Continued from Page 6
“It’s a balance that allows people to
get a greasy cheeseburger or fresh-cooked
cod,” Michelle said.
Typically, the restaurant releases new
entrees every three to four months, posting
the new menu on Facebook to alert cus-
tomers, Jake said.
However, he often carries over sev-
eral of the appetizers because “people will
beg for them to come back,” he said. It’s
not uncommon for their regular custom-
ers to message their personal numbers to
ask when their famed pork belly dishes
or meatloaf will be available once again,
Michelle said.
Jake jokes that he is a “culinary mutt”
with an “eclectic menu” because he
doesn’t favor any certain style or category
of food and he’s trained to prepare almost
every type of cuisine. He plans the menu
with variety in mind.
“We are not considered anything. We
are not a steakhouse or a fi sh house …
I just want to serve a little bit of every-
thing,” he said.
Michelle said Jake has a knack for cre-
ating new and delectable dishes that some-
times take her by surprise. At fi rst glance,
the ingredients or fl avor pairings may not
seem complimentary, she said. But she
can’t remember a time that she turned
down one of his creations after giving it a
try.
Though different in tastes, all of the
dishes share two qualities: ingredients are
sourced from local farms and are prepared
fresh, in-season and on-site.
“That’s just evolved from how we eat,”
Jake said. “For me, cooking has always
been part of my life. It means family and
love and coming together and community.”
The couple also prize sustainable and
eco-friendly food practices so they care-
fully consider the potential ecological
effects of serving certain foods. This year,
for example, they’ve decided not to serve
salmon as a regular dish because some fi sh
runs are struggling.
“(The menu) is about the seasons. It’s
about the weather and what’s available,”
Jake said.
Offshore offers as many gluten-free,
dairy-free and vegan options as possible.
Jake is willing to convert some main menu
items to be more accommodating to dietary
restrictions upon request. Still, there are
some dishes that he prefer stay the same,
such as the “Tilli Mac & 3 Cheese,” that
includes pecorino, yellow and white ched-
dar and shallots.
The couple said they look forward to
becoming part of the Manzanita commu-
nity and growing their restaurant. They
plan to double their staff of 10 employees
Mallory Gruben
The front seating area of Off shore Grill and Coff ee House features caff einated drinks prepared
with Sleepy Monk Coff ee beans from Cannon Beach.
The
Illahee
Apartments
A number of dishes served at Off shore Grill and Coff ee House are gluten-free, including the
crispy vegetable falafel bites, which come topped with fresh jalapeno, cucumber, lemon and a
honey lime sriracha sauce.
by summer.
Both said the move feels like they are
“returning home.” Manzanita is closer to
their home in Wheeler and the couple have
ties to the North Coast. Jake grew up in
Manzanita and ultimately rooted his culi-
nary career there when he returned 18
years ago to work at Blue Sky Grill, a pre-
vious tenant to the building at 154 Laneda
Ave. Michelle lived in Seaside as a child
and frequently visited other nearby coastal
towns.
“This just feels more like home,” Jake
said.
Downtown Astoria’s
Most Respected
Apartment Complex
Since 1969.
1046 Grand Avenue
Astoria, OR 97103
503-325-2280
THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2021 // 7