Road Trip

Stopping for gas can be a great time to explore the area. Why not drive further into town and find a place to eat.

While driving to Wenatchee yesterday for my aunt’s wedding, we stopped in Goldendale, Washington to fill up our tank. We were both hungry so we decided to drive into downtown to check out what options we had. Unbeknownst to us, downtown Goldendale has a cute Main Street and a few eateries and pubs, but the place that caught our eye was on the street we drove down as we approached Main Street. And so we drove back to The Glass Onion.

The Glass Onion is a converted old house a couple blocks from Main Street. Owned by a husband and wife team, he is the cook and she is both hostess and a server. First impression of the menu produced pretty much what I expected, sandwiches and salads and a pasta dish or two. However, reading over the ingredient lists and the fact that they use as much fresh and local ingredients in their cooking as possible, as well as for their wine and beer list, I realized we might be in for a treat.

We each ordered a glass of iced tea, freshly brewed and organic at that, my partner ordered the turkey club and I ordered a steak and arugula sandwich. We both figured it would be deli sliced meats and weren’t expecting much and were okay with that. However, when the plates were brought out, they not only were plated beautifully and with a couple pickled peppers (and I really wish I had gone to the car to get the camera to take a picture because my words seem to be failing me) but the turkey breast was a large thick cut of turkey breast that was freshly grilled, and my steak was a whole steak also charcoal grilled to my medium-rare preference. And the bread they used was amazing.

After talking with the owner, who happened to be our server, we found out that the place had been open for two and a half years and the couple actually refurbished the old house themselves, turning it into the restaurant and gallery it is today. We also ordered dessert, which for the day they had a choice between a flourless chocolate torte and crème brulee and we opted to split the brulee. All I can say was that it was delicious, and that we devoured it quickly.

Had we decided to just stick to the highway after gassing up, we wouldn’t have discovered this place. Might I suggest that next time you arrive in a town to get gas while on a road trip that you take a little time to drive downtown and take a little walk or if you’re hungry find a place to eat. You never know what might be awaiting you.