Bandon Dunes, Oregon: Helen's Place (Airbnb) - A Bit Pricey, But A Good Place To Stay Very Close To Bandon Dunes

Airbnb Helen's Place

Entire Cottage - 1BR / 1 BA, Pull-Out Sofa, Kitchen

5 Minute Drive from Bandon Dunes Golf Resort

Price: $$$$

Airbnb Listing - Click Here

The cottage was rustic, but very nice and the proximity to Bandon Dunes was a big plus, just a five minute drive from the main clubhouse. The king size bed was very comfy and the kitchen/bathroom were well equipped for a short stay. The highlight of our stay was Peanut, the host’s sweet kitty who greeted us on arrival and stopped by to say hi throughout our stay.

It's the little things that make a host a Super Host, so here are some of the constructive suggestions I offered our hosts ...

Travelers assign 5-star ratings far too easily and do a disservice to subsequent travelers by not being honest. I have a popular travel website and owe it to my 80,000 readers each and every year to be completely honest, otherwise they would not return. Honesty and integrity are my top two core values, so I have to be truthful no matter what.

I travel all over the world and have stayed in many Airbnb's. Helen’s partner, Eddy, gave us a nice welcome, but Helen never introduced herself, even when I went to the door to find out where the sheets for the fold-out couch were. 

Many hosts leave a personal welcome note and something that shows that they are glad we are staying with them such as a bottle of inexpensive wine, homemade cookies, chocolates, coffee/creamers/Keurig/sweeteners and the like. Our welcome was just a single coffee filter and a bag of coffee beans (no grinder), so we had to go out and buy 200 filters and a bag of ground coffee. 

Finally, one or both of them could have come out on the morning we were leaving to say goodbye and thank us for staying with them, and paying $315 for 2 nights, but that did not happen.

As I said, I don't bring these things up to be mean or to insult the hosts, I'm hoping to help them become better hosts by offering some small suggestions to make future guests feel more welcome and appreciated, therefore enhancing the value of their accommodation.

We rarely pay more than $75 per night on Airbnb's and I'm talking about nice, private apartments in central London, Paris, Lyon, Lisbon, and Tel Aviv, just to name a few. At over $150 per night, I was not overly impressed by the cottage, but I think Bandon locals are taking advantage of tourists/golfers in general because this was actually one of the cheaper places in the area. 

CombatCritic Gives Helen's Place A Very Respectable 6 Out Of 10 Bombs, Leaving Room For Improvement ... More Bombs Are Better!

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Title: Bandon Dunes, Oregon: Helen's Place (Airbnb) - A Bit Pricey, But A Good Place To Stay Very Close To Bandon Dunes

Key Words: Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Helen, Airbnb, golf, course, Bandon, Pacific, dunes, OldMacDonald, sheep, ranch, resort, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, hotel, accommodation, review, Yelp, Google, Facebook

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Coos Bay, Oregon: A Delicious Taste of Germany in Coos Bay

Blue Heron Bistro

100 Commercial Avenue

Coos Bay, OR 97420

German, Seafood

Website: blueheronbistro.com

Phone number: (541) 267-3933

Prices: $$$$

Hours on Yelp are wrong, they are open from 4pm to 8pm daily. Therefore, it is difficult to make a reservation, handy during COVID distancing requirements, because they only answer the phone during business hours.

It's a cute little place on a corner right on the main drag going south in Coos Bay. It has a Bavarian look inside and out, reminiscent of many a gästhaus I have been to in Germany. They even have a small biergarten out back with three large picnic tables.

They have a nice selection of traditional German favorites at reasonable prices. I had the Jägerschnitzel ($22), coming with a cup of goulash soup, a small salad, and bread before the main course arrives. The schnitzel was huge with a wonderful crispy batter that was light, not greasy and topped with a tasty mushroom gravy, accompanied by hot, crispy and light french fries. I normally like the more traditional fried potatoes with my schnitzel, but the fries were yummy and plentiful.

My only negative and a personal pet peeve of mine was that our entrees came out way too soon. We were not even halfway through our soup and salad when the owner arrived with our dinners. I have spent many years in the restaurant business and there is no reason the next course should arrive before the last course is finished and cleared from the table. They probably would have gotten my highest rating had they not screwed this one up.

The meal was a very good value, considering that we paid nearly the same amount we had at Foley's Pub in Bandon the night before, getting three times as much food and a much higher quality meal ... ACHTUNG!

CombatCritic Gives Blue Heron Bistro 8 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Eight Bombs Equates To:

Translation for Civilians: "What-The-Fuck ... Over!"

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Title: Coos Bay, Oregon: A Delicious Taste of Germany in Coos Bay 

Key Words: Coos Bay, Oregon, Blue Heron Bistro, blue, heron, bistro, German, Germany, schnitzel, Jägerschnitzel, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, hotel, accommodation, destination, product, service, business, review, Yelp, Zomato, Google, Facebook

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Bandon, OR: Second Verse, Same As The First - Tiny Pub Grub For Big Bucks

Foley's Irish Pub

160 Baltimore Avenue

Bandon, OR 97411

foleysirishpubbandon.com

Phone number: (541) 329-2203

Prices: $$$$

There was a young barmaid named Heidi

Who greeted us and offered a pi-e

The Shepherd's was small

But Heidi was tall

And we paid too much, leaving angry.

Heidi was very nice and treated us well, but having arrived 10 minutes before posted closing, we were told that the kitchen was closed, so all we could get were a cup of Clam Chowder ($6), a slice of Shepherd's Pie ($15), and an IPA ($7.75). We didn't know the prices, having assumed by the decor that it would be fairly reasonable. It was not, having paid $70, including tip, for a cup of soup, a tiny slice of lukewarm shepherd's pie, and a decent size mug o' IPA.

How does a place close the kitchen before posted closing hours? If they are supposed to be open until 9pm, then the goddamm kitchen should not shut down until 9:01pm. With that being said, Irishman owner, Foley I assume, sat down at a nearby table around 9:30pm and polished off a plate full of Bourbon Marinated Pork Ribs and Fries ($19.95) while we ate our nearly cold shepherd's pie.

Beside being overpriced, the food was bland and not hot. From what I have seen, the city of Bandon takes advantage of its proximity to the world renowned Bandon Dunes Golf Resort where we played earlier that day (Pacific Dunes), overcharging golfers who have little choice of restaurants in the area.

CombatCritic Gives Foley's Irish Pub 3 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Three Bombs Equates To:

Translation for Civilians: "Situation Normal, All Fucked Up"

Read More Reviews By CombatCritic:

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Read Chris S.'s review of Foley's Irish Pub on Yelp

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Title: Bandon, OR: Second Verse, Same As The First - Tiny Pub Grub For Big Bucks

Key Words: Bandon, OR, Foley's Irish Pub, Foley's, Foley, Irish, Ireland, pub, grub, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, hotel, accommodation, destination, product, service, business, review, Yelp, Zomato, TripAdvisor, Google, Facebook

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Naples, Italy: Airbnb - Viviana 'Entire Condo' Was A Single Room Shared With Two Others And She Threw Me Out For Being American!

Viviana's Zona Ospedale Condo?

Location was as described, but it was not an entire condominium as advertised, it was a small, single room and bathroom in a 3-bedroom condo that has been sectioned off. You do not get the entire apartment, you have to share it with at least two other people.

The host discriminated against me upon arrival, telling me that I had to leave because Italy requires Americans to self-quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. My Airbnb profile clearly displays our hometown, Portland, Oregon, so there should have been no surprise after making the reservation weeks ago.

I did not have the COVID-19 virus, having tested negative for COVID BEFORE DEPARTURE and traveled for 24 hours with a medical-grade face mask and face shield. 

I was then forced to go stay with my 80-year old mother who recently had a stroke, the reason I traveled to Naples, potentially exposing her to the virus instead of self-quarantining in an isolated location. I checked several other Airbnb's and local hotels after she threw me out, but they refused to let me stay because Neapolitans are ignorant and apparently are able to discriminate against Americans like Viviana did.

CombatCritic Gives Viviana 1 Bomb Out Of 10 And A Spot On My 'WALL FO SHAME' ... More Bombs Are Better!

Gearhart, OR: Gearhart Golf Link's Sand Trap Pub Was Sub-Par

McMenamins Sand Trap Pub
1157 North Marion Avenue
Gearhart, OR 97138
(503) 717-8150
Click Here To View Menu
Prices: $$$$

Fairly typical McMenamins fare and service, mediocre at best. The building and view of Gearhart Golf Links, the oldest course west of the Mississippi, is wonderful, but the service was slow and my burger and fries sub-par, excuse the pun.

We sat on the veranda overlooking the golf course after an OGA Senior Pro-Am event on a beautiful, calm, mild July afternoon. It took forever for a server to greet us and take our drink order as was the case the rest of our meal even though there were very few customers seated.

My Bacon Cheeseburger ($16) came with cheddar cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles and their secret sauce as well as fries of tots. I got the fries and asked for grilled onion instead of red onion. When by meal arrived, the red onions were still there and there was barely a trace of grilled onions even though they up-charged me $1.50 them without telling me. The fries were few, burnt to a crisp, and barely warm, but the burger itself was OK, not great.

I have been to several McMenamins and have been unimpressed with the service and food overall. With tip, my burger, fries, and a beer ($6.50 for a 12-ounce glass) cost me over $25, a bit much for what I got and a poor overall value.

CombatCritic Gives McMenamins Sand Trap Pub 3 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Three Bombs Equates To:

Translation for Civilians: "Situation Normal, All Fucked Up"

Read More Reviews By CombatCritic:

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Title: Gearhart, OR: Gearhart Golf Link's Sand Trap Pub Was Sub-Par

Key Words: Gearhart, Seaside, OR, McMenamins Sand Trap Pub, McMenamins, Sand, Trap, Pub, hamburger, fries, beer, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, review, Yelp, Zomato

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Vancouver, WA: Great, Wood-Fired Neapolitan Pizza Now In SW Vancouver ... HOOAH!

Pizzeria La Sorrentina
3000 SE 164th Avenue, Suite 107
Vancouver, WA 98683
(360) 314-4447
lasorrentinavw.com
Prices $$$$

Amy and Daisuke Matsumoto ran Pizzeria Las Sorrentina out of a trailer in NW Vancouver, but decided it was time to expand across town to the southwest part of town and am I glad they did!

We had a bad experience last year, having driven 20 miles to try their famous pizza Napoletana (Naples, Italy style), but were turned away just 2 minutes after closing. I was unhappy, but Daisuke and I messaged back and forth, got to know each other, and I promised I would give them another try. We were there last Sunday on just their second night of dine-in service.

I never knew many of these businesses existed because their backs are on 164th, so it took some time to find the place, even with Google Maps.  The pizzeria is in a large, new space with a big dining room, huge kitchen, and massive patio out back on 164th (that will be open soon). With COVID-19 social distancing protocols in place, less than half the tables were available and the counter/bar was closed altogether. They are still in the process of decorating and expanding the menu, but the place is attractive and they have a nice selection of appetizers (antipasti), salads (insalate), pizzas (pizze), pastas (tipi di pasta), and desserts (dolci) although I do not recall seeing a drink menu.

Daisuke Matsumoto - Chef / Pizzaiuolo / Owner

We were warmly greeted by a young lady in a mask and seated by the exit to the patio. Menus are a no-no during the crisis, so you have to scan a barcode upon entry in order to view their offerings. I decided on the Pizza Diavola ($16 - in the devils way), my tomato-hating wife ordered the Pizza Quattro Formaggi ($15 - four cheeses), my son got the traditional Pizza Margherita ($12 - named after Queen Margherita of Italy and is red, white, and green in honor of the Italian flag), and his fiancè the Pizza Marinara with veggies ($12 - vegan).

Diavola - $16

Quattro Formaggi - $15

Margherita -$12

Marinara (Vegan) - $12

All of the pizzas were Neapolitan size, bigger than most individual 'wood-fired' pizzas you get in the US, and looked just like the hundreds I have eaten in Napoli (Naples - I was stationed there for 3 years, having met my wife, a Sicilian, in 2000). I tried my wife's pizza and it was quite tasty, a fact we both agreed on, and a thumbs-up from someone who grew up in Naples, the birthplace of pizza, is high praise indeed. My son's and his fiancès pizzas were perfectly cooked as well and they both raved about them. Daisuke was trained as a pizzaiuolo (pizza maker) in Naples where the ingredients and baking methods for Neapolitan pizza are strictly regulated.

I consider myself a bit of an aficionado when it comes to pizza Napoletana, having been trained as a chef (in my spare time) during my three years living there and attended a Vera Pizza Napoletana (true Neapolitan pizza) course in 2019. Therefore, I am a certified pizzaiuolo in my own right.

Pizza diavola is one of my favorites, along with pizza con salsiccia e friarielli (sausage and sautéed broccoli rabe, a Neapolitan specialty), so I am used to having it prepared in a certain way because pizzaiuoli (plural) in Naples DO NOT experiment with recipes. You will not get pineapple, chicken, or BBQ sauce on your pizza in Naples, no matter how much you whine. 

Diavola (the devil's way) refers to the olio piccante (EVO mixed with hot peppers and left to soak for months) sprinkled liberally over a Margherita pizza topped with sliced salami. Daisuke's diavola comes with 'mama lil’ peppers', which I thought were hot, spicy peppers like those in olio piccante, but they were not. Instead, I got diced red bell peppers in a very slightly spicy agrodolce (sweet and sour) sauce on top of mine, not quite what I was expecting. It was good, but I am not a huge sweet and sour kinda guy and mama lil' peppers overwhelmed the pizza so that I could barely detect the wonderful mozzarella and salami. I had to ask for some olio piccante to spice-up the pizza and was a tad disappointed because it was not what I was expecting.

The pizzas are moderately priced by West Coast standards, so I will not ding them there, but, for comparison, a top-notch pizza diavola in Naples goes for around $5.65 and a Margherita is just $4.50 most places, a little less than one-third of La Sorrentina's prices. We did not have any appetizers, drinks (except water), or dessert (even though Daisuke was kind enough to offer) and the total for four came to $51 and change (not including tip), a reasonably priced Father's Day meal in the Portland area.

Daisuke and CombatCritic

I am looking forward to returning to try new and different things, and I hope that Daisuke and Amy are hugely successful in their brand new location. The COVID crisis has decimated many restaurants and businesses, an extremely difficult industry in any case, but I believe La Sorrentina will flourish in their new location. 

Salsiccia e Friarielli (Naples - $5.65)

I have just two recommendations: 1) Lose the 'mama lil' peppers' and drizzle olio piccante on your salami pizza to make it a true 'diavola'; and 2) add a Pizza con Salsiccia e Friarielli to the menu. 

In bocca al lupo Daisuke (literally, 'in the mouth of the wolf' - an Italian phrase for good luck, to which you should always respond 'crepe', not with a 'thank you' because that would reverse your luck)!

CombatCritic Gives Pizzeria La Sorrentina 9 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Nine Bombs Equates To:

Translation for Civilians: "U.S. Marine Response To A Verbal Greeting Or As An Expression Of Enthusiasm"

Read More Reviews By CombatCritic:

Yelp "GOLD" ELITE '14/'15/'16/'17/'18/'19/'20  

• Over 1.4 Million Views A Year

Read Chris S.'s review of Pizzeria La Sorrentina on Yelp

Tabelog - Official Judge - "Silver"

Zomato - #1 Ranked "VERIFIED" CONNOISSEUR (13) - Over  4 Million Review And Photo Views ... And Counting - #1 Reviewer in Portland, Oregon!

Booking.com - Frequent Traveler "Genius"

Google Maps - "Top Photographer" With Over 3 Million Views!

... And Don't Forget To Subscribe To TravelValue TV on YouTube and our sister channel, CombatCounselor Chronicles, with Over 1,250 Subscribers and 1,000,000 Video Views ... HOOAH!

Title: Vancouver, WA: Great, Wood-Fired Neapolitan Pizza Now In SW Vancouver ... HOOAH!

Key Words: Vancouver, WA, Pizzeria La Sorrentina, pizzeria, Sorrentina, wood-fired Neapolitan, pizza, pasta, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, Facebook

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