Tag: reviews

Takeout Tuesday In The Park

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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.

Rogue Reviews: Tea Drops

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A Gateway to Loose Leaf Tea

As somebody who gave up not only coffee, but most caffeine as well I am constantly on the look out for good low to no caffeine teas. I enjoy fruit based teas in the morning, and mint teas to close out the day. It helps keep things exciting and is better for my body then four cups of coffee in the morning just to deal with other humans.

While I was wandering through the upper floor of Paddington Station in Ashland Oregon I came across the loose leaf tea section. There looking like individually wrapped candies in a glass dish were Tea Drops. I don’t normally buy loose leaf tea because I don’t have anything to steep it with, and I don’t really enjoy the idea of leaves and herbs in the bottom of my cup. It sounds like accidentally drinking potpurri. So I bought these three flavors to try. There were two other flavors I didn’t try and according to their website they have a lot more flavors than I k new about. I really want to try the strawberry shortcake when it comes back in stock.

These little packets are the kind of loose leaf tea I cam get behind. Each packet contains a small adorably shaped bulb of tea powder. Once you plop it into your cup of freshly boiled water it begins to dissolve. You are met with the inviting smell of brewing tea without the bag.

The thing I did discover is that it doesn’t fully dissolve like I thought it might. You are met with a fine tea powder in the bottom of your cup. So don’t chug! Sip gracefully like a lady. or a fine gentlemen. That aside I would absolutely recommend this product as a gateway to the loose leaf tea experience. It made me want to go out and get a larger tea cup so I could enjoy it longer. If you have this in a store near you pick one up in every flavor or order them from http://www.myteadrop.com.