Mt. Hood Bistro
Experience a Touch of Int'l Fare at Backyard Bistro
Steve and Anne McCutchan opened Backyard Bistro in late summer 2005. They were not new to the restaurant business. They had previously owned the very popular Chum’s Restaurant in Gresham from 1980 to 1990 where Steve plied his considerable culinary skills. 
Nonetheless, for a little over a decade sabbatical after Chum’s, Steve and Anne enjoyed world-wide travel. The various cuisines that they experienced are evident in the carefully crafted menu that features fare with distinctly international flavors.
Take their Cuban Midnight Sandwich. Built up with turkey, ham, swiss, dill pickle and a special sauce on a grilled hoagie, the Cuban Midnight Sandwich was recently endorsed as “quite authentic” by a Cuban customer visiting the mountain. The sandwich name reflects Cuba’s culture where eating around the midnight hour is common.
Other Backyard Bistro customer favorites include Zucchini Patties with curry mayo. It is listed under Beginnings on the menu but many customers pair them with a salad and find the combination a satisfying lunch. The Pear Bistro Salad features chicken, walnuts and bleu cheese crumbles with a special dressing. For something warming on a fall or winter day, customers order the House Specialty: White chili with “a different twist.”
Steve is enjoying the smaller scale of the Backyard Bistro. The Bistro seats up to 25 people in a space that exudes Old World charm in both physical ambiance and the mellow music of a more European-styled, intimate eatery. He particularly delights in the fact that he and Anne no longer wrestle with managing a large staff and a less-than- flexible menu.
Instead, Steve enjoys the luxury of being creative with his menu on a whim. He creates non-menu specials and his varying his evening fare that features 2-3 entrées. The entrees can include New York Steak, Parmesan Chicken, Salmon, Burgundy Beef, or an array of seasonal foods. Steve is also looking forward to creating some special entrees for the holiday season. The Backyard Bistro recently added breakfast/brunch fare for Sunday mornings only.
The McCutchan’s vision for the Bistro’s future includes special events. As an example, Steve would like to prepare a dinner featuring the fare of a country or region in the world, and bring in a wine expert to talk about wine pairings for the meal.
Steve and Anne share a dream that the Backyard Bistro will develop into one of the hidden treasures for the region, one that food-lovers the world-around will seek out and discover when they come into The Villages of Mt. Hood.
Their customers say the Backyard Bistro is creating a great foundation for achieving that.
The Backyard Bistro
67898 East Highway 26
Welches, OR 97067
503.622.6302
Hours:
11:00 am to 8:00 pm, Tuesday through Saturday
10:00 am to 4:00 pm, Sunday
TIMELY TIP:
You'll find Steve's sister Susie Welch at Heart of the Mountain, a home décor/gift shop right adjacent to the Backyard Bistro as you walk through the entry garden common to the two businesses. Read all about Susie's shop in this issue-- then plan to come to her 15th Annual Open House, Noon to 5:00 pm, Saturday, November 11, 2006.November/December 2006