OPINION NEWS FEATURE SOUND CHOW SCREEN OUTSIDE CULTURE chow
menu off with a Pacific Northwest flair. The result is a menu that couldn’t be more
perfectly crafted for summer. The specialty cocktails follow suit. On a recent hot summer night I cooled down with a Desert Hound ($8): a tasty concoction of fresh grapefruit, gin or vodka and bitters. It’s like a Greyhound, but the bitters gave it a more subtle flavor. The Marionberry Margarita and K’s Special Deckside (iced coffee, chocolate liquor, Kahlua and cream) were also tempting. My four girlfriends and I decided to order
COME FOR THE SUN, STAY FOR THE GRUB. DINING Celebrating Summer
NW Urban Grill menu offers an eclectic mix of summery dishes BY SARAH CYR
Two summers ago Fireside Red was my
go-to for happy hour. With one of the larg- est decks in town and views of the Old Mill and the Deschutes River, my colleagues and I would frequently close shop a bit early to score one of the tables on the deck. Fireside Red closed last Spring and an-
other restaurant, Riverside Grill opened in its place shortly after. It never enticed me last summer for whatever reason and it, too, closed over the winter. So I was excited to catch wind that the newly opened restaurant in the space, NW Urban Grill, had been get- ting high marks around town.
QUICK BITES It’s So (Big) Easy
After Staccato and Cork, Riverside’s revamp AMY BELASEN AND RIC E JAMES
Those in the loop have probably already heard that
Bourbon Street Bend, a new restaurant with a New Orleans theme is set to open in the Staccato location by mid-July. I had a chance to sit down with owner Gavin McMichael (also owner of The Blacksmith Restaurant) to find out more about this soon-to-be new addition to downtown Bend. Amy: Tell me a little about the concept. Gavin: Seafood, soul food, really family friendly. We plan
to be casual in our approach to food and atmosphere. It’ll be good food, good times—just like the Big Easy. We are excited to bring Southern soul food into the downtown area at af- fordable prices. Amy: Kid friendly, that’s always good for Bend. But what
about those of us who prefer a seat at the bar? Gavin: At the bar, you can expect to see New Orleans fa-
vorites like hurricanes, mint juleps, sazaracs, plus a tableside, mix-it-yourself Bloody Mary bar with all of the ingredients to mix it however you want to. Amy: Ooh...I hope you are open for brunch. Gavin: Yes, we’re going to be open seven days a week for
breakfast, lunch and dinner, so it’s a place you really can stop by anytime.
Amy: Will food be sourced locally? Gavin: We will use as many local purveyors as we can, we
always make the effort to do that. This summer, patrons can look forward to a three-piece
band on the front patio playing live Jazz. On Friday and Saturday nights, live entertainment will include a sing-a- long piano. (AB)
FAREWELL CORK, HELLO COMMON TABLE Also making news downtown is the newly announced
plans for a non-profit restaurant in the space formerly oc- cupied by Cork. Common Table combines two of Bend’s signature values, a spirit of philanthropy and a love of good food. The idea isn’t totally new, it’s the founding vision for the popular Sagebrush Classic fundraiser at Broken Top. But the Common Table is taking a street level approach, using a combination of volunteers and a novel payment and voucher system that allows paying customers help feed Bend’s homeless population with the restaurant as a middle man.
THE BIG DOG AT RIVERSIDE
ROLLING RIVERSIDE Changes are also afoot at Riverside Market, which got a
pair of new owners in the form of Jon and Melanie Gaino. The husband and wife team have already made some cos- metic changes and other tweaks to the popular neighbor- hood gathering space, which was filled with soccer fans on a recent weekday to watch a world cup quarterfinal game. In addition to a new coat of paint, the couple has added el- evated bar-style seating outside the front door and plans to totally revamp the menu in the coming weeks. If you want a sneak preview, though, just ask for the Bend Burrito, a tri-tip stuffed flour tortilla with chile verde that is already winning fans, soccer and otherwise. (REJ)
A native Oregonian, Executive Chef
Timothy Nelson has worked all over the globe including the Caribbean, Europe and East Africa. These influences are nicely translated into NW Urban Grill’s menu, an eclectic mix of flavors, with tapas and small plates ($6- $13) heavily featured alongside soup ($7), salads ($7-$12), pizzas ($8-$12) and a short list of entrees ($15-$25). Jerk spices and sea- food fritters evoke the Caribbean. Pommes Frites and Risotto Balls suggest Europe. Baba Ghanoush perhaps reflects the Arab influ- ences in East Africa. And the gamey meats, wild mushrooms and local fruits round the
several items and share, in the spirit of the menu. The Sautéed Morel Mushroom Bruschetta with Boursin Cheese melted in our mouths and was the hit of the night. Crispy Home Cut Pommes Frites were ac- companied by a marvelous aioli sauce made from roasted garlic, herbs and whole grain mustard. The Shiraz poached pear compli- mented the flavors of the Crater Lake bleu cheese, shallots and hazelnut dressing of the Baby Arugula salad. For something a bit more filling, we or-
dered a Spicy Grilled Chicken Thai pizza and the Butternut Squash Ravioli entrée. The pizza had a peanut sauce with bean sprouts and Asian vegetables and would be the perfect choice if you were looking for something substantial without breaking the bank ($10). The small plates are what their name implies so be generous when ordering them. The Ravioli was the only disappoint- ment of the evening. The Cider Madeira Jus overwhelmed the dish, snuffing out any taste of the squash. Though there was no room for dessert, I
have it in my mental list of date nights with my husband to come back for dessert and a night cap in the coming weeks. The Bananas Foster, with dark rum, brown sugar and banana liquor caramelized over vanilla ice cream still beckons. NW Urban Grill is a bit tricky to find if you’ve never been there. It’s tucked back at
TSWEEKLY
Chew On This
Our new totally reinvented food page is now tsweeklychow. com and it’s packed with all kinds of delicious information like a new searchable directory of Bend’s numerous restaurants by price, location and cuisine type. You’ll also find our new online happy hour guide, Thirsty!, the most comprehensive guide to Central Oregon’s cheap eats and drinks. Other features include a new DIY reader review tool and a new foodie blog, Stuffed!, that will help you keep up with Bend’s ever changing dining scene. Bon Appetit, Bend.
the end of NW Wall Street, to the left of the Mill A building known for its distinct barn red-and-white exterior and tall clock tower. A generous happy hour (3 – 6 pm) offers
discounts on drinks, small plates and tapas. I’d highly recommend you hit it up if you’re on a budget. New to the deck are a pergola and a lounge area with cushioned seats and small tables. And though I selfishly hate to divulge a gem like this, I’ll let you in on a little secret…they take reservations for the deck.
NW Urban Grill
803 SW Industrial Way 541-728-0334
Dinner Daily 5-close. Happy Hour 3-6 Daily
www.nwurbangrill.com
JULY 8, 2010 / THE SOURCE WEEKLY / 27
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