Chow

When the food is this good, there’s no time for photosJust when Bend seems ready to engulf Redmond in its culinary shadow, another eatery pops up to shed some needed gastronomic sunshine on the northern burb. In this case, it’s a breakfast establishment the likes of which Redmond has yet to experience.
Although the building is old and has a look that suggests it may have once housed a similar eatery, the Spot Café is shiny and new. Located right downtown with a cool retro sign and a full glass front, it’s reminiscent of the diners of old.
The Spot is owned and operated by partners Scott Gennrich and Scott Byers. Both arrive with experience; Gennrich is a part owner of the Astro Lounge and Byers is a veteran of several local restaurants, including, Bluefish, 28, and Seasons at The Seventh Mountain Resort where he was the executive chef.
Rather than tackle a dinner menu, they opted for a more manageable route, focusing on breakfast and lunch. The interior is pleasant and clean, if a bit stark; it reminds me of Alpenglow 10 years ago. Piles of fresh-baked goods greet diners at the counter, while food servers bustle through the swinging kitchen door with steaming plates of food.

When the food is this good, there’s no time for photosJust when Bend seems ready to engulf Redmond in its culinary shadow, another eatery pops up to shed some needed gastronomic sunshine on the northern burb. In this case, it's a breakfast establishment the likes of which Redmond has yet to experience.
Although the building is old and has a look that suggests it may have once housed a similar eatery, the Spot Café is shiny and new. Located right downtown with a cool retro sign and a full glass front, it's reminiscent of the diners of old.
The Spot is owned and operated by partners Scott Gennrich and Scott Byers. Both arrive with experience; Gennrich is a part owner of the Astro Lounge and Byers is a veteran of several local restaurants, including, Bluefish, 28, and Seasons at The Seventh Mountain Resort where he was the executive chef.
Rather than tackle a dinner menu, they opted for a more manageable route, focusing on breakfast and lunch. The interior is pleasant and clean, if a bit stark; it reminds me of Alpenglow 10 years ago. Piles of fresh-baked goods greet diners at the counter, while food servers bustle through the swinging kitchen door with steaming plates of food.

As of late, Bend is becoming known as a food destination. It wasn’t always that way.
When I first moved here in 1996, eating out was a rare event. I was working for peanuts, just like everyone else I knew. And there were only a few good places to go. Deschutes Brewery and Bend Brewing Company were always a good bet, and my husband liked Dude’s Night at McKenzie’s, where he could grab a cheap burger and beers with the guys, or indulge in Bend’s only salad bar. Ethnic food was even more challenging. We could get decent Thai at Toomie’s, or basic Italian at Giuseppe’s. But even good Mexican food was hard to come by in those days – never mind Indian, Spanish or Ethiopian.
So potluck dinner parties became the default dining option among our 20-something crowd. Nary a week went by that we didn’t bring “something to grill and something to share” to one friend or another’s Westside hovel.

As of late, Bend is becoming known as a food destination. It wasn't always that way.
When I first moved here in 1996, eating out was a rare event. I was working for peanuts, just like everyone else I knew. And there were only a few good places to go. Deschutes Brewery and Bend Brewing Company were always a good bet, and my husband liked Dude's Night at McKenzie's, where he could grab a cheap burger and beers with the guys, or indulge in Bend's only salad bar. Ethnic food was even more challenging. We could get decent Thai at Toomie's, or basic Italian at Giuseppe's. But even good Mexican food was hard to come by in those days - never mind Indian, Spanish or Ethiopian.
So potluck dinner parties became the default dining option among our 20-something crowd. Nary a week went by that we didn't bring "something to grill and something to share" to one friend or another's Westside hovel.

Typhoon! with a twist at RestobarBo and Steven Kline continue to expand their Asian restaurant empire throughout the Northwest with the opening of Bo Restobar in downtown Bend. The restaurant/bar is located just a few paces from their other new restaurant, Thypoon!, in the Franklin Crossing building.
While Typhoon! has a vast menu of traditional – and not so traditional – Thai dishes, Chef Kline bills Bo Restobar, as more of an “artisitc approach” to Asian foods, blending Korean, Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese dishes, and tossing in some choice Thai recipes for good measure.
Keeping with the Klines’ honed sense of interior space and clean, atmospheric décor, Bo Restobar greets diners with lots of glass, a sleek bar and a wall-sized fountain. Tropical floating flowers adorn the tables and stylized portraits of Chef Kline grace the walls.

Typhoon! with a twist at RestobarBo and Steven Kline continue to expand their Asian restaurant empire throughout the Northwest with the opening of Bo Restobar in downtown Bend. The restaurant/bar is located just a few paces from their other new restaurant, Thypoon!, in the Franklin Crossing building.
While Typhoon! has a vast menu of traditional - and not so traditional - Thai dishes, Chef Kline bills Bo Restobar, as more of an "artisitc approach" to Asian foods, blending Korean, Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese dishes, and tossing in some choice Thai recipes for good measure.
Keeping with the Klines' honed sense of interior space and clean, atmospheric décor, Bo Restobar greets diners with lots of glass, a sleek bar and a wall-sized fountain. Tropical floating flowers adorn the tables and stylized portraits of Chef Kline grace the walls.

When I was a young lad growing up in Redmond I never paid much attention to food - partly because I didn't care, and partly because I was too broke to walk in the door.
Returning again as an adult and a professional cook, however, I was constantly reminded that I didn't miss much. Redmond feels like a culinary wasteland, filled to the brim with mediocre restaurants squeaking by on barely passable food. In every wasteland however, there are always oases. I found one in the Cross Creek Cafe. Nestled behind Redmond City Hall on 8th Street, this gem has become one of the shining lights. Hell, they even serve real pastrami - something I'd completely given up on finding anywhere in Central Oregon.

When I was a young lad growing up in Redmond I never paid much attention to food – partly because I didn’t care, and partly because I was too broke to walk in the door.
Returning again as an adult and a professional cook, however, I was constantly reminded that I didn’t miss much. Redmond feels like a culinary wasteland, filled to the brim with mediocre restaurants squeaking by on barely passable food. In every wasteland however, there are always oases. I found one in the Cross Creek Cafe. Nestled behind Redmond City Hall on 8th Street, this gem has become one of the shining lights. Hell, they even serve real pastrami – something I’d completely given up on finding anywhere in Central Oregon.

The best bangers and mash in town at the Summit.Local legend has it that downtown Bend's O'Kane Building is haunted by
the voices of long departed souls. But it's a different kind curse that
has vexed many of the recent tenants who have struggled and ultimately
failed to gain a foothold in what should be a prime location.
Stuft
Pizza had a good, long run in the huge restaurant space facing Oregon
Avenue. But when rents went north they hightailed it to Highway 97 and
died a slow death. Legends, while always packed on weekends, seemed to
struggle with consistency and imaging problems. Then came the
short-lived catastrophes of On the Rocks and Bend City Grill.

The best bangers and mash in town at the Summit.Local legend has it that downtown Bend’s O’Kane Building is haunted by
the voices of long departed souls. But it’s a different kind curse that
has vexed many of the recent tenants who have struggled and ultimately
failed to gain a foothold in what should be a prime location.
Stuft
Pizza had a good, long run in the huge restaurant space facing Oregon
Avenue. But when rents went north they hightailed it to Highway 97 and
died a slow death. Legends, while always packed on weekends, seemed to
struggle with consistency and imaging problems. Then came the
short-lived catastrophes of On the Rocks and Bend City Grill.