Food & Drink

Reaching for the dark shaded polish at my pedicure, I knew I had eaten enough chocolate. I've spent the last two weeks tasting chocolates and sweets: expensive, inexpensive, milk, dark, French, Belgian and locally made. Valentine's Day is rich in confusion with gods, folklore and Spanish conquest and sexual imagery. For Valentine's Day, confectionery gifts were codified when Cadbury invented the heart-shaped box in the 1860s. Here, we're all about the sweet stuff. Lovers beware. Too much chocolate and you'll paint your toes a shade of 70% dark cocoa. Which could be a good thing – your lover might think those toes are edible.

To state how The Phoenix rises from the ashes in rejuvenation and rebirth would be obvious, but what isn't so obvious to many in Bend is that The Phoenix Café has reopened as The Phoenix in the old Kayo's Roadhouse location.
With the moniker, “A Restaurant for Everyone,” The new Phoenix menu sets no boundaries of regional flavor, blending elements of American steakhouse, Thai fusion and California cuisine. With dark, private banquette seating and dim lighting, the space is conducive to intimate dining despite high-volume traffic. The wait staff is attractive and well trained – the sort of people I want to be serving my food.
For breakfast, the thought behind the Phoenix Omelette ($8.50) was good; it had mushrooms, spinach, Swiss and sausage ($1.50). The sausage was well seasoned and flavorful, while the eggs and vegetables could have benefited from more seasoning. A little Cholula went a long way. The rosemary roasted potatoes were crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside.

To state how The Phoenix rises from the ashes in rejuvenation and rebirth would be obvious, but what isn't so obvious to many in Bend is that The Phoenix Café has reopened as The Phoenix in the old Kayo's Roadhouse location.
With the moniker, “A Restaurant for Everyone,” The new Phoenix menu sets no boundaries of regional flavor, blending elements of American steakhouse, Thai fusion and California cuisine. With dark, private banquette seating and dim lighting, the space is conducive to intimate dining despite high-volume traffic. The wait staff is attractive and well trained – the sort of people I want to be serving my food.
For breakfast, the thought behind the Phoenix Omelette ($8.50) was good; it had mushrooms, spinach, Swiss and sausage ($1.50). The sausage was well seasoned and flavorful, while the eggs and vegetables could have benefited from more seasoning. A little Cholula went a long way. The rosemary roasted potatoes were crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside.

Gravy, potatoes and cinnamon rolls as big as my face: classic items that immediately make me think of an old-school diner. Both are available in plenty at Galveston's Westside Bakery and Café where it's always breakfast no matter the time of day.
The menu features much more (with lunch options and baked goods), but with breakfast items served all day, the morning meal is sure to please at this popular spot. Most in Bend are well aware of the wonder that is the Westside Bakery and Café – I'm only sad it took me so long to discover.
After having passed by the café many times, I finally ventured inside on a recently blustery winter morning. Quirky décor immediately set the café apart from other downtown eateries, with a giant wooden Elvis and a Big Bird statue situated amongst wooden tables and high shelves filled with figurines surrounding the dining room.

Gravy, potatoes and cinnamon rolls as big as my face: classic items that immediately make me think of an old-school diner. Both are available in plenty at Galveston's Westside Bakery and Café where it's always breakfast no matter the time of day.
The menu features much more (with lunch options and baked goods), but with breakfast items served all day, the morning meal is sure to please at this popular spot. Most in Bend are well aware of the wonder that is the Westside Bakery and Café – I'm only sad it took me so long to discover.
After having passed by the café many times, I finally ventured inside on a recently blustery winter morning. Quirky décor immediately set the café apart from other downtown eateries, with a giant wooden Elvis and a Big Bird statue situated amongst wooden tables and high shelves filled with figurines surrounding the dining room.

With my first bite of a Chicago Hot Dog from Chicago Hot Dog and Italian Beef, I became an honorary sibling of The Blues Brothers' Jake and Elwood. Owner Jeff DeHart has brought a taste of the Windy City to Central Oregon.

With my first bite of a Chicago Hot Dog from Chicago Hot Dog and Italian Beef, I became an honorary sibling of The Blues Brothers' Jake and Elwood. Owner Jeff DeHart has brought a taste of the Windy City to Central Oregon.