A New Favorite - Produce Row Cafe

Another girl's night out lead me to Produce Row Cafe in the industrial area of SE Portland. This restaurant is exactly my kind of place and I loved everything about it. It is casual and simple with a contemporary cafe feel.  We sat inside on our mismatched chair where the place was lively and fun and from what I could see, it looked like the atmosphere at the picnic tables outside was just as enjoyable.

There were quite a few beers on tap from all over the place with plenty of local choices. The bar was open with a large mirror as the backdrop. It had writing on it with a menu listing out whiskey and beer pairings. Okay, how awesome is that!

For our food choices, we ordered the pita pizza, mac n' cheese and the gyro. The menu names aren't long and glitzy but the food rocks! I made the mistake of sitting right next to the kitchen so we saw every dish go out. Everything looked delicious. Next time I am going back for one of the desserts - waffle sandwich. Yes, waffles! It comes with vanilla ice cream, peanut butter, bacon, honey and cinnamon. It looked to die for! Check out the menu online here.

As you can see, there are plenty of reasons why I would go back:

Great prices - nothing over $12!
Fresh, fun and flavorful food
Parking was WAY easier than in NW Portland :)
Fabulous ambiance

My only critique - our food took a little longer than it should of, 25 minutes? Seemed a little long for what we ordered, but not a deal breaker for me.

Find them at SE Oak St and 2nd next to the Tazo Tea building just across the river in Portland.

Produce Row -  204 SE Oak St 
M - F: 11am to 2am
Sat - Sun: 10am to 2am

Happy Hours
Mon - Sat: 4pm to 7pm (we love 7pm hh!)
Mon - Sun: 11pm to 2am

Endless Eats meets Seattle!

It was time for a vacation, which meant it was time for some new restaurants! Our destination cities were Seattle and San Francisco with a side of Sausalito. As you read the next series of posts, just remember Endless Eats is on a little field trip to Washington and Northern California.

The first stop in Seattle was the famous Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle. Let me start by saying it was torture walking by all the fresh vegetables, seafood and beautiful floral arrangements because I could not buy any to take back with me. But, for anyone visiting Seattle for the first time, I highly recommend walking through the market - rain or shine (most of it is covered.). We did stop for some tasty fish and chips during a happy hour at one of the local pubs. The pub even had a Dunkel beer from Leavenworth, Washington. The best find of the trip!
Next, we decided to burn the calories off by walking about 100 feet to the market's local brewery to get some more beer at The Pike Brewery Company. I cannot believe this was my first time trying their beer. I must say I was pretty impressed. We ordered a sampler so we could try six of their beers.

Here were the beers included:

Pike Naughty Nellie - Golden Ale (One of Dylan's favorites - a light beer with nice flavor and little bitterness)

Pike Pale Ale - Heirloom Amber

Pike IPA - Indian Pale Ale

Pike Kilt Lifter - Scotch Ale

Pike Tandem - Double Ale (This one was my favorite with flavors of coriander and sugar cane. So good!)

Pike XXXXX - Double Ale (If you like hops and stout beers, you will love this one - a little too bitter for me, but many love it)

We had a great time and I was excited to find out there are plenty of places in Portland to buy these beers.

Next time you are in Seattle, check out the brewery for yourself (they also have a happy hour!)

The Pike Brewing Company

1415 First Avenue, Seattle, WA 98105-2017

(206) 622-6044

Open from 11am to Midnight / Daily

Anyone recommend any other breweries in the Seattle area?

Stayed tuned for another post on Seattle eats...next is pizza!

Forkfly Event at Henry's Tavern

So tonight is a quick post - I had so much fun at dinner tonight sitting on the patio at Henry's Tavern on 12th in NW. It was nice weather again so we had to take advantage of it because Autumn is approaching quickly!

We went for happy hour, but sadly found out happy hour prices are not offered on the patio! Such a bummer. But, we also found out that Forkfly was putting on an event right next to Henry's patio for First Thursday. They were playing great music, giving away prizes and conducting this awesome scavenger hunt. We were just spectating, but we should have done it - people were winning ipads and hotel staysat The Benson!

Forkfly is this awesome app and social media tool that offers great discounts at Portland merchants. We used one for Henry's tonight - buy one appetizer, get one free! Follow them on Twitter for great deals.

I love my Thursday dinner club with my girlfriends and Henry's is always a staple place to go.

PROS: Fantastic beers on tap (good fruity ones too), extensive menu with lots of variety, great happy hour prices, large patio

CONS: No happy hour on the patio :(

Henry's Tavern

10 NW 12th Avenue
Portland, OR 97209

Sun-Thu 11am-11pm, Fri-Sat 11am-1am

Happy Hour: 4 - 6pm

503.227.5320

A night in The Pearl - Everett Street Bistro

Another night out with the ladies, but this time we enjoyed some fantastic fresh cafe cuisine at Everett Street Bistro. I have eaten lunch here before and I really enjoyed it so I decided to bring my girlfriends back for an evening out. My favorite part of this restaurant are the light colors and the french cafe ambiance. When you walk in, you are greeting by a cold case with delicious desserts, pastries and fresh baguettes. The place is a small, but the bar is open and the ceilings are high so it is spacious but cozy.

Since the weather was nice, we took advantage of the outdoor seating around the building. I figured I would just order water until I saw the cocktail menu! There was no way I was going to pass up a mojito or mango martini. I was not expecting such an extensive cocktail list at a bistro, but was pleasantly surprised. With our cocktails, we also ordered the Pomme Frites.

You can just read the description and see there is no need to stay more..."thinly sliced fried potatoes & garlic cloves tossed with rosemary & thyme served with lemon aioli." YUM! They are made in truffle oil so that makes them healthy right?

So, after we indulged in our fries, we somehow still had room for our entrees. I ordered the Carbonara Pasta, Kelsey ordered the Mac n' Cheese and Aly had the Pulled Pork Sandwich. We all wanted to try different things so we could compare of course.

The pork sandwich was fantastic. It was not your traditional pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw and barbecue sauce. This sandwich had avocado, a black bean spread and melted provolone on it. Oh yes, and did I mention it was huge and came with a side green salad too?!

Kelsey's mac n' cheese was made with smoked gouda, caramelized onions and house pancetta (she got it without the pancetta though). It also came with a side of garlic toast...just what we needed, as if the garlic fries weren't enough.

I had the carbonara pasta, but was not overly impressed. It had great flavor, but it was my least favorite out of the three. So, I would recommend the mac n' cheese if you want pasta. The menu seems to change as well and it looks like they have some other speciality pastas depending on the night you go.

I will return for a third time to Everett Street Bistro I am sure...even if it is just for those darn french fries!

1140 NW Everett Street
Portland, Oregon 97209
503.467.4990

Enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner! Take a look at the menus too.

Girl's Night Out at Cha Taqueria!

My girlfriends and I were long overdue for a girls night out, so we deciding on a happy hour at Cha! What a great outdoor dining destination on 21st and Everett. This restaurant is perfect for summer time because it has a fantastic outdoor ambiance. There are tables lining the streets, but also an entire covered area with a neat fountain as the focal point (it was not running tonight, but I imagine it would be really cool).


If you couldn't already tell by the name, the cuisine is Mexican. It is authentic with fresh, organic ingredients. Our waitress brought us out chips to start, but with a flare. It was a pile of blue corn tortilla chips with black beans, mexican cheese and guacamole on top. A very nice change from the traditional chips and red salsa.



Next, we ordered our drinks and we all got margaritas (of course), but not the traditional margarita - a hibiscus margarita! This was their daily special and I was sold the minute she said it. I am not a huge fan of the traditional margarita but I loved the sound of this one. $5 on their happy hour menu, which I thought was a pretty good deal. Also, for those who are not a fan of tequila, they will substitute it for another type of liquor.



For our food, we all ordered different small plates. We started with the chicken and potato taquitos. I have never had potatoes in Mexican food, but such a nice flavor with the salsa verde. I ordered the enchiladas de mole poblano and then the others ordered picaditas, nachos and pastor tacos (pastor is pork).

My enchiladas were pretty good, but I wish there were some more garnishes. It was just a chicken filling topped with onions and cilantro. Although, the mole sauce was very delicious - it was a perfect combination of rich chocolate and peppery spice. The nachos were a good size and came with pork or vegetarian. The corn chips have got to me homemade, they were so crunchy and fresh. I did not try the picaditas but they were loaded with sauteed vegetables and served on corn cakes. A great option for a vegetarian. The tacos also looked delcious, but spicy (take a look at the picture - covered in yummy red sauce).



Overall - great for outdoor seating, vegetarian options, service was great, happy hour with food and drink specials

Cha Taqueria and Bar

305 Northwest 21st Avenue
Portland, OR 97209-1141
(503) 295-4077

Happy Hours

Monday - Thursday 4-6
Friday, Saturday, Sunday 3-6
Late night Friday & Saturday 10 - 12

The Oregonian's Restaurant Guide - "Diner"

Just wanted to make sure everyone saw the insert in The Oregonian on Thursday, June 24th. It is a 2010 restaurant guide titled Diner. If you missed it, check out this link.

There are 78 of the "best" restaurants in Portland and surrounding areas. Castagna in SE Portland received the nod for the restaurant of the year. Have not been there...but looks like I need to try it! Check out this year's restaurant rising star and restaurant comeback of the year.

What a great resource and a fantastic guide for choosing your dining destination. And don't worry...it is not all fine dining or upscale restaurants. There are so delicious picks that won't break the bank.

My next stop - Kenny and Zukes in downtown Portland.

Also, don't forget - only a couple more days for Dining Month in Portland! Take advantage of the great deals.

A SE Portland Neighborhood Fav - Lauro Kitchen

Tonight I decided to take an outing over to SE Portland with my friend Will to visit Lauro Mediterranean Kitchen. I don't venture over to Southeast very often, but I know there are some fantastic restaurants over there, especially on Division Street. In fact, we drove right by Pok Pok, which is one of the many places I have been told to try.

When we arrived to the restaurant, we stood in the small waiting area behind a curtain in front of the main entrance. The restaurant had an open kitchen with counter seating for diners to watch the chefs in action. The rest of this bistro-inspired restaurant was also open so you could see the chefs cooking and the bartenders mixing from any seat in the house. A blackboard wall, adjacent to the bar, listed all the nightly specials and the rotating beers on tap. This place had a great vibe and is a neat place for locals to walk to for a fresh and flavorful meal.



The menu has a Mediterranean flare, but is not traditional, authentic Mediterranean food, as written on their Web site - "offering seasonal, locally sourced dishes inspired by the rich culinary traditions of the Mediterranean region." We had a hard time ordering because everything looked so good. The menu offered lamb, chicken, beef, salmon and other seafood dishes. Visiting a place like this reminds me that I could never be a vegetarian. With that said, I ordered the short ribs with mashed potatoes and asparagus. Will ordered the Lauro burger with Dry Aged Jack and Pommes Frites. We decided we better split each meal so we could taste a little of both. But first, we tried the Tender Fried Calamari with Portuguese Piri Piri Sauce. I was so proud of Will, it was his first time eating calamari and he actually had more than one piece!



When our entrees came, I ate the short ribs first and oh my gosh...the best short ribs I have ever eaten! They were so tender and cooked to perfection. The flavor was sweet and paired nicely with the savory mashed potatoes. Then, Will and I traded and I ate the rest of the burger. It was also good, especially with the jack cheese, but it did not blow me away like the short ribs. But, I did learn, you can get the Lauro burger and the calamari on the happy hour menu for close to half price!

I look forward to going back to this restaurant because I want to try the Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast. In the meantime though, I will be visiting one of Chef David Machado's other restaurants in the area, Nel Centro and Vindalho. I look forward to eating at Vindalho because I have never tried Indian cuisine before.

Go check out Lauro Mediterranean Kitchen at 3377 SE Division #106, Portland, OR 97202

503.239.7000

Sunday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Let me know what you think!

Cafe Nell - Nob Hill Happy Hour

I figure it has been way to long since I have written about a good happy hour in town. Last Friday I had a date with two of my best friends and we wanted to try a new place for happy hour. After flipping through my Portland Happy Hour Guidebook (which I do not use nearly enough), I came across Cafe Nell in NW Portland.

What a cute place! The bar area is not very big, only about five or six tables and a bar top. We were seated right away because we were there early in the evening, but I can see this place filling up quickly!

The drink menu was wonderful with a wide selection of different cocktails. The berry lemonade cocktail sounded incredible, but of course I went with a Belgium beer on tap. I could not pass up a refreshing Hoegaarden. I am regretting not trying that cocktail though. Looks like I have to go back...too bad. :) So yes, a few beers on tap and some by the bottle as well. I peaked at the wine list and it was extensive with a selection of Oregon wines as well as others from the Pacific Northwest.

As for the food menu - prices ranged from $1 (bread service) to $12 (steak and fries), but the average was about $4. We ordered the cheese plate to start which came with a smoked bleu cheese, Tillamook sharp white cheddar, apple slices, baguette slices and almonds. Yum! Next we ordered the chicken skewers with a black bean/corn salsa and sliders (BBQ Bacon and Cheddar). The sliders are small (go figure) but are tasty. The bacon was cooked to perfection! Each order of chicken skewers comes with two skewers on a bed of salsa...I only had a bite, but the chicken had nice flavor. Last, we had a craving for one more thing...fries. It was not on the menu but we had to ask. To our surprise, they do serve fries for $2 at happy hour, but it is not on the restaurant menu. So, if you are in the mood for some salty goodness...ask for the fries.

We spent over two hours at this happy hour and had a wonderful time. It was rainy and gloomy outside, but we were warm and cozy inside. Our service was fantastic and the waiters were very friendly. They took great care of us and we never had empty glasses. We were not disappointed...the perfect place for a date or just a girls night out.

Cafe Nell on NW 20th and Kearney

Happy Hours:

3 – 6 Tuesday – Friday

4 – Close Saturday

Click here for their happy hour menu (please note that this is slightly different than the one in the restaurant and their menu is subject to change). But do ask about their $2 drafts...it is on the drink menu in the restaurant but not online.

This must be meant for me - Downtown Portland Dining Month!

Oh my! Take a look at this great deal. For the month of June, several restaurants are taking part in Downtown Portland Dining Month. 3 courses for $25. You can't beat that. I think this deal was meant for me!

Click on the this link and check out some of the restaurants participating in Downtown Portland Dining Month -http://www.downtownportland.org/diningmonth/

Some listed are - Saucebox, Kell's Irish Pub, Red Star Tavern, Mother's Bistro, Bluehour, Rogue Brewery and so many more!

Check them out and leave a comment letting me know what you think!

Eat, Drink and Bid – Supporting the Newberg Education Foundation

This weekend I got to do two of my favorite things, eat and drink. Usually when I am drinking, it is not fine food and wines, but thanks to the annual Eat, Drink and Bid event at August Cellars, I was able to do both. This annual event is a fundraiser to support The Newberg Education Foundation featuring 22 wineries and 15 restaurants.



I must say I am very new to the wine world, so I went with the hopes to try all different types of wines and I certainly was not let down. At August Cellars, there are three levels of the winery and on each level there were different wineries and restaurants represented.

Our first two stops were Trisaetum and Dobbes Family Estate. I have sent guests to both of these wineries, so it was nice to finally taste the wine and put a name to a face. I then ventured over to Bon Appétit Catering and tried the seared ahi tuna with fresh orange on a won ton crisp. How was it? Well, let’s just say I went back for seconds. But, the second time around I took it in one bite instead going through the embarrassment of trying to be polite and take two bites.



Next, my boyfriend pointed out the sign for Sweetest Thing Cupcakes because he has heard me rant and rave about their tasty treats. Obviously, I insisted on him trying all three flavors – Peachy King, Strawberry Kiss (made special for this occasion) and Cowboy. I loved the Strawberry Kiss cupcake; it was filled with a chocolate ganache and topped with a sweet strawberry frosting. I request this become a permanent flavor at the bakery.

Of course I can go on and on about all the wineries and restaurants that were featured at the event, but there are just a few I tables I spent more time at than others. One was Anne Amie Winery. There were four wines featured – 2008 Cuvee A Amrita, 2008 Pinot Gris, 2006 Winemakers Selection Pinot Noir ( I learned that ’06 was a good year) and a pinot blanc. I am for sure a white wine kind of girl and I loved the pinot blanc! My boyfriend is more of a wine guy and likes reds, but even he liked their featured white wines. Their 2008 Pinot Gris was recently named the best pinot gris in Oregon by The New York Times.

Here are a few of our other favorites:

SubTerra - Try their version of mac n’ cheese! It was cavatappi pasta with candied bacon, oven-dried tomatoes and four different cheeses topped with sautéed arugula. Fantastic!



Honest Chocolates – A dark chocolate truffle with a caramel filling and topped with sea salt. The best truffle I have every tasted…honest. I stole my boyfriend’s sample because I needed seconds.

Fanucchi Oils – I think we were sampling savory olive oils and spreads for a good twenty minutes. These extra virgin olive oils are imported from Greece, Italy and the Mediterranean. We liked the basil garlic infused dipping oil and the Traditional Organic with a pepper finish the best.

Laurel Ridge Winery – The 2003 Pinot Noir Port was wonderful and went well with my raspberry dark chocolate from Honest Chocolates.

Golden Valley Brewery – So happy to see something familiar, a microbrew! Beer tasting is a little more normal to me, so I was happy to sample a refreshing blonde ale.

We had a blast and it was a great introduction to the Willamette Valley’s wine and cuisine. I highly recommend attending next year’s Educate Your Palate – Eat, Drink and Bid event!

Happy Hour at Blue Hour

What could be better than happy hour? How about Blue Hour? After many recommendations, I made my way to the lovely Pearl District in Portland and enjoyed drinks and snacks at Blue Hour. It is right on the corner of 13th and Everett. I cannot believe I have not been here before, it is such a staple restaurant for NW Portland. My guess is the prices...spendy dinner for someone like me, but I am sure it is well worth it if dinner is anything like their happy hour menu.

The simplicity of this restaurant is what I enjoyed the most. It is classic with neutral colors, elegant white linens and a touch of contemporary flare. The menu was also simple but still with plenty of choices and variety. Nothing was overwhelming about this place.

From the happy hour menu, a friend of mine and I shared three items and each had a drink. We stuck with the Pilsner and IPA they had on tap, but there was a lengthy wine list as well to choose from. We ordered the Bluehour burger, bruschetta and Roma tomato fonduta. The burger was tasty, served on a kaiser bun with smoked bacon and white cheddar. A classic happy hour item, but the best one I have had and for only $5! The bruschetta is a daily chef's special and we decided to give it a shot. It was a cauliflower puree topped with parmesan shavings and scallions. I never thought I would like a cauliflower puree but it was actually quite good. I ended up only eating about half of the portion because it was a lot of flavor for one bite. Last was the Roma tomato fonduta topped with goat cheese served with toasted baguette slices. This item was just okay, I definitely preferred the bruschetta and burger.

All in all, a fantastic happy hour for such a stellar restaurant. I know this places gets great reviews, but like I said, a little expensive for me to eat a meal there all the time. I highly recommend the happy hour because no food item is priced of $6. Some other dishes include a Margherita pizza, a white bean puree, garlic fries, salads and a cheese plate.

Go check it out on 250 NW 13th Avenue at Everett Street in Portland, 503-226-3394.

Brunch on Sundays - 10am.

Lunch (Mon-Fri) - 11:30 am.

Happy Hour - 4:30 to 6:30 pm every night (Saturday from 5:00), and late night after 10:00 pm.

Dinner and drinks - 5:00pm til late

via bluehour.com

[[

International Flavor - Salvador Molly's

Thanks to Groupon, I made my way over to Salavodor Molly's for some delicious international flavor! I purchased a Groupon for this restaurant a few months back and decided I needed to go and use my great deal. Salvador Molly's is a small place with less that twenty tables, including the bar area, but it is still fantastic! It is decorated with all kinds of international flare and you are served a bucket of peanuts when you are seated. My advice is to check this restaurant out during the week...the weekends are packed.



The dinner menu had a variety of cuisine choices from Argentina to Louisiana. I honestly could not decide what to order. My indecisiveness lead to a ten minute debate between the Bali Thai Green Jungle Curry, Drum Pan Jerk Chicken and the Key Largo Coconut Prawns. Yeah, I know, how did I decide? I am a sucker for Thai, so I went with the curry. I was definitely not disappointed with my choice. It was served in a large bowl with a heaping side of yellow rice. It had just the right amount of spice and loaded with shrimp. Yum.

My friend had the Molly's Hot Tamales, one of their specialties. This dish is served with a couple different fillings but she had the artichoke filling. The portion was huge and came with yellow rice, black beans and all the mexican toppings. I can say it was one of the most colorful looking plates I have seen. So, she ate in Mexico and I was in Thailand, it could not get any better.

Also, Salvador Molly's was featured on the Travel Channel's very own, Man vs. Food! Adam came to Portland to try to eat their Great Balls of Fire, which are hot Habanero cheese fritters. If you eat all five, your picture is taken and placed on their wall of fame. Up for the challenge? Not for me, I will stick to my mild curry.

So if you are struggling to decide on a place to eat, try Salvador Molly's, you have no excuse because they serve everything! They are off Sunset Blvd in SW Portland. Let me know what you think!

www.salvadormollys.com

Sunday - Tuesday	11:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Wednesday - Thursday	11:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Friday- Saturday	11:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Have a bite to eat and then see a show!

Recently, I just made a visit to The Venetian Theatre and Bistro. What a great place! This italian bistro is quaint and open for both lunch and dinner. We stopped in on a Sunday night, so it was pretty quiet, but I still enjoyed the overall dining experience.

We entered the building through the main entrance of both the bistro and the theatre. Since it was a Sunday, there were no shows going on, but there is an open bar that is accessible to both the dining guests and theatre guests. The ambiance was authentic and resembled a little italian restaurant with wine bottles lining the walls and small vases with flowers on the tables.

For dinner, I ordered the spinach manicotti and my boyfriend ordered the arrezzio pizza. The spinach manicotti was delicious, but very filling. The manicotti was covered in a garlic cream sauce and served with seasonal vegetables, including squash, peppers and zucchini. Well done for a traditional italian entrée. But, this was nothing compared to the pizza! The pizza was incredible and just piled high with delicious ingredients. The arrezzio pizza had italian sausage, pepperoni, artichoke hearts, peppers and more. It was an eight inch pizza and plenty for one person. I would highly recommend any of their pizzas, they all sounded excellent.



We really enjoyed our experience at The Venetian and next time we should go see a show and have dinner! The only complaint we had was about the iced tea...it was not freshly brewed. For some people this might me okay, but for us tea lovers, we like the real deal. The Nestea out of the soft drink fountain is just not refreshing.

Last, check out The Venetian on your birthday! You get a free entrée up to $15 and a piece of cheesecake! And on Sundays it is half off a bottle of wine when you buy two entrées. Great deal!

www.venetiantheatre.com

253 East Main Street
Hillsboro, OR 97123
(503) 693-3953

Welcome home Chipotle!

Chipotle finally comes to Eugene and it seems to be a big hit! Could that have anything thing to do with the free food and drinks? Maybe. But, either way, customers seemed excited as they waited anxiously in line for their free burrito.

I was one of the many customers today at the pre-opening for Chipotle on Coburg Road. For me, there was no promotion necessary because I have been eating at Chipotles around the Portland area for awhile and have been awaiting the Eugene store's grand opening.

For those of you not familar with Chipotle, it is a trendy Mexican grill offering a variety of burritos, tacos, bowls and salads. The style of the restaurant is simple and unique, using metal and wood as their textiles of choice. According to their Web site (www.chipotle.com), they believe the food tastes better in a cool environment, so that is the inspiration behind the design of each restaurant. Chipotle values quality food that is natural, unprocessed, organic and sustainable. I think this type of product line will mesh well with the Eugene locals.

Now for the food - I am obviously bias because I have been eating at Chipotle for a couple years, but I think it is pretty darn good. Customers have a choice of beef, chicken, pork or vegetarian. These protein choices can then be combined with veggies, rice, pinto or black beans, cheese, lettuce, salsa, a corn mix, guacamole and sour cream. Your meal is prepared right in front of you, similar to the style of a Subway or Qdoba. My personal favorite is the chicken tacos with a side of guac and their fabulous tortilla chips. The food is good, served quick and there is a lot of it. One perk is Chipotles have their liquor license, so you can order a refreshing Corona on the side to pair with your Mexican meal.

The new Chipotle is located on Coburg right next to the car wash, across the street from the Verizon Wireless store. It is also right across the street from a Baja Fresh, I wonder how much this will affect their business?

Be sure to bring you appetite for their grand opening tomorrow, June 4, from 11a.m. -8p.m. for FREE FOOD!

For all those new to Chipotle, I would love to hear your feedback! Let me know what you think...

www.chipotle.com

Worth the wait - Dickie Jo's Burgers

I give thumbs up to the new 1950's diner-style restaurant in Eugene on 13th and Pearl, Dickie Jo's Burgers. It is not your typical diner with all the poodle skirt fluff; it is trendy and updated with some delicious burgers and ice cream.

This restaurant is another "Westraunt Concept" prototype of Phil and Jim West and first of its kind, so give it a chance. It is an affiliate with local restaurants, Mucho Gusto and Fina Taqueria. Yesterday was only their fifth day open, so there are still have some quirks to work out, but I have no complaints.



The menu is similar to any other diner with hot dogs, hamburgers, fries, onion rings, wedge salads, sandwiches and chili. The price point is not too bad, at about $6 - $8 for a meal. All their meats are naturally raised and made special for this restaurant without all the injected hormones. Always a plus!

Coming soon to the menu: a chicken salad and a chicken salad sandwich.

The best part of this place is their ICE CREAM. If you want rich, creamy, thick ice cream, this is your place. I had a chance to talk to the owner about their specialty, "It is made with some of the best flavors and is like Haagen Dazs coming out of a soft serve machine." He explained that is it traditional ice cream, served softly. As for me, it is quite honestly the best ice cream I have ever had!

Perks other than the food

- Two big screen televisions

- Great dining experience with an upbeat staff

- Fun, classic tunes, not your typical 50's genre.

- Refillable drinks, try the lemonade!

- Food served to you in 10 minutes or less (once the kitchen quirks are worked out)

I recommend everyone check this place out because I plan to go back. The owner assured me that everything will be running smoothly soon and he plans to open more Dickie Jo's if this one is a hit! I wish them the best of luck!