Story and photos by JANAY WRIGHT • The Bulletin

Food

McMenamins Old St. Francis School celebrates Halloween Saturday with a party for the 21-and-over crowd. There’ll be two stages of live music with Portland bands — Decadent ’80s and the Quick and Easy Boys — for $10 at the door.

And Sunday through Thursday, McMenamins hosts happy hour from 3-6 p.m., with discounts on food and drinks including burgers, Tater Tots and a distillery flight.

The Pacific Northwest family-owned company runs Edgefield Winery, a winery and tasting room out of Troutdale. Wines and ciders from the winery are available at McMenamins Old St. Francis School by the glass, the bottle or in a wine flight. Several Yelp reviewers mention that the Edgefield Winery blackberry cider ($7.75) is a must-order.

I tried a glass of Edgefield Winery’s 2017 white wine, the Blanc de Noir ($13 during happy hour). I was later caught off-guard by the price, which wasn’t listed on the menu. The wine was bursting with bubbles and bright on the palate, but it didn’t warrant the steep price tag.

My partner and I both took advantage of the happy hour specials for dinner. I ordered the cheeseburger and Cajun Tater Tots ($14, regularly $16.25) on a gluten-free bun (additional $2). My partner ordered the other burger on the happy hour menu, the mystic burger and fries ($14.50, regularly $18), without realizing it was vegan.

Each burger was held together by a wooden skewer. The beef patty on the cheeseburger was thick and juicy with a melted slice of Tillamook cheddar cheese that dripped over the accoutrements below. A few slices of bacon (additional $1) and McMenamins secret mayonnaise-mustard sauce made for a deliciously decadent burger.

The Cajun Tater Tots, which have garnered a reputation at McMenamins restaurants, lived up to the hype. Every time I’ve ordered the Tater Tots, they’ve been dependably hot, crispy, well-seasoned and served with a side of ranch dressing.

Despite unintentionally ordering a vegan dish, my partner was enthusiastic about the mystic burger. It was prepared with a Lightlife patty, a slice of Chao’s creamy original coconut-based cheese and McMenamins’ signature vegan sauce. The plant-based patty proved to have similar characteristics to a good ol’ burger with its texture and flavor.

Service

From the initial greeting at the hostess stand up until we left, the service we received was top-notch. As it grew chillier, one staff member came outside to light the outdoor fire pit next to us, keeping us warm after the sun set.

Atmosphere

The restaurant resides in a renovated 1936 Catholic school. The property includes a hotel, movie theater and soaking pool. McMenamins regularly hosts live music and trivia. Last Wednesday, Juju Eyeball performed in Father Luke’s Room and “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile” played at the Old St. Francis Theater.

More info

Location: 700 NW Bond St., Bend

Contact: 541-382-5174, mcmenamins.com/old-st-francis-school

Hours: Sunday-Thursday 8 a.m.-10 p.m. (breakfast served 8-11 a.m.), Friday-Saturday 8 a.m.-midnight

Price Range: $6.50-$43.50 per menu item

Happy Hours: Sunday-Thursday 3-6 p.m.

Happy Prices: $1 off select drinks, $2 off distillery flight, $5 off Edgefield bottles of wine, $5.25-$14.50 per food item

Cuisine: Pub