COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE AND WINE COUNTRY - Columbia River Gorge - page 59

Although Walla Walla has all the standard fast-food eateries (out on Wilbur and Isaacs), you'd do far better visiting The Ice Burg (616 W.
Birch, 509/529-1793, 11:30-10 P.M. Sun.-Thurs., 11:30 A.M.-11 P.M. Fri.-Sat.). This popular drive-in makes great hamburgers and wonderful
banana shakes.
International
The Walla Walla area has a rich Italian heritage, best illustrated by the sweet Walla Walla onion—developed by an Italian transplant to the
area—and the tasty pasta houses in town. A good example is T. Maccarone's (4 S. Colville St., 509/522-4776, www.tmaccarones.com , 11 A.M.-2
P.M. and 4-9 P.M. Mon.-Fri., 9 A.M.-2 P.M. and 4-9 P.M. Sat.-Sun.), a trendy place downtown that puts its own twist on traditional Italian fare.
This is the best place in town to pair a Walla Walla red wine with antipasto.
The food isn't as good at Lorenzo's (1415 Plaza Way, 509/529-6333, 11 A.M.-9 P.M. daily), but it has a fun atmosphere and works well for
starving students and money-minding families. It offers an all-you-can-eat buffet 11 A.M.-2:30 P.M. ($7.49) and 5-8 P.M. daily ($9.49). Kids 12
and under eat for $0.59 per year of age.
Looking for Mexican meals and great margaritas? Head to El Sombrero's (428 Ash St, 509/525-2598) for big portions and a bunch of big hats.
La Casita (315 S. 9th Ave., 509/522-4941) has noteworthy pico de gallo and can accommodate large groups.
Pub Grub
Mill Creek Brewpub (11 S. Palouse St., 509/522-2440, http://millcreek-brewpub.com , 11 A.M.-11 P.M. Mon.-Sat., noon-9 P.M. Sun.) is a fun
place with fresh-brewed beer on tap and pub grub from the kitchen.
Bakeries and Markets
Although Walla Walla has the big chain markets, one grocer is noteworthy: Andy's Market (1117 S. College Ave., 509/529-1003, closed Sat.) out
in College Place. Because of the Seventh-day Adventist college nearby, this large market is almost entirely vegetarian. You'll find a few frozen
meat items (but no pork), lots of frozen and canned “vegemeat” products, bulk foods, and plenty of gluten-free foods.
Not far away is Rodger's Bakery (166 N. College Ave., 509/522-2738) with breads, bagels, breadsticks, and hot soups. John's Wheatland
Bakery (1828 E. Isaacs, 509/522-2253) is another excellent bake shop that uses fresh local ingredients.
INFORMATION
For local information, contact the Walla Walla Chamber of Commerce (29 E. Sumach, 509/525-0850 or 877/998-4748, www.wwvchamber.com ,
8:30 A.M.-5 P.M. Mon.-Fri. all year, plus 9 A.M.-4 P.M. Sat.-Sun. in the summer).
GETTING THERE AND AROUND
Valley Transit (509/525-9140, www.valleytransit.com ) serves the Walla Walla and College Place area Monday-Saturday. The Greyhound depot
(509/525-9313 or 800/231-2222, www.greyhound.com ) is at 315 N. 2nd Street.
Walla Walla Regional Airport is at 310 A Street and provides passenger terminals for Alaska Airlines (800/252-7522, www.alaskaair.com )
service to Seattle and Portland. Blue Ridge Aircraft is the local fixed-based operator (FBO). Information is available at 509/529-4243.
THE BRIDGE OF THE GODS
The Klickitat, Yakima, and Warm Springs people of the Pacific Northwest all share a legend describing the creation and destruction
of a massive stone bridge spanning the Columbia River between Skamania County and Cascade Locks, Oregon. According to the
Klickitat version, two great chiefs, Klickitat and Wy'East, were given rich new lands by the Great Spirit, their respective lands sep-
arated by the Columbia. As a symbol of peace, the Great Spirit built an enormous bridge across the river, connecting the two ter-
ritories. Unfortunately, the two groups took to fighting, and in the ensuing chaos, the enormous bridge was destroyed. It's believed
that the legend refers to a historical event—roughly 500 years ago, a powerful landslide was said to have blocked the Columbia
River until the water flow eroded all but a slender bridge that crossed the river. Eventually, that bridge collapsed, but the rocks
from the bridge have come to form the Columbia Rapids. Today, the modern steel-and-concrete Bridge of the Gods spans the river
close to where the legendary bridge was thought to have been. In order to cross, you no longer have to contend with Loo-Wit, the
appointed guardian of the bridge, but you will have to pay a buck in tolls.