Cathy Whims's restaurant, Nostrana, says it all in its bio of the chef: "It's the quest to offer historically based, authentic dishes" that brings her to the kitchen. She's such a pizza pro that she also opened Oven and Shaker in Portland with bartender Ryan Magarian. With the perfect melding of traditional Italian cuisine and local Northwest ingredients, Whims focuses on the wood-fired flavors created by her kitchen's wood oven and wood grill, which, in turn, leaves the patrons to focus on the flavors on the plate in front of them.
