by Sean Coker for pdxguide.com
April 2007

Blue House Mediterranean Café and Espresso Bar 62467 N. Highway 47 Vernonia, OR 97064 503-429-4350

Near the Vernonia and Highway 47 junction, a cobalt blue building with goldenrod trim now stands where there was once a greasy spoon restaurant. In a community where the high school mascot is a logger, a Mediterranean cafe seems a bit odd. I walk across a setting sun’s exaggerated shadows and enter the small restaurant, passing through the front door. The scent of warm bread hangs in the air and Middle Eastern pop music be-bops from out of the kitchen. I order a gyro platter ($7.00) at the counter and seat myself facing the sun, letting light fall into my lap. Cedar planks can be found throughout the establishment and act as rural camouflage. “I’m not a restaurateur,” Elinore, the restaurant owner, says, “I just make the same food my kids like.” Silver strands are found threaded through her jet-black hair, lending wisdom and credibility to her words. When asked how she got into the restaurant business, she explains, “I’m an industrial graphic designer by trade,” through a Cheshire smile. “Who knows...maybe I’ll go back to design.”

Minutes later my food is being presented alongside a napkin and breath mint. Having smelled bread for the last five minutes, I grab a slice of pita and drag it along the hummus, which has the viscosity of melted yogurt. Tactile grilled lamb and beef comes apart after only a modest tug and is coated in a tangy tzatziki. The Mediterranean salad consists of cucumbers, feta cheese, romaine lettuce, tomato, and onion. The salad tastes so fresh and crisp that I savor small bites, licking olive oil off my lips. The feta cheese bites before crumbling in my mouth and I savor a cheese I normally dislike. Eating two olives and a pepperoncini I feel thirsty.

“Could I try a Mediterranean Coffee,” ($1.50) I ask. “I usually don’t recommend people drink it after five o’clock,” Elinore replies as the small hand nears seven. “I hope you have to stay up tonight...some homework or something,” as she begins the process. The coffee arrives in a Lilliputian sized coffee cup with similar cobalt and goldenrod colors. I pinch the tiny handle, taking a timid first sip of was a surprisingly sweet drink that tastes like condensed espresso. After a few more sips on the thick drink, my heart begins to palpitate.

After some conversation about the restaurant's offerings, Elinore offers, “...That is why I close on Mondays. I get fresh produce from Portland. I don’t get anything delivered.” She chooses organic and locally-grown produce whenever possible and everything exudes freshness. The cobalt house has all the trappings of traditional Mediterranean fare combined with a down home feel. The cuisine is simply and straightforward, as there are only ten items on the menu, but somehow Elinore feels no need to carpet bomb her clientele with variety, instead focusing on the same food her “kids like;” the same kids running around the backyard or talking with a mouthful of pita bread. Despite the fact that the restaurant is nearly forty miles from my South Portland townhouse, I would rather spend forty minutes driving out to Vernonia than waiting in line for a table at southeast Lebanese hotspot Nicholas. I grab my things, readying myself to go, but I stop and smell that bread once more before walking outside. My heart is still racing and I think about what I’ll do to “stay up tonight.”

Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

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