Stylish Cocktail Lounge Pacific Standard Will Open a New Hotel Bar in Salem

Star bartenders Jeffrey Morgenthaler and Benjamin “Banjo” Amberg have a natural habitat, and it’s the hotel bar. The Clyde Common (formerly within the Ace Hotel) alums are expanding their bar Pacific Standard, whose original location opened in May 2022 inside Southeast Portland’s Kex Hotel.

The bar is slated to open in mid-February 2023 inside the brand new Holman Hotel, which is scheduled to open in January. Pacific Standard’s Salem bar will serve an expanded version of the Portland location’s menu; bringing together “sessionable” cocktails designed to be enjoyed at any time of day with West Coast-inflected classic bar food such as Walla Walla French onion dip and Puget Sound mussels served with grilled Portland City Bakery sourdough. The bartending duo’s food and drink menu is described as “inspired by the world’s great hotel bars throughout history” while including nods to their personal roots. Pacific Standard Salem will open at 195 Commercial Street SE.

Ok Omens is one of Wine Enthusiast’s Best Restaurants of 2022

While publications local and national — including yours truly — have been their naming best new restaurants of 2022, Wine Enthusiast has come to remind us of a (somewhat) oldie but goodie. Ok Omens, Castagna’s casual wine bar counterpart, opened in 2018 and was recognized by the wine publication, which highlights sommelier Brent Braun’s detailed descriptions on the by-the-glass wine list and an exceptional burger by James Beard-nominated chef Justin Woodward.

Jen’s Pastries is awarded a 25K grant

Johns Landing bakery Jen’s Pastries, best known for its bolo levedo — or Portuguese muffins — was the recent recipient of a $25,000 grant from the Restaurant Strong Fund. The fund is a program of the Massachusetts-based nonprofit Greg Hill Foundation in partnership with Grubhub and Samuel Adams. Owner Jen Legge says the bakery has faced several hardships in recent years, including the breakdown of some of its baking equipment. The grant money will allow the bakery to pay off some of its debt.