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Monday, November 17, 2008

Food Updated: Nutshell Closed

Posted by Patrick Alan Coleman on Mon, Nov 17, 2008 at 9:36 AM

It was reported yesterday on popular food blog Portland Food and Drink that a sign on the door of veggie restaurant Nutshell suggests that they have closed.

Though a recent Mercury review was not positive about the new tack the restaurant had taken in last few months, the alleged closure still may not bode well for surrounding eateries on the North Williams stretch where Nutshell is located.

A call to the restaurant reveals no change in their reservation message and the website also remains unchanged. Stay tuned. I will confirm the closure sign later today.

UPDATE:

Here's the sign on the door

door.jpg

The notes surrounding the sign are customer comment cards, which rave (favorably) about both the food and the service...

A sign, yes. But a bad sign of worse to come? From the comments below, it seems like Nutshell was bound for implosion anyway. It may be that in the past it would have limped along for awhile, but in this climate when things go bad, they seem to go bad for good.

 

Comments (11) RSS

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1
No surprise given their customer service or lack thereof. I tried to take a vegetarian client who in town from Texas there one night. We got there are 8:30 and while the kitchen was in full swing we were told we were too late to order. They lost a $150 ticket - obviously they have needed a few more of those to stick around.

I would not blame this on the economy necessarily - just people who don't know how to run a business.
Posted by pdxmom on November 17, 2008 at 9:51 AM · Report
2
I've got to agree. While I'm kind of bummed about them closing, they really seemed to have their heads up their collective asses. I went for lunch one day and didn't walk out until almost 2 hours later. What kind of place doesn't know that some of their lunchtime clients may have to oh, I don't know... get back to work? I did like most of the food I ate there though.
Posted by Beer Batter on November 17, 2008 at 10:02 AM · Report
3
i was a little upset when i read the column 2 weeks ago. writing sad reviews of restaurants in a time where the economy is downward is, imho, a poor choice. I have a friend who was a purveyor for that place, now, he's got one less account. i'm sure the mercury column was not the sole reason for nutshell going under (as the comments -and my own poor service experience- have supported), but as the numbers of restaurants and bars closing goes up i would suggest keeping to the positive, because what is going to happen to our hipster population when there are no server/barista/bartending jobs available?

wait, maybe bad reviews are good. the hipster transplants will move back to CA, WI, MN, and OK.
Posted by miguelaron on November 17, 2008 at 10:55 AM · Report
4
Counterpoint: When the economy sucks, you have less free cash to spend going out to dinner. Which makes it even more important that we let you know where it's not worth spending your limited dollars. In the boom years, blowing money on a crappy restaurant could be shrugged off. Now, you'll kick yourself. We're here to help you avoid kicking yourself.
Posted by Amy J. Ruiz on November 17, 2008 at 11:50 AM · Report
5
would you rather know where to go or where not to go?
Posted by miguelaron on November 17, 2008 at 12:07 PM · Report
6
Both are important, especially if something has moved from a "where to go," to a "where not to go," as Nutshell did. They weren't a new establishment that sucked out of the gate. They were a place that had a good reputation and squandered it, both of which we pointed out at the appropriate time.
Posted by Amy J. Ruiz on November 17, 2008 at 12:16 PM · Report
7
where am i going to go to get my vegan jamaican bbq now?
Posted by miguelaron on November 17, 2008 at 1:28 PM · Report
8
That place sounded pretentious as fuck. None of your positive vibes are gonna save an okra / spelt / turd sandwich! Watch as cash-strapped Hipsters cling to their ironic tater tots...

RIP Portland "foodie paradise" Oregon, lol.
Posted by Chunty McHutchence on November 17, 2008 at 2:13 PM · Report
9
A poor choice to write bad reviews because of the economic climate? Seriously?

Welcome to the free market economy. Sink or swim.
Posted by Williams, Jay on November 17, 2008 at 2:54 PM · Report
10
Nutshell was amazing, and I am going to miss it. The food was expertly and freshly (thus the wait) cooked, and there isn't really anywhere else for us veggies to go for a nice dinner (strangely, it seems vegetarians/vegans don't eat dinner, according to all the veg eateries).

In my experience the only hipster-bashers are hipsters. Noone else would know what the hell you're talking about. Stop complaining about everything.
Posted by iceddivo on December 29, 2008 at 9:34 PM · Report
11
yay! there's portobello, our new vegan saving grace. delicious italian vegan food. my omni friends raved about it. the food there is hands down better than nutshell. so impressed. vegans run to portobello! p.s. way cheaper than nutshell too (so it's not just for the bourgeois).
Posted by boodlish on February 13, 2009 at 3:07 PM · Report

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