Nel Centro hosts House Spirits Distillery and their talented mixologists for “Recession Proof Mixology”. From 5:30pm – 8:00pm on Wednesday March 17th, Brad & Matt from House Spirits will be mixing five exciting cocktails featuring their locally made spirits with an Italian twist. Each drink is only $5. … more
From the Portland Business Journal – by Wendy Culverwell Business Journal staff writer
To restaurateur David Machado, there’s nothing new about business owners aligning revenue with expenses.
Naturally, they’d rather do it by raising the former rather than lowering the latter.
“In this particular time period, raising revenue is not really possible, so we go to Plan 2 and we lower expenses,” said Machado, a 28-year industry veteran who operates two upper-end restaurants in Southeast Portland and a third at Hotel Modera in downtown Portland.
There’s no disputing that the recession has taken an outsized toll on the dining industry, and the fine- dining end in particular because it depends on business travelers, tourists and special-occasion diners, three customer segments badly hit by the economy. Some local operators are falling by the wayside, but others have found ways to survive, and even to open new restaurants.
Indications of the industry’s difficulties include a National Restaurant Association index measuring restaurant activity that fell below 100 in November 2007, signalling a decline in activity. It has stayed there ever since. Despite modest improvement in December, the measure remains stalled at 2003 levels. Nearly half of all restaurant operators cite the economy as their top concern.
In its annual report on the fine-dining market, Mintel International said “desperate times call for creative measures.”
To win customers, it said operators should use promotions to lure guests, deploy prix-fixe menus and remember that more than 90 percent of fine-dining customers say food quality is the most important factor of the experience.
Not surprising, high-income households are the most likely to frequent fine dining establishments, with 35 percent of households earning $100,000 or more saying they eat out at least once a month.
More surprising is an uptick in demand from households with $50,000 to $75,000 in income, which Mintel said could be due to moderate earners splurging on dinners out in lieu of vacations.
There is, however, little question that times are tough for restaurants and evidence is abundant in the local market.
Every week brings news of a closing. In January, McGrath’s Public Fish House Inc., a 20-unit chain based in Salem, filed for bankruptcy.
McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants Inc., Oregon’s largest publicly traded restaurant chain, is apparently on a modest rebound after losing nearly $70 million in 2008.
The company hasn’t released full-year earnings for 2009, but appeared to be on track for a modest profit based on year-to-date earnings of $1.35 million reported in September.
Machado said he had to cut expenses to keep open his three eateries — Nel Centro, Lauro Kitchen and Vindalho. He couldn’t use lesser ingredients without altering his business model. Negotiating new leases for his three locations was out too.
That left “a double-edged sword called ‘happy hour,’” and staff cuts.
“A host who used to be just a host is now a busser and a host. A manager who was just a manger is now a manager and a host and a busser,” he said.
He also trimmed hours slightly, closing Nel Centro at 10 p.m. on Sundays instead of the former 11 p.m.
While Machado’s restaurants haven’t seen the double-digit declines seen elsewhere in the industry, business is down. Revenue for Lauro Kitchen, 3377 S.E. Division St., was down 4.5 percent in 2009. Vindalho, 2038 S.E. Clinton St., dropped about 7 percent. Nel Centrol, located in downtown’s Hotel Modera, is less than a year old.
Nel Centro isn’t the only eatery to open in a down economy.
On Dec. 1, David Anderson and partners reopened Genoa, 2832 S.E. Belmont St. Genoa, a mainstay of the Portland restaurant scene for nearly four decades, closed in late 2008.
Gregory Mowery is a book publicist with a specialty in cookbooks. He has worked with some of the legendary cookbook writers and cookbook brands in the business including Jacques Pepin, Maida Heatter, Paul Prudhomme, Martin Yan, Pierre Franey, Deborah Madison, etc. On his nicely illustrated and well-written blog, Leaving New York he writes, “I entertain and cook for friends, family and colleagues often. I’m opinionated and passionate about cookbooks, food memoirs, wine and spirit guides and read them like novels.”
Given all of the above, we’re especially pleased to find that Greg dined with us on Valentines Day and had a fantastic time of it. Here’s an excerpt from his post on his experience at Nel Centro. A link to the full article follows.
“We had a cocktail at the bar and I loved my vodka Gimlet with its fresh zing of limejuice. The large space with its hard surfaces is surprisingly un-noisy. We scored a large and comfortable booth that could easily sit six, and finished our cocktails while we studied the menu. Jean-Francois asked me to find a red wine. I settled on several choices, and our waitress helped me zero in on a Mocali Rosso di Montalcino. This 2007 vintage was a delicious medium-bodied red and would prove to be an excellent accompaniment to our entrees. It was surprising how fast we made our choices. I wanted the salad of winter chicories, Gorgonzola, applies and candied walnuts to start. Jean-Francois settled on the country pate/chicken liver mousse and duck rillettes plate with mustard and cornichons, while Jay opted for the excellent and tender fried calamari with red pepper rouille and sauce Gribiche.”
“These calamari just melt on the tongue and the fine red pepper rouille was enhanced by an aromatic dash of smoked paprika picante. I generally prefer to start a meal with a salad, and the chicories married well with the Gorgonzola and a creamy dressing. The apples and candied walnuts added more structure to the salad. I had a smear of the chicken liver mousse and the duck rillettes, and both were excellent.”
“Never intrusive, our waitress checked on us periodically, asking our opinions and what aspects we liked about our plates. I enjoyed her culinary knowledge, which was delivered with a light touch and without a trace of foodie superiority. This lady clearly enjoys her work.”
Greg closes his post with this. “Nel Centro proved to be the right restaurant. I’ll be back!” Thank you Greg! We’re looking forward to your next visit. Read the whole post here>>.
Valentine’s Day Specials at Nel Centro
Please join us for a special Valentines Day dinner. Make your reservations here>>.
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Hazelnut Sage Pesto $8
Sweet Fennel Risotto with Seared Scallops and Fennel Pollen $19
Ahi Tuna au Poivre with Potato Puree and Sauteed Spinach $24
Grilled Sturgeon with Preserved Lemon and Mint Couscous and Harissa Aioli $22.00
Chocolate Hazlenut Bombe with Cherry Cognac Compote $8
Portland, Oregon — February 5, 2010
On February 1st, Portland restaurateur and chef David Machado took over the kitchen reins at his new downtown restaurant, Nel Centro. He replaces opening chef de cuisine, Paul Hyman.
Machado praised the departed Hyman saying ,“Paul is a great guy, a hard worker and a seasoned culinarian. But eight months after a promising opening we weren’t where we needed to be. We had some winning dishes but the food was inconsistent. I could hear the criticism and I tasted it myself. I take responsibility for this situation and I have stepped in to correct it.”
During the next six months, chef Machado will be behind the line for both lunch and dinner working to hone Nel Centro’s seasonal menu offerings as well as writing creative daily specials. “Our focus is the faithful execution of the cuisine of the Italian and French Riviera. There is boundless potential that we have yet to tap. My expectations are that each dish is delicious and that every dining experience is memorable.”
Machado’s other restaurants; Lauro Kitchen and Vindalho, both located on Portland’s eastside are stable and doing well at the moment. He adds, “being back in the kitchen at Nel Centro, working hard and leading a team of young cooks is the best thing for me and the business right now. I’m much closer to the creative process and I love it.”
About David Machado:
Chef/owner David Machado is one of Portland’s most lauded chefs. For nearly twenty years he has created and led a number of Portland’s most enduring and successful restaurants, including Pazzo Ristorante and Southpark Seafood Grill and Wine Bar. Venturing out on his own as an independent in 2003, he created Lauro Mediterranean Kitchen and Vindalho (www.laurokitchen.com, www.vindalho.com) igniting the “eastside-dining craze.” In 2009 he was lured back downtown to open Nel Centro (www.nelcentro.com) adjacent to the Hotel Modera in the heart of Portland’s Arts & Culture District. Mr. Machado was recently named Oregon’s Restaurateur of the Year for 2009 by the Oregon Restaurant Association.
Check out today’s lunch specials:
Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup with Walnut Pesto $7
House Cured Duck Prosciutto, Grilled Radicchio and Fontal Cheese Pizza $12
New York Steak Sandwich with Fig Jam, Arugula and Gorgonzola Naturale $14
Al Ceppo Pasta with Spiced Italian Sausage, Swiss Chard, Marinara and House Made Ricotta $14
Roasted Local Sturgeon with Manila Clams, Leeks and Red Pepper Rouille $17
Motoya Nakamura/The OregonianDavid Machado3 QUESTIONS
A short chat about what’s cooking
Chef David Machado has a deep imprint on Portland’s dining scene. He had a crucial hand in the creation of downtown spots SouthPark and Pazzo, and now he runs three well-regarded restaurants of his own: the Southeast neighborhood spots Lauro Mediterranean Kitchen and Vindalho, and Nel Centro, a destination spot that opened last year in downtown’s posh Hotel Modera. Machado’s also one of the top forecasters of food trends. We asked him to peer into his culinary crystal ball to see what’s on the horizon.
Q: 2008 was the year of the chicken wing. 2009 was the year of the sandwich. What are we going to eat in 2010?
A: Whatever continues to comfort us, especially meatballs. When we think of meatballs we think of an Italian meatball, but every culture’s got one. Every culture grinds chicken or pork or lamb or something and spices it. In keeping with frugality and trying to use up the ingredients that you have and offer things at a good price, I’m going to call 2010 the year of the meatball.
Q: Besides full tables at your own restaurants, what would you like to see happen in the next year in Portland’s dining scene?
A: I’d like to see happy hour mania slow down. It’s at a frenzy right now and is certainly related to the sad state of the economy. But it’s a challenge for operators. They’re popular and they do increase revenue, but they decrease the bottom line substantially, and so the more popular they get, the more difficult it is financially. In the old days, there was a nice balance between dinner and happy hour, but because of the difficult state of affairs, the balance is a little challenging.
Q: What are the challenges you face running three successful places?
A: They’re different markets. The two on the east side are neighborhood mom-and-pops, and the scale and the relationship that the customers have is based on that. The one downtown is big, in a hotel, and driven by different factors than the other two — arts patrons, hotel travelers, business people. The challenge for me is not so much the geography and distance between the restaurants, or even having the three: It’s the dining public relates to them differently and I have to clearly understand who’s coming to each one and why.
Here’s a big thank you to the breakfastguy blog for dining with us and for the wonderful post that follows.
I’m not going to lie to you. In fact, I’ll open with two stone-cold truths.
1, I was invited by the publicist for Nel Centro to have a Sunday brunch in exchange for me writing about them. There’s your disclaimer. I was going to do it, anyway, but I do enjoy free stuff.
2, As soon as I sat down in the place, I loved it. And I would have, no matter who was paying. It’s a beautiful place, it had no line when I was there, and it’s a perfect example of something that I think makes Portland cool: namely, it used to be the diner of a Days Inn, which is now the super-cool Hotel Modera, with a bioswale and a “living wall” and an outdoor gas fire pit.
And the first thing on the Sunday brunch menu is Potato, Fennel and Leek Puree. Right below that is Warm Hazelnut Crusted Goat Cheese with Peppers. All this in a funky old downtown hotel! In fact, as soon as I looked at the menu I whipped out my iPod Touch (they have free WiFi) and tweeted, “I am in love with the menu @nelCentro!”
Oh, and I got a fantastic cappuccino (with Caffe Umbria) from an actual Italian, who is actually named Giovanni. When I asked about a muffin or pastry while I wait, he said he’d check with the “sweet girl” to see what she has.
So we already have an Italian, sustainability running rampant, a great-looking menu, and a Sweet Girl doing something in the kitchen. So yes, I love this place. Soon, my host for the morning came in, and the Sweet Girl’s creations came out: a still-warm brioche bun and a moist cherry-walnut scone. At that point, I was done for.
According to my host, among the place’s virtues are that the tables are made from an old Willamette Valley barn, and a countertop is made with EcoTop, whose website says is “a 50/50 blend of FSC certified post consumer recycled paper and rapidly renewable bamboo fiber, bound with a new 100% water-based system.” I don’t even know what all that means!
I also don’t know what the cuisine of the Riviera is, except that I take Nel Centro’s word that it’s what they serve. Apparently, the people of the Riviera like to have Pugliese French Toast with Apple Compote and Crème Fraiche, Poached Eggs on Grilled Polenta with Cured Pork Loin and Sage Hollandaise, an Individual Quiche Lorraine, various pizzas, and a Lamb Burger with Peppers and Feta Cheese. So they eat well, apparently.
In fact, I take David Machado’s word on pretty much everything related to cooking and restaurants. He’s won all sorts of awards, was the opening chef at Pazzo Ristorante and Southpark, is the owner/chef at the Mediterranean restaurant Lauro Kitchen, does the same at the Indian place Vindalho, and as of 2009 runs Nel Centro. He seems to be what you’d call a rock star.
He joined us for a bit at the table, and I’d love to offer some pithy quotes. But for one thing, a lot of it was a restaurant version of inside baseball – nothing gossipy, just tales of crazy chefs and busy shifts and opening too early after closing too late. He seems like a really nice guy who knows how to run a successful restaurant. And I plan to have him on my radio show February 5th, so stay tuned.
Another thing was that I was too wrapped up in the food to take any notes – first the potato-fennel-leek soup, which was perfect, then the Florentine Omelet with Spinach, Mushrooms and Mornay Sauce. For my fellow ignorami, I looked up Mornay Sauce on Wikipedia: it’s a Béchamel (scalded milk and roux) sauce with white cheeses added. I can say with some authority that, when poured over a perfectly-cooked omelet of fresh spinach and mushrooms, and paired with chip-sliced potatoes sautéed with peppers and onions, it’s damn good. And at Nel Centro, it’s only $11.
So here are another couple of truths: sitting there eating for free and chatting with the successful owner/chef of a fashionable downtown restaurant, it was easy to feel a lot of gratitude for my chosen profession. On the other hand, I could also step back and see myself, and a lot of other happy people, in a very cool restaurant with great food and no lines, right in the middle of my hometown, with the new MAX line going right by the door, plus an Italian guy making great drinks and a Sweet Girl in the kitchen working magic. So yes, I love that place!
Nel Centro – that’s Italian for “in the center” or downtown – is at 1408 SW 6th. They are also on Facebook and Twitter (@nelCentro). 503-484-1099.
Brunch (menu) served Sunday only, 8 to 2. Breakfast (much lesser menu) M-F 6:30-10:30 and Sat 7:30-11:30.
Seating for 130 plus some private rooms, big groups easy. Great patio in summertime. Valet parking or pay on the street – but it’s free Sunday until 1 p.m.
Economic troubles have played havoc with plenty of people’s lives in recent times. While horror stories abound, sometimes money troubles spur a change in direction that ends up being beneficial in the longer run.
In 2009, jazz guitarist Mike Pardew pulled just such a pivot. Fearing that his frequent trips south to practice and gig with Eugene jazz/funk/Afrobeat purveyors Eleven Eyes was putting a dangerous financial burden on Cadenza Academy, the music school he runs with his brother, Pardew decided to bail on the band.
“The commuting was such that I was putting myself at risk as a business owner,” Pardew says. “I didn’t want it to come to that decision.” And when downtown Portland restaurant Nel Centro offered him a regular gig, the offer to spend his weekends in Portland focusing on his own tunes was just too good to refuse.
The best part of playing at Nel Centro, he says, is that the owner and manager of the restaurant, which focuses on food from around the Riviera, are both jazz fans. In a world where jazz musicians are often expected to provide non-threatening aural wallpaper to aid in digestion, his employers at Nel Centro let him come in and cook up his own signature mix of tight chops, rhythmic complexity and emotional emphasis.
“At the root of it, it’s improvisation,” Pardew says of what defines jazz for him. “The most significant aspect to me is the emotional expression you get. The most captivating part as a listener is that no two performances are alike.”
He says that his gigs at Nel Centro have reminded him of the challenges of being a bandleader. He’s had to return to the jazz repertoire-based performances that he started out playing in Portland ballrooms at age 15. Now 29, he’s gone beyond recycling songs by the artists that influenced him — John Coltrane, Wes Montgomery, John Scofield — and created a sound that balances straight-forward jazz, vintage fusion and rock and Latin elements. Heavier than your average dinner combo and complex enough for the true music geek, Pardew’s music is also easily accessible to fans of classic rock and smooth jazz sounds.
After a recent performance, a listener told Pardew that, “He really enjoyed it, especially when he stopped trying to follow it and just let it carry him along.
“If I can do that even on one song a night, I’m doing my job.”
Jake Ten Pas is a Portland freelance writer
If you go
Mike Pardew Group
Where: Nel Centro, 1408 S.W. Sixth Ave.
When: 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; no cover charge
Web sites: mikepardew.com, myspace.com/mikepardewmusic