In almost every single wine country guidebook, you’ll see mention of Nick’s Italian Café. After a long day of wine tasting, we took a chance…without reservations we walked in the front door, kept our fingers crossed, and politely asked if they had room for three?

The hostess looked at her clip board, looked at the open tables and with a coy smile out of the side of her mouth said, “I think I can squeeze you guys in.”

The wine gods were with us! I like to think of the wine gods like the parking gods, except that they handle dinner reservations.

And that’s how we managed to eat at one of the most famous restaurants in the valley. Nick’s Italian Café recently won the 2014 James Beard Award for American Classic restaurant. Only one other restaurant in Oregon has that title, and each year the award is given to five restaurants across the United States that are locally owned, known for their timeless appeal, beloved by the community, and create quality food that reflects the character of the area.

I had a tough time deciding what to order, and struggled even more trying to get some good pictures. I think it’s time to invest in a flash for my camera. I loved the deconstructed wine barrel wall, I’m just glad I don’t have to dust it!

My dinner was absolutely fantastic! I ordered the Lasagna Bolognese and the depth and complexity of flavors had me savoring every single bite.

The Renaissance Man ordered the Spaghetti Carbonara. I was thankful that he was willing to share, the dish was so rich and creamy and I think the farm fresh egg made all the difference. Totally wonderful!

For dessert we ordered a trio of treats to share, we had the Crème Brulee, Nick’s Profiteroles, and the Budino. I almost always order Crème Brulee for dessert, and this dessert had a perfectly crunchy shell and an intense vanilla flavor.

Nick’s also has a “Back Room.” I peeked my head in and took a quick picture, we’ll be back to hangout and have a drink! The back room reminded me of watching the sitcom Cheers when I was a kid, the brick walls and pool table are so inviting.

Be sure to check out Nick’s Italian Café if you find yourself in McMinnville!