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Man, we just love this canned beer revolution. You can take 'em anywhere and they often taste better than their bottle brethren.
When I read that there was a new brewery in town, my first reaction was a mixture of cynicism and weariness. The amount of brewpubs here in Bend is bordering on satire. Within 30 seconds of walking in the door of GoodLife, I knew that my initial reaction was premature.
First off, the entire feel of the place is different from the typical Bend brewery. When GoodLife was getting ready to open last year, the plan was to be a production brewery only, with the idea of a dining area coming at the last moment, so the simple and Spartan design of the Bier Hall – so named because of GoodLife's Northwest German influences – might feel cold at first.
Historically, there have only been a few options for Asian cuisine downtown, especially at lunchtime. And since Typhoon closed, we're down another spot. But we are lucky to have two other options in addition to the Toomie's standby: Boken, in the breezeway on Brooks Street, and Five Fusion on Wall, which only recently started serving lunch.
I visited both to discover the best of each, what separates them from one another, and maybe where their menus overlap. Being frugal (cough, cheap) I was also interested in finding out how inexpensively I could dine.
Barrio Restaurant and Tapas Bar opened for lunch today to a crowd of folks happy to try new things or get their fix of old faves from the restaurant’s precursors, food carts El Sancho and Soupcon, which used to sit on the corner next to Blacksmith Restaurant.
The owners of the carts, Steven Draheim and Joel Cordes, both classically trained chefs from Bend, are focusing their Spanish-based menu on tapas, or small plates that are to be enjoyed with friends along with beverages, generally of the alcoholic variety.
I have to admit, I've never been to Texas or Memphis. And meat hasn't made it onto the list of things I've smoked. As far as barbecuing goes, I am still only a back-seat griller– gently coaching medium rare from a lawn chair, without any secret recipes of my own.
But after a couple of trips to Slick's Que Co., a pit-style barbecue on Revere Avenue owned by Roy and Kim Slicker, where every smoky bite puts my previous 'que attempts to shame, I think this year I will finally take the tongs into my own hands. Maybe even ditch the liquid smoke, and try the real thing.
Formerly known as “The Left Handed Chef” before starting the original Slick's in Sisters, these Slickers have definitely evolved far beyond their catering roots. But it wasn't easy. Roy traveled for years, attending seminars and tasting food from Texas and the South to as far away as Portugal and Spain. He even served on the National Barbeque Association's board of directors, and now sits as President-Elect. The result is the “St. Louis-Texi-Memph” style for which Slick's is quickly becoming known.
When this beer burst on the microbrewing scene in 1999, it was the strongest beer around. Though other beers have since topped World Wide Stout's current 18 percent alcohol marker – including Dogfish Head's 120 minute IPA, which clocked in at 21 percent several years ago – this 70 IBU stout is still one of the most cellar-worthy beers available in Bend these days.
You never know where you're going to find a great reuben. Case in point, Kelly D's Sports Bar, a sparingly illuminated lounge tucked between Wilson Avenue and Reed Market on Bend's commercial strip. While this isn't the kind of place where you're likely to plan a family outing (I was seated next to a trio of ladies who were drinking over the noon hour as if it were happy hour), the staff at Kelly D's is more than hospitable. More importantly, they really know how to make a reuben. When I asked how they prepare their corned beef, which arrived fall-apart tender, the bartender directed my eyes to a pair of slow cookers that were perched on a sill between the bar area and the lottery lounge.
As the previous home of the Bond Street Market, 949 NW Bond St., was known as a great spot to pick up such delicacies as Twinkies, a pack of Marlboro Lights, or a 40 of PBR.
But no longer.
With the opening of La Magie Bakery in the spot on Jan. 30, owner Di Long has transformed the space into a European-inspired bakery and lunch spot decked with lavender and Granny Smith apple-colored walls.
Magazine displays have been replaced with bistro tables adorned with Peruvian Lilies and arrangements of bamboo. Huge picture windows welcome in the sunshine, and the upstairs offers a secluded spot for a reflective cup of coffee.
The latest seasonal release from Cascade Lakes is a smooth-drinking pale ale that will temporarily replace the Pine Marten Pale Ale. Soon available in six packs, Project X is a classic Northwest pale, that uses a blend of two-row, crisp, Munich and cara grains to create a well-rounded beer that puts as much emphasis on its malt profile as it does on hops.
Until recently, 920 Bond Street was better known for changing hands than for menus. Barcelona and 28 opened and closed, but it seems that Tart Bistro may be in for the long run.
Globally inspired, but focused on classic French cuisine, Tart gives Bend something more than the boring beurre blancs and faux-fancy frites found elsewhere. Though the black-on-white boutique-patterned booths, intimate tables and low lighting hit a sexy bistro note, it was their charcuterie and cheese plate, called “The Board,” that first brought me in the door shortly after they opened for business in June of 2010.
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