Food & Drink

It's human nature to want to pass something down to the next generation. Some people leave behind wealth and prestige for their family to enjoy for generations. Others give us great pieces of literature, sprightly sonatas or inspirational sculpture. My legacy is to give a few the gift of bartending, which can either ensure them a life of easy one-night-stands and a tendency toward alcoholism or it can be their good fortune to never again make minimum wage again, regardless of one's education.
It is not a gift I will bestow on just anyone. The time and effort it takes to teach someone to memorize hundreds of drink recipes, smile under relentless pressure and deal with drunk people takes a special someone. Most importantly, the person must have a sick passion for doing dishes – as most of bartending is washing and polishing the hundreds of glasses that get used every evening.

It's not every day that a person can enjoy the company of friends, wine and food in a great setting while supporting the local community and farmers. But at The Taverna at Maragas, the newly revisisioned tasting room on Colorado, you can have your wine and drink it, too. The Culver-based Maragas Winery is about as local as you can get. Add to that a menu of locally focused, Mediterranean-influenced dishes from talented chef Justin Brown and you've got a winning combination.
I arrived at the Taverna on a Saturday evening with close to a dozen friends and the intention of sharing good conversation, small plates of food, and some legit local wine. We'd all enjoyed tapas restaurants in larger cities, but hadn't found the equivalent in Bend, until now.

It's not every day that a person can enjoy the company of friends, wine and food in a great setting while supporting the local community and farmers. But at The Taverna at Maragas, the newly revisisioned tasting room on Colorado, you can have your wine and drink it, too. The Culver-based Maragas Winery is about as local as you can get. Add to that a menu of locally focused, Mediterranean-influenced dishes from talented chef Justin Brown and you've got a winning combination.
I arrived at the Taverna on a Saturday evening with close to a dozen friends and the intention of sharing good conversation, small plates of food, and some legit local wine. We'd all enjoyed tapas restaurants in larger cities, but hadn't found the equivalent in Bend, until now.

While some people are busy fretting about the country's potential financial collapse, you wouldn't know it on the corner of Delaware and Broadway streets on Thursday night when folks line up, quite literally, to devour one of Jackson's Corner's coveted once-a-week $12 burgers.
In the past two months, this corner store and bistro's “Burger Night” has gained quite a following.

While some people are busy fretting about the country's potential financial collapse, you wouldn't know it on the corner of Delaware and Broadway streets on Thursday night when folks line up, quite literally, to devour one of Jackson's Corner's coveted once-a-week $12 burgers.
In the past two months, this corner store and bistro's “Burger Night” has gained quite a following.