Downtown has been waiting for a restaurant like Drake for years. A swanky lunch place that has the bustle of Times Square and the sensibility of L.A., Drake is instantly an “it” place, with a menu where martinis and milkshakes are equally at home next to minty peas and a killer oyster po boy. Drake […]
Chow
Posted inFood & Drink
Under the Knife with Chef Joe Kim
Sometimes life happens while you’re making other dishes
Joe Kim, chef at 5 Fusion, grew up in La Pine. Although he was born in San Francisco, his parents divorced when he was 6 and his mom moved to La Pine to raise Kim and his sisters. His mother never remarried, still lives in La Pine and has devoted her whole life to raising […]
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Little Bites: Cinco de Drinko
The official feliz roundup
Cinco de Mayo is an odd holiday for gringos to celebrate. It would be a bit like Mexicans celebrating Gettysburg. In 1862, a very young General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín scored an unlikely defeat of the French troops at the Battle of Puebla, and helped turned back Napoleon III’s forces (which, really, what were they doing […]
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Better than Before
Blue Pine reboots a familiar space
It is often said that everyone deserves a second chance. The same seems to hold true for buildings. Located on Century Drive a few blocks east of Galveston, what is now Blue Pine Kitchen and Bar for years has been known as Players Bar and Grille, a neighborhood dive bar. A few pool tables and […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Hungry for More
Bend's Foodie Crawl eats its way through town
Holy hot dog, does Bend love food! The Huffington Post recently named the Bend area #3 on a list of 15 of the country’s most restaurant-crazed cities, calculating our remarkably high per-capita restaurant ratio of 431 restaurants for a county with just over 166,000 people. On Sunday, 13 cream of the Bend-restaurant crop will offer […]
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Pure Genius
A smart approach to downtown dining
With a diverse menu that offers up delectable small plates, a cocktail list as long as my arm, a late-night menu and weekend brunch and Bloody Mary bar, Pure Kitchen is a catch-all for downtown drinking and dining. Owners Krit Dangruenrat and wife Bua Karoon, come to Bend via New York City, where they own […]
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Brat Pack Lunch Box
What the Breakfast Club is eating
With Molly Ringwald in town this week, we thought it was a great time to catch up with the Breakfast Club, and ask where they eat when they visit Bend. Andy (a bag of chips, chocolate cookies, three sandwiches, milk, a banana and an apple): I actually prefer New York City Sub (1075 NW Newport […]
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Still as Sweet?
Downtown pho, for sure
The question for the new Sweet Saigon downtown: Would pho by another name taste the same? I have come to love Pho Viet, an urban hole-in-the-wall oasis on 3rd Street. Despite being—or because it is—the kind of place where diners stuff napkins under wobbly tables, the Vietnamese restaurant holds a special place in my heart. […]
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Little Bites: Ch-ch-ch-changes
A sampler platter of Bend’s
dining developments
Palate, A Coffee Bar is the new timber-and-corrugated-steel, hipster-friendly cafe that moved into Maragas’ old spot on Colorado Avenue. Owners Jodi Groteboer and Jason Rhodes were longtime employees of Portland’s storied Albina Press, a coffeehouse that has spawned several notably venues in Portland. Offering Stumptown beans, they should also have beer and wine, too (6 […]
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The Heralds of Spring
Fresh ingredients harbingers of the season
The snow around town has pretty much melted. The afternoon air is beginning to feel a bit warmer and spring break is just around the corner. These are sure signs that the season is about to change. In my kitchen just a few short months ago I was pouring through recipes for soups, stews and […]
