Ninkasi and Ikes - Eugene to Bend Oregon

Today's post is all about chicken and beer.  

And yes, we are still talking Oregon. 

There is something so sad about driving away from the coast.  Maybe its me and my obsession with the water, and sadness when I know I won't see it again for a while.  Leaving the dunes, the rest of the journey was east, making our way across the state to the Idaho border before crossing into Utah.  We had a few stops planned between the dunes, and where we were spending the night Sunday, Bend.  But I have to admit, this was the least planned section of the trip.  It was just kind of "return home through cool towns and wing it".  Thankfully the drive across Oregon was gorgeous and one of our favorites, softening the blow of being land locked once again. 

It was just about an hour from Florence Oregon at the coast to Eugene where we had planned to stop in Eugene to see (and drink) our way around Ninkasi Brewing Company, a micro brewery right in Eugene.  At first, driving through Eugene it just seemed like just another town with megaplexes, stores and gas stations. But then we hit the neighborhood of Whiteaker home to breweries like Ninkasi and were suddenly introduced to the charm of Eugene. 

Ninkasi Brewery 

Ninkasi spanned several buildings, with interconnected catwalks in this trendy little food truck packed neighborhood.  The microbrewery Ninkasi is named after the Sumerian Goddess of Beer an was founded in 2003.  Their first beer the brewery produced was their still popular Total Domination IPA. 

We headed to the tasting room which had an awesome bar area, but even better, an amazing courtyard where you could drink and sample beers (dogs allowed!).  Oregon was killing it in the everything dog friendly front.  The courtyard had plenty of tables, chairs, a fire bit, shade, sun, and there was even a food truck parked outside the brewery.  Beer, sunshine, dogs and food trucks- the recipe for a good Sunday.

Beer Sampler at Ninkasi Brewery 

We were smitten with these little sample trays of 5 different beers, with the cutest little sample cards placed behind each beer.  What a fun touch to know exactly what you are drinking with details of each beer, not just a name scribbled on a card.  With 10 beers on tap, we ordered two sets of samplers to try all of their beers from light, to hoppy to stout. 

Beer Sampler at Ninkasi Brewery 

Tours at Ninkasi

Beer Sampler at Ninkasi Brewery 

We kind of did a mini beer tour of Oregon, and these were our favorite beers in Oregon yet.  Remember we had tried a sampler at Rogue in Astoria, and Pelican in Pacific City as well and I wasn't in love with either.  While pouring our beers, I talked to the bartender about the best route to Bend, and a good place to grab lunch. Talking to "the locals" is always the best tactic for finding great food and the best driving route.  I wasn't sure the best approach as there are two different ways to get from Eugene to Bend, the northern route or the southern route, either way about 2.5 hours. 

Driving route Eugene to Bend

My first thought was to take the slightly longer southern route, as it appeared to go through more National Forest and past some pretty lakes.  But he strongly recommended the northern route.  Not only was it faster but he kept going on and on about how beautiful the McKenzie was.  Who is Mckenzie? Clearly we were out of towners.  I trusted his directions, and we were on his way on the northern route to Bend.  Everyone in the bar confirmed the northern route and urged us to stop at Ike's for lunch on the way for Broasted Chicken.  

So off we went, in search of McKenzie and Broasted Chicken. 

Ike's Broasted Chicken

Again, asking a local for the win. I finally found some good (and cheap) food in Oregon.  And it was broasted chicken. Ike's Lakeside Pizza, home of the Broasted Chicken.  Ikes is located right off McKenzie highway, directly across the river in the pretty town of Walterville. 

Funky, quirky, low key, fishing themed, with a large sasquatch greeting you in the dining room.  The dining room is a little dark and stuffy (and theres a sasquatch)... but the outdoor patio is bright, sunny, and dog friendly. The pizza looked skippable, but we were here for the "Broasted Chicken". 

Broasted chicken is battered and cooked in oil as well, but deep fried in a pressure cooker. It instantly locks in all the juices by immersion process cooking all sides of meat at once. Why have I never heard of this?

Ike's Broasted Chicken

4 pieces with potato wedges for $9.75 or 8 pieces for $16.75.
We decided to share the 8 piece and were greeted by a PLATTER of chicken and potatoes.
Lava hot, but crispy on the outside, so juicy and flavorful on the inside.  $16.75 dinner for two and we could not finish it.  This must be a common theme because inside is an industrial sized roll of aluminum foil for left overs.  

It was a good afternoon in Oregon.  Tasting all the beers at Ninkasi, and then a delicoiusly unhealthy dinner of broasted chicken before heading through the Willamette National Forest to meet McKenzie, the 90 mile tributary off of the Willamette River in Oregon.