Restaurant Guide 2006

This is the kind of casual cave you expect to find tucked away in the French wine country, not off the mean streets of East Burnside. That's due in large part to the hard work of the taste-driven troika of co-owner/chef Leather Storrs; his wife, Courtney; and their business partner/wine expert, Kimberly Bernosky. They've got the whole small plate-meets-good wine thing down pat. Or, in their case, p�t�, which may not be on the menu but is often available on the specials board at this small-scale but incredibly far-reaching restaurant. Personally, I have yet to have a bad meal at Noble Rot. Or a bad experience. Yes, you might have to wait for a table (popularity + snug dining room = you know what), but the wait is worth it if just for a chance to dip your fork in the best macaroni and cheese this side of the Mississippi. Or the Noble salad with butter lettuce and just enough other stuff, like blue cheese and red onion, to make it interesting but not overwhelming. The only thing that can get overwhelming here is trying to figure out which "wine flight" to take. Thank god the staff knows what they are talking about and are more than willing to take you on a tour of the Rot's trios of 2-ounce pours with a common theme (love the port flight, by the way). Save room for dessert: they will take your breath away. (BB)

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