Bresca - Portland, Maine

We frequent Bresca often, as it is one of favorite Portland restaurants. With seating for 16 at tables, and four more at the bar, reservations are a good idea, particularly if you wish to dine on a Friday or Saturday night. Though, we have, on occasion (during snowstorms and after 8pm on weeknights), lucked out and obtained seats at the bar without calling ahead.

Inside the restaurant is cozy – a perfect spot for a casual date night out. Photos Chef Kern took while travelling in Europe are clipped to a clothes line that runs the length of the restaurant. Milk chocolate colored walls, dark wood floors, butcher block tables and a big plate glass window complete the look in the intimate dining room. An eclectic mix of music plays louder early in the evening, and slowly gets more mellow and subdued as the evening wears on.

Kiera, server extraordinaire, always takes wonderful care of us; she has a particularly amazing ability to remember our food and drink preferences. We can literally go a month or two without dining at Bresca, and she can immediately recall the exact wine we enjoyed on our last visit. While formal wine pairings are not advertised on the menu, with Kiera’s command of the mostly Italian wine list, we have never been disappointed with our impromptu wine pairings.

On a recent visit, a hot summer evening in late July, we were grateful for the air conditioning inside Bresca. To cool down and relax after a long work week, we started with glasses of champagne. Kiera suggested the Francois Chidaine Montlouis Sur Loire Brut from the Loire Valley ($12/glass). Fruit forward, full bodied and refreshing, it was the perfect start to the evening.

The menu is divided into sections, “before,” - very small plates, “first” – appetizers, “pasta” (either appetizer or entrée portions), and “second” (entrees). We shared a "before" - a plate of deviled eggs ($6). Topped with fried crispy fried capers (that almost tasted like bacon) and salty smoked paprika that added a subtle kick, these were not your ordinary deviled eggs. They were outstanding!

My appetizer, “Toc,” sounded much too heavy for the hot night, but I simply couldn’t pass up the combination of creamy polenta, smoked ricotta, succulent grilled royal trumpet mushrooms and crunchy radicchio. The meaty mushrooms, perfectly grilled with the moisture still in-tact, left me craving them weeks later.

My husband chose the steamed clams as his appetizer. Served with fresh English peas in a delicate white wine, shallot and parsley broth, the clams were accompanied by a thick slice of cheese-topped char grilled bread.

I am a creature of habit at Bresca, always ordering the fresh pasta; it is so good, that I cannot bring myself to order anything else as my entree. But on the night we recently dined, I finally took the plunge, deviating from the pasta and ordering Chef Kern’s signature dish, Honey Glazed Duck. Rubbed with a blend of roman trading spices and caramelized honey, the large portion of succulent, medium-rare duck was accompanied by poached nectarines, frisee and mascarpone polenta. The cheesy polenta nicely contrasted the sweet nectarine, and tart greens; the trio of flavors was spectacular with the duck. This is a dish that should not be missed when visiting Bresca. The wine pairing was a 2006 Terra Dora Greco di Tufo Loggia della Serre from Campania. Straw colored and well structured, it stood up well to the spices and flavors in the dish.

My husband had the fish special of the evening, a cod filet that was prepared with a citrus sauce, oils of black truffle and chive, and a sunchoke puree. Cod can easily be overwhelmed by sauces and accompaniments – Chef Kern hit the right notes with the combination of ingredients, imparting substantial flavor that complimented, without overwhelming the delicate fish. My husband declared this the best cod preparation he had ever had. His wine pairing, a chardonnay/viogner blend was to his liking, full bodied with sweet butterscotch undertones.

A talented pastry chef, Krista Kern is known for her desserts which are, by far, the best in the city. Feeling rebellious, we deviated from our favorite – the panna cotta – and tried the warm strawberry rhubarb financier. While I expected the rhubarb to be a bit more tart than it was, the accompanying crème fraiche gelato helped balance the sweetness of the strawberries.

Knowing the anguish we were caused by passing up the Panna Cotta, Kiera brought out a tiny bowl for us to share. Refreshing and light, it was adorned with raspberries and melon. We have had panna cotta in some of the best restaurants in the country and this one beats them all in presentation, flavor and consistency.

Dinner for the two of us – with drinks – was $148 before tip, though you could easily dine for much less. We’ve stopped in on nights we were less hungry, shared an appetizer, ordered half sized portions of the entrees (one of the things I like best about Bresca), a couple of glasses of wine and split a dessert for less than $80.

Comfortable and relaxed enough to qualify as a neighborhood eatery, the refined cuisine and service at Bresca also makes it worthy of a special occasion. Unlike some larger restaurants, the tiny dining room and limited seating allow Chef Kern to personally prepare each and every dish that leaves her kitchen. The result is stunningly prepared, fresh and creative cuisine.