I had a delicious meal recently at Rosemary and Fox in downtown Bend, Oregon. This location was previously the Jackalope Grill restaurant. Chef Josh Podwils worked at Jackalope, and when there was an opportunity to take over the restaurant, he took on the challenge and renamed it.

The first thing we ordered was the Bread and Butter. The Big Ed’s focaccia crunchy, light texture blended well with whipped butter topped with pickled onion, capers, roasted garlic, garden herbs, and flaked sea salt.

I ordered the Smoked Salmon. Smoked salmon can tend to be dry, but this dish was moist and perfectly cooked. The large piece of Applewood smoked salmon rested on top of butternut squash, leek, and garlic risotto. Spears of sautéed asparagus were garnished with toasted hazelnuts and apple cider-dill beurre blanc.

My dining companion ordered the Pendleton New York. This 10-ounce lean cut lay on top of charred broccolini. A dab of Foie Gras and cognac butter garnished the dish. The roasted-rosemary Yukon fingerling potatoes rested in a red wine-shallot Demi glace. This dish had great flavor.

Since it was a special occasion, we ordered two desserts. The Brown Butter Pecan Tart was my favorite. It included bourbon caramel sauce, bits of roasted apple, vanilla bean ice cream, atop the pecan praline tart.

We also ordered the Dark Chocolate Brownie. The dark chocolate brownie was topped with salted caramel ice cream, candied hazelnuts, and a criss cross of blackberry coulis. I LOVE chocolate, but I think I liked the pecan tart better on this visit.

To celebrate the special occasion, the restaurant gave us a complimentary serving of Roasted Berry and Pinot Noir Sorbet. A roasted mix of berries topped the tart sorbet. It was good, but it had a strong contrast with the sweetness of the other two desserts.

Rosemary and Fox location, hours, and menu

Rosemary and Fox is at 750 NW Lava Rd #139, Bend, Oregon 97703. They are open from 4:00 to 9:00 pm on Tuesdays through Saturdays, and closed on Sundays and Mondays.

Rosemary and Fox serves modern French-American cuisine. Their first course includes items such as scallops, bone marrow, and tempura beans. The second course includes salad and soup options. The third course offers salmon, beef, venison, lamb, pork, duck, and wild mushroom options. Dessert options included tarts, cheesecake, brownies, crème brûlée, and sorbet. The Happy Hour menu includes fries, steak bites, a burger, the tempura green beans, and a happy salad.

This fine dining restaurant has higher than average prices. Check online for the most current menu.

Foodie Friday

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