Elk medallions and blackberries, Jackalope style. Although the Jackalope Grill has been open a little more than three
years, there’s something very enduring and lived-in about it. You’ll
find no scene or gimmicks here. You can expect the old standards in the
background to be playing at low volume, the crowd to be civilized, and
the service to be professional and knowledgeable.
It’s hardly the
first day on the job for the husband-and-wife team who own it. Kathy
Garling, the front of the house, has been working in the industry for
over 25 years and Chef Tim Garling has been in the kitchen for over 20.
Focusing on fresh, locally produced ingredients whenever possible, the
menu is largely a high-minded take on meat and potatoes. And with
Garling’s classical training in French cuisine coupled with his
attention to the flavors of the Pacific Northwest, it makes sense.
The décor is white-tablecloth, but eclectic with a homey feel and a sense of fun. While not overly upscale, the room succeeds in masking its strip mall location and transporting diners to a warm, friendly place where the food is dependably high quality, the wine list is extensive and well-thought-out with many less-expensive options, and the overall dining experience is infused with the affection that the owners very obviously have for their life’s work.
Starters ($10-$15) like fresh steamer clams in garlic-tarragon broth and grilled prawns with black beans and a mixed chili sauce sound appealing. But I’d have trouble passing up the award-winning Dungeness Crab Stuffed Mushrooms in garlic butter. They were piping hot, and the seasoning perfectly complemented the flavor of the crab. The Crisp Bib Lettuce salad ($9) was refreshing, and the green goddess dressing was creamy and flavorful but not too heavy. Even the accompanying crouton, a garnish I often ignore, was superb. Far from your average crouton, it was a fresh hunk of bread baked with whole pieces of roasted garlic. Not a crumb was left on the plate.
The relatively short list of main courses ($23-$30) offers only a couple of options that aren’t red meat, including mixed seafood pasta with a tomato, white wine, and fresh basil sauce and alder-smoked salmon with a honey-lime chipotle glaze, grapefruit, and rice pilaf. Vegetarians are pretty much out of luck. Fortunately, I’m not one. There are two steak options, rack of lamb, pork tenderloin, or the cheapest option, the Jackalope Kobe beef burger ($15). However, being of Eastern European ancestry, there was no hesitation in ordering the schnitzel. A massive portion of breaded pork cutlet smothered in creamy mushroom gravy and served with string beans, braised red cabbage and a potato pancake with applesauce was like a dream come true for someone of my extraction. Another winner was a special entrée one night but available as an appetizer on the regular menu, medallions of elk in a red wine sauce served with truffle mashed potatoes and sautéed vegetables garnished with plump blackberries. It was a perfect embodiment of Garling’s palate.
I really would have loved to follow that elk with a mousse, but no one seems to serve mousse anymore. Fortunately, its relative and latter-day favorite on the dessert menu, chocolate pot du crème, was among the options ($7). An unsolicited visit to our table by Chef Garling to inquire how our meal was, followed by glass of port on the house, confirmed what critics and regulars have been saying since Jackalope Grill opened its doors. It’s fine dining without pretention, served with a personal touch.
The Jackalope Grill
1245 SE 3rd St. (in the Scandia Plaza), 318-8435. Tues.-Sat., 5 p.m. to close
This article appears in Mar 12-18, 2009.
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Blah, ate there once…like so many eateries, overpriced and not that great. I went there with friends and they ordered the special, a steak with blue cheese on top for $28.00 Small serving, tasted wow, like a steak you cook on the grill at home…I had an $18.00 burger thinking wow…for $18 this better rock my world…sorry an In and Out burger kicked this burgers butt to another planet. Nice atmosphere, they make you feel like your someone special, but at then end…it is another over priced wanna be big city eatery that at the end the food comes out as it goes in…tasteless. My personal true opinion.
The Jackalope has been there a LOT longer than three years. Maybe you meant it’s been open three years under the present management.
I can’t see how Richard B. finds the food “tasteless,” unless he’s one of those guys who have anesthetized their taste buds with too much Tex-Mex food. The Jack is one of my favorite places for fine dining in Bend — consistently good food, carefully prepared, and the rack of lamb is simply the best I’ve had anywhere. I guess Richard should just stick with the In-and-Out Burger.
Best in Bend. jackalope and zydeco. Hmmm. I hope zydeco can remain tied for the best with the move downtown. Those two places are always superlative. On the (unfortunately) rare occasions I want to splurge, I skip the trendy spots and head to Skippers or the strip mall! Richard B. should stick with Outback.
Food was decent but won’t be back. Our first (and last visit) ended with the waitress taking 1/2 of my $20 steak and throwing it away. Our table was deep in conversation when the waitress cleared our plates without interrupting. In all my years of dining, this has never happened. An email to the owner via the website went unanswered. I want my $10 of leftovers back.
We went to the Jackalope Grill for our recent wedding anniversary and were thoroughly pleased with our meals, the service and the personal touch provided by both Tim and Kathy. I had the rack of lamb and it was just perfect. Perhaps Richard B. should go to a fine dining establishment like the Jackalope Grill and order something other than a hamburger.
“Our first (and last visit) ended with the waitress taking 1/2 of my $20 steak and throwing it away.”
WTF????
Why the hell did you let her do that? Why didn’t you stand up and say something?
I’ve never had that happen to me in ANY restaurant, and trust me, if it did I wouldn’t just sit there and allow it.
There is no better lamb in Bend. Not even Zydeco. At least one person in our party orders lamb every time we go so we can sop up the heavenly sauce.
It’s one of the few places where the chef isn’t overly impressed with himself. And Timothy has the RIGHT to be!
what a difference three years has made at The Jackalope! The Garlings move to Bend was a welcome addition to our culinary scene…….for those who haven’t experienced it, you are missing a great dining experience!