The premise of Holstein Kitchen in Oregon is “classic farm cooking comfort foods.” In other words, the menu is about as American as you can get, with staples such as fried chicken, mac & cheese and peach cobbler present.
Inside, the decor made me feel like I was eating inside a converted barn. Since the dining room is just one large room, and the tables are relatively close to each other, it gets very noisy.
The Monroe Maple Leaf Cheese Curds ($7.50) are a must-order item to start your meal. The perfectly fried curds are coated in parmesan and chives and are further enhanced with the accompanying aioli dip.
Since the restaurant’s slogan is “meat and potatoes spoken here,” I had to order the beef pot pie ($8.25). Even though it’s an appetizer, this dish is too hard to share with others, but it’s hearty enough to eat as a meal. The crust was buttery and delicious, and the beef was tender all around.
Other entrees on the menu include the Ms. Ionias Meat Loaf ($12.75), roasted chicken ($12.25) and Hot Kentucky Brown ($12.95).
On Fridays, you can find baked/fried cod and tilapia on the menu. The fish in the parmesan tilapia ($13.95) was moist and flaky, but the parmesan and chive toppings didn’t fit in, probably because they were too similar in texture (soft). I did like the fried clams, even though they weren’t meaty, and you can get them as an appetizer ($8.25) or in the fried clam roll ($14.25).
I was craving an Old Fashioned with all this farm food, but unfortunately, only beer and wine are served.
Holstein Kitchen is open for dinner Tuesday-Saturday, lunch Tuesday-Friday and brunch Saturday-Sunday. Reservations are not accepted. The parking lot is located to the side of the building on Hwy CC.