Allyson's Kitchen Sandwiches Now in Bend Oregon

Who doesn't like a good sandwich in this country? Sid's favorite meal is the sandwich, followed closely by the burger, followed by the steak, then the fish sandwich, then the shish kebab (or souvlaki will do nicely), and from there anything goes. Working primarily out of Ashland, OR, which has gotten itself some kind of reputation for being a culinary town, you'd think there would be a plethora of lunch opportunities - but the best is hard to find. Ashland has plenty of over-priced food available, so for the locals, brown-baggin' it has generally been the way to go. However, there is a moderate priced and easy to please soup & sandwich hot spot - Allyson's Kitchen.



Allyson's Kitchen is a gourmet foods and kitchenwares store at 115 East Main St., and has featured a gourmet sandwich deli for over 6 years now. Just recently, Feb. of 2008, Allyson's Kitchen opened a new store in Bend at 375 Powerhouse Drive in the Old Mill District. Every morning they make two fresh soups, which have a reputation for being some of the best soups in town. Favorites of Sid's include the Tom Ka Gai, followed closely by Chicken Tortilla. But what good is a delicious bowl of soup without a tasty sandwich to dip in it?

Allyson's Gourmet Deli has a simple, yet flavorful lunch menu with most of their sandwiches named to accompany the Tony Award Winning Shakespeare Festival that draws much of the tourism to Ashland.

Sids top picks are:
Brutus - A toasted Bacon (oh so thick & smoky!), Lettuce, Tomato on Ciabatta Roll

Thesius - Two Italian Salamis and Mortadella with Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil on Ciabatta

The Gourmet BLT from Allyson's has an uncanny ability to please pork connoisseurs and those who like their bacon crispy <shudder> alike. How do they do this? Well, the bacon is thick enough that they can slow cook it all the way through to please those munchers who are still worried of the first trichinosis outbreak in 80 years, but without killing the wonderful flavor of pig for those of us who do enjoy it. Often an early morning stop into Allyson's Kitchen will greet you with the scent of bacon sizzling away, and begin the Pavlovian drooling that will lead you to an unforgettable lunch.


This day, I had a special request for a Titus on Ciabatta, with Cheddar Cheese and Bacon added. And a cup of soup, can't remember what kind exactly, but it was good. Sid always gets soup. The sandwich was awesome. Sid stuffed the first half away in between about 3 or 4 gasps for air, then took a minute to give the second half of this Mid-Afternoon Delight a dip in some hot creamy carrot madness. Oh, it was good. It's always a toss-up between getting the bowl of soup, or the cup of soup. With a full bowl, you can dip the fattest sandwich, like a Cornwall (Corned Beef & Saurkrout), without much spillage, while a cup of soup will have to be drained a slurp or two to fit your sammie. You can see by one of the images, the overflow danger level of dipping too early.

By and large, the flavors of smoked turkey with melted cheddar cheese were deftly accented by the red onion and smoky bacon. The Ciabatta roll is the better sandwich bread for dipping, and also a nice sandwich bread all around because The Ciabatta is sturdy, grips well and dips well, and it has a nice texture.

The Creamy Carrot Soup was good and thick, to let you know that Allyson's roasts their veggies and purees the fruits to a hearty and hunger satisfying rich consistency. This soup was good. And here's where the advantage of the cup comes in. After finishing the last bite of sandwich, a satisfying pull on the coffee cup drains the rest of the of creamy soup, and Sid slowly sits back with a sigh, a smile, and root beer or one of their select microbrews.



If you're ever in the Downtown Ashland, OR area, or in the Old Mill District of Bend Oregon, a lunch stop into Allyson's Kitchen will not disappoint.

Allyson's Kitchen Video Contest

SidFilmz just produced a short contest video for Allyson's Kitchen showcasing an It's All Greek Demonstration Cooking Class. The video is for a contest hosted by Bertolli to win an opportunity to co-host a cooking show with Rocco DiSpirito. The contest ends Oct. 31, so we need your help voting now to boost Allyson's Ratings. Click here to Vote on Allyson's Video, and watch a teaser video to the right.
SidFilmz is currently editing together the recipes that you see featured in this teaser video here. Visit Allyson's Blog for more updates, and to see the new videos once they are posted. And don't forget to vote for Allyson's Contest Video here.
Preview of Allyson's Blog

Paella Party

The beauty of Paella is that you can cook it for an intimate dinner, or expand the quantities to feed a crowd. Paella is a short grain rice-based dish with many variations, from vegetarian versions, to those that include smoked sausages, chicken, and shell fish. The dish is said to have originated in the areas of Valencia and Levante, Spain’s eastern coastal plain where much of the country’s rice is grown.
Paella is cooked in a wide, flat, round pan that starts on the stove and can be finished in the oven. Saffron is one the signature ingredients included in many of the traditional recipes. When prepared correctly, the bottom layer and outer edges of the rice offer up caramelized, lightly crunchy, golden morsels, while the center of the dish is moist and complex.
Most of the preparation for this Spanish feast can easily be done in advance. The tapas require simply assembly, the ingredients for the Paella can all be prepared a day in advance, and the cake can be made up to two days before. And although I know the food will be fabulous, I also know the truly memorable part of the evening will be spending time with our dear friends.
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