Best of the Rogue Valley: Part 2

It’s unfortunate that Part II of our annual readers’ survey, “The Best of the Rogue Valley,” is being published right when an important election is being held in Grants Pass. This survey will take up practically the entire paper (we don’t even have room for our Profile column), and if it weren’t for that, we’d be concentrating on the attempted recall of Mayor Sara Bristol. This election got sprung on all of us suddenly and without proper notification. One day we’re relaxing by the pool, and the next we’re told an election will be held within a month and that there will be no Voter’s Pamphlet to inform us of the issues. The mayor is being recalled because opponents say she’s allegedly responsible for the homeless crisis in Riverside Park, and that is totally bogus. She only gets to vote on the City Council when there’s a tie, and she has worked tirelessly to solve the problem while her hands are tied because of court decisions. I encourage everyone to study this issue carefully, and the Courier is a good place to start.

In the meantime, enjoy Part II of the “Best of the Rogue Valley!”

RESTAURANTS

BEST NEW RESTAURANT

The concept is simple: prepare great food for a hungry public and hope for the best. It’s not as easy as it sounds, and our hats are off to those who follow their dreams and makes it happen. According to our readers, they mentioned five new restaurants that opened in the Grants Pass area last year, including this year’s winner, Frida’s Brunch and Cantina (786 SE 7^th), “featuring fine traditional Mexican cooking, with a full bar and serving brunch and dinner.”

Also mentioned were:

• Neko Sushi at 941 SE 7^th
• Ajace NW Kitchen & Spirits, located at 966 SW 6^th
• Catalyst Pizza, with a new indoor location at 314 SE H Street, and a food truck at Weekend Brewing at 1863 NW Washington
• Lost Postres Ice Cream and More at 202 Redwood Highway

BEST BREAKFAST 

The in-laws are in town and your mother-in-law has been hovering over your shoulder every morning while you’re cooking breakfast. “You’re not cooking those eggs right!” “You need to turn the timer down on the toaster; they’re getting too burned.” “Where’s your coffee maker?” “How do you turn the thermostat down?” “What’s the capital of Zimbabwe?” It’s literally driving you crazy, and the only solution is to pack everyone into the station wagon (do they still make those?) and head to your favorite restaurant for breakfast.

Following the lead of our readers, that would be either Elmer’s, located at 175 NE Agness, the Powderhorn Café at 321 NE 6^th, or MaMosa’s at 118 NW E, all of which landed high in the standings. I suppose we could flip a coin and unilaterally announce one as the winner, but how fair would that be?

Others high on the list were:

• Taprock Northwest Grill
• Babe’s Bakery
• Black Bear Diner
• Black Forest
• Train Depot
• Lulu’s

BEST LUNCH

This was probably the most popular category in the entire Best of the Rogue Valley, as 34 different restaurants were mentioned. Apparently, people like to eat out for lunch, and I suppose it’s better than leftovers and cold turkey sandwiches on white bread, which is my go-to lunch when stuck at home. Thankfully, there’s always ketchup to liven things up. I’m one of those guys who puts ketchup on ketchup, so don’t judge me.

Landing at the top in this survey for 2023 were Taprock Northwest Grill (971 SE 6^th), and Casablanca Coffee and Grill, with their main restaurant downtown at 412 NW 6^th, and other locations at 686 Union Avenue and 6410 Williams Highway in Murphy.

The Top Ten included:

• Elmer’s
• Applebee’s
• Wild River Brewing Co.
• MaMosa’s
• Bohemian
• Laughing Clam
• Babe’s Bakery
• River’s Edge

BEST PANCAKES

Just for fun, I went to the Guinness Book of World Records and typed in “largest pancake ever made,” and it turns out that on August 13, 1994, the Co-operative Union LTD in Manchester, England, organized the making of a pancake measuring 49 feet in diameter and one-inch deep. It weighed 3 tons and took an hour to cook. Once finished, it was divided into 15,000 portions and sold off to benefit local charities. A semi truck full of maple syrup was there, as well … just kidding about that last part.

Where to go when you don’t have time to cook a 49-foot wide pancake? Our readers most often mentioned the pancakes at Elmer’s, followed closely by:

• Black Bear Diner
• Powderhorn
• Denny’s
• Herb’s LaCasita
• Train Depot
• Applebee’s
• Black Forest
• MaMosa’s

BEST B.L.T. SANDWICH

In the never ending search for meaning, there are two important questions: 1.) Which is smarter, a pig or a dog? And 2.) Is a tomato a fruit or vegetable? According to the Internet (which is never wrong), a tomato is definitely a fruit because it has seeds inside which grow from the flower of a plant. And I supposed that makes a Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato sandwich close to perfect since it provides meat, vegetables and fruits. Very clever.

And when our readers were searching for the perfect B.L.T., they chose Babe’s Bakery (1701 NW 6^th), where their BLT is called “Bacon Babe,” with rustic bread, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, mayonnaise and mustard.

Also mentioned a lot were:

• Sweet Tea Express
• Fat Tony’s
• Daash Bakery
• Subway
• Bohemian

BEST FISH & CHIPS

This dish originated in England and is considered Britain’s “national dish.” It first appeared in the 1860s and by 1910 there were 25,000 fish & chips shops across the U.K. The government safeguarded the supply of fish & chips during both world wars, and it was one of the few foods not subject to rationing during the wars. If only the U.S. could have a national dish to rally the red and blue states together. A double chili cheeseburger, maybe?

Anyway, when it comes to fish & chips, our readers most often mentioned the ones at Laughing Clam, located at 121 SW G Street in historic downtown Grants Pass.

The list also featured:

• Taprock
• Elmer’s
• G Street Bar & Grill
• Red Robin
• Casablanca
• Applebee’s
• Horny Goat

FAVORITE DINNER HOUSE

Sure, you can slave away in the kitchen for a couple of hours prepping and getting everything ready for dinner, only to see the entire family gobble it down and head to the TV room to watch the latest episode of “Real Housewives of Merlin,” while you do the dishes. OR you can head down to your favorite dinner house and let them do the work.

According to our readers, the best place to go in Grants Pass was The Twisted Cork, Beth Forshay’s popular restaurant located at 210 SW 6^th Street, followed by:

• Taprock Northwest Grill
• River’s Edge
• 115 Broiler
• Carson’s Bistro
• The Horny Goat
• Bohemian
• Food Studio
• The Vine

RESTAURANT WITH MOST ROMANTIC ATMOSPHERE

I suppose you don’t have to have an Italian guy strolling through the restaurant playing the violin and singing love songs, but it does help that there’s not a 55-inch TV showing the latest football game with guys from the local softball teams screaming on every play. We’re talking about ambience, where attentive waitpeople calmly read the daily specials, soothing music wafts from the speakers, and the décor/ambience is soft and inviting.

Leading the way in this category for 2023 were River’s Edge, located at 1936 Rogue River Highway and overlooking the Rogue River; and the Horny Goat Gastro Pub at 234 SW 5^th.

The list of favorites included:

• 115 Broiler
• Taprock Northwest Grill
• Carson’s Bistro
• Twisted Cork
• The Vine
• Morrison’s Lodge

BEST STEAKS

Here’s a sobering thought: about 890,000 cattle are slaughtered every day to feed the overpopulated billions of humans on earth. It is what it is, and you’re probably thinking that all the butcher has to is slice and dice and get the food on the table. Wrong. I went to Wikipedia and counted over 15 different areas of a cow that need to be delicately cut and separated from its neighbors. The best cuts are tenderloin, strip, rib-eye and t-bone, while the toughest are chuck, brisket, flank and ribs.

Our readers were able to single out a few places where steaks reign supreme, and once again 115 Broiler at 115 NW D Street took down top honors, followed by:

• River’s Edge
• Twisted Cork
• Sizzler
• Horny Goat
• Food Studio
• Taprock
• Ajace

BEST SEAFOOD

You gotta love our fellow vertebrates under the deep blue sea. In a way, it’s a fairly stress-free life since you don’t ever have to worry about drowning. You do, however, have to worry about getting eaten by bigger fish. Even if you’re lucky enough to avoid that fate, one day that tasty looking morsel flicking in front of your face just might be attached to a hook, and all of a sudden you’re someone’s supper on land. I suppose it’s all part of the web of life.

Seafood has enjoyed a pretty good reputation as a healthful alternative to other forms of protein, and when our readers wanted to enjoy some really good seafood dishes, they most often turned to River’s Edge at 1936 Rogue River Highway.

Others high on the list were:

• Twisted Cork
• Laughing Clam
• Taprock Northwest Grill
• Carson’s Bistro
• 115 Broiler

FAVORITE MEXICAN RESTAURANT 

When I first visited Grants Pass in 1976, Herb’s LaCasita was the only establishment remotely resembling a Mexican restaurant. Today, our readers submitted fifteen different ones as their favorites, and there are probably even more. Their popularity has grown exponentially over the last 47 years, and it has certainly made Grants Pass a more fun place to be.

Taking down top honors this year was once again Si Casa Flores, in the exotic-looking building located at the corner of E Street and the Parkway.

The Top Ten included:

• El Charro Viejo
• Casa Amiga
• El Mocajete
• Taqueria Mexico
• La Burrita
• Los Toquitos
• Frieda’s Cantina
• Lupita’s
• Tamales Con Alma Cocina 

BEST MARGARITAS

I don’t know if Jimmy Buffet’s song “Margaritaville” in 1977 had anything to do with the burgeoning popularity of this drink in the United States, but it certainly couldn’t have hurt. Personally, I was a banana daiquiri man back then, but how could you resist these lyrics: “I blew out my flip-flop, stepped on a pop top, cut my heel, had to cruise on back home. But there’s booze in the blender and soon it will render … that frozen concoction that helps me hang on.” Classic.

And when our readers wanted to taste that concoction (frozen or not) to help them hang on, where would they go? Most picked the margaritas at Taqueria Mexico, located at 137 SE H, followed by:

• Bohemian Bar & Bistro
• Si Casa Flores
• El Mocajete
• El Charro Viejo
• River’s Edge
• Taprock

FAVORITE ASIAN RESTAURANT 

Did any of you see the video of the President of South Korea when he was in Washington for a state dinner last winter and sang the opening lines to the 1971 song “American Pie” by Don McLean? It was pretty impressive. “But February made me shiver with every paper I’d deliver; bad news on the doorstep; I couldn’t take one more step. I can’t remember if I cried, when I read about his widowed bride. Something touched me deep inside, the day the music died.” He was referring, of course, to Buddy Holly, but to see the President of South Korea sing it with some heartfelt emotion was very powerful. I encourage you to Google it.

In lieu of an Asian President singing your favorite song, you can visit any of the popular Asian restaurants to get a taste of the Far East. Pulling down the number one spot for 2023 was Matsukaze Japanese Restaurant, Jon Tamashiro’s establishment located at 1675 NE 7^th Street.

The list also included:

• Ban Mai Thai Cuisine
• Taroko
• Hong Kong
• Four Seasons Restaurant
• Musashi
• Panda Express
• Thai BBQ

FAVORITE ITALIAN RESTAURANT 

Western Civilization is replete with empire building back in the day. First came Alexander the Great, some Greek/Macedonian dude who overran cities and states all the way to India from 356 to 353 BC. Not to be outdone, the Roman Empire stretched across all of Europe, including Greece and England, only to be destroyed by the Visigoths and Vandals around 476 AD. You gotta hand it to the Italians, though, they knew how to create an empire and held onto it for almost 600 years.

Where to go when you want to get the inside dirt on empire building while having some great Italian food? Our readers most often mentioned The Vine, located at 1610 SW Allen Creek Road, closely followed by Giannelli’s A Taste of Italy at 211 NE A Street.

Also mentioned a lot were:

• Fat Tony’s
• Paisano’s in Rogue River
• Wild River Brewing Co.
• Olive Garden in Medford

FAVORITE PIZZA PLACE

Ah, college, when living on pizza for a dollar a slice helped balance my budget. That was, of course, back in the Dark Ages. According to a news article from 2021, critics were bemoaning the death of dollar slices, which are now officially $2.50. Just doesn’t sound as romantic.

Here in Grants Pass, we can still find great deals on pizza, and according to our readers, the first place to turn is Catalyst Pizza, with a new indoor location at 314 SE H Street, and a food truck at Weekend Brewing at 1863 NW Washington.

Coming in a really close second was Wild River Brewing & Pizza at 595 NE E, followed by:

• Abby’s Pizza
• Papa Murphy’s
• Mountain Mike’s
• The Haul
• MOD Pizza
• Little Caesar’s
• Domino’s
• Papa John’s. 

RESTAURANT WITH BEST DESSERTS

Having a sweet tooth is actually a misnomer, since teeth have nothing to do with the craving for sugar. If you really wanted to be accurate, you’d want to call it a “sweet tongue,” but maybe that’s too gross for some people. Either way, there’s no denying the fact that human beings have a yen for anything sweet; it’s kind of built into our genetics.

And when our readers wanted to test out that theory of genetics, they most often mentioned the desserts at Twisted Cork (210 SW 6^th Street), including their world famous “Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake.”

The list included:

• Shari’s
• Babe’s Bakery
• House of Glory
• River’s Edge
• Powderhorn
• Carson’s Bistro
• Black Forest

RESTAURANT WITH FRIENDLIEST WAITSTAFF

A smile on your face can do wonders, and every waitperson knows that. A family of five comes in, and the dad apparently is having a bad day as he tries to keep the kids in line and it ain’t working. You can tell he’s ready to lose it, but as soon as the waitperson smiles and makes a joke, he melts and orders “drinks for everybody.” Just kidding about that, but you get the picture: a friendly smile can make the world a better place.

And in that regard, our readers most often named the friendly staff at Applebee’s, located at 250 NE Agness, as their favorite, followed by:

• Matsukaze
• Twisted Cork
• Taprock Northwest Grill
• Powderhorn
• Elmer’s
• Red Robin
• The Vine
• MaMosa’s

FAVORITE “QUICK SERVICE” RESTAURANT

In a show of support for Ukraine, McDonald’s pulled all of its restaurants out of Russia. Burger King tried to do the same but apparently some Russian oligarch owns 30% interest in the franchise and is giving BK a hard time about it. Don’t be surprised if you hear about that guy falling from a 30^th floor apartment building soon.

Here in Grants Pass, we don’t have to worry about that international political stuff. Just give us our burgers, fries and chocolate milkshake, and we’re happy. Pulling down top honors in this category for 2023 was In-N-Out Burger, located at 124 NE Morgan Lane.

Also garnering a lot of votes were:

• Casablanca
• Jimmy’s Classic Drive-In
• Carl’s Jr.
• Burger King
• McDonald’s
• Subway
• Muchas Gracias
• Wendy’s

BEST BURGERS & FRIES

Not everyone can create the perfect hamburger. Try going to Dubai or Singapore and you’ll come to appreciate the good old American burger. Of course, we’ve had 250 years to perfect the thing, and I’m sure some mistakes were made along the way, like the guy in Duluth who wanted to make the patties out of goat meat. Or that woman in Akron who thought daisy petals would make a good accompaniment. Now here we are: perfection. You gotta love it.

Where to go for that perfect burger and even more perfect fries? Taking down top honors was Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews, located at 1561 Allen Creek Road, followed closely in the balloting by Jimmy’s Classic Drive-In.

Others high in the balloting were:

• In-N-Out Burger
• Eddy’s Burgers
• Carl’s Jr.
• Wendy’s
• Heroes American Café
• Valentino’s (at Weekend Brewing)

BEST MILKSHAKES

Wikipedia: “When the term ‘milkshake’ was first used in print in 1885, milkshakes were an alcoholic whisky drink that had been described as a ‘sturdy, healthful eggnog type of drink, with eggs, whiskey, etc., served as a tonic as well as a treat.” By 1900, the term referred to wholesome drinks made with chocolate, strawberry or vanilla syrups. They were so popular that people started ordering them with ice cream, and voila, a star is born.

Our readers definitely had their favorites in this category, with the number one choice going to Jimmy’s Classic Drive-In, located at 515 NE E Street, followed by:

• Grants Pass Pharmacy
• Udder’s Ice Cream and Gelato
• Dairy Queen
• Shari’s
• Baskin-Robbins

BEST SELECTION OF SANDWICHES

Dagwood Bumstead became famous for his sleep walking routines in which he would open the refrigerator at three in the morning and make a sandwich that was about two feet tall. Seriously, the guy looked like he weighted about 120 pounds, and the sandwich weighed more than he did. Today, a “Dagwood Sandwich” is on the menu in restaurants around the world, so he must’ve been doing something right. The cartoonist, Chic Young, died in 1973, and his son Dean took over the writing for the strip. That was 50 years ago and strip, and sandwich, still live.

Anyway, where would Dagwood go in Grants Pass if he wanted some really good sandwiches? Taking down top honors was Babe’s Bakery, located at 1701 NE 6^th Street.

The list of favorites included:

• Jersey Mike’s
• Subway
• Fat Tony’s
• Heroes
• Cartwright’s
• Bohemian 

FAVORITE COFFEEHOUSE

Yeah, I remember when Dutch Brothers opened their first stand just down the street from my office in 1992. When walking to Kacy’s Market, I used to see Travis and Dane there pouring coffee for a long line of people and thought, “Those guys can’t make enough money doing that to support two families.” I guess I was wrong, huh?

And when it comes to favorite coffeehouses, Dutch Brothers (with a main store at 332 NW 6^th) once again landed at the top in this category, followed by:

• Rogue Roasters
• Human Bean
• Wheelhouse
• Starbucks

ENTERTAINMENT

BEST LOCAL CONCERT LAST YEAR 

Music is the spice of life, and that was evident last year as The Porchfest Festival in June was named by our readers as “Best Local Concert.” It was actually a series of concerts as two blocks of Washington Boulevard were shut off to through traffic and various bands performed on the front porches of homes.

Rogue Valley Symphony’s five Masterworks concerts also got good reviews, as did the Concert in the Park in July featuring “Chairman and the King,” with Elvis impersonator Roger Anderson and Frank Sinatra sound-alike Jamie Goetz.

FAVORITE LOCAL ARTIST

Here’s an interesting statistic: “Van Gogh only sold one painting during his lifetime: ‘The Red Vineyard at Arles.’ The painting now resides at the Pushkin Museum in Moscow. The rest of Van Gogh’s more than 900 paintings were not sold or made famous until after his death.” Yet the guy kept plugging away; now that’s truly a commitment to one’s art. Here’s hoping our local artists are making some sales.

A number of artists were mentioned by our readers, and the number one choice was Janet Higgins, who has lived and worked in Southern Oregon since 1993. She has exhibited her work in Oregon, Washington, California, New York, and in a number of galleries in Hong Kong.

Others receiving lots of votes were:

• Bob Eding
• Mike Murphy
• Vicki Magallon
• Del Hearn
• Julie Bickle
• Cindy Kahoun

MOST FUN PLACE FOR FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK

They officially changed the name of this to “First Friday Stroll,” giving it a little more cache. The concept is simple: You stroll from one art gallery to another, discuss your favorite pieces with fellow art lovers, enjoy some refreshments, and most importantly, get out of the house and mingle with friends and neighbors. Our readers certainly love it, and they named the Grants Pass Museum of Art (and Gallery One), as their favorite place to be, followed by:

• Glass Forge
• Kitchen Company
• Sandie’s Candies
• All along G Street
• Bella Luna Boutique

FAVORITE BEAR DOWNTOWN

This was a popular category with our readers, as they were able to name 22 of the 60 bears strategically located throughout downtown Grants Pass. The number one favorite was Barry Potter, located at the corner of 7^th & E (near Oregon Books). This work of art honoring Harry Potter was conceived and created by Tommi Drake and Tomorrow Nelson.

Other popular bears were:

• Polar Peter Pumpkin Eater, artists Crystal R. Pyren and Del Hearn
• Pharaoh Bear, artist Alan Laurie
• Captain Rogue: Pirates of Bear Cove, artists Julie and Ben Bickle
• MMMM … Fish, artist Bob Eding

BEST PLACE TO GET A WORKOUT

The keys to a happy and healthy life: nutrition, sleep, keeping your brain active, maintaining family and social connections, and exercise. Pretty simple, actually, although sometimes it’s hard to maintain a regular exercise schedule. Some people can actually put the running shoes on, open the front door, and get their requisite 20-30 minutes of aerobic exercise. Others need a little extracurricular motivation, and our readers most often preferred the professional help at Club Northwest, although the local YMCA came in a close second, followed by:

• Planet Fitness
• CrossFit GP
• Cathedral Hills
• The Zoo Health Club
• Summit Fitness

BEST PLAY LAST YEAR

It may be fun to stream your favorite sitcoms and action movies, but there’s nothing that compares to live theater. When the actors embrace their roles and get all emotional, it’s almost as if you’re on stage with them, vicariously experiencing everything they’re going through.

Our readers agreed, and they totally loved Rogue Music Theatre’s production of Mamma Mia last August/September. The musical revue of songs by ABBA takes place on a Greek island as a young girl engaged to be married attempts to find her birth father from three potential candidates. Total fun!

The list also included:

• The Barnstormers’ Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner
• The Barnstormers’ Lockdown
• Stillpoint Dance Studio’s The Nutcracker
• The Barnstormers’ Ash Girls
• One Eleven Theater Company’s Matilda

BEST THEATER PERFORMANCE - MALE

The guys were working overtime last year with their performances and topping the list was Mike Busek, who portrayed the father, Matt Drayton, in the Barnstormers’ June production of Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.

Other fine performances included:

• Ryon Lane, James Southwick and Chris Green in Rogue Music Theatre’s Mamma Mia
• Stephen Kostrna in the Barnstormers’ Ash Girls
• Marcus Hardesty in the Barnstormers’ Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner
• Todd Sautter in One Eleven Theatre Company’s Matilda
• Ryon Lane in the Barnstormers’ Lockdown
• John Webber in the Barnstormers’ A Christmas Story

BEST THEATER PERFORMANCE - FEMALE

Our readers also appreciated the work of local actresses, including this year’s winner, Alissa Barry for her work as Donna in Rogue Music Theatre’s Mamma Mia.

Also receiving lots of votes were:

• Monique McKisson in the Barnstormers Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner
• Skyler Bennett in the Barnstormers’ Radium Girls
• Kaiya Snodgrass as Clara in Stillpoint’s The Nutcracker
• Ava Hacker in One Eleven’s Matilda
• Tricia Drevets in the Barnstormers’ Ash Girls

BEST LOCAL MUSICIAN/SINGER

So for the last couple of years I’ve been having Alexa play the Top 100 Billboard songs while I’m making my smoothie in the morning and while taking showers. I started with the year 1960 and am now up to 1990. That’s thirty years worth of music and 3,000 songs I’ve listened to … some great, some so-so, and some outright horrible. Music is what makes the world go around, so I’m not complaining.

Our readers certainly appreciate music, and they named blues singer and guitarist Ben Rice as their favorite. A mainstay in the Pacific Northwest scene for the 17 years, can be seen at various venues around town. From the Internet: “Multiple Muddy Award winner Ben Rice is no stranger to Southern Oregon, as he has ventured down this way for over a decade, winning over fans with a humble, charming personality and ferocious riffs.”

Other musicians mentioned were:

• Gretchen Owens
• Danielle Kelly
• Broadway Phil
• Scott Head
• Janeen McGinnis
• Megan Baker

BEST LOCAL ROCK AND/OR JAZZ BAND 

My first rock concert was the summer of 1964 when Dick Clark’s Caravan of Stars came through Evansville, Indiana. The lineup included Gene Pitney (“Town without Pity”), the Crystals (“Da Do Ron Ron”), Major Lance (whose daughter would become mayor of Atlanta 40 years later), the Shirelles (“Tonight’s the Night”), and a new group coming out of Detroit called the Supremes, with Diana Ross singing their first hit single, “Where Did Our Love Go.” Rock ‘n’ roll, baby!

There were a few Southern Oregon bands mentioned in this survey, including the number one pick, Rock Steady, playing “a mix of mostly up-tempo, classic rock and pop spanning four decades. All from the Rogue Valley, the band performs a unique delivery of your favorite rock songs performed by a female lead singer.”

The list also featured:

• The Brothers Reed
• Broadway Phil and the Shouters
• Pandora
• Sound Stage Revue
• The Matt Hill Band

BEST BAR TO MEET FRIENDS AFTER WORK

Whether you’re framing a house, working the check-out stand at Wal-Mart, or making sure none of the paperwork in the front office gets mis-filed, once 5:00 rolls around you’re ready to meet up with friends and compare notes. Sometimes even the boss shows up, then all the gossip has to get watered down (although all those inhibitions might get lost in the shuffle after a few drinks).

Where do our readers like to go after work? There were quite a few places mentioned, but the number one choice was the Weekend Beer Company (and food trucks) at 1863 NW Washington, followed by:

• Bohemian Bar & Bistro
• Partake
• Steam Distillery
• Climate City
• River’s Edge
• The Haul
• OPPA
• JDs
• Applebee’s
• G Street Bar & Grill

BEST BAR TO MEET FRIENDS LATE AT NIGHT

After dinner and binge watching “The Big Bang Theory,” boredom can easily set in, and what better way to solve that dilemma than to pay a visit to your favorite establishment and hang out with some friends while listening to honky tonk music on the jukebox and maybe winning some money on the poker machines.

And in that regard, our readers most often mentioned Bohemian Bar & Bistro, located at 233 SW G Street.

Others making the list were:

• Steam Distillery
• Weekend
• Shenanigans at Herb’s LaCasita
• Horny Goat
• JDs
• The Haul
• Sound Lounge

BAR WITH MOST ROMANTIC ATMOSPHERE

To the person who wrote, “Bars are not romantic,” I think you just need to get out more. Not all bars are loud and boisterous. Some are laid back, mellow and … well, romantic, especially after that perfect martini with a significant other.

Leading the way in this category was Steam Distillery, located at 505 SW G Street, right next doors to Climate City, which also received its share of votes, followed by:

• Horny Goat
• Partake
• Taprock
• River’s Edge
• Weekend

FAVORITE VENDOR AT THE GROWERS’ MARKET

The Grants Pass Growers’ Market is one of the few in the state that is open year-round. After serving the public from March through November outdoors in the parking lot behind the Post Office, they move the whole shebang indoors at the Fairgrounds from December through mid-March. You have to admire their tenacity.

Quite a few vendors were named in this survey, with the number one slot going to Noah’s Bees & Products, “a family owned business offering an array of original and unique honey-flavored products.”

The list also included:

• Pennington Farms
• Rise Up Artisan Breads
• Bright Star Bakery
• Mack’s Snack Shack
• The tamale booth
• The donuts

BEST PLACE TO TAKE A HIKE IN THE WOODS

I’d always heard that walking among trees was good for you, but don’t take my word for it. Here’s something I found on the Internet: “In comparison to the urban environment, walking in trees lowered people’s blood pressure, cortisol levels, pulse rates, and sympathetic nervous system activity (related to stress), while increasing their parasympathetic nervous system activity (related to relaxation).”  There, now get out in the woods!

And in this regard, our readers love the hiking system in Cathedral Hills, south of town, followed by:

• Limpy Creek Botanical Interpretive Loop Trail, which features a waterfall and is good for all skill levels
• The Dollar Mountain B Street Trail
• Waters Creek Interpretive Trail near Wilderville 

FAVORITE VINEYARD 

They’re not just family farms where grapes are grown, then turned into cases of wine. Today, they have become community gathering places, where birthdays are celebrated, musical events are presented, plays are produced, and regular wine events are promoted. They have become an integral part of the Southern Oregon economy, attracting visitors from far and wide, and they have grown exponentially from about five of them 35 years ago to over thirty today.

Our readers were very appreciative, and they named quite a few local vineyards and wineries, reserving their number one choice for Schmidt Family Vineyards at 330 Kubli Road.

Other favorites included:

• Two Rivers Vineyard
• Woolridge Creek Winery
• Del Rio Vineyards & Winery
• Kriselle Cellars
• Red Lily
• Plaisance
• Apricity

* * * * *

Phew! I spent two days on this, and now I have to respond to those 342 emails I’ve ignored. I hope they understand. If you have any suggestions for new entries next year, write to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. —C.H.