It would be easy to overlook Thistle. Literally—this tiny, unassuming 24 seat resto is located on a side street, off the main strip in the small town of McMinnville, Ore., ideally located in the heart of the Willamette and wine country. But, like moths to a flame, food and wine lovers from across the state and far beyond have been flocking to Eric Bechard and Emily Howard’s restaurant since it opened in 2009. A strong, unyielding commitment to local farmers and producers won them many fans from the start, and an authentic, ever-changing menu from Chef Bechard—plus eclectic and interesting wine selections from Howard in the front of house—have earned them countless new customers and repeat guests. Being named the 2011 “Restaurant of the Year” by The Oregonian didn’t hurt either.
Bechard and Howard aren’t new to the business, but a restaurant like Thistle certainly was groundbreaking for sleepy McMinnville. Locals probably first heard of Bechard at Portland’s now shuttered Alberta Street Oyster Bar back in 2006, where Howard oversaw the successful wine program. When the restaurant folded, the two decided to open their own local love story, finally alighting on Howard’s childhood hometown, McMinnville. The quaint room feels warm and welcoming, authoritatively authentic and affectionately rustic: jars of colorful house-made preserves and pickles, vintage photography, over-sized thistle wall papering, exposed bulbs and pipes, a sharply stacked wood-decked bar and eclectic music playlist (I recognized way too many electronic and jazz tunes from my iPod) sets the scene. This is a space that fills up quickly, though nothing feels rushed, and the service as genuine as I’ve experienced.
The nightly chalkboard menu reads like an homage to area farmers, with 98 percent of ingredients sourced within 35 miles of their front door. Farm to fork and nose to tail—dishes are based on what is in season, and what was just delivered and all of it—or, as of the case with Bechard, picked up on the rounds around the valley. Foraging rules, heritage breeds are abound and seasonality trumps fashion.
When I dined there in late November, with vintage tableware and flickering candlelight, I feasted on exquisite Netarts Bay oysters, fresh bread (with sweetly salted butter AND lardo = bonus), share plates of crispy kale, bitter winter greens with blue cheese, apple and filberts, and quickly cleared bowls of steaming squash gnocchi with chanterelles mushrooms and sage, bowls of salted roasted beets with chevre and salty lemon, and a tidy jar of savory duck rillettes. Howard’s beverage list was a little bit too good actually—making my decisions tricky. I whet my whistle with a wicked Martinez of Ransom’s Old Tom Gin, vermouth and Cointreau, before warming further my palate over a very well made Boulevardier—hello 12 year Bourbon, Campari and Carpano Antica. Howard was generous with her wine advice, and I enjoyed a charming Blanquette de Limoux before returning to the Willamette and a beguiling Pinot Noir Blanc from Ghost Hill Cellars. I really fell in love with Thistle however, when Howard and I discussed the profiles of the extensive digestif list.
Unpretentious from location to first hellos through the farewells as I ambled out hours later, Thistle is now firmly rooted as one of my must-visits when I’m in the Willamette. Reservations are recommended.
Thistle Restaurant & Bar || 228 NE Evans Street, McMinnville, Ore. || thistlerestaurant.com
Follow on Facebook: Thistle
