{"id":860,"date":"2015-02-20T17:07:26","date_gmt":"2015-02-21T01:07:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.wou.edu\/westernjournal\/?p=860"},"modified":"2015-02-20T17:12:34","modified_gmt":"2015-02-21T01:12:34","slug":"classic-cocktails-give-character-to-new-pub","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/westernhowl\/classic-cocktails-give-character-to-new-pub\/","title":{"rendered":"Classic cocktails give character to new pub"},"content":{"rendered":"
By LAURA KNUDSON\r\n Editor-in-Chief<\/pre>\n
Josh Cronin, owner and bartender of The Three Legged Dog, said he\u2019s got the secret to making the perfect drink.
\nThe new pub, located at 250 S. Main St. in Independence, opened shortly after the New Year, offering classic pre-prohibition style cocktails, complimented by a tasty array of unique dishes you won\u2019t find on menus around town.<\/p>\n
Named after their dog James P. Sullivan, or Sully for short, Josh and his wife Natascha, alongside business partner and chef John Rodriguez, felt the three-legged springer spaniel represented them.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe wanted something that symbolized the three of us,\u201d Josh said. \u201cThree partners, three legs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Natascha who holds degrees in anthropology and museum studies, and Josh who has one in archeology, spent a little over a year in Ireland \u201cpretending to be Indiana Jones,\u201d before moving to Oregon, Natascha said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe came here because of Rogue Hop Farms,\u201d said Josh. \u201cWe fell in love with the community. We\u2019ve been welcomed by everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Cronins hired Rodriquez on at Rogue, and from there the three envisioned opening their own pub. After a year spent discussing and planning, in five weeks they turned a former antique shop into an old style classic pub.<\/p>\n
Originally, the space was a Farmers State Bank in 1925 before it went out of business during the great depression. After that, it was Calbreath\u2019s Grocery Store before being converted into a jewelry store.<\/p>\n
The space stays true to its historical past.<\/p>\n
Original stained glass skylights are on display above the bar and customers may even find themselves sitting on a bench seat from the old Cooper building.<\/p>\n
Tables near the front windows were made from Pioneer Lanes bowling alley before it closed.<\/p>\n
Although Josh said they\u2019re not quite done decorating, they plan on sticking with \u201cthat open feel,\u201d he said. \u201cWe want people to feel comfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe intentionally don\u2019t have televisions,\u201d Natascha said. This allows customers to start up conversations with people they know or don\u2019t know, she said. \u201cIt\u2019s a small town, and we want people to either hang out with their neighbor or get to know their neighbor.\u201d<\/p>\n
And with constant comical banter between chef and bartender, TVs are not needed.<\/p>\n
The menu however is no laughing matter.<\/p>\n
Brussels sprouts saut\u00e9ed with housemade candied bacon, roasted garlic, shallots, and fresh basil will have any vegetable
\nhater begging for the recipe. And it\u2019s not everyday you can order a duck confit and bacon sandwich on a warm ciabatta with creamy red cabbage slaw. Sweet tooths are quick to try the grilled fruit with honey-lemon-thyme vinegar dessert served with a heaping scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for $6.<\/p>\n
Overall, prices are affordable and portion sizes are generous.<\/p>\n
\u201cCreativity with the menu in what separates us,\u201d Rodriguez said.<\/p>\n
Rodriguez, who has been cooking for 18 years, previously ran J Rods Burgers & Wings in Keizer before helping open the Word of Mouth Bistro in Salem.<\/p>\n
The Three Legged Dog has given him the opportunity to use locally sourced ingredients in the kitchen.<\/p>\n
A giant blackboard hanging in the pub lists the ingredients and where they come from. Customers biting into the kale and
\npear salad might be happy to know the added hazelnuts come from Monmouth or that the chicken in the potpie soup is from
\nMcMinnville.<\/p>\n
Spirits are sourced from Bend, Portland, Crater Lake and more.<\/p>\n
So far, \u201calmost down the board, everything is served regularly,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
However, the fun, approachable menu still encourages diners to go outside their comfort zone.<\/p>\n
A peppered pork belly plate can be ordered for $9 or a Clover Club cocktail made with egg white.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith so many ingredients at our fingertips, why go elsewhere when we have so much available in the Willamette Valley,\u201d
\nNatascha said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis place is filling a space that it didn\u2019t have originally,\u201d Josh said, something Independence was ready for, he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think anyone around is trying to do it at the level we are,\u201d Rodriguez said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we put out a plate of food, I think the expectations are pretty huge. And that\u2019s where I want them to be.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rodriguez\u2019s goal is to take care of customers and send them on their way, satisfied.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want it to be one of the best meals they\u2019ve had in a long time,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s what we\u2019re going for.\u201d<\/p>\n
What will be most interesting, according to Natascha, is \u201cto see that as the seasons change, how the menu will change.\u201d<\/p>\n
She anticipates customers will get a bit riled up when their favorite menu items disappear as certain ingredients go out of season.<\/p>\n
Rodriguez looks at this as an \u201copportunity to put a new favorite on the menu.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re all ridiculously excited for spring and summer,\u201d Josh said. \u201cThat\u2019s when the whole local food just explodes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Local fruits and mint will be used to create fusions and mixed drinks, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt will be really nice to go to the market at 8 a.m. and cook with ingredients handpicked the day of,\u201d said Rodriquez.<\/p>\n
Freshness envelops every aspect of food and drink in The Three Legged Dog.<\/p>\n
\u201cJosh has a very distinct vision for those to squeeze all citrus fresh,\u201d Natascha said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve had people just blown away by the whiskey sour,\u201d Josh said. But The French 75, a gin and sparkling wine cocktail, is a close second, he said.<\/p>\n
And for those seeking a splash of the fresh citrus, The Hakam Hiccup contains orange liqueur and a hint of house-made
\norange bitters.<\/p>\n
Perhaps the best part of being served at The Three Legged Dog is watching your food and drink handcrafted in front of you.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re the owners and we\u2019re the employees,\u201d Josh said. \u201cWhen customers come in, they\u2019ll be cooked for by the owners, and
\nthey\u2019ll be served beer by the owners.\u201d Chatting with people for a living is the best part, said Josh.<\/p>\n
For Rodriquez, it\u2019s the \u201cinstant gratification to drop something off in front of someone and get a reaction.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNobody cares about our business more than we do,\u201d Josh said, \u201cand nobody cares about our customers more than we do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Having seen the vision of The Three Legged Dog become a reality, Natascha said they are grateful to have their own
\nplace now.<\/p>\n
\u201cNobody goes to college wishing to be a bartender,\u201d she said. \u201cBut we wanted to be business owners and impact our community. Americans are dreamers.\u201d<\/p>\n
And that dream, inspired by one three legged canine aims to put care and thought into every plate, glass and conversation.
\nBut there\u2019s another small thing that makes a huge difference.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople become complacent with what they\u2019re used to,\u201d Josh said, referencing cheap and easy, pre-mixed liquor.<\/p>\n
So what\u2019s the secret to the perfect drink? \u201cSqueezing fresh lemons,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s that simple.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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