Don Frank Photography
Baked Alaska
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Sustain and Represent Baked Alaska Restaurant and Lounge by Chris Holen
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n this part of the country with the lush forests, rolling hills, beautiful coastline and snow-capped peaks, there is still more…than meets the eye! I’m talking about food, more specifically, edible ingredients; ingredients that make up more than a specific style of cuisine, but ingredients that define an entire food culture. Welcome to the heart of the Northwest, a place where fishermen catch, farmers harvest and foragers find what they seek. Creating a sustainable menu is not too difficult when you’re blessed with such bounty and surrounded by folks with copious amounts of passion. At the Baked Alaska Restaurant and Lounge in Astoria, we put forth an honest effort to source the majority of our food from this region. In other words, we try our best to operate by the following simple rule: Source your food from close proximity, at its peak of freshness, and purchase it from people who care. The philosophy is quite simple; and, honestly, the food just plain tastes better. Each part of the country has something special to offer where food is concerned, but the Northwest
just happens to have some very special foods; and the goal at our restaurant is to represent the place where we live by working with these special foods. A chance to showcase your food style at a national level doesn’t come by every day, especially when you’re located in the northwest corner of Oregon in a town where the population hasn’t exceeded 10,000 in over one hundred years; but, in November of this year, Baked Alaska will be representing our area at the James Beard House in New York City. Five of us will travel to New York, bringing with us the ingredients that define our region and producing a tasting menu which we feel epitomizes Northwest food and wine.The James Beard House is to Chefs as Carnegie Hall is to musicians; and to have the opportunity to cook there is a great honor. We are so fortunate to live in the place that we do, love what we do and forever look forward to sharing it with others.
Baked Alaska Restaurant & Lounge and Mise en Place Kitchenware On the dock at Pier 12, Astoria, OR 503.325.7414 BakedAK.com
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Ethnic Fusion Meets Fresh Northwest Astoria Coffeehouse & Bistro fter bringing home the People’s Choice Award at the 2011 Iron Chef goes Coastal Competition, Astoria Coffeehouse and Bistro has now become more than just Astoria’s “Number One Coffeehouse”. Come morning you will find a European style coffeehouse serving up superior Caffe Vita coffee drinks,an outstanding selection of house-made pastries, and a full breakfast menu with all of your griddle favorites and traditional dishes such as Eggs Benedict, Smoked Salmon Hash, Chicken Fried Steak, or try one of the gourmet omelets. Chef Sean Whittaker has spent the past 25 years traveling the world and chasing the sun and snow between Hawaii and Alaska. He later worked as a Sushi Chef in Utah, before arriving to the North Coast Scene. His travels from around the globe, combined with his passion for local ingredients, inspire his menus. At lunch the fusion inspired menu includes local favorites like the Fish Tacos with chipotle tomatillo salsa and coconut -ginger purple rice; a Vietnamese Bahn Mai sandwich or the not to be missed Chili Relleno Burger. The Bistro offers classics like the house made meatloaf sandwich, macaroni and cheese and a variety of gourmet salads. In the evening the focus turns to more serious Bistro dining. Chef Sean brings dishes from his travels like the Pork Mole with Chorizo Polenta,The Peruvian potato and vegetable stew with quinoa, and Caribbean Style Jerk Chicken with black eyed pea, plantain and jicama salad. His regional dishes include a Seafood Cioppino with fresh locally harvested seafood or Roasted Lamb with Red Curry and Butternut Squash Ravioli. Each Monday night The Bistro offers “Sushi and Martini Night”. Offering everything from classic sashimi, nigiri, and maki rolls to creative specialty rolls like the “Boss Hog” filled with soft shelled crab, pepper bacon, and cream cheese, the “Red Dragon” or the tempura fried “TNT”roll. The menu also includes Asian inspired appetizers such as Tuna Poke and traditional Chinese dumplings “Sui Mai”. For the land lover the full dinner menu is available as well. Don’t forget to order a frosty hand shaken martini, old fashioned cocktail, or sip premium sake, and sit back and enjoy.
Astoria Coffeehouse & Bistro 243 11th Street, Astoria OR 503.325.1787 AstoriaCoffeeHouse.com
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Fresh off the boat Silver Salmon Grille
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he key to great seafood is knowing where to get it fresh. Silver Salmon Grille owner, Jeff Martin, takes pride in cultivating great relationships with a few local fishermen who sell directly to him from their boats. It just doesn’t get fresher than that. “We also have private razor clam diggers,” added Jeff. “We only serve razor clams in season.” When you see them on the menu, you know they are freshly cleaned and prepared right at the Silver Salmon Grille. Silver Salmon marinates its razors overnight in buttermilk and takes care to tenderize the digger end. The result is melt-in-your-mouth razors, making this among the favorites for clam lovers. Silver Salmon also has an excellent reputation for their steamer clams and oysters – which they cook both on the half shell or pan fried; and their Oyster Stew is an all-time favorite with their customers. “Our pan-fried seafood uses lightly seasoned flour and is served with caramelized onions and remoulade,” notes Jeff. Keeping seafood simple allows the fresh flavor to shine through. Their rising star, however, is smoked salmon. “We smoke our salmon in-house,” explains Jeff. “We prefer lightly smoked salmon, as it preserves more of the unique salmon flavor and keeps the meat moist and tender.” Prior to serving, the smoked salmon is warmed in the oven in a pool of brine, also made onsite. Other seafood specialties on the menu include Halibut, bay shrimp and, of course, Dungeness Crab. They also serve popular seafood choices which are not local, including Ahi Tuna, Black Tiger Prawns and Calamari. “Look for our specials,” adds Jeff. “Our specials highlight what is fresh and in season.” CM
Silver Salmon Grille 1105 Commercial Street, Astoria, OR 503.338.6640 SilverSalmonGrille.com
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Charting a New Course Wet Dog Café & Brewery and Astoria Brewing Company
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he Astoria Brewing Company is charting a new course, as it expands into the old Andrew & Steve’s Restaurant to become the new Andrew & Steve’s Chart Room as well as headquarters for Astoria Brewing Company. It is convenient kismet that two key members of the Astoria Brewing team, Andrew Huber and Steve Allen, share the names of the original restaurant which called this building home for fiftyodd years. “We wanted to keep the name to honor the history of the building and the people who started the original restaurant back in 1919,” explained Karen Allen, who co-owns Wet Dog Café and Astoria Brewing, with her husband Steve. The Andrew & Steve’s Chart Room will retain the chart map that defined the space for many decades. Gleaming new hardwood floors and a refreshed interior gently transition the edges of a gritty past into the modern era without losing the historical integrity of the space.
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The most exciting part of the renovation is the re-purposing of the old dining area and kitchen into an expanded 15-barrel brewing operation for Astoria Brewing Company. The expansion allows Astoria Brewing to begin offering canned beers. Bitter Bitch, Poop Deck Porter and Old Red Beard Amber will be the first to roll out in cans this summer.
The brewery located at Wet Dog Café & Brewery will continue operation, making specialty brews just for the restaurant. CM
Wet Dog Cafe & Brewery and Astoria Brewing Company 144 11th Street Astoria, OR 503.325.6975 wetdogcafe.com
Gluten: The New “No-No”— No Problem! Bridgewater Bistro by Tony Kischner
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howders, sandwiches, burgers, fish ‘n chips, desserts Have you avoided these favorite items in restaurant because you are gluten-intolerant? No need to—at least not on Astoria’s riverfront!
Bronzed Scallops with Chorizo Risotto
At our Bridgewater Bistro, located in a beautifully-restored historic boatyard facing The Cannery Pier Hotel, 80% of our menu items now are (or can be) offered gluten-free. Our famous Clam and Mussel Chowder—which we have served for 30+ years—has always been made without flour. My wife Ann, who is responsible for everything that is baked in-house (and who is also on a gluten-free regimen), has developed an excellent gluten-free bread, which is available on request as an option to her delicious daily breads. She also bakes a wide range of irresistible glutenfree desserts.We don’t bake our own sandwich breads or burger buns (mostly because we can’t keep up with the volume), but gluten-free versions are always available. We have a dedicated GF fryer, and are happy to deep-fry your fish ‘n chips, calamari, etc., in rice flour upon request. For our family, this attention to the need for gluten-free alternatives began with two sons-in-law who have sensitive stomachs; this has since spread to a majority of our immediate family. At the Bridgewater Bistro, we have found it remarkably easy to adapt to this simple need, which we encourage our fellow restaurateurs to consider—it will be greatly appreciated!
Bridgewater Bistro 20 Basin Street, Astoria, OR bridgewaterbistro.com
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503.325.6777
Roasted Beet, Yam, Quinoa19 and Avocado Salad
Then & Novv... Good Food & Fun erving up the classic food from days-gone-by when diners were the next best thing to a home-cooked meal. Hot turkey sandwiches, meat loaf, and BLT’s are among the familiar diner specials you’ll re-discover here. During the weekends, this is the only place for truly late-night breakfast and entertainment in Astoria. The ‘Midnight Diner’ opens at, you guessed it, 12 AM on Fridays and Saturdays. Breakfast is served all day on the weekends, and until 11 AM on weekdays.
unch specials include meat loaf, fish sandwiches, tacos, soups and more. Lunch is available ‘til 5 PM on weekdays. Dinner, featuring nightly specials, is served until 8:30 PM. These are one of Astoria’s classic venues that have been dishing up home-cooked meals since 1938.
Labor Temple Diner & Bar 934 Duane Street, Astoria, OR 503.325.0801 LaborTemple.com
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The Coast’s Oldest
Watering Hole Portway Tavern est time to visit the Portway Tavern, of course, is anytime. But if you’re feeling an urge to have Prime Rib, then Friday Night is Prime Time! The Portway serves up a hearty Prime Rib dinner with baked potato and salad for only $16.75.“The Prime Rib is aged and cooked to perfection,” explains Christina Warner who, along with her husband David, owns the Portway. They have their own special recipe and the Prime Rib is slow cooked. If you’re feeling lucky, stop by on Saturday when you can enjoy a Prime Rib sandwich—but only if there’s any remaining from Friday.The sandwiches are so good that it’s worth taking a risk and stopping in to see what’s being served. But no worries. If they aren’t offering Prime Rib sandwiches on Saturday, there is plenty else to order. Portway Tavern has earned fans from all over the world with their hand -pressed, never frozen, charbroiled burgers and beerbattered fish ‘n chips. “Tuesday is our Burger and Beer Special,” adds Christina; and they serve Elaine’s homemade soups daily. The Portway Tavern was first established in 1929 and owners David and Christina Warner are taking pride in maintaining the “oldest watering hole” in the oldest US Settlement west of the Rockies. 2011 is Astoria’s bicentennial year, so visiting the Portway is an excellent way to help celebrate the 200th anniversary in an appropriately historical tavern where people have been gathering for over eighty years. CM
Portway Tavern 422 W. Marine, Astoria, OR 503.325.2651 Portway-Astoria.com
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Fort George Brewery + Public House ort George Brewery and Public House continues to evolve; and their latest expansion means more good news for craft beer lovers. Not long ago, they celebrated another tank erection – tipping three new 120 barrel tanks into place and doubling their capacity. This latest addition allows for expanded offerings of their canned beers.“We have five beers in 16-oz. cans and plan on introducing seasonal varieties,” explains Brian Bovenizer, the official Ambassador of Marketing Ambiance for Fort George. In addition to Vortex and 1811 Lager already available in cans, Fort George has adding Sunrise Oatmeal, Pale Ale, Quick Wit and Cavatica Stout to their selections. The Lovell Tap Room at Fort George also keeps evolving and now boasts a cozy fireplace,TV, and a cask beer engine. For the uninitiated, cask beer is naturally carbonated, so a special beer pump is used for serving. The beer engine in the Tap Room is a salvaged pump from a pub in England.
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The Fort George campus keeps expanding; and the new patio installed last summer now offers a seamless transition to the brewery, the Lovell Tap Room, and the recently renovated Lovell Showroom - a new banquet space featuring floor to ceiling glass windows and exposed old-growth beams. Brian also hints at other exciting changes brewing in the wings, including expansion of the main Pub into the 2nd floor. The one thing that hasn’t changed is the amazing quality and popularity of Fort George’s craft beer. Whether enjoyed in the pub, Lovell Tap Room, on the patio, or as part of a special function in the Lovell Show Room, customers can always count on a good brew. CM
Fort George Brewery + Public House 1483 Duane Street, Astoria, OR 503.325.7468 fortgeorgebrewery.com
British Pub & Restaurant The Ship Inn
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t’s a great time to enjoy eating outdoors. The Ship Inn offers a colorful and cozy outdoor patio for people who want to take advantage of the rare and enticing coastal sun. The full menu is available on the patio, as well as service from the lounge. Fresh fish dishes and British pub meals are all made from scratch at the restaurant. “Everything we serve is fresh and local,” Jill Stokeld explains. The menu includes what customers have hailed as the best fish ‘n chips and clam chowder around. The kitchen uses only wild caught fish filleted onsite.
made from scratch. Even the pies come from a local baker, so everything is homemade. A special 3 to 6 PM Happy Hour takes place Sunday through Thursday. Along with discounted well drinks and draft beer, Happy Hour specials include small orders of their tasty squid and oysters served with French fries. The Happy Hour menu also includes their
popular mushrooms as well as cheese bread, oyster shooters and chowder. At only $3.95, this is by far the best meal deal in town. CM
The Ship Inn No. 1 on 2nd Street, Astoria, OR 503.325.0033 ShipInn-Astoria.com Open 7 days
The Ship Inn’s owner, Jill Stokeld, was raised as an English farm girl in Cornwall, England, and her late husband, Fenton, came from Yorkshire; so it’s no surprise that their restaurant features British specialties. “My husband started the restaurant and, after he passed away eight years ago, I’ve carried on,” said Jill. She is the original owner since 1974. Ship Inn is best known for its traditional British fare. The menu also includes steak and kidney pie, shepherd’s pie, bangers (sausages) and mash, along with a nice assortment of salads, sandwiches and soups
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Photos: Michelle Roth
For the Love of
Charlie’s Chowder House harlie’s Chowder House is an unassuming restaurant listing on the port side of Marine Drive at 14th St. While Charlie’s highly regarded chowder basks in the spotlight of the restaurant’s namesake, other dishes served here shine on their own. Seafood, by far, makes more than a modest appearance at Charlie’s Chowder House. Mahi Mahi, Marlin and Shark steaks are FedExed from Hawaiian docks and arrive 24 hours later, making it as close to fresh as you can get without flying to Hawaii. Charlie grills these up with custom sauces or citrus juice and serves them either as seafood burgers or served on fresh
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greens with bread and choice of dressing. A pan-grilled Marlin Steak is also on the menu, as is a grilled Salmon Club Sandwich. Other specialties that have fans coming back for more include Jambalaya and Shrimp Creole. “Our fish tacos are also becoming popular,” adds owner Charlie Holboke. One of his customers summed things up best, though, in a note of thanks and praise he wrote Charlie: “For the Saint of Deliciouse and his bacon Zen.” This customer is referencing Charlie’s signature culinary devotion to putting bacon in anything he can.
Non-seafood fare is also available, including a Buffalo Burger which has gained local fame, and a variety of sandwich offerings from BLTs to Philly Cheese Steaks. Charlie is in the process of expanding his restaurant to include a small Tiki Bar serving cocktails, in addition to the beer and wine currently available. CM
Charlie’s Chowder House 1335 Marine Drive Astoria, OR 503.325.2368
Hola Amigos y Amigas! Our very best to you!
El Tapatio Authentic Mexican Restaurant & Cantina
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uan Rivas, owner and general manager, worked at his uncle’s Mexican restaurants in Portland for many years and when they learned that a Mexican restaurant in Astoria was available, Juan jumped at the chance. He has owned the family-run restaurant for 7 years. Juan’s uncle has owned many Mexican restaurants in Portland and Idaho for over 15 years. The legacy continues. Juan’s family hails from a small town near Puerto Vallerta, Mexico. He was raised in Los Angeles and later went to work for his uncle in Portland. When he is not working Astoria, Juan still helps his uncle at their Portland restaurants. Best selling dishes at El Tapatio include Carne asada, shrimp wrapped with bacon, chile rellenos, and Campechana – a delicious seafood stew filled with fresh crab and other seafood. New menu items include oysters on the half shell, and fresh fried fish, featuring the freshest seafood he can find. Visit El Tapatio for authentic Mexican food cooked with local ingredients. Juan loves seafood. His future plans include opening a small seafood restaurant in Astoria. “Many of my customers love fresh seafood,” says Juan. “Our goal is to open a small Mexican seafood restaurant where our customers can visit for local, fresh fish,”
El Tapatio is a family run business. Juan works with his wife, two sons (another is on the way) and their cousins. Regular clientele keep the restaurant busy daily, and outof-town visitors are always welcome. LM
El Tapatio 229 W Marine Drive, Suite A, Astoria, OR 503-325-1248 Look for us on Facebook
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Where The Go Straight off theLocaLs Fishing Boats Warrenton Deep Sea Sea market Warrenton Deep Sea market Warrenton Deep Market
by Amy Bornstein
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arrenton Deep Deep Sea Sea Market Market has has been been aa longtime longtime staple staple for for arrenton the locals of Clatsop County. When folks run out of time the locals of Clatsop County. When folks run out of time to dig dig their their own own razors razors or or get get their their boat boat in in the the water water after after to work, they depend on this cannery-owned fish market to deliver quality work, they depend on this cannery-owned fish market to deliver quality seafood straight straight off off the the local local fishing fishing boats. boats. seafood “We’re the the only only fish fish market market with with direct direct access access to to the the entire entire commercial commercial “We’re fishing fleet,” notes Andrew Bornstein, owner of Warrenton Deep Sea Sea fishing fleet,” notes Andrew Bornstein, owner of Warrenton Deep and Bornstein Seafoods. It’s also the county’s only waterfront fish market, and Bornstein Seafoods. It’s also the county’s only waterfront fish market, complete with with aa fleet fleet of of Dungeness Dungeness crab crab boats boats tied tied up up out out front. front. Truly Truly the the complete perfect spot to sit on your tailgate and enjoy a fresh crab or shrimp cocktail perfect spot to sit on your tailgate and enjoy a fresh crab or shrimp cocktail while watching watching the the boats. boats. while Deliveries of of fresh fresh wild-caught wild-caught seafood seafood are are almost almost daily daily at at Bornstein Bornstein Deliveries Seafoods Pier Pier 11 dock dock in in Astoria, Astoria, Oregon. Oregon. In In addition addition to to seasonal seasonal choices choices Seafoods like Chinook Chinook Salmon, Salmon, Albacore Albacore Tuna Tuna and and Sturgeon; Sturgeon; you’ll you’ll also also find find aa steady steady like supply of of Sole, Sole, Rockfish Rockfish and and Cod. Cod. If If you’re you’re lucky lucky enough enough to to find find Petrale Petrale still still supply in their their case, case, grab grab it! it! This This often often overlooked overlooked sole sole is is aa local local favorite favorite and and gets gets in bought up up quickly quickly by by the the morning morning regulars. regulars. bought If you’re you’re in in need need of of some some road road snacks, snacks, the the smoked smoked seafood seafood selection selection at at If Warrenton Deep Sea is fantastic. They create small custom batches from Warrenton Deep Sea is fantastic. They create small custom batches from their onsite onsite smokehouse smokehouse using using aa variety variety of of seafoods. seafoods. Besides Besides their their usual usual their output of Smoked Salmon, Salmon Jerky and Smoked Scallops; they also have smoked specials using whatever happens to be in season. Find these friendly fishmongers on Facebook for daily specials, great recipes and a map to their market. AB
Warrenton Deep Sea Market 45 NE Harbor Place, Warrenton OR 503.861.3911 Bornstein.com
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Coastfood
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