Restaurant Review! Nick's Italian in Mcminnville

I'm back!

I know blogging is dead and this should be on facebook or twitter or tumblr but I don't care. This is a good venue because no one will ever read it, this is entirely for my own amusement.

On to the review! Ken the winemaker was kind enough to take Tim and I out to an end of harvest lunch at Nick's Italian in Mcminnville. I'd certainly heard of Nick's, as it's been there since 1977, but never seem to end up at mid range Italian places, I guess figuring if I'm spending money it should be on something I can't easily replicate at home like sushi or Thai. Nick's proved me wrong. I have cooked a lot of mussels in my life, a lot of different ways but the mussels at Nick's blew me away. For around $12 we got about 20 big, plump, soft mussels in a delightful red broth. I wanted to drink it right out of the bowl but settled for dunking copious amounts of bread. We all guessed on the ingredients and pretty much settled on ripe tomatoes cooked way down with garlic and shallots, then butter, red wine and parsley. But there was a mystery taste none of us could name. Tim suggested saffron, maybe that was it. Certainly the highlight and it went great with my 09 Amity Pinot Noir.
Everything else was good but not standout. We started with the bread and oil, cheap at $2. Tasty, fruity oil, lots of house baked bread, but just spongy white loaf, nothing too special. After the mussels we had a caeser salad. Totally solid and good sized but a little bland, I like more lemony, fishy flavor. Ken and I both got pizzas, I chose the chantrelle, bechamel, spinach and salami. Good but I didn't love it. I traded a slice with Ken and his gorgonzola, pear and arugula was much more to my liking, I would order that one next time. I tried a bite of Tim's lasagna and was confused. Lots of pine nuts and a strong citrus flavor, like lemon zest. Not for me.
I will certainly be back, the rest of the menu looks intriguing and we hear the owners are opening a charcuterie a few blocks away.

Boat Farm Kale Slaw

a large bunch of kale (I used Nero de Toscana but any variety will work)
8 garlic scapes
1 bulb green garlic
1 large poblano pepper
juice of two lemons
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
2 oz. goat feta
(optional) a spoon of anchovy paste or a generous shake of Vietnamese fish sauce

First, make the dressing. Grill the scapes until they are lightly charred and droopy, the garlic bulb until it is squeezable and the poblano until it is blistered and a little soft. Toss the scapes in a food processor or blender, squeeze the garlic clove in as well, discarding the papery shell. Take the pepper off the grill and into a bowl of ice water. When it is cool strip the skin off, halve and discard seeds. Add it to the food processor along with the lemon juice, mustard, anchovy or fish sauce if desired and a little olive oil. Pulse, adding a little oil at a time until the dressing is creamy. Cover and chill.
Cut the kale into thin slaw like strips, toss with dressing in a large bowl. Garnish with crumbled feta. Excellent with a 2009 Cherry Hill Pinot Gris.