The inside of Portofino's feels timeless, with its soft lights, warm smells and busy walls furnished with paintings and oil portraits paying tribute to the cultures that influence the menu.
The East Ridge restaurant has been in business for more than 20 years. It began as a traditional Italian diner, but over time the menu has expanded to include Greek dishes and wines. "We transitioned our menu with the cultural diversity in Chattanooga," said Dimitris Agrafiotis, who co-owns the restaurant with his father-in-law Angelo Douvris. In fact, one secret to Portofino's longevity seems to be that Dimitris pays close attention to his customers. For instance, he recently added a variety of lighter dishes to accommodate the increasing health-conscious population.
Still, Dimitris says the foundation of Portofino's is its Italian dishes. "My father-in-law's Italian recipes are what built this restaurant," he said. "They have remained absolutely the same since Day 1." Perhaps that is Portofino's second secret - the consistency of its tried and true recipes.
Portofino's serves up some of the most picture-perfect Italian fare - tender pastas, spice-flecked meats, gobs of melted white cheese and chunky red sauce. There is the classic Italian sausage and peppers made with strips of green peppers, sliced and seasoned Italian sausage and steaming marinara sauce served on a bed of fettuccine. There is the ever-popular baked lasagna smothered in a blend of cheeses, and the spaghetti a la Portofino, made with bell peppers, mushrooms, pepperoni and ladled with a homemade meat sauce.
"We stuff our own cannelloni with seasoned ground beef, three different cheeses and homemade sauce," Dimitris said as a server carried out a steaming plate of the same. "We also do a seafood cannelloni. It's stuffed with shrimp, crab and fish filet."
"That sounds incredible," I said. The smell of hot food was making me dizzy with hunger.
"We can get you a to-go box so you can take it home," Dimitris replied. "Then you can tell me what you think next time you see me."
During the drive home, my car was permeated with the warm scent of Italian spices and baked cheese. At several red lights I considered digging in with my fingers, but it was worth the wait - the tender noodles, rich and buttery Alfredo sauce and soft blend of seafood and cheeses tasted just as good as my car smelled. Once home, I savored every bite.
Portofino's may stand the test of time, but its beautiful dishes are always gone too soon.