I’m delighted to introduce Matt Devincenzi, one of my twitter friends (@mattdev) and hashcapade converts. With the promise of blog celebrity, he eagerly agreed to write a guest post! Matt is an intern at Yelp and a freelance photographer. Oh, and he’s very involved in the beer community as a brewer and drinker. I share Matt’s passion for beer – Saluto e molto grazie, Matt!>>>
I must say, I’m quite honored that Clark is allowing me to be a guest blogger. Since meeting him and Lisa at Taste of the Nation back in May, I’ve actively followed this blog and even attended a couple of Hashcapades as well! Whenever I go to a new breakfast place, I now find myself thinking, “Where’s the potato hash?”
After losing my Hashcapade virginity at Podnah’s Pit, Clark invited me back for a second helping at Ned Ludd. I’ve been looking for a reason to eat here for some time now, so this was the perfect opportunity!
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| Ned Ludd at 3925 NE MLK |
When I first stepped into the restaurant, I found myself quite entranced by the interesting décor. It’s as if they based interior decorating on my eccentric aunt’s house, all they way down to the re-purposed liquor bottles used to pour the water. It wasn’t kitschy by any means, but rather some combination of quirky, warm and comfortable.
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| Ned Ludd sports lots of axes and a wood-fired oven. |
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| The doors had rustic “book ends” – including a box of blasting caps! |
Interior decorating aside, the main reason we came to this place is for the POTATO HASH! While the rest of the breakfast menu looked quite divine, I just couldn’t resist the smoked sturgeon and seasonal vegetable hash. That behemoth of a fish is my inamorata!
The dish arrived beautifully presented. Two perfectly over-easy eggs atop a mound of roasted potatoes, diced green beans, greens, and most importantly, sturgeon. I felt terrible having to ruin such a beautiful presentation by cracking the yolk and mixing everything up, but I did it in the name of potato hash.
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| Smoked Sturgeon and Veggie Hash |
At first, I was a bit alarmed at how strong the sturgeon was. It wasn’t offensive by any means, but just a very rich and intense flavor. After just a few bites, my palate got used to how sapid it was and the rest of the dish came alive. The vegetables were vibrant and fresh, the potatoes were perfectly crisp on the outside and soft and substantial on the inside, and the farm-fresh eggs rounded out everything and gave the dish a beautiful mouth feel. Bravo!
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| Lisa, Matt and Ori at Ned Ludd |
A huge thanks goes out to Mr. Hashcapade for organizing another one of these and massive props to Ned Ludd for preparing such a beautiful meal. Even though Ori and I had to dodge out a bit early, it was wonderful seeing Lisa, Vivianne, Matt, and Clark again! It was sad that we missed Paul and Lindsay, but there will definitely be a next time. Keep on hashin’!
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Thanks, Matt, I shall!
We also missed Lilly, Lindsay, Nich and Jenn, but our next hashcapade is never very far away. Also, a special thanks to Jason French and Kara for making our visit extra special!
Happy Hashcapades,
Clark
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