Restaurant Guide 2005

By Maya Kukes

Mother's Bistro's little sister (and next-door neighbor) succeeds at exactly what it strives to be, an East Coast family hangout planted squarely in white-bread Portland. And thank God—MMT's hard-working chef-owner, Lisa Schroeder—for it. From the colorful antipasto with ample helpings of plump, salty olives to the crispy but never greasy calamari, you could easily blow your wad with the apps, but don't do it. Save room for "Losta the Pasta Lasagna," which ditches the pasta for ground beef layered with thick tomato sauce, eggplant, ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. (MK)

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