by LINDEN GROSS, One Stop Writing Shop It had been one of those days. I was ready for a cocktail. Really ready. The friends I met certainly didn’t argue. As usual, we opted for the house drink specials. At Pure Kitchen, those all have a tropical twist. My Thai Chili Side Car, a creamy,…
by LINDEN GROSS, One Stop Writing Shop “Do you and your friends want to order off the menu or should I just send out food?” asked Drake assistant general manager Chris Knight in anticipation of the restaurant review I’d be doing. The answer was easy. Bring it on! As excited as I was about…
by LINDEN GROSS, One Stop Writing Shop I heard three things right off the bat when Blue Pine Kitchen and Bar opened on Century in Bend where the Players Bar & Grill used to be. Started and manned by a group of restaurant folks, it’s a real foodie’s joint serving intriguing small plates. It’s…
by LINDEN GROSS, One Stop Writing Shop My dad discovered the Bend Brewing Company (or the BBC as it’s called) shortly after moving to Bend. Instead of holing up at home alone, he would head there more often than not for dinner. I know exactly why. The food is solidly dependable and the casual…
by LINDEN GROSS, One Stop Writing Shop I would have never known that this was the first time most of the COCC culinary students had even met—let alone cooked for—Elevation executive chef John Nelson. Although I had been advised to patronize culinary school restaurants closer to the end of the term than the beginning,…
by JEFF SPRY Cascade A&E Feature Writer Say goodbye to the sleek silver airstream as Spork, one of Bend’s most iconic mobile street-food kitchens is abandoning its vagabond ways and planting roots at a permanent indoor location this Spring. The big lease news broke late last month and co-owners Erica Reilly, Jeff Hunt, Chris Lohrey…
by LINDEN GROSS, A&E Feature Writer “We’re going to Kebaba for dinner,” my friend Diane announced over the phone. “You want to join?” Kebaba? For dinner? The small Middle Eastern restaurant has been a lunch favorite of mine for years, but somehow I’d never considered it as a dinner spot. Still, I knew that two…
by LINDEN GROSS, One Stop Writing Shop “Doing research. Checking out the menu,” my friend texted me after I had confirmed that we’d be heading to the Sunriver Brewing Company’s Brewhouse. “They have a few steelhead specialties. Nom. Nom. Um Portobello fries? I am so there.” Yes, we were off to a promising start. As…
by LINDEN GROSS, One Stop Writing Shop Most locals know that Crossings at the Riverhouse has been voted Best Steak in Bend three years running. So imagine my surprise when my dad told me that he and his partner had enjoyed a fabulous meal of salmon (him) and crab legs (her). I went online and…
by LINDEN GROSS, One Stop Writing Shop “I’ll get a falafel for lunch,” I thought, suddenly craving some Middle Eastern food. Then I realized that I was slated to review Mazza Bistro—the modest family-owned restaurant on Brooks which replaced the Pita Pit—that very evening. By the time I got to the restaurant, I was consumed…
