By Melissa Wagoner
When Jeramie Mykisen and his step-father Jeffrey Tinkham learned that the Silverton Wine Bar was for sale they instantly jumped at the chance to make it their own.
“It was just too good to pass up,” Mykisen said.
The previous beverage director for McMenamins and the author of the recipe book, Quintessential Cocktails, Mykisen knows a thing or two about how to make a bar a success. And the space, located in the center of downtown Silverton on the corner of Water and West Main streets, with balcony seating overlooking Silver Creek, was just begging him to work his magic.
“I think it will be really fun to create an atmosphere that nobody’s ever seen in Silverton,” he said. Mykisen described the vision for the new restaurant, The Noble Fox, as part upscale bar, part late-night cocktail lounge and part family-friendly restaurant, with all three combining on weekend mornings to create a unique brunch scene.
“The place screams brunch,” Mykisen explained, motioning to the newly renovated space, which centers around two key pieces of décor – an enormous crystal chandelier purchased from Mother’s Bistro in Portland and a Belgian apothecary set dating from the late 1800s.
“It’s as beautiful during the day as it is at night,” he said.
Offering a menu chock full of creative twists on old classics – including a bananas foster French toast with vanilla ice cream – as well as a line of espresso drinks, mimosas and eventually a “chic Bloody Mary bar,” Mykisen and Chef Andrew Banas plan to offer something to please the palate of just about anyone who enters.
“I grew up cooking,” Banas said. “My family owned a bed and breakfast so by the time I was 15 I was streamlining dinners for weddings and events.” He moved to Silverton with his wife and two young children in 2019.
Enthusiastic about incorporating as many locally sourced ingredients into his dishes as possible, Banas is establishing connections with local farmers and distributors in order to keep his dishes fresh and vibrant.
Banas is also partnering with Mykisen to curate wines and other locally-sourced beverages like beer and cider that will pair well with the food.
But all that effort doesn’t mean the restaurant’s prices are going to be sky-high.
“Part of the goal is to make it approachable…” Mykisen said. “We’ll have heavy hitters and crowd favorites and keep the price point low for families.”
Opening for service seven days a week in mid-October, with seating inside the restaurant, on the balcony and along the sidewalk, Mykisen and Tinkham hope The Noble Fox will quickly become a Silverton institution where everyone will feel welcome.
“We’re all about Silverton – we love this town,” Tinkham said.
“We’re hoping [The Noble Fox is] a place to get together and just be part of the community.”
