Alice Finer

Soup and samboe at RiversideA town like Bend that has nearly quadrupled in size in the past two decades is home to a multitude of recent transplants whose ties to the community are tenuous and whose families and lifelong friends are hundreds of miles away.
For the most part, the sea of friendly, if not entirely familiar, faces that crowd the city’s bars, restaurants, parks, and shops is sufficient reassurance that the situation is temporary. Yet there are inevitably times when the newcomer feels rootless and yearns for a sense of belonging-the comfort of home, those moments around the kitchen table, talking trash with the people who know you better than you do yourself. That’s exactly what you’ll find at Riverside Market (or a pretty close approximation). Part corner grocery, part cafe/bar, Riverside Market is the kitchen table, living room, and front porch for a cast of local characters and other passers-by who happen in for a PBR and a bite to eat.

Soup and samboe at RiversideA town like Bend that has nearly quadrupled in size in the past two decades is home to a multitude of recent transplants whose ties to the community are tenuous and whose families and lifelong friends are hundreds of miles away.
For the most part, the sea of friendly, if not entirely familiar, faces that crowd the city's bars, restaurants, parks, and shops is sufficient reassurance that the situation is temporary. Yet there are inevitably times when the newcomer feels rootless and yearns for a sense of belonging-the comfort of home, those moments around the kitchen table, talking trash with the people who know you better than you do yourself. That's exactly what you'll find at Riverside Market (or a pretty close approximation). Part corner grocery, part cafe/bar, Riverside Market is the kitchen table, living room, and front porch for a cast of local characters and other passers-by who happen in for a PBR and a bite to eat.

Packing a bowl at La ParrillaWith winter fast approaching, our bodies increasingly yearn to stock up on calories, while our pockets-depleted from the cost of season passes and gear upgrades-are urging us to cut back. To reconcile this disagreement between stomach and wallet, the wise turn to the burrito. Providing most of a day’s calories for less than $10, the burrito is the food of choice for the active and the strapped. To celebrate the coming season and its go-to meal, we hit the streets in an attempt to find the best burritos in Bend. With no shortage of options in town and a limited number of burritos that a human should consume in a short period of time, the list of honorees is far from comprehensive, but it represents the variety and quality that Bend has to offer. So without further ado, we are proud to present the Source Weekly’s First Annual Bend Burrito Awards.
Best Traditional:
Rico’s Tacos
If authenticity is what you’re after, look no further than Rico’s. A sparsely decorated yet charming room with bouquets of cloth flowers on the tables and a portrait of the Virgin Mary garlanded with roses and Christmas lights on the wall, Rico’s Taco is simplicity at its best. The basic burrito, served with nothing but a couple of lime wedges and sliced radish on the side, is filled with seasoned rice, refried beans, and your meat of choice. (You can request additional fixings.) Try the chorizo sautéed with cilantro and onions or the spiced beef and you can’t go wrong. 1326 NE 3rd St., 382-4022

Packing a bowl at La ParrillaWith winter fast approaching, our bodies increasingly yearn to stock up on calories, while our pockets-depleted from the cost of season passes and gear upgrades-are urging us to cut back. To reconcile this disagreement between stomach and wallet, the wise turn to the burrito. Providing most of a day's calories for less than $10, the burrito is the food of choice for the active and the strapped. To celebrate the coming season and its go-to meal, we hit the streets in an attempt to find the best burritos in Bend. With no shortage of options in town and a limited number of burritos that a human should consume in a short period of time, the list of honorees is far from comprehensive, but it represents the variety and quality that Bend has to offer. So without further ado, we are proud to present the Source Weekly's First Annual Bend Burrito Awards.
Best Traditional:
Rico's Tacos
If authenticity is what you're after, look no further than Rico's. A sparsely decorated yet charming room with bouquets of cloth flowers on the tables and a portrait of the Virgin Mary garlanded with roses and Christmas lights on the wall, Rico's Taco is simplicity at its best. The basic burrito, served with nothing but a couple of lime wedges and sliced radish on the side, is filled with seasoned rice, refried beans, and your meat of choice. (You can request additional fixings.) Try the chorizo sautéed with cilantro and onions or the spiced beef and you can't go wrong. 1326 NE 3rd St., 382-4022

Seeing the forest for the trees. In Bend’s increasingly volatile dining scene, Pine Tavern is a
stalwart. Established in 1936, it has perfected the recipe for success
in the restaurant business: a warm and comfortable atmosphere,
impeccable service, and, of course, great food. The oft-mentioned lore
of the place is certainly a draw, notably the 250-year-old live
ponderosa pine tree growing through the middle of the main dining room.
Others come for the setting. You’ll find some of Bend’s most
sought-after tables on the patio overlooking the Deschutes during the
summer and, when the nights get cold, some of the coziest in the dimly
lit lounge. Some patrons wait for the special menus that are offered
periodically. In fact, I returned last week to check out the featured
“Taste the Pastabilities” menu.

Seeing the forest for the trees. In Bend's increasingly volatile dining scene, Pine Tavern is a
stalwart. Established in 1936, it has perfected the recipe for success
in the restaurant business: a warm and comfortable atmosphere,
impeccable service, and, of course, great food. The oft-mentioned lore
of the place is certainly a draw, notably the 250-year-old live
ponderosa pine tree growing through the middle of the main dining room.
Others come for the setting. You'll find some of Bend's most
sought-after tables on the patio overlooking the Deschutes during the
summer and, when the nights get cold, some of the coziest in the dimly
lit lounge. Some patrons wait for the special menus that are offered
periodically. In fact, I returned last week to check out the featured
"Taste the Pastabilities" menu.

Alert: Fresh Hops Ahead!If you’ve never been to the Deschutes Brewery Mountain Room, an event space with a stunning view of the Cascades on the top floor of the brewing facility, it’s worth a visit.
Several times a year, the Brewery puts on dinners that are open to the public, often high-end, sit-down meals including beer pairings with a steep price tag to match the fare.

Alert: Fresh Hops Ahead!If you've never been to the Deschutes Brewery Mountain Room, an event space with a stunning view of the Cascades on the top floor of the brewing facility, it's worth a visit.
Several times a year, the Brewery puts on dinners that are open to the public, often high-end, sit-down meals including beer pairings with a steep price tag to match the fare.

Enter the Bamboo Room and you’d never know that you were in a bar at the back of a Chinese restaurant-and you probably wouldn’t guess that you were in the year 2008-but you know immediately that you’re somewhere that is authentically, well, itself. There are some hints at the East, including plastic bamboo branches and unfurled oriental fans mounted on the wall, but it’s otherwise a classic ’70s, dimly lit, smoky room with video lottery machines, dark red pleather booths, and a crowd of locals talking shop around the bar.

Enter the Bamboo Room and you'd never know that you were in a bar at the back of a Chinese restaurant-and you probably wouldn't guess that you were in the year 2008-but you know immediately that you're somewhere that is authentically, well, itself. There are some hints at the East, including plastic bamboo branches and unfurled oriental fans mounted on the wall, but it's otherwise a classic '70s, dimly lit, smoky room with video lottery machines, dark red pleather booths, and a crowd of locals talking shop around the bar.