We were thoroughly tickled to see NM Hatch chili pridefully displayed on the menu of the little sandwich shop we visited in Sutherlin, OR. We did not order the Ham & Hatch, but my State Pride flared at seeing it. Alas, that was all we were pleased with. 

Again, we chose our stopping point based on stellar Yelp reviews. That may have actually gone against us here. Nellie's Deli had a full 5-star rating, but on close inspection of the reviews later, we realized that every one of them based that in some part on the cozy, intimate experience of the tiny lunch-counter-stand, Nellie's winning personality, or the convenience of location from the freeway exit. We went to said location, which was still listed on Yelp, only to find a hand-scrawled note on a closed building informing us of the new location. 

All thriving endeavors suffer growing pains, and this was unfortunately no exception. The line out the door when we arrived, and the large and crowded dining hall heightened our anticipation and expectations of the little lunch counter. Alas, there was no sign of the eponymous Nellie, as she was hidden in the giant kitchen learning to delegate the arrangement of her signature dishes. 

Between us we split the Beet & Goat Cheese Salad, the Trailblazer Sandwich, and a "bowl" of Albondigas soup. In fairness to the restaurant, nothing was bad. The ingredients were fresh, high quality, and selected with care. The counter staff were rushed and hurried, but still polite, and the portions to price where only a little higher than reasonable for a popular and independent restaurant. There was, however, nothing left of the widely praised intimacy and personality of the old tiny food stand. We would liken the experience to getting all dressed up for family dinner at grandma's house, only to be taken to the neighborhood block party and given a box of take-out. It doesn't matter if the top chef in the world is handing out the boxes, there's no recovering from the failure to meet expectation. We are also not about to drive the 1500 miles back to give them another chance.