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Pot of Gold or Port of Gold? While traveling in Oregon last summer, I searched the internet for a good lunch stop. I spotted a cafe, at POT of Gold Beach! Hey, fun! Let's go!
Oops! I read too fast. It was PORT of Gold Beach. But that sounded fun, too. I liked the name of the cafe as well. The Port Hole Cafe (Not Pot Hole Cafe) sounded like a fun seafood place! The Cannery and Fish Market We followed GPS to the small town of Gold Beach. The port was just south of the Rogue River Bridge. We parked and headed over to the Cannery complex.  I had hoped to find an old wooden structure, with lots of fishermen stopping in for lunch. What we found was a a little more spiffed up. The original cannery from the 1960's had been replaced. Fish Market, Processing Plant.. We still got to see a little activity as we walked down to the cafe. We passed the Fish Market and I got to peek in and watch a guy in a slick yellow apron, go to work on a big fish!
I'm sure things were very different in the 1960's, when ocean troll salmon fishing was at its peak. Economic and environmental issues forced change. Port Hole Cafe We found the cafe entrance near a serious little fisherman statue. I wish there had been a real fisherman around, so I could hear some stories.  This space opened in 1998, as a retail facility with restaurant and commercial fish processing facilities. I was hoping for an authentic seafood joint, where fishermen dined, decades ago. But we could tell the place was popular as we followed others in. That was a good sign. Family Owned At noon and cafe was hopping. We had to wait for a table, so I had some time to look around and absorb the atmosphere.  Seafood joint with knotty pine and fishing decor. Dining guests with overalls and camo hats. It all fit. And how about that Tsunami Hazard Zone sign, above the door. Decoration or real? Locals? I wondered about our fellow diners. I didn't spot any obvious travelers like us.  Mostly the folks appeared to be locals. The Gold Beach community is only a couple thousand people, so it's not surprising that many seemed to know each other. Where to Sit? I wasn't in the mood to beg for a great table. But I hoped for one with a view of the harbor.  How about a table overlooking the Mighty Rogue River? I was impressed to realize this view was so very close to where the Rogue River meets the Pacific. Divided Booth I was very curious about a few booths, with wooden divider walls. I've never seem that.  I watched a large family getting seated at two booths. The divider was lifted so they could dine together. Clever! At the Bar? We were invited to sit at the bar if we wanted to be seated faster.  We could have kept an eye on the kitchen if we'd taken at seat there. Stools Instead we went for a tall round table, with 2 stools. It wasn't perfect, but we were hungry.  I had been hoping to spot a port hole or two in our restaurant. We had a couple right next to our table. We could spy on our neighbors! Important Messages As we sat waiting for our menus, I took in the important messages on signs and shirts. Beside our table, I read a sign with a big red crab, "We serve CRABS... actually we'll serve anybody." Important to know.
That was some corny humor with the crab sign. Our server was pretty rushed and had no sense of humor. When I asked how old the cafe was, she didn't answer. She just spun around so I could see the back of her shirt that told me the date was 1984. That wasn't funny, but I noticed another server's shirt. "A quaint little Drinking Town with a Fishing Problem". Now that's sort of funny. Views and Treasures We didn't get one of the tables with a view of boats or seagulls or bridge. But we could look straight down at our table and see treasures!  We could study the sand dollar and pennies, sea glass and rope. I'm all for an interesting table top. Food Our food actually came quickly and it hit the spot.  Don went for an Albacore grilled tuna melt, with coleslaw and pickle. Simple but delicious.  I couldn't resist coconut shrimp and French fries. They looked unimpressive with their skinny shape, but they were hot and crisp and tasty, with a spicy-sweet sauce. Ernest? Our quick little lunch at The Port, was hardly an adventure. But sometimes there's just a little something that makes it more memorable. I had a quick chat on the way out, with the owner. He said his mother originally owned the Port Hole Cafe, when it was located in an old house, 25 years ago.
As we talked, I noticed a photo in a crafty frame behind him. "Is that Ernest Borgnine?" Yep, that was his mom with Ernest. He used to come to Port Hole, on visits to the area. I read on the internet that he died at age 92 in 2012. He used to drive his motorhome up to the Rogue River to watch the salmon. I don't know why it pleased me to picture this old actor enjoying some shrimp or salmon at the Port Hole. Helping Out Before climbing back in the car, I had Don do a quick pose with this fine fisherman. Don was nice to go along with my photo request.  A dining adventure is always more memorable if there's a photo op with a statue. Good way to end!
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Curious Coos Bay Adventure Last July, Don and I had an unusual adventure with unusual food.
This is the sign from where we purchased our food. Important to note that Coos Bay Oysters takes top billing. Chuck's Seafood is the name of the place. How We Heard We heard about Chuck's from Rik, our host at Itty Bitty Inn. After checking us in at the little motel in North Bend, we chatted with Rik for about 45 minutes. He was a hoot of a host! Then suddenly he seemed to be rushing us on our way. He handed us a cutting board and knife and told us we needed to get to the port in Coos Bay!
He told us that the fresh catch came in on Friday, so today was the perfect day. "The fish has been smoked and cured... you MUST get octopus jerky and oysters sticks... grab a bottle of wine and take it all to the beach!" We Did We did as we were told. We drove about 10 minutes to Chuck's Market. Actually it took longer, because we had to pick up a cheap cooler and ice.  Once we arrived, we headed towards the door, near the sign saying Oyster Farm! Yes, Chuck's has their very own oyster farm in Coos Bay! Dine In? I spotted 2 folding chairs and realized, we could actually have a dine-in experience, if we wanted.  But Rik had gotten us pretty excited about the fish on the beach idea. Cans and Cans We peeked around a little, before heading to the counter.  There were lots of canned options. Salmon, tuna, crab, oysters. All freshly prepared, hand packed and processed. Since 1953 I spotted a few awards on the wall. It looked like Chuck's had been around a long time.  Since 1953! I love a place or business, that's older than me! Not by much. In the Case Don and I looked through the glass, trying to figure it all out.  The tuna and salmon looked a little more familiar. Chinook Salmon! We knew we were in the Northwest. We got some smoked tuna and a little Chinook Salmon. Favorite? We asked the young woman behind the counter, about her favorites.  She smiled and pointed to the Smoked Tuna Teriyaki. Rik's Favorites Back at the Inn, Rik was very enthused about oyster sticks. I had pictured some kind of lollypop-oyster, on a stick! Luckily I didn't see anything like that.  We made sure to get some oyster sticks along with smoked salmon sticks and jalapeño salmon sticks. We were sort of acting like kids in a candy store. Which is odd for me, because I'm not the biggest seafood fan. And these foods were sort of scary. Oyster Jerky Rik insisted we sample all the goodies that the locals go for. He said we might have to ask, since it's not always spotlighted in the case.  The octopus jerky was nearly hidden, on an upper shelf. Our enthused helper behind the counter, pulled it out for us. Salmon Fin Earlier at the Itty Bitty, Rik told us how he loved salmon fins! I was skeptical. What does it look like? A fin?  He assured me it was wonderful stuff. He showed us some leftover fins in the back of his truck. (I guess he'd had a beach feast) He said that local families know about these great treats. "The markets practically throw them away, but locals love them." To the Beach We bought our fish and a loaf of garlic bread and headed for the nearest beach that we could spot on the map.  We were surprised to find a picnic table in the sand, just waiting for us. I propped my camera on a rock and captured a photo memory! Fish Feast I am not really the biggest fan of fish. But I do love a "When in Rome" experience.  So, When in Coos Bay, go to the beach and nibble on some fish fins and jerky!  Here's Don, getting ready for a bite of smoked salmon stick... I believe.  I'm sampling a salmon fin in this fine photo. It looks like a pretend to eat pose. But I really did give it my all. It was okay. Two Days Later Since we had a cooler and a fridge in our hotel, we were able to take some of our fish to Sacramento.  We stayed a couple nights with our son and our daughter-in-law. I'm not sure how impressed they were with our food contribution. It's kind of like sharing a "you had to have been there" experience... with some leftover fish. Scott As you can see, Scott looks a little worried about biting into this fin.
But he is always game for a food adventure! I should have taken another photo, after his bite!
Cheers to fish on the beach! Big thank you to our guide, Rik! Seafood in Oregon! Last summer Don and I discovered Mo's, while traveling along the Oregon coast.
You have to love a cafe/diner with a name like Mo's. You also have to love a coastal cafe, with porthole windows! Who is Mo? If you Google "Who is Mo?" you get a former wrestling star and a Dubai-based Iranian YouTuber. There's also a Master Mo, who was a Chinese thinker... and then there's Moe from the 3 Stooges... if you add an "e".  But you have to search for a while to find Mo, as in Mohava Marie Niemi. Her name is better known to folks who live, or travel in Oregon. The image above shows the "crusty, chain smoking, town mother" who got into the seafood business in 1940. The Original Mo first got into the restaurant biz, in Newport's Bayfront area. The first restaurant with her name, is shown in the far left of this photo. This Mo's opened in 1946.  Don and I wandered down Bay Blvd, last July and absorbed some of the salty air along, with some of the salty characters. Tourists and Workers We were early enough to see more workers than tourists, as we strolled up and down the street. On the bayside, we peeked inside a couple seafood processing plants.
I wouldn't have minded pulling up a chair and just watching the work activity for a while. Back to Mo's It was too early for lunch, but we did take a look inside the old Mo's. I spotted lots of old photos on the wall. I also noticed that we weren't looking through a window, but a garage door. There's a story behind the garage door.  Year's ago, a woman parked in front of Mo's and put the car in drive, instead of reverse. When her car crashed into the cafe, the good natured Mo, put her arm around the worried driver and said, "Well, we'll just put in a garage door, so you can drive in anytime you want." Another Mo's I was a little confused, when I realized there were 2 Mo's on Bay Blvd. This red building, was just across the street. It opened in 1968, overlooking Yaquina Bay.  Unfortunately, it was still too early to eat, but I took note. We'll plan around a Newport Mo's Meal, in the future. Another Day! Lucky for us, we stumbled across another Mo's in Cannon Beach. This one may not have had all the history of the other two, but it had an incredible beach view... even if you can't see it in this photo.  The interior reminded me of the seafood joints my family went to in Florida when I was a kid. I hated seafood when my family lived in Florida, but I still loved those places... and their hushpuppies. Long Wait This photo shows the amazing view. The restaurant is located on the beach in Tolovana Park, with views of Haystack Rock and wide open stretches of sandy beach.  You can also see the interior in this image. It was crowded on a July Monday. Carry Out Orders The wait was over an hour. I'm guessing this place is always crowded, but it was summer of 2021. Pandemic summer travel... staff shortages and long waits everywhere we stopped.  We were thrilled when we realized there was no line for ordering take out. Just looking at this menu now, makes me hungry! Should have ordered Slumgullion! Where to Eat? Before heading back outside to await our order, I had to dash over to take a photo of the best table in the house. Maybe that was being held for a VIP!  The Original Mo's in Newport had some famous customers, back in the day. Paul Newman loved the chowder. Robert Kennedy enjoyed a stop when he was on the campaign trip. We weren't VIPS, so we went outside to grab a picnic table. Hot and Quick Our take out meal was served up quickly and we found a great table.  Our picnic table, was right outside the reserved outdoor dining area. No waiting for us! Cod Fish & Chips Plate The view was spectacular and the meal was delicious.  As the photo shows, Don and I once again shared a feast. We've learned over the years, that we can feast more frequently, if we eat less.  Cole slaw with Shrimp! That was a treat! The crispy fish and the fries were perfect. We had just the right amount of food. Back on the Road After years of hearing about Cannon Beach, I'm glad we finally got to see the picturesque beach with the dramatic rocks.  Better yet, we had a mini seafood feast, while we absorbed the scenery. What a great stop, on our road trip!
Portland in 2018 Don and I had our first Tin Shed adventure in October 2018.  We were visiting our daughter and son in law. They were eager to take us to their favorite brunch place. There was a long wait and that was typical. Happy Brunchers  I don't remember what we ate, but I remember that everyone was happy. You can tell, from this 3-year-old photo. July 2021 What a different visit we had this past July.
We were a party of 5 on this visit. We had a Baby Charlie with us on this visit. The 4 adults were craving a delicious and safe dining adventure. Tin Shed was the perfect place, with outdoor dining. Patio We arrived on a pleasant Saturday morning, with reservations at 9:15.  There was a garden patio with tables and umbrellas. It didn't look crowded but there was still a wait. Pandemic patience always helps. Covered or Not There was a covered open air space that looked inviting.
But that seemed to be sort of reserved for people with pets. That cracked me up. There were definitely more folks with dogs than children, at Tin Shed. Sunshine We got a table on the gravel patio after a while.  The sun actually felt good. Oregon in July, is very different than Texas in July! Coffee and Cream I was thrilled that Don and I each got our own container of cream.  Some days you crave a mimosa at brunch, I felt pampered with lots of cream on this Saturday morning. "Everything Naughty" I ordered the breakfast with the silly name. It was indeed sinfully good.  Homemade biscuits with Rosemary-mushroom gravy and a potato pancake with sour cream and chives... 2 crispy slices of bacon and a simple and delicious scrambled egg. Super Scramble Don's cheesy scramble with tomato and bacon, was served on top of potato pancakes.  You can see his biscuit is picture perfect. I'd say we both ate exactly half of our orders. Yummy leftovers! Memorable Meal This was not an adventure in exotic dining. This wasn't some odd and curious dive cafe experience...  This was mostly a successful dining adventure, with our happy grand baby. Charlie was born in Portland, in the middle of February's ice storm. The Covid pandemic added an extra layer of worry, back when none of us were vaccinated. We dreamed of the day when it would be warm enough and safe enough, to enjoy a little restaurant outing. Portland Adventure So cheers to our Portland Dining Adventure. We had good food, on a pleasant patio, on a sunny day.
After lunch, we strolled and enjoyed the area. How far things have come since February. What a sweet treat!
Clackamas, Oregon In July, Don and I had a fun-homey meal at Dean's.  We had heard about the family owned cafe, from my sister. Jennifer sent a text last February, "Kate and I just ate at a place that you and Don would love!" She raved about the food and the folks running the place. Dean's went on my list! Palms & Roses Don and I were back in Portland in July and checked the place out, on our very last day. It was an easy stop, right off the highway on the way to the airport.  We parked and headed towards the sweet looking bungalow. What a palm! It made me feel like we were back in Texas. Those roses were mighty sweet, too! Bonus points! Picnic Tables and Porch Bonus points for picnic tables, too. Don and I are cautious travelers and diners, during these pandemic times. We appreciate outside options.
And oh how I love a porch, I guess we could have eaten out there too. But we were curious to see the inside of this cute place. We headed for the door. Luckily we had cash, since the sign told us they didn't take credit cards. Eating in the House We were greeted by a young bearded man, named Tyler. He was carrying on with a group of coffee drinking men, near the fireplace. Tyler invited us to sit anywhere. We peeked in the second room, which looked cozy with lots of old woodwork.
I was curious about the window that connected both rooms. Was that original? I could see through to the fireplace. Summertime Fireplace The front room had the fun fireplace, that would have been nice on a cold day. I was sort of amused by how the mantel was being used on a day in July. It had become a shelf, for holding napkins and carry-out containers.  I was more amused listening to Tyler, with the locals who were sitting near the fireplace. Tyler was across the room, but he conversed with the older gentlemen, as he moved from here to there. Don and I felt somehow included in some of the humor, that flew back and forth. The coffee drinkers seemed to egg Tyler on. At one point an old fellow stood and headed to the counter, with his cane. Tyler teased, "No running on the pool deck now!" There were some chuckles. Sitting in the Front Room Don and I were seated at a comfy table in the front room, with a view of the dining counter, below a display of old tools.  Next to the old saw and drill, there was a sassy little sign. "I'll have a cafe mocha, vodka, Xanax, Latte to go please." More Signs I read a few more snappy sentences above the window. "Mind your own biscuits and life will be gravy!"  "Bacon makes everything better!" "Public Drunkenness Prohibited!" As we sat and absorbed the atmosphere around us, I began to see how these signs set the tone for the place. Personalized Mugs On the wall past the man at the counter, I spotted another sign, with yummy (and reasonably priced) food options.
The sign was surrounded by shelves of personalized mugs. Clearly, Dean's was a place where lots of locals enjoy breakfast. If it hadn't been so close to lunchtime, I'm sure more mugs would have been missing. Chicken Noodle Soup When Tyler came to take our order, I was able to compliment him on his t-shirt, with an amusing photo from the movie, "Step Brothers". He looked down to remind himself, then laughed. He seemed pleased that someone appreciated his goofy Will Farrell shirt.  I ordered Soup & BLT. My chicken noodle soup came so packed with noodles and chicken, I could have used a fork and knife. Moments later I heard a man nearby complain that his soup didn't have enough chicken. Tyler responded, by pointing to me. "Well, I gave all the chicken to her. It's her first time here!" Too Much? Don was pleased to have breakfast options for lunch. He was then perplexed about how to begin, with the massive serving on his plate.
Actually he was excited about his ham & cheese omelet and hash browns. There were no signs demanding that we clean our plates, so he was safe. I even helped him a bit and it was a yummy feast.
My delicious BLT arrived on sour dough. When I placed my order, Tyler suggested English muffin for my BLT. I hadn't caught on to his humor yet, so I said "Sure, BLT on and English muffin." Tyler shook his head and scolded that idea as if he hadn't given it to me. "What? You'll never fit 5 slices of bacon on that!" I scratched my head and ordered sourdough, which I loved. The sandwich was delish! And I wasn't a bit annoyed by Tyler's dry humor. Exploring After lunch I explored on the way to the bathroom. I loved the old stairs and wondered about the family that once lived in this wonderful house.
Tyler saw me snapping photos and invited me to look at the framed photos of the Haberlach family. Haberlach Fam How wonderful that these photos were preserved when the home was bought.  I did some internet searching later and couldn't find much info. But it looks like this family had some history with Tillamook Cheese! Chatting with Tyler Tyler checked us out and didn't reprimand us for not finishing our meal. He did ask where we were from though and said he might just have to charge us tax, since we were from Texas. His silly sarcasm reminded me of some of the old timer characters we've run across on our travels. But his quick and sassy remarks were somehow refreshing and kind.  I thanked Tyler for the great food and his fun humor. He seemed to genuinely appreciate that. Heading Off On our way out, we were stopped by a couple on the porch. They had overheard our conversation and seemed so pleased that we enjoyed the place. They told us, "We came all the way from Vancouver to eat today!" They agreed that Tyler was a fun and funny addition to the place. They also mentioned that Tyler's parents owned the place. "We've been coming to eat here, since Tyler was about 7 years old."  I loved ending our homey visit, with this extra little prize at the end. We drove off knowing that Dean's Cafe had been serving food for years in a couple other locations and in this cute house for about 10 years. I loved it that this couple knew Tyler as a little kid and had fun watching him grow up on their visits.
I tried to find more information on the internet, but found very little. Dean's is obviously a happy, homey business with lots of pleased customers. They evidently don't need lots of write ups and ads to lure people their way. Word of mouth got us there! The best kind of advertisement! |
The Dining Blog
This is a blog about Dining Adventures. Sometimes, I talk about food. Below, you can read how this started. On July 4th 2011, I set a goal to try 50 culturally diverse restaurants in one year! (I knew that was possible, living in the Houston area) I spent the year pulling in friends and family to join me, on some unusual dining adventures. I met some curious people, tried some scary foods and explored places and cultures I never would have otherwise. Even though I met my goal, I learned too much to end my adventures in dining. I have continued blogging about memorable dining adventures of all kinds, near and far... and all the discoveries and funny things I've learned along the way! Locations and types of dining adventures, are listed further down. Archives
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