Katrina Peavey – for the Review. For a typical college student, meals are determined by accessibility. Eating becomes a momentary blur between activities that consume the short hours of the day.
A stop at Thistle, located downtown along Third Street, will provide a gracious reminder that eating can be more than a routine.
Eric Bechard and Emily Howard create a welcoming atmosphere that supports an innovative approach to dining — appreciation, enjoyment and thoughtfulness. They have redefined American cuisine as representing local, seasonable and sustainable produce taken from the farm to the table.
Thistle opened four months ago and has since garnered attention throughout the Northwest for its emphasis on quality ingredients. It replicates a European approach to eating while maintaining a distinct North American flair.
Bechard and Howard source produce from nine farms within Yamhill County, discussing growing and harvesting practices with each provider. All seafood served is caught in Newport, Ore., or at the mouth of the Columbia River in Astoria, Ore.
Before opening Thistle, Bechard and Howard worked at the Alberta St. Oyster Bar & Grill in Portland, famous for its magnificently prepared seafood. The inspiration for opening a restaurant in McMinnville lay in their desire to work within a close-knit community where connections between small farms and people are valued.
Howard, a McMinnville native, began her career in the restaurant industry at the age of 16. Combined with Bechard’s 12 years of experience working in restaurants across the nation, their knowledge of the industry is reflected in Thistle.
Jason Fritz, sous chef and resident artist, also assists with daily preparation. He spent his childhood between Oregon and Washington and grew up in his aunt’s restaurant, where he worked as a busboy. His fondness for cooking has grown during the last decade, along with his particular taste for art, which is also sold in the restaurant.
Thistle represents the culmination of thought, as everything within the restaurant is recycled and reclaimed. The tables and floors feature wood from old bowling alleys, and the shelving is from a 100-year-old barn.
The glassware, plates and sterling silver utensils were selected from Goodwill, St. Vincent de Paul and the Salvation Army. Hanging from the ceiling is a chandelier that originally hung in Portland’s Hoyt Hotel in 1910.
Bechard’s training in classical French technique inspires the preparation of the menu, as well as the restaurant’s atmosphere. Thistle incorporates steel chairs from 1934 France and vintage French china into its setting. After devising the setup two years ago, Bechard and Howard began storing selected items in their apartment, eventually moving them to a storehouse.
“We see interest and value in old items that have character and carry a story behind it,” Bechard said.
Upon peering through the establishment’s glass windows, viewers initially see an impressive dining room with modern décor and a large board listing the menu for the night – on one occasion, field greens, heirloom tomato soup, duck terrine, gnocchi and more options dance between familiar and unfamiliar items.
Thistle’s name is reflected upon the Scottish wallpaper that covers the far right wall of the restaurant, patterned with large black and white thistles.
Thistle itself carries a few significant meanings for its owners. It represents the indigenous plant species, as well as the remedy for heavy nights of drinking, Bechard said. Another connotation involves the story of a Viking stepping on a thistle, crying aloud and saving a legion of warriors from near death.
The only noise within the restaurant was the soft beat of music, which supplied an urban feel over the restaurant as the phone rang in anticipation of future customers. Bechard and Howard said they recommend reservations, as their quaint space holds only 26 seats.
The small restaurant encourages a personal experience with food that reflects the owners’ passion for the culinary arts. Each dish offers a story, beginning with where its ingredients were harvested, how it was prepared and how it arrived on the table.
“We wanted to create a niche where food and service was the focus,” Howard said.
All are welcome, particularly those looking for an enjoyable dining experience.
For college students, it is an opportunity to expand one’s palate, mind and appreciation of food while still remaining under budget. With each meal priced at fewer than $20, Thistle is affordable. It also boasts a wine list developed from wines across Europe, as well as Oregon.
The menu varies daily depending on what is harvested by the farmer providers; it usually consists of about six appetizers, four entrées and two desserts. For me, the menu included an array of flavors that enchanted my taste buds.
The savory succession of flavors developed through a light blend of aioli — garlic and mayonnaise — into a deep Tabasco sauce that played among green chilies, tarbais beans and succulent sturgeon, which was browned beautifully in grape seed oil and whose taste was far from overpowering.
The meal was a successful balance of flavor, beginning with a bursting bite of fish and finishing with a light baguette to soak up lingering tastes. The beans were delicately cooked and were not overwhelmed by the spicy Tabasco and aioli.
Without much prompting, I accepted a decadent slice of carrot torte with golden raisins, dressed in light whipped cream and drizzled with honey. Each sweet mouthful danced gracefully among moistness and texture, combining into the perfect end to my food love story.
Thistle represents a dining experience unique to many. Halfway through my meal, the farmer who provided the chilies stopped by with three overflowing boxes of produce. The genuine care for the food presented at Thistle is inspiring and emphasizes that eating is an act that should be cherished — in doing so, you bring more value to your life.
“We want to fill this space with people who want to be part of our living room,” Bechard said. “Each evening you are part of our house and our family.”