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The menu changes seasonally and is posted weekly so everyone’s experience may vary, though some dishes like the focaccia and beets seem to be signature offerings. They offer a few non alcoholic beverages and are otherwise BYOB. Overall we were impressed with the flavors and textures of all the dishes in bringing us both something familiar but also new – no wonder Pietramala made Bon Appetit’s list as well as Esquire’s list of Best New Restaurants in 2023 and VegNews Best 28 Vegan Restaurants in America listed it as 2023 Best New Vegan Restaurant.

Small Plates

– Market Lettuces, tarragon vinaigrette

– Focaccia, charred leek

– Golden Beets, preserved beet aioli, sour chard

This dish was my favorite of the three small dishes – I only knew this because of my research ahead of time, but the description is vague on purpose to surprise you with the flavors of a new york reuben and deli chips lunch!

Medium Plates

– Asparagus, fresh tofu, spring onion jus, porcini oils

My favorite of the three medium sized dishes, I could eat just this dish alone, and would have loved to have this perhaps on some jasmine rice to help soak up all the jus and oil. The only negative was that as a shared dish this is pretty difficult to eat with the broth and small individual plates for each of us – rice would have solved that problem too. But I’m sure there isn’t anyone growing rice locally for them to source from. BTW although the menu doesn’t list the farms, you can see them on their Instagram posts and even behind the scenes of making the dishes.

– Hakurei Turnips, nettle-ramp pesto, black walnut, crosnes

Loved the sear and flavor, the only reason this dish was not the favorite is that the turnips were really firm and I wish they had just been an itsy bit softer.

– Roasted Japanese Sweet Potatoes, chili oil, sumac tahini

I loved how crispy these sweet potatoes were – the sauce was nice but the sweet potatoes were so flavorful I found myself scraping some of the sauce off to just enjoy pure sweet potato flavor. My second favorite of the three, but it was a hard choice between this and the asparagus dish.

Large Plates

– Parsnip Piccata, day lily shoots, housemade capers

The texture of this dish was surreal in its perfection of crisp exterior almost like a schnitzel that makes it better than it’s inspirational meat version and this dish’s firm interior with creamy yet bright lemony piccata sauce. I appreciate that they pounded the heck of this and posted this to their gram.

– Cabbage, celeriac, horseradish, dill

I like the idea of this dish, but perhaps I was unlucky that I got a piece that had a lot of that freshly grated horseradish on it and other forkfuls were more plain – would have also liked to see a little bit more char to the cabbage but that’s personally how I love my cabbage – well roasted.

– Tortelloni, green garlic, cashew ricotta, spring greens

One dining guest at my table was looking forward to this the most and was rewarded for waiting for this second to last savory dish to the table. I love the jumbo size of the tortelloni, but with it’s lighter representation of spring I wish it had some earlier among these four larger dishes so we could have appreciated it more. Usually the server cleared and replaced our little individual plates and silverware between the small and medium to large dish changes, but they also did so between the parsnip and cabbage dish – perhaps precisely because of the strong flavors of the cabbage dish vs more delicate tortellini.

– Comb Tooth Mushroom, yellow eye bean miso, heirloom polenta

I loved this meaty combo of the mushrooms and polenta and especially the little fingers of this mushroom which were a little crispy. My favorite of the large dishes.

Dessert

– Crostata, chocolate, magnolia, macadamia

Would you expect this dish to be served warm or cold was the discussion – what would you think?

– Ginger Custard, preserved fruit, quinoa granola

– Scoop, celery ice cream sandwiched between tomato miso, sesame cookie

The celery-ness of the ice cream was a surprise initially but was refreshing and paired well with the chewy tomato miso cookie with a touch of sesame.

Thanks Waz Wu for your recommendation to visit Pietramala! I hope one day Veganizer can entice the chef to come visit Portland and perhaps do a collab or showcase. The in-laws I visited in Conshohocken rarely come into Philadelphia so I had to narrow it down to only one request in the city – and Pietramala was worth trading away any other Philadelphia stop this trip.

The post Pietramala Vegan Dinner in April by Pechluck appeared first on Pechluck's Food Adventures.

• My first time in April 2014 at the Yakuza Lounge
• June 2014 Firefly Menu
• July 2014 Tanabata Mitsuri
• Haruki Murakami August themed pop-up
• Totoro Theme
• MacDonald’s Menu
• Twin Peaks Dinner
• Hardcore Omakase Sushi 2015
• Harajuku Theme
• Hardcore Sushi Omakase Feb 2016
• Yurukyara Grand Prix, a Nodoguro Mascot Dinner
• SupaHardcore June 2016 edition
• Trip to Nara
• Princess Mononoke Sousaku
• Twin Peaks Dinner Version 2
• Peter Cat Pop up Lounge
• Supahardcore 2019
• Izakaya in the Canaries
• Nurturing Your Kokoro in the current space

Recently I enjoyed my first hand roll night at Nodoguro which was an incredible experience as to be expected. This format is a little bit more casual in that you will create your own hand rolls rather than have multiple coursed dishes, but with the outstanding premium options you cannot go wrong with any combination you might try.

As always, the atmosphere is impeccable at Nodoguro, with variations for the seasons and thoughtful fun details. I visited during March, before Easter.

All the guests were each welcomed with an amazake probiotic drink with the colour you see from blueberries as well as invited to take a tarot card to see what our fortune may say.

We started with Oysters with citrus mignonette with black pepper. The smaller deeper one is Blue Pool from Washington and then the bigger one is Beausoleil from Canada.

Next was the Nodoguro version of Caeser salad with chicory and the Caeser dressing has miso, dashi

Finally, the main tray with Nori, rice, house soy sauce, along with some pickled ginger palate cleanser and miso soup and the hand roll component options include

• • Uni from Hokkaido
    

• • Ikura cured in soy sauce and dashi
    

• • Creamy Masago Iwate Scallop
    

• • Dungeness Curry crab
    

• • Cucumber with umeboshi
    

• • Negitoro
    

• • King Salmon tartare with soy sauce, capers, onion
    

• • Shima ahi tataki with young miso and shiso, sesame seeds
    

What combinations would you try in your Handroll?

Miso Soup was available along with pickled ginger as we embarked on our DIY handroll adventures, and we closed with and Dessert with tea. Non-alcoholic beverages are available and you can also bring your own alcoholic beverage of choice with no corkage.

Previous Nodoguro Posts

• My first time in April 2014 at the Yakuza Lounge
• June 2014 Firefly Menu
• July 2014 Tanabata Mitsuri
• Haruki Murakami August themed pop-up
• Totoro Theme
• MacDonald’s Menu
• Twin Peaks Dinner
• Hardcore Omakase Sushi 2015
• Harajuku Theme
• Hardcore Sushi Omakase Feb 2016
• Yurukyara Grand Prix, a Nodoguro Mascot Dinner
• SupaHardcore June 2016 edition
• Trip to Nara
• Princess Mononoke Sousaku
• Twin Peaks Dinner Version 2
• Peter Cat Pop up Lounge
• Supahardcore 2019
• Izakaya in the Canaries
• Nurturing Your Kokoro in the current space

The post Nodoguro Handroll Night by Pechluck appeared first on Pechluck's Food Adventures.

Which pairing do you want to try?

Scotch Lodge:

CURIOSER AND CURIOSER: Shiitake Butter-Washed Westward American Single Malt, Giffard Cacao, Vanilla
TARTARE PAIRING: Pine Nuts, Shiitake, Cacio de Roma, Rakkyo
(raising funds for Zenger Farm)
I admit this was my favorite because I loved how the two complimented each other, and it was the cocktail that I was the most tempted to have a second round. I didn’t think the Cacio crisp was that great of a vehicle for the tartare, but I was more than happy to scoop it up by the spoonful directly to my mouth and take a bite of crisp. Be careful though – once you visit Scotch Lodge you may find yourself staying to order more of the incredible food and drink here, soaking up the elegant speakeasy vibes, and never proceed forward on your tartare crawl!

Bellwether Bar:

NO. 56: Westward Whiskey Original, Salted Maple Syrup, Tiki Bitters and Citrus Oil
TARTARE PAIRING: Northwest Beef, Cured Duck Yolk, and Aioli served with Rustic Sourdough
(raising funds for Milk Crate Kitchen)
This cocktail has a sweet saltiness from the maple syrup, but is the perfect balance for the classic tartare here which has a touch of saltiness to it and that freshly toasted buttery bread is so good we asked for extra just of the bread. I love that they have an outdoor patio space in the back that is covered and has some heaters if the weather is nice, but the homey interior of this Mt Tabor bar is also so comforting and cozy.

Olympia Provisions:

RAWHIDE: Westward Whiskey Original, Fennel Simple Syrup, and Cardamom Bitters
TARTARE PAIRING: Teres Major, Chopped Cerignola Olives, Shallots, Chopped Parsley, Freshly Ground Black Pepper, and Olive Oil
(raising funds for Zenger Farm)
The most classic of the pairings, and the one where I was able to appreciate the taste of the steak the most as they kept the additions simple. Tucked into an industrial building in an industrial SE area, but if you visit you cannot miss also getting one of the iconic charcuterie boards that sets the standard I think in Portland and maybe even the US (at least for me) of delicious meat spreads. Plus, rest easy that OP sources sustainable meat, is family owned and run, and has a mission to revolutionize the industry with regenerative agriculture, which is very important to me.

LeChon:

STAINED GLASS: Westward Whiskey Original, Pineapple Rum, Aloe Liqueur, Luxardo, Honey and Lemon, Garnished with a Cherry
TARTARE PAIRING: Snake River Farms Wagyu Beef, Fermente Fresno Peppers, Pickled Pebre, Aji Crema
(raising funds for Hunger Free Oregon)
This one starts to diverge from classic to new adventure profiles in flavors. With the addition of the Pineapple Rum and Aloe Liqueur this cocktail has a stronger citrus and herbal flavor where the whiskey is more in the background, which may be perfect if you have imbibers who may not want strong whiskey flavors. Meanwhile, there is more heat with this tartare with the spicy chip and the peppers so you will want the fruity fun of the Stained Glass to cool you down! I love recommending LeChon for when you have a party with multiple food diets as their tapas menu can accommodate everyone.

Fools & Horses:

TALLOWED GROUND: NY Strip-Washed Westward Whiskey Stout Cask, Pan Fried Capers, Dill, Olive Juice, Lemon, Simple Syrup and Egg White
TARTARE PAIRING: Prime Organic Grass-Fed Top Sirloin, Shallots, Caper, Herbs and Dijonnaise served on Parmesan Mushroom Risotto Cakes
(raising funds for Hunger Free Oregon)
This is the most “out there” of all five of the participating restaurants. The Tallowed Ground cocktail surprised me with every sip where it could be salty or sour, it could be creamy, it could be citrusy, thanks to their unusual craft ingredient list. This was a contender for the best steak tartare of the bunch with the fun texture contrast with the crispy risotto cake, but the amount of steak tartare was so small it was more of a risotto cake dish with some tartare than a steak tartare dish. Of the five participating locations, this is the one that feels much more like hip bar than restaurant or elegant speakeasy, with fun music and trendy flirty vibes.

I loved how each restaurant offers a totally unique take on the cocktail and the tartare – and you can order each separately. This is only available for a limited time so I hope you can take your Portland Tartare Tour! Where are you going to head to?

The post Portland Tartare Tour by Pechluck appeared first on Pechluck's Food Adventures.

I recently went on a media tour with the Oregon Albacore Commision and learned so much, and wanted to share it with you so you can also make your own informed decisions. I am not being compensated for this – I want to share my education on how to practically support local and those who care and want to be good custodians of our environment and ecosystem.

If you are interested in taking a seafood tour yourself, look for a Shop at the Dock tour during the summer which like my tour, is led by Oregon Sea Grant from Oregon State University – shout out to Amanda Gladics for her teaching me so much (pictured below to the left) and Jeff Wong of Community Supported Fishery for taking time for us as well to tell his origin story as independent fisherman tale. You can also find workshops via Shifting Tides.

Oregon fishermen are a network of almost all local, independent fishing families, some of whom have been part of the fishing industry for generations. Most of the boats are smaller than you think – 30-50 feet long, with a crew of maybe 5 people are less. Specialized equipment, fishing expertise and safety knowledge is needed because the boats must go out 30 miles or more offshore, so those who make a living as fisherman have made an investment financially and of their time to build the maritime professional proficiency.

Oregon albacore tuna is caught one at a time, by hand, using hook and line fishing methods such as a tuna troller (educational pdf) or live bait jigging (video example) – no nets and by-catch mortality of seagirds and other marine mammals and other harmful effects of driftnet (Wiki article) which happens outside of Oregon and are the opposite of sustainable fisheries management practices and have negative consequences to the ocean ecosystem. It is important to support with your choice of where you spend your money those who are promoting alternative processes to prove out that they can be successful and as consumers we prove it matters.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries directory, Pacific Albacore Tuna is not overfished and is being sustainably managed and responsibily harvested under US regulations and has minimal habital impact. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program lists Albacore on their Best Choice/Buy First list. The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) notes that sustainably managing fish stocks are a win for the ocean and for humans, for the fish to be more productive and for millions of people in coastal communities who depend on fishing for employment and food security. During this tour, I learned that there is a respect and gratefulness that many fishermen have for the lives this profession take, but also all that the taken lives support, from catch to transport, production, and all the people in between from ocean to table.

This is not true for all albacore you may purchase, but Oregon Albacore is caught young, usually when they are 3 – 5 years old from their lifespan of 10 – 12 years, which is before their reproductive age. The tuna have not accumulated much mercury and still are rich in omega-3 oil – three times as much Omega 3s as any other type of tuna. The main season when the North Pacific albacore migrate to the US west coast from Japan could be from June through October. During that time you may even see signs along different towns on the Oregon Coast and have the opportunity to purchase directly from the boat at the ports from the fisherman. The Albacore fishing fleet is around 350 boats working from 13 ports along the Oregon Coast. Here’s two example boats outfitted with Albacore Tuna equipment.

Oregon albacore is usually fresh from smaller fisherman at the docks, or fresh-frozen at sea for larger boats because of the offshore distance from land. Some boats will bring the albacore to be processed in local businesses, varying from loins, tuna belly, etc. sold frozen or in pouches or in cans from microcanning operations where the albacore is placed raw in the can and cooked once in it’s own juices. This is unlike larger commercial operations where the tuna might be cooked twice, losing juices and flavor. Here’s an example where we compared from top to bottom, the canned tuna from Bumblebee, Wild Planet Foods, and CS Fishery.

You can see how much more watery already the flavor will be from the more mass produced, twice cooked albacore versus the natural juices as you get to the local microcanned version. The can might retail a little higher in price, but you are getting it back many times in quality.

Are you concerned with the fish being frozen? Don’t be! OSU taste tests recently showed that consumers and chefs can’t tell the difference and frozen seafood performs better than fresh! Technology has changed in ability and quality to freeze at sea using blast or brine freezing, and the time from the seafood out of the sea to frozen versus “fresh” and stored and traveled to be processed (and possibly thawed and refrozen and thawed again), to finally in your hands may be significantly longer and deteriorate the seafood much more. Frozen fish might not just be better quality, it also means you can enjoy it year-round, and helps fishermen weather demand through different markets economically and harvest yields.

The firm and juicy albacore meat usually works well in a variety of food preparations, from canned, barbecued, smoked, grilled, sauteed, raw for sushi or poke – so many possibilities with this flakey fish. During dinner prepared by Chef Maylin Chavez who has been touring up and down the Oregon Coast helping tell fisherman stories with Tommy the Fishmonger of the Fishmonger show, we had albacore many different ways, including

• Raw! Part of a beautiful seafood platter with aguachile verde and pickled carrots on an oyster
  
• From the can! I particularly loved the presentations here as they took the time to carefully bring different private microcannery labels for us to see all the choice we have. This was a canned albacore tuna tostada, using miso, tahini, escabeche, cucumber, and avocado mousse. It was a great moment to remove the tostada to see that intact filet for us to flake ourselves.
  
• Raw again, this time as a ceviche/crudo Blue Evolution kelp, with salsa negra and aji amarillo dashi mushrooms and charred corn
  
• Cooked as Oregon Albacore Chiles en Nogada in anticipation of at the time the incoming Mexican Independence Day. Here the tuna is lightly confit, stuffed in poblano chiles with Maryhill peaches, cranberries, tomatoes, cumins and spices and smothered with this red walnut and almond sauce, with tuna used instead of the typical ground meat
  

In a memorable moment of connection and chorus of “hi!!!” back and forth between screens, Oregon Albacore Commissioner Rick Goché and owner of family business Sacred Seas Tuna showed us a livestream from one of his fishermen on his boat at golden hour of the sunlight streaming over the ocean surface as dolphins and tuna swam around the boat – no fish were biting, but one of those moments of appreciation for those awe inspiring beauty of the sea. Also there’s a lot of technology that can go on those boats now including Starlink Satellite Internet connections.

• How can you be a practical part of supporting People and the Ocean with Oregon Albacore Tuna? Look for Oregon Albacore when you are dining out or at the grocery store. Try a can of Oregon tuna and see for yourself the difference from the tuna you remember from your childhood. Instead of exporting the seafood, the commission hopes to have most of their catch consumed domestically and locally here. Your purchase of even one frozen filet or canned albacore makes a difference.
• Would you like to know more about how to purchase seafood, be it it off the docks on your trip to the coast or from the markets – please check out the Oregon Sea Grant’s buying guide.
• If you are looking for some excellent fish and chips, check out this excellent list of where you can find Oregon Coast fish and chips or her broader list of just where to eat and drink on the Oregon Coast where the restaurants support oregon based fisheries and farms.

Extra love to the other ladies who were part of the media tour and the dinner beforehand – photo courtesy of Judiaann Woo. Tuna Thanks – sorry I stole that Jennifer!, to those who helped put this together to tell these tuna tales – such as Ericka Carlson, Jennifer Burns Bright, Amanda Gladics of Oregon Sea Grant, Alanna Kieffer of Oregon Seaweed, Rachelle Hacmac. I admire the passion and love you have for the sea and its bounty and the community it supports and that you are all building together as stewards and the voice for those who are less articulate (like tuna).

The post Supporting People and the Ocean with Oregon Albacore Tuna by Pechluck appeared first on Pechluck's Food Adventures.

Friendship

Chrysanthemum, Bush Beans, Maple. This is a custard infused with chrysanthemum with haricot vert and yellow wax beans and I believe maple blossom at the top adding some intriguing textures. His vegan version has a cashew custard.

Far and Near

Carrot, Caramelized Farro, Sea Urchin. This is a caramelized farro waffle where my version has sea urchin and his vegan version had a kohlrabi puree, both topped with these painstakingly slices carrots. This was my favorite wine discovery from sommelier Ron Acierto, a Clos Cobonne Tentations Rosé Cotes de Provence 2022. It was so refreshing and crisp that really elevated and smoothed the briny richness of the sea urchin with its round palate and hint of fruit balanced with edge of minerality. Luckily we got to revisit this again as it was also the pairing for the next course. I often find rosé beautiful but just a touch on the sweet side for me, and this blend that uses a varietal special to Provence, Tibouren, gives this IMHO the perfect mix of accessible, easy-drinking brightness with layers of complexity. This is why you always go with wine pairings – to discover and learn while also enjoying your fine meal.

Suntouched

Sungold Tomato, Oxheart Tomato, Tomato Leaf. Not surpringsingly one of his favorite courses, we both had the same dish here highlighting the best bounty of summer, tomato, here in a tomato puree you can see peeking from the bottom.

Soil

Black Truffle, Currant Tomatoes, Briar Rose Cheese. Instead of the cheese his vegan version used miso. Mine was on some sort of shortbready-cookie cracker that I could pick up to nibble on, while his was enjoyed with a spoon.

Tropical Notes

Gagon Melon, Fig Leaf, Clam. The rice fig leaf milk in mine has some cream (vegan version did not have cream) and mine had geoduck.

Warm Winds

Zucchini, Douglas Fir, Miso. Mine has smoked caviar and is accompanied by a laminated brioche. His version uses a cashew cream

Pollinators

Foie Gras, Nasturtium Flowers and Honey. His version doesn’t have the foie gras or honey/Willamette Valley pollen of course, his is kohlrabi poached in shoyu with fermented buckwheat. My fermented buckwheat is rolled in the pollen and overall served on an almond sable. Both have the crown of orange marigold petals and yellow nasturtium petals.

New Beginnings

Red Okra, Sea Bream, Rose. His version uses amazake custard with the burgandy okra and rose oil with grey morel mushroom. It was the only time I think his vegan dish was better than the regula rone as the sea bream was very light and although delicious, the intensity of flavor absorbed by his mushroom, and the crispy outside meaty inside texture was more fun. This was his favorite course.

Bread Course

Right before the next listed course, we also got our unlisted bread course, his with olive oil from San Sebastian Spain, mine with softened house cultured butter, and Jacobsen sea salt. The country sourdough bread is made fresh for service daily using an outdoor wood fired oven at the farm,

Marine Layer

Dungeness Crab, Crocus, Peppers. Mine is a steamed dungeness crab and crab saffron custard while his is sunchoke with cashew saffron custard, both with giardiniera peppers.

Transformation

Grass-fed Beef, Rainbow Chanterelle, Cabbage. His version features a Koji Steak instead of my strip loin. Sadly, this was my least favorite course – I found my beef a little too saltiness in the coffee rubbed crust, and his koji steak had absorbed a little bit too much oil even though the texture was perfectly crisp. The wine more than made up for it though! This was an incredible double pairing of a beautiful rich Marchesi di Tradicional Barolo 2018 and a Colene Clemens Victoria 2021 Pinot Noir.

Bramble

Blackberry, Licorice, Buckwheat. Blackberry ice, buckwheat cookie, his didn’t have the cookie I think – I remember it looking a little flatter lol.

Cloud Cover

Raspberry, Koji, Citrus. Raspberry essence with a ladyfinger, and citrus leaf foam and sweet cream ice cream. His version has fresh raspberries and raspberry essence and amazake ice cream and passionfruit. We joked that his form is more hailstone than cloud like mine.

Ending and Beginning

Chocolate, Hazelnut, Chicories. Hazelnut chicory anglais for him and chicory anglais for me, with a dark chocolate sponge cake, chocolate semi-freddo, and chocolate hazenut semi-freddo glazed in caramlized amazake.

More Dessert

Not listed in the menu was more dessert! Not vegan, a crisp brushed with hazelnut with puffed rice. And a bowl of fresh summer fruit of cherry, blackberry, blueberry, ground cherries.

We also received some sweet little boxes of chocolate caneles to take home with us, which we enjoyed with coffee in the morning. It was a wonderful food and wine adventure, and even as we were walking out the door, we were already talking about returning when they change for the final summer chapter (Part III: Radiance: Mid-September – Early October), but perhaps trying out the Cellar downstairs which is less courses and costs less. But, it’s also less courses… 5-6 courses instead of the 10 (though I’m counting more than 10 above) so torn on that.

The full 10 course tasting menu is $285 per guest, with our standard wine pairing offered at $190 per guest (with an automatic 20% service charge) or a non alcoholic wine pairing at $115 per guest. Seatings in the dining room begin at 5pm Wednesday through Sunday. Our reservations were at 5:45pm and perhaps we are slow eaters/converse a lot, but we did not leave until 9pm. Admittedly a lot of the dining room had emptied and we were watching the open kitchen cleaning tasks, so maybe it is just us taking our time. The cellar bar menu is $195 per guest, with a wine pairing offered at $175 per guest or a non-alcoholic wine pairing at $85 per guest.

They offer a regular menu, but also support a vegan option obviously, though you can also opt to be less strict and just do vegetarian or pescatarian diet substitutions – they cannot offer gluten-free, nut-free, and with the shared large kitchen anyone with severe allergies.

What would you pick – the full tasting menu or cellar menu?

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In a very inclusive move, the wine pairing dinners are offered so that diners can select from a Traditional (omnivore) menu, Pescatarian, or Vegan food pairing. So those with dietary restrictions are thoughtfully accounted for which is worth spotlighting, beyond their convenient location within Portland and great wines. It’s also fun to see how they efficiently create the twists in dishes to meet the restrictions. Here’s an example walkthrough of the Fullerton Pairing Dinner June 16 & 17, 2023 to see what an experience might be like.

We started with a welcome pour of 2021 Three Otters Rosé. This easy to drink and very affordable summer pleaser started as a competition between father and son on who can make the best Rosé (whole cluster pressed vs skin contact over 6 days) and both were blended together when Alex discovered the sum was better together. You’ll notice the family love of otters on the wine label as well as part of the family crest and if you look carefully, an otter calendar hanging inside the tasting room.

First Course

Seasonal Vegetable Gazpacho, Cucumber, Tomato, Red Onion, Peach, Croutons
This course was the same for both of us and was well balanced with the acidity and sweet of the fruit. It was paired with the bright 2022 Three Otters Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley AVA.

Second Course

Aleppo Seared Scallop with Israeli Cous Cous Salad Roasted Summer Squash, Blistered Cherry Tomatoes, Fresh Scallion, Basil Ladolemono Dressing
Vegan: Israeli Couscous, Crispy Chickpeas, Roasted Seasonal Squash, Blisters Cherry Tomatoes, Fresh Scallion, Basil Ladolemono Dressing
Both were paired with 2018 Lichtenwalter Vineyard Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge AVA which is one of my favorites from Fullerton, with a smooth blend of fruit with spice accent in the flavor profile that’s subtle but distinguishable.

Third Course

Crab Hush Puppies, Lemon-Lime Old Bay Aioli, Fresh Dill
Vegan: Rosemary Focaccia Bruschetta Roasted Summer Vegetables, Gremolata, Toasted Spice Pepitas
It’s always fun seeing white Pinot Noir – here the 2020 Bella Vida Vineyard White Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills AVA.

Fourth Course

Wood Fired Grilled Steak, Whiskey Braised Cipollini Onions, Thyme Brown Butter, New Potatoes, Romesco Sauce
Vegan: Grilled Vegan Kebab, Raspberry Vinegar Brined Tofu, Bakon, Eggplant, Onion, Zucchini, Romesco Sauce
Another favorite for us was this pairing of the lush dark fruit of the 2018 Croft Vineyard Pinot Noir, Mount Pisgah AVA that is bolder with earthiness in the palate. Croft Vineyard is one of the older vineyards in the valley, and the first organically grown vineyard.

Dessert

Strawberry Citrus Shortcake, Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream, Grand Marnier, Macerated Strawberries
Vegan: Berry Delight, Fresh Berries, Cashew Crème Fraîche, Ginger Shortbread Crumbles, Mint
Created in honor of grandmother Gertrud who you see in the label, this dessert 2021 Gertrud Sauvignon Blanc, Ice Wine, Columbia Gorge AVA is pressed than frozen and given a touch of honey to produce this viscous sweet ending.

The best way to stay informed of the events like this Fullerton Wine Pairing Dinner and other events is by signing up for their email newsletter. They also offer very educational tours exploring soils, cold and warm climate effects, and more to broaden your knowledge of what may be behind some of your favorite wines. I appreciate that they offer very detailed description of each of their wine offerings to understand all the science and art that goes into the bottles. I recommend checking them out!

The post Fullerton Wine Pairing Dinner by Pechluck appeared first on Pechluck's Food Adventures.

Grand Amari also has a sister bar at Little Bitter Bar which I will definitely be back for in July as they finish up their outdoor patio. I can’t wait to enjoy their spritz offerings in the sunshine. They offer three options of spritzes, with the lighter freshing Italicus, the more garden herb Carpano Botanic Bitter, or the stronger almost savory option of Zucca Amaro, with your spritz combination with prosecco and sparkling water. There are even more delightful sounding cocktails at the bar, which I will need to return to try, along with the pizza. For now, here’s a look at some of the dishes I tried from the menu at Grand Amari for dinner. Some of the dishes you will see mentioned here such as the aracini, fritto misto, carciofo arrosto, scallop crudo, tuna belly, and spaghettini pomodoro are also available as bar plates there.

Starting snacks, or Spuntini, and Antipasti for your consideration include a house baked focaccia, cool off from summer heat with farm to table fresh vegetables with bagna cauda anchovy dip, a perfectly crisp outside gooey inside aracini with asiago and provolone piccante, carciofi arrosto of whole roasted artichoke with garlic, lemon, butter, and parmigiana, and tuna belly poached in citrus and olive oil with white beans and pickled onion. Really everything and anything with their olive oils wins. You will want the focaccia to wipe up every drop on the plates.

A fritto misto whose ingredients rotate seasonally and served with garlic aioli this visit included head on shrimp and smelt along with whitefish and lemon. The stunner of these sections for me was the Crudo di Capesante, a scallop crudo with lemon, chives, flake salt.

Pastas were all lovely, with half a dozen to choose from, varying from a Casarecce with peas ham and cream; Tortelli with ricotta, sage, and delitia; Spaghetini Pomodoro with san marzano tomatoes, grana padano, and basil; an unusual take of Cacio e Pepe with Candele pasta in extra long for chewy texture, and the table favorite of Squid Ink Bucatini with whole bay shrimp, squid, tomato, and whipped ricotta.

The Grilled Branzino, a whole bone in fish with fennel and olive garnishes, found a perfect balance of buttery fish flavor with a little smoke. A Porcini Crusted Ribeye with 14 oz grass fed beef with cipollini and fresh horseradish, and the Poussan Alla Diavola of roasted chicken with lemon, pepper, and bitters greens, offer the beef and chicken entree options. The most unique dish though was the Pork Milanese, because it stars pasture raised pork, a project Olympia Provisions Elias Cairo explained has been a decade long vision and project, to find a way to source and support sustainable pork. You can find the pork at a small scale at the various OP Provisions locations and sometimes Whole Foods, but stay tuned soon for even wider and more prominent availability.

Then… dessert, all nice and small so you can order many! I love that. Everyone should have amari and dessert. They will bring the amari service via a cart, so consider it part of your adult continuing education credits in life.

• Tiramisu
• Diplomatico – puff pastry, pistachio sponge cake, vanilla diplomat cream, raspberry compote
• Zuccotto Chocolate
• Panna Cotta with pistachio and rhubarb consomme
• Aperol Bombe – prosecco-aperol jelly, orange and rosemary semi-freddo, Italian meringue, cognac flambe

Hot Tip- when you make your reservation, if you want to be extra cozy with your dinner party of 2-4 people, ask for the middle booth. Co-owner/partner Nate Tilden conceptualized how to turn this opportunity to a feature with this table right in the middle of the restaurant between wine shelves and a central wine station to include its own door and enclosed from the other tables. Reservations are definitely recommended as this is a small space – though there are plans to also allow the food and drink to be enjoyed at various tables in the lobby.

Grand Amari is open for dinner 5-10 pm from Wednesday through Sunday evenings. Congratulations to Nate, Elias, Michelle who made sure these two men didn’t go too wild as they hand-built some portions of the restaurant and makes sure this venture will be profitable, and Chef Katie Roe and team for envisioning and executing some really unique dishes and pairings for Portland. There is nothing like this in PDX, thank you for bringing it to us! Every project is a labor of love, thoughtful consideration for many details, and you can really tell as a guest enjoying the experience.

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At Urban Gleaners, a non-profit founded in 2006 by the inspiring Tracy Oseran, collects fresh food before it can go to waste. The difference from other food banks is that Urban Gleaners collects perishable food, bit by bit from grocery stores and restaurants, corporate campuses, event sites, colleges, farms, and food wholesalers, aka gleaning what is left behind after a harvest for charitable use.. The food tends to be fresher and healthier because of its fresh perishable nature. During my visit we saw not only fresh fruits and vegetables but also breads, cakes and pies, sour cream and milk, and salsas and guacamole. Within a couple days, food that comes in goes out as Urban Gleaners sorts, prepares some ingredients into convenient packaged meals thanks to volunteer chefs, and others are offered “farmers market” style. Recipients can pick what they want – no set food boxes or limitations.

Multiple items are high quality – from organic produce to speciality coffee beans, fresh ingredients that are systematically sorted and labeled by when they came in and stored in several cooler rooms to go out first in first out or based on how much longer it will last (so that guacamole will go back out very quickly). Donors include Whole Foods, Zupans, New Seasons, Pastaworks, Odwalla, Dave’s Killer Bread, Elephants Deli, Intel, Nike, Lewis and Clark, Reed College, Portland Farmers Market and more.

Urban Gleaners distributes at over 35 sites including weekly deliveries to schools, mobile markets and summer free farmers markets at parks and apartment complexes, and through hunger services organizations in the Portland area. It’s inspiring and sobering to see the number of schools on the list.

The mission of Urban Gleaners is to feed hungry children and their families and make the community healthier, and also to reduce food waste. They do this not only by re-distributing food, but also spreading the message of gleaning. “Best buy” dates on packaging are often arbitrary, there may only be 1 bad asparagus in a bunch but the whole bunch would be removed and not sold, and no one is picking up the ugly looking apples and oranges. And maybe there’s leftover food from a catered event because no one wants to entertain and run out of food. There may be overstock of ordering or making too much or a bad weather week where customers didn’t come out, or holiday items that didn’t sell by the holiday. There is nothing wrong with the food here being gleaned – it just needs to be rescued.

This is where upcycling can come in. Upcycling is a new certification and overall awareness and movement to create new products from surplus food. If you’ve heard of upcycling clothing or furniture to create new clothing pieces from unwanted or leftover material, it’s the same school of thought. For instance, making croutons from older bread or tomato sauce from a slightly squashed tomato. It’s a path to let items find it’s fullest use, the food is still good. An example of this is the Cacao Fruit Smoothies offered by Blue Stripes Urban Cacao that saves the fruit from the cacao pod that usually is discarded after the cacao bean is removed to use the whole cacao pod, from pulp to shell, and utilize them in these Upcycled certified fruit smoothies.

Tyler Malek, one of the co-founders of Salt & Straw, has been involved with and is a board member at Urban Gleaners. You can see more details on the Salt and Straw Upcycled Food Series here but here’s my executive summary and my thoughts after taste testing all of them. The flavors for the series available from Salt and Straw partnering with five brands participating in sustainability and reducing food waste are

• Day-Old Bread Pudding & Chocolate Ganache with Urban Gleaners. Salt & Straw stored some of the donated excess bread beyond what went to those over time to save up for production of this bread pudding combo and IMHO is my favorite of the five flavors.
• Cacao Pulp & Chocolate Stracciatella Gelato with Blue Stripes Urban Cacao supporting using all of a cacao pod not just the cacao bean
• Salted Caramel and Okara Cupcakes  with Renewal Mill uses okara in this vegan ice cream. Okara is a product of plant based milk production and can be substituted for flour in gluten free baking or egg in vegan baking, making tempeh. Here okara flour is combined with salted coconut oat milk ice cream base studded with bits of dark chocolate cupcakes, frosted with vegan caramel. This was a close second favorite of the five for me – Japan also has used okara in ice cream so maybe we’ll see it again in a future Salt & Straw flavor?
• Malted Chocolate Barley Milk with EverGrain. This barley protein from AB InBev brewing left from the spent grain in the beer making process adds a stupifying amount of creaminess to this dairy-free ice cream well also giving it a slight grain/malt undertone.
• Lemon Curd and Whey with Spare Food Co. that saves the whey byproduct from creating Greek yogurt to compliment the tartness of the lemon here and in their own whey-based Lemon & Ginger Spare Tonic. If you’ve seen a little liquid sometimes at the top of your Greek yogurt cup, that’s what the whey is like – but so much more of it from the process.

This menu is all officially Upcycled Certified®, awarded by the Upcycled Food Association (UFA). With 229 million tons of food going unsold or uneaten each year, Salt & Straw is able to rescue over 38,000 pounds to use in the creation of these special flavors for the Upcycled Food Series – just amazing. You can find these at all their scoop shops or order pints to be shipped and delivered via their website until the end of June. I often get pints of their limited edition limited time flavors to save and store on a freezer shelf, although I also love getting their tasting tray.

Which of these flavors do you want to try? Were you aware of food upcycling?

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Chef McGrady prepared fish and British chips as Personal Chef to Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana, Princes William and Harry, and others at Buckingham Palace including five US Presidents and now brings these recipes to US, and serving them through mobile restaurants, at the insistence of Winston! Also Winston is adorable – you can find his friendly face on the food truck and if you bring a lil one, acquire a mini-Winston.

Winston’s Royal Feast Sampler gives you a chance to try everything! The meal includes 1 generous (special cut for them from their sourcer) piece of hand-battered wild-caught Alaskan Cod, British Chips, Kings Wings in a sticky sauce, Smoked Fish Chowder (secret recipe dating back to the 1800’s and Queen Victoria), Curry Sauce, Mushy Peas, and Tartar Sauce. The Smoked Fish Chowder is incredible – if they sold this by the pint I would be in line to take it home. It’s chunky full of the fish with really no need for those oyster crackers. I didn’t use the curry sauce much, but took it back and added it to regular rice as another meal.

Meanwhile, those Kings Wings have a nice kick and balance of sweet and spice, but be prepared with extra napkins after you lick your fingers!

Or get the Winston’s Fish N Chips which nets you 2 pieces of fish with tartar sauce with chips and your choice of mushy peas or curry sauce. I went with mushy peas here, and here’s a peek inside the hand batter.

Either way don’t forget to add the Chippy Sauce the Queen loved on her chips – look for the squeeze bottle. They also have malt vinegar in packets in the baskets.

The amazing thing about these fish and chips from Winston’s Fish N Chips is that they stay crispy even after my drive home my leftovers were still crunchy an hour later. The boxes not only look great, but were built with functionality in mind for takeout and to keep your food ready even for a 30 minute drive home.

Winston’s Fish N Chips food truck is open 7 Days A Week 11am to 7pm (or until it sells out) at 2711 NE Andresen Rd., Vancouver, WA, in the parking Lot of Living Hope Church. There’s plenty of parking, and the food truck has a covered area to wait while they fry your order fresh to order, though they also provide you a buzzer if you want to wait in your car if it’s windy. The only negative is that there are no restrooms and no sit down dining area – don’t be surprised you’ll see many sitting in their car and eating! Beverages are also limited at Winston’s to a few options – you’ll have to take this home if you want to wash it down with a beer.

Are you a fan of fish and chips? What is your preference of accompaniment – tartar sauce, malt vinegar, or other? And on a scale of 1 to 10, are you also at a 15 that this truck should show up at Corgi Beach Day at the Oregon Coast? I know Ash and mini-Winston hang out watching the birds and squirrels daily.

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Background

Crater Lake National Parks’ deep blue water and caldera walls have attracted people for thousands of years. Crater Lake formed when 12,000 foot Mount Mazama imploded 7,700 years ago, leaving a huge hole with cliffs almost 2,000 feet high walls. Over 300-400 years, rain and snowmelt filled the basin to create Crater Lake. There is no other water source into Crater Lake, which means there are no other inlets or outlets, just precipitation in the waters, with no sediments or minerals or such from streams or rivers. With a depth of 1,943 feet, it is North America’s deepest and clearest lake. Visibility at times can be 140 feet.

Old growth forests surround the lake and support a diversity of Cascades plant and wildlife. Crater Lake NP is the only national park in Oregon, and being established in 1902, Crater Lake is the fifth oldest national park in the US. You will be taking the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway into the park. This byway actually extends 500 miles south, continuing from Crater Lake National Park south through Lava Beds National Mounument all the way to Lassen Volcanic National Park in California. Like all scenic byways, the road itself is a destination, not just the volcanic parks in this case anchoring the volcano to volcano at both ends of the drive.

In my case entering from Hwy 58 from Portland and the North Entrance, along the way towards Crater Lake, you can view areas burned by wildland forest fires and a pumice meadow called Pumice Desert. Because the valley here was buried by possibly 200 feet of pumice, plants have a difficult time growing and you will see a noticable low plant covered area with only 16 documented species of plants that can live there.

Overcast Days at Crater Lake – Other Things Besides the Lake

During our trip during the week of 4th of July, only the west portion of Rim Drive was fully open – parts of the east rim were still closed. When the road fully opens varies year to year – usually it is July through October, but it depends on how much snow there was during the winter and what debris may need to be cleared. Crater Lake gets on the average 40 some feet of snow, so there’s a lot! We had planned for several days at Crater Lake in case of the weather. This was fortunate because on our arrival it was rainy and this is what the famous blue waters of Crater Lake looked like as we stopped at Merriam Point and at Watchman Peak. There was so much snow Watchman Peak trail access was closed, and it’s one of the most iconic trails and views in the park. Make sure as your trip approaches, to check the park conditions at the National Park website and prepare your mindset accordingly of what is accessible.

The island you see below in Crater Lake is the famous Wizard Island, a cinder cone formed as magma erupted into the air, cooled quickly, and fell as cinders. A small crater rests on its summit. Magma also erupted under water, forming a smooth pillow lava. A similar volcano, Merriam Cone, is hidden from view beneath the lake.

As you can see, even without the sunshine, the blue waters are still beautiful.

But, given the cloud cover and fog, during our arrival, and also the next day where even the narrated trolley tours were canceled all day because of lack of visibility, we tried to make do with other activities. In our visit, even Steel Visitor Center was closed for renovation. But, that still left some forest and meadow hiking trails, like Lady of the Woods, a 0.7 mile loop trail as an option.

The trail starts behind the Steel Visitor Center and passes historic stone Park Headquarters “rustic architecture” built between 1926 and 1941. The Lady of the Woods is an unfinished sculpture carved by a 31 year old medical doctor staying in the nearby housing in 1917. There is a great brochure that provides information on various points to see which you should check out here at the Crater Lake Institute.

“This statue represents my offering to the forest, my interpretation of its awful stillness and repose, its beauty, fascination, and unseen life” – Dr. Earl Russell Bush

Another option is Godfrey Glen, which is at lower elevation so may have more visibility then up at the lake rim. It’s also an alternative if you want to see pinnacles when you don’t have access to Pinnacle Trail (such as Pinnacles Road closed – otherwise it’s a 6 mile hike from the East Rim drive to the trail). The Godfrey Glen trail which also offers pinnacles in a 1.2 mile loop trail. The overlook is to 300 ft below in a box canyon flanked by fluted spires of beige ash where hot gasses bubbled from cylindrical vents called fumeroles. You can find more information at this trail guide to Godfrey Glen at the Crater Lake Institute.

Although as covered in the previous post the dining options are limited inside the Crater Lake Park, the Great Room in the Crater Lake Lodge is a worthwhile hangout to have drink and snacks starting 3pm onward. There is also a small museum to the left of the checkout desk where you can see some history of the lodge. For instance, in 1934, the schedule of rates list a Room with a bowl and a pitcher for 2 people as $3, while a Room with hot and cold water and a double bed for two is $4, Room with toilet $5, and a Room with a bath and twin beds for two is $7.50! The 1935 breakfast menu offered buttered toast, hot cakes and bacon, dry or cooked cream and cream, cantaloupe, or stewed prunes, among other options.

Other activities to consider doing are shopping at the gift shops, purchasing and mailing postcards to get the Crater Lake postmark, and collecting pressed pennies. The stores are run by the Crater Lake Natural History Association, a non-profit partner of the National Park Service, so your purchases are supporting Crater Lake National Park to fund Junior Ranger activities, education, and park research. Also don’t forget to get your national park stamp for your America’s National Park Passport.

Sunny Day at Crater Lake

One of the first stops I recommend if the skies are sunny is Sinnott Memorial Observation Station, a stone shelter built 900 feet above Crater Lake on Victor Rock in 1930. You can find the station on Rim Village Promenade, near the Rim Visitor Center. The building was designed to blend into the caldera cliff using native stone, concrete, and log beams. Can you see it below to the left in the first photo? Below that is a photo taken looking down at the waters from Sinnot Memorial from the lookout – there are not many spots you can look so close to the edge safely, making Sinnott Memorial a must-stop for some of the best views at Crater Lake.

From there, continue walking the Rim Promenade of Rim Village, which is a pedestrian and pet friendly pathway with views of the rim edge, and is only 0.3 of a mile. Not all trails along the rim are pet friendly, so this is where you will see all the cute doggies getting their photo taken with Crater Lake. We didn’t have a dog, but we did encounter several chipmunks including this aggressive beggar – reminder don’t feed the wildlife! And throw all your trash away! We were horrified when we saw it find a discarded napkin someone had left behind and stuff the whole thing into it’s mouth.

The historic Rim Drive is 33 miles with 30 overlooks designed between 1931 and 1938 to highlight a specific view at Crater Lake, such as that of the lake, a significant geologic formation in the caldera, etc. The contours of the Rim Drive road were designed to compliment the natural landscape, and disappear from view as you look across the lake from any point. Some of the views at Crater Lake along Rim Drive I wanted to highlight include (counter clockwise from Rim Village)

• Discovery Point to view Wizard Island. Located just a bit from the west end of Rim Village, the trail here is particularly popular during sunrise. You can easily walk here from Rim Village as it is about 2.5 miles. The viewpoint is named for where gold prospectors first discovered the lake in 1853 and after a vote, named it “Deep Blue Lake”. they were not the first of course – Klamath Indians describe the collapse of the mountain and formation of the caldera as the outcome of battle between spirit gods and celebrate it in sacred song thousands of years ago. The lake was called Giwaas (a most sacred place), known as a place of power. The name Crater Lake came later in 1869, when Jacksonville newspaper editor Jim Sutton and others explore the lake by boat, and five people visited Wizard Island exploring the cinder cone. In Sutton’s article, he called the lake “Crater Lake”.
  
• Devil’s Backbone. If you look to the right of this pullout/parking area, you can see a 304 meters long 50 meters wide volcanic rock called andesite that slashes down from water’s edge to the rim. The rock formation is a dike, when molten lava fills a crevice and builds up to create the slanted sleek formation. This also gives you a view of the other side of Wizard Island.
  
• Overlooking Steel Bay between Llao Rock and Pumice Point. Now that you are at the northern portion of the lake, if you look across to the other side of the lake, you might be able to spot Rim Village, maybe Crater Lake Lodge, as you look across towards Garfield Peak.
  
• Cleetwood Cove. Here you can also find Cleetwood Cove Trail, the only trail down to the lake to take Wizard Island Boat Tours (not running during our visit). You can see Mt Scott in the skyline. This is the other iconic trail at Crater Lake because of it providing access down to the lake itself, though it’s a hike full of switchbacks that can be tough coming back up. We didn’t take this trail, but if the tours to Wizard Island had been open we would have. Future trip I guess!
  
• Stop in the northeast part of Rim Drive, close to Skell Head to the left/south and the Palisades to the right/north, overlooking Grotto Cove. This was the most east on the road we could go before we had to turn around since part of the East Rim was still closed. I found the water the most incredible and surreal here out of all the spots we stopped in all the views at Crater Lake.
  
• Heading east from Rim Village, go to Sun Notch Trail for a view of Phantom Ship. The 0.5 mile trail takes you to Phantom Ship, a grouping of rocky spires that look like an old pirate ship and which during different weather conditions, it can completely disappear from view and go in and out of the fog, thus the Phantom name of this island. One of my favorite views at Crater Lake, this one is fantastic on a clear day and even fun when it’s not clear and you can capture the mysteriousness of Phantom Ship partially hidden.
  
• Other views at Crater Lake I was not able to visit but would recommend if they are open, since they were not for my trip: Pinnacles Overlook to see volcanic rock spires (out and back 1 mile easy trail on Innacles Trail if Pinnacles Road is open) and is also the highest overlook on the north part of the rim so you will get a more clear view then Godfrey Glen. Cloudcap Overlook (pullout area on the East Rim, if the road is open), the highest road-access overlook of the rim if you don’t want to hike. Watchman Overlook (after an hour hike from Watchman Peak Trail with elevation gain on 1.7 mile out and back) for a view down to Wizard Island and to visit a cool looking watchman’s observation tower.

A trip to Crater Lake is worth it, even if the weather may not be perfect be it snow, rain, or wildfire smoke that may put a wrench in your plans. I hope you have an opportunity to visit and see this all for yourself – these photos don’t fully capture how truly magnificent it is here and the blues in all the various views at Crater Lake.

Have you been to Crater Lake yet? What were your favorite views at Crater Lake?

The post Views at Crater Lake by Pechluck appeared first on Pechluck's Food Adventures.

Lodging

My desire to stay inside the park was to make watching sunrise and sunset easier rather then driving in from outside the park, which adds 30 minutes to get in and out of the park. Also, sometimes there is a lot of mist or fog for part of the day before it clears up – you may not even be able to see the lake at first! So being able to chill in our room and look out the window waiting was worth the price. As an example, here is what the atmosphere was like on July 5 at 8:21 am, then later at 1pm. Maybe you”ll luck out to a day that starts with sunshine – you may still want to enjoy staying as late as possible (especially with the sunset so late in the summer) to enjoy the park at sunset or dusk like in the last photo below which was beautiful even though the sunset didn’t work out because of too many clouds in the sky.

There are only two lodging options inside the park. Besides Crater Lake Lodge, the other being the more rustic Cabins at Mazama Village. Technically there is also Mazama Campground, but I did not want to camp. All three of these are often booked months in advance. Last year, I was fortunate enough to find reservations open at Crater Lake Lodge during the 4th of July week. It was a combination of persistence and luck – I kept checking the website for when I could see dates that could be booked.

You’ll be able to tell because when you click the date dropdown, some of the days will already be blocked for check-in- any day that is not, pick each of them to see how long the stay could be. Don’t be surprised that even though for check-out the day is not blocked, you get a message saying no availability the first time- when site reloads again, the dropdown calendar for checkout will be more accurate. Just be patient and try again and again and again.

Make sure you visit the actual Crater Lake Lodge website operated by Crater Lake Hospitality, not the one that shows “National Park Reservations” as the site. Also try to look 6 months out if you can.

On one of the website visits towards the end of January, well checking sporadically throughout the weeks, I saw that Monday July 4-Thursday July 7 was available, and immediately booked it. When researching, since most hotels let you have free cancelation up to a certain amount of time, I highly encourage you to make the reservation first and then figure it out. Cancellations happen from others which will free up inventory, so you have to keep checking back.

Even when we visited in early July, there was still snow on the ground, and only half the drive around the lake was open based on plowing the huge amount of snowfall they get each year and clearing the road of debris. So try to shoot for late summer to early fall during your date browsing if you want to make the most of your visit. Given that the lodge is only open May to October, you don’t have that many months to try clicking around, exploring dates and trying and retrying!

There are 3 dining options within the park. The Crater Lake Lodge Dining Room only offers a breakfast buffet or $52 dinner buffet – we ate dinner there our first night. We preferred the Annie Creek Restaurant in Mazama Village for burger and pizza, or ordered bites and drinks at the Crater Lake Great Room. Rim Village Café wasn’t very vegetarian friendly with basic options of sandwiches and hot dogs, chicken tenders, fries, with the only veg friendly one being a pb&j or getting a grab and go salad, and was often packed with people since Annie Creek is farther away from the rim and the lodge dining room wasn’t open for lunch. At one point after you got your food you had to get in the same line as the gift shop queue, which was long.

How To Get To Crater Lake

Next, if you are coming down from Portland like I was, there are a few scenic paths you can take. One is to go through Hood River or through Mt Hood and then south via US Route 97, the Dalles-California Highway. I decided to take this route back versus to Crater Lake because it is one that takes longer – 5 1/2 (if through Mt Hood) to 6 hours (through the Dalles). I decided I would rather get to Crater Lake sooner on the way there, and then take the longer way on the return. This also allowed me to leisurely stop at Smith Rock State Park, and share a flight of beer at Mount Hood Brewing, or enjoy the eclectic roadhouse atmosphere and a bbq meal at Skyway Bar and Grill, for dinner on the way home. And it perks me up to drive towards Mount Hood on the way home to get me excited about almost arriving in Portland after some of the less scenic parts of the highway.

The other two options utilize I-5 south towards Eugene, and then going east either on Hwy 58 the Willamette Scenic Highway, or east more south at Roseburg via Hwy 138 the Rogue-Umpqua Scenic Byway.

Hwy 58 is the route I chose because it is 30 minutes faster to Crater Lake. Along this scenic highway, you can visit multiple covered bridges, and the second tallest waterfall in Oregon. The route will also skirt two reservoirs, Willamette Fish Hatchery, and McCredie Hot Springs if you wish (I linked a blogpost with great info on the clothing optional natural hot springs if you are interested). That said, it was incredibly tempting to take Hwy 138, known also as Thundering Waters highway, which offers 15-20 waterfalls along the route, many which are very short walks of 1-2 miles roundtrip from the parking. For some examples of the waterfalls, I liked this concise video from Oregon Family Adventures featuring 7 family friendly waterfalls. For the brochures with more details on hikes and waterfalls, check out the US Forest Service Umpqua National Forest brochures here, especially the Thundering Waters brochure.

I mentioned I selected Hwy 58, which is fastest to Crater Lake – with no stops, ~4.5 hours. Here are my 3 top stops on the way to Crater Lake.

Covered Bridges

The first of the 2 covered bridges we visited on Hwy 58 to Crater Lake is, Lowell Covered Bridge. This is about 2 hours drive from Portland, perfect time for a restroom stop. There is a paved parking lot and vault toilets and a picnic area with benches overlooking the river, and you may see several people fishing.

Lowell Covered Bridge is the widest covered bridge in Oregon with a width of 24 feet. The original bridge was built in 1907 by a crew of 8 men. The current bridge was built in 1945 after truck damage, and in 1953 the bridge was raised 6 feet for anticipated water level increases from a new dam. Now the bridge is an interpretive center and home to several nests of swallows.

The second bridge 25 min away is Office Covered Bridge. Office Bridge. The original was built in 1924, then the bridge was rebuilt twice, first rebuilt 1941 and then 1944 from damage of storm waters. Besides the attractive red roof, the bridge also features a separate pedestrian walkway alongside its still used one-lane crossing. In fact, you have to cross over the bridge to get to the parking lot on the other side, where you can also find some picnic benches and a restroom area.

Office Covered Bridge is also the longest covered bridge in Oregon at 180 feet long. To me, the pedestrian walkway with the open windows giving you a view of the river was the real highlight though! There are multiple other covered bridges in this area but I chose to only stop at the widest and longest.

Salt Creek Falls

Drive another 40 minutes from Office Covered Bridge and we reach Salt Creek Falls. Note that visiting the Salt Creek Falls Observation Site and Picnic Area does require a $5 day pass. We did not get great signal at the location and used cash in an envelope at the site, but you may want to but it online first and print it out, or buy in person at one of their listed locations, if you don’t have an annual or interagency pass.

Salt Creek Falls is a cascade and plunge waterfall on Salt Creek, a tributary of the Middle Fork Willamette River, that plunges into a gaping canyon. Salt Creek Falls is also Oregon’s second highest single drop waterfall (after Multnomah Falls), cascading 286 feet. Salt Creek Falls is one of Oregon’s most powerful falls, with average yearly flow of 50,000 gallons per minute surging over the rocks.

An observation platform is located at the top of the waterfall 50 yards from the parking lot, very accessible. There is also a steep gravel trail with stairs from the platform to the waterfall’s base that we did not traverse,. When you visit, you will see the path to the observation platform and the trail on your right side. Don’t miss also taking a little stroll to your left on the short pathway to get a closer view of the plung. And in the area by the parking lot, check out the map for other trails here and the best lake name I’ve ever seen, Too Much Bear Lake.

From Salt Creek Falls, it was about 2 hours to Crater Lake Lodge – including a stop for gas at the last gas station before you enter the park in Chemault (about 30 minutes outside of the park). In an upcoming post, I will share more about visiting Crater Lake.

Have you driven along Hwy 58 or Hwy 138 before – or even both? Which route would you have chosen?

The post Hwy 58 to Crater Lake by Pechluck appeared first on Pechluck's Food Adventures.

With each box Finders Seekers provides some suggested immersive experience ideas for the travel destination in the form of a music playlist on Spotify and food and drink recipes. We used their playlist from their Barcelona immersion ideas, but the recipes for Spanish meatballs, Ham croquettes, Pan con tomato, and Patatas bravas was too much work to make so many different tapas. I thought a paella would be perfect because it’s one main dish that doesn’t require too much effort during a get together – in fact a critical point is not stirring the paella while cooking.

My take on Vegan Paella is based mainly on my friend Plating and Pairing’s own take on a vegetarian paella with artichokes, but I swapped out the artichokes to use some roasted broccoli, and used fresh red peppers instead of piquillo peppers. That was just my preference instead of using jarred ingredients, and you could add in any veggies of your choice really. I also used bomba rice instead of arborio rice, because that’s what I had and it’s the rice native to Spain- it has a more firm texture then arborio which is more typically used for risotto but arborio (though it’s Italian) is a fine substitute and is more available in stores and priced a little cheaper.

I also used a vegan mayo base for the garlicky aioli side, and since only 1 person in our party was vegan, I sauteed some smoked green chorizo (chorizo made with spinach) on the side that people could also add to their dish. I offered a side of roasted asparagus, either plain with just olive oil and salt and pepper, or with a tarragon dressing. If you’d like though Erin also suggests some additional dishes to serve with paella.

This recipe makes vegan paella for six people

Ingredients

Mystery Box

I dived straight into the vegan paella recipe, but maybe you are curious about this mystery box? Inside each Finders Seekers month’s box is a mystery that you can solve, usually with about 9 puzzles. After solving the nine puzzles for this storyline we were able to narrow down a list of suspects to nine people, each who provided a clue that we then had to unravel to get the final “password”. Finders Keepers hosted a website where we could put in this password and if we were right, read the end of this mystery story.

The kind of puzzles you can solve vary, in this box it included a word search, a puzzle with scissors and paper where we had to cut and fold a little, a few visual puzzles decoding a name, and a logic puzzle similar to two truths and a lie. We would scratch off the name on the suspect list if we thought it was the right name, and it would tell us if we were right and their password hint – we didn’t scratch off any wrong suspects but I guess it would tell us we had the wrong person? There were hints available in mirrored type for each puzzle in a sheet of paper, and there is also a Facebook group where other Finders Seekers participants provided some small hints to each other. For the final password puzzle multiple progressive hints were available on the website if needed. The ones on paper that didn’t require the scissors and folding were printed double-sided (1 puzzle on each side) to reduce waste, but two puzzles were also physical objects – the pencil case and a rally towel for Futbol.

With the six of us, we each were able to individually solve 1 for the group, but also worked together on a few of the tricker ones, throwing back and forth ideas on how to figure out the name. Overall, it took us perhaps 3 hours together as we also drank sour beers, snacking on Spanish cheeses and olives and chatting.

The one thing I would suggest is have pens and notepads available for everyone to try to take notes as everyone tries to figure out the puzzle. You can see I also took a photo of many of the individual puzzles in case we made a mistake and wanted to redo something, but we didn’t have that happen. If you want the option of multiple people working on the same puzzle, you might think about scanning and printing that copy. We did that for the Magic Fountain of Montjuic puzzle.

Each box costs $30 a month plus $5 shipping in the US, but you can get a discount with codes or prepaying in multiple month increments. As an activity for six people instead of paying individual entry to an escape room, I thought this was a good value and we were able to enjoy the comfort of my home and a cat observing us. It’s a fun alternative to passively watching TV and more interactive then doing traditional jigsaw puzzles and easy to start immediately playing unlike a board game. On the other hand I’m not sure how to replay the mystery once solved unless you have copies of everything.

Each month’s mystery is different, this was themed Barcelona and included highlighting different spots in the city as well as giving us a little background on the rivalry of Gaudi and Picasso and the controversy of the Sagrada Família construction which is still unfinished even though it started in 1882- all which are real life.

Previous months have included New Zealand, Scotland, Machu Picchu, US National Parks, Beijing, etc. The one themed Switzerland is next on my list to do and highlights a real life heist as it’s base! After that I paused my subscription until we get to the theme of Petra, Athens, and Mexico City, all of which I am looking forward to (you can see the themes for the year scheduled at their Game Q&A) and previous themes at their blog. Sometimes they have previous boxes from extra inventory at their online shop, so you can buy a box on its own, or gift yourself or someone a box to try out just one.

This Mystery Box from Finders Seekers and prepared food I reheat from local restaurants and Table 22 partnerships are the only subscriptions I have now. Do you have any subscription boxes you enjoy – what are they?

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Clandestino joined the collective to start serving up Mexican inspired dishes in December to rave review by tastemaker and written word wrangler Karen Brooks of Portland Monthly who called Clandestino Portland’s Best New Mexican Restaurant. Try to make reservations as the space in inclement weather is very cozy and with recent media coverage may even be full for the night, even on a Monday. You can see how small the open kitchen is, so they also can only realistically do only so many covers per evening. As spring and summer weather open up the outdoor seating and they dial in their menu they’ll have more capacity.

Be sure to try several half glass pours during your visit! You can trust and after selecting your dishes let the staff pour their recommended pairings – you can even ask for a different pairing per person like we did for each dish. Not only are the selections carefully curated to be all winners with the food and diverse in provenance and flavor profile, but that helps support both sides of the collective.

The way it works is the food sales are kept by the chef, Dame keeps the beverage, and overhead and staff costs are split by both resident chef and Dame. So patronize both with your check! I’ve always been a fan of the pop-up model (I even used to cover pop-ups for Eater PDX) – restaurant industry life is hard in terms of long hours and margins in balancing inventory with limited shelf life. Pop-ups allow for some reasonable work time boundaries with more control of when open for business and taking breaks, and an ability to get some work life balance. It’s great business sense for the brick and mortar owners and visiting chefs and part of PDX’s supportive hospitality community.

The menu at Clandestino rotates often so not sure if all these dishes will be available but on my visit we enjoyed

Carne tartara – beef, yuzu kosho, serrano, tostaditas. Beef tartare with those bites of serrano heat were a fun upgrade to traditional preparation. A half glass of The Marigny ‘Sur Lie’ Willamette Valley, OR 2021, Pinot Gris was like a tart lemonade to balance the tingle.

Ceviche of yellowfin tuna, guava, avocado, lime. We were intrigued with the guava and the dish tastes as bright as it looks. I enjoyed a crisp Monteleone Etna Biano Palermo, IT 2020, Carricante that offered layers of citrus acidity and minerality with a long finish.

A unique layering of flavors and textures makes the Crudo of kanpachi, citrus, totomoxtle, peanut a standout starter.

Empanaditas comes two or four to an order stuffed with either tuna confit as shown here or with mushrooms in corn masa, served with fresh salsa de tomatillo and peanut morita, with a shower of queso fresco.

Quesadillas come with quesillo and guacachile alone, or additionally options of a version with huitlacoche or our choice, carnitas. The carnitas were so juicy, and a good opportunity to pair with a wine from the Skin Contact/Orange section next. They deserve their spot in Michael Russell of the Oregonian list of best dishes he ate in 2022.

PARA COMPARTIR section of the menu are dishes to share among 2-4. Hongos al Carbon or mushrooms offer a vegetarian option and for omnivores there was Pork Cochinita or Beef Steak Asada. But I still miss the fantastic fish from when I first met Chef Lauro Romero at King Tide and you’ll always find a version of Whole Fish here (often dorado). All these shared larger dishes are accompanied with frijolitos de la olla, salsitas, lime, escabeche, and tortillas. I made my own selection here of a Sierra de Toloño, Rioja, ES 2020, Tempranillo – the slight spice notes are lovely and not too much tannin that added to the beans and didn’t overwhelm the flaky juicy seasoned fish.

Your plan should be to get lots of half pours of wine and trust that all the food and wine here are part of a food and wine adventure ride that you haven’t experienced before and you will enjoy. Even as I left I felt regretful that I didn’t have the stomach capacity to try more dishes and glasses… Guess I will have to keep coming back!

It’s not often you find huitlacoche so those quesadillas with huitlacoche are in my list for the next visit. What would you like to try?

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Water Avenue Coffee and Smith Tea share a history in both being based in Portland and were founded in 2009, both founded by veterans of their Coffee or Tea industry. Both companies are dedicated to producing high-quality, artisanal beverages using traditional methods and premium ingredients and have won numerous awards. Both are also committed to using sustainable and ethical practices in their sourcing, production, and packaging and work with small-scale farmers and producers who use organic and eco-friendly methods.

These espresso and tea combinations are made similar to making a latte. The barista will brew a shot of espresso and prepare tea separately that are combined in a cup and topped with frothed milk (optional alternative milk of course or no milk). The caffeine content of can vary depending on the ratio of tea to espresso used. Usually the beverage will have a higher caffeine content than a traditional cup of tea, but slightly less caffeine than a regular cup of coffee. If that’s too much no worries – some of the seasonal drinks are creamy milk and tea combos, aka tea lattes.

Strawberry Chamomile Latte with Steven Smith Meadow Tea, freeze dried strawberry syrup, espresso and milk is a creative combination worth trying.

Bergamot Mocha, created with Steven Smith Lord Bergamot tea syrup, chocolate sauce, espresso and milk. If you’re a mocha fan this is for you.

Caramel Lavender Latte crafted with Whimsy Chocolates caramel sauce, lavender syrup, espresso and milk. Perfect if you want a sweeter touch thanks to the caramel.

Strawberry Chamomile Matcha, made with Steven Smith Tea Meadow tea, freeze dried strawberry syrup, Steven Smith Matcha and milk for a step up from the typical matcha tea beverage.

Lavender Chai using Steven Smith Tea chai concentrate and lavender syrup with milk is delicate.

Don’t these all sound so intriguing? Catch the spring Water Avenue Coffee and Smith Tea Collaboration while you can!

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If you have not been to Grand Fir Brewing for Doug’s BBQ Wednesdays, you are missing out! Every Wednesday there is a new barbecue special on offer to enjoy with the refreshing and approachable beer lineup of Grand Fir, adding to the regular menu which offers a small curated list of a handful of small plates and handful of large plates. But a beer dinner with multiple courses that were created to pair with specific beers – yes, I was excited. And I was extra excited to see that there was smoked rib on the menu for this collaboration dinner – the 12 hour slow cooked beef rib with green sauce with tortilla was my favorite dish from the smoker from his previous restaurant Bullard Tavern, and I’ve really missed it.

Well, let me tell you this whole dinner met and went beyond my expectations.

First / Welcome

Ember Schwarzbier by Grand Fir Brewing paired with Tide Point Oysters served on the half shell with smoked shallot mignonette and Schweinebauch. I really liked the pairing of the roasty malty Schwarzbier with the slight smoke and salt of the sea and slight smoke and salt of cured pork, oyster and Schweinebauch.

Second

Old Growth Pale Ale by Grand Fir Brewing paired with Cured MacFarland Springs Rainbow Trout, sour orange, avocado, bibb lettuce, dill, brewer’s malt granola. I think everyone in the two floors of the brewpub was blown away by this pairing, multipe people mentioned the trout as memorable. The pale ale has a nice clean balance of citrus with hops that really brought out the flavors of the sour orange and complemented the trout. This photo doesn’t do it justice – check out the video in my Instagram reel for the closeup pan of this dish.

Third

Breakside Brewery’s Bellwether Sour Double Wit was up next, paired with Grilled Oregon Albacore Tuna, olives, hot chili peppers, basil, Meyer lemon, fried anchovies. The albacore tuna was perfect, and the splash of lemon resonated with the slightly lime in the Sour Double Wit, which also calmed down the kick of spice from the hot chili peppers. Again, the photo doesn’t do it justice – check out the video in my Instagram reel for the closeup pan of this dish.

Fourth

The main event! Chef’s Kiss Coconut Yuzu IPA, the Grand Fir and Breakside Brewery collaboration that was debuted to us first during this Grand Fir Brewing and Breakside Brewery collaboration beer. The new collaboration beer is great delivering all the flavors promised in the name- the initial IPA flavors which then washes in the coconut and ends with yuzu. Get it while you can! Tonight, this beer was paired with Smoked Spiced Beef Short Ribs that were rubbed with Island spices to complement the coconut and yuzu flavors. It didn’t need any sauce IMHO but if you wished, there was a Honey Kolsch sweet BBQ sauce, spicy pickles, and Hawaiian rolls if you wanted to make yourself a little slider. Or, dip the roll into one of the sides, the Cilantro Collard Greens with guajillo chili butter, spicy peanuts. The last accompaniment was a Roasted Sweet Potato with creamy poblano sauce, toasted coconut.

Fifth / Dessert

It was a perfect little ending with this pairing of Finders Keepers Barrel Aged Stout from Breakside Brewery paired with a Brewer’s Sundae with beer caramel, beer chocolate syrup, graham, hazelnuts, vanilla soft serve. Vanilla soft serve with fun toppings are a regular on the Grand Fir Brewing food menu.

Grand Fir and Breakside beers, craft beer mastery by Whitney and Ben, beer and food coming together by Whitney and Dougie… All always better when they’re together.

If you are interested in supporting more female brewers like Whitney that are up and coming, check out SheBrew PDX. On March 5th 2023 will be the eighth annual fundraiser festival featuring female, brewed beers and ciders. Tickets are on sale now and all ages are welcome!

Cheers!!

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Pacific Grove is one of the locations that have the perfect conditions for the monarch butterflies to rest on their migration path: you can see other locations here along Highway 1 between the Bay Area and Los Angeles. These groves offer the balance of not too cold, but also not too hot, protection from wind and moisture from fog. Of the locations, the Pacific Grove one stands out to me as a do-able day trip from the Bay Area (1.5 hours from San Jose for instance), and has the bonus of the Monterey Bay Aquarium also nearby, or visit on your way to Paso Robles and visit Sensorio in the evening and/or stop in wine country, etc. so you can easily plan multiple diverse activities on your itinerary.

You can track the latest monarch butterfly counts at the Pacific Grove website or on their Instagram. the numbers were depressingly low the past few years, dropping from the millions into the thousands. The numbers are starting to rebound as people (including you!) can follow the call to action to help preserve them – they still desperately need your help. Until they recover, you may need to temper your expectations of how many butterflies you may see – thus checking the counts before your trip. During my trip, the count was around 15-16,000 during the first weekend of December.

The Pacific Grove Monarch Sanctuary is only 2 miles away from Monterey Bay and has free admission, and free parking. Note that pets are not permitted since the butterflies may be everywhere and anywhere including on the ground, and you and your pets don’t want to disturb these delicate creatures as they rest – and the fine is $1000 for touching a butterfly.

During the early winter, such as during my visit, because of the generally colder temperatures you are more likely to see them clustering in the trees. Definitely bring your binoculars – at first it may be difficult to spot them because they almost look like leaves as they are camouflaged in clusters with their closed wings. If you visit between the times of 12-3pm, there will be a free docent there who can provide more detailed stories then the handful of signs in the sanctuary and may have a tripod with set binoculars to take a look.

As winter starts to thaw into spring, or the weather warms up later in the day, you may be fortunate enough to see them alight into the air. Here, all the “brown leaves” you see are butterflies! The clusters can be up to 1000 butterflies,. Any photos you take will likely depend on how good your zoom is on your camera and have patience. Also look for where there are flowers as you may see one or two scattered resting on a flower, or on the ground.

Fun fact as you are looking at them – you can distinguish between male and female butterflies by looking at their wings carefully. Female butterflies tend to have thicker veins and be slightly darker in color, while males have two black dots on their hind wings and fork-like claspers at the end of the abdomen. For me the easiest to see were the dots – there’s a female to the left and male to the right below.

Of course if you have not yet, definitely visit the world famous Monterey Bay Aquarium if you have never been, and include some time to walk around the Cannery Row, an area of restaurants and shops where the aquarium is situated – touristy but you can find a donut bar, ice cream options, crepes, and other food options if you don’t want to dine at the aquarium cafe. For something unique check out Troya Turkish Delight & Baklava for Turkish tea and sweets like a huge variety of Turkish delights. There’s a cute downtown area of shops and restaurants also on Lighthouse Avenue on your way between the aquarium and Pacific Grove Monarch Sanctuary, around where the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History is located. If you have more time, consider a drive along 17-Mile Drive to visit the Lone Cypress and enjoy the views of wind carved trees along the coastline here.

If you are coming from or to the Bay Area before or after your trip, I would like to suggest two other interesting stops for your consideration. Along the drive south, you will see the city of Gilroy, Garlic Capital of the World. There are various restaurants and shops and even a small family-friendly amusement park of Gilroy Gardens, most noticeably pulloffs from the highway for the Garlic Shoppe and Garlic World. Having visited both, Garlic World is the larger shop with nicer restrooms and a seating area to enjoy garlic ice cream and you can check out the world’s largest garlic braid, though Garlic Shoppe does have the plus of some farm animals on their property if you don’t mind standing to dine al fresco looking at the animals.

Additionally, you can stop at the “World’s Largest Artichoke” which is conveniently located next to the Giant Artichoke Restaurant where you can find artichokes in all sorts of forms to try, varying from in breakfast omelets and benedicts, to burgers and pasta or an enchilada, or the gamut of appetizer options from deep fried, steamed, roasted, embedded in dips or bread or cupcakes! If you don’t have time to dine in at the restaurant, the market next door does have a stand to grab made to order fried artichokes. As you drive past on the highway, you can see the artichoke plants in the fields.

I hope you have a chance to see monarch butterflies and support them by limiting use of pesticides and even plant host plants like milkweed and nectar plants and support the monarch corridors. In general, I am also advocating to support as many local businesses as you can in the off-season of winter – they need your patronage to stay in business exactly when the crowds are not there and the weather isn’t as nice. The plus is that there are less lines, and a more relaxed feel to your vacation.

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We enjoyed the Unagi Lover ($15) and the Stairway to Chirashi Heaven Bento ($300) that comfortably fed 5 of us. I have a reel of the unboxing on Instagram, but for still photos of the details, check out below

Here’s a closer look at the Unagi Lover, which includes Whole unagi from japan, tamagoyaki (shrimp), ikura and sushi rice, for $15. The box is perfect for 1-2 people if eaten on its own, and the presentation is gorgeous.

And then for a stunner, check out the Stairway to Chrirashi Heaven Bento, 3 boxes of sashimi that included uni, ikura, tamagoyaki, A5 Waygu Beef, crab, and sheets of seaweed to make our own handrolls. Here’s a close up look of each of the 3 layers. The exquisite detail of how everything is arranged made us almost not want to disturb the art.

What a way to celebrate a special occasion like Christmas or whatever excuse you would like! I can’t wait to return to KinKan and dine (they offer a la carte or multi-course chef tasting menus) in person, but until then I will reminisce on the KinKan bento box experience like these are postcards from one of the most delicious meals of my life. Cheers!

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Art in Bandon

There is a unique, family-friendly, interactive and educational and FREE art gallery that you can find in Bandon- the Washed Ashore Gallery. This is one of two galleries they have (the other is in Coos Bay), and the specialty here is “art to save the sea” by teaching environmental issues in an engaging way through the arts. The efforts of non-profit Washed Ashore, include not only creating striking sea life sculptures created from ocean debris, but volunteers help to gather the material via beach cleanup efforts and create curriculum to help educate and inspire, and provide volunteer opportunities to get involved in the art creation. Founded in 2010, they hope to raise awareness globally about pollution in the ocean and to spark positive changes. You may have even seen some examples of their art in other locations as part of commissions or traveling exhibitions.

The art here is crafted with plastic pollution – so far over 14 tons of marine debris has been removed from beaches and more than 50 works of art travel as ambassadors to raise awareness by Washed Ashore. Here at the gallery, you can walk up and examine the whole and pieces of each art piece up close enough to see bite marks from fish, crabs, birds, and other marine life – even though some of the material may be toxic. All the art pieces list what materials they are assembled from and even provide a specific items to try to spot like a hidden object puzzle. Some are easy, like bottles, bottle caps, bags, foamed polystyrene, and others might include lighters, combs, shotgun shells, shoes, toothbrushes and more. One interactive sculpture of a musical sea star invited visitors a chance to play it like a musical instrument by blowing across the top of hitting gently with a mallet the combination of plastic and glass bottles that comprise the scupture.

Next, did you know all along the length of coastal towns you can find an Oregon Coast Public Art Trail – here in Bandon the pieces from the art can be found mostly on 1st Street. Here you can find public display art that is free and accessible to all year-round, ranging from murals to sculptures to artsy benches. Depending on whether you are here during warmer or cooler weather, it’s a perfect excuse to wander and find them while enjoying an ice cream cone or coffee/tea/cocoa . There more then 25 art pieces you can find, many of them right by the marina. In fact there was more art I found on that boardwalk that was shown on the map – that last photo is not officially part of the art trail map, but it’s memorable.

If your timing is right – essentially from late spring to mid fall – you may be visiting during the Annual Port of Bandon Boardwalk Art Show. This is Bandon’s public art display on the Old Town boardwalk that welcomes entries with a new theme each year, and the entries you see come from both amateur and professional artists, in both youth and adult categories. This yields a lot of different kinds of art that change every year – and you get to vote for the People’s Choice winners! You can participate with free ballots you can pick up so you can voice your thought on People Choice, 1 ballot per voter. It’s super fun to walk around as a judge and make your picks. My strategy is to take a photo of my pick of candidates as I walk through the boardwalk and then filter it down from there, because there were 200+ to admire on the boardwalk. You can see winners from previous years on the Port of Bandon Boardwalk Art Show Facebook page.

Eats in Bandon Old Town

In addition to seeing the art, grab some eats. My favorite pick is at Tony’s Crab Shack right off of the main parking lot by the marina. Although small, they are mighty, IMHO they offer up some of the finest seafood dishes in the area. Nothing is deep-fried here – it’s all grilled, steamed, or barbecue here. You can order within the shack itself for seafood they have already caught, or go to the Crab Cooker Smokehouse area where you can have a crab you caught cooked for you! On the other side of the crab shack, their tackle shop helps you with any other fishing and crabbing or clamming needs, be it renting equipment or getting a fishing license or getting advice. With that trio of services all in one place, how can you not feel confident that this is fine fresh seafood in the most casual vibe here?

Inside of the shack you will find a few hightops for inclement weather, but the best seating is outside at the tables and communal table they call the Oyster Bar. The inside space really is small – it is not uncommon for the lines to go out the door, but the line moved quickly. You order at the counter and then wait for the food to come to you as you find a table for yourself. No restrooms, but the public restroom is just next door. Casual but it’s worth it. They are only open for lunch to just before dinner (closing at 7 pm) so you have to plan accordingly.

Grab a menu and peruse options like various seafood cocktails, warm up with New England style clam chowder or Cioppino or steamer clams or grilled oysters, the Bandon’s Famous Crab Sandwich that includes 1/4 lb loose crab meat, or other sandwiches with local fish or local pan-fried oysters, or a Maine lobster roll, and at dinner grilled seafood or Dungeness crab dinners sold by the half or whole crab. I stopped by for lunch and went with seafood cocktail to enjoy with a local microbrew pour while I waited, and then creamy clam chowder with the Bandon’s Famous Crab sandwich that includes as mentioned the 1/4 pound loose crab meat on toasted sourdough bread, with Swiss cheese, mixed greens, and 1000 island dressing.

If you want your fish and chips or other battered seafood, look to the other restaurant right off of this parking lot that you probably noticed when you pulled in, the Bandon Fish Market. I didn’t stop by on this trip, but enjoyed the free aroma as I walked the boardwalk.

Finally, on this side of the street, you can find The Loft which offers American style brunch, particularly a brown butter hollandaise.

If eating dinner before 6 or 7pm is a bit early for you, I recommend Italian at Angelo’s Italy which is open for dinner only and seems almost like a hole in the wall, what a gem. Besides the traditional Italian food as taught by his father (original owner was Angelo, now run by his son) and his great grandmother and grandmother from Rome, Angelo’s also offers live music because the family has a great love for music as Angelo and wife both traveled the world making music before settling down in Bandon

We lucked out a little before 530 in a Thursday to walk in and get seated – the whole restaurant filled up quickly after that and when we left there were several parties waiting, so if you can call and reserve you can save yourself a wait. It’s a small restaurant that is cozy inside and has some outdoor seating as well. It was unexpectedly romantic when it turns out there was live music via a guitarist and his mascot good boy dog that Thursday evening – even sitting right up at the small stage we were still able to hear each other to talk and the music was lovely, on the wall was a mounted electric fireplace.

The bread service at Angelo’s Italy comes with tomato sauce, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. We shared very good bruschetta, he had the eggplant parmesan which came with penne arrabiata so good he ordered another dish of just the pasta. I totally forgot to take photos of the main dishes, just the appetizers and when the live music started.

Face Rock Creamery is open daily and is the last of the cheese makers in the area that used to be here from the 1800s. Face Rock Creamery is literally award-winning, and products include 10 flavors of cheddar cheese (including “In Your Face” Cheddar and “Vampire Slayer” Garlic Cheddar, plain, smoky and more), cheese curds, fromage blanc, and Monterey Jack. You can also find ice cream here, and beer and wine, at the cafe. From inside the gift shop and cafe, you can also look through windows to see the cheesemaking process.

Right across the street from Face Rock Creamery, you can find cider at Bandon Rain. Besides the 15 taps, on the weekends there are food trucks, and you can bring outside food to compliment your cider tasting. If you prefer beer, you can walk a few blocks down to Bandon Brewing for some 14 taps of craft beers and pizza.

Still thirsty? Or looking for something else? Stillwagon Distillery is your chance to do a spirit tasting and add some unique liquors to your home bar. The specialty here is aged rums that include infusions netting you tasty spirits like a spiced rum (spiced with pineapple, coconut, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, anise, and possibly molasses), pineapple rum, mocha rum, coconut rum, ginger, habanero rum, and a lot more including gin and whiskey. These would be great for rum punch for your next party, a unique twist on a dark and stormy cocktail, or upgrade your summer daiquiris, etc.

That completes my highlights of my trip for our trip to the Bandon area of the Oregon Coast. I loved being there and it’s my new favorite part of the Oregon Coast that I want to return to again and again. It has the perfect balance of beautiful natural sights, lovely accommodation options, and being able to escape away from the tourist crowds just enough while still having great options of things to do and places to eat.

Bandon, Oregon Coast Travel Series

• Circles in the Sand at the Oregon Coast
• Sunrise and Moonset at Face Rock Viewpoint
• Sunset at Coquille Point
• Easy Guide to Samuel H Boardman Scenic Corridor
• Art and Eats in Bandon – this post

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I peeked under the cover for this overhead shot of the 2022 Sake Advent Calendar so you can also see the new improved packaging in case you are shipping it as a gift to a loved one or yourself if you can’t do a local pick-up. 2022 offers 180ml cups of sake plus one full-size bottle for Christmas Eve – over four liters of sake.

The little glasses can be washed and reused for flowers or herbs (I extend green onions with a cup myself), candles, water glasses that you can easily distinguish between guests, and if you want to try warm sake heated up in a pot of hot water or microwaved without the metal top. Several of the sakes are ones not easily found at stores, and some, hand-chosen and imported for the first time from Japan by Namazake Paul. Note: The glasses below are from last year’s 2021 calendar so may not reflect what is in this year’s calendar. I haven’t started sipping from the 2022 calendar yet!

If you or your gift recipient are not familiar with sake types no problem – this year the 2022 Sake Advent Calendar includes a handbook and you can join a Facebook group where you and other Sake Calendar owners can post in a community specifically about the sake each day. And added this year there will be an online event with a Japanese sake maker with translator!

Every major brewing style of sake is represented, including Futsu-shu, Honjozo, Junmai, Ginjo, Daiginjo, Namachozo, Yamahai, Kimoto and Nigori. Twelve of the sake have never been imported before. The Namazake Paul Advent Calendar is an excellent foodie gift in its uniqueness, educational and community component if you’re looking to treat yourself or someone you care about. You can arrange to pick it up locally here in Portland, or it ships nationally. The packing is done carefully for each cup- here’s a look behind door 1 of the calendar this year.

If you are not familiar with Namazake Paul, he is a sake connoisseur here in Portland who imports all kinds of sake, many never seen in restaurants or stores. A newsletter goes out each month highlighting the newest offerings, especially his selection of seasonal sake. I find his tasting notes very approachable even to new sake drinkers, and it’s kinda crazy the sake database that’s in his head! It’s refreshing to try a sake and take a break from wine, beer, and liquor – the pairings can be pretty mind blowing, especially with cheese. If you visit his website right now during the holiday season he is focused on selling cases but usually there are individual bottle selections to make your own set. Even if you don’t buy immediately sign up to see the bottles, sake brewer talks, local tastings, sake classes and other news from Namazake Paul.

Paul has been working on the sake advent calendar all year and put a lot of love in it – I thought last year was pretty incredible and look forward to the sake adventures this year.

Happy Holidays!

2021 vs 2022 calendar – cat for scale

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The seating is one per night on mostly weekend dates, and limited to just a little more then a dozen people for approximately 2.5 hours of a dinner tasting menu that features snacks and composed courses made from the best of local northwest and Japanese ingredients and Nodoguro preparation that combines creativity and traditional techniques, plus a line up of omakase sushi bites and miso soup, dessert and tea. The space on NE 23rd is a little hidden, you have to walk down a lantern-lit pathway to the restaurant door.

Upon entering you find yourself at an initial welcome area, and a lounge to socialize with the other dining parties of the evening while possibly enjoying a welcome drink – here a Tamagawa Heart of Oak sake from Kyoto with nutty, toasty characteristics that was really well balanced – I could drink this endlessly and kept sipping it slowly to make it last. You can select from a pairing that included both wines and sakes, or beverages by the glass or a bottle. One of the updates Nodoguro has made that I really enjoyed and I think made it the best pairings from the dinners I’ve had so far is that the selection is all Oregon wines if it is wine, and they endeavored to select wines and sakes that are unique and not ones you can find normally on store shelves or on other restaurant beverage lists.

Doors open 30 minutes before the dinner service, and dinner service is at a shared countertop, though every course is plated and served to you individually. For this theme of Nurturing Your Kokoro, each seating came with an oracle card, and several us read aloud our cards, unique to each setting, to the table. Mine read “Flowers even bloom on grass that has been trampled.(Japanese proverb)”. I would prefer not to be trampled but good to know I will persevered and still blossom.

Snacks

Umami juice. Vegetables roasted then fermented with soft vinegar, this small starter cleansed the palate and was a bit reminiscent to me of a kombucha. The beverage pairing for the snacks is this crisp Mellen Meyer Brut Nature – Willamette Valley AVA. This Oregon sparkling wine producer was new to me and I’m glad for the introduction

Duck, squash, and cranberry. Nodoguro serving up a a little Thanksgiving”, with the squash poached in sake and the beautiful perfect slices of duck. I wish Thanksgiving could really be duck instead of turkey like this. One of my favorite creative courses of the evening.

Caesar bite. Chicories with crispy shallots and katsuobushi which are bonito flakes here instead of the traditional Caesar dressing usage of anchovies. With the dressing placed at the bottom, this was one of the first courses of the night that we were encouraged if we wished to eat with our hands.

Composed Courses

Next was a tray of Santen Mori, or a platter with a trio of small appetizers with the next beverage pairing, Golden Cluster Noburg Oregon Chardonnay – Willamette Valley AVA though located just in Forest Grove. On the tray, starting at the top and going clockwise: Toasted walnut and baby fish. The walnut is toasted in soy sauce reduction

Next, Persimmon and shiitake – persimmons in a little bit of vinegar, shiitake mushrooms, fresh tofu sauce. Finally, Inada tataki– wild inada since it is the season of the baby yellowtail, shiso, sesame oil.

Oyster, citrus, and myoga. These oysters from Washington are served with a ginger mignonette

Mochi cake and caviar. For essentially these mochi blini they use mochiko which is a stretchy rice flour and a little bit of yeast. Loved loved loved it.

Oregon albacore sashimi. With Japanese wasabi

Matsutake, custard and crab. The matsutake mushroom, egg custard and Dungeness crab with dashi was thick, almost like an egg drop soup. This was paired with a Limited Addition Noble Dry – Eola-Amity Hills AVA, a Chenin Blanc special edition with this harvest that was infected with some noble rot. The flavors had a fungal quality to complement with the matsutake here.

Abalone oden. Nodoguro’s take steamed abalone with a little bit of sake and then Japanese mustard

Uni rice. I always love an uni course, and this was one of my favorites of the night in what is a sea urchins risotto that reminded me of a creamy rich take on rice porridge

Sushi

Next starts the “sushi situation”, which were paired with two sakes that were served to us at the same time to mix and match as we wished with our sushi courses. Narutotai Nama Genshu – Tokushima Prefecture and Otokoyama Hiyaoroshi Junmai – Hokkaido Prefecture.

First sushi – Madai, a baby sea bream with fermented yuzu skim

Santa Barbara export uni – an extra grade sea urchin

Iwate sea scallop

Ikura with curry crab. Always love the pops of ikura on rice – for my own take on this I will source fish eggs from Lavka and toss it on their dumplings with a little butter, vinegar, and sour cream, but it’s not as luxurious as this Nodoguro take with sushi rice and with curry Dungeness crab.

Shimaaji Horse mackerel

Saba. Battera kelp, mackerel, shiso inside

King salmon

Dashi and seaweed Miso soup. I do not envy how many dishes they must need to wash after every Nodoguro dinner seating! I love these because it’s like opening a present with the lid.

Dessert

Pumpkin and pear Pumpkin gelato, Asian pear salad with yuzu zest. This had an extra fun pairing of an intense yuzu sake that was almost like a limoncello and a little bit went a long way.

Hokkaido Raisin Bread Saikyo miso icing, raisins marinated in birch liquor. Served with Hojicha tea.

November and December seatings are sold out, but you should check because there are sometimes last minute cancellations so you can snap up a reservation on short notice if you are lucky. They also offer a waiting list to get notified. Otherwise, look for the sale of the new dates in January coming soon.

I’ve written about my love for Nodoguro so much I’m not sure I have anything else to say, except that it is worth it, and you should go. You don’t even need to get a group together – I have done several of these dinners on my own, and the seating arrangement always means I make new friends during the dinner. Every dinner I have had with Nodoguro is special, and I hope you have a chance to find this out for yourself too.

If you are interested there is also a reel of the experience posted here on Instagram

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I covered Circle in the Sands and the sunset views at Coquille Point already at the linked posts, so this post will focus on my take on a guide to the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor iconic views, whimsy nostalgia of the Prehistoric Gardens experience, along with a lunch with a famous hot dog!

Don’t worry whether the weather is sunny which will look beautiful with blue skies and blue seas in your views, or if it is a gloomy grey day that is also IMHO atmospheric: I think all weather conditions make the scenic viewpoints look special. I recommend driving from north to south for the trip so you are always pulling to the right side into the viewpoints.

A Famous Oregon Coast Hot Dog

Going south from Bandon, it will be a little less then an hour and a half before you reach the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor. It is a scenic drive with ocean views from Port Orford on. Before you reach Port Orford, stop while going through the small town of Langlois at Langlois Market, which is right off the highway.

This small town family owned one stop shop is the only market in this rural town and also home of the legendary Langlois hot dog. Besides purchasing convenience market necessities and a surprisingly diverse selection of craft beers and impressive local meat, there is a deli with what they say is home of the “world famous hot dog”.

With that kind of billing, but how can you resist the hot dog? The “everything” dressed hot dog includes homemade mustard (Grandma’s recipe and made fresh everyday), pickle, and onion with a locally made very chubby frankfurter. Or go with the “super dog” and get a hot dog sandwich on a hero roll as seen here!

They can also set you up with your custom sandwich, they have lots of local cheese and tuna and meat and other products if you wander the aisles. So you’re all set to picnic at the outdoor tables right outside for a driving break or take it with you (perhaps even with their $5 growlers) for picnics at any other picturesque stop along the Oregon coast.

Continuing on from Langlois will have you pass though Port Orford and you will drive past the Prehistoric Gardens stop. We decided to head towards the scenic corridor first as there was rain predicted later in the day, and then stop at the Prehistoric Gardens on the way back north. Here’s an example view after Port Orford as we were driving along.

Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor Iconic Views

The Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor is a 12 mile stretch of the Oregon Coast Highway (Highway 101) that has various scenic views easily accessible right off the road with pullout areas and parking areas. It is named after the first Oregon State Parks superintendent and who is often called the father of the park system per Oregon Encyclopedia. There is no official visitor center to the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor, though there are a few stops with vault restrooms and picnic tables, and it is all free. Just look for signs along the highway indicating you are entering the scenic corridor.

Several of the best viewpoint areas have signs, though not all stops do and may only be hinted at with a pullout area you can see. If there is a parking lot, it is usually a viewpoint just a short walk away from where you park. In the northern portion of the scenic corridor there are more windswept bluffs with more secluded beaches, while as you travel more south it gets flatter into larger sandy swaths of beaches and some grassy meadows.

Heading north to south so you can just keep pulling to the right into the parking lots and pullouts, the iconic views include these major stops that are low effort, mostly park and short walk to a view, or hikes of 30 minutes round trip or less. You can find a map at the state park site for Samuel H. Boardman State Park, and for planning purposes there are 3 public vault restrooms available at the beginning of the park (Arch Rock), middle (Whaleshead Picnic Area) and end (Lone Ranch Beach.) There are many more hikes and viewpoints available then my guide to Samuel H Boardman Scenic Corridor covers, this is my pick for an easy day. My list below is listed sequentially of viewpoints starting from the northern end going south.

Arch Rock

A short 0.3 mile loop well maintained trail takes you from the parking lot to a viewpoint and back – it’s definitely more of a walk to a viewpoint then a hike. This is just your first taste of the ocean and wind carved rock formations in the scenic corridor. This is one of the stops of the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor that has a restroom available, and there are also picnic tables. If you visit in the spring and bring binoculars, you may see diverse communities of seabirds using this fortress as isolated breeding and resting habitat. Oregon’s offshore islands throughout the span of the Oregon coast are almost all part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge.

From the parking lot, you can also get a view of Spruce Island. There is a parking area if you drive north from Arch Rock if you want a more straight on view, and it has a sign identifying it as Spruce Island Viewpoint. As you can guess by the name, it’s a small island with several Sitka spruce trees.

Secret Beach

This is the first hike in my guide to Samuel H Boardman Scenic Corridor that I would really call a hike instead of a park and walk. You can hike here from either Arch Rock or Thunder Rock Cove which both have parking lots, or you may be lucky and be able to use a pullout area (the third one after Arch Rock, fits about 6 cars, shortly after mile marker 345) between the two which gives you the shortest hike at a 0.2 mile instead of a 2 mile out and back. This shorter hike does include a downward portion on rocks that can be muddy and slippery after rains and you may need to walk around tree roots. Whatever trail you take, if you do hike, be on the lookout to avoid poison oak.

I question how “secret” this beach really is from being known by fellow travelers, but I think it refers more to the fact that this stop has no sign, and that you have to do a hike through the woods to get to a secluded area of beach and rocks, and one of the beach areas is only accessible at low tide. Otherwise, similar to many beaches in Samuel H Boardman Scenic Corridor, the cliffs on one side and sea stacks on the other in the ocean make these beaches feel secluded and private, even though all Oregon beaches are publicly owned and free from the surf line to the vegetation line thanks to the Oregon Beach Bill.

Thunder Rock Cove

This is a 0.75 mile hike that gives you a view of Secret Beach to the north and takes you to a secluded cove with a natural arch and pounding waves that echo on the rock walls of the sea cave and surrounding cliffs – maybe a little like the sound of thunder if you visit when the ocean is swelling before or after a storm. We considered but did not do the hike, but you can find the best details that I had saved about it at this blogpost here from Live and Let Hike.

Natural Bridges

The seven arch rocks and blowholes here of Natural Bridges is easily accessible via a trail that ends in a wooden platform overlooking this vista. It’s another wonderful case of it’s more of a walk to the overlook deck from parking then a hike. Here you’ll also find a memorial to Dr. Samuel Dicken, who first envisioned the Oregon Coast Trail, the 362 mile route through all of the Oregon Coast. You may even run into people that are hiking this trail throughout the Samuel H. Boardman scenic corridor!

There is non-maintained trail so that you can go down and walk on the natural bridge you see on the left, although we did not go on it. I have read that the trail is pretty steep and can be dangerous when it’s muddy (which it was during our trip) because it gets close to cliff edges on both sides of the trail, though we did see some people on the bridge during our visit. People have fallen and died or needed to be rescued from the trail before (including this summer in 2022), so visit closer at your own risk. If there is a sign asking you not to go further, please don’t. The vista from the viewing platform that you can access from the parking lot is still quite stunning.

Thomas Creek Bridge

The Thomas Creek Bridge is not an official stop, but my guide to Samuel H Boardman Scenic Corridor still includes it because I think it’s scenic and a contrast to the natural bridges you see in the area. Also, trivia: the Thomas Creek bridge is the highest bridge in Oregon, at 345 feet. There are places to park on both sides of the bridge, I took this photo from the area on the northeast side, just steps away from the car (you will need to pullover to an area on the left if driving south). The photo doesn’t do justice to the height as it doesn’t show the ravine that this bridge is crossing over which you seem to need a drone or be walking at the bottom to see, as seen in photos at this That Oregon Life article.

Indian Sands

Indian Sands is a unique viewpoint and area in Samuel H Boardman Scenic Corridor because the sand of these dunes is from eroded sandstone from the cliffs, and not the ocean. For the 1.1 mile short moderate loop trail, sources say to not follow the signs labeled “Indian Sands” in the parking lot but instead from the southern end of the parking area follow an unmarked uphill path going south and dropping 200 feet that then leads to a side path. Following this path will lead you to emerge from the forest onto dunes guarded by small cliffs about 100 feet high, and you can see an arch to the south.

By going south initially on the trail loop, you save yourself a steep ascent if you had gone north (counterclockwise basically) on the loop – though it does mean you will have a descent on the way back. We did not do this hike because trails were muddy and slippery during the day of our visit, and this trail either way includes traversing steep slopes – but it’s short and unique adventure. So it is a stop I had on my wishlist if it had been more dry. For photos of what you might see check out this blogpost from Two Roaming Souls.

Whaleshead Beach

This trail is a moderate 3 mile loop to the beach, but if you walk just a few minutes through the green forest and brush, it will open up so you can see the namesake Whaleshead Island formation that appears like a whale coming up for air, and if the waves hit it right a spout of water spurts almost like a whale blowing. I took this photo and turned around – F didn’t even come down, he was waiting in the car! So basically the equivalent of a stop and literally walk 5 minutes (the time between the timestamp of the bridge photo the below photo is only 9 minutes apart), and then go back, not a hike unless you want it to be.

There is a separate area by Whaleshead which offers picnic tables and a restroom – pull over to the Whaleshead Picnic Area before this instead of the Whaleshead Viewpoint.

Cape Ferrelo Viewpoint and Lone Ranch Beach

By this point in the southern end of the Samuel H Boardman Scenic Corridor, the cliffs are not as high and you can enjoy some grassy headlands on the way to the beachline. Cape Ferrelo Viewpoint is a 300 foot summit that offers panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and if you’re lucky is a good place for whale watching. Supposedly if it is clear enough you can even see all the way down to the California coast. There also is a convenient bench to sit and gaze upon the vista, and a 1 mile loop to the dramatic cape view.

Sloping meadows lead down to tidepools and offshore rocks and probably the best picnic views of all the park if you take the trail to Lone Ranch Beach. There is a 1.6 loop trail south to the Lone Ranch Beach area from Cape Ferrelo. The trail from Cape Ferrelo to Lone Ranch Beach has some elevation gain and includes long stretches on treeless areas so you can look far up and down the coast – no shade, open to the elements particularly wind and rain, but also spectacular. Another trail takes you north to House Rock Viewpoint – or you can start there with the destination of Cape Ferrelo.

Since it seemed that cape seemed to be a dramatic highlight, we shortcut it by driving to both viewpoints of Cape Ferrelo and Lone Ranch Beach as they both have a parking lot and access and did not hoof it in between the two.

Even if you don’t take the whole trail at Cape Ferrelo, it is worth it to take the path leading to the right/north because there is an interesting spruce tunnel you can walk through. Then, shortly after the tunnel, even though it was the middle of June, there were gorgeous wildflowers brightening up our view of the headlands.

Whether you hike to Lone Ranch Beach or drive there, this is the second hike that I mentioned at the top in my guide to Samuel H Boardman Scenic Corridor. It is worth it to walk from wherever you start to the beach here that offers views of seastacks, easily accessible tidepools, and piles of driftwood shaped by nature like sculptures along the shoreline. The path from the Lone Ranch Beach parking is easy and wheelchair and stroller accessible and there are restrooms at the picnic area by the parking lot. But the best picnic area is by the beach. Here’s a look at Lone Ranch Beach views.

Lone Ranch is the last stop in Samuel H Boardman Scenic Corridor, and you can choose continue to the coastal town of Brookings, or we turned around since our base lodging is still in Bandon, and on the way back north to Bandon stopped for dinosaurs.

Visiting the Prehistoric Gardens

The Prehistoric Gardens is a third generation family-owned roadside attraction along the Oregon Coast Highway since since 1955 that is a self-guided tour through a prehistoric rainforest to encounter 23 full-size model dinosaurs. It’s hard to resist cracking a smile when you see the welcoming dinosaur just outside the doors of this family attraction. Although the size of the dinosaurs was painstakingly recreated to be accurate based on fossil records, the paint coloring and facial expressions may be slightly interpretive.

The path winds through a leafy prehistoric forest and is flat and wheelchair and stroller accessible, with signs for each dinosaur identifying it and some interesting fun facts. You can feel the passion of the accountant with a passion for art and amateur paleontology who founded this attraction and crafted each of these dinosaurs, including the 3 story tall brachiosaurus that took 4 years from start to finish. A little kitschy and cheesy fun if you are in the mood for a 30 minute stop. I would recommend this and NOT stopping at the West Coast Game Safari Park which has poor animal care, do not support them with your dollars.

The park was also featured on the show “Strange Inheritance” which gives a lot of context that makes this small park even more enjoyable and hints that with the next generation original owner to daughter to granddaughter to great granddaughter who resides in London, this park may not be able to be sustained for much longer so support it while you can. You can check out the episode on Youtube.

If you are going out to the Oregon Coast, besides enjoying the natural beauty, support the various family owned small businesses as much as you can!

One more post to go to summarize our little couple days trip in Bandon of the series you see below!

Bandon, Oregon Coast Travel Series

• Circles in the Sand at the Oregon Coast
• Sunrise and Moonset at Face Rock Viewpoint
• Sunset at Coquille Point
• Easy Guide to Samuel H Boardman Scenic Corridor – this post
• Art and Eats in Bandon

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Hopefully as work gets restructured, maybe I’ll have time to write again – particularly about what you see below. Until then, I hope you are all doing well out there and thank you for stopping by.

Summer and Fall Adventures 2022 between July – October:

Crater Lake, and Smith Rock, and alpacas at Crescent Moon Ranch in Oregon

San Diego Comic-Con in San Diego 2022 – Severance TV Show Offsite, D&D Movie Offsite, and Prey Movie Premiere that I was lucky enough to score a free invite from Collider

San Jose for Crunchyroll Expo that included dining with music and lobster at Orchestra Palm Court Restaurant where besides serving dinner and drinks including from a vintage soda fountain, you will also be having dinner among numerous working vintage automated electric pianos and orchestrations. 40 Cloves of Roasted Garlic on the literal award winning Big Sur pizza from Pizza My Heart, and the great atmosphere of food and music at San Pedro Square Market with a lunch of lobster roll and garlic fries from Anchors Fish and Chips and Seafood Grill.

Drift Creek Waterfall and Suspension Bridge Trail, by Oregon Coast on the way to the Lincoln City Autumn Kite Festival. Also went to the The Cheeky Cauldron, a Harry Potter inspired cafe, and visited a delicious diner called Otis Cafe for brunch with famous German potatoes and molasses bread. Thank goodness you can buy a loaf to take home

Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart immersive experience at Las Vegas, dining at Bacchanal Buffet at Caeser’s, and lunch at Hell’s Kitchen

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Coquille Point is similar to Face Rock Viewpoint in that it is an area of an elevated cliff area that looks down to a beach with sea stacks. But the feel is remarkably changed because the rock formations here are much larger with a few smaller stacks scattered. One of the formations is nicknamed Table Rock because of its large flat surface. The path down to this area from the bluff is stunning with wildflowers and a perfectly placed bench.

On the other side of the bluff- the walking path is less than a mile- is where you’ll find Elephant Rock. Can you see where the elephant is facing towards you? Depending on the tides it may even appear like the elephant is squirting water from it’s trunk, or with high tide waves rushing in even appear like white tusks of water.

There’s another feature of sunset at Coquille Point that is unique – the boardwalk-like stairway with a few landings, including a small gazebo, descending to the beach. You will see it immediately from the main access point to Coquille Point, the free parking area at the west end of 11th Street. As you go down the stairs, you can gaze south towards Face Rock Viewpoint, or walk right north towards Elephant Rock and large piles of driftwood that has collected here.

As you go down the stairs, you can gaze north towards Face Rock Viewpoint, or walk right south towards Elephant Rock and quite a gathering of driftwood that has collected here.

I enjoy the contrast of the open sky to the silhouettes of the sea stacks and the soft green flowers and grass of the bluff and then the architecture of the stairway.

It is a gorgeous location for sunset with these contrasts to just sit and watch the colors change with the light.

This area is home to many nesting birds and is also a “kindergarten” area for baby seals so watch out and avoid disturbing them. If you have binoculars you’ll want to peek at the puffins. Even without binoculars you can see a puffin – well at least a puffin sculpture made from waste gathered from the ocean and turned into art. This is part of Washed Ashore, art to save the sea. You can visit a gallery of more of this art and learn more about their work to clean up beach debris and raise awareness on ocean pollution.

As you walk along the beach, you may even find yourself taking up rock collecting. According to US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management in Oregon, collecting rock and minerals as a hobby does not require any permits while the materials are for personal, non-commercial use and the no-fee daily limit for collecting for personal use to 25 pounds plus one piece, with a yearly limit of 250 pounds in total, if you want to really go for it. Both of us found ourselves collecting for the first time rocks along our beach walks because there were so many pretty ones we spotted. After this trip we got our own rock tumbler at home.

Now why do I think this is one of the most beautiful sunset spots on the Oregon Coast? First, if you are a photographer you can look up the lineup of the sun during sunset because if conditions are right, the sunbeams can line up in the Elephant Rock opening of the sea caves like the light coming from a keyhole. That timing didn’t work for us, but this bluff, with the sea stacks, sea, the stairs, and wildflowers, lit by the setting sun, is spectacular still, as at least I thought so from my amateur phone photography.

Bandon, Oregon Coast Travel Series

• Circles in the Sand at the Oregon Coast
• Sunrise and Moonset at Face Rock Viewpoint
• Sunset at Coquille Point – this post
• Easy Guide to Samuel H Boardman Scenic Corridor
• Art and Eats in Bandon

The post Sunset at Coquille Point by Pechluck appeared first on Pechluck's Food Adventures.

Where To Stay

Waking up for sunrise is early in Daylight Savings Time in June – sunrise is around 5:30 in the morning. Add to that if we wanted to see the full moon, we needed to be up earlier then that before the sun’s rays brought too much light to the sky. A supermoon is called so because the moon is at its closest orbit to earth, so can appear larger and brighter then other full moons – the best time to see this is when it is rising or setting closer to the horizon. You will have to wait until it gets quite late and dark enough to see the moon during the summer long days, or you might want to use blue hour – the time before sunrise, where you can capture the mood when the blue color spectrum is most prominent, about when the Sun is between 4-8° below the horizon.

In Bandon we decided to stay at Sunset Oceanfront Lodging since it was the closest to Face Rock Viewpoint, so close that we could just look out the window and see it right there. This multi-generation family-owned business offers some oceanfront views with balconies, a small fridge and microwave helped us with managing food (in particular cold beverages in the morning) and restaurant leftovers, and that view and easy walking access sold us. I mean look at the view from our balcony towards Face Rock and towards Coquille Point! We stayed in the Vern Brown Addition, so there were stairs that led directly to the beach from there.

In our room there was a broom and dustpan to manage the sand that inevitably gets tracked in, very thoughtful. Some of the rooms offered a fireplace also. Depending on which part of the motel you stay in, the rooms may be pet-friendly though our unit at the Vern Addition was not. Sunset Motel does offer a pool and hot tub, though we didn’t use it.

A light grab and go breakfast with prepacked bagels and cream cheese, cereal, granola bars, and coffee and tea is available in the lobby in the morning. They also had a telescope there in case you did not bring binoculars and wanted a better look at some of the birds nesting on the stacks, and there was lots of informational printouts on tide pools, hikes, and more in the lobby. A restaurant on the premise called Lord Bennett’s serves dinner only, and if you want to dine in you may want to make reservations as it can get very busy with people wanting to dine with a view. If you are staying at Sunset though no problem- order takeout and enjoy it from the comfort of your own room and balcony view! When we return to Bandon, we would definitely stay here again.

Sunset at Face Rock Viewpoint

The beach access to Face Rock is available at Face Rock Viewpoint (there is parking as well as public restrooms here), or from the stairs at Sunset Oceanfront Lodging. We popped down after checking in, enjoying dinner in the room, and then just walked around. One of the lovely features of this area are the sea stacks as there so many of them here providing visual interest to the beach. One of the sea stacks is nicknamed Wizards Hat Rock for how it appears to be a triangular pointy hat – you can find this one closer to the beach.

Another is Face Rock, a larger formation out in the ocean that looks like the upturned face, with the woman’s face looking up to the sky, her hair flowing back on the north side/left when faced directly. To the left of her are the Cats and Kittens, a grouping of multiple small sea stacks.

Although the area is not that suitable for swimming, the way the rock formations and sky are reflected in the sea and sand are spectacular. You’ll soon see exactly how extraordinary it is during moonset and sunrise. All photos you see on this post are taken with our camera phones, no special photography equipment or setting adjustments – scenery here is just that breathtaking.

Moonset

We woke up for a moonlit walk and to watch the moon set as it travels past Wizards Hat. The light softens from blue to purple and then to the pink as dawn approaches.

Sunrise

Meanwhile, to the west, the sun is rising.

If you look at the back of the middle of the photos below, you can see that white building which is the Sunset Oceanfront Lodging that we were staying at. I really love photos with reflections in water, so this was just so dreamy.

Low Tide at Face Rock Viewpoint

With all the sea stacks here, you can only imagine all the treasures you can find in the tidepools. Here’s a peek at some of what you might find at all the nooks and crannies and caves. The rocks and tidal flats here are protected as part of the US Fish and Wildlife Service Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge because they provide important nesting habitat for birds, so you will see and hear lots of bird friends.

Details of ocean life juxtaposed with sand and sky and angles of rock and smooth sand from the tides.

Here is Face Rock as the golden light illuminates it – according to the legend she is an Indian princess staring up at the sky frozen in time.

As you enjoy your beach walk in the morning you will possibly run into people clamming.

That’s it for today’s post, but I have more to cover – here’s the outline to come! The sunset I showed as part of this post is all right – but the spot I would recommend is Coquille Point, which I will share next time.

Bandon Oregon Coast Trip June 2022

• Circles in the Sand at the Oregon Coast
• Sunrise and Moonset at Face Rock Viewpoint – this post
• Sunset at Coquille Point
• Samuel H Boardman Scenic Corridor
• Art and Eats in Bandon

Have you been to Bandon yet, which is your favorite rock formation? Below is my favorite shot of the day with the sunrise and water reflections of the sky and bird footprints on the sand.

Bandon, Oregon Coast Travel Series

• Circles in the Sand at the Oregon Coast
• Sunrise and Moonset at Face Rock Viewpoint – this post
• Sunset at Coquille Point
• Easy Guide to Samuel H Boardman Scenic Corridor
• Art and Eats in Bandon

The post Sunrise and Moonset at Face Rock Viewpoint by Pechluck appeared first on Pechluck's Food Adventures.