Corvallis restaurants?

[stevea]

I'm accompanying my wife to a conference in Corvallis and we're staying the night. Anyone have a restaurant recommendation?

[jrt]

Corvallis is a tough town for food. Last time I was there, years ago, Big River was about as good as it got... Iovino's was decent too, but you'd want to check that out since I heard someone say it turns into a goofy dance joint at night.

[stevea]

Corvallis is a tough town for food.  Last time I was there, years ago, Big River was about as good as it got... Iovino's was decent too, but you'd want to check that out since  I heard someone say it turns into a goofy dance joint at night.

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Thanks. What about Le Bistro? The description (typical french bistro fare) makes it seem a possibility.

[jrt]

Oh, crap! I completely forgot about them. I had a very pleasant meal there last time I was in town. I was surprised to have some of the best escargot I've ever had there.

[mizducky]

I have no knowledge of Corvallis-area restaurants, but on the off-chance that you're travelling by car and your route involves driving north to Corvallis on the I-5, I heartily recommend a road-food stop at Heaven on Earth in Azalea, OR. Every time I'd drive from Seattle down to Ashland or beyond, I always made sure to stop at this joint. Great country/diner food, and an on-site bakery whose terrific cinnamon buns severely violate the "never eat anything bigger than your head" rule.

[mklynch]

While not exactly "fine dining", you should give Bombs Away Cafe a try. If I remember right, the chef / owner was the creative force behind the old Casa U Betcha in Portland when it started in the 80's. South of the border done very well.

[stevea]

Well, the trip to Corvallis was quick and now it's over. On the plus side, we stayed at Hanson's B&B near the OSU campus, and it was delightful. Lovely house, friendly staff, tasteful breakfast, chocolate chip cookies and port in the evening, and even a friendly cat to share the bed.

The dining experience wasn't quite as good. We did go to Le Bistro for dinner. The decor is simple elegance (white tablecloth with butcher paper, white napkins, etc), and the menu is french bistro. However, the first bad sign appeared with the salad -- greens with beets, eggs, and olives. The beets were miniscule flavorless pieces, and the black olives were canned. We also had the escargot appetizer because of some recommendations. Perhaps things have changed since others sampled this dish, because these snails tasted almost metallic, as if they were canned. The main dishes, rabbit and pork loin, were OK but not spectacular. And unfortunately, they were almost identically prepared. Same sauce, served over the same not-especially-flavorful mashed potatoes, adorned with identical carrot, snow pea, and green bean garnish. We certainly didn't feel ripped off, but would probably not go back again.

I had lunch at Big River, and it was OK too, but definitely a couple of notches down from "fine dining." They had lots of tasty looking desserts, but I'm not a dessert guy, so I didn't try them.

The best food I had in Corvallis was the first morning for breakfast, at a bakery on Second, just around the corner from Le Bistro. (The name has slipped from my mind.) They make their own bagels and they were terrific. The pastries looked artery-hardeningly huge and good, but I didn't have any.

[jrt]

I was going to suggest bringing a bagged lunch to Corvallis. Too bad about the escargot.