We recently celebrated getting over our end-of-the-year viruses by taking a quick trip up to Astoria, which is about ½ hour north of Warrenton where I grew up. What a transformation that whole area has gone through – so prosperous looking, with the addition of several big box stores, and a major upgrade to the downtown area. It was great to see how lively the towns on the North coast looked. Still, there must be a number of residents that long for the quiet days when tourists and shoppers didn’t line the streets and life was much more private and secure.
Mallards swimming in the peaceful Astoria boat harbor.
We were part of the tourist contingent in Astoria and dedicated one day to visiting two of the museums: The Oregon Film Museum and the Flavel House, which was one of the original mansions in Astoria and is one of the best preserved examples of Queen Anne architecture in the Northwest.
More about the museums at the end of this post.
First, before going on about the museums, we want to introduce you to a real gem of a find: Drina Daisy, a Bosnian restaurant, nestled in a 1924 historic Italian Renaissance storefront on the aptly named Commercial Street. We’d been anticipating a visit to Drina Daisy since we first spied it a few years ago. On several subsequent trips to Clatsop County, our timing had somehow never been quite right. For example, we were in Astoria on a Monday and the restaurant is closed on Mondays, or we were in Astoria for a business/dinner obligation.
So we’d had to wait a long time to dine at Drina Daisy, but our patience was amply rewarded with a splendid evening of conversation and cuisine. The Mediterranean style dining room with its linen tablecloths and orchids was magical. The dishes were beautifully plated and complimented by an artistically arranged assortment of fresh fruits and greens.
Our host was attentive without being intrusive. Even though the dining room was well populated, he took the time to ensure that we were well-served, that our several questions were answered and that we were well pleased with our food and beverage choices.
After being seated, a basket of warm bread arrived promptly along with an appetizer plate that revealed a nice assortment of smoked sausage, dried beef, roasted red pepper puree, and pickled vegetables. We chose the spit roasted lamb as our entrée, but, acting on our host’s advice, we quickly revised our order to be a combination of the spit roasted lamb and a stuffed cabbage roll. That turned out to be an excellent decision on our part.
The generous portion of lamb was flavorful, moist and tender; the oversized stuffed cabbage roll was absolutely amazing and unlike anything we’d ever eaten before which was identified as a stuffed cabbage roll on the menu. It was plump with flavors and very filling. After dishing our left-overs into a take-out box, we shared a serving of the baklava which delighted us with its citrusy after tones.
All in all this was a remarkable evening, due not only to the perfectly prepared and presented food, but also to the gracious owner-chef. We’ll never forget watching her as she interrupted her conversation with us to run outside and present a special Bosnian candy to a young child who was just leaving the establishment...what an extraordinary act!
By now, dear reader, you probably have concluded that our visit to Drina Daisy was the culinary highlight of our trip. Yes, it was, and we’re convinced that this assessment was shared by our fellow diners based on the look of pleasure on their faces. We look forward to future visits to this exceptional restaurant.
Oh, in case you are curious, Drina is the name of a river in the south of Bosnia with significant geo-cultural importance. Historically the Drina River has been described as the dividing point between Eastern and Western cultures. And, what about Daisy? According to their website, “the daisy is a simple, yet elegant flower that flourishes both here and in Bosnia. Our Daisy, however, is this and a bit more. Our Daisy is a very special lady; she is ‘our’ Mother. Our Daisy was ‘transplanted’ in this great northwest from her native Florida by way of Astoria and its Tongue Point Naval Air Station during its peak activities of the 1940s.” We understand that Daisy is the lady who enabled the chef to leave her troubled Bosnian homeland for her new life in Astoria. We’ll be eternally grateful to Daisy for that act of kindness.
Drina Daisy
915 Commercial Street
Astoria, OR 97103
(503) 338-2912
Now back to the museums.
The OFM was really cool and well designed, highlighting all the movies that contained shots of Oregon locations or that were filmed entirely in Oregon. Museum attendees even had the opportunity to make several short films with themselves as the stars and a desired background from an Oregon-connected movie. Needless to say, we couldn’t pass up that opportunity and quickly recorded short videos to send to a few of our overseas friends.In spite of the fact that I love the Flavel House, I hadn’t been there for probably 10+ years. My last visit was at Christmas time with my dear mother, and we watched a demonstration of how to make a plum pudding. Of course, the best part of the demonstration was when we all got to sample the pudding! It was so enjoyable, even though mother didn’t believe that their plum pudding even remotely resembled the British plum pudding that she grew up eating. Visiting the Flavel House was especially fun this time because I got to see it with Steven, and thus through a different pair of eyes. The old mansion has been so beautifully and lovingly restored! What a great and dedicated volunteer staff they must have. One of the docents told us that the electricity bill in the winter was about $1,000/month. That kind of charge takes my breath away! They must have very generous benefactors in order to support that kind of expense!