Oaks Bottom Public House

Oaks Bottom Public House
The restaurant's interior in 2022
Map
Restaurant information
Established2006 (2006)
Owner(s)Jerry Fechter
Previous owner(s)Jim Parker
Street address1621 Southeast Bybee Boulevard
CityPortland
CountyMultnomah
StateOregon
Postal/ZIP Code97202
CountryUnited States
Coordinates45°28′26″N 122°38′58″W / 45.4739°N 122.6494°W / 45.4739; -122.6494
Websiteoaksbottom.com

Oaks Bottom Public House is a restaurant in Portland, Oregon, United States. Established in 2006, the business is located in the Westmoreland district of southeast Portland's Sellwood-Moreland neighborhood. It is owned and operated by Jerry Fechter.

Description

Oaks Bottom Public House is a restaurant on Bybee Boulevard in the Westmoreland district of southeast Portland's Sellwood-Moreland neighborhood.[1] Alex Frane of Eater Portland has described Oaks Bottom as a "family-friendly, wood-lined" restaurant,[2] which is named after the Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge, a nearby natural wetlands.[3] The menu includes "totchos" (tater tots as nachos); toppings include cheddar and jack cheese, jalapeños, olives, red onions, salsa, scallions, sour cream, and tomatoes, with avocado, chicken, and pulled pork as additional options.[4]

History

Established in 2006,[5] the restaurant is owned and operated by Jerry Fechter. Fechter's late business partner Jim Parker has been credited for creating totchos.[6][7][8] Eater Portland's Krista Garcia wrote, "This Sellwood brewpub doesn't claim to be the inventor of totchos but there's evidence to prove it popularized the portmanteau."[4] In addition to co-owning Oaks Bottom, Parker had helped open Concordia Ale House and the Horse Brass Pub.[9]

Oaks Bottom was affiliated with Lompoc Brewing,[10][11][12] which was also owned by Fechter, and served the beer on site. Following Lompoc's closure in 2019, Oaks Bottom continued "as its own entity",[13] serving Lompoc beer while supplies lasted.[6][14] Oaks Bottom "[transitioned] into a standard neighborhood bar", according to Brooke Jackson-Glidden of Eater Portland.[15]

The restaurant has participated in the Portland Mercury's annual Nachos Week and Wing Week.[16][17] For the 2019 event, Oaks Bottom served Sellwoods Spicy Buffalo Totchos, described as "crispy tater tots smothered with jalapeño and pepper jack queso and topped with Lompoc Brewing's Lomporter-braised beef".[18] In March 2020, when the restaurant closed temporarily because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the business issued a press release which said, "Due to increased concern for the spread of COVID-19, we've made the decision to temporarily shut our doors until further notice. Like many in our industry, we are concerned about the role restaurants are playing in the ongoing spread of the virus. ... Be safe, be well, and wash your hands!"[19]

Reception

In 2016, Oaks Bottom ranked number 60 in MEDIAmerica's first annual 100 Best Fan-Favorite Destinations in Oregon list, based on 22,000 reviews on Google, Tripadvisor and Yelp.[20] Eater Portland's Alex Frane included the totchos in a 2019 list of eighteen "bar snacks ideal for any night out" in the city,[2] and Krista Garcia included Oaks Bottom in a 2022 overview of "where to find tasty totchos and other loaded tots in Portland".[4] Jackson-Glidden included the totchos in Eater Portland's 2024 overview of "iconic" Portland dishes.[21]

References

  1. ^ Fitzsimons, Eileen G. (October 30, 2021). "Moving houses, instead of tearing them down". The Bee. Archived from the original on December 2, 2021. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Frane, Alex (2019-10-31). "18 Portland Bar Snacks Ideal for Any Night Out". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2020-06-10. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
  3. ^ "Lompoc Brewing". 1859. 2012-10-03. Archived from the original on 2021-04-17. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
  4. ^ a b c Garcia, Krista (2022-02-16). "Where to Find Tasty Totchos and Other Loaded Tots in Portland". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2022-03-14. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
  5. ^ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2019-10-24). "Old School Craft Brewery Lompoc Is Closing for Good Next Week". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2022-01-15. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
  6. ^ a b Meunier, Andre (October 24, 2019). "Lompoc closing after 23 years, as Portland loses another legacy brewery". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on May 12, 2021. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  7. ^ Russell, Michael (2019-02-07). "Jim Parker, beloved Portland publican who invented the totcho, has died". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2021-09-14. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
  8. ^ Waterhouse, Ben (2015-09-07). "Meet the Portland man who invented totchos". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2021-01-16. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
  9. ^ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2019-02-08). "Breakout Breakfast Cart La Osita Has Reopened in Deep Southeast". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2022-03-28. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
  10. ^ Bamman, Mattie John (2017-11-20). "Lompoc Brewing Closes Hedge House Pub After 14 Years on SE Division". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2022-03-28. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
  11. ^ Crain, Liz (2014-09-02). Food Lover's Guide to Portland. Hawthorne Books. ISBN 978-0-9904370-1-7. Archived from the original on 2022-03-28. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
  12. ^ Meunier, Andre (2018-09-15). "Lompoc Tavern to close, a victim of upscale changes on NW 23rd". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2020-11-09. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
  13. ^ Bell, Jon (October 24, 2019). "Portland loses long-time brewery Lompoc". KGW. Archived from the original on 2019-10-28. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
  14. ^ Bell, Jon (October 24, 2019). "Portland loses another long-time brewery". Portland Business Journal. Archived from the original on March 28, 2022. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  15. ^ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2019-01-15). "Mississippi Seafood Favorite Olympia Oyster Bar Is Now Closed". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2019-05-11. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
  16. ^ "The Portland Mercury's Nacho Week! All the Places You Can Get $5 Nachos, Oct 14-19". Portland Mercury. 2019-09-13. Archived from the original on 2020-11-13. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
  17. ^ "Wing Week 2016: Here Are the Restaurants Where Wings Await". Portland Mercury. October 3, 2016. Archived from the original on 2020-11-08. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
  18. ^ "Nacho Week 2019". Portland Mercury. 2019-10-10. Archived from the original on 2020-08-11. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
  19. ^ Russell, Michael (2020-03-14). "Here are all the Portland restaurants to close or embrace takeout, delivery-only service". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2020-03-23. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
  20. ^ "100 Best Fan-Favorite Destinations in Oregon announced". Oregon Business. December 7, 2016. Archived from the original on 2021-11-19. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
  21. ^ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2015-01-29). "Iconic Portland Dishes That Are Actually Worth Eating". Eater Portland. Retrieved 2024-05-13.