Stuffed!

Bendites can help Japan's Earthquake victims by simpling raising a fork at Common Table this Sunday. The downtown restaurant/non-profit is hosting a fundraiser dinner featuring Japanese cuisine prepared by local Japanese women.

One of Central Oregon's biggest gatherings of local restaurants happens this weekend at COCC's Mazama Gym with the Taste of the Town. The event which features food from Thyme, Anthony's 10 Below, Tate and Tate and Deschutes Brewery among others is a fundraiser for the COCC foundation that provides scholarships to students in Central Oregon.

Sometimes Bend is flush with dining events, making me wish I had buckets of cash to blow on food and wine. Actually, I pretty much always wish I had buckets of cash, but sometimes the desire is especially great.

Spork is following up their successful two-day December pop-up restaurant with another pop-up this weekend, January 8 and 9. Basically the same deal as before: Spork will take over Cafe Sintra’s space for two nights.

We just drove by the former Rico's Tacos space on NE 3rd Street an noticed a beautiful beacon of light in the form of a sign announcing a new Vietnamese restaurant. I dropped in to talk to the owners, who were in the middle of some pretty heavy construction.

It’s a hard knock life out there for retailers. We’ve just heard the sad news – Allyson’s Kitchen, one of our favorite kitchen stores (and the best place to buy wine for Les Schwab summer concerts) is closing its Bend location this Friday.

Just a few short months after acquiring Marz Bistro, owner Gavin McMichael announced that he is revamping the downtown stalwart, re-opening the restaurant next month as Deco Bistro, which, according to the Bulletin will serve “classic American style bistro cuisin of the 1920s and 1930s” And if anybody has any idea what that is, let us know.

This past weekend, the staff of the Source gathered for our annual Holiday Party. This year, we had the pleasure of dining at Tumalo Feed Company.

Last night, I had the pleasure of attending Spork’s Pop-Up Supper Club at Cafe Sintra. Around 30 people showed up to the first of the two-night supper club, and like everyone else, I couldn’t wait to see what Spork’s executive chef Jeff Hunt could do with a full restaurant instead of a converted airstream.

We just heard from Jen’s Garden, the fine-dining restaurant in Sisters that rivals any of Central Oregon’s upscale eateries. Starting January 5, Jen’s Garden will be offering a “community table” option.