Enterprise

The road to Wallowa Lake takes you through God's Country and the second to last town before the lake is certainly just inside the Pearly Gates. 

Enterprise is the town I always looked forward to seeing on those family trips in the old Ford pick-up on the way to our annual family camping trip. Back then we always begged to stop at a place called Pete's Pond. The attraction was a large pond where you could buy fish food and feed (what I remember to be) some incredibly huge trout. I'm sure the attraction for my parents was stretching their legs and listening to the relative silence of the table inside the restaurant. My sisters and I spent many quarters feeding the fish, easily more than we wasted in Ms. Pac-Man at the truck stop near our rural home. 

Now the place I always beg to stop in Enterprise is one of the first brew pubs in Eastern Oregon, Terminal Gravity just on the south edge of town. My first experience with Terminal Gravity was an IPA in a restaurant in my hometown.  Although it may be blasphemous to say for an Oregonian, I never really jumped on the IPA bandwagon.  As a matter of fact I didn't like them until I drank Terminal Gravity IPA that I like one (I still don't understand why every brewery is required to push India Pale Ale, but that's neither here nor there).  The beer is is like when the toilet flushes when you're taking a shower in a house with old plumbing - surprising - surprisingly good.  I haven't had a bad one yet.  

Terminal Gravity not only has excellent beer.  The food is quite good as well.  I haven't had the whole menu, but darn close.  For an outfit that's 200+ miles from the coast, the Seared Ahi Tuna appetizer is dang good.  I usually skip the salad as I've yet to find a good green leafy pairing with beer.  It's probably out there, but I haven't had it.  

I love the burgers.  The interesting thing about the beef used at Terminal Gravity is that it began its life hoping to be a roping steer.  Corriente beef is generally known for being excellent rodeo fare, not table fare.  However, the chefs at Terminal Gravity have taken a skin and bones cow and turned it into something delicious.  

The kids menu and the outdoor seating at picnic tables in the grass along the babbling brook both add to the experience (especially when traveling with littles). 

This next recommendation may seem a little strange, but if you're like me, you can be a picky eater.  On your way through Enterprise, check your provisions. If you're low on the essentials, like stinky cheese or processed meats, you're going to want to pull into Safeway because this is the last chance you'll have to find a large grocery store on your way to Wallowa Lake on Oregon's Beaten Path.