David Machado Restaurants

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John Eisenhart named Executive Chef at Nel Centro

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photo: Executive Chef John Eisenhart, Nel CentroNel Centro is proud to announce that John Eisenhart is our new executive chef. John has been an integral part of the Portland food scene over the last 11 years while directing the kitchen at Pazzo Ristorante as their executive chef. We are very excited to have chef Eisenhart join us and share his passion and expertise for Italian and French cooking. We are quite sure that this is the just the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

A recent conversation with chef John Eisenhart:

Why a career as a chef?
My first job was cooking at my mom’s deli in Sonoma, California. I did have plans to become a graphic designer and attended art school but when money ran out for school, cooking was the career path that I returned to.

Do you cook in your spare time?
Yes, I cook a range of cuisines but I am particularly interested in Asian cuisine at the moment.

Where does inspiration come from?
I am inspired by raw ingredients that are seasonal. I also enjoy the challenge of creating dishes when ingredients are limited. I feel that I can sometimes do my best work when options, ingredients and time are limited.

Your perfect meal?
That would have to be deep sea fishing and eating the fresh catch. I enjoyed a memorable meal like this in the Bahamas 15 years ago.

Your earliest memory of food or cooking?
My mom was a 1970’s hippie and loved to grow shiitake mushrooms, can produce from the garden and make homemade yogurt. My earliest food memories are from being involved in these DIY culinary projects.

Best part of your profession?
I love the teaching and mentorship that comes with being in charge of a kitchen staff. I also love seeing our work come together – dishes, menus and service. When things comes together just right, it gives me a great sense of satisfaction.

Favorite ingredients to work with?
I especially enjoy working with foraged ingredients — I spend time in the woods with my dog hunting for mushrooms and things like wood sorrel.

What are you looking forward to at Nel Centro?
I am probably most excited about the freedom and creative support that is being given to me at Nel Centro. I also appreciate working for an owner that is a chef himself. I consider this a refreshing change since it is becoming more unusual these days in larger restaurants.

First View Atop the Hotel Eastlund from Altabira City Tavern — GoLocalPDX

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First View Atop The Eastlund Hotel

Friday, April 10, 2015
Byron Beck, GoLocalPDX Features Editor

Photo from Altabira City Tavern by Byron Beck of GoLocalPDX
The view featured here is from inside the Eastlund’s (currently under construction) Altabira City Tavern, helmed by acclaimed local chef David Machado. Photo by Byron Beck.
In May of 2015 Hotel Eastlund will be opening their doors for the first time. Here’s a look at the space in progress. The view featured here is from inside the Altabira City Tavern, helmed by acclaimed local chef David Machado. Portland’s newest boutique hotel will feature rooftop dining, floor-to-ceiling windows, a spacious work-friendly lobby, and a beautiful view of the Portland skyline.

The first contemporary, luxury boutique hotel of its kind on Portland’s Eastside, it is developed by Grand Ventures Eastlund Hotel, LLC, who also developed the renowned Hotel Modera in Portland, Ore., as well as Hotel Andra and Hotel Deca in Seattle.

Hotel Eastlund is adjacent to the Oregon Convention Center, Moda Center, Veterans Memorial Coliseum and the Central Eastside’s creative hub. The hotel will offer easy access to both of the cities rail lines — the Portland streetcar and MAX Light rail. Hotel Eastlund, with its mid-century inspired design, features 168 rooms and suites, a flexible ballroom with floor-to-ceiling windows, two executive boardrooms and two private dining rooms overlooking downtown Portland.

The downtown skyline comes to life with the views from these outstanding venues. The rooftop restaurant and bar, Altabira City Tavern by celebrated chef David Machado, offers American cuisine with a beer-centric menu and Citizen Baker, adjacent to the lobby, is both a casual daytime café and evening wine bar.

Altabira City Tavern offers regional American cuisine focused on updated classic dishes with 16 taps of local craft beers, select Northwest wines and locally distilled spirits. The Tavern is open for lunch and dinner in a modern setting with large floor-to-ceiling windows with sweeping views of Portland’s downtown skyline and inner eastside. The dining room seats 60, the indoor bar area seats 76 and the expansive outdoor rooftop patio – with windbreaks, heaters and three fire pits with lounge seating — accommodates 103.

Citizen Baker is a locally owned, urban bakery/café located adjacent to the hotel’s mid-century modern lobby. The artisan bakery and gourmet coffee bar serves freshly baked artisan breads, pastries, soups, fresh salads and sandwiches as well as single origin coffee from Ristretto Roasters. During happy hour, the bakery transforms into a cozy and casual wine bar with local wine and beer on tap.

Hotel Eastlund is located, 1021 NE Grand Ave, Portland, Oregon 97232.

Read the article on GoLocalPDX.

Altabira City Tavern
Citizen Baker
Hotel Eastlund

The old Red Lion will soon be a modern boutique

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From the Portland Business Journal
March 24, 2015
by Jon Bell

It’s no HQ hotel, but the old Red Lion will soon be a modern boutique


Hotel Eastlund rendering, Holst ArchitectureWhat was once a ho-hum Red Lion Hotel is just a month or so away from being unveiled as Portland’s newest luxury boutique hotel with rooms starting at close to $200 a night.

Seattle-based Grand Ventures Hotel LLC is heading into the final stretch of the massive renovation that gutted the Red Lion in the Lloyd District to make way for the Hotel Eastlund. The new hotel, scheduled to open in May, will feature 168 rooms and suites as well as a flexible ballroom with floor-to-ceiling windows, two executive boardrooms and two private dining rooms overlooking the Portland skyline.

As of this week, the hotel has begun accepting reservations. Opening rates at the low end run $189; deluxe suites approach $470 per night. Guest rooms and suites have either California kings or what the hotel claims are the first-ever California queens, as well as commissioned artwork by Loui Jover and Badri Valian.

Read the entire article in the Portland Business Journal.

Eater Portland Dishes the Details of Dave Machado’s Two New Restaurants

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Dishing up Details on David Machado’s Upcoming Lloyd District Restaurants

by Danielle Centoni Feb 25, 2015, 3:35p @eaterpdx

Altabira and Citizen Baker aim to bring a local touch to a chain restaurant wasteland.

Chef David Machado
Chef David Machado

Last July we got word that the old Red Lion Hotel was getting a major makeover to become Hotel Eastlund, and chef/restaurateur David Machado was on board to lease space and develop its two restaurants. So, with about two months to go before they open, we checked in with Machado to get the details.

The first restaurant is Citizen Baker, a ground-floor bakery and cafe that will serve hot breakfasts, and soups, salads, and sandwiches for lunch and happy hour. “It’s going to be a full-service artisan bakery,” he says, “with croissants and breads. It’ll hopefully attract the Lloyd District office crowd.”

But his main focus is up on the top floor, where he plans to open a beer-focused American restaurant called Altabira, staffed mainly by Nel Centro alums. “I’m trying to take brewpub and sportsbar to the dinner house level,” he says. “Those casual places always have the same set of things. I’m trying to do something more sophisticated, but not too sophisticated. We might have a lamb shank but it might have coffee in the sauce. And we’re looking around the U.S. for classic dishes, it could be a gumbo from New Orleans or barbecue from Texas. Whatever dish resonates with beer.”

The 16 beers on tap will all be from Oregon, with as many from Portland as possible, plus bottles from Europe. And the glass-enclosed keg cooler, stacked two or three rows high, will be a focal point in the dining room. “Usually they’re away from everything,” says Machado, “but it’s going to look pretty cool and be part of the decor.”

The old rooftop swimming pool is long gone, but the giant patio in its place is getting a makeover too. With seating for 103 people, it will have wind protection, outdoor heaters and firepits. And a new exterior elevator means you can take an express to the top, without having to stop to let hotel guests on and off in between. “I didn’t want any barriers to access,” he says.

Opening a hotel restaurant is familiar territory for Machado, who opened Nel Centro in the Hotel Modera (reborn from a 60s-era Days Inn) back in 2008. And he likens the Lloyd District, an “underserved and underutilized area of Portland,” to what SE Division was like years ago when he pioneered its dining revolution with Lauro Kitchen. Sure there’s food to be had, but it’s “all fast food and national chains,” he says. “There hasn’t been anything for years. But there’s a lot of stuff being built, thousands of units going up. A hotel like this with a hang factor can really change things.”

Altabira and Citizen Baker will open about two weeks apart in May when Hotel Eastlund debuts.

Read this article in Eater PDX>>

Nel Centro’s Winter 2015 Newsletter

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nel centro, portland, or
February 12, 2014
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Winter 2015 Newsletter

What Do Carmen, Kurt Elling, Italian Design & Cinderella All Have in Common? Answer: Nel Centro

photo: The Carmen cocktail | Nel Centro, Portland
The Carmen cocktail

February is a scorching hot month for all things artistic in downtown Portland. The 11th Annual Portland Jazz Festival and the Portland Art Museum’s “Italian Style: Fashion Since 1945” coincide to energize the city with world class music and thought-provoking design. The Portland Opera also performs a lush version of Bizet’s Carmen while Oregon Ballet Theatre and Broadway Across America Series wrap up February in dueling fashion with Ben Stevenson’s Cinderella and Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. Almost forgot to mention Smokey Robinson is performing with the Oregon Symphony on Valentine’s Day.

Nel Centro is at the heartbeat of these wonderful shows and is the perfect place to enjoy happy hour or dinner before a performance. Celebrate and treat your loved one to a night on the town with dinner at Nel Centro followed by a romantic night at the Ballet or the Opera. Or swing by afterwards for cocktails, dessert and live jazz. We are centrally located between the Keller Auditorium, The PCPA, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall & PSU’s Lincoln Performance Hall. Valet park at the adjacent Hotel Modera and all theaters are a short walk from the restaurant. Make planning easy and focus your festivities downtown – in the center of it all. Make your reservation today.

From Portland Opera: “SULTRY, SWEET & SPICY”

“That’s what Nel Centro is calling their newest creation, the Carmen Cocktail, created in honor of our production. It’s made with Burnside Bourbon, cherry almond liqueur, Crème de Cacao, and a dash of cayenne. Try one out before or after the performance! Nel Centro is our Featured Restaurant Partner.”

11th Annual Portland Jazz Festival

Jazz at Nel Centro, PDX
Mike Pardew on guitar

A longtime sponsor of the Portland Jazz Festival, Nel Centro is also one of the festival’s venues. Shows are free and open to all ages with no minimum food or drink purchase required.

Friday 2/20, 9 pm till 12 am
Mike Pardew, Jeff Leonard & Todd Strait

Saturday 2/21, 9 pm till 12 am
Mike Pardew, Jeff Leonard & Randy Rollofson

Thursday 2/26, 9 pm till 11 pm
Chance Hayden, Michael Raynor & Dave Captein

Friday 2/27, 9 pm till 12 am
Mike Pardew, Dave Captein & Dave Averre

Saturday 2/28, 9 pm till 12 am
Mike Pardew, Dave Captein & Randy Rollofson

Reservations can be made today through Open Table. 

Jazz Up Your Sunday Brunch

Sunday Brunch, Nel Centro, PDX
apple strudel

Making our regular Sunday brunch even more exciting, the Jazz Festival comes to Nel Centro on Sunday February 22nd and Sunday March 1st. Experience the jazz stylings of pianist Dan Gaynor with Bill Athens & Michael Raynor from 11 am till 1 pm on February 22nd and guitarist Dan Balmer with his latin trio, Caminhos Cruzados on March 1st from 10 am until 1 pm while enjoying a mimosa, Caffe Umbria cappuccino, and a delicious selection of sweet and savory dishes. Make your reservations today.

Jazz at Nel Centro, Portland OR
Dan Balmer

We Are Opening on the Eastside – Coming Soon to the Hotel Eastlund

Altabira City Tavern, Portland
Chef David Machado looks over downtown from the Altabira City Tavern construction site.

Just a quick note to let everyone know that the new restaurant projects in the stunningly remodeled Hotel Eastlund are still on schedule. Perhaps you have driven by the Oregon Convention Center recently and noticed a major remodel of the once-revered Cosmopolitan Hotel and its famous rooftop dining venue, Top of the Cosmo? May 1, 2015 should see the opening of Citizen Baker, our ground floor bakery, cafe and wine bar. A week to ten days later should mark the opening of the top floor, beer-centric restaurant, Altabira City Tavern. The restaurant will feature American Regional cuisine in a dramatic top floor setting with sweeping views of downtown, the river and the West Hills. We think the rooftop patio with fire pits will be the only patio in town to rival Nel Centro’s.

Altabira City Tavern & Citizen Baker, Portland, OR
Altabira City Tavern (left) / Citizen Baker (right)

(architectural drawing of Altabira and Citizen Baker by Holst Architecture)

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​1408 SW Sixth Avenue

Portland, OR 97201
Tel: (510) 123-4567
Email: manager@nelcentro.com
www.nelcentro.com

Nel Centro New Year’s Eve Newsletter

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December 18, 2014
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New Year's Eve 2014 Newsletter  

Our Holiday Schedule, New Year's Eve Specials & New Year's Day Brunch

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This New Year’s Eve, treat yourself to a festive evening of live jazz and sumptuous Italian dishes at Nel Centro. Reservations are going quickly, so make your plans today! (See below for additional holiday hours.)

New Year’s Eve Specials

In addition to our full winter menu, Nel Centro is also offering the following specials:

oysters_1

Starters

Pacific Oysters on the Half Shell with Blood Orange Gelee and Prosecco Mignonette

Saffron Mussel Bisque with Caramelized Potatoes and Caviar

Seared Day Boat Scallop with Delicata Squash, Crispy Prosciutto and Cider Gastrique

Carne Cruda with Green Apple, Celery, Parmesan and Truffle Cream

Pasta

Fresh Egg Pappardelle with Braised Rabbit, White Wine, Olives and Herbs

Entrées

Grilled Yellow Fin Tuna with Cauliflower Puree, Romanesco Broccoli, Heirloom Citrus and Pistachios

Salt Roasted New York Strip Loin with Caramelized Brussels Sprouts, Hedgehog Mushrooms and Shallot Jus

Desserts

Gianduja Chocolate Torte with Blackberry Ice Cream & Prosecco Sabayon

Apple Tarte Tatin with Salted Caramel Ice Cream

Reservations can be made today through Open Table. 

A Trio of Jazzy Fun

mike-pardew_

Nel Centro’s New Year’s Eve celebration features the Mike Pardew Trio with Mike Pardew on guitar, Tim Gilson playing bass and Todd Strait keeping time on the drums. You can expect jazz standards as well as original compositions by Mike Pardew.

Music from 9:00 pm to 12:30 am  No cover, no minimum and all ages welcome.

New Year's Day Brunch

brunch-server 3Usher in the New Year with one of Portland’s best brunches.

A menu of sweet and savory dishes paired with a celebratory mimosa or specialty cocktail ensures a fantastic start to the New Year.

Brunch will be served from 8 am to 2 pm.

Reserve your table today.
 

Happy Holidays Hours

Take a night off during this hectic season and let Nel Centro do the cooking for you and your family and friends:

Christmas Eve 5 to 9 pm
Christmas Day 7:30 am to 10:30 am (closed after breakfast service)
New Year’s Eve 5 to 10 pm (dining room); 5 pm to 12:30 am (bar)
New Year’s Day 8 am to 2 pm (closed after brunch)

There's Still Some Time To Book That Post-Holiday Function

Genova-Table-Photo_

Unable to squeeze your holiday party into the busy month of December? Nel Centro’s intimate and upscale private dining rooms are the ideal location for a post-holiday get-together with colleagues or friends. The rooms can accommodate a lunch or dinner party for up to 30 or a standing reception for 150.

Our private dining menus are here>>

To inquire contact Brianne Rudolph at 503.484.1096 orbrianne@nelcentro.com

Eastside Rising

Altabira City Tavern, Portland, OR

We are pleased and excited to announce the May 2015 opening of two new David Machado restaurants in the Hotel Eastlund. Currently under construction in the Convention/Lloyd District, Altabira City Tavern will feature a beer-centric American menu while Citizen Bakerwill serve breakfast and lunch in a casual bakery/cafe setting. Stayed tuned for more information!
 

(architectural drawing of Altabira by Holst Architecture)

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​1408 SW Sixth Avenue

Portland, OR 97201
Tel: (510) 123-4567
Email: manager@nelcentro.com
www.nelcentro.com

Make way for the Hotel Eastlund & 2 new David Machado restaurants

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Red Lion comes down in Lloyd District to make way for new hotel


by Jon Bell
Portland Business Journal
December 9, 2014

photo: Red Lion comes down, Portland Business Journal
photo: Portland Business Journal

A steel skeleton is just about all that remains of the former Red Lion Hotel in the Lloyd District across from the Oregon Convention Center.

Construction crews have been gutting the building to make way for the Hotel Eastlund, which is being billed as a luxury boutique hotel that will open in May 2015.

A project of Seattle-based Grand Ventures Hotel LLC, the new hotel will have about 170 rooms, meeting space and two restaurants from Portland chef David Machado.

Read the article in the Portland Business Journal here.

Altabira City Tavern, an American beer-centric restaurant located on the top floor of the new Hotel Eastlund { Restaurant | Bar | Patio | Private Dining }
Citizen Baker, a new bakery-cafe adjacent to the Hotel Eastlund. { Breakfast — Lunch — Happy Hour — Retail Bakery }
Hotel Eastlund

The Nel Centro Fall 2014 Newsletter is here!

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October 14, 2014
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Dine With Us, Then Waltz To Your Show.
The Fall Arts Season Is In Full Swing.

Dining at Nel Centro

Dinner & a show couldn’t be easier, really. October signals the start of downtown Portland’s vibrant performing arts season and Nel Centro is conveniently located just minutes away from Portland’s premier venues such as the Keller, the Newmark, Lincoln Hall, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall and the Portland Art Museum. Nel Centro has a proud tradition of supporting and partnering with such esteemed arts organizations as White Bird, Chamber Music NW, The Portland Opera, Third Angle New Music, Oregon Ballet Theater, PDX Jazz, Friends of Chamber Music and Northwest Dance Project.

Nel Centro is the perfect location to rendezvous for drinks, appetizers and dinner before or after a show. Reservations can be made at nelcentro.com or by calling 503-484-1099.

Fall Menu

Mushroom Agnolotti with Brown Butter

The new fall menu has just been unveiled and it showcases a number of comforting and delicious fall pasta choices including Spinach Gnudi with Radicchio and Gorgonzola Sauce, Mushroom Agnolotti with Brown Butter Parmesan Brodo and Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto with Toasted Hazelnuts and Sage. New fall entrees include a Braised Pork Osso Buco with Risotto Milanese and Citrus Gremolata, Spit Roasted Pork Loin with Seared Risotto Cake and Celery Root Apple Salad, and a Grilled Ribeye Steak with Kale, Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes and Porcini Butter. On the lighter side we have a new Cream of Cauliflower Soup with Fresh Chives and Olio Verde as well as a new Grilled Radicchio, Bacon and Goat Cheese Pizza.

Reservations can be made today through Open Table. 

Cocktails and Craft Beers to Pair with Panache

Two new seasonal craft beer handles have been selected by gentleman barkeep Nathaniel Stout to spearhead our fall beer offerings. The first is a Hopworks Urban Brewery Survival Stout. This beer is a creamy, organic, multigrain coffee-forward stout. That was a mouthful. Try a pint with our grilled leg of lamb dish and see if it is true that charred lamb and stout are a perfect match.

Our second new offering is from Redmond Oregon’s Wild Ride Brewery and it is named  “Mount Up” Maple Brown. This is a delicious Brown Ale with rich dark undercurrents of chocolate and maple flavors. Be adventurous and pair it with our Tiramisu Bombe and let the cards fall where they may.

Bar manager Nat and his talented crew of young mixologists: Peter, Bryce and Molly have authored a new cocktail list that shifts away from the lighter easy-drinking summer spirits to darker more mysterious and complex ones. Two of my favorites from the recent tasting session are the Vieux Carre made with Old Overholt, Courvoisier Brandy and Carpano Antica and Autumn Leaves made with Makers Mark Bourbon, Averna, Apple Cider and Fresh Lemon Juice.

Tuscan Winemaker Dinner Announced for November

Fattoria di Petroio Winery, Tuscany

Join us for a very special evening with Diana Lenzi, Tuscan Chef & Winemaker from Fattoria di Petroio Winery on Tuesday November 4th at 6:30pm .

“Last spring I traveled to Tuscany with Nel Centro General Manager, Daren Hamilton and our Wine Director, David Holstrom as guests of the Lenzi Family, owners of Fattoria di Petroio Winery. There we met Diana Lenzi, their young chef & winemaker who we invited to come to Nel Centro this fall to cook a traditional Tuscan Dinner to complement her delicious wines. This is a terrific opportunity to enjoy the authentic recipes of traditional Tuscan family cuisine along with the stellar wines of this famous region. We would be honored to have you join us.”    David Machado, chef/owner

The cost is $95 per person inclusive of reception, dinner, wine & gratuity.

Seating for this intimate dinner is limited. Please call for reservations at 503-484-1099

Announcing Altabira and Citizen Baker at The Hotel Eastlund

You may have heard the rumors about a new Eastside hotel/restaurant project near the Convention Center. The time has finally come to announce the two new restaurants that we will be launching in May of 2015 at the new Hotel Eastlund. The first establishment will be a ground-floor bakery/cafe and wine bar named Citizen Baker and the second will be a top-floor, beer-centric, casual American concept called Altabira City Tavern. The upstairs restaurant will feature stunning views of downtown Portland from the dining room and bar as well as an incredible outdoor patio. The design work has been a collaboration with the wildly talented gang at Holst Architecture. We could not be happier about this project so far. Stay tuned for more information.

Nel Centro Wins Oregonian’s Best Downtown Happy Hour

Nel Centro Patio

On September 5th, the A&E section of the Oregonian selected Nel Centro as one of Downtown Portland’s Top 10 Happy Hours. Thanks for the shout out and recognition (as if we didn’t already know). But wait, there is more to the story. Just four days later, The Big O announced the results of its reader’s poll and Nel Centro was voted by the people as Downtown Portland’s Best Happy Hour. Now that is more like it. Thank you, Portland.

Still Time To Book A Holiday Party at Nel Centro

Nel Centro Private Dining

Still need to book a holiday party for your company, family or friends? Nel Centro still has several dates and private rooms available for this Holiday Season. We can provide an intimate dinner for 12 or a stand up reception for 150 and just about anything in between. For more information on availability please contact our Private Dining Sales Manager, Brianne Rudolph at brianne@nelcentro.com or by telephone at 503-484-1096.
 

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1408 SW Sixth Avenue

Portland, OR 97201

Tel: (510) 123-4567

Email: manager@nelcentro.com

www.nelcentro.com

Download the Nel Centro Fall 2014 Newsletter as a pdf.