The perfect dish. Not a dish that is flawlessly constructed or stunningly plated (although that can be part of it), but the meal that your mind instantly goes to when you decide you don't wanna cook dinner and need your favorite comfort meal.
In that moment, nothing else will do. Someone else might not care for it, but that's OK because it's yours and that's what really matters. This is about you.
I asked dozens of people from all walks of life around Bend what their local comfort meal is and received dozens of different answers (with more overlap than I expected) that cover a wide-ranging and diverse range of flavors and regions. In keeping this scientific, I'm going to keep the people I asked anonymous so that the answers are context-free and just focused on the dishes themselves. It's not about why, it's about what we love.
If you'd asked me pre-Covid, my answer would have been the chicken Wrap of Khan from Parilla Grill with extra bamboo and added black beans. I ate one of those a week for almost a decade and I regret nothing. Now, though, I would have to say it's the Chicken Makhani from Taj Palace, which balances the acidity of the tomato sauce with the sweet/savory dichotomy of the garam masala into a dish that I've been eating for over 20 years and will definitely be obsessing over for 20 more. It's my death row meal and I love it.
I'm going to cheat a tiny bit and name a few more perfect dishes that I can't leave out and also sleep well tonight. I know, I'm weird.
Sopa: The Quesabirria isn't just gorgeously plated, but easily one of the top two or three Mexican dishes in all of Bend. Lightly covered in flawless avocado salsa with a giant cup of thick and peppery consomé, this birria quesadilla is, genuinely perfect. Several other people I asked also mentioned Sopa; in particular the fried cheesy Birria tacos which, yeah, are amazing.
Yoli: I think Yoli is stone cold the most underrated restaurant in Bend. They serve not just exemplary Korean food for Central Oregon, but are world class in their flavors, their plating and their profiles, with consistently fearless approaches to classic dishes. Their Dolsot Bibimbap with gently sizzling rice in a stone pot with kimchi, chicken and a runny egg is the definition of perfection. Several other people mentioned Yoli, including a vegan friend who said his favorite dish was "Hands down, the Yoli Bibimbap, sub out the tofu and sub in fried cauliflower. They make a special version of one of their spicy sauces, so if you request that, the dish can be made vegan."
Bo's: Look, so many different things could be mentioned here because Bo's doesn't f**k around even a little. Yeah, the falafel is just as tender and crunchy and mouth-watering as you've heard, but the Seth Rogan on a flawlessly boiled salted honey rosemary bagel with house-made sausage, smashed hash browns, pickled jalapeños, romaine, melted cheddar and house ranch is what dreams are made of.
Since Bend does have a few pretty wonderful bagel spots, Mimi's Bagel Deli was also called out more than once: specifically the Everything Bagel with egg, cheese and hash brown and the Hangover with the "best pork roll on the West Coast."
Another way to get up and go is Active Culture's Hummus Burrito on a flour tortilla with organic brown rice, organic house-made hummus, organic mixed greens, cucumber, tomato, slaw, red onion, seasoning, falafel sauce, served with tortilla chips and a side of salsa. I haven't tried that yet, but now it's at the top of the list.
Sebastian's halibut fish and chips were mentioned as several people's favorite local seafood, with a few others calling out the fish and chips from Bend Brewing Company, Mill Works Pub and Cascade Lakes Brewing.
Many different people (obviously) mentioned Spork dishes like the Spicy Fried Chicken with a side of cucumber salad, the Dan Dan Noodles, Green Curry with Shrimp and the Lomo Saltado. I approve this message.
Here are just a few more quotes from a small sampling of the people that I asked, most of whom took a good, long time to think of their perfect dish even if some couldn't name just one:
"The Bún bò Hu at Pho Viet, the Carne Asada at Hola! And the Duck Curry at Noi Thai. I have so many more!"
"Oh my. The first thing that comes to mind are the basil noodles from Wild Rose. Or literally just the green beans from Sen. I could eat 50 pounds of those things."
"El Sancho barbacoa tacos...or the Zydeco shrimp grit cake. Also, the Aina Ahi Katsu."
"Hefe's Fish Tacos from Parilla."
"BBQ tempeh sandwich from Broken Top Bottle Shop. Chips with a side of pickles. Dear diary...so good! It's large slices of BBQ tempeh- well sauced, with cole slaw on a toasted bun. Plus, BTBS has a ton of vegan options so I don't ever have to modify things in order to be able to go out and eat. 10/10."
"Pho with lean beef from Dang's."
"My food knowledge baseline is pre-2020 due to kids. Spork: Spicy fried chicken. Wild Rose: Khao Soi Curry with Chicken. Zydeco: Shrimp appetizer. 2012 me is the Buffalo Mac from Brother Jon's."
"Wonton Soup from Pho Viet."
"Chancho a lo Sancho braised pork from Hola!"
"Hard choice but right now it would probably have to be the poutine from Monkless. I think about it an unhealthy amount."
"Death row meal? Filet Mignon from 900 Wall."
"Taco Bowl at Hablo Tacos. It's an obsession."
"12-piece wings from Fire on the Mountain with buffalo hot + Bourbon chipotle and a side of sweet potato fries."
"Shim Shon Bowl with Zhug or Tuom sauce with a side of delicious fries and I alternate proteins between lemon shrimp and falafel."
"The enchiladas from Rodolberto's. Just very flavorful, moist and yummy. It's authentic. Reminds me of Mexico."
"The mushroom bisque from Ariana is probably the best thing I've ever tasted."
"Flights Wine Bar has some chronic shit. The fried chicken and champagne was rad. The chicken provides all the nutrients I need for the inevitable parking lot fist fight that follows, brought on in part by the bottle of champagne that comes with the meal. A lovely pairing for any occasion."
"Bruno's makes the best pepperoni and sausage take and bake pizza I've ever had."
After a brief poll at Cascade West, I received several varied answers, including another vote for the Birria tacos at Sopa, The Popper from Americana, the chicken noodle from Da Nang, the Shaapta with extra heat from Himalayan Bites, the Python & Rabbit sausage with chimichurri, cream cheese and caramelized onions from Bangers & Brews, the Crab BTLA from Awbrey Glen and Tina's Chicken Noodle Soup from Lifty's.
Regardless of where it is that makes you the happiest and wherever you find your perfect dish, I think these answers prove that Bend's food scene isn't just thriving, but making each one of us, when we really need it, find our comfort.
Tell us your favorite spot!
