Café Nell

I must say, it’s good to be young, in love, and DINKS (double income no kid’s) in a city like Portland. Just a random Tuesday night, and we headed out for yet another delicious meal at one of my favorite restaurants, Café Nell (see original Yelp review below for full details).

I failed to note in my previous review that Café Nell has an impressive, extensive cocktail/wine list. Just another reason why this is one of the best Happy Hour spots in NW! Too bad for us no drinking tonight…we decided we will come back soon to sit in the front windows and enjoy drinks and the amazing sounding Seafood Charcuterie Plate (House cured salmon, pickled sardines, smoked halibut, trout roe, shrimp pate, pickled egg)…yes please!

Tonight we both had a craving for fish, and Café Nell was a great choice, with their solid offerings of fresh seafood. We started with the Mixed Green salad (Radishes, shaved carrots, red wine vinaigrette ) which was exactly as stated, minimal (to a bit of a fault). For entrees, I decided to try the Whole Idaho Trout (Grilled Trout stuffed w/ fennel, almonds and shallots over arugula) and what a score! It was indeed the whole fish on a plate, cut in half, deboned, stuffed with the listed ingredients, and served on top of a mound of lightly lemon-seasoned arugula. It was delicately cooked, not fishy at all, and beautifully moist throughout (we devoured every part!). Armando ordered The Special of the Day, which was Sockeye Salmon served on a bed of caramelized Belgium endive, with a side of poached pears (cooked with Whiskey!). The ingredients of both dishes were chosen to perfectly balance and compliment the respective fish – artfully crafted. He also ordered the Sautéed Spinach, which was minimally seasoned yet refreshing, screaming farm to table freshness.

For desert Armando chose crème brulèe, which was seemingly delicious because it disappeared in 2 minutes! I did not indulge, but he commented that the flavor and texture was spot-on. We both had regular drip coffees, which our waiter brewed on order, so it was fresh and piping hot (appreciated at 7pm).

Service at Café Nell is consistently pleasant, professional, and knowledgeable. The menu is pricey, but no more so than its main competitors. You pay for high quality food, end of story.

A cute little signature touch is that Café Nell always gives you a postcard with your bill. With Valentine’s Day coming up, our postcard tonight said “My Valentine is taking me to Café Nell. Somebody’s getting lucky!”. I sent it to my Mom because Café Nell is her favorite restaurant…a great Marketing idea indeed, and one that will keep her waiting to get back this wonderful Portland spot!

Yelp Review – Posted 8/11/09
Cafe Nell is a must-visit on the Portland foodie tour. Nestled in a great NW area (i.e. not on crowded 21st/23rd Ave.'s) this ivy-covered building brings European flare to an otherwise quiet street corner. Admittedly, I try not to frequent many places more than once, only because I like to spread the love (read: money) throughout Portland. However, I try to bring all of my out of town guests here on their first night in Portland. The airy and friendly environment instantly welcomes you. There are three areas of the restaurant, the beautifully crafted bar, adjacent high-top lounge tables, and main dining area (which features a magnificent red fireplace). The interior décor is modern, sleek and classy (yet completely unpretentious). European window shudders fully open to let air/light in when the weather cooperates, and the wooden tables throughout are beautiful and cozy. Café Nell has a wonderful outdoor seating area, overlooking both 20th and Kearney Streets. This is undoubtedly one of the best spots in the Summer to grab Happy Hour, remember that!

Now…for the important stuff – food! Always serving the highest quality seasonal and locally sourced ingredients, I have never had a bad dish at Café Nell. We started with the decadent Cheese Plate (Chef’s selection of artisanal cheese with accompaniments), which today included a variety of light white cheeses, fresh bread, and toasted almonds – the perfect starter. Main courses were the Ahi Tuna (perfectly seared) and Lamb Kabobs (served with a succulent white bean spread) and the Market Vegetable (a mix of tomatoes, squash and onions on skewers). Everything screamed fresh, and was prepared and presented with care. We also had the Hand-cut Fries – do not miss these! Thin and baked to perfection (not greasy!) they were a real treat, and were enough to serve a party of three adults. We washed it all down with the beer of the summer, Widmer's Drifter. The waiter was very helpful in selecting the trout dish for my friend, which was plated beautifully (no samples for me on this one, sorry!). I think it was probably the owner who was so nice he even made sure I had my binder that I walked in with - talk about good service. My friends left full and happy, with a great first impression of the Portland food scene. Mission accomplished, yet again, at Café Nell.

In a nutshell, people who know good food eat here.

*Jayne