Pendleton’s Boomtown Biscuit and Whisky elevates southern classics

The neighborhood of Pendleton is rapidly growing with the addition of new restaurants, bars and (soon to be) a brewery. One could say, the neighborhood is booming. The recent prosperity is especially noticeable in Boomtown Biscuits & Whiskey. The concept behind the establishment was conceived by proprietor PJ Neumann’s craving for a new restaurant and chef Christian Gill’s quest for the perfect biscuit recipe. According to the Boomtown release, their pairing was a “love-at-first-bite-type relationship.”

The items on the menu range from sandwiches to bowls to sweets and, as you could guess, biscuits play a large role in each category. 

Menu items loosely follow a frontier theme, such as the Sutter’s Mill sandwich, named after a sawmill where gold was found in the 19th-century. The sandwich is made with barbecue short ribs, apple slaw, housemade pickles and Boomtown barbecue sauce and is priced at $11.

Most sandwiches, plates and bowls come in at around this price, ranging from $9-$12. Two Gold Shoes ($12) is a thoughtful menu option for someone who likes biscuits but can’t decide on a gravy. The dish comes with two buttery biscuits and three gravies of your choice — like a gravy flight. Sides such as campfire greens, smoked cheddar grits and sugar-cured ham are sold separately for $4. You can also add gravies or “nuggets of gold” to your dish (things like black and blue jam or whipped honey butter) for an additional $2.

If you’re looking for a sweet biscuity treat, they’ve also got you covered. Boomtown’s Black and Blue Grunt ($7) is a blackberry and blueberry cobbler made in a cast-iron skillet. 

Now, for the latter, alcoholic part of the biscuit and whisky restaurant/bar combination. There are options for brunch-drinkers, cocktail enthusiasts and especially whisky drinkers. Choose between a spicy tomato or sweet carrot base for your Boomtown Bloody ($8) along with your choice of Russian Standard vodka, Dickel rye or El Jimador tequila. The Boomtown Gold Rush ($8) is made with Bulleit bourbon, fresh lemon juice and herbed honey. Peruse their selection of over 50 different whiskies such as George Remus, Woodford Reserve, Johnnie Walker Black Label and more. 

Boomtown Biscuits & Whisky is located at 1201 Broadway St., Pendleton. More info: boomtownbiscuitsandwhiskey.com.

An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the name of the Sutter’s Mill sandwich as Sutter’s Gold sandwich