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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (April 26, 2018)
14 // COASTWEEKEND.COM Coast Weekend’s local restaurant review CANNON BEACH SMOKEHOUSE Cannon Beach Smokehouse a stickler for detail Rating: 181 W. Second St. Cannon Beach, Ore. 97110 503-436-4035 Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday Price: $$ – It’s still Cannon Beach Service: Don’t be in a hurry Vegetarian / Vegan Options: Mostly for meat eaters Drinks: Crafty cocktails, beer, wine, soda Review and photos by THE MOUTH OF THE COLUMBIA MOUTH@COASTWEEKEND.COM FACEBOOK.COM/MOUTHOFTHECOLUMBIA T he words to describe Can- non Beach — an expensive, refined, quaint resort town — could well cover its restaurants. What you won’t find much of: youth and modernity. Smoked Trip-Tip Sandwich But with the Cannon Beach Smokehouse, the glimmers of a kitchen into what amounts to a new generation’s influence are bedroom. Space is saved by an all- peaking through. in-one hood, fryer and flattop grill While smoking meats may not that’s about the size of a refriger- ator. This kitchen-in-a-box is cute seem especially groundbreaking, but limited; there are only so many remember that the modern move- ments in food are all about going square-inches to cook on. back-to-basics, prizing hands-on Which is to say: Don’t be in a craft and locally made products. hurry — dishes at the Smokehouse They’re about doing it yourself, can take longer than you’d think. professionalizing your passion and To be fair, some of the Smoke- house’s turnaround is due to their the precision in the small batch. All of which fits the Cannon being sticklers for detail. Most Beach Smokehouse to a T. dishes, particularly the sandwich- Smoking began as a hobby for es, were constructed with care, co-owner Brian as if they were Raymond, who to be eaten by started out with their maker. The SOME OF THE the fish he caught SMOKEHOUSE’S cheese is melted then moved on to just so, layers TURNAROUND sausages, char- stacked in partic- IS DUE TO THEIR ular cuterie, anything order, bread BEING STICKLERS perfectly toasted, he could dream FOR DETAIL. up. sauce spread While honing evenly in total his smoking coverage. skills, Raymond kept his job as a And let’s take a minute to talk server at Bill’s Tavern. There he about the sauce and the Smoke- house accoutrements at large. found parters: a similarly aged, Some smokers and BBQ joints go entrepreneurial Jacob Bond and all in on that woody, time-earned, the Bill’s family ownership. The vaporous flavor. While smoke partnership adds deep industry ex- perience to burgeoning inspiration. is apparent at the Smokehouse, The Smokehouse, which opened it’s not the end-all-be-all but a in November of last year, crams thoughtful component of a greater seating, a bar, deli coolers and a whole. KEY TO STAR RATING SYSTEM The All Day breakfast sandwich Poor Below average Worth returning Very good Excellent, best in region Smoked Pork Chop Take the All Day breakfast sandwich ($10). There’s smoke permeating the sliced ham, thick, juicy bacon and the mozzarella. But just as forward is sweet chili aioli, the creaminess of the scrambled eggs, the buttered ciabatta. The ra- tios — sweet, salty, meaty, creamy, crunchy, supple — were right on. The tender, sinewy Tri-Tip Sand- wich ($12) had a lush and zippy horseradish-blue cheese spread that I want to take home a bottle of. While delightful, the Tri-Tip was dainty enough where it might mys- tify congregants of the church of Texas BBQ, where meat is king and all portions come in nap-inducing, artery-clogging piles. The housemade andouille sausage ($12), though, would make ’em smile. It was a big ol’ thing, overwhelming the buttery pretzel bun. With a kiss of smoke, the sau- sage seemed designed to be eaten with a knife and fork, but that’s not how I roll. With a dollop of sauer- kraut, chips or coleslaw and a pair of quality mustards — whole grain and a sinus-clearing spicy honey mustard — the sizable sausage was enough to satiate on its own. With a sandwich and an appetite, however, one might add a side of hand-cut fries. Though a thick, sizable slab, the Smoked Pork Chop ($18) was way overcooked, tough to cut even with a steak knife. There are an array of sides, including the Smokehouse Pret- zel, which comes dangling like a hangman from the gallows, as well as deli cases with a smattering of meaty products — some smoked in house, some not — that you can take home or on the go. Much like the sandwiches, cock- tails at the Smokehouse are made with care, balance and flourish. The Kickin’ Mule, a riff on the Moscow Mule, featured a funky splash of ginger turmeric kombucha. Kombucha in a cocktail is some- thing you surely won’t find else- where in Cannon Beach. Same goes for the Smokehouse’s emergent vibe. When not spinning classic vinyl, the Spotify playlists include music from this century. Indeed, the influences of a new generation on Cannon Beach are overdue, refreshing and oh so welcome. CW
