Jody Denton’s showplace downtown restaurant, Merenda, has folded, but it’s being reborn as “900 Wall.” Can it survive in its new incarnation?
Duncan McGeary of Pegasus Books, who has seen a hell of a lot of downtown businesses come and go, gives it a fighting chance: “Shed most of the most onerous costs, and the place might have chance. It’s still awfully big [6,000 square feet], but … the fact that it’s being bought by the former manager [Mike Millette] bodes well.”
According to KTVZ’s account, the new restaurant also will have the same executive chef and some of the same menu items, although the management “will make up a more approachable menu, with more seafood and beef dishes, staying Mediterranean but with a Northwest flair and affordable prices.” It’s supposed to open by April 1.
The Eye wishes 900 Wall nothing but success. It stands on the most important corner of downtown, and it would send a terrible message if that prime space was boarded up. It’s also good to see a quality locally owned restaurant there instead of a chain operation like the Old Spaghetti Factory (gag) or the Olive Garden (double gag).
We have to say, though, that we think 900 Wall’s chances of lasting a year are slim. Entrée prices of $14 to $30 certainly are affordable by Portland standards, much less LA or NYC standards, but could be a little steep for what is still, basically, a blue-collar town. Plus, of course, we’re staring down the throat of a bear of a recession, with double-digit unemployment in Central Oregon already.
The Eye fears that Merenda and other glitzy “upscale” restaurants that popped up in this town in the past seven or eight years – Volo, Deep, The Blacksmith, 38 and others – were founded on an illusion: that Bend has a deep pool of rich retirees, tech-savvy telecommuting Yuppies and second-home owners who, combined with the tourists, would keep those places afloat. All the real estate, development and construction money that was sloshing around during the carefree bubble days kept that illusion alive. But that money is gone now – and tourist numbers are way down.
That leaves the locals, and there just ain’t that many of them who can afford to pay $100 or more for a restaurant meal three or four days a week. So our guess is that the better-known, more established fine-dining restaurants (we’re thinking Pine Tavern) probably will survive, and maybe a couple of the new ones.
Which ones? If The Eye knew that, we could make enough money to retire rich … in Hawaii.
This article appears in Feb 5-11, 2009.
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Interesting analysis, though there seems to be little distinction being made between Volo and Deep (outlandishly beyond the pale in pricing) and Merenda, which had an attainable happy hour and was comfortable to be at even for folks of moderate means. I suspect also that Jody Denton’s failure had almost everything to do with the Deep boondoggle (this is what happens when chefs get bored) and far less to do with Merenda.
This article said it all, we wish 900 Wall the best, but with a menu with prices starting at $14.00 they really do need to rethink their vision of reviving another “glitzy upscale” eatery.
Bend is and will continue to go back to basics, with the economy going down(been there done that). Bend is a town that is on survival mode, meaning the locals who are now becoming the majority are out in force. We know that the “bubble” days are over and it’s time to get “real”, this means not spending $100.00 a pop on eating out.
Wisdom would say that 900 Wall will need to compete with several “upscale” restaurants and come down on prices in order to survive. They can’t assume people will flock there just because they are reviving a dead Merenda, there is a reason Merenda died.
They should have re-named it Merendebt:)
As said above, I wish them the best. Certainly there are quite a few folks here, still, who want to pay those prices. Who knows if there will be enough? Personally, Merenda’s DID not, and 900 Wall WILL not reflect the real, down to earth Bend-ite who is here for an authentic lifestyle. Their prices and fare will remain outside my budget and my taste.
By lumping the Blacksmith in with Deep, Volo and 38 I might have given the impression that it too has closed. It has not. Sorry if anybody got the wrong idea from that.
Lydia, it’s not the dollars alone that deter my wife and me from dining out more often at “upscale” places — it’s an aversion to ripoffs. $9, $10 or $11 for one glass of wine? Ten bucks for a salad that could have (maybe did) come out of a bag bought at Costco? Come on!
I am overweight and rich, and I will not eat there. Seriously…I agree, most of these upscale restaurants have such a high mark up, ruins everything! I say bring in some affordable independent eateries, or bring on the chain restaurants that are affordable, but I’ll be damned if I spend another dime at an over priced prissy eatery aimed to only rip us locals off.
Went to Merenda’s for dinner one time a couple years ago. Were treated like crap and totally ignored. The folks who were seated next to us and bought multiple bottles of wine were treated like royalty. Probably human nature, but still our bill of $150 for four justified much better service. Never went back for dinner after that. Hope things will be different with a new name, but basically the same people running the show.
I had dinner at merenda right before it closed (though i did not know at the time that it was closing), and though I’d had some good meals there in the past they reallywent downhill right before closing. The food was bad, our server was weird, and the bathroom was a huge mess. Even if they didn’t close, I never would’ve gone there again after that. I too am tired of really overpriced food in Bend, but don’t want to see any chains come in. I gotta say…I still miss the Grove….whay can’t we get another restaurant like that…good food, good service, decent prices, good music???
“I too am tired of really overpriced food in Bend, but don’t want to see any chains come in.”
Definitely agree. We have enough chain restaurants already — Red Robin, Applebee’s, Outback Steak House, Johnny Carino’s etc.
I never could figure out why so many people in Bend had orgasms over the news that Red Robin was coming.
1. restaurants are rarely getting rich off of $14 meals 2 busy nights a week. it costs a LOT to run a restaurant. a LOT. believe me. costs like rent and insurance and equipment that are out of your hands. and honestly … real estate prices are the major culprit … want to see prices go up? prepare for that to tricle down to higher prices on everything.
2. there are already PLENTY of cheap places in town to eat crappy food. people love cheap crappy food, so … i dunno why we need another cheap crappy restaurant. go to the BBC or the Pita Pit or JC’s or the Summit if you want cheap. we spend so little as a percentage of our incomes on food, and honestly, it’s way more important to your health and well being than that 45,000 dollar truck you drive. you get what you pay for.
3. i’ve never understood people who wanna walk into a place and get treated like they’re royalty when they’re not even a regular. you think the hostess at Johnny Carino’s really loves you? REALLY? or is she faking it … 😉
The son of a bitch split to Australian. My son helped build its million dollar house and has yet to be fully paid for his work,and the son of a bitch split to Australian.
Hey ‘yawl, it’s nice to visit. Now get out.
I wonder if the food and service is going to be as awful as Merenda?
People really need to wake up and not support the local businesses that are ripping you off, support the local businesses that offer you quality and service like Pizza Mondo!!
To all of you who like to put down restaurants for their “over priced” menus…you really need to keep quiet about the things of which you know nothing. I have worked at several different restaurants at various levels of management and non-management. You all have no clue what goes into setting prices, or any of the other complicated aspects of running a restaurant. You say you prefer the lower priced chains, well I will see you at your funerals because that crap you like to eat because it’s cheaper, is going to put you in a grave well before me.
As to whether 900 Wall will succeed…only time will tell. I wish all of the management and crew all the best though.
A friend and former co-worker in the mid-west.
First, I agree with Eric and Analog. The restaurant industry is a challenge along with the food chain. Once one begins to understand the food chain, then they will begin to eat better and that doesn’t always mean spending mad cash, its just choices. However, the restaurant idustry, too often treats people like a commidity rather then a guest due to their ego, greed, and lack of understanding what exactly a restaurant is in a community.
In a small community like this, we need some nice restaurants because it is the restaurants which define culture. If a town has no culture, then their is little value there.
Count your blessings! Our Bend restaurants are half the price of any real city!