JANUARY 26, 2017 // 15
BEST FINE DINING
BEST SERVER
Carruthers
Jean-Marc Bourgouin
Astoria, Oregon
Carruthers, Astoria, Oregon
Runner-up: The Depot,
Seaview, Washington
Honorable Mention:
Bridgewater Bistro, Astoria
Runner-up: Allyx O’Connor, Street 14 Cafe, Astoria
Honorable Mention: Aaron Crockett,
T. Paul’s Supper Club, Astoria
By DWIGHT CASWELL
By DWIGHT CASWELL
The brainchild of Jim
Defeo, of Astoria Coffee-
house & Bistro, Carruthers
had been in the planning
stages for the better part of
three years, but the down-
town Astoria eatery only
opened in August 2016. It
is a remarkable achieve-
ment that, after only a few
months, this establishment
has been voted Best Fine
Dining by Coast Weekend
readers. Carruthers is now
serving a new fall/winter
menu, which makes this the
right time to visit.
The first thing you notice
when entering the restaurant,
which is diagonally across
the street from the Liberty
Theater, is the spectacular
décor. A massive fireplace,
lofty mirrors and antiques
are enhanced by the dark
walls and soft lighting. It is
as though you have walked
back in time and into a fin de
siècle grand hotel.
In fact, the historic Car-
ruthers building was built in
1923, and the elegant style
of the restaurant’s interior
reflects the Roaring ’20s
period.
The food, though, is
contemporary, solidly based
on classic cuisine, and as
splendid as the room in
which it is served. Chef
Dan Brownson’s new menu
features food fit for the
winter: hearty, rustic, done
with panache and beauti-
fully presented. Brownson,
who moved to Carruthers
after working at Astoria
Coffeehouse & Bistro, likes
to work with spices, and
he’s always ready to try
something new and exciting.
You’ll find dishes inspired
PHOTO BY DWIGHT CASWELL
A recent entree at Carruthers featured halibut cheeks served
over Shitake black rice and charred bok choy with sweet pep-
per relish and preserved lemon marmalade.
Jean-Marc Bourgouin
first drove through Astoria
16 years ago, saw “this
beautiful little place,” and
decided to make his home
here. He’s been honing
his skills as a server ever
since — and so appreciative
are Coast Weekend readers
that they have named him
the Best Server in the area
yet again. (Bourgouin won
Best Server for numerous
years when he worked at
42nd Street Cafe in Seaview,
Washington.)
Forty minutes before
opening, Bourgouin can
be found bustling around
Carruthers, compulsively
inspecting the restaurant.
He removes a spec of this
or that, wipes a table and
makes all-but-invisible alter-
ations in a room that looks
beautiful already.
Bourgouin is something
of a perfectionist, which
is acceptable in his case
because he is also caring. “I
treat people the way I like to
be treated,” he says.
Bourgouin is the main
reason the service at
Carruthers is as good as it
is. He sets a standard and
encourages others to follow
his example. He describes
what he does in simple
terms, but few servers
anywhere actually carry it
PHOTO BY DWIGHT CASWELL
Experienced waiter Jean-
Marc Bourgouin, of Car-
ruthers in Astoria, was named
Best Server in this year’s Coast
Weekend Readers’ Choice
Awards.
off: “I want to make sure,
as soon as you come in,
that we are taking care of
you and that we answer all
your questions. It should be
effortless for you, because
you are here to have a good
experience.”
BEST YOGA
PHOTO BY DWIGHT CASWELL
The menu at Carruthers, by Chef Dan Brownson, features dish-
es inspired by Russia, India, Greece, Italy and Spain.
by Russia, India, Greece, It-
aly and Spain, all exhibiting
layers of flavor so that there
is something new to discov-
er with each bite. With dish-
es like halibut cheeks with
charred bok choy, cast iron
bacon-wrapped beef tender-
loin, green chile posole, and
fried octopus, the fare is as
varied as it is flavorful.
The service is both
friendly and attentive, never
overbearing. If the goal at
Carruthers is to be more
than simply a fine dining
establishment — but to be
a marvelous experience of
food, wine and cocktails for
you and your friends — the
restaurant has been won-
drously successful.
The bread and desserts
(which are to die for) are
made in-house, and the
wines and spirits have been
carefully chosen to enhance
the dining experience. The
restaurant is family friendly
and has numerous glu-
ten-free, vegetarian and even
vegan choices on the menu.
This coming summer, there
are plans that include side-
walk dining and the return of
the Cannery Cafe Apple Pie.
Carruthers is making a
big splash on Astoria’s gas-
tronomic scene, so join the
fun. Bon appétit!
Carruthers is located at 1198
Commercial St. and is open
4 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through
Thursday; and 4 to 11 p.m.
Friday and Saturday.
RiverZen
Yoga
Astoria, Oregon
Runner-up: Astoria Arts &
Movement Center, Astoria
Honorable Mention:
Seaside Yoga, Seaside
Peggy and Dave Stevens
opened RiverZen Yoga and
Resistance Studio in Astoria
in 2012. The yoga studio,
located at 399 31st St. on
the Astoria Riverwalk,
offers over 40 weekly group
classes and private yoga
lessons.
You’ll find classes that
range from gentle yoga and
qigong walking to high-en-
ergy intensive pilates, kick-
boxing aerobics and more.
RiversZen instructors guide
students to move at their
own pace and level.
PHOTO BY LUKE WHITTAKER
Peggy and Dave Stevens own RiverZen Yoga.
In the fall, RiverZen
opened a second location
on the waterfront in Ilwaco,
Washington.
In addition to its paid
yoga and stretching classes,
RiverZen offers five free
community classes each
week, three in Astoria and
two in Ilwaco.