The Surfrider Resort: Oceanfront dining on the Oregon Coast
Getting the secret out
Ocean’s bounty: On the table and out the window
By Niki Price • Oregon Coast TODAY
When it comes to choosing a restaurant, true view connoisseurs know exactly what to look for: the place they cannot see. Not from the highway, anyway. The best views are usually found off the thoroughfare, behind the trees, upon a bluff, in a dining room that has more windows than walls.
Or at least half and half. Such is the case at Surfrider Resort, just north of Depoe Bay. The dining room can be hard to spot from Hwy. 101, but this establishment’s view — of Fogarty Creek, Rabbit Rock, bald eagles and the Pacific — has been drawing travelers in since the 1960s.
The Surfrider Resort itself is older, dating back to rustic cabins built in the 1920s. Over the years it has grown, with each owner adding amenities and rooms, to its present size of 55 rooms (51 of them oceanfront). Most have kitchenettes, which makes it easy for guests to stay for several days, or a week, at a time. The views from the dining room, lounge and exercise room, as well as the resort’s pool and sauna, are part of the charm.
“We have guests who have been coming back for years and years. We love it,” said general manager Steve Dorchak. “And I find that this view makes it a tough place to work. I can’t tell you how many pictures I have taken out these windows.”
The resort restaurant is open, to both guests and the general public, for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. It was renovated, with new hardwood floors, table seating and booths, in early 2010.
The main focus is seafood, with specialties like the Macadamia Nut Halibut: a filet of fresh Alaskan halibut encrusted with macadamia nuts, then grilled and served with a honey-ginger sauce (with soup or salad, sides and bread, for $20). They make Dungeness crab, steamer clams, Pacific scallops, breaded razor clams, Yaquina Bay oysters and quite a few more, fried or grilled, or breaded and baked, or tossed with pasta. Grilled Tilapia Veracruz, Halibut Fish & Chips, Prawns Tempura — the list is extensive.
“I personally think we have two of the best chefs on the coast,” Dorchak said. “That Macadamia Nut Halibut is to die for. They really know how to cook it. Then again, we do have prime rib twice a week, which everybody really loves.”
Ocean’s bounty: On the table and out the window
By Niki Price • Oregon Coast TODAY
When it comes to choosing a restaurant, true view connoisseurs know exactly what to look for: the place they cannot see. Not from the highway, anyway. The best views are usually found off the thoroughfare, behind the trees, upon a bluff, in a dining room that has more windows than walls.
Or at least half and half. Such is the case at Surfrider Resort, just north of Depoe Bay. The dining room can be hard to spot from Hwy. 101, but this establishment’s view — of Fogarty Creek, Rabbit Rock, bald eagles and the Pacific — has been drawing travelers in since the 1960s.
The Surfrider Resort itself is older, dating back to rustic cabins built in the 1920s. Over the years it has grown, with each owner adding amenities and rooms, to its present size of 55 rooms (51 of them oceanfront). Most have kitchenettes, which makes it easy for guests to stay for several days, or a week, at a time. The views from the dining room, lounge and exercise room, as well as the resort’s pool and sauna, are part of the charm.
“We have guests who have been coming back for years and years. We love it,” said general manager Steve Dorchak. “And I find that this view makes it a tough place to work. I can’t tell you how many pictures I have taken out these windows.”
The resort restaurant is open, to both guests and the general public, for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. It was renovated, with new hardwood floors, table seating and booths, in early 2010.
The main focus is seafood, with specialties like the Macadamia Nut Halibut: a filet of fresh Alaskan halibut encrusted with macadamia nuts, then grilled and served with a honey-ginger sauce (with soup or salad, sides and bread, for $20). They make Dungeness crab, steamer clams, Pacific scallops, breaded razor clams, Yaquina Bay oysters and quite a few more, fried or grilled, or breaded and baked, or tossed with pasta. Grilled Tilapia Veracruz, Halibut Fish & Chips, Prawns Tempura — the list is extensive.
“I personally think we have two of the best chefs on the coast,” Dorchak said. “That Macadamia Nut Halibut is to die for. They really know how to cook it. Then again, we do have prime rib twice a week, which everybody really loves.”
The chefs serve the slow-cooked prime rib on Sunday and Wednesday nights. The beef goes on with choices like a Prime Rib French Dip ($11) and the Surfrider Burger (with bacon, grilled mushrooms, pepper jack cheese and guacamole, $10). Clam chowder, hearty salads, spicy specials and a host of appetizers complete the Surfrider dinner experience.
The lunch menu, served from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day, includes nine kinds of salad, 11 sandwiches and four burgers, as well as seafood entrees galore. The most popular lunch is the Halibut Fish & Chips, lightly breaded and fried with fries and a choice of salad or soup.
Breakfast, served until 2 p.m. daily, presents a full list of eggs, ham and toast, along with coastal concoctions like Eggs and Razor Clams ($11) or Eggs & Oysters ($10). Those last two come with hash browns and toast or pancakes. For a truly sinful vacation breakfast, try the Crab Cake Benedict, house-made crab cakes on English muffins with rich Hollandaise sauce, for $13. Or, wrap that crab with Oregon bay shrimp and cheddar cheese, inside a Seafood Omelette ($12). On the mornings after the prime rib specials, if any is left over, they serve Prime Rib Steak & Eggs and Prime Rib Omelettes. Blueberry pancakes, stuffed French toast, biscuits and gravy, oatmeal deluxe and other American classics are available every day.
The Surfrider Lounge, with its own bank of oceanview windows, has big-screen TVs, Oregon lottery, freshly-made drinks and an appetizer menu. “We have a great local clientele that supports us, but it’s not just a neighborhood lounge. We like the tourists, and we like the locals, too,” Dorchak said.
This weekend, they’ll offer drink and food specials during the Super Bowl. But while you’re watching the Steelers and the Packers, take a moment to watch the eagles — bald eagles, not the team from Philadelphia. They’re nesting in a snag, right across Fogarty Creek, and you can observe them with a pair of house binoculars (look on the window sill).
“In addition to the harbor seals, and all the sea birds, we have a pair of resident eagles you can often see from the dining room,” Dorchak said. “I’m often in the dining room, grabbing the binoculars and checking them out. A couple of weeks ago, one of them was standing on the beach, playing around, and then they were both on Rabbit Rock. I’m still excited.”
Surfrider is a bit off the beaten path, which according to regulars is part of its appeal. The hotel is offering quiet, inclusive Valentine’s Day Romance packages (two nights’ stay with dinner and champagne). Dorchak said that they try to have something for everyone, and offer senior menus, kids choices, sugar-free desserts and plenty of customer service.
“It’s a great place to work, and I think that shows in our staff and their longevity. We have chefs and servers that have been here for years, and our guests really love it,” Dorchak said.
“Sometimes it’s hard to explain to people where we are, because while our address is in Depoe Bay we’re not really in the town itself. But once people find us, they always come back. They love the ability to reach the beach through several paths and stairs. And they love the fact that they can pull in here, park their car, and not move it for four days, if that’s what they want. And, they love that view. We’re just kind of a big secret down here that needs to get out.”
The Surfrider Resort is located at 3115 NW Hwy. 101, just north of Depoe Bay
in the vacation village of Lincoln Beach. The dining room is open from 8 a.m. to
close (between 7:30 to 10 p.m., depending on occupancy) every day.
For details, call 541-764-2311 or head to surfriderresort.com.
The lunch menu, served from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day, includes nine kinds of salad, 11 sandwiches and four burgers, as well as seafood entrees galore. The most popular lunch is the Halibut Fish & Chips, lightly breaded and fried with fries and a choice of salad or soup.
Breakfast, served until 2 p.m. daily, presents a full list of eggs, ham and toast, along with coastal concoctions like Eggs and Razor Clams ($11) or Eggs & Oysters ($10). Those last two come with hash browns and toast or pancakes. For a truly sinful vacation breakfast, try the Crab Cake Benedict, house-made crab cakes on English muffins with rich Hollandaise sauce, for $13. Or, wrap that crab with Oregon bay shrimp and cheddar cheese, inside a Seafood Omelette ($12). On the mornings after the prime rib specials, if any is left over, they serve Prime Rib Steak & Eggs and Prime Rib Omelettes. Blueberry pancakes, stuffed French toast, biscuits and gravy, oatmeal deluxe and other American classics are available every day.
The Surfrider Lounge, with its own bank of oceanview windows, has big-screen TVs, Oregon lottery, freshly-made drinks and an appetizer menu. “We have a great local clientele that supports us, but it’s not just a neighborhood lounge. We like the tourists, and we like the locals, too,” Dorchak said.
This weekend, they’ll offer drink and food specials during the Super Bowl. But while you’re watching the Steelers and the Packers, take a moment to watch the eagles — bald eagles, not the team from Philadelphia. They’re nesting in a snag, right across Fogarty Creek, and you can observe them with a pair of house binoculars (look on the window sill).
“In addition to the harbor seals, and all the sea birds, we have a pair of resident eagles you can often see from the dining room,” Dorchak said. “I’m often in the dining room, grabbing the binoculars and checking them out. A couple of weeks ago, one of them was standing on the beach, playing around, and then they were both on Rabbit Rock. I’m still excited.”
Surfrider is a bit off the beaten path, which according to regulars is part of its appeal. The hotel is offering quiet, inclusive Valentine’s Day Romance packages (two nights’ stay with dinner and champagne). Dorchak said that they try to have something for everyone, and offer senior menus, kids choices, sugar-free desserts and plenty of customer service.
“It’s a great place to work, and I think that shows in our staff and their longevity. We have chefs and servers that have been here for years, and our guests really love it,” Dorchak said.
“Sometimes it’s hard to explain to people where we are, because while our address is in Depoe Bay we’re not really in the town itself. But once people find us, they always come back. They love the ability to reach the beach through several paths and stairs. And they love the fact that they can pull in here, park their car, and not move it for four days, if that’s what they want. And, they love that view. We’re just kind of a big secret down here that needs to get out.”
The Surfrider Resort is located at 3115 NW Hwy. 101, just north of Depoe Bay
in the vacation village of Lincoln Beach. The dining room is open from 8 a.m. to
close (between 7:30 to 10 p.m., depending on occupancy) every day.
For details, call 541-764-2311 or head to surfriderresort.com.
