Sunday, May 4, 2008

Portland Deschutes

The Portland location of the Deschutes brewpub opened this weekend. The place was, of course, packed to the rafters.

That aside, the staff, although a little harried, was polite and efficient. The food prices are on the higher end for brewpub fare with dinner entrees coming in the $20 dollar range. However, Dechutes is committed to using local sustainable products. Most everything in made on site, and that includes house cured meats and their own pickles. The menu also includes a number of game-meat offerings, such as elk chili.

They are offering beers not available in bottle, and they are brewing on site. Including the flagship beer of the Portland brewery Armory XPA (named after the Armory just next door), which was a wonderfully citrus-y beer. There were a few snags with them running out of things, but time will work that out.

I loved the decor. It was a beautiful blend of Pearl industrial chic and ski lodge inspired color and wood carving including some just stunning archways.

All in all they have done a supurb job of blending a feeling of being local to their new location without giving up the company's roots in Bend.