When Bend was established as a city in 1905, the primary industry was logging, and the biggest employer was a sawmill. The citizens drank whiskey and beer and they ate red meat and potatoes. If you are visiting Bend and want to take a bite of history, you may want to dine at Bos Taurus, a popular steakhouse in the heart of downtown. Leave the kids at home, this is the place for a celebratory high-end dinner for just the adults.
The menu is centered on beef cooked on a cast iron slab in their open-air kitchen. They are only open for dinner and they offer a great cocktail menu. The food menu offers some inventive flavor combinations, choice cuts of meat, and fresh seafood.
Cocktails at Bos Taurus
The bar uses top shelf libations in its craft cocktails. They have a few drinks you should not miss trying when you are here. The Rosemary Gimlet includes gin, lime, and rosemary syrup. The Tonic 2 Old Fashion is a traditional old fashion with the addition of Tonic 2, which contains vanilla, Chamomile, and maple syrup. Or try the Pisco Kid, made with Pisco, lime, cardamom, anise, and egg white. There are a few select beers as well as an extensive wine list too.
Appetizers
You can kick off your meal at Bos Taurus with some imaginative starters at this restaurant. The roasted cauliflower combines the mild taste of the vegetable with a flavorful cheese, mint, and a soft egg. There is also a fabulous honey brûléed Cambozola cheese appetizer, which combines the super creamy cheese with sour cherries and a crunchy parsley and pistachio salad. If it’s fig season, you really should try the Hudson Valley Foie Gras Terrine with Oregon figs, black walnuts, watercress, and foie gras.
The salads include a compressed Caesar, which has a classic Caesar dressing and contains some magnificent sourdough croutons. There is also a baby beet salad which combines nutritious quinoa with scrumptious candied hazelnuts, creamy avocados, robust beets, and a light and citrusy grapefruit vinaigrette.
Entrees
The steaks are the thing for which the restaurant is most famous. The Japanese steaks (Miyazaki A5 Wagyu NY Strip Loin and Hokkaido A5 Wagyu Tenderloin) come in cuts from two ounces to twenty-nine ounces. They also offer a Petit Filet Mignon from the famed Allen Brothers stockhouse in Chicago. They also feature steaks from Cedar River Farms in Tolleson, Arizona (known to be remarkably tender), and from Flannery in San Rafael California, known for their unique dry-aging technique. And while it may seem like gilding the lily, try one of their sauces or add-ons. A little horseradish cream, truffle butter, foie gras or cambozola cheese makes a great steak taste even more amazing.
If steak is not your thing, they also offer a thick hamburger served with house-made cheese and pickles, or Wild Alaskan Halibut. And their Chicken Marsala looks pretty tasty with fresh chanterelles and crispy prosciutto. And if it’s truffle season, you have to try the Matsutake and Alba white truffle pappardelle—oh my!
The reason Bos Taurus is one of the best restaurant in Bend is because they have some fantastic and fattening side dishes such as the crispy and creamy white truffle fries and a delicious mac and cheese that will remind you of the kind mom used to make. The Crispy Brussel Sprouts have roasted almonds, pork belly, smoky maple, and fermented chilies – a recipe even brussels sprout haters will like.
The dessert tray is stocked with equally decadent treats. Recent dessert options include a sweet buttermilk biscuit with figs sautéed in brown sugar, fig vinegar, candied black walnut, Chantilly cream and anglaise, a lemon meringue pie nitro ice cream and a banana ice cream swirled with honey, topped with peanut butter and honey Brulee bananas. Just get it all to go!
Details
You’ll find Bos Taurus at 163 NW Minnesota Avenue in the heart of downtown Bend. Check their website or give them a call (541-241-2735) for up-to-date information on hours of operation and to make reservations (which we highly recommend). At present, their dining room is open to limited seatings from 5pm to 10pm daily and their butcher shop is open daily from noon to 6pm. Check out their Instagram page for lots of pictures of all the lovely things you’re about to enjoy!
Where to Stay
After a meal like this at one of the best restaurants in Bend, you will need a place to sleep it off. Be sure to bring home any leftovers – you can warm them up for lunch the next day in your rental’s kitchen. Forgot to make reservations, or just feel like dining in? Stop by the Bos Taurus butcher shop, then grill your own steaks out on the deck. You can eat at your leisure inside or out on the deck enjoying the lovely view.
Why not call the vacation experts at Bend Vacation Rentals? We can find you the perfect vacation home for your Bend adventure, or offer suggestions for other Bend restaurants to try. Contact us today!
