Crossings at the Riverhouse Restaurant and Dining Review

Written by Lynnette Braillard

Wow! This is the word that comes to mind after dining at Crossings, located at the Riverhouse along the scenic Deschutes River. Our dining experience at Crossings knocked the Merrell shoes right off us here at Visit Bend. A group of us arrived on a summer evening after work and left four hours later (yes, four hours!) stuffed and carting out bags of leftovers.

The executive chef, Kevin Smith, has been at Crossings for a little over a year now and is a classically French trained Le Cordon Bleu chef with a resume chock-full of prestigious places where he amazed foodies in far off lands like Los Angeles and Monterey Bay, California. After introducing himself to our group, he nonchalantly asked if any of us were taking Lipitor followed by a snicker and a parting comment of “we may need to after this dinner.” We quickly realized we were in for a truly French fusion dining experience.

Our server, Bogdan, was a delight. He has been a server at Crossings for the last nine years. His enthusiasm and expertise were quite apparent. His knowledge about the menu and the fresh ingredients were incredibly accurate and concise.

Most Creative Cocktail? They have a full-bar so any of your tried and true cocktails are available, plus an extensive list of fine wines and beer.

Most Amazing Appetizer? Truffle Chips.
It was unanimous. The Visit Bend posse all agreed this was one of the best appetizers we’ve ever had! Pepato cheese drizzled over a plate of piping hot Kennebec chips. Add a sprinkle of white truffle oil and you have one very appetizing appetizer.

Next were the Dungeness crab cakes that were very large and very scrumptious. They were made with Saffron Aioli and Panko (Japanese bread crumbs). I would have to say that I’ve never had a better crab cake. To round out the appetizer course were the Day Boat Scallops, which are brought in fresh daily from the southern waters of Baja, Mexico. These babies are not farmed and were very moist and tasty.

Most Engaging Entre? A 12 ounce Filet Mignon.
Again, this was the favorite among our group. “It melts in your mouth” was immediately belted out by Margie, one of the Visit Bend welcome center staff. The steaks at Crossings are prepared “Morton style” as in Morton’s Steakhouse—seared on the outside—juicy on the inside. We also shared a plate of Beef Short Ribs that were braised for 12-18 hours.

To Die For Dessert? We had three. Our mouths hit the floor when this towering tray of desserts hit our table. Strawberry shortcake with homemade biscuits and whipped cream towered to the left. A dark chocolate shell resembling a paper gift bag was presented in the middle filled to the brim with white and milk chocolate mousse. And lastly, the decadent dessert, Blanc Nuge (meaning white cloud), sat on the opposite side of the dish. We all grabbed a spoon and delightfully dug in.

Fun, But True Facts

• The patio on a warm summer afternoon or evening is a delightful place to dine with the Deschutes River rushing at your side. Not only can you see the river, but you can hear it as well unlike any other riverfront dining locale in Bend. If it’s too cool to sit outside, grab a table by the floor to ceiling windows, so you don’t miss out on the great views.
• Across the river, you’ll spy an old rustic cabin. This is part of the original television set from “How the West Was Won” which aired in 1979.
• The only restaurant in Bend to serve a selection of “Prime Beef”, one of which is Bone-In Prime Rib.
• Crossings is well-known in Bend for those who crave the best in beef, but they offer plenty of savory selections for those who have a hankering for seafood, fowl or even a vegetarian dinner.
• Everything is homemade. From the fresh La Brea Bakery sourdough bread right off the trolley from San Francisco to the pecan pie bites that ended our fantastic feast, we walked—uh, waddled—away with full bellies and made plans to experience a Crossings breakfast. The thoughts of Crème Brule French toast and Shaved Prime Rib Egg Benedicts dancing in our heads along with a Bloody Mary to wash it all down is too tempting to pass up.
• The Riverhouse is undergoing a multi-million dollar makeover to not only its restaurant, but the hotel, too.
• Don’t miss the live music in the lounge including Big Band era and swing music to Top 40…check out their monthly schedule here.