Slab
The hand slab – Steve’s original tomato, mozzarella and provolone Sicilian pie, 1lb hand-slab
Monstri Meatball – 2 lb. ‘monster’ beer braised beef, pork sausage and peperoncini meatball sandwich with slab gravy and melted cheeses on a toasted luna loaf
The goumad – house napoleon pastry strip with pistachio, grappa and arancello crema bavarese, dark chocolate and orange white chocolate marzipan drizzles, pistachios
Describing its concept as Sicilian Street Food, the location inside a converted Portland Public Market providing a large space with a fully stocked bar and open kitchen to make some equally sizable food, Slab is one of those places where the price seems almost *too* good to be possible, though in reality the bargains actually prove to be true.
Known as a sort of community gathering place, music on the patio and a menu that almost necessitates sharing part of the appeal, it was at an off hour that our party arrived at Slab to find a few folks sitting in front of a television watching Euro2016, the service prompt and courteous with items arriving from the kitchen just 15 minutes after placing an order.
Famed for their signature ‘slab,’ a thick rectangle of Pie with each slice weighing in at a pound of flour, water, cheese and sauce, additional styles are offered with a variety of seasonal inspirations and with each bite offering a crisp edge with a supple crumb beneath vibrant tomatoes and smooth mozzarella the 32oz Monstri Meatball may even be better as the orbs of three meats are sliced and smashed with great flavor inside toasted bread that is accurately described as a “loaf.”
Frequent to update their menu, desserts having just changed that week, it is perhaps fortuitous that sweets do not trend quite as large as savories as there would have likely been no room for dinner otherwise, The Goumad a roughly constructed and boozed-up Napoleon with bitter Grappa and Dark Chocolate offset by Citrus, Marzipan and Pistachios.
http://www.slabportland.com/
