It’s Mother’s Day today, and after sending messages and talking to all of the mothers I know I decided to visit a place I’d only been to once before. Located in North Plains, The OId Hich’en Post is a reminder that a restaurant need not be terribly fancy to serve fantastic food. The staff is friendly, the service is great, and the atmosphere is wonderful. Located about ten minutes north of Hillsboro along Glencoe Road through some lovely roads the town of North Plains is experiencing some revitalization and I’ll be doing more visits for some of their festivals and other restaurant offerings.
The Old Hich’en Post sign is easily seen from Glencoe Road and the restaurant is located on the north end of North Plains. It has a large parking lot and at least on this particular Mother’s Day was relatively full. The outside entrance has several large Oregon native plants blooming and the greenery is a reminder that spring is upon us here in the Willamette Valley.
The inside is decorated somewhat sparsely but it works because the wooden floor and the white walls are a nice blend together. The bar chairs are comfortable and the tables are roomy and beautifully polished. There is also a pair of large booths at the north and south corners that allows a different seating option for folks who want to sit there.
The serving window is always busy and the back room cooks must be working a lot as they process the orders – it seems like the wait staff is constantly rushing back and forth making sure customers are well handled. Nobody feels neglected or at all less than super well taken care of here.
There is a nice table large near the back that allows parties of twelve to dine together, which is a nice feature of the Old Hich’en Post.
There is a large variety of jams and tabasco sauces on each table. The menu at the Old Hich’en Post was great featuring specials like the Hich’en Logger and a large variety of omelettes which I can verify are amazing – and can’t usually be finished during one meal. Be prepared to take a bit home. The prices are reasonable and my favorite – chicken fried steak is only eight dollars on the menu.
I ordered the chicken fried steak as usual and was pleasantly surprised to discover that it was completely homemade. The chicken fried steak itself was crispy and fresh, just wonderful tasting. The gravy was thick and fantastic tasting. The biscuit was freshly made and just delicious. The home fries were crispy and lightly seasoned with some cajun seasoning and perfectly cooked.
Overall I give the Old Hich’en Post four and a half Hey Willamettes, the only detractor I had today is that because it was Mother’s Day and it was so busy I had to sit right buy the door and since it’s still a bit chilly in Oregon every time someone came in or out I was shivering. However, the food is delicious, the service is top notch, the atmosphere is fantastic and the prices are very reasonable. If you happen to be a near North Plains give the Old Hich’en Post a try, I’m sure you won’t be sorry.
Hey Willamette Valley 