Food & Drink

I have often wondered why, in a society of parents who are wait-listing their barely conceived children at private schools and enrolling toddlers in immersion language schools and advanced tap dancing, that we so neglect the education of the palette. America is fostering a culinary culture unmatched in our history and there is no reason to be ordering your kids mystery nuggets or plain pasta.
 
Here in Central Oregon we have many, many options beyond over stimulation and bad burgers. Mediterranean and Middle Eastern options have become easy and kid friendly for open-minded parents. The happy hour at Merenda offers all sorts of Northern Italian/Southern French influenced dishes for cut-rate prices. Get there at 4:30pm, sit in the dining room and order off the bar menu. Kebaba has great Lebanese food and a relaxed atmosphere - especially in the summer months. I've yet to meet a kid that won't eat hummus or falafel with a little tzaziki. Demetri's has Greek food in a low-key atmosphere. Try the spanikopita to introduce them to spinach and finish off the meal with the baklava - a kid favorite.

I have often wondered why, in a society of parents who are wait-listing their barely conceived children at private schools and enrolling toddlers in immersion language schools and advanced tap dancing, that we so neglect the education of the palette. America is fostering a culinary culture unmatched in our history and there is no reason to be ordering your kids mystery nuggets or plain pasta.

Here in Central Oregon we have many, many options beyond over stimulation and bad burgers. Mediterranean and Middle Eastern options have become easy and kid friendly for open-minded parents. The happy hour at Merenda offers all sorts of Northern Italian/Southern French influenced dishes for cut-rate prices. Get there at 4:30pm, sit in the dining room and order off the bar menu. Kebaba has great Lebanese food and a relaxed atmosphere – especially in the summer months. I’ve yet to meet a kid that won’t eat hummus or falafel with a little tzaziki. Demetri’s has Greek food in a low-key atmosphere. Try the spanikopita to introduce them to spinach and finish off the meal with the baklava – a kid favorite.

Burgers and Fries beware. We’ve got ethnic, buffet style. Since its opening, Taj Palace has stood out as the ONLY Indian eatery in town, but it also happens to produce some of the best Sag Paneer (spinach and cheese cubes in a spiced cream sauce) this side of New Delhi. I’ll admit that I’ve never been lucky enough to eat in India, but of the food I’ve eaten in Indian communities in large American cities, Taj Palace holds its own.
For the last couple of years, Taj has offered a Friday and Saturday night buffet. It’s a variation on the popular lunch buffet, featuring a bit more upscale items. For $14.95 you have a choice of unlimited amounts of sag paneer, lamb curry, homemade nan, lentil dahl, chicken tikka, sambar (thick lentil vegetable soup), aloo gobi (potatoes and cauliflower cooked with Indian spices), vegetable biryani (basmati rice with mixed vegetables) and malai kofta (vegetable and cheese balls in a yogurt sauce). Not only is this a smokin’ deal, it’s the best way for a novice to try Indian cuisine.

Burgers and Fries beware. We’ve got ethnic, buffet style. Since its opening, Taj Palace has stood out as the ONLY Indian eatery in town, but it also happens to produce some of the best Sag Paneer (spinach and cheese cubes in a spiced cream sauce) this side of New Delhi. I'll admit that I've never been lucky enough to eat in India, but of the food I've eaten in Indian communities in large American cities, Taj Palace holds its own.
For the last couple of years, Taj has offered a Friday and Saturday night buffet. It's a variation on the popular lunch buffet, featuring a bit more upscale items. For $14.95 you have a choice of unlimited amounts of sag paneer, lamb curry, homemade nan, lentil dahl, chicken tikka, sambar (thick lentil vegetable soup), aloo gobi (potatoes and cauliflower cooked with Indian spices), vegetable biryani (basmati rice with mixed vegetables) and malai kofta (vegetable and cheese balls in a yogurt sauce). Not only is this a smokin' deal, it's the best way for a novice to try Indian cuisine.

Wine dinners and restaurant-hosted tastings have been popping up like tulips all over town lately. Whether you are a certified cork dork or just simply enjoy that glass of house red, you are sure to be satisfied. At one end of the spectrum are the casual after-work tastings offered by Blacksmith and Allyson’s Kitchen. These events cost $10 and typically focus on a themed flight of 6 – 8 wines of similar style and origin. I attended Blacksmith’s most recent event last Wednesday, hosted by sommelier Kevin Gilman, which focused on big Washington reds. No doubt about it, these were opulent, girthy wines with broad appeal and availability, and which spanned a reasonable price range. Their tasting notes were right on target, which made the experience accessible and easy.

Wine dinners and restaurant-hosted tastings have been popping up like tulips all over town lately. Whether you are a certified cork dork or just simply enjoy that glass of house red, you are sure to be satisfied. At one end of the spectrum are the casual after-work tastings offered by Blacksmith and Allyson's Kitchen. These events cost $10 and typically focus on a themed flight of 6 - 8 wines of similar style and origin. I attended Blacksmith's most recent event last Wednesday, hosted by sommelier Kevin Gilman, which focused on big Washington reds. No doubt about it, these were opulent, girthy wines with broad appeal and availability, and which spanned a reasonable price range. Their tasting notes were right on target, which made the experience accessible and easy.

A glimpse of the New Look Blacksmith.When The Speedshop opened its doors, I was a bit confused. Was it a clothing shop? Moto paraphernalia? And where was I going to buy incense now that Ponderfusion had closed its doors? There was a “Deli” sign, but also T-shirts in the window. What is this place, I wondered? So I went in to find out.

The little sliver of a shop on Wall Street that once housed a much loved head shop, got a complete remodel (including the upstairs) and has turned into “moto” themed clothing store and deli. This is a fairly odd concept but it’s forging a niche among those that pride themselves on their “deli palates.”
The menu offers build-your-own options for “sangwiches” (as the menu calls them) with seven different Boar’s Head brands of meats and cheeses and a variety of breads and condiments.

A glimpse of the New Look Blacksmith.When The Speedshop opened its doors, I was a bit confused. Was it a clothing shop? Moto paraphernalia? And where was I going to buy incense now that Ponderfusion had closed its doors? There was a "Deli" sign, but also T-shirts in the window. What is this place, I wondered? So I went in to find out.
 
The little sliver of a shop on Wall Street that once housed a much loved head shop, got a complete remodel (including the upstairs) and has turned into "moto" themed clothing store and deli. This is a fairly odd concept but it's forging a niche among those that pride themselves on their "deli palates."
The menu offers build-your-own options for "sangwiches" (as the menu calls them) with seven different Boar's Head brands of meats and cheeses and a variety of breads and condiments.

Truck stops and interior design makeovers don't exactly go hand in hand. But then again, Jake's Diner isn't trafficking in diesel anymore either.
So when owners Lyle and Judy Hicks wanted to change the interior design of Jake’s dining room to make it more customer friendly, they called on remodeler Andy Barrow of Let's Make A Space, who redesigned the dining room into what Lyle called an "unbelievably beautiful" atmosphere.
Cabinetmaker Duane Schiedler, owner of The Wood Awakening, fashioned maple topped tables for the dining room as his part of the makeover.

Truck stops and interior design makeovers don’t exactly go hand in hand. But then again, Jake’s Diner isn’t trafficking in diesel anymore either.
So when owners Lyle and Judy Hicks wanted to change the interior design of Jake’s dining room to make it more customer friendly, they called on remodeler Andy Barrow of Let’s Make A Space, who redesigned the dining room into what Lyle called an “unbelievably beautiful” atmosphere.
Cabinetmaker Duane Schiedler, owner of The Wood Awakening, fashioned maple topped tables for the dining room as his part of the makeover.