Rock Calls Portobello Restaurant A Hidden Gem In New Bedford

If you are a fan of authentic Italian cuisine...cancel the ride to Federal Hill in Providence or the North End in Boston.  There's a little piece of Federal Hill on Pleasant Street, New Bedford.

If you haven't heard of Portobello...you are not alone...but don't let that stop you from experiencing the creations of one of the most talented chefs in New Bedford right now.  Chef Pietro Chessa is a big city chef...producing meals that are as pleasing the eye as they are to the stomach.

My wife and I tried Portobello for the first time last weekend.  I started off with the crab cakes ($12.95)...which had a nice kick to them,  My wife ordered the stuffed mushrooms (don't you HAVE to at a place called Portobello?) for $12.95.  Chef Pietro sent out the Japanese eggplant balsamic reduction to get our take.  I got in a bite or two while my wife scoffed down the rest!

 For my entree, I enjoyed what I would rank as one of the best chicken marsala dishes I've ever ordered.  The sauce was rich and delicious.  The chicken was served over mashed potatoes.  For me, it was a combo of fine dining with the good old fashioned tastiness of my grandmother's kitchen.

My wife ordered a delicious seafood scampi ($19.95) chocked with lobster tails, scallops, and shrimp.  The sauce is a delicious beurre blanc reduction with shallotts, white wine, garlic and lemon juice.  The portions for both meals were huge...and proudly presented by Pietro like a work of art.

Portobello is fine dining without inflated pricing.  My chicken marsala dish was $17.  The higher end seafood meals were reasonably priced at roughly $20-$25 a plate.  This is truly fine dining...right here in Downtown New Bedord...at a reasonable price.

I'd highly recommend Portobello.  Particularly if you are able to snag one of our half priced gift cards.  We'll be selling $50 Portobello gift cards for $25...Friday morning at 9am at SeizeTheDeal.com.  Get one before the sell out.  You will love New Bedford's Portobello!