Crater Lake Lodge [Oregon]

Though we copped out on camping and slept in the car, we did save ourselves a hefty $18 campsite fee and an even heftier $170 reservation at the Crater Lake Lodge. And while we did not partake in the amenities of the historic hotel, we thought it appropriate to treat ourselves to a proper breakfast before embarking on our 3-hour hike.

We both opted for the Blue Lake Breakfast ($7.75), which is nothing more than your standard two eggs, bacon/sausage/or ham, grilled potatoes, and your choice of a biscuit or scone. One of us got bacon and the other, sausage. One had their eggs poached; the other, over-hard. He chose a biscuit and I chose the scone. It was a fairly basic affair, but incredibly gratifying after a week-long diet of peanut butter and jelly. I also made the mistake of paying for tea when it was readily available in the lobby “For Hotel Guests Only.”

We spent the rest of the morning enjoying the sweeping views afforded by the Lodge’s prime location on the caldera’s rim. We took photos, reclined in the outdoor rocking chairs, warmed up at the fireplace, and got our fill of the complimentary “For Guests Only” coffee and tea.

A note on the hotel services: If I were paying that much money to stay in the lodge, I’d expect a certain level of service from the front desk and concierge staff. However, most of the Lodge’s employees are temporary workers from abroad who have little service experience. When asked about local breweries and restaurants, we were only given blank stares and I-don’t-know shrugs*. It’s certainly not the Ritz-Carlton, but I suppose that you’re only paying for the view after all.

* If you’re looking for more helpful service, try the Steel Information Center where the Park Rangers will even look things up on the internet for you.

Crater Lake Lodge
Rim Village
Crater Lake, OR 97604
(541) 594-2255

New Sammy's Cowboy Bistro [Oregon]

New Sammy's is one of those destination restaurants that you put on your itinerary if you just so happen to be in the area. Located off a strip of highway between Medford and Ashland in Oregon, its one of the few, if not only reasons, you'd have for stopping in the little town of Talent.

We arrived 10 minutes early for our reservation and took that opportunity to explore the gardens (that grew in leaps and bounds around the restaurant) that propagated the grounds surrounding the restaurant. I don't know when the remodel kicked in, but New Sammy's is no longer the shack in the middle of nowhere that even your GPS couldn't be able to locate. It's new terra cotta pink exterior with a hard-to-miss sign is only matched by warm dining room that's still a work in progress.

We were served two different amuses along with our bowl of olives and hearty cowboy bread. The white gazpacho with creme fraiche was delicate and everything an amuse should be: delicious, intriguing, while leaving you begging for more. The smoked sturgeon was successful in wholly-built mouthfuls (with a little melon, fig, and farro), but mediocre in and of itself.

Soft-cooked eggs are always a welcome surprise, so when I saw it featured on the nightly prix-fixe dinner menu ($42), I decided to be in the mood for salad, trout, and dessert. However, I chose to swap appetizers with my SO who ordered the Corn Custard on my behalf. Bitter lettuces and crunchy endive created the backdrop for the corn, which was made sweeter, creamier, and colder by its foils. While the salad was also accented by prosciutto and hazelnuts, the real stunner were the fresh blueberries that studded my every bite.

I never thought of the blueberry as a sensual fruit, but these little tarts were plump, juicy, and ripe for the picking. They gleamed like bright sapphires, quivered at my bite, and awakened taste buds in my mouth that made me blush. This is garden cuisine at its finest.

My fillet of trout was butterflied and set atop a bed of vegetables and mushrooms. The combination of oyster mushrooms, lobster mushrooms, and shitake was mature and while subtly earthy, did not make up for the lack of salt in the dish. The contrast of the Meyer lemon-fennel sauce would have really made the flavors pop, but had I not consulted the menu, I wouldn't have even realized it was there. There were pillows of gnocchi so fluffy that I mistook them for unsweetened marshmallows--interesting texturally, but bland on all other counts.

The Niman Ranch NY Strip ($38) was a good quality steak on fragrant smoked potatoes, though the squash was too mushy.

Desserts were most tempting of all, with a menu skewed towards seasonal fruits and berries. We settled on a frozen tayberry sherbert and almond torte accompanied by a blackberry sherbert. The sharp tartness of the berries were amplified by the dish's coldness. It was one of the best desserts I've had in a long while and there was plenty to go around.

Charlene and Vernon Rollins are the power couple behind the kitchen and wine list and hail from Northern California's own Boonville. Charlene works her magic with the food, while Vernon acts as the sommelier. After we ordered, he made a personal appearance at our table to recommend pairings. I hear that the restaurant carries rare vintages and unique blends, but my alcohol tolerance rarely allows me to finish a glass, let a lone a bottle.

I love the idea of eating food straight from the source--like the dinner that your mom prepares using the tomatoes from your backyard. With the remodel underway, I only hope that the homey stop doesn't lose its soul. Eat local--eating is believing.

New Sammy's Cowboy Bistro
2210 South Pacific Highway
Talent, OR 97520
(541) 535-2779

Ashland Bakery [Oregon]

A stroll down Main Street led us to the busy Ashland Bakery brimming with pre-theater diners on their way to the Shakespeare Festival. After a week of dining out, I was more than relieved to spot homey portions of spaghetti and meatballs and dinner salads from my vantage point on the street. We were sold and joined our fellow Romeo & Juliet playgoers at the only remaining table in the house.

My grapefruit juice was freshly squeezed, as evidenced by the pulp straining through my teeth with each gulp--just the way I like it. While the start to our meal was promising, it only intensified the foil of a disappointment that followed.

After a long wait and an only okay Vegetable Soup to start, our entrees finally arrived. My Seared Scallop Salad ($13) looked sickly and tasted worse. The ghastly pale scallops barely showed signs of being cooked let alone the tan of a sear. As if looking raw weren't crime enough, the scallops lacked any seasoning whatsoever, while the chardonnay vinaigrette on the salad was a poor pairing. I hate to waste food, but anymore than two bites would have sent me retching.

The Salmon ($18) fared a bit better and was the homey preparation I had been craving. Healthfully grilled and served with a mango-papaya salsa, broccolini, and rice pilaf, the salmon quickly became our shared entree for the night.

To compensate for my dinner failure, I ordered a Blackbottom Cupcake to-go. The moist, gooey, chocolate cupcake was dense and sent me reeling in waves of nostalgia. Remember those chocolate muffins they used to sell at recess in grade school? Those muffins used to be part of my daily repertoire and I was glad to find something grown up for my evolved palate.

Judging from my limited experience, I would bet they do a better job at breakfast and lunch.

Ashland Bakery
38 E Main St
Ashland, OR 97520
(541) 482-2117

Beckie's [Oregon]

Nodding in unison if often a good sign when it comes to a restaurant recommendation. Such was the reaction of three park rangers at the Crater Lake Information Center when asked for a mom&pop lunch stop on our way out.

Located along a tiny stretch of town called Union Creek, Beckie's was exactly my cup of tea--a gem in the rough for the locals. At first I got stares and attributed it to my exotic Asian-ness, but quickly spotted my brethren and realized that I was just as strange as the Caucasian city folk sitting one booth over. I'm sure it didn't help that I kept whipping out my camera to snap photos of the "authentic" bikers sitting at the bar.

Anyways, Beckie's is a hybrid of rustic charm and the hoarse reality of a waitress' raspy smoker voice. The menu is comprised of mostly sandwiches and burgers and after a 3-hour hike, I was ready to indulge.

-- Is the chicken sandwich fried?
-- The patty is deep fried.
-- Good. I'll take one of those.

My chicken was patiently drained of its excess grease and did the job of satiating my appetite. My boyfriend's patty melt was drowned by the grease of its grilled onions and while neither were extraordinary, they were within our expectations for a middle-of-nowhere break.

While we caught wind of the legendary pies, we missed the ball when it came to ordering. Apparently, marionberries and huckleberries grow in the fields outside the restaurant and are picked fresh and baked into pies every morning. Instead, we opted for a slice of peach pie that fell flat of our expectations. The pie crust while thin, wasn't cooked through and the gelatin that suspended out peaches, while functional, had no flavor. On the other hand, the peaches were abundant, ripe, and ready for the eatin'.

Beckie's Cafe
56484 Highway 62
Prospect, Oregon 97536
541-560-3565