Happy Labor Day!
I was not intending to do any reviews today, but when my lovely wife said she wanted to go to Carlton and get some vine cuttings I thought we could kill three birds with one stone: she could get her cuttings, I could review Carlton Corners, and we could spend a bit of time together as our work schedules are comically incompatible.
Four of us packed into the Prius: me, my wife, my mother-in-law, and my 16 month old step-grandson.
We got the vine cuttings and some grapes (sweet shelly grapes - amazing and would recommend). Unfortunately, Carlton Corners was closed on account of the holiday as was the Blind Pig which is next door.
As everyone was in the mood for lunch out, we went to Golden Valley, which was open. I have been here before, but one of the things about this quest is that it is forcing me to pay more attention to things than I otherwise would. And, when you have a 16 month old with you, you can see a world though his eyes that would otherwise go by unnoticed.
Golden Valley is located in downtown McMinnville (980 NE 4th Street). Parking was easy and seating was prompt. Through the front entrance, the space opens up to high ceilings, with large wooden beams, supported by large pillars. There is an assortment of tables and booths inside, and a patio area outside. Above the bar is some translucent glass decorated with flowers.
The venue has a relaxing and pleasant gestalt.
We got a booth along the left wall, by a window that had a view of traffic coming from the bypass and turning onto Lafayette Avenue. I might not have noticed this, but for a 16 month old little boy this was The Coolest Thing Ever and kept him quiet... at first... of course after a while he started fussing and I took him outside where we got to notice the different flowers and leaves and cat tails in the planters outside as well as admire the big metal sunflower to the left of the front door.
The menu is large and has something for everyone. My wife had the yellow curry. My mother-in-law had the Korean BBQ bowl. The baby got a plate of mac-and-cheese. I ordered the Northwest Burger with fries and paired it with the Beaverton Blonde Ale.
The food all came out together, so took a bit longer than it would have if I were alone. The garnish on the burger was all great quality. The bacon was a masterpiece of crispy and salty. The aioli was rich and added a nice complexity to the flavor of the burger. There was a hint of bourbon sauce, and the burger could have benefitted from a bit more of it, so as to offer a more of a contrast of sweet and savory. The patty was of good quality, but was too well done and a was a bit dry as a result.
The fries were consistently crispy and flavorful. They seemed to have some kind of coating (again, probably a panko).
Beaverton Blonde is a good lager and it is easy to see how it won a gold medal. There are a lot of brews on offer at GVB. My taste in beer is pedestrian, so there is likely something there for those with a more discerning beer palate.
I grade it as follows:
Burger: B
Fries: B+
Beer: A-
The cost of the burger and fries was $19.50 and the beer was $9. The four of us ate for a little under $80, not including tip.
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