Stuffed!

We've just heard that Brown Bag at 129 NE 2ndStreet, which re-opened under new ownership after closing its doors last March, has added a mobile pizza cart to the fare offered on Fridays. We talked to Chris Richer, who took over the establishment.

One of our favorite coffee shops, Backporch Coffee Roasters, is opening a second location in Century Center. They've also collaborated with Boneyard Brewing on Boneyard's newest beer, a chocolate espresso cream stout.

Currently, three Central Oregonians are in Italy for Terra Madre 2010. The bi-annual event from the Slow Food movement brings together delegates from 150 countries to discuss food sustainability.

Columbine Quillen, a Source Weekly contributor and bartender extraordinaire at The Blacksmith, alerted us to a booze-tastic sounding event this Friday. If you haven't heard, Bend has a brand new distillery, called Oregon Spirit Distillers, located on Butler Market Rd.

Boneyard Beer, one of our new favorite breweries in town, is hosting a dinner at Common Table tomorrow. We mentioned the dinner in our previous blog, but just got some more information that makes it sound like a must-go.

Common Table, the non-profit restaurant concept we wrote about last month (see the story here) has finally opened its doors! Common Table opened on September 24 and has seen a steady stream of guests coming in to check out the unique concept. Common Table, which acts as part restaurant, part soup kitchen and part conversation space, is open seven days a week and features a long wooden table that functions as a common eating space.

Lola's in the Breezeway, the restaurant that took over the prime Downtowner space downtown between Wall St. and Brooks St.

One of Bend's recently opened restaurants, the NW Urban Grill, has closed. We've received confirmation from a reliable source that after just five months of service, the restaurant has sold to the owner of the Brickhouse in Redmond, which will open a steak and seafood joint in the location.

If you watched Top Chef: Miami (season 3), you may remember Bend native Brian Malarkey steaming up the Miami location with his porkpie hats, huge smile and cooking skills, inspired by the Oregon countryside. Although he lost to Vietnamese-American cooking genius Hung, Malarkey has been doing pretty well for himself, having recently opened his own restaurant, Searsucker, in San Diego.

One of Bend's recently opened restaurants, the NW Urban Grill, has closed. We've received confirmation from a reliable source that after just five months of service, the restaurant has sold to the owner of the Brickhouse in Redmond, which will open a steak and seafood joint in the location.