Quick Bites: Confessions of an Iron Chef Judge

When Source publisher Aaron Switzer asked me to be a judge in the Iron Chef competition at the Bite of Bend last weekend, I thought, “How hard could it be?”

Because I don’t watch television, I had never seen the show. But thanks to the pervasiveness of pop culture, I knew there would be two chefs competing head-to-head, a secret ingredient, and some creative dishes. My only hope was that I wouldn’t have to eat anything disgusting, like shrimp or scallops, oysters or organs.
The first competition on Saturday was a breeze, at least for me. Two chefs faced off over game hen. Both appetizers and entrees were exquisitely presented and delicious. There was shrimp involved, but not too much. There was wine and sunshine. Life was good.
Blue Olive at Brasada Ranch and Jackalope Grill went head to head in the second round, but I remember the secret ingredient the most: pork belly. Basically, this is a fresh slab of bacon. Anyone who knows me knows I love bacon. In my world, the food pyramid is wrapped in bacon. I host an annual Pork of July party. When emcee Sandy Henderson of BendFilm asked the judges how we felt about pork belly, I gushed that I was in hog heaven.

When Source publisher Aaron Switzer asked me to be a judge in the Iron Chef competition at the Bite of Bend last weekend, I thought, "How hard could it be?"
 
Because I don't watch television, I had never seen the show. But thanks to the pervasiveness of pop culture, I knew there would be two chefs competing head-to-head, a secret ingredient, and some creative dishes. My only hope was that I wouldn't have to eat anything disgusting, like shrimp or scallops, oysters or organs.
The first competition on Saturday was a breeze, at least for me. Two chefs faced off over game hen. Both appetizers and entrees were exquisitely presented and delicious. There was shrimp involved, but not too much. There was wine and sunshine. Life was good.
Blue Olive at Brasada Ranch and Jackalope Grill went head to head in the second round, but I remember the secret ingredient the most: pork belly. Basically, this is a fresh slab of bacon. Anyone who knows me knows I love bacon. In my world, the food pyramid is wrapped in bacon. I host an annual Pork of July party. When emcee Sandy Henderson of BendFilm asked the judges how we felt about pork belly, I gushed that I was in hog heaven.

Piling it High at Volo.Ah, downtown Bend, the heart of Central Oregon. Its quaint small town look mixes with urban sidewalk urban appeal;. There are even “lofts” (note: not apartments) to promote downtown luxury living, which is a far cry from the days in which the only folks who lived downtown were those who needed to be in walking distance of the nearest bar.

Volo is the new and hip thing (albeit lesser known) and its opening carried almost as much hype as the opening of Deep. Dressed in black, grey and white the interior of Volo is a combo of modern and ’80s retro, recalling a time when stark color contrasts were a la mode.
The room is artfully carved into three sections by grand metal sculptures. The bar, which has the most jubilant atmosphere of the restaurant, is staffed with ridiculously good-looking people attentively serving house drinks like the Purple Haze, Glacier Ice Cosmo and Roses are Red to well-heeled clientele soaking up the see-and-be-seen ambiance.

Piling it High at Volo.Ah, downtown Bend, the heart of Central Oregon. Its quaint small town look mixes with urban sidewalk urban appeal;. There are even "lofts" (note: not apartments) to promote downtown luxury living, which is a far cry from the days in which the only folks who lived downtown were those who needed to be in walking distance of the nearest bar.
 
Volo is the new and hip thing (albeit lesser known) and its opening carried almost as much hype as the opening of Deep. Dressed in black, grey and white the interior of Volo is a combo of modern and '80s retro, recalling a time when stark color contrasts were a la mode.
The room is artfully carved into three sections by grand metal sculptures. The bar, which has the most jubilant atmosphere of the restaurant, is staffed with ridiculously good-looking people attentively serving house drinks like the Purple Haze, Glacier Ice Cosmo and Roses are Red to well-heeled clientele soaking up the see-and-be-seen ambiance.