown Portsmouth, Radici is a quaint "authentic" Italian restaurant that serves up more than just good food and drink. Although the use of the word authentic is old hat these days (and usually not that true) there are plenty of truly authentic dishes on both the appetizer and entree menu.
The restaurant itself has a main room that holds only around twenty and is next to a bar which holds approximately twenty more. Although upon entering it was basically empty and I could have made life easier for them by taking a tall table in the bar area I opted for a regular seat in the small dining room which, in the end, had a positive effect on my meal and no negative effect on their other customers. The lighting and ambiance was terrifically welcoming, very warm feeling (and of course literally warm due to the 20 degree weather outside) and very comfortable. Inviting would be the best way to describe it. Dim but not dark, quiet but not awkward.
Upon arrival the various employees were all working together to perfect a single corner table for a couple. Apparently the man was intending on proposing to his girlfriend and had chosen this night and this restaurant to do it (not a shabby choice by any means). The staff had adorned the table with roses, kept it free of crowding and were even going as far as to practice kneeling down where he probably would in hopes of clearing all potential obstacles and to ensure no surprises might arise when it actually happened. All of the staff were (rightfully) focused on this yet still helped me find a seat to my liking without any delay.
I started off with a glass of 2006 San Rocco Pinot Grigio (Italy) and it went well with the first appetizer I ordered, the braised short ribs. The herb polenta and balsamic fig demiglace served with it had the consistency of a cheese sauce and very little taste, the short ribs themselves were also relatively subtle in the flavor department. It was the pickled onion it was topped with though that made the flavor unforgettable. Gita, the waitress, was more than kind enough to ask the kitchen about their pickling methods and it's no different than anything else. Salt, lots of vinegar, time, oh and onions instead of cucumber. A world of difference if you ask me. Basically any dish could potentially be carried by that pickled onion.
The bread that came prior to the short ribs deserves little attention (hence my forgetting to start with it), it was mildly overcooked, crunchy, average. The roasted garlic that came with it though was terrific and when I return I foresee myself asking for them to create something based solely around said garlic as it was flawlessly roasted and covered in oil.
For a second appetizer I order the gnocchi. The use of prosciutto and baby spinach in the alfredo sauce was delectable and the pasta itself was as soft as butter. With the flavor mixed together it made the wonderful texture of perfectly cooked potato meld flawlessly taste wise with everything else. This dish went wonderfully with a glass of 2006 Louis Guntrum Riesling (Germany).
Throughout these appetizers two party's who had been there prior to my arrival had gone and both the waiter and my waitress very always very attentive of my needs but not overwhelming or overbearing. When my glass was empty it was filled. When my food was done it was cleared. When my mouth was filled I wasn't bothered.
For my entree I tried the Chicken Saltimbocca after it was recommended by Gita (and as it is something that I tend to be quite fond of). The prosciutto was perfectly complimented by the fontina cheese and the far too underappreciated (and under-utilized) sage. The chicken was soft yet not mushy. Polenta is an acquired taste and although it doesn't usually float my boat, (as it did not this time as well) this was the lightest polenta that I have ever eaten; lighter than cornbread, or even Wonder Bread really. The La Crema chardonnay (Sonoma, California) was the wine highlight of the night and although was substantially stronger than the chicken itself, contrasted nicely with the prosciutto.
The dessert recommendation from Gita was the tiramisu (how properly stereotypical of an Italian restaurant) and she did let me know that it was "more cake-y" than most and also happened to be just about her "favorite thing ever." Adoring the idea of being able to try someone else's favorite I ordered it and a cup of black coffee. The coffee arrived and was most certainly not the strength one hopes for or expects in any respectable "authentic" Italian restaurant. Fortunately the beautifully presented tiramisu was about to make up for that. A better description of a food has rarely been given as it was certainly more like eating a tiramisu flavored piece of cake than eating a piece of standard tiramisu - and this is no bad thing. One of the downsides on occasion to tiramisu can be its lightness - its ability to not really feel like a sturdy enough dessert. Unfortunately this tiramisu behaved more like a dessert for two and with only one man there to do the job it ended up being too much (not as if that stopped me from polishing it off though).
Radici may not be what I view as a traditional Italian restaurant but it certainly is an authentic one - and an original one. Simple food made simply with a twist might be a good way to describe it. No matter how you describe it though it is worth a visit. Even if you don't get to see two people in love promise each other the rest of their lives you will still be able to enjoy a terrific meal.