Oaks Bar & Grill an exclusive treat

Why: The Oaks Bar & Grill offers an exclusive dining experience off the beaten path overlooking the immaculately groomed Camas Meadows Golf Club with mature oaks and towering evergreen trees. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. The menu, created by Executive Chef Bill Reade, features exclusive selections to pair with draft beers and refined wines.

Atmosphere: The restaurant is clad in rich wood tones with a stately presence. Lighting inside creates a warm glow, and a corner fireplace adds a touch of homeyness. Outdoor seating is some of the best around for its comfort and scenery. The absence of traffic and city noises adds to the serene ambiance.

What I tried: I had the New York Balsamico, and my dining companions tried the Camas Carver and the Untouchable Chipotle Chicken Wrap. To start our meal, we had the lettuce cups, and we finished our meal with the chocolate lava cake with ice cream and the flourless chocolate torte.

The lettuce cups, three in all, are made with butter leaf lettuce and filled with diced, marinated and grilled chicken, cabbage slaw and drizzled with a delicious sweet chili peanut sauce. We found them just right to start a meal with their fresh, light character.

The New York Balsamico is a pasta dish with a New York strip steak atop. The pasta is mixed with red onions, mushrooms, and a cavatappi and bleu cheese fondue. The steak is prepared with a balsamic reduction and is chargrilled. I found the pasta a must-try if you like bleu cheese. It was very smooth and not overly rich. The steak was a hit-and-miss experience with a tad too many chewy bites. Still, what was tender was good. It had a significant amount of char on it, as well.

My dining companions enjoyed their selections. The Camas Carver is a French dip-style sandwich with shaved prime rib, gruyere, caramelized onions, roasted garlic and aioli. A side of au jus is served with it for dipping. The wrap contains jack cheese, avocado, tomato, lettuce and chipotle aioli and barbecue sauce with the chicken in a spinach wrap. My dining companion liked what the sauce brought to the otherwise standard ingredients.

Of the desserts, we preferred the lava cake. I especially liked the ice cream with it, which reminded me of ice milk.

Menu highlight beyond what I tried: The Kalbi Short Rib starters made from Angus beef short ribs in Korean spices, cane sugar and toasted chili sounded tasty, as did the Bay Shrimp ceviche. Salads include a Caesar and chop salad. The Bowl-In-One salad combines quinoa, pulled white chicken, red grapes, cucumber, artichoke, onion, spinach and a honey and lime dressing. The Oaks tacos are made with shredded cabbage, pico de gallo, house made cilantro jalapeño sauce with cod, chicken, steak, or salmon. The citrus hoisin salmon served with basmati rice and sesame fried green beans with citrus ponzu and maifun sounded intriguing. Pizzas include a meaty Italian combination, and a Thai chicken. Omelets, eggs Benedict, buttermilk pancakes, a New York steak breakfast, biscuits and gravy, and a scramble are among the breakfast options.

Other observations: Outdoor seating has a spectacular view of the greens and is very peaceful. The service was professional and the food was just what I expected with a cost that reflects the entire experience.

Cost: Breakfast options range from $8.50 to $16.50. Sides cost $2.50 to $4.50. Lunch and dinner starters are $9.50 to $13. Salads cost $10 to $14.50. A cup of soup is $5 and a bowl is $7. Pizzas are 10 inches and cost 13 to $15. Burgers and other options range from $12.50 to $23. Happy Hour selections are $7 to $10.50. Pizzas during Happy Hour are $3 off. Wine ranges from $6 to $15 by the glass and $20 to $67 by the bottle.