Alice Finer

Although the Jackalope Grill has been open a little more than three years, there's something very enduring and lived-in about it. You'll find no scene or gimmicks here. You can expect the old standards in the background to be playing at low volume, the crowd to be civilized, and the service to be professional and knowledgeable.

Bacon larded Red beet blood-enriched sauce. Yummy.It takes a devious mind to come up with the concept for a pork feast like Chef Jason Logan did for a recent special seating at his soon to be gone restaurant, Bistro Corlise. Then again, you'd have to be almost as warped to voluntarily attend. We're not talking about a barbecue or a banquet featuring the whole animal sitting peacefully on the table with an apple in its mouth. No, Logan certainly utilized the whole pig, but deconstructed into 15 courses celebrating some of the pig's most glorious parts, as well as some not-so-glorious.

A couple dozen of Bend's bravest diners were on hand, which unsurprisingly consisted of a veritable who's who of area chefs who couldn't pass up the opportunity (including representatives from the Deschutes Brewery, Marz Bistro, the Astro Lounge, 28, Willakenzie Winery, Cork, Jen's Garden, Giuseppe's, and Hey Cupcake), a few curious food and wine writers, and a smattering of other adventurous eaters-oh, and of course, some unsuspecting companions who didn't know what they were getting themselves into. In a succession of small plates, the porcine anatomy was explored from the furthest extremities-snout, foot, ear, and tail-into the very heart of the animal, literally.

Bacon larded Red beet blood-enriched sauce. Yummy.It takes a devious mind to come up with the concept for a pork feast like Chef Jason Logan did for a recent special seating at his soon to be gone restaurant, Bistro Corlise. Then again, you’d have to be almost as warped to voluntarily attend. We’re not talking about a barbecue or a banquet featuring the whole animal sitting peacefully on the table with an apple in its mouth. No, Logan certainly utilized the whole pig, but deconstructed into 15 courses celebrating some of the pig’s most glorious parts, as well as some not-so-glorious.

A couple dozen of Bend’s bravest diners were on hand, which unsurprisingly consisted of a veritable who’s who of area chefs who couldn’t pass up the opportunity (including representatives from the Deschutes Brewery, Marz Bistro, the Astro Lounge, 28, Willakenzie Winery, Cork, Jen’s Garden, Giuseppe’s, and Hey Cupcake), a few curious food and wine writers, and a smattering of other adventurous eaters-oh, and of course, some unsuspecting companions who didn’t know what they were getting themselves into. In a succession of small plates, the porcine anatomy was explored from the furthest extremities-snout, foot, ear, and tail-into the very heart of the animal, literally.

Fresh. fantastic.It isn't often that a restaurant succeeds in striking the perfect balance between deference to the traditions of its cuisine, the creativity of its chefs and the concerns of its audience, but Kanpai Sushi and Sake Bar has done it. It's fine dining for every day that manages to be both intimate and festive. That's probably why it feels appropriate for virtually all occasions and moods. You're as likely to see a patron in ski pants grabbing a bite on his way down from the mountain as a quiet couple celebrating their anniversary over candlelight and sake. From the inside out, Kanpai offers a near flawless sushi dining experience-whatever you're looking to get out of it.

Fresh. fantastic.It isn’t often that a restaurant succeeds in striking the perfect balance between deference to the traditions of its cuisine, the creativity of its chefs and the concerns of its audience, but Kanpai Sushi and Sake Bar has done it. It’s fine dining for every day that manages to be both intimate and festive. That’s probably why it feels appropriate for virtually all occasions and moods. You’re as likely to see a patron in ski pants grabbing a bite on his way down from the mountain as a quiet couple celebrating their anniversary over candlelight and sake. From the inside out, Kanpai offers a near flawless sushi dining experience-whatever you’re looking to get out of it.

All you can possibly, ever eat at Taj Palace.In lean times, we all find ourselves cutting corners. Dining
out-particularly for lunch-is usually among the first casualties of a
slashed budget. It's true, it's easy enough to save and grab a slice or
a taco at midday or (gasp!) pack a sandwich from home. But sometimes
there's business to take care of that's best done over food, or maybe
you just want to sit down for a civilized meal at midday. Well, don't
sweat the bill. Bend has some excellent options in a variety of flavors
for inexpensive lunch, and it's a great way to get your eat-out fix for
a fraction of the dinner price. The maximum cost for two at the
restaurants below was $16 (without drinks). So treat that potential
client, indulge in a hot meal that doesn't come out of a can. As the
saying goes, there's no free lunch. But it's pretty impressive what you
can get in this town if you're willing to shell out a few bucks.

All you can possibly, ever eat at Taj Palace.In lean times, we all find ourselves cutting corners. Dining
out-particularly for lunch-is usually among the first casualties of a
slashed budget. It’s true, it’s easy enough to save and grab a slice or
a taco at midday or (gasp!) pack a sandwich from home. But sometimes
there’s business to take care of that’s best done over food, or maybe
you just want to sit down for a civilized meal at midday. Well, don’t
sweat the bill. Bend has some excellent options in a variety of flavors
for inexpensive lunch, and it’s a great way to get your eat-out fix for
a fraction of the dinner price. The maximum cost for two at the
restaurants below was $16 (without drinks). So treat that potential
client, indulge in a hot meal that doesn’t come out of a can. As the
saying goes, there’s no free lunch. But it’s pretty impressive what you
can get in this town if you’re willing to shell out a few bucks.

See food?You may have inadvertently stumbled upon High Tides Seafood Grill, a
small unassuming spot on Bond, after running out of patience with the
hour-long wait at the Deschutes Brewery across the street. Or maybe you
were fortunate enough to get an inside tip from a generous local. But
if not, you may have missed it, and that's a shame. For over a decade,
High Tides has been quietly and consistently turning out quality
seafood in interesting preparations at reasonable prices for a growing
base of loyal customers and visitors lucky enough to have found it.
Possibly
because of the five-and-dime awning and storefront glass, the
restaurant appears very different from the outside than it feels on the
inside. That must be why it took me a couple of months after moving to
town to notice it and another few to walk through the door. Turns out
the dining room, flanked by walls painted to the ceiling with an
underwater scene dotted with little metal fish, is very pleasant and
even lively on busy nights with tables at the front that can be put
together for larger groups and high-backed wooden booths along the
sides for more intimate occasions. The service is as warm and amiable
as the space.

See food?You may have inadvertently stumbled upon High Tides Seafood Grill, a
small unassuming spot on Bond, after running out of patience with the
hour-long wait at the Deschutes Brewery across the street. Or maybe you
were fortunate enough to get an inside tip from a generous local. But
if not, you may have missed it, and that’s a shame. For over a decade,
High Tides has been quietly and consistently turning out quality
seafood in interesting preparations at reasonable prices for a growing
base of loyal customers and visitors lucky enough to have found it.
Possibly
because of the five-and-dime awning and storefront glass, the
restaurant appears very different from the outside than it feels on the
inside. That must be why it took me a couple of months after moving to
town to notice it and another few to walk through the door. Turns out
the dining room, flanked by walls painted to the ceiling with an
underwater scene dotted with little metal fish, is very pleasant and
even lively on busy nights with tables at the front that can be put
together for larger groups and high-backed wooden booths along the
sides for more intimate occasions. The service is as warm and amiable
as the space.

Let's face it, Bend is no Aspen thankfully and Mt. Bachelor is no Snowmass. Sure, we've got top-tier dining and upscale boutiques in town. But our ski hill is for playing hard and, of course, throwing back a few between runs, but certainly not for posing. The Clearing Rock Bar at Bachelor's West Village Lodge is the perfect metaphor for just how distinctly un-Colorado we are here in Central Oregon. With its friendly staff of locals, utilitarian décor, and predominately beer-drinking crowd (okay, you'll see a few drinks with whipped cream on top here and there), the place smacks more of a watering hole downtown than a place to sip a hot toddy by the fire though such a scenario is attainable if that's your flavor.