Trying to figure it out, in case I need to do this at a later time.
What you did was:
<!--
<?php if($rating) :?>
<li><label><?php echo Text::_('TPL_RATE') ;?>:</label>
<span class="portfolio-rating">
<span class="stars-vote" style="width: <?php echo $rating ?>%"></span>
</span>
</li>
<?php endif ;?>
-->
Is it this <!-- and this --> that make it dissapear?
Ok i figured it out, you commented it out like that, nice 🙂