Szechuan Restaurant Bend Oregon - Hot n Sour Soup

Szechuan Restaurant Bend Oregon

I have been having techinical difficulties with my photos lately which is one of the many reasons I have not posted in a while. I'm not giving up, I'll figure that camera out sooner or later.

So there is no photo today but since I will not go back to Szechuan Restuarant on 97 by the Radio Shack ever, I'll never be able to get a photo. Since I can't get a photo, I'll do my best to paint a mental picture.

I used to love going there for their lunch specials cause they're great! Go ahead, read that again, I'll wait. You can't beat $4.95 for Hot and Sour Soup (or egg flower), rice, egg roll (or crab puffs), and your main dish. What you also can't beat is the feeling like you're vomiting out of your rectum for 24 straight hours. Yeah, it was that gross.

We think it was the Hot and Sour soup because it seemed to be the only constant amongst our dishes. So if you happen to find yourself at Szechuan Restaurant, I recommend the egg flower soup.

I have yet to get ill from a meal at Double Happiness in Downtown Bend yet, so I think I'll stick with that.

Szechuan Restaurant
1600 NE 3rd St # 97
Bend, OR 97701
(541) 383-9033

Bernies BBQ - CLOSED

Bernies BBQ Bend Oregon

Bernie's BBQ boasts "best BBQ in the Universe" on their menu and business cards. I'd go as far as saying that Bernie's BBQ is the Best BBQ ... on Division.

UPDATE: Bernies is no longer open for business.

I was not expecting to have to place our order at the cash register as soon as we entered so we grabbed a menu and a table and figure out what we wanted to do. Then I went up and ordered, then got our own water and drinks, extra plates, and BBQ sauces.

With me doing all the work, you'd think the prices would be lower. But then I don't feel the need to tip even though I threw a few bucks into the tip pitcher by the register.

every time I try out a new BBQ joint, I like to get the sampler if it's available. In this case I think it's a rather good deal. We could have grabbed a whole rack of ribs for $20 or get a sampling of almost everything for ten buck more.

I hope you can make out the mountain of meat before you. If not, I'll try to explain it. This big burnt blog in the bottom right is chicken. To the left of the chicken are the spare parts of the spare ribs (we think). To the right of the chicken is some pulled pork under the ribs which are also under the beef brisket. Sprinkled about the plate is some sausage. There are some fries, corn bread, coleslaw, potato salad, and baked beans.

Chicken - Definitely burnt and obviously looks dried out. Surprisingly, it tastes great. The skin sucks cause it's burnt but the meat was juicy, smokey, and tender.

Ribs - I like baby back ribs, these are spare ribs with the spare section served as another portion it seems. I don't like these ribs at all. Our portion of ribs had a lot of fat and bone and very little meat. The meat that we tasted did not have much flavor to it. All of the meat is served dry (without BBQ Sauce). The do provide some good BBQ sauces (spicy and original) that you can use at will.

I love dry ribs but when I make them, I use some sort of dry rub for flavor. I'm not sure what happened but these ribs were just dry.

Pulled Pork - Ugh, this pulled pork tasted like shredded turkey jerky. Insanely dry and absolutely zero flavor. Nasty.

Brisket - Absolutely phenomenal!!! I will go back and get some more brisket. Juicy, smokey, and melt in your mouth tender. It was difficult to pick it up it was so soft.

Sausage - The sausage tasted good but it was very similar to some Hickory Farms Summer Sausage. A little too similar. It's good but I wouldn't get it unless it was added to my dish for free.

All the sides were just fine, nothing great, nothing bad. No one goes to a BBQ place for sides so it doesn't really matter if their great or not. It's hard to mess up side dishes. Oh but the crack they sprinkle on their French fries is great, get fries with your meal.

All in all, I would probably go back to Bernies for the Brisket but that's it. I can make and get chicken anywhere so that's not a big feat. But good Brisket is hard to find. If I find myself back at Bernies, I will get the brisket fo sho (that's for sure, Whitey).
Read another review of Bernie's BBQ from the Source

Bernie's Barbeque
2650 NE Division Street
Bend, OR 97701
541.330.0227 or
541.330.0BBQ
http://www.berniesbbq.com/

Cascade Lakes Lodge - Turkey Melt

It's been a while since I was desperate enough to go back to Cascade Lakes Lodge after my Cowgirl Up experience. Yet, I was hungry and tired and they do have televisions on. I like TV. I like beer. I love the Cascade Lakes Turkey Melt with Pesto sandwich and fries.

I'm pretty sure they used close to a pound of turkey this time around. Look at that, it's freakishly huge. I only could make it through half of it. And did you notice...yup...bacon. All forms of bacon are the bestest meats in the world and when combined with turkey, shrimp, pears, stuffed figs and/or dates, it just makes the meal better. DO NOT ARGUE WITH ME!

I feel that this turkey sammy is Cascade Lakes Lodge's best dish. The backed on Parmesan cheese on the outside, the pesto, the ... BACON, how can you go wrong?

If you end up at Cascade Lakes Lodge on Century Drive, get yourself an ESB and a Turkey Melt. You'll be happy you did.

Cascade Lakes Lodge
1441 SW Chandler Avenue
Bend, OR 97702
(541) 388-4998

http://www.cascadelakes.com/locations/The_Lodge/