Eating dinner in Bend, after a day of shopping in Bend, is one of my favorite things to do. I live in a neighboring town, but it is always fun to go and check out the restaurants in Bend. It seems like there are always new places to have lunch or dinner in Bend, and I SO want to try them all! There is one restaurant in Bend that I’ve been wanting to try, and I finally had the chance with my daughter the other night. We went to Monkless Brasserie Brewpub in Bend – the Monkless Belgian Ale restaurant ,and let me tell you – the food there was absolutely fantastic.
Now I speak very highly of many restaurants, but believe me when I say that dining at Monkless was SUCH a treat. I was in awe with their tempting menu, as it had an impressive variety of dishes that you just don’t see in Bend. It isn’t often that you find a restaurant with German food in Bend, Oregon, and although Monkless doesn’t serve German/Belgian food exclusively, I am excited nonetheless. Not only did they offer a few of these dishes, but they were excellent.
Appetizer options at Monkless Brasserie Brewpub
After perusing the menu, we decided to share a couple of appetizers. It wasn’t an easy choice {none of our choices at Monkless were easy actually!}, but we managed to agree on the Bavarian Pretzels {$12} and the Poutine {$18}.
The soft and chewy Bavarian Pretzels were served warm atop house made bier cheese. We polished these off pretty quickly, as they were absolutely delicious. They were soft inside with just the right amount of “chewiness”, and the outside was slightly crisp and tender. The cheese sauce had a nice flavor, which complimented the pretzels perfectly.
Next up… Poutine
Where can you get Poutine in Bend, Oregon?
Well, at Monkless The Brasserie of course! Now, I have to be honest – I hadn’t heard of Poutine before. It sounded familiar, but when my daughter suggested it, I couldn’t say what it was. We ended up ordering it as our second appetizer and I am so glad we did.
What is Poutine?
Poutine is a Canadian dish that is typically made with french fries topped with cheese curds and brown gravy. That is how to make basic Poutine. There are so many variations, and restaurants that have Poutine tend to have their own versions. The Poutine at Monkless starts with french fries that are topped with braised beef gravy, cheddar cheese curds, chives and then the whole shebang is topped with a poached egg.
We dove into the Poutine with gusto, coming up occasionally to catch our breath. It was unlike anything I have had before. It was a combination of flavors that worked very well together – even the poached egg on top. I imagine the fries that are used in a Poutine dish make all the difference in the overall result, and Monkless brewpub has their fries nailed in. Speaking of fries…or frites, I am excited to tell you about our main courses!
Monkless Brasserie Belgian Ales
Now, it just wouldn’t be right to not mention the beer, since Monkless IS known for their beer! We did not, however, indulge in any of their amazing beers the night we were there. I have enjoyed them in the past, most recently at The Bite in Tumalo. At Monkless in Bend, you can order a single beer on draft, or sample several different beers by ordering one (or more) of three flights.
Mouthwatering Monkless main courses
I was getting pretty full at this point, but I am not a quitter, so I kept on going. Besides, I couldn’t wait to try their other dishes, in light of how amazing the appetizers were!
My daughter and I each ordered a main dish to share. Again, the decisions weren’t easy ones. After all, when you are choosing from dishes like Chicken & Waffles {served with bacon, maple syrup and Louisiana hot sauce!}, a Pork Schnitzel Sandwich, a Moules Pot {Puget Sound Mussels in either classic or Spicy Cajun} , etc., the “hemming” and “hawing” is real, folks!
Pork Schnitzel dinner
I have always loved Schnitzel and Spatzle so I ordered the Pork Schnitzel plate {$19}. As I was placing my order however, the waitress informed me that they were out of Spatzle that evening. I’ll be honest with you, my heart sunk a little a lot. In place were egg noodles. That is okay though, as the Schnitzel was so tasty, that it made up for the lack of Spatzle. The pounded thin pork cutlets were breaded and fried and topped with a creamy mustard sauce {which was not too overpowering, which I love}. The pork was SO tender, and the flavor of the pork combined with the mustard sauce were perfect. The plate was also served with cabbage. I’m not a huge cabbage fan, so I can’t fairly comment on that.
Melt-in-your-mouth steak
My daughter chose the Steak Frites plate {$25}. Once again, I am in awe of how delicious this was. The tender slices of steak practically melted in my mouth, and the shallot demi-glace added just the right amount of flavor to compliment the steak without covering up the delicious flavor. The fries, or “frites” were shoestring thin and probably some of the best I have had.
Beignets in Bend? Oh yes!
What is a Beignet?
A beignet is a donut of sorts. It is kind of like a fritter, or deep fried pastry, sometimes made with a yeast dough. The inside of a beignet is light and fluffy. The topping on Beignets is typically powdered sugar, but the ones we got at Monkless Belgian Ales – The Brasserie were rolled in cinnamon and sugar and topped with a decadent caramel sauce. I was impressed with the size and generous amount of Beignets included with the order. It is definitely the perfect dessert for sharing!
The new menu at The Brasserie at Monkless Belgian Ales!
Yep – you heard that right. There are new menu items at the Monkless restaurant in Bend! One of the new items is Chicken & Waffles.
What are the hours at Monkless Brasserie Brewpub?
Monkless Belgian Ales in Bend is open for indoor and outdoor dining as well as takeout and deliver. Their current hours are Monday-Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Friday & Saturday they are open from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The Sunday hours at Monkless are from 11:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. *Please call ahead or check online to confirm hours, as hours can change frequently due to Covid.
I am smitten with Monkless Brasserie Brewpub in Bend. I didn’t know what to expect when I stepped in, but I will be recommending this place to everyone I know. When guests come in from out of town, Monkless Belgian Ales Brasserie will be at the top of my must visit places to take them to eat!
