by LINDEN GROSS A&E Feature Writer
I hate to eat alone. Still when a friend stood me up I found myself all dressed up with nowhere to go, I headed to the one restaurant in town that feels like home. The Jackalope Grill was packed that night, a result of chef owner Tim Garling winning the Bite of Bend contest earlier in the month.
I recognized Chef Tim’s culinary mastery the first time I ate his food. Once again he didn’t disappoint. I had such a great meal that I couldn’t wait to return wearing my reviewer hat.
The night of my review, the restaurant was as empty as it had been full the time before. Blame it on the kick-off of football season along with the fact that the Jackalope’s location in a mall by Third Street Reed Market Road has always been a challenge. But by mid-January 2012, all that will have changed. An investor who fell in love with Chef Tim’s food is underwriting the restaurant’s relocation to a space right next to the Visit Bend office downtown. The prime location will give the Jackalope the kind of showcase its scrumptious fare deserves.
So let’s talk about the food.
My dining companion I were so torn about which appetizers entrees to order that owner Kathy Garling, who’s married to Chef Tim, had to mediate. Her compromise led to our first appetizer: an oven-roasted quail wrapped in bacon, stuffed with orzo, currants toasted pine nuts served with sautéed red grapes. “This is a dish I picked up in the South of France as I biked through the vineyards,” Chef Tim said.
Truth be told, I’ve not been much of a quail fan. But that was then this is now. This dish is a beautiful delicious study in texture flavor contrasts that harmonize with the bird’s rich meat. And the quail was virtually boneless. Bonus!
A half order of grilled prawns served with sage cream corn followed. I had feared that pairing shrimp with corn would wind up being too much of a sweet thing. I should have known better. The sage in the cream corn completely changed that equation. The combination was lovely.
The grilled asparagus appetizer served with an egg fried in brown butter was just as scrumptious. “This is a texture moment,” said my dining companion after her first bite of crunchy asparagus, silky prosciutto, crispy egg white runny yolk.
“Yum,” I answered.
I was equally eloquent when it came to my juicy filet mignon, served with a classic br y green peppercorn sauce. No one in town does steak au poivre better.
Then there was my dining companion’s grilled Northwest king salmon, which had been swimming freely until 3am that same morning. “This is some of the freshest fish I have ever had,” she exclaimed. In the symphony of accompanying tastes—organic greens dotted with slightly salty, crumbled goat cheese sweet roasted red peppers, all dressed in a white balsamic vinaigrette splashed with lemon juice—the salmon still shone through as the star. 
We ended our evening with a pot de crème au chocolat made with 72 percent dark chocolate. “I’m seriously in love with this,” my dining companion murmured in between bites.
Yup, this is home, only with better food. And I’m a heck of a cook.
The Jackalope Grill
1245 SE Third Street, Bend
Phone: 541-318-8435
info@jackalopegrill.com
Owners: Tim & Kathy Garling
Hours:
Tuesday – Saturday dinner ( Monday dinner for parties of 10 or more—reservation required)
Private dining room available free of charge for parties of 10-21 people