BY JACOB PALMER
A Power Lunch at Bob’s Red Mill Whole Grain Store and Restaurant.
BY JACOB PALMER
Bob’s Red Mill Whole Grain Store & Restaurant
5000 SE International Way Milwaukie, OR 97222
(503) 607-6455
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Owner: Employee owned
Atmosphere: Fast-paced counter service inside popular bulk foods store. The bi-level restaurant sits on two acres and seats 400.
Clientele: Employees from nearby businesses like Dave’s Killer Bread (whose “breadquarters” is across the street), Blount International and Oeco. City officials and local tourists fresh from visiting Bob’s 15-acre production facility a short drive away. Bicyclists from North Clackamas County use the space as a meetup during organized rides.
Most popular: French dip, Reuben, vegetarian chili and breakfast options until 3 p.m.
Best seat in the house: Diners relax outside on a large patio or in one of the two dining rooms. A pair of grand pianos can be found on the second level, which serves as a stage for music acts during dinner service. Bob Moore bought the pianos when a nearby music store was going out of business “and didn’t have any other place to put them,” according to Jerry Myrick, director of retail operations.
Unfettered growth: “What recession?” jokes Myrick. Kitchen manager Kaysie Rapp elaborates: “When people are unemployed, they have more time and motivation to eat healthy and get in shape.”
Brag factor: “Every single meal has something to do with” Bob’s Red Mill products, Rapp says. No fried food or processed sugar on the premises.
Overheard: A group of people coordinate a trip to the St. John’s Bridge to gawk at Greenpeace protesters aiming to stop a Shell oil ship en route to the Arctic. A pair of lunch-break runners trade stories. A woman mulls switching departments at work, prompting a male acquaintance to respond, “It’s a step in the right direction: retiring.”
Critic’s corner: Patio backs onto the Milwaukie Expressway.
