Bird and Rye (Ashland, Oregon)

Two blocks and up a steep hill from this beautiful place is Bird and Rye. A restaurant I found by accident on Instagram that after seeing some of the items on their menu I had to try. As I set off on foot through downtown Ashland I can tell you that if I wasn’t specifically looking for a chicken restaurants menu on a wall I would’ve missed it.

When you do find that elusive chicken menu and make your way inside you are greeted with cozy brick interior and a friendly smile which is customary for the service industry here in Ashland. Everyone always seems so genuinely happy to help you. The restaurant is a small space of about five or six high back booths with plexiglass barriers hanging between them. There was also a plexiglass barrier protecting the people behind the counter. I can tell you this is the first restaurant I have been inside of since the start of the pandemic and I definitely felt like they did everything they could to create a safe environment for people to enjoy their food.

A Southern Snack In The Sun

Now seeing as I wasn’t super hungry on this trip I decided to try one of the appetizers on their menu. A pimiento cheese hush puppy with charred green onion aioli.

What I can tell you is that these are the first hush puppies I have ever had, and I am glad I chose these ones. The crisp fried exterior has visible flecks on salt and is seasoned beautifully. It cracks open to reveal a soft, fluffy interior with pockets of melty pimiento cheese.

The green onion aioli is bright and creamy and adds just the right amount of acidity to the dish. It helps to break up what would become a slightly heavy dish after two or three of them. You don’t feel in need of something to wash it down with. They were airy enough though that you could probably eat two or three or eight of them without the delicious dipping sauce…but why would you want to?

I will definitely be coming back to Bird and Rye for the chicken and probably more hush puppies. I would recommend this place for either eat in or take out depending on what your comfortable with.