One of the great joys of a road trip is discovering those little, out-of-the-way, roadside cafes, such as the Mohawk Restaurant & Lounge in Crescent, OR. Situated about 90 miles from the nearest notable towns of Klamath Falls to the South and Eugene to the Northwest, it nonetheless attracts a consistent following of locals, hunters, snowmobilers, skiers and tourists, such as ourselves.
There's a lot more than great food at at the Mohawk.
The Mohawk Restaurant is housed in an unassuming building fronting Highway 97. The interior pays tribute to a former time when dark stains and knotty pine paneling were more usual. But, don't be put off by your first impression; don't hesitate to enter. It's like walking into a museum of mounted wildlife...and the food is diner-good!
Go straight to the back of the building. There you'll find the dining room, which is rumored to have had various lives as a Grange hall, theater, dance hall, boarding house for Chinese immigrants, brothel and skating rink. Today, the walls are lined with hundreds of taxidermy mounts, many of which came as donations from locals; a lot of them were road kills, along with legally hunted specimens as well. Check out the golden eagles spreading their wings as if to take flight, or the bear cubs climbing the tree in the corner, along with a host of other critters such as armadillo, turtle, alligator, iguana, white Arctic wolf, bison, cougar, wolverine, pheasant, and so many more. They even have a long-necked African antelope called a Gerenuk, noted for its ability to stand on its hind legs to reach tasty acacia leaves!
Yes, there is more: in excess of 1,500 bottles (primarily Jim Beam, Ezra Brooks, Lionstone and Avon), are enclosed in glass cases that circle the dining room. There are bottles depicting loggers, miners, cowboys, hunters, fishermen, athletes and almost anything you can imagine. Started sometime in the late 50's, the collection speaks to another time, and, for people of our generation, they tell a story of a simpler, bygone era.
Yet, it's the food that will take us back to the Mohawk when we are next in the area. The lunch portions were generous, and the service was friendly and personal. Cindy Koch (co-owner with husband, Brian) expertly handled the tables and created an atmosphere where every patron felt special. The homey ambience of the dining room perfectly complimented Steven's old-fashioned hamburger with all the trimmings, as well as my yummy turkey/bacon/cheddar melt, which Cindy reports is one of their most popular items. The navy bean and ham soup drew rave reviews from Steven, and my side salad was crisp and the dressing flavorable without being overwhelming. Oh, my... how I wish we'd had room to sample some of the tempting pies resting in dessert case. We'll have to splurge on our next visit!
Shortly after leaving Crescent Lake,
we came upon this now vacated mushroom camp,
sitting in wait for the matsutake season to begin in the fall.
Mohawk Restaurant & Lounge
36726 Highway 97 North
Crescent, OR 97733
541.433.2256