Updated Dec. 22, 2012, see below.
Original headline: "Blackbird Cafe has 'landed' in McMinnville"
Had lunch 12/21/2011 at
Blackbird Cafe in McMinnville, Ore., Enjoyed good food, quickly served and attractively presented. Order selected from pleasantly minimalistic menu. The cafe had a "soft opening" last week during the month of December 2011. A cafe employee said its "grand opening" will be in January 2012. It's on Stratus Avenue, near the Comfort Inn and McMinnville's Hospital, the Willamatte Valley Medical Center. Why Blackbird? Stratus Avenue gives a clue. So do the other cloud street names in the "neighborhood." Its near
McMinnville Municipal Airport. The most important clue is the impossible to miss
Evergreen Aviation Museum across the "street," Oregon state Route 18/Salmon River Highway. One of the aircraft in the museum collection is the Lockheed
SR-71 Blackbird spy plane.The restaurant black color scheme and "art" plays off the Blackbird legacy. Here's a link to the
cafe Facebook page. From September 2011 in the
McMinnville News-Register there's mention of the cafe, in a
photo cutline and
story.
Blackbird Café hours
Mon: 11am-9pm
Tue–Sat: 7am-9pm
Sun: Closed
POSTSCRIPT -- See photo below of Walnut City Kitchen taken by Mac News on Dec. 22, 2012. The "kitchen" is at location of the former Blackbird Cafe. Molly Walker's "Along the Street" business column in the Sept. 29, 2012,
McMinnville News-Register said of the closing: "The Blackbird Café, which opened in December, 2011, next to the Comfort Inn Suites and Hotel near Willamette Valley Medical Center in McMinnville, has closed. Details on the next development for the restaurant are anticipated shortly." The "next development" is a restaurant, Walnut City Kitchen. A Gerry Frank review of Walnut City Kitchen in the 8/25/2013 Oregonian includes, "Time was when McMinnville was known more for producing walnuts than for world-class wines, hence the name" of the restaurant. Based on the review, apparently the restaurant is nicknamed "The Nut."
