"Taste Of Alaska" Grants Pass Newest Dining Experience

On The Road Again Review:"Taste Of Alaska"...Grants Pass, Oregon

By Steven Masone
    Tim and Susan Tipton, Owners "TASTE OF ALASKA"

     Grants Pass has a fledgling food trailer boom possibly in the works that will add a great dimension to the attraction of this great mountain community in Southern Oregon. As you drive into town for the first time, the welcome sign at 6th and G pronounces; "It's The Climate." Not only the climate in the meteorological sense, but it's outdoor recreational and natural beauty, the Arts, Entertainment, and some really good restaurants etc...are included in the "Climate."

    The City is trying to work out the details to support and promote food trailers and trucks that are the latest rage all over the country. Some of the great chefs of Los Angeles have even abandoned their brick and mortar establishments and are taking their culinary talents to the hungry masses who follow them religiously to their destinations utilizing social networking. It has become a cultural in-gathering as sorts where foodies and  friends meet for almost any occasion. Sports events, nightclub and music venues, plays and art events, just to name a few of the main happenings. The diversity and cross section of culinary styles and choices are endless.

    Portland Oregon also has followed suit and has started annual food trailer festivals and next week I am headed up to find a few I have heard great reports on.  

Tim and Susan Tipton, owners of "TASTE OF ALASKA" are leading the way for Grants Pass to find fame in this great culinary phenomena and if others can match their freshness and quality of preparation and ingredients, Grants Pass will add another element improving both local and tourist attractiveness to the area.

    Taste Of Alaska started in June this year at  an old gas station rented by the day for 35 bucks. After a month of weekends with great feedback from customers,Taste of Alaska went full time. Now located at 6th & Kst.

 Crab Buoys, Deep fried hamburgers, Sushi with pickled fish,Sockeye Salmon, King crab tail, halibut,Ling Cod. Grilled salad made with all organic veggies bought local with pickled fish on top.Bear drop which is a blend of Oreo cookies, Gram crackers and Philly cream cheese blended all together into a dough then frozen into a cookie then dropped into a homemade dipping batter then deep fried then covered in a chocolate sauce with powdered sugar on top. 

Crab buoys are made out of a fresh made crab cakes mix from scratch with a scratch made garlic butter wrapped in a home made dough from scratch deep fried in rice bran oil cooled then served with a home made dipping sauce called Tim's Secret Sauce. 

I sampled the Crab Buoys and the Bear Drop. This was delicious and a refreshing new experience as I am very leery of deep fried foods being too greasy. But Tim assured me he and wife Susan spent hours and trial after trial to perfect the batter cake not to soak up the oil. And they should patent it! It was amazingly more like a sauteed-steamed crab cake. The texture and inside temperature was perfect. The crab meat is from the tail so as to deep fry better and the Bear Drop was sweet rich and delicious. Choc-o-holics delight! 

I am told the deep fried burgers are the bomb! 

There are the OMG Grilled Sandwich, Crab bacon and Cheddar melt, Pear bacon cheddar melt, And the Smokey Cheese melt. With specials through the week as well, Fisherman's Grub, Crab Crawl, Fish Taco's and a few others.

Newest location 6TH and K St  in Grants Pass 

I am looking forward to trying everything on this great menu soon!   see theirwebsite FB Page facebook.com/tasteofalaska