Food & Drink

tSW's wine column remained neutral through the primary season, but with Senator Barack Obama now the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee, and the rhetoric between the Obama and McCain camps heating up, the time has come to weigh in.
 
Naturally, we vote in our own self interest, and so it is fair to ask "What will an Obama presidency mean to me, as a wine drinker?" At first blush, this seems like a fairly straightforward question. The Republicans unveiled their disdain for the French position against the Iraq war by renaming freedom fries, and effectively defeated Democratic candidate John Kerry by suggesting he "looked French." Quel horror! One would presume, then, that French wines, and by association, the act of wine drinking, would be given short shrift in a Republican administration.
Recall then candidate Bush's reply to Barbara Walters probing questions on 20/20 during the 2000 election: "There's nothing better than a cold beer…" And then there was the 2007 G8 summit when he was caught "sipping" beer. And of course we can't ignore the fact that Senator McCain has married into a well-heeled Arizona beer distribution family. Pretty scary stuff. Obama, for his part, seems every bit the wine connoisseur. He maintains a 1000-bottle cellar at his home in Chicago, and some of his campaign events have reportedly sold bottles of zinfandel with the candidate's face on the label. Obama Zin. It has a ring to it.

It’s all about atmosphere at Blue olive. In a place like Brasada Ranch every thing is rustic luxury: The views, the big timbered lodge, the perfectly manicured golf course. The dining room is no exception. Deliberately distressed wood floors and high ceilings complement huge picture windows that overlook rolling hills of native fescue and a faux train bridge. The atmosphere conjures images of the Old West, only here it’s the Old West without the dust and smelly work animals.

The menu at the ranch’s signature restaurant, The Blue Olive, is an ode to the “cattlemen of Oregon who helped shape and tame the wild ranges of Central Oregon” and offers beef from local rancher Matt Borlen. Chef John Nelson has filled the menu with beef dishes as well as a fair amount of seafood, pork and pasta.
Rather than making multiple trips to Brasada, I brought lots of dining companions in order to truly sample the menu. The six of us sat down at a large table flanked with windows showcasing a colorful twilight sky.

It’s all about atmosphere at Blue olive. In a place like Brasada Ranch every thing is rustic luxury: The views, the big timbered lodge, the perfectly manicured golf course. The dining room is no exception. Deliberately distressed wood floors and high ceilings complement huge picture windows that overlook rolling hills of native fescue and a faux train bridge. The atmosphere conjures images of the Old West, only here it's the Old West without the dust and smelly work animals.
 
The menu at the ranch's signature restaurant, The Blue Olive, is an ode to the "cattlemen of Oregon who helped shape and tame the wild ranges of Central Oregon" and offers beef from local rancher Matt Borlen. Chef John Nelson has filled the menu with beef dishes as well as a fair amount of seafood, pork and pasta.
Rather than making multiple trips to Brasada, I brought lots of dining companions in order to truly sample the menu. The six of us sat down at a large table flanked with windows showcasing a colorful twilight sky.

Contrary to skeptics’ beliefs, not all establishments serving up tapas and fine wine are packed with haughty patrons and service that caters to the richest-looking diners. Though the atmosphere is classy at Fireside Red, it’s still comfortable for those of us who prefer to hit happy hour without running home after work to redesign our day’s outfit.

Contrary to skeptics' beliefs, not all establishments serving up tapas and fine wine are packed with haughty patrons and service that caters to the richest-looking diners. Though the atmosphere is classy at Fireside Red, it's still comfortable for those of us who prefer to hit happy hour without running home after work to redesign our day's outfit.

BungatimeTheme is king at the Bungalow Tropical Bar and Grille, a new no-holds-barred tropical fusion restaurant in north Bend, where cabana boys greet outside the front door. “Aloha,” they crooned to our group, while shivering in Hawaiian shirts, and directing us to the stairs that led up to the expansive second-floor.
Once inside, we were greeted with more “Alohas!” this time by young women in print sundresses who asked us if we want “formal” or “casual.” Peering around a wall of water, we saw half of the restaurant outfitted with high-backed chairs and white linens with rain forest sounds piped in for that extra tropical boost.
The other side is split between the “Sand Bar,” which is covered with the requisite grass shack roof, headquarters for “Bungatime” (otherwise known as happy hour) and a dining area with booths decorated in mini surfboards. At the Bungalow there’s no skimping on atmosphere-enhancing props. A soundtrack marked by Jimmy Buffet’s “Margaritaville” resonated from overhead in the Sand Bar as surf films played on the big screen TV. There’s also a large tropical fish tank to help set the ocean tone.

BungatimeTheme is king at the Bungalow Tropical Bar and Grille, a new no-holds-barred tropical fusion restaurant in north Bend, where cabana boys greet outside the front door. "Aloha," they crooned to our group, while shivering in Hawaiian shirts, and directing us to the stairs that led up to the expansive second-floor.
Once inside, we were greeted with more "Alohas!" this time by young women in print sundresses who asked us if we want "formal" or "casual." Peering around a wall of water, we saw half of the restaurant outfitted with high-backed chairs and white linens with rain forest sounds piped in for that extra tropical boost.
The other side is split between the "Sand Bar," which is covered with the requisite grass shack roof, headquarters for "Bungatime" (otherwise known as happy hour) and a dining area with booths decorated in mini surfboards. At the Bungalow there's no skimping on atmosphere-enhancing props. A soundtrack marked by Jimmy Buffet's "Margaritaville" resonated from overhead in the Sand Bar as surf films played on the big screen TV. There's also a large tropical fish tank to help set the ocean tone.

Although our unsteady spring weather may have kept most of us inside, it hasn't put a damper on the happenings in the ever-changing food industry.
 
Volo is officially open downtown, serving a plethora of upscale comfort food in the sleek new 919 Bond Street Building. View the menu at www.volobend.com. Cork now has a full bar with mixed drinks as well as their innovative wine list. Blacksmith will offer beer tastings every Wednesday in June to be overseen by their in-house intoxicologist, John Hansen. Try a different beer genre each week. The $25 price includes appetizers. Get the details at www.bendblacksmith.com. On Tuesday, June 24 there is a rare opportunity to taste two 1988 vintage Bordeaux's at Bistro Corlise's Wine dinner lead by sommelier/chef Jason Logan. Find out more about the dinner at www.bistrocorlise.com.

Although our unsteady spring weather may have kept most of us inside, it hasn’t put a damper on the happenings in the ever-changing food industry.

Volo is officially open downtown, serving a plethora of upscale comfort food in the sleek new 919 Bond Street Building. View the menu at www.volobend.com. Cork now has a full bar with mixed drinks as well as their innovative wine list. Blacksmith will offer beer tastings every Wednesday in June to be overseen by their in-house intoxicologist, John Hansen. Try a different beer genre each week. The $25 price includes appetizers. Get the details at www.bendblacksmith.com. On Tuesday, June 24 there is a rare opportunity to taste two 1988 vintage Bordeaux’s at Bistro Corlise’s Wine dinner lead by sommelier/chef Jason Logan. Find out more about the dinner at www.bistrocorlise.com.

Baba brings familiar favorites to redmond. The Long family has built themselves an Asian food empire in Central Oregon. With their flagship "Szechuan" restaurant on Third Street, they own a total of seven spots, including their newest addition Baba Chinese in Redmond.
Located in a historic Sixth Street building downtown, Baba bucks the trend of traditional, ornate décor for a clean and modern look.
The remodel includes sleek black tile flooring, built-in and lit alcoves showcasing teapots, and a peak-through shelving with vases sporting post-modern design. A bamboo forest decorates one wall and the rest of the surfaces are either shiny black, bright red, or a soothing tea green.
The menu is daunting; four pages of dishes ranging from noodles to meat to seafood. The recommended dishes are listed on the nightly insert, a formidable list and the one we chose to order from.
To start, the server brought over a dish of fried wonton skins and a brilliantly red-orange sweet-and-sour dipping sauce that was more sweet than sour. As addicting as potato chips at a picnic, or tortilla chips at a Mexican restaurant, these will fill you up if you're not careful. A pot of steaming tea accompanies the wonton skins to sip while perusing the expansive menu.