Portland's Best Meatballs

So you know it from the get-go, my older son Lamont makes these meatballs on Sundays--he's sous chef at 3 Doors Down. I took this photo recently before happily digging in--I couldn't eat but one, so I ate the other one for lunch at work. You can read their provenance here, at my ABC Wednesday K is for Kitchen post.

Here's what Portland Monthly had to say about the meatballs in their August, 2007, Best Of issue: Spaghetti and meatballs should be much better than they are in this town. Frankly, we'd given up on the dish. But one recent evening, the bucatini and meatballs served at 3 Doors Down finally changed our minds. Of course, we should tell you that there are only two meatballs in the dish. But their quantity or size hardly matters--although, if you must know, each is slightly bigger than a golf ball. What really matters is that they're made from veal, pork and beef--the right way--and perfectly seasoned. And they're rich enough that you'll likely have to take at least one home as leftovers. The frequency with which these meatballs are served here (only on Sundays), however--now that's another, somewhat graver matter entirely.

P. S. Lamont put the ricotta salata on top for me because I am lactose intolerant. The usual cheese topping is a combintation of Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano.