Road Tripping: What's Cooking in Baker City
We needed to get outta town. And it had been a very long time since we'd been on a real road trip—anything longer than a couple of hours qualifies these days—and stuck a pin in our Oregon map in Baker City.
Granted, it's not new territory, especially for me, since most of the family on my mother's side still lives on the eastern side of the mountains and I grew up accompanying my grandfather to work at his cattle ranch in North Powder. The most indelible memories for me were riding the ranch's quarter horses—Rowdy, Riley, Sunny Boy, and my favorite, Big Red—and going on cattle drives to bring the cattle down from the mountains in spring, plus endless games of Kick the Can with my cousins.
We'd rented a small, dog-friendly home in South Baker for the trip, and after the four-and-a-half-hour drive we were ready for dinner and a well-deserved beer. And where else to go when in Baker City but Barley Brown's for their extensive selection of house-brewed beers and not-just-pub grub—like my flat iron steak seared to medium-rare perfection just the way I like it.
Our second day started with a drive up to Anthony Lakes which, at 7,100 feet in elevation, sits right in the middle of the Elkhorn Mountains outside of Baker City (top photo). Part of the Blue Mountain range, it's well known as an excellent off-the-beaten-track ski area in the winter months with downhill and nordic skiing that attracts skiers from all over the region, and a low-key vacation destination in the summer months for camping, paddling, fishing and hiking.
Interestingly, the current Anthony Lakes Outdoor Recreation Association (ALORA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that was formed to purchase and preserve local control of the formerly privately owned facilities, which include the campground, ski lodge and golf course. It's committed to local purchasing and employment, and currently partners with local schools, offering ski and golf programs to local kids, as well as college scholarships for high school students planning to study outdoor recreation.
Our trip on a spectacular early fall day was simply an amble on the main trail that rims the lake, which gave us an opportunity to check out the historic Anthony Lakes Guard Station, a Civilian Conservation Corps log cabin built in the 1930s (available to rent), as well as the campsites and campground. It also included a brief chat with one of the resident river otters who was joyfully making a feast of the plentiful fish in the lake's clear waters.
On returning to town, we dropped in to The Cabyn, a pocket-sized bistro created by Jenn Rominger and Ryan Duley smack in the middle of the main drag in downtown Baker City. With an eclectic menu ranging from Asian-inspired pork belly buns, kimchi and chashu ramen to Western classics like elk lasagne and pot roast, this tiny beloved-by-locals spot hits each dish out of the park. And don’t get me started on the local brews, wines, spirits, house-crafted cocktails and shrubs. This is the kind of place you’d be excited to find in the big city, but to see it packed out in a tiny Eastern Oregon cow town? Truly remarkable.
The next morning I needed to find raw pet food for Silas since I'd forgotten to bring enough from home, a tough call when you're in a small town without bougie pet stores serving Poopsie's every need. Luckily, someone mentioned Old Souls Farm and Market, a farmstore that not only carries meat and proteins from its own animals and those from surrounding farms, but also an incredible array of specialty and gourmet items including olive oils, salts, wine, tinned fish and so much more. Once again, Baker City astonished me!
That evening we attended the annual event called Taste of Baker that shuts down Main Street for several hours and this year featured 40 local food vendors handing out samples of food and beverages to record-breaking crowds of several thousand happy attendees who spend the gorgeous fall evening eating, drinking and catching up with neighbors and friends.
Our last full day was spent with family where we gathered for lunch at local landmark Haines Steakhouse, which served up a truly spectacular prime rib and included its signature mini-Conestoga wagon holding a classic salad bar with all the fixings, one of my favorite old-time steakhouse features.
A return trip may include camping at Anthony Lakes with kayaking and fly fishing thrown in. Can't wait!