! Hashcapades

I’m delighted to introduce Elizabeth Fuss, one of my twitter friends (@LizzyDishes), who graciously agreed to write this guest post! Her blog is already listed in my blog roll (Lizzy Dishes of Portland) because of her descriptive, artful and entertaining posts capturing her culinary adventures. Be sure to read her latest quest for the perfect use of duck eggs. Thank you, Liz!!!
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For my whole my life, until 2007, I didn’t eat seafood. It always tasted fishy and rubbery and smelled dreadfully unappealing. When I went with friends to seafood restaurants, I usually ordered a burger or some other type of non-seafood. Then, some friends and I ate at Hall Street Grill in Beaverton, Oregon, one night in March of 2007. I remember it clearly – I ordered butternut squash ravioli. The super-enthusiastic waitress said that I must absolutely order prawns with the ravioli because they just made the dish.  The prawns weren’t on the menu and I had no idea how much they cost, but the waitress – she was convincing. And oh what a delight. I remember thinking that the prawns, juicy and pink, tasted like little steaks. No fishiness, no rubbery texture. It was heaven. And that was my first amazing experience with seafood. And with Hall Street Grill.

Hall Street Grill Dining Room

I don’t make it out to Beaverton too often. But when I heard that Hall Street Grill was going to start offering brunch, my heart flitted a bit. And then, delightfully, Mr. Hashcapade set up a blogger brunch/tweetup for Sunday Brunch at this very restaurant! Always eager to try new food and meet new people in the food/blogger/Twitter community, I said yes.  

Amidst food talk and writing talk (my two favorite kinds of talk), I ordered the “Porkstrami” Hash. Clark ordered the Duck Confit Hash. Others at the table ordered both kinds of eggs benedict, aebleskivers and a frittata.  The chef came out and talked with us, or rather with Paul Gerald, Mr. Breakfast in Bridgetown himself, and then brought us a complimentary order of aebleskivers (Danish pancakes) with Ginger Rhubarb compote, lemon curd and butter. The aebleskivers were chewy and dense and tasty with the lovely toppings.

Porkstrami Hash (left) and Duck Confit Hash (right)

My hash was perfectly cooked and seasoned. There were hidden bits of caramelized onions peeking out beneath the salty, intensely-flavorful pastrami. The potatoes were cooked well and everything melded together so that I couldn’t distinguish between the elements in my mouth. There was a Russian crème fraîche that got a little lost in the hash – I couldn’t taste it. I didn’t mind, though, because it tasted complete without it.  

The benedicts were reported as tasty, if a little salty and the frittata was good, though rich.  Here’s Clark’s description of his amazing-sounding Duck Confit Hash: 


“When I order an entrée that was prepared using ring molds, I promise myself that I will buy a set to improve the plating of my hash. After my lovely Duck Confit Hash, I’ve take a solemn, double-pinky-swear oath to procure some! The hash was very flavorful with the goat cheese and caramelized onion enveloping the confit in savory goodness. The butternut squash and blood orange reduction was sweet and tangy, completing the dish. To Executive Chef Travis, well done!” 


This was only their second week doing brunch and I have no doubt the chef and delightful staff will continue to refine the dishes and produce stellar food. I love Hall Street Grill. That fond memory of my first ever prawn stands out in my head as one of my first great-food-appreciation moments. And now I have the hash to remember, too. Mmmm. Thanks for the hashcapade, Mr. Hashcapade!