Portofino in Forest Hills Dilemma
Help! The big boss is including me in a group lunch at Portofino in 2 weeks and I have yet to find a positive comment about it here. Two CHs mention that the pizza is passable, but I don't even see that on the online menu. Most of the posts were a few years old. So, have you eaten here recently and can you recommend a dish? I really can not tolerate bad Italian food, but the meal is unavoidable. Thanks in advance.
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Portofino Restaurant
109-32 Ascan Ave, Queens, NY 11375
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I apologize for being late with this response:} If nothing else that one can learn from chowhound, it should be that you cannot go by someone else's taste buds. Portofino is actually a very good restaurant! I've been going to them for years; they know my family by name. Certainly I have had better, but for a neighborhood restaurant with better than average italian-american food, it's a very good option. Keep in mind that many places, once they get to know you, will cater to special requests- so even if nothing on the menu strikes your fancy, ask! By the way, I have to mention that this is the place where my dad freaked out when the busboy tried to sprinkle parmesan on his pasta (we are a cheese phobic family:} ). He started yelling LOUDLY "CHEESE! CHEESE! IT'S CHEESE!" And they still treat us wonderfully after that:}
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Portofino Restaurant
109-32 Ascan Ave, Queens, NY 11375 -
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EricMM
Mar 30, 2010 09:01 AM
I haven't eaten there in a few years, but its not that bad. Definitely not great, but its not all that bad.....I'd say its OK. They have too much of a tendency to burn garlic, and the seafood isn't always as good as I'd want, but I've done well with some of the veal dishes and the pastas. Don't be afraid of the place...it won't be the best Italian food you've ever had, you probably won't be in a rush to go back, but it will be far from the worst.
