This past December Tetherow Golf Club in Bend announced the opening of The Row, its version of a pub featuring healthy, innovation dishes, some with a Scottish twist (like the Huntsman Platter with house smoked Salmon, grilled sausage, assorted cheese with stone-ground mustard and pickled veggies). The Row has been established in a newly constructed section of Tetherow, a stone’s throw from the formal dining area and adjacent to an open deck with a view of the world class golf course and surrounding mountain views.
The Scottish twist comes from Tetherow golf course designer, David Kidd, the same architect who designed the original course at Bandon Dunes and the new Castle Course, the seventh course at St. Andrews, Scotland.
Chris van der Velde, Tetherow’s managing partner is a dual citizen of The Netherlands and the U.S. who is a highly accomplished golfer and instructor. He has served as the head coach of the Dutch men’s National Golf Team and is also the owner of TotalGolf BV, an Internet-based golf-analysis system. He’s the reigning Pacific Northwest Section PGA champion and has a playing resume that includes multiple wins in the Netherlands Professional Match Play Championship, Dutch PGA Championship and the Dutch Masters.
Van der Velde and his wife Erin are gracious and friendly hosts who complement The Row’s friendly ambiance.
“It has been fun to welcome those who roll in from enjoying their local sports, still in their athletic gear, who know they’ll be comfortable in our laid-back atmosphere,” says van der Velde. “We’ve seen everyone from a younger clientele to the older set and folks in between come and marvel at the views as they choose from our fresh menu and extensive beer selection.”
Tetherow Chef Zac Hoffman has developed an inviting and, indeed, intriguing menu using local ingredients and appealing combinations of flavors.
Hoffman is pleased with the new surroundings that have an expanded kitchen to collaborate with Tetherow’s original restaurant, The Grill, and a new event facility. Eventually the kitchen will accommodate room service for the new 50-room Tetherow Lodges now under construction at the resort by general contractor, SunWest Builders. The Lodges are slated for opening in April.
The Row was designed by local architect, Daren Thomas of Darren Thomas Architecture + Planning with interior design by Scott Brown of Bend. Timberline Construction of Bend served as the general contractor.
THE CUISINE: The Row seems ideal for ‘after sports play food’ featuring the perfect quick small plates or heartier meals when you are famished. Chef Hoffman adds really tasty Oregon cranberries to some of the items including the El Toro Grande flat bread that is a complete meal in itself, toppings include fired-up marinara with pulled elk, mozzarella, jalapeños, dried cranberries and feta. Other flat breads include the Caprese (hazelnut pesto, tomatoes, mozzarella), Truffle Sausage Chevre (Carlton Farms sausage and caramelized onions with chevre and truffle salt) and the Margherita (tomatoes, mozzarella and basil). 
The small plates range from House Cut Fries, Hot Wing Confit, Mini Corndogs (surprisingly quite a bit better than a regular corndog) and Scotch Eggs (wrapped in Carlton Farms sausage, fried and serve with creamy brandy peppercorn sauce).
The salads are very fresh and have distinctive unique flavors created by Chef Hoffman including the Kale & Quinoa and the Beer Snob Cobb. For a full meal there are several burgers all made from Cascade Natural beef, a Cheese Steak, Alaskan Crispy Cod, the not so traditional BLT, a French Dip and Corned Pork Belly Reuben. Entrees take the cuisine to the next stage with Bangers & Mash, Braised Elk Shepherds Pie, Guinness Flat-Iron Steak, Crispy Coq Au Vin, Trout (with cranberry-almond quinoa pilaf is superb ) and Fish & Chips (beer battered Alaskan cod).
The pub atmosphere is open and casual with beautiful hardwood floors, comfortable couches complimented with pillows encouraging you to stay awhile, large panoramic windows, several large flat-screened TVs, local artwork by Holly Rodes Smithey and unique design details including the cut ends of ponderosa pine from floor to ceiling lending interest and texture to some of the walls.
The Row is open 11am to close, minors are welcome. 541-388-2582. www.tetherow.com.
