Amy Belasen

What better place for two native New Yorkers to hold a business meeting than a downtown deli, in this case the relatively newly opened Letzer's. Finding Letzer's deli is a little difficult the first time, but if you ask me, that's part of the charm. Walk down the correct corridor off Franklin Avenue and a crisp, black and white striped awning announces that you've found Letzer's, a popular Jewish-style deli that initially put down stakes on south 3rd Street and quickly gained acclaim for authentic sandwiches and ample portions. The new downtonn satellite location, which quietly opened in the Re/Max building in December, has put Letzer's on the roster of go-to restaurants for downtown diners. The interior design is simple; a tall counter along the right side of the restaurant separates the clientele from the small staff. A long bench lines the entire wall to the left. Tables are set close together, but not too close. The space is brand new and correspondingly neat with an upright glass cooler providing beverage options and tri-fold paper menus.

There are a few highly regarded restaurants in Bend that are often considered destinations due to their reputation for upscale dining and upscale prices. Among these restaurants, loyal followers book reservations in advance to save themselves a seat for an experience worth a little extra. One such restaurant is Baltazar's, which I visited for the first time just a few weeks ago.
We weren't celebrating a special occasion, but the atmosphere transformed our ordinary night into a festive evening. The warm, rich colors of the dining room complemented by bright fiesta ware and colorful margarita glasses begged for celebration. There's a certain authenticity about the space itself that took me back to my years living in the barrio presidio neighborhood of Tucson, Arizona, flanked by generations-old Mexican restaurants. And yet there we were, surrounded by a bike shop, smoothie shop, a coffee hut and the cyclopub amid authenticity right here in Bend, against all odds. Baltazar, the owner, greeted us warmly as we walked through the door. We were impressed by the high ceilings and the rich smells coming from the kitchen.

When you walk into the Depot Café in Sisters, the old town, dark wood exterior gives way to a casual dining room and seasonal outdoor seating area behind the restaurant, which plays host to live music during the summer months.
My companion and I arrived on a Saturday evening, reflecting on our last visit, which was over the summer after day spent playing tennis and walking around Sisters. We were hungry, but not starving, and thought we'd stop into the Depot Café (formerly the Depot Deli, the name by which some locals still call it) for a small bite to eat. Chris Wavrin was smoking filets of salmon on the outdoor smoker while his co-owner and wife, Pam Wavrin, ran the dining room that evening. We started with a Mediterranean-inspired appetizer: Hummus, pita and a variety of roasted veggies before sharing the salmon. The salmon was so delicious that on the way to Sisters just last week, I hoped that the salmon might once again appear on the specials menu that evening.

Since moving to Bend, I've noticed some things about well-established, long-standing eateries around town. Many reject social media and the internet, bypassing a website for word-of-mouth reviews and print advertising. I've also found that restaurants in Bend serve specific niche markets including the business lunch crowd, the hungry student crowd and the stay-at-home mom crowd. I often find myself in the thick of it: lunching amongst Bend's tie-wearing elite and hitting happy hour among value-seeking students later that day. Each niche group would probably argue that they go to the best restaurants, but “best” is subject to personal opinion.
For some, the best restaurant might be the one that serves the most food for the least amount of cash. For others, it's the one with the most organic options, while the status seekers believe the best restaurant is that one that drizzles truffle oil on everything. I'm regularly surprised by the many options for the best food in town. Having heard that Los Jalapenos serves some of the best Mexican food, I visited it on a Saturday afternoon.

My boyfriend and I participate in a CSA program – a weekly delivery of fresh produce from Mt. Angel farm.

The restaurant world preaches location, but what's often forgotten is equally important – execution, variety and customer service. Pono Farms & Fine Meats is a butcher shop/deli offering fresh cuts and preparations of ranch raised beef and pork direct from their Central Oregon farm. This is farm-to-fork like you've never seen. Fresh ground beef, shaved meats, sausages and Wagyu beef to take home or enjoy on site. The Hunnell Road location was devised to serve the public directly, adding lunch and dinner plates to the meat counter and charcuterie options.

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The last time I dined at Scanlon's, the Athletic Club of Bend's fine dining venue, I left feeling the paradox many of us feel when we dine out. One side left me feeling rich with big flavors, heavy sauces and decadent desserts while certainly lightening my wallet more than I hoped or expected. But following a brief closure of the restaurant, Scanlon's made some other fundamental changes in the kitchen and across the entire menu. Now, Scanlon's is no longer that paradox, but a promise of light, health-conscious, flavorful food at fair prices.
“We just realized that most of our customers are members of the club and want healthier choices,” our server explained as we discussed the recent change in direction with the menu. With a menu “designed to fit a healthy lifestyle,” the menu offers calories, fat, fiber, carbs and protein counts for every dish. While this reminded me of the episode of Seinfeld in which the cast gets fat from “nonfat yogurt,” I immediately got wrapped up in learning the exact calorie counts of every item on the menu. As we scanned the menu, I was impressed by the variety of healthy options with nods to Mediterranean and Asian fare. Locally sourced pears, greens and meats made up for the absence of avocado on the menu.

What would a place called Terrebonne, literally meaning “good Earth,” be without good food? Thankfully, we'll never know, thanks to the Terrebonne Depot. Terrebonne Depot mixes a farm-to-fork menu, a modern country setting and solid ambiance (wild lavender and a wrap around porch surround the old train depot) to create an experience of enjoying what the “good Earth” has to offer. Located just a few miles north of Redmond, up the road from Smith Rock state park, the restaurant caters to climbers, locals and sightseers with casual elegance and a large menu that pleases large and small appetites.
After a long day at work, two friends and I headed out to Terrebonne Depot having been impressed by lunch there a few weeks earlier. My companion and I enjoyed a few house margaritas and the Oregon farm burger ($12.95). With house-cured pork belly, smoked cheddar, farm-fresh egg, house-made Texas sweet onion barbecue sauce and choice of beef, buffalo or garden burger, this is one of the better burgers I've tasted. Piled high with local ingredients, I couldn't think of anything to add – it was a collection of the best burger toppings on a freshly toasted bun.

I scream, you scream, we all scream for… frozen desserts? That's right. As we bid farewell to national ice cream month, we say hello to a frozen feature. And while Redmond stresses over whether to permit, regulate or fingerprint its ice cream vendors, we've got our fingers all over frozen treat purveyors in Bend that keep us cool in the remainder of these hot days.

My idea of visiting a country club involves visiting my wealthy aunt on the East Coast or sneaking into a certain resort hot tub after hours. Playing golf and sipping cocktails on a wrap-around patio that overlooks the entire Cascade mountain region? Not in my vocabulary. But now that Pronghorn has opened its door to the public, all are welcome to experience impeccable service, dining, golf and stays at Pronghorn Club.