Archive for May, 2008

Magnolia Grill

May 30, 2008 · Filed under Restaurants · Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

On a lovely drive the Applegate Valley to taste some local wine, husband and I had heard from friends about a great little restaurant in Ruch and decided to give it a try. The place: Magnolia Grill, owned and operated by Michael Wurster.

What a great little place. For lunch I had a delicious Cobb salad, loaded with grilled chicken, bacon, avocado, hard boiled egg and crumbled Rogue Creamery Bleu Cheese. I topped that off with a glass of crisp Griffin Creek Viognier. Husband had the “Special” a turkey and Cappicola sandwich in an herbed roll with steak fries and Iced Tea. Knowing we were way too full to have dinner later, we thought we should a least make ourselves even more miserable and try a homemade dessert. We had a Banana Spring Roll. This was a banana rolled in brown sugar, wrapped in a won ton skin, deep fried and covered with a drizzle of caramel, toasted coconut and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. WOW! DE-LISH!!

They are open 6 days a week starting at 7:30 for breakfast, lunch and dinner (Monday’s Closed)

Other menu items include three different eggs benedicts (one with grilled tomato and Portobello mushrooms), Chicken fried steak and eggs, Build your own omelets with several delectable items to choose from along with standard breakfast fare.

Lunches range from (and just to name a few) homemade soups and salads, hamburgers and veggie burgers, a Grilled Eggplant sandwich with caramelized onions, sweet roasted red peppers and provolone on a roll with chipotle mayo. A Rueben with hand pulled corned beef, Jamaican Jerk Spiced Pulled Pork sandwich with mango chutney.

They have a large and intriguing dinner menu including a Light Fare menu with Littleneck Clams, Cajun Crawfish Won-Tons, or a Blue Bison Burger. Other dinner selections range from Pasta’s, Steaks, Jambalaya or Fish and a Pork Tenderloin that is topped with an apple and sage chutney, served with garlic mashed potatoes and sautéed veggies. Too many items to list.

There is a great kids menu at great prices too!

Magnolia Grill
7360 Hwy 238
Jacksonville, Oregon
541-899-8700

About a 35 mile drive from Grants Pass, OR
Check out this mention in April 2007 edition of Sunset Magazine

http://www.sunset.com/sunset/travel/article/0,20633,1595995,00.html

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Karen’s Oven Caramel Corn

May 29, 2008 · Filed under Recipes · Tagged , , , , , ,

I am posting on of my all time favorite recipes. My Aunt Karen’s Oven Caramel Popcorn. It is the best caramel corn I have ever ever had. For a fund raiser for my husbands Relay for Life team, I made two batches. I packaged them in clear cellophane bags with descriptions and sold 4 ounces for $2.00 per bag. They sold well!

Karen’s Oven Caramel Corn

1 1/2 c dark brown sugar
1 1/2 sticks real butter
1/2 c dark corn syrup
6 qts popped popcorn – all un-popped kernels removed
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp *Butter Flavoring

Boil brown sugar, butter and corn syrup for five minutes. Remove from heat and stir in salt soda and butter flavoring. Stir fast and well. Pour over popped corn and stir well. Spread on cookie sheets and bake one hour at 200 degrees stirring every 15 minutes.

Store in closed container.

*Please note – the butter flavoring is actually a very important ingredient. Hard to find but worth the search. It will be located with vanilla, orange, lemon and other flavorings in the baking isle. I have tried this recipe with out and I could taste the difference.

I have also added salted peanuts at times, and drizzled melted dark chocolate over the caramel corn once it has cooled.

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Aunt Karen with me and my brother. He was always the center of attention!

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My Aunt Karen

May 29, 2008 · Filed under Family · Tagged , , , , , , , ,

My first memory of Karen was in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. She was dating my Uncle Steve and they would come to visit my mom and grandparents at the Lake. Karen was the first woman to ever teach me how to put on makeup. I loved sitting at her side watching her put on face while I touched her brushes and compacts. She seemed so glamorous to me. One of my most vivid memories was when my Uncle Steve showed me the wedding ring he was going to give her. I was only about 4 or 5, but I remember it well.

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Aunt Karen on her wedding day
Her sister Peggy on her right
My mom on her left

Karen was born in 1946 in Santa Cruz, California. She met and married my Uncle Steve and joined our crazy family. She fit right in. My Aunt and Uncle had one child. Kerri Rae. I thought she was just neato. I got to say at my Aunt’s house one summer to help take care of this little girl. Karen taught me a lot about the care of babies. I loved that summer. Spending time with my favorite Aunt and Uncle and my new cousin, what more could I ask for.

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Aunt Karen with Kerri

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Aunt Karen, next to my grandpa
with myself and my brother.
Camping on the Carson River

Through the years we tried to visit often. My family ended up in Grants Pass, Oregon and hers in Orleans, McKinleyville and finally Fieldbrook. Aunt Karen and I shared a special passion. We both believed in Santa Claus. Every Christmas she went with my brother and I to search for Rudolph in the sky. We always spotted him. I remember often pointing him out to her or her to I. I would look at her face and see tears of joy in her eyes. No matter what age we were, we always believed.

In my cousin’s junior year of high school, around 1995-96, Aunt Karen was diagnosed with breast cancer. She prevailed. Around four years later, just one year shy of complete remission, she had a second bout. The second time was worse then the first. Her and her doctors tried everything. They decided on one last treatment, a three week immunization program. Week one was hard. Week two was the best week she had felt since this second bout of cancer started. She loved to use the term “we nipped it in the bud!” Then week three there was a downhill spiral and her body couldn’t take it anymore. She passed away May 16, 2006.

I think of Aunt Karen often and wonder if her life was full. Her daughter is doing well. I know she struggles and misses her mom. Kerri has a great job at a college up north of us in Washington. Karen would be proud very proud of her. My Uncle too, is well. He travels often, especially to visit Kerri. My heart breaks for them but they are strong.

Every year I decorate a luminary back in her honor for our cities Relay for Life event. I think she would have liked this. I miss her and I am better for having known her.

In Aunt Karen’s honor I will be sharing her recipes on my blog. She was also wonderful cook.

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Crazy Jobs ~ Patient Attendant

May 28, 2008 · Filed under Crazy Jobs · Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Over the years I have had some crazy jobs. Some I’ve liked and most I have not. I’m pretty easy going when it comes to work as long as I have been given a clear guideline of my duties and I receive a decent check. I am a hard worker and always respectful of my superiors. I have never been fired or reprimanded. I just do my job and try to keep my sense of humor in tact to help me through the rough times. Easier said than done. Through the years I have tried many different sorts of employment. I’ve been a horse stall cleaner, hostess, house keeper, sales woman in a children’s dress shop, pizza maker, sous chef, medical receptionist, pharmacy tech and more. One of the jobs I have hated the most was as a Patient Attendant.

As a Patient Attendant at the old Josephine Memorial Hospital in Grants Pass, Oregon, my job was to sit in a room with mentally ill or elderly patients to make sure they stayed in bed, ate or stayed calm. If anything got out of hand and a patient became abusive, out of control or was in danger of harming anyone or anything, I was to yell out at the top of my lungs “Dr. Armstrong, calling Dr. Armstrong”. Or if I had time use the intercom system to page Dr. Armstrong over head. This would cause a herd of hospital employees to come crashing through the door and make everything better. Also usually meant more meds to the patient.

One night I had to watch 2 mentally ill patients. One was quite and reserved, obviously on meds, the other wired and anxious. He was about 6ft and 250 pounds. This patient was in a bed next to the window of the second story of the hospital. He would climb out of bed and try and open the blinds to see out. My job was to keep him in bed and keep him as calm as possible.

As the morning flew by, I must have put this guy back in his bed at least 20 times. As the sun came around to our side of the building, the guy became more and more agitated. His attempts to open the blinds became aggressive. No one told me his condition or gave me an other rules to go by other then keeping him in bed. After much thought I decided to open the dang blinds. I figured at least it would calm him down a bit. WRONG! As I pulled up the blinds and turned to sit back down, he flew out of bed, tore off his gown, pressed his body to the window and screamed something inaudible about the sun.

I screamed DR. ARMSTRONG at the top of my lungs. Three large dudes came flying in and settled the guy down. We tucked him back into bed. Of course no one thought to close the blinds.

About 15 minutes later the guy starts getting agitated again. He flew out of bed, tore off his second gown and this time ran past me faster than lightning. I yelled Dr. Armstrong again and picked up the intercom to do the same hoping for more backup. As I hung up the phone I saw the guy out of the corner of my eye, stop in the middle of the hall. He turned around and faced me nakeder then a jay bird and started running for the window. Stupid me, I stepped in front of the window with my hands out to stop him. He crashed full force into me and we both flew into the window. My head smacked glass and I became instantly dizzy and petrified. The guy pushed me aside and started out the door into the hall way again for a second attempt. Fortunately, the half the hospital staff came flying down the hallway. This startled the poor guy. He panicked and ran smack onto another person who suffered more injuries than I. A broken arm. The hospital staff finally got him pinned down, medicated and back to bed. The staff looked me over, and as they were walking out the door I realized that the second guy I was watching, the quite reserved guy, snuck out of the room and took off while all this was going on. The hospital staff found him safe and sound.

I quit my job that night.

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Wild Indigo

May 27, 2008 · Filed under Books · Tagged , , , , , ,

Wild Indigo by Sandi Ault

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~Publisher Comments:
Berkley Publishing Group
“I have been editing mysteries for close to 25 years . . . Simply put, Wild Indigo by Sandi Ault is the best debut mystery I have read in the past ten years.”— Natalee Rosenstein, Vice President and Senior Executive Editor

~ Author:
Sandi Ault has done it all. A former journalist and newspaper section editor, Sandi Ault has taught writing for many years, including holding a position at the University of Mexico-Taos. She is a volunteer firefighter, musician, bandleader and composer. She live with her husband and wolf Tiwa. Most recently, Sandi won the Edgar Award for Wild Indigo!

~My Comments:
Reminiscent of Tony Hellerman and Nevada Barr series, Bureau of Land Management Agent Jamaica Wild has witnessed the death of a Tanoah Pueblo man, Jerome Santana who was trampled and killed by buffalo. After a tribal investigation, Jamaica is held responsible for causing the stampede that took Santana’s life. Befriended by Santana’s mother and a very few helpful natives, Jamaica starts an investigation of her own to solve the mystery of who killed Santana.

This book is filled with wonderful Pueblo traditions and ceremonies. From the wolf pup Jamaica is trying to raise, to the sweet love story with her and forest ranger Kerry, to the oh so exciting mountain rescue, this book has it all.

If you love Native American history, customs and even a little Indian witchcraft, you will love this book as I did. The author is planning a series of books with this same character.

http://www.sandiault.com/

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Shan Creek Cafe

May 26, 2008 · Filed under Restaurants · Tagged , , , , , ,

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One of my favorite restaurants in Grants Pass is Shan Creek Cafe. It’s about a 15 minute drive from Grants Pass on Riverbanks road. The restaurant at one time was the Shan Creek Market, a local fixture for several years. I was happy to see an old piece of history still hanging above a counter from the old market. The once proud owner self-proclaimed his business as “The Smallest Country Super Market in the World.”

The lovely owner of Shan Creek Cafe is Angel Taylor. We were told that she and her husband bought the property in 2003 and spent many a night and weekend remolding the old store. During the remodel, Angel worked as a chef at the Sundance River Center in Merlin. She shyly told us that she had the honor of cooking for Martha Stewart when she was in Oregon filming for one of her shows.

Before that Angel lived and worked in Marin County staring her career at age of thirteen. She worked her way up from dishes to prep cook. At age fifteen she was in charge of her first dinner shift as the chef at the time had not show up for work. At eighteen she spent a year traveling and working in pubs in England.

Along with standard fare, the menu offers some unique dishes including a Veggie Omelet loaded with fresh veggies, herbs and feta cheese. A Breakfast Burrito with black beans, eggs, cheese, salsa, avocado and sour cream and French toast stuffed with cream cheese berries and pecans. They also serve fresh homemade muffins and coffee cakes. They also offer homemade jams. Yum!

The lunch and dinner menu has a nice offering of homemade soups, salads and salad dressings. You can order a cup, bowl or Bread Bowl of the soup of the day. Or try one of four different salads like the Field Greens with warm pecan crusted goat cheese, (this would be delish with the homemade creamy lemon dressing) or a Greek Salad with red onion and Kalamata Olives.

How about a hamburger made from Oregon organic free range beef? This comes with the standard toppings for or add grilled mushrooms or grilled onions or avocado. Not interested in burgers? Try the Marinated Grilled Chicken breast sandwich smothered in grilled apples and brie. Or try one of the many other sandwich selections such as the Veggie sandwich with carrots, zucchini and olives smothered in Jack cheese and served on toasted whole wheat with tomatoes, sprouts and avocado for. The selection of sandwiches comes with French Fries or homemade Cole Slaw or Potato Salad.

Other options to try include Beer Battered Fish and Chips (my husband and I think they are the best fish and chips in Grants Pass) and Fish Tacos. The main menu is not large however the daily specials make up for what is not on the menu. Chef Angel offers five to six specials a night including seafood, (one is Clam Steamers with perfect amounts of garlic, wine and herbs) a veggie dish, pasta dish and the best aged steaks in the valley.

Along with Free Trade Coffee, they offer espresso drinks, both black and green iced tea. Fresh squeezed lemonade and orange juice and a small but nice selection of beer and wine.

One of my first meals was the Fish Tacos and let me tell you that as a lover of fish tacos, these ranked at the top of my list. I was served two with a plate of black beans steamed rice topped with grated cheese, lime wedges and home made salsa. The fish was very lightly seasoned and breaded, sautéed, wrapped in a grilled corn tortilla. The taste was sensational. I reluctantly offered a meager bite to my partner to get his take. He loved it. He ordered the Beer Battered Fish and Chips. He too offered up a reluctant and meager bite of his selection, and I do declare it was fantastic. The fish was fried in a light seasoned beer batter and served with fries and a homemade tartar sauce and a crisp Cole Slaw. Even though we were happily stuffed, we were encouraged by the chef’s mother, Grace Alexander, to try one of several home made desserts or cookies. She proudly stated that her daughter not only made the best fish and chips she has ever tried but was indeed a “master baker.” We were sold. I had a wonderful slice of Marion Berry Pie slightly warmed with a crust that was to die for and my husband had a piece of a rich and creamy Kaluha Cheesecake.

Back to those steaks. My husband and I have tried several meals at Shan Creek and beside the Fish and Chips, Angel’s steaks are to die for. Perfectly aged and cooked, I have yet to try anything better in the valley. Tender, flavorful and well just darned right perfect. Her Filet Mignon is like buttah, and so full of flavor you’ll be humming through the entire steak. Oh did I mention the sautéed mushrooms piled on top?

The food is outstanding, the service was beyond compare and the friendly neighborly atmosphere is very comforting. My one critique is the limited hours. Only open Thursday through Sunday, breakfast, lunch and dinner. Always call first. Angel’s family always comes first, one of the many reasons my husband and I love this place so much.

Shan Creek Café
5547 Riverbanks Road
Grants Pass, OR 97527
(541) 479-5057

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Grilled Pizzas

May 25, 2008 · Filed under Recipes · Tagged , , ,

Grilled Pizzas

2 packages dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tsp sugar
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups semolina flour
1 tsp salt
2 TB extra virgin olive oil
cornmeal
(makes 2 medium pizzas or four small)

In mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sugar and the all purpose flour. Beat vigorously for one minute. Dough should be the consistency of cake batter. Place a towel across the bowl. Find a warm spot in the kitchen or use the oven set at 150 and let the dough rise for 30 minutes or until double.

After 30 minutes stir the dough and add the semolina flour, salt and olive oil. Mix well. Place dough on heavily floured surface and knead well for 8 minutes adding additional flour as needed. This is a very sticky dough so make sure your hands and counter are floured well.

Form the dough into 2 balls (at this point you can freeze the dough or use it to make pizza’s immediately).

When ready, place dough on a pizza peel that has been sprinkled with cornmeal. Press dough out with hands over peel. I usually make mine misshaped but loosely in a circle.

Slide dough rounds on grill, medium heat. Grill until top of dough puffs and underside is crisp, about 3 minutes. Turn rounds over. Grill 1 minute. Transfer to baking sheet with well-grilled side up. This side of the dough becomes the surface that will hold the toppings. Lower grill to a low setting.

Top with your favorite toppings.

Return pizzas to grill. Close grill or cover pizzas loosely with foil. Grill until cheeses melt and dough is cooked through and browned, using tongs to rotate pizzas for even cooking, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer to plates.

Pizza sauce

3 TB tomato paste
1 cup tomato sauce
1/8 tsp or more crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp basil
2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp sugar

***For Pizza toppings, I am one of those cooks that don’t measure much unless I am baking something. Especially with Pizzas as it is all about how much you want to pile on!

~Buffalo and Buffalo

Pizza Dough – 1/2 of a dough recipe
Pizza Sauce
Buffalo Mozzarella, sliced (aka; Mozzarella di Bufala Campana)
Buffalo Salami ( I use Full Circle Bison Salami from Williams, Oregon)

Slide dough round on grill, medium heat. Grill until top of dough puffs and underside is crisp, about 3 minutes. Turn rounds over. Grill 1 minute. Transfer to baking sheet with well-grilled side up. This side of the dough becomes the surface that will hold the toppings. Lower grill to a low setting.

Spoon pizza sauce on top of pizza leaving about 1/4 from edge of dough free of sauce. Layer mozzarella slices first. Top with Buffalo Salami. Return pizzas to grill. Close grill or cover pizzas loosely with foil. Grill until cheeses melt and dough is cooked through and browned, using tongs to rotate pizzas for even cooking, about 8-10 minutes. Let sit about 2-3 minutes before cutting.


~My version of a Margarita Pizza

Pizza Dough – 1/2 of a dough recipe
Olive Oil
Crushed Garlic
Buffalo Mozzarella, sliced (aka; Mozzarella di Bufala Campana)
Fresh tomatoes, sliced to desired thickness
Fresh Basil, whole leaf
salt
pepper

Slide dough round on grill, medium heat. Grill until top of dough puffs and underside is crisp, about 3 minutes. Turn rounds over. Grill 1 minute. Transfer to baking sheet with well-grilled side up. This side of the dough becomes the surface that will hold the toppings. Lower grill to a low setting.

Brush pizza top with small amount of Olive Oil, leaving about 1/4 from edge of dough free of oil. Sprinkle with crushed garlic. Layer mozzarella slices first. Top with tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with whole basil leaves. Return pizzas to grill. Close grill or cover pizzas loosely with foil. Grill until cheeses melt and dough is cooked through and browned, using tongs to rotate pizzas for even cooking, about 8-10 minutes. Let sit about 2-3 minutes before cutting.


~Blue Cheese, Mushroom and Roasted Garlic Pizza

Pizza Dough – 1/2 of a dough recipe
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Blue Cheese, good quality. I use Rogue Creamery Blue Cheese from Central Point, Oregon, about 1/2 pound
Roasted Garlic cloves, about 8-10
Sautéed Mushrooms about 3/4 cup. Sautéed in butter with a splash of white wine and pinch of salt and pepper

Slide dough round on grill, medium heat. Grill until top of dough puffs and underside is crisp, about 3 minutes. Turn rounds over. Grill 1 minute. Transfer to baking sheet with well-grilled side up. This side of the dough becomes the surface that will hold the toppings. Lower grill to a low setting.

Brush pizza top with small amount of Olive Oil, leaving about 1/4 from edge of dough free of oil. Sprinkle blue cheese evenly over pizza. Arrange mushrooms and roasted garlic. Return pizzas to grill. Close grill or cover pizzas loosely with foil. Grill until cheeses melt and dough is cooked through and browned, using tongs to rotate pizzas for even cooking, about 8-10 minutes. Let sit about 5 minutes before cutting. This helps the blue cheese to set, otherwise you’ll have a runny mess when you cut it.

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Out

May 24, 2008 · Filed under Books · Tagged , , , , , ,

OUT by Natsuo Kirino

- Publisher Comments: Nothing in Japanese literature prepares us for the stark, tension-filled, plot-driven realism of Natsuo Kirino’s award-winning literary mystery, Out.

This mesmerizing novel tells the story of a brutal murder in the staid Tokyo suburbs, as a young mother who works the night shift making boxed lunches strangles her abusive husband and then seeks the help of her coworkers to dispose of the body and cover up her crime. The coolly intelligent Masako emerges as the plot’s ringleader, but quickly discovers that this killing is merely the beginning, as it leads to a terrifying foray into the violent underbelly of Japanese society.

- Author: Natsuo Kirino, born in 1951, quickly established a reputation in Japan as one of a rare breed of crime writer whose work goes well beyond the conventional crime novel. This fact has been demonstrated by her winning not only Japan’s top mystery award, for Out, but one of its major literary awards, the Naoki Prize for Soft Cheeks. Several of her books have also been turned into movies. Out is the first of her novels to appear in English.

- My Comments: I ordered this through Oregon Books. This book is not for the squeamish. Fast paced and highly shocking. Rarely can you find a book where a female character (the main character) commits such a gruesome crime. Also shocking was the extreme conditions of the characters workplace. Japanese women are treated with much disrespect. I highly recommend this book! If ya can stomach it!

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Tome Raider

May 23, 2008 · Filed under Books · Tagged , , , ,

I love books. Other then the obvious, reading, I love to hold them, feel them, smell them and buy them. My dream is to have a huge fireplace with large bookshelves on each side filled with books, books and more books. I think more then new books, I prefer used and old books. A good used book has much character. I can pick up a used book and day dream about who would have read it before myself. Did they like it? Would we have much in common? Would they like other books I have read? Did they hate it and why?

In Grants Pass we actually have several used book stores. I always try and buy local when I can. Oregon Books, formerly Book Depot, has been around several years. family owned and operated, they carry a nice selection of new and used. They also have web site to order what they don’t have in stock. Usually only takes a couple days for your book to arrive.

Oregon Books
937 NE D Street, Ste C
Grants Pass, OR 97526
(541) 476-3132
http://www.oregonbooks.com/

Book Lore and More is a used book store. This place is run by SPARC. The store is a training ground and a great place recycle used books that would otherwise been shredded. I love this store. They don’t always organize their books the best way possible, but they are very helpful can usually find what you are looking for.

Book Lore and More
122 SE H St
Grants Pass, OR 97526
(541) 471-4945

Middle of 6th street, downtown Grants Pass is Booktique, Books and More. A cute and cramped shop with both used books, funky antiques and collectables and used movies.

Booktique
212 NW 6th St
Grants Pass, Oregon 97526
(541) 474-9580

On Rogue River Highway is another cramped and dark book store with great finds. The $2.00 Book Store & Exchange. I have found some great books here. Not all books, however are $2.00 however so you need to make sure and check the price tags.

$2.00 Book Store & Exchange
914 Rogue River Highway
Grants Pass, OR 97527
(541) 479-6008

In the City of Rogue River, about 8 miles from Grants Pass is a new book store called Reading on the Rogue. New books, candy, games, gifts and one of the largest stuffed beavers I have ever seen. That thing must be 9 feet tall.

Reading on the Rogue
206 Main
Rogue River, OR
(541) 582-1712

I also absolutely love Powell Book’s in Portland, Oregon. This is a must see bookstore. Touted at one of the largest book stores in the World. The main store takes up an entire city block. New, used and rare. Powell has six store locations in the Portland Area. Including one specifically for Home and Garden. Powell’s is where I go when I just can’t find what I need locally. And whenever we make the trip to Portland, Powell’s is our first stop.

Powell’s Books
1005 W Burnside
Portland, OR 97209
http://www.powells.com/

I’ll be posting reviews here from my favorite tomes. I never seem to have as much time as I would like to read, or maybe I have too much time to read and not enough time to do anything else? Highly doubtful!

A good book should leave you… slightly exhausted at the end. You live several lives while reading it. ~William Styron, interview, Writers at Work, 1958

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Beacon Bar & Grill

May 22, 2008 · Filed under Restaurants · Tagged , , , , , , , ,

There once was a place called the Lantern Cafe. Half smoky bar, half cafe. The food was cheap and so-so and the cafe was always filled with smoke from the bar. If you went in for lunch and asked what the special was, the standard answer is “.50 cents off anything on the menu”. Okay then. After years and years someone bought the Lantern Cafe and refurbished the inside. Gallons and gallons of special paint were used to cover the thick smoke stained walls. They opened the wall that divided the cafe and bar which made it nice and bright. The new owners are the owners of one of my favorite restaurants, Aja. I was very excited to try this new place. If Aja was good, then surely Beacon Bar and Grill would be the same!

I have tried Beacon Bar and Grill four times now. I really wanted to like it. I tried to like it.

First time was the Cobb Salad. HUGE. Way to huge. When I am presented with a plate that could seriously feed three people, I’m not as impressed as I am concerned. First thing that came to my mind was waste. After I got over that feeling, I dug in. Or tried to. I had to ask for a separate plate as this enormous salad toppled all over the place.

The plate was a huge pile of romaine lettuce. The kind from a bag. I can handle that and I know if helps to cut the cost of cleaning and tearing your own lettuce, but I always feel that you get “seconds” in bags. Most all of the romaine lettuce pieces were the spine or rib of the leaf. Rarely a nice piece of actual green. On top of the lettuce riblets sat huge slices of red onion. The slices were way to big to fit in the mouth. Next to that chicken, again in large pieces, chunks of chopped boiled eggs, and tomatoes, UNDERCOOKED bacon, crumbled blue cheese topped with avocado slices. I chose the homemade blue cheese dressing. I’m a big fan of the Cobb, but that bacon was very undercooked and the veggie pieces cute too large. The dressing was decent and the crumble of blue good.

Next trip, my acquaintance wanted to share the Cobb again. I agreed to give it a try as long as we shared a plate of Onion Rings with roasted garlic ketchup. I was really looking forward to that garlic ketchup. It was ketchup, nothing garlic about it. Sad because the Onion rings were decent.

Then came the salad. Yep it was the same. Huge chunks of veggies and undercooked bacon. I kicked myself for not asking ahead of time to have them crisp it up. Not only that, but the avocado was so under ripe you could not eat it.

Ok one more chance. I played it safe. Ordered the veggie sandwich. This was a nice sandwich. Nothing to write home about, but tasted good. Served on Rye bread with cream cheese, cucumber, tomato, red onion, avocado, sprouts, mushrooms and ranch dressing. The bread seemed a tad dry but the fries were good.

Back again. I really wanted this place to work for me. I ordered the house salad and a bowl of clam chowder. The salad was fair, again standard Fancy greens in a bag. The soup was surprisingly good. Hot, creamy, nice tender clams and oyster crackers to top it off. Then off to sit at the bar. I ordered a Bloody Mary. WOW, this thing was a piece of art and a meal in it’s own right. Good amount of vodka to mix. Nice and spicy with Tabasco and horseradish, a bit too much acid (juice of lemon, lime and olive juice). Then the garnish. Pickled Asparagus, celery, green olives, pickled onions all place strategically on a rim of salt.

At this point they are moving up my taste bud scale.

New night. Ordered the Crispy Chicken Sandwich. Lightly coated in Panko bread crumbs, with portabella mushroom slices, Swiss cheese, fried onion rings and a smoked bbq sauce on Ciabatta. This was a bit of a disappointment. The bbq sauce tasted vaguely of bbq and more like marinara. The cook must have dunked the breaded chicken breast in the sauce. The chicken was very soggy. I only ate half of this and all the fries. The fries here are great. Hot, crispy and salted just right.

The service has been great each time and the place was nice and clean. I commend the owners for cleaning up the old Lantern.

I’ll most likely try again, but further down the line. I had high hopes but so far my hopes are dashed.

Beacon Bar & Grill

2030 NE Vine St
Grants Pass, OR 97526
(541) 472-9375

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