Heaven On Earth - Exit 86

Yes, this is a restaurant review and not instructions on how to find heaven in Oregon. Heaven On Earth is this log cabin restaurant I've seen along I-5 between Medford and Roseburg that I have been anxious to visit - mostly on account of their large sign stating they have world famous cinnamon rolls.

When I drive with Scott we avoid stopping anywhere, even if we see a sign that says world famous, final sale, raspberries, or any other phrase that would normally grab my attention enough to pull off the road for a peek. I've become so used to that routine of non-stop driving that I would have passed by Heaven On Earth again. Except, as fate would I have it, I was searching for the nearest pit stop for an emergency bathroom break on my way home. THE next available exit (Exit 86, or as my waitress suggested, "Just 86 yourself off the highway!") happened to be home of this restaurant and bakery. It's really out in the middle of nowhere!

The restaurant inside was exactly what you might imagine a log cabin that claims to have world famous cinnamon rolls would look like, with servers to match (not like Paul Bunyan, cute baker ladies and men). When I entered I was greated by pies and cookies and rolls of every sort, all homemade in the bakery next door. I was actually greeted with a woman who offered me a sample of their fine cookies, which I couldn't eat due to my diet SLASH increasing need for the women's room.

After exiting the ladie's room, I noticed how many people frequent this exit attraction and looked around at all the tables where I presume meals were served. The servers were INCREDIBLY cheerful and were the best chit-chatters I've met. Maybe it's a rural thing?

In any case, my purpose in stopping was to use the bathroom and purchase a world famous cinnamon roll for Scott. As it so happened, that day the first batch of cinnamon rolls had been rushed and hadn't fully risen to world famous heights. I was assured they were still delicious, but they offered me two cinnamon rolls for the price of one ($5.95). My Scott's lucky day!

Scott's review: the cinnamon rolls were tasty, but a little too much like a loaf of bread. Definitely better warmed!

It's likely their world famous title is derived from similar means as the pies of The Nugget restaurant in the Sitka, Alaska airport. The pies are good, homemade with love. What makes them famous, though, is not their ingenius recipe, it's the fact that they are sold to hungry hungry tourists.

Bob's Red Mill - Portland

I've wanted to visit Bob's Red Mill since we moved to Oregon. Bob has a plethora of whole grain and gluten free products. Though their product line is admirable, the main reason I wanted to visit Bob's Red Mill was their cafe (Breakfast from scratch served until late afternoon, need I say more?).

As it so happened, the perfect time to visit Bob's was during my parents long lay over in Portland before our travel. It was a Saturday, around noon, and a long line had formed inside to eat at the cafe.

Our group was torn between the amazing Red Mill breakfast and lunch options. I ended up choosing the vegetable omlet with Bob's Red Mill biscuits. The omlet was tasty, but the star of the meal was Bob's biscuits! I could have eaten four more and taken a dozen with me on the plane! They were not much to look at, but clearly whole grain flour, flakey, soft, and addicting.

Scott enjoyed the French dip.

I would love to return to the Red Mill for another meal the next time I'm in Portland, but whether or not that happens, I will definetly be finding Bob's biscuit mix in my grocery store.

Jaspers - Medford

We decided to kick off Spring Break this past weekend by visiting Medford. Our friends, the Burrs, will be doing their rotations in Medford come June. We volunteered my parents and their house for the weekend to help give them a tour. Of course we went along, even though it wasn't quite pool weather yet.

On Saturday, I visited my brother Sam at Guitar Center to get the skinny on buying an electric keyboard. While we were there, Sam recommended Jasper's Cafe for us to try, saying he thought it was the best burger in Medford. Coming from Sam, I didn't even have to question the validity of that statement. We went straight to Jasper's!

To prove Sam's point, Jasper's sign read "Gourmet Burgers with Attitude" with a banner citing how they were voted Best Burger for the last three years in the Medford area. Jasper's is a little white shack on the side of a main road, with a very small indoor dining area. Luckily for us it was a beautiful, spring day in Medford and eating outside was a pleasure!

My dad, Scott and I walked into this shack to place our order and were greated by a full house and chalkboards displaying all the menu options. March Madness was the burger of the month. While we were waiting in line, a waiter (I'm assuming manager?) came through to take orders from those in line to help guests get through a  little faster. He asked if we were ready, and my dad mentioned that we needed some time since it was our first visit to Jaspers. "Oh! Wow. Well, don't worry," the waiter said, "I wont tell anyone." Then he turned around and yelled, "Hey everyone!" You should have seen the look on my dad's face. No real announcement was made, but we now had the attention and laughter of all the patrons.

We each ordered a different burger and a side of sweet potato fries. Another confirmation that we were in for a great lunch - the girl at the register asked if we wanted ranch or fry sauce with our order. She didn't even blink when I said both! Burgers eaten that day - Avocado burger, Western Burger, Pittsburger. All declisioso!

If you are in the Medford, Oregon area and haven't eaten at Jaspers, then you haven't lived a full life.

Brew BQ - Corvallis

It's not very often that I can say I have tried a new restaurant in the Corvallis area. Most restaurants have been around much longer than I have and keep a stream of foodie clientel coming through the doors. However, just the other day we heard that a southern-like BBQ shack with Pacific Northwest flare opened in Corvallis. Of course, Morgan being from Texas was anxious to try, and I being an avid blogger was anxious to document.

Brew BQ is located in downtown Corvallis where I recall a french restaurant once resided.  Meats are smoked daily and can be ordered on the side, in combos, or on sandwiches with 6 sauces to choose from. Sauces like "Blackberry Bourbon BBQ" or "Sweet and Sticky." The sauces are available for every table and are numbered, with numbering system outline on their napkin dispensers.

Morgan ordered a quarter pound of brisket. I ordered a brisket sandwich and we split some piggy tails (curly fries). There was plenty of food between the two of us, and enough fries and meat to try out all of the sauces.

Our conclusion was that this was an extremely tasty BBQ place, and we definitely had to bring the hubbies back someday soon! We also concluded that 1/4 lb of meat looked really small on their massive plates, and that the sauces were a bit on the runny side. We imagined that was for getting in all the nooks and crannies of sandwiches and the like.

Now that we've tried and verified the brisket, we may need to try the specials, because house-made smoked chicken and bacon macaroni and cheese sounded lovely.

Gathering Together Farm - Philomath

I've wanted to visit Gathering Together Farm since a colleague recommended it last summer. I LOVE the concept of farm to table, and that is exactly what Gathering Together is - a farm and restaurant. In fact, they even have their fresh produce for sale inside.

The Gathering Together Farm Restaurant is only open for lunch on week days. So I pulled Morgan along with me for a summer lunch. The restaurant was really busy, as evident by the fact that they asked us if we had a reservation when we arrived. We had planned to take our lunch to go anyway, which I think is a bit unorthodox to ask for from a farm to fork establishment. They obliged, nonetheless.

Morgan and I decided to share a margherita pizza. At the counter where we order our pizza, we noticed a case of their fresh baked pastries, including these potato donuts. Of course we chose chocolate glaze and it was so lovely! The perfect finish too after our pizza lunch.

While we waited, we decided to take a seat inside. It was refreshing to sit next to the produce area and take in the smells of freshly picked herbs and veggies. We were hoping that they would have berries we could purchase, since Oregon is berry country. Gathering Together did have some strawberries for purchase, but the only other fruit we saw for sale that day was pears. According to their blog, Gathering Together grows berries. So we'll just have to keep an eye on their weekly menu or farmstand reports to see if we can grab some before they fly off the shelves.

The pizza was a bit small for sharing, but it actually turned out to be the perfect size lunch for us (including our dessert, of course). I really enjoyed my lunch and am anxious to take my family to Gathering Together Farm, as I know they would really enjoy the gourmet farm atmosphere and eats.

Brew Station - Corvallis

Brew Station was recommended to me last summer when I first began working on the Oregon State campus. I was told all their food was made from scratch daily and was delicious. As I am neither a coffee nor alcohol consumer, I ignored comments that involved beer, beans, or micro, and didn't end up visiting the Brew Station until this Spring.

You might notice that the Brew Station shares this lovely yellow rambler (located across the street from the current College of Business building on campus) with a tanning salon. Yes, the smell of coconut tanning oil can be distracting when you are eating a delicious bacon cheese burger. Though, the smell along with the constant drip of rain outside, made me dream of tanning beds and crazy eye goggles. Probably intentional placement from their marketing peeps.

Everything was delicious, tasted homemade, and priced resonably, which makes the Brew Station a great option for a quick bite when running to or from campus. Not to mention there plethora of options for eccentric people watching, which is always fun!

*The Brew Station closed in 2013.

Big River - Corvallis

Two months ago I took my friend to Big River for a birthday lunch celebration. Big River in Corvallis has a $10, three-course lunch special, which sounded perfectly fancy and delicious.

Morgan and I both chose to have a salad as our first course, mini pizza as entree, and brownie for dessert. Our waiter brought out warm bread and olive oil for us to snack on as we waited, which saved the day, as the service was really slow for a practically empty dining area and business lunch hour.

Not as fancy as the three-course French meal I had imagined, but still very tasty.

Bombs Away Cafe - Corvallis

By the look of that signage, what would you expect on Bombs Away Cafe's menu? Pizza? Video game themed burgers? Nope. Bombs Away Cafe, officially a taqueria, is not at all what you would expect. Unless of course, you're just expecting tastiness.

Their menu actually goes beyond just tacos and your normal Mexican fanfare. Bombs Away menu includes burgers and sandwiches, and probably my favorite feature is their $5 lunch specials.

The interior is very cafe like, with Christmas lights and small tables. In fact, space is pretty limited. So during their busy lunch hours Bombs Away Cafe uses their stage to house more seating. That's right, I was sitting on a stage! A stage where they host various local bands and performers on a daily?, weekly at least, basis. Again, not exactly what you would expect of a taqueria, but definitely capturing the cafe feel.

A couple co-workers and I visited Bombs Away Cafe on your average school session weekday, and it was fairly busy but we were served quickly. Luckily, my co-workers were not at all weirded out that I took pictures of their food.

Bombs Away is a great option for a casual lunch, maybe a party spot around dinner and happy hour, and not the place to go if you want to be classy. I'd say the only downside is parking, but that's the case with any restaurant you visit near the university.

Laughing Planet - Corvallis

It's hard to believe that I have a new favorite restaurant (especially when you consider the predecessor), but Laughing Planet is worth the change! The flavors are amazing and the company uses all natural and many local (to Oregon) ingredients. On their website About Us page, they declare, "We are dedicated to making wholesome food accessible to regular folks with time constraints, keeping it affordable, fun, and socially responsible." I love stumbling upon socially responsible and tasty places!

Laughing Planet is very "Corvallis"... if that was an adjective. There are dinosaurs on every table, though the collection may be all on one table if there happens to be a five year old boy in the restaurant. Artsy pictures adorn the walls, and the place is packed with your typical vest wearing, peace sign sporting, organic farmer-types.

Why? Laughing Planet is a mostly vegetarian restaurant. Hear me out! My previous favorite restaurant was Burgerville, so it can't be too drastic of a change. For those of you who wont read on without some meaty incentive, LP's menu does give you the option to add free range, organic chicken to your dish (though, we joked that it must be a rare occurrence, because it took our servers an extra long time to bring out our meal).

I really enjoy meat, which is why when a vegetarian coworker recommended Laughing Planet to me I avoided it. Does anyone else get a really bland image/taste in their mind/mouth when you think of vegetarian food? My brain seems to ignore Indian food and skip right to raw vegetables and tofu. Anyway, after hearing so many comments about this restaurant and suffering a gigantic craving for a rice bowl, I convinced Morgan to go with me on a lunch break.

Oh my deliciousness! The flavors really are unexpectedly vibrant and the whole meal feels light, healthy even. You leave feeling full and completely satisfied. The prices are great too! My lunch was $7.

Don't worry, Dad! I'm taking you there the next time you come to visit.

Appletree - Lebanon

While my parents were visiting, we decided it would be a good idea to eat out for breakfast. The only problem was that Scott had a school service project on Saturday and I needed to leave mid-morning for an MBA group meeting. We decided to pick some place local to save on time, and I suggested we try the Appletree restaurant located in Lebanon across from Safeway.

I only knew a few facts about Appletree before walking inside. I had seen the weather-worn exterior and large parking lot when we first moved to town in May. Since it was Strawberry Festival season, Appletree’s outdoor advertising touted their strawberry shortcake special. I just realized, you really don’t have to say much for strawberry shortcake to sound delicious. I’m drooling and there wasn’t even a special description! Anyway, the only other thing I knew about Appletree was that they also have the Oregon State lottery available to play. Not much to go off!

So when my parents and I walked inside on Saturday morning, I really had no idea what to expect… and with no expectations I was pleasantly surprised. The inside has a homey, country diner feel. There’s a pie display case at the front and besides table seating, you could also eat your meal at the counter. The restaurant is decorated with country wallpaper and antique cooking utensils on display. You could tell the “usual” crowd was already there enjoying their meal by the time we walked in. The waitress could tell from memory, as she seated her guests, whether or not they would need a menu.

The back of the menu had all of their breakfast options. I didn’t peruse the menu much. I’m surprised I can’t even remember when Appletree stops serving breakfast. That’s an important thing to know! I must have been pretty hungry. In fact, we all were. The Cavanaugh’s don’t normally order a meal without needing an extra plate for sharing. We all chose our own meals at Appletree from a variety of classic breakfast options.

And they were delicious! My dad commented at how fast our food came too! He said it was as fast as McDonald’s but so much better. We also kept comparing our experience to The Original Breakfast in Albany, Oregon (since that was the last place we had all eaten breakfast together). Appletree’s menu was just as good and the location is much better for us! If you’re looking for a breakfast spot in Lebanon, Appletree is your best option! And if you go there often enough, I’ll wager they remember your name and order… maybe even have it ready before you come in.

Limeberry - Lebanon

Picture by me taken of Albany's Limeberry

My parents new favorite thing is frozen yogurt shops. Maybe it's not their NEW favorite thing. My dad has always loved the soft serve ice cream machines, especially if you could build your own sundae. Well, since they have moved to the "Lower 48," my mom has developed a sixth sense for yogurt shops. She can smell them out from a distance. The first time she ever came to Lebanon, she made sure to tell me she saw that a Limeberry frozen yogurt shop was opening up this summer.

The Limeberry in Lebanon, Oregon opened up sometime before the school year started, I think. It wasn't until my parents visited again that we tried it out. It was SO tasty! They provide you with LARGE cups, which you may or may not want to fill all the way with your choice of frozen yogurts and toppings. My dad chooses to fill his cup up. Waste not, want not. I actually don't know what that means, but it sounds right.

Limeberry posts their frozen yogurt flavors on their Facebook page, as the flavors change often. We found that out the hard way when we visited TWICE in two days. Scott had a really scrumptious Wild Berry yogurt that we were both dying to have again the next day... only to find out it had been replaced by Island Banana. We will definitely be watching for more Wild Berry. Topping choices were vast, from berries, granola, and sprinkles, to candy, cookies, and even juice pellets.

Limeberry frequently has coupons to clip in the local Coupon Connections that comes in the mail (or can be found at Safeway). If you're in town, I would definitely recommend finding a coupon and a friend and heading over to the Limeberry!

Willamette Valley Fruit Company - Salem

I forgot to mention that Stanley made one more stop with us on our trip to Salem, Oregon - the Willamette Valley Fruit Company, which is located in between Salem and Silverton. I had heard about WVF Co from my young women at church. They told me about the AMAZING hot chocolate and smoothie milkshakes. They also mentioned that the cafe has a happy hour where most everything on the menu is $1. From their drool and googlie eyes, I knew that I needed to sample these local delicacies. I drug Scott along with me... He was not dissapointed.

We ordered a Forest Berry pie Frostbite, which is basically a milkshake with a slice of pie jumbled up. We were given so many options of pie to choose from, but decided on Forest Berry because it included blueberries, blackberries, and boysenberries. Mmm! Can't pass that up! We also ordered a turkey bacon ranch panini.

All the food was so delicious Scott didn't even mind that I took this rather unflatering photo of him. He kept saying, "Who was the genius that decided to put pie in a milkshake?" I tried to tell him that Sammy's in Provo, UT had that menu item while we were living there, but he didn't believe me until his cousin confirmed.

Another reason to visit the Willamette Valley Fruit Company this Fall is for their corn maze and Harvest Festival. The maze and festival don't begin until October 1, but it looks to be a rare treat. WVF Co is partnering with Salem-Keizer Education Foundation and Marion-Polk Food Share to help promote the NO Hungry Child campaign. A worthy cause! They even designed their maze this year based on the campaign logo, which you can see on the WVF Co home page. If you're interested in attending and live nearby, I have a $1 off coupon that I received at their cafe. It's all yours since we have a HouseParty, the OSU v BYU game, and other weekend appointments in October!

Original Mo's - Newport

We visited the Original Mo's restaurant on the boardwalk in Newport at the beginning of August. It was a beautiful day and windows (read: garage doors) were open to let in the fresh air. We actually read in the menu that Mo's put in garage doors after a woman accidentally put her car in drive instead of reverse, and ended up in the restaurant front after a particularly filling meal. As the story goes, the owner put her arm around the woman and said, Don't worry! We'll just put in a garage door here so you can drive in whenever you want.
The Nelson's had recommended we visit Mo's on our trip to Newport, as they had visited before and had enjoyed every bite. Mo's is a family owned restaurant, a classic beach side fish and cowder joint. The restaurant is a nice, clean place and is pretty popular. We had to wait ten minutes before we were seated, but we arrived before the dinner rush. We were seated at the front of the restaurant, right under the garage door opening. So we got to watch the crowds enjoying their touristy walk and waiting for their turn at a table.

It was a perfect addition to our trip to the boardwalk! Scott and I shared (yes, we share almost everything) the fish and chips, which came with a cup of Mo's famous chowder.

I loved that the chowder came with a great, big slice of homemade bread! Delicious!

The fish (Alaskan Cod) was pretty good, though I'm still searching for a tarter sauce as good as my own.
The best treat of all, though, was Mo's marionberry cobbler topped with three scoops of vanilla ice cream! Oh, I am salivating just thinking of it. Of course, it was gone before I had a chance to even think about a picture.
My best advice - Share a meal at Mo's so you can heartily enjoy their homemade desserts!