It seems as if Central Oregon has always had a Kayo’s. At various times over the past three decades, diners have flocked to Kayo’s Dinner House, Kayo’s Sports Bar and Kayo’s Roadhouses (three of them in Bend and Redmond).

Now, Kayo Oakley is back. A couple of years after selling the sports bar and the last of his Kayo’s Roadhouses, he has re-emerged at The Original Kayo’s Dinner House and Lounge.

Original? Believe it. Oakley has returned to his roots, to the kind of place that launched his restaurant career on Powers Road back in 1982, when Bend’s population was less than 20,000. This new Original Kayo’s — which opened May 1 in the former Rustic River Bar and Grill on northeast Third Street in Bend — conjures memories of days of yore.

Service and decor are old school, just as one might expect them to be. The spacious main restaurant displays restraint in its upholstery and lighting, with light jazz providing background music and framed ’50s-style posters adorning the walls. Veteran servers know exactly what they are doing; diners are seated promptly, orders are taken with efficiency and food is delivered on a paced schedule without much of a wait. If the servers have a fault, it is only that they are sometimes too attentive.

Certainly, prices are not where they were 28 years ago. While Oakley had hoped to keep most of his entree prices under $20, some of the dishes run closer to $25. Blame the economics of doing business. But the plates are not a la carte; they include bread, a green salad, sauteed vegetables and potatoes or rice. And the portions are large enough that modest eaters may plan to take leftovers home.

Dinner at Kayo’s

When my companion and I arrived for dinner, we started with a half-dozen fresh Oregon coast oysters on the half shell. They were plump and briny, and a house-made cucumber mignonette sauce was a far better complement than traditional cocktail sauce.

Our bread, a “French baguette with smoked salmon mousse,” wasn’t what we had expected. The soft, warm bread was served with a small dish of cream cheese with a little smoked salmon stirred in — not a mousse at all and bland in flavor.

My cup of French onion soup was delicious. Rich in onions, topped with a slice of lightly toasted bread and creamy Gruyere cheese, it was oven-baked and as good as I might find in a big-city French restaurant.

My companion found her house salad to be fresh but nowhere near as interesting. A simple spring mix tossed with a vinaigrette with blue-cheese crumbles, it showed minimal imagination in preparation.

Her main course was a rack of lamb served with a huckleberry mint sauce. Four ribs were Frenched — that is, the fat was trimmed away, leaving the bone exposed — then lightly coated with a stone-ground mustard and baked medium rare. The rich, jammy sauce was delicious, although my companion missed any mint flavor that may have been overpowered by the berries.

Kayo’s menu features a dozen seafood entrees, as well as two or three more on a daily fresh sheet. I ordered a sturgeon special and was very pleased. The firm white fish was perfectly cooked, flaking easily to the touch of my fork. It was served with a bearnaise-style sauce that incorporated basil and Dijon mustard.

Vegetables presented with both meals were a saute of green beans, zucchini and yellow squash, tossed with onions and red bell peppers and generously sprinkled with oregano. I would have preferred them cooked a little less thoroughly.

Happy-hour bargains

A few days later, in the lounge at the rear of The Original Kayo’s, I discovered one of Central Oregon’s best happy-hour bargains.

It’s not the most likely location. There are nine chairs with black-vinyl upholstery at the bar, nine tables with black tablecloths spread around the room, and a door that leads to a concrete patio overlooking the swimming pool of the adjacent EconoLodge motel. Many lounge patrons, in fact, park in the motel lot and never see the inside of the main restaurant.

But for six hours every day but Sunday — between the hours of 3 and 6:30 p.m. and from 8:30 p.m. to close, usually around 11 p.m. — this is a fine place for filling food at a fulfilling cost. I had three oysters, a blackened fish taco, a seared ahi plate and a glass of Guenoc chardonnay for a total tab of $12.90, not including gratuity.

I had preferred the oysters with cucumber mignonette rather than cocktail sauce, the only option in the lounge. But when they are priced at just 50 cents apiece, it’s hard to go wrong.

The fish in my $1.95 soft taco was salmon, a far better selection than I might have expected. It was mixed with a cabbage-and-carrot slaw and served in a medium-size flour tortilla. I didn’t skimp on the side portions of a tomato-rich pico de gallo and a tangy chipotle aioli sauce.

The ahi ($4.95) was presented as a good-sized tuna steak, seared and offered in a half-dozen thick slices. I would have preferred that it was cooked closer to rare than medium; it was still pink inside, but not sushi-lover red. Still, I imagine this preparation could be considered adventurous by some patrons. It was served with hot wasabi mustard and soy sauce for dipping, plus two very tiny slices of pickled ginger.

Kayo’s is the kind of place that I think my mother would like. The menu features prime rib and several steaks, crab legs and sauteed shrimp, all of them among her favorites. And while we’re dining there, I might even prompt her to tell me a couple of stories about the old days — such as 1982, when Kayo Oakley was just getting his start as a local restaurateur.

SMALL BITES

Winestyles , previously located off College Way in west Bend, celebrated the grand opening of its new Galveston Avenue location July 15. The shop, which sells wine by the bottle or glass and offers appetizers with tastings, now has space to expand its selection of Pacific Northwest wines, according to owners Jerry and Peggy West. Music and art will complement free wine tastings from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursdays and Saturdays. Open 3 to 8 p.m. Monday, noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, noon to close Friday and Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. 1346 N.W. Galveston Ave., Bend; 541-389-8889, www.winestyles.net/bend.

To introduce its new Bloomy Rind-Jewell cheese, Tumalo Farms is welcoming visitors from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday for free 30-minute guided tours of its goat dairy farm and cheese operation. The producer of artisan cheeses is also offering a $10 wine-tasting lunch, featuring six dishes made with Tumalo Farms cheese. Registration is on the farm’s website, www.tumalofarms.com; 64515 Mock Road, Bend; 541-350-3718.

RECENT REVIEWS

The Blacksmith (A-): Downtown Bend’s elite steak house isn’t flawless, but after seven years it remains one of the region’s go-to destinations for fine dining. The kitchen gets a little careless once in a while; but overall service is professional, prices are not outrageous, and the renovation of a historic building is impressive. Open 4:30 p.m. to close every day. 211 N.W. Greenwood Ave., Bend; 541-318-0588, www.blacksmith bend.com.

Amalia’s (B+): Innovative Latin dishes are based on old family recipes from Guadalajara and elsewhere in Mexico. Slow-cooked pork shank is a house favorite. Service is prompt and friendly but a little slow on delivery; the atmosphere is festive and prices are moderate. Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to close Friday and Saturday. 915 N.W. Wall St., Bend; 541-382-3244, www .amaliasbend.com.

One Street Down Cafe (A): Family-owned and operated, this charming breakfast-and-lunch eatery is lodged in a Craftsman-style house in Redmond. Healthy home-cooked fare is served in generous portions for prices under $10. Indoors and out, the service is warm and friendly. 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day. 124 S.W. Seventh St., Redmond; 541-647-2341, www .onestreetdowncafe.com.

Versante Pizza (B+): If it’s the crust that makes the pie, Versante has the best pizza in Bend. Only the salad bar is a disappointment at this Italian-style restaurant, which also offers fine pastas, sandwiches and gourmet salads. Service can be slow but a vintage motif adds a flash of fun to the decor. Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. 1085 S.E. Third St., Bend; 541-318-9177, www.versantepizza.com.

The Original Kayo’s Dinner House and Lounge

Location: 415 N.E. Third St., Bend

Hours: 3 to 11 p.m. every day (dinner from 5:30 p.m.)

Price range: Appetizers $6.25 to $14.75, entrees $12.75 to $24.95; bar menu $1.95 to $14.95

Credit cards: American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

Kids’ menu: Yes

Vegetarian menu: Pasta primavera

Alcoholic beverages: Full bar

Outdoor seating: Adjoining the lounge

Reservations: Recommended

Contact: 541-323-2520

Scorecard

OVERALL: B+

Food: B+. While not especially creative, preparation is solid and portions are good.

Service: A-. Veteran staff is prompt and efficient, if sometimes a bit too attentive.

Atmosphere: B+. Old-school ambience, with subdued decor and light jazz setting a mood.

Value: B+. Prices are in the high-moderate range, but that’s for full meals, not a la carte.

Next week: Dandy’s Drive-in

Visit www.bendbulletin.com /restaurants for readers’ ratings of more than 150 Central Oregon restaurants.