Balch Hotel
40 S. Heimrich Street
Dufur, Oregon 97021
Awhile ago, I was looking for a place to stay overnight, not too far from Maryhill Museum (neat art museum, by the way!) In the course of my lodging research, I came across the Balch Hotel and was very interested, but then I couldn’t figure out where we would find any place nearby to eat dinner that night if we stayed there (it’s a very small town, about 30 minutes south of The Dalles.)
At the time, I just bookmarked the site and continued looking. But oh, hey, I came across the bookmark not too long ago and saw that they had something called “Supper Club.” Hmmm, I thought, “I like supper.” I was intrigued.
With a little more poking around, I discovered that they do this Supper Club event usually once a month and that one was coming up. Here’s how it works — they have a catered dinner with two seatings and a local winery comes to the event and does a tasting. You can then taste some wines and buy a bottle to go with your supper. Great idea! Plus, lately I will use any excuse to drive to the Gorge. That is fast becoming one of my most favorite areas in Oregon. I think because it reminds me a little bit of Northern Arizona…
So, yeah, we just went to the September Supper Club and had a very good meal. It was catered by Lamb’s Table from Portland and the theme was Pacific Northwest Summer Supper:
* Oregonzola, Grape and Toasted Hazelnut Salad, with Hazelnut Vinaigrette
* Olive Oil Poached True Cod, Shrimp and Scallops with Roasted Tomato and White Bean Stew, Toasted Baguette, Drizzled with Rouille
* Huckleberry Peach Pie with Lavender Cream
The meal was about $28 a person and our bottle of red wine was $18. A great deal!
The hotel’s hallways (2 floors) display colorful paintings.
Our room, 9. I can’t tell you how much I loved that the walls were a dark color (chocolate brown). White walls are so boring! It had a private bath and no tv or phone. Nice!
Arty shot of chair against the wall.
More arty!
The dining room where Supper Club (and breakfast happens).
Painting in the dining room.
First Course: Oregonzola, Grape and Toasted Hazelnut Salad, with Hazelnut Vinaigrette.
Second Course: Olive Oil Poached True Cod, Shrimp and Scallops with Roasted Tomato and White Bean Stew, Toasted Baguette, Drizzled with Rouille.
Third Course: Huckleberry Peach Pie with Lavender Cream.
Outside the hotel, many sunflowers stand guard.
An old typewriter in the library.
The hotel’s lobby.
Mt. Hood in the distance.
More Sunflowers.
Breakfast: Sundried tomato quiche and there’s a blueberry muffin on the side.
I really loved this hotel. It was very relaxing, wonderfully designed and the owners seemed very nice! We’re definitely going back…perhaps for the next Supper Club! Oh and there are more pictures on flickr.