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Archive for October, 2011

Featured Halloween Cocktail: Red Devil Martini

Wednesday, October 26th, 2011

The Bentley’s Grill lounge is serving up some “spook-a-licous” cocktails that you don’t want to miss!  Drop by and try one of these Halloween themed concoctions- and you will see why we have been voted Most Creative Cocktails in Willamette Valley for two years in a row!

Here is the recipe for one of our favorites!

Red Devil Martini
Sinfully Tempting
1oz Smirnoff Green Apple Vodka
1oz Smirnoff Watermelon Vodka
1oz sweet & sour mix
1oz cranberry juice

Shake all ingredients with ice and serve on the stem

The Bentley’s Grill lounge bar features the Willamette valley’s largest array of premium liqours. Pair up one of our drink specials with an appetizer from our Happy Hour menu that features Dungeness crab cakes, Thai Chicken Satay, Garlic Shrimp, Rotisserie Chicken Quesadilla, a Miso Sake marinated Ahi salad and much more.   Click here to see our complete list of Specialty Cocktails.

Enjoy great drink and appetizer specials in the Lounge after 4pm each Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evening with one of our three weekly Happy Hour events: Lounge Lizard Monday, Tuesday Tinis, and Ladies Night on Wednesdays.

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Posted in Holiday Event

Salem Block is Supporting Sponsor of the Civil War Dinner & Auction November 17!

Wednesday, October 26th, 2011

The Salem Conference Center, Bentley’s Grill and The Grand Hotel in Salem is proud to be a Supporting Sponsor of the eighth annual Bonaventure Senior Living Civil War Dinner & Auction at the Salem Conference Center November 17, 2011.

The event benefits the support after-school and summer activities at Boys & Girls Club of Salem, Marion & Polk Counties. This outstanding organization plays a vital role in our community by promoting academic success, healthy lifestyles, character and leadership skills to approximately 10,500 youth in local clubs, athletics, and outreach programs.

So are you a Duck or a Beaver? Wear your colors with pride and support your team at this exclusive dinner and auction! This is the perfect way to get pumped up for the 2011 Civil War Game on Saturday November 26 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, OR.

Here is a preview of the fabulous items that will be auctioned off this year

  • Bandon Dunes Golf Trip for 2
  • Dinner for 10 at the Alcyone
  • 7 days, 6 nights in Kona HI
  • 4 Day, 3 night golf trip to Palm Springs
  • Super Bowl Party for 50 at Jonathan’s Restaurant
  • Behind the Scenes of NASCAR in Las Vegas
  • Civil War Game Tickets
  • Variety of Oregon Golf Packages
  • Duck and Beaver memorabilia and merchandise

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.civilwarauction.org or call 503.581.7383 Ext 15

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Posted in Events

Wine Notes From Mark: The Secret to Great Wine Begins with the Soil

Tuesday, October 25th, 2011

Bentley’s Grill Wine Steward Mark Jacklich has begun his work on the Master Sommelier program this year. He plans to continue his studies with the Court of Master Sommeliers through 2012 and to spend a lot of time working with Jim Bernau’s team at Willamette Valley Vineyards to receive some training on the process from grapes to wine full circle. Mark is eager to share his knowledge with you in a new series of posts: Wine Notes with Mark. Enjoy!

Ever wonder what gives Oregon’s wine such a unique taste? I’ll give you a hint- Its beneath your feet.   That’s right- dirt!   The stuff you see under the beautiful canopy of our great Oregon vineyards.   Because of these soils in Oregon you get a true taste of the Terroir or “land” in our wines that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

Jory soil and Missoula flood sediment are our dynamic-duo of soil types in Oregon- here is a little more information about them:

Jory Soil

  • Is our beloved state soil.
  • Jory is named after Jory Hill in Marion County which was named after the Jory family that settled here in Salem by way of the Oregon Trail in 1852.
  • The soil is derived from years of erosion from igneous rock from volcanic settlement.
  • It is a deep and porous soil that is reddish brown in color.
  • Very loose and well drained while the deeper you dig the more clay like it becomes.
  • It is found at the foothills of low grade mountains across the Willamette Valley and supports all crops associated with Oregon (Christmas trees, berries, grapes and hazelnuts).

Missoula Flood Sediment

  • The Missoula Floods refer to the breaks in the ice dam on the Clarke Fork River in Montana and Idaho between 13,000 and 15,000 years ago.
  • This ice dam would break periodically every 50 or so years for 2,000 years.
  • With these breaks, water would flood through the Columbia River Gorge down into the Willamette Valley. These floods carried Loess, sediment and basalt from the channeled Scablands of Eastern Washington.

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Posted in Wine and Food

What’s Happening on The Salem Block?

Friday, October 21st, 2011

Fall has been a very busy season for Bentley’s Grill, The Grand Hotel Salem, and The Salem Conference Center- aka The Salem Block- with so many wonderful events, conferences, fundraisers, and reunions!

Recently, we were honored by The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce at the 2011 Business of the Year Awards; and we enjoyed watching the wild ride of Soraida Cross and Kristi Reed, aka Bentley’s Grill Girls, as they won the 2011 Grape Stomp at Willamette Valley Vineyards and went on to compete in the Sonoma County Harvest Fair World Championship Grape Stomp in Santa Rosa, California.

We also welcomed the Oregon Artists Series’ 5th Annual Exhibit, “Sculpture Now!” in The Salem Conference Center plaza and is open to the public through 2013!

Other highlights: The Bravo! Willamette Valley Event Showcase brought together some of the area’s top businesses in the event industry, in one afternoon! Family Building Blocks had record breaking attendance (more than 800 people!) at the 11th Annual Dream Builders Luncheon on October 20, 2011 to learn more about their work with high-risk children and families. Both events were held at The Salem Conference Center.

Be sure to visit The Salem Conference Center and The Grand Hotel at Salem on Facebook to see all upcoming events and get more info on what’s happening on The Salem Block. Here are a few other events happening in the coming weeks (visit www.salemconferencecenter.org for a complete list of events coming up)!

Though October 31- Game Fest at Bentley’s Grill
Join us this month for our Annual Wild Game Festival. Our specials this month will feature Wild Game appetizers, salads and entrees created by Chef Derek Ridgway. All specials will be paired with exceptional wine selections by our Wine Steward Mark Jacklich.

October 29: Willamette Humane Society Presents Bowser’s Boo Bash
This Halloween themed fundraiser will be held at The Salem Conference Center on Saturday October 29, 2011. This event is presented by Capitol Subaru and is Willamette Humane Society’s signature event benefiting the animals! Guests don their favorite costumes and enjoy a gourmet meal, drinks, live music, and the opportunity to bid on hundreds of items and one-of-a-kind experiences during the silent and live auctions.

November 5: Salem Area Chamber of Commerce Presents Evening d’Elegance
This annual black tie gala and fundraiser will be held at the Salem Conference Center on Saturday, November 5th, 2011 from 6-11:45pm. This years theme is “The Art of Salem” and celebrates the arts in our community. The event features dinner, dancing, hundreds of fabulous items for bid in the silent auction, a live auction featuring 12 large packages, and a multi-media rock show like nothing you’ve ever seen from DesignBand (back by popular demand)!

November 17: Civil War Dinner & Auction to Benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Salem, Marion & Polk Counties We are proud to be a Supporting Sponsor of the eighth annual Bonaventure Senior Living Civil War Dinner & Auction at the Salem Conference Center November 17, 2011. This event benefits the support after-school and summer activities at Boys & Girls Club of Salem, Marion & Polk Counties.

November 23-28: The Grand Hotel in Salem Thanksgiving Weekend Harvest Celebration 2011 Package
The Grand Hotel in Salem invites you to enjoy the 2011 Thanksgiving Weekend Harvest Celebration in “Grand style”. Special rates are available that weekend as 150+ wineries in the area open their doors to kick off the winter wine tasting season.

We feel lucky to be a part of such an active community and look forward to serving you!

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Posted in Events

Meet Bentley’s Grill Sous Chef Chad Grodio

Thursday, October 13th, 2011

Everyone knows the Bentley’s Grill staff is among the best in Downtown Salem, but how well do you really know us?   Each month, we spotlight one of our employees at Bentley’s Grill for you!

This month, meet a member of Chef Derek Ridgeway’s elite culinary team: Chad Grodio.  We at Bentley’s Grill appreciate Chad’s culinary talents, his professionalism and his sense of humor!  Here is what he had to say when I asked him a few questions about himself:

How long have you been with Bentley’s Grill? My first day on the job was the day after Christmas:  December 26, 2007.

What is your culinary background/training and how long have you been in this field? I studied at the Western Culinary Institute in Portland OR and have worked in the culinary field since 2002.

When did you learn that you wanted to become a chef? When I realized my genetic make-up would not allow me to pursue my life-long dream as a professional punter in the NFL.

What is your favorite dish at Bentley’s Grill? Prime Rib on Sundays – come and see us!

What is a typical dinner at home? A dinner at home consists of either sushi, take out or a protein shake.

What other special skills or interests do you have? I enjoy MMA fighting and watching NFL football.

What is a typical day off like for you? What do you do with your free time? When I’m not working you can find me at the gym or relaxing at home. I also like to take long walks through downtown Salem on my lunch breaks!

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Posted in Employee Spotlight