[tammi]

I really like Nutshell. I enjoyed every meal I had there in the summer. I was merely curious if the fall cuisine included wild mushrooms, I wasn't being specific to truffles. I think for vegan food he does an exceptional job of creating fine cuisine that non vegans can enjoy. Again..just wondering ok?

[Dennis Mai]

tammi, on Nov 28 2007, 06:55 PM, said:

I really like Nutshell. I enjoyed every meal I had there in the summer. I was merely curious if the fall cuisine included wild mushrooms, I wasn't being specific to truffles. I think for vegan food he does an exceptional job of creating fine cuisine that non vegans can enjoy. Again..just wondering ok?

okay! I didn't mean to sound pissed. I wasn't at all.

[tammi]

No worries..Never thought you were mad, I just felt misunderstood. Its all good!

[katez0r]

tammi, on Nov 28 2007, 06:55 PM, said:

I really like Nutshell. I enjoyed every meal I had there in the summer. I was merely curious if the fall cuisine included wild mushrooms, I wasn't being specific to truffles. I think for vegan food he does an exceptional job of creating fine cuisine that non vegans can enjoy. Again..just wondering ok?

Tammi -- I didn't notice mushrooms on the menu, but their outdated online menu has some potato pancakes with wild mushrooms.

Here's what I got to try tonight:

We got the bread and olive oils, that was the highlight for me.

One of my friends got the phyllo brik, which was very, very, very greasy. I realize it's fried, and I don't know how to fix it, but I wouldn't order it again. I also didn't care for the flavor of the filling. She also got the vichyssoise. It had a nice, smooth texture, and an interesting flavor. I just had a tiny taste, so I can't be more specific. Another friend had the cassoulet, which she enjoyed.

I had the potato gratin. It was mushy, and way oversalted. I love salt, but this was just a ton. I feel like I should've sent it back, or mentioned it to someone. There was also fennel involved somehow, which I didn't care for. I did like how they plated it, though, with tons of seasonal vegetables surrounding it. Some of the vegetables were good, lightly seasoned and simple, others were drowning in olive oil. I also got a side of kale, which I liked, but it suffered from the same oil issue.

Our service was okay. It started out really good, and enthusiastic, but we waited quite a while for our server to come back so we could get to-go containers and the check.

I probably won't be back for a while.

[tammi]

Thanks for the report Kate! Too bad....

[singingpig]

Anyone hear any news of Nutshell lately?

Drove by last night (Friday) at 4:50pm and the place was dark and their little sign wasn't on the sidewalk.

They owe me money.

[Calabrese]

singingpig, on Dec 15 2007, 10:44 AM, said:

Anyone hear any news of Nutshell lately?

Drove by last night (Friday) at 4:50pm and the place was dark and their little sign wasn't on the sidewalk.

They owe me money.

Since they serve lunch on Saturdays, I just called their number. The phone was asnwered. I didn't have a conversation but I am guessing they are open.

[tammi]

singingpig, on Dec 15 2007, 10:44 AM, said:

Anyone hear any news of Nutshell lately?

Drove by last night (Friday) at 4:50pm and the place was dark and their little sign wasn't on the sidewalk.

They owe me money.

Hey there Steve

I've noticed too...
They are closed between 3 and 5 and it's pretty dark in there until they actually open, but they haven't gone under so to speak. Its too bad they owe you money (not good for you and certainly a poor reflection on how they are doing)
Its good to know who they get the goods from though. Maybe I'll give them another shot if its Singing Pigs on the menu!

[singingpig]

They have only bought from me 2 times--haven't been paid for either invoice.

Just my impression, may not be accurate, but they seem to be doing what many restaurants do when in cash flow problems. Keep switching vendors as the bills come due.

I'll have to go in and make a collection visit.

[tammi]

singingpig, on Dec 15 2007, 12:59 PM, said:

They have only bought from me 2 times--haven't been paid for either invoice.

Just my impression, may not be accurate, but they seem to be doing what many restaurants do when in cash flow problems. Keep switching vendors as the bills come due.

I'll have to go in and make a collection visit.

Oh thats awful! I'll stick with Toro Bravo and Pause for my neighborhood fix then.

[TomatoPie]

I'd like to proudly report that Nutshell is alive and well, and actually filled up the back room on a Tuesday! This is my 3rd visit--I went once in the summer, once in the fall, and albeit I was a little worried to return in the dead of winter, I decided to take a client there and all four of us had a great meal.

Two in our party were vegan, so it seemed like a likely choice to take our open-minded client from Northern California. One of our vegan diners is not easily impressed with the dining options in this town, and therefore usually eats at home, but she has been impressed the times she has eaten here (as she says -- "no vegan junk food" like tofu, tvp, tempeh crowding the menu).

For me, this was the best meal yet. I truly believe that you have to be quite a creative chef when you limit your ingredients to exclude meat, but I think they are nailing it. I had the Israeli couscous and the Locro de Verduras (both very good) in previous visits, and the Jamaican Barbeque this time. Also in previous visits I tasted the pineapple/avocado sandwich (not real impressed, too much bread) and the bamboo fries (which I loved).

We started with bread, olive oil, and two of the black salts--one of which was smoked. This was a great flavor combination, if not a little overpowering (I think I got too much on the bread, honestly).

I then had the Brussel Sprouts with mesquite smoked apples, white beans, mustard & celery root. Wow. I like brussel sprouts, but they have to be cooked just right with complementary flavors to taste great. Mission accomplished. These were cooked perfectly, and the beans were a great texture as well as HUGE.

Next course: the Jamaican barbecue. I'll have to just say that I agree with all of the other good reviews; this was great and there were so many diverse flavors on the plate. I was expecting the yam stuffed orange to be fully stuffed, but most of it was orange inside. The sauce on the "bammy" as almost too spicy to eat, but tasty still. A co-worker had the Oaxacan Mole Poblano and liked it.

Overall: better than the first two times I went. The space felt warmer, as they have now added tables in the back area and large stumps that have candles on them, and the ATM machine is gone! We actually sat in the space where it used to be. We came prepared with cash but thankfully were able to pay with a card. The service is still a little slow, but the waitress seemed knowledgeable about both the food and the wine/beer menus. As for the sound - I didn't hear the music this time (I've had to ask them to turn it down in a previous visit), and the noise level was not too high.

Current menu:

one.
Shot of French lettuce & chervil soup, chilled. 1
Shot of beet soup with raspberry vinegar. 1
Adobo Seckle pears with roasted garlic & squash. 3
Bigfoot’s bamboo fries with peanut sauce. 4

two.
Vichyssoise. Potato & leek soup, served warm. 6
Pacific Northwest heirloom squash soup with ginger, hemp milk & fried parsnips. 6
Mizuna Gardens organic greens. Maple glazed pears, apple cider & marcona almonds. 5
Satsuma tangerine salad with sherry vinegar, watercress, salsa molcajete & pistachios. 7
Brussels sprouts with mesquite smoked apples, white beans, mustard & celery root. 6
Red Chard & Green Kale, Bob’s Red Mill polenta, cherry ginger gastrique & seared fennel. 6
Fuji apple salad with Chioggia beets, preserved Marionberries, micro greens, pinenuts & a muscatel vinaigrette. 5

three.
Shitake mushroom couscous cooked in a risotto style with dried porcini and garnished with pickled squash. 13
Noodles. Lemongrass coconut sauce, carrots, papaya, scallions, ginger & sesame oil. 11
Pizza with arugula pesto, tomato sauce, cashew puree, cerignola olives & fennel. 10
Locro de Verduras. Argentine highland grain stew of blue hominy, quinoa, millet & amaranth. Plantain & peach compote. 13
Oaxacan Mole Poblano. Roasted fingerling potatoes, tomatillos, winter corn & cilantro. 13
Jamaican Barbeque. Eggplant, lilies, fried okra, festival, bammy, beans & rice, yam stuffed orange, habenero & house made jerk sauce. Served with the Marley family drink- “something to remember” 14
Tandoor fire roasted vegetables. Yellow curry jasmine rice, 150 grain naan bread, samosa, & chana.
Served with 3 chutneys: tomato ginger, pickled cucumber & garam masala fennel. 14

four.
Dark chocolate & Courier Coffee espresso. 4
Coconut & sweet bean fritters with coconut ice cream, passion fruit sauce & chopped peanuts. 4
Maple Chocolate Tart with vanilla bean cream sauce. 6

[truth]

singingpig, on Dec 15 2007, 11:44 AM, said:

Anyone hear any news of Nutshell lately?

Drove by last night (Friday) at 4:50pm and the place was dark and their little sign wasn't on the sidewalk.

They owe me money.

Hey singingpig - it has been a few months. Did you ever get paid?

[singingpig]

truth, on Mar 14 2008, 07:24 PM, said:

singingpig, on Dec 15 2007, 11:44 AM, said:

Anyone hear any news of Nutshell lately?

Drove by last night (Friday) at 4:50pm and the place was dark and their little sign wasn't on the sidewalk.

They owe me money.

Hey singingpig - it has been a few months. Did you ever get paid?

Yes, as soon as Tammi told me they were open but were dark before dinner service, I stopped by and got paid.

It was a little surreal, never seen anything like it--cooks on the line prepping food in the dark.

[craig]

singingpig, on Mar 14 2008, 09:13 PM, said:

It was a little surreal, never seen anything like it--cooks on the line prepping food in the dark.

Saves electricity I guess.

[Amanda]

Anybody been to Nutshell lately? I just googled their menu and if it is current the following food items sure have me intrigued:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fuji apple salad with winter beets, preserved Marionberries, micro greens, pinenuts & a muscatel vinaigrette. 7 *

Pineapple & papaya tamales steamed in banana leaves and served with black bean mango salsa & avocado. 13 *

Shepherd’s Pie. Brussels sprouts & leeks baked with smoked apples & mashed potatoes. 12 *


Shot of vanilla coconut soup, served chilled. 1 *
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Best regards,

Amanda

[mimey]

I have heard that Nutshell is closing? Anyone know? (BTW--new to the boards)

[Calabrese]

mimey, on May 7 2008, 07:26 PM, said:

I have heard that Nutshell is closing? Anyone know? (BTW--new to the boards)

Welcome to PFG mimey!!! I don't happen to know anything about Nutshell closing rumors.

[saltyinflux]

mimey, on May 7 2008, 07:26 PM, said:

I have heard that Nutshell is closing? Anyone know? (BTW--new to the boards)

Say it isn't so! No such rumor is mentioned in FoodDude's roundup, although there was another thread intimating Nutshell was being put "on the auction block." Timing doesn't seem right: I'd speculate that once Lincoln opens, Nutshell will get a boost.

[averilpdx]

Nutshell is NOT closing. I called today and the chef seemed a bit freaked that I asked ("Who said that?!"). I went for dinner tonight and had a great appetizer- fried fennel atop a ginger/rhubarb puree. Wonderful combo of textures and flavors. Very gingery, which I like, and at times the ginger overpowered the fennel a little,but overall very good.I didn't like my entree as much- artichoke pasta w/ creamy leeks, capers, fennel. The first few bites were ok, but it quickly became too heavy and gloppy. It didn't taste bad but compared to some things I've had there (particularly the tomato napolean which is incredible) it didn't even come close. Their best dishes have a balance and clarity to them, and this pasta dish was the first thing I've had there that I didn't love. It was moderately busy when I got there and by the time I left at 7:30 it was filling up a bit more.

[PeteyX]

There was an "opening" article about them in the most recent NW Palate with a discussion of a new chef (I think - the original guy was Sean Coryell (sp) I thought). So maybe it is under new management/chefship? I haven't been in ages.

averilpdx, on May 8 2008, 09:33 PM, said:

Nutshell is NOT closing. I called today and the chef seemed a bit freaked that I asked ("Who said that?!").