After a two and a half hour drive over the Cascade Mountains on a road (U.S. 20) that wouldn’t win any awards for staying in a straight line, I arrived in Corvallis, Oregon. Most people will probably say, WHERE?

Although near Eugene, Albany, Salem and, ultimately, Portland, Corvallis is not the most well known of cities in the Willamette Valley. While the aforementioned cities have a common trait (they are all next to I-5 traveling north and south through Oregon), Corvallis is just a bit off the beaten track (8 miles west of the interstate highway.) Not so much a tourist destination as a sports and education destination, Corvallis is home to Oregon State University. GO BEAVS!Now, just what do the words “College Town” and “BEER” have in common? If you don’t know the answer to that one you need to rent “Animal House” on DVD (which, by the way, was filmed just down the road in Eugene and Cottage Grove, Oregon.)

After you finish the movie, it’s time hop in your car and cruise on down to 300 SW Jefferson in Corvallis. That’s where you’ll find…

Block 15 Restaurant & Brewery -

one of the newest brewpubs in Oregon. Opening its doors at the end of February 2008, Block 15 is only a short distance from Oregon State University. The brewpub took over a 1926 building that was originally built for the local Gazette-Times newspaper.

With over 12 of their own craft brews on tap at any time, you can order Ridgeback Red, Glo, Golden Ale, Nebula Oatmeal Stout, Alpha IPA, and Printmaster’s Pale which use Northwest grown hops and organic base malt combined with imported specialty malts.

But, it was lunchtime and I was also there for the food.

Block 15 from the upper level

Soups and salads, sandwiches, pastas, fish and my favorite …

HAND-SPANKED BURGERS (Painted Hills Beef, Fossil, Oregon)

But, in their own insidious way, the brewers have issued: The Brewers Challenge Burger $13.50

There before your eyes are two … TWO hand-spanked beef patties, TWO slices of Tillamook cheddar cheese, a layer of thick sliced bacon, FRIED jalapeños AND your choice of two sides.YOUR CHALLENGE:

Clean your plate like your mother always told you to do, and she’ll give you your first pint of beer for free!

Well, maybe your mother didn’t offer you a free beer, but the brewers at Block 15 will make up for her inattention to detail by granting  that promise.

If you want your lunch cooked in some hops and barley, then try the House Beer Sausage.

From just up the road in Albany, Pepper Tree Beer Sausage is grilled in Block 15 Glo, Golden Ale, and topped with stone ground mustard, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese.
$8.25

I opted for the Grilled Turkey and Cheddar.
Turkey breast, grilled onions, cheddar cheese, and honey mustard on grilled sourdough bread.
$7.75

I didn’t complain. But I did have to complain about my inability to try one of the craft beers. You see, I was driving and the State Police, no matter where you are, seem to have a rule about mixing those two activities. (That’s why it’s a good thing Block 15 is only a few blocks from the University.)

The closest I could get to a beer was the house brewed Root Beer. It was a “busy” concoction made with sassafras, wintergreen, licorice root, vanilla, organic cane and brown sugars, & local wildflower honey.
$3.00 (No Refills)

SUSTAINABILITY

Throughout Oregon in both restaurants and brewpubs you will hear the word “Sustainability.” Simply put, we are talking environmentally friendly and the use of locally grown products. Block 15 sets high standards for itself in this category in both the brewing of its beer and the restaurant side of the business.

Whether you’re there for a weekend of one of the many sports played on campus, or just passing through, Block 15 Restaurant & Brewery is definitely worth the stop. Hopefully, you won’t be driving.

Block 15 Restaurant & Brewery
300 SW Jefferson
Corvallis, Oregon

11 a.m. – 11 p.m. Sunday-Wednesday
11 a.m. – 1 a.m. Thursday-Saturday

Happy Hour Menu: 3-6 p.m.
Late Night Menu: 10 p.m. to close

Free WiFi

www.block15.com

Cozy, inviting Adam's Sustainable Table

Adam Bernstein, the owner and chef, sat down to speak with us about his food and approach to provisioning his restaurant. We had already been served a phenomenal Gouda fondue with mushrooms that I had to resist pigging out on. The cheese was a liquid delight with a flavor that was rich, nutty and begged you to lick each drop from the small crock. The crusty bread that was served with the fondue had a very distinctive flavor – so fresh that you just wanted to eat it without the melted cheese.

Adam Bernstein, owner and chef of Adam's Sustainable Table

The food speaks for itself, but Adam pointed to the posted blackboard list of the 24 “partners” who provide the cheese, the mushrooms, the wheat and all of the other fresh, delectable ingredients of the menu. They are all local, regional suppliers. Bernstein has committed to fresh food and doesn’t even have a freezer in the restaurant, so everything must be fresh. To keep that commitment, for instance, Adam’s Sustainable Table buys fish three times a week. They cook what is in season – and do they ever cook well!

For our main courses, we both ordered fish – albacore tuna and halibut. The halibut was grilled, a simple preparation that presented a flavorful, moist, generous serving. A sesame ginger sauce lightly complemented the albacore tuna.

Locally, sustainably raised beef, pork, lamb, chicken and vegetable entrees were also on the menu. To get my vegetables in, I ordered a side dish of Swiss chard and carrots. They arrived, colorful and fresh, not overcooked and as flavorful as could be imagined. The baby carrots still had their greens attached. I have really learned to love my vegetables and everyone else would, too, if they could eat these great greens!

On to dessert

Judith, our server, let us know that if we wanted to order their famous “volcano” chocolate soufflé, we should let her know since it took some time to prepare. Loving chocolate, I ordered it.

When it arrived, the small, round chocolate mound was adorned with a thick, real pastry serving of whipped cream. Expecting a sugary, cavity-inducing dessert, I was pleased to find the sugary taste subdued with a rich, dark chocolate taste and a molten center that just melted in my mouth. Even the whipped cream had a subdued taste. It all made me want to lick the plate, but I restrained myself.

Aahh!! I left the restaurant full, reliving the flavors. Adam deserves a Noble prize for peace. If everyone could eat this food, no doubt there would be “peas” on earth, good well toward men and women.

Adam’s Place Restaurant is now called Adam’s Sustainable Table – try this URL –

http://www.adamsplacerestaurant.com/