The Impatient Chef Can't Sit Still at the Rogue Pier 39 Public House

The Impatient Chef Can't Sit Still

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The Rogue Pier 39 Public House in Astoria, Oregon

The latest installment in The Impatient Chef Can’t Sit Still finds him visiting Rogue Pier 39 Public House in Astoria, Oregon. Astoria occupies a unique patch of land astride the Mighty Columbia River near where it slams into the Pacific Ocean. As such, Astoria has a rich history of fishing, canning, navigation, and shipwrecks, all of which its restaurants reflect.

The Impatient Chef’s alter ego, Gary Quay Photography, made the trek to the Astoria, Oregon in February 2024 in search of fluffy clouds and bridges. By all reports, he was not disappointed. 

Courtesy Apple Maps

Out of necessity, Astoria has changed focus over the years. The canneries have long been shuttered, but a few piers remain that now sport restaurants, museums and, hotels, Among them is Pier 39, where Rogue is housed. According to the pier’s website. it is “Astoria’s largest and oldest waterfront building, boasting 84,800 square feet features the Fisherman’s Suites, a 4 Suite luxury mini retreat that when combined is more than enough room to sleep 24 people, each with spectacular views above the Columbia River. The Captain Suite, the largest of the three has a Jacuzzi tub, a gas fireplace, full kitchen, dining room, and living room with beautiful Asian mahogany hardwood floor and restored original fir beams.”

The river at the pier looks placid, with container ships anchored in the main stream, or on their way to Portland and points yonder, or heading back to the ocean. At 6 miles across near this point, it seems hard to believe that it is, indeed, a river, but it very much is. Just ask the boats on the bottom. 

Four Tall(ish) Ships a-Sailing

The Impatient Chef has been well aware of Rogue Brewing from the Before Times, AKA “when he lived in Portland”. Their beers have always been well-crafted, and bold. Their seasonal ales like 7 (with 7 types of hops) and Dead Guy Imperial IPA are always a treat. The Impatient Chef was sad to find out recently that 7 would not be produced again, but that’s the way the cookie bounces.

You can find Rogue Public Houses in Portland and on the Oregon Coast. The food is usually very good. It is pub food, as their name suggests, and in keeping with The Impatient Chef’s aversion to food served with tweezers, that’s just fine. When there is fish and chips on the menu, and if the restaurant does not seem like the kind that serves directly from the food services truck, it is very hard to pass them up. The Spousal Unit had the Prawns and Chips. 

Wot We Got

Rogue serves a choice of rock fish or salmon fish and chips.  Rock fish can take a hike when Salmon is on the menu.  

On this outing, The Impatient Chef opted to substitute clam chowder for the fries, but from past visits the fries are just fine. 

The chowder tasted good, but had an oddly herbal flavor, possibly using thyme, that was not necessarily a bad thing, but took away from what should have been the focal point, namely the clams. 

Da Zoop!

The salmon was yummy. 

Inside

It was perfectly done, and flavorful. The only downside was the breading, which was not crispy. It did, however, manage to adhere to the fish throughout the meal. The tartar sauce was runnier than The Impatient Chef is used to, but the flavor was good.

The photo trip concluded with some pictures of the Lightship Columbia, and of the container ships on the river. It was a good day. 

The Lightship Columbia

Thanks for reading.

The Impatient Chef.