Owners announce plans for FivePine restaurant

The owners of the Restaurant at FivePine have announced plans for a reboot of the restaurant, which will come to full fruition at the beginning of April.

As of April 1, the restaurant, to be named Thyme, will be under the management of T.R. and Jennifer McCrystal, whose Jen's Garden restaurant in Sisters has become a destination for those who love fine food from across the Pacific Northwest.

Until then, the Restaurant at FivePine remains open Wednesday-Saturday, 4 to 9 p.m., with the McCrystals offering guidance.

"During this transition period, it'll be an opportunity to add things to the menu, to try things out," T.R., who will act as consulting manager, told The Nugget.

A new menu is already in place, and the 4 to 6 p.m. happy hour featuring low-cost menu items has recently drawn large numbers.

"We got just slammed on Friday, almost out of the blue," said partner Tate Metcalf.

T.R. explained the kind of atmosphere he seeks in what will become a "brasserie-style" restaurant.

"From my perspective, it's providing a place where people can come and enjoy an aesthetic bar atmosphere," he said.

The food will offer good value and be health-oriented, he said.

"I want to get away from the old American cuisine - a huge plate, a super-salad and do you want ranch or bleu cheese dressing..."

That tacks with what Metcalf hears from the clientele at the adjacent Sisters Athletic Club.

"They want more impromptu, 'Hey, what are we doing for dinner tonight. Let's go out,'" he said.

Sisters Athletic Club offers child care for diners at its Kids' Club.

The McCrystals will continue to operate Jen's Garden, with Jennifer managing at the future Thyme and sous chef Caryl Hosler transitioning to head chef at the new restaurant.

Jen's Garden will reopen in February, when the McCrystals return from their annual winter break.

Bill Willitts, one of the partners in the restaurant, acknowledges false starts and missteps in trying to establish a successful restaurant at the FivePine campus.

"The five partners that got involved in this are good businessmen, but didn't know the first thing about the restaurant business," he said. "There was not an ex-restauranteur in the group, and that was a huge mistake."

When things did not go well with previous endeavors, the partners rushed to make a quick fix.

"We were always in a hurry," Willitts said.

This time around, the partners chose to make a slow transition, trying to get things right and putting trust in the McCrystals. There will be renovations, and Willitts noted that "T.R. and Jen are professionally hiring the best staff."

For their part, the McCrystals believe a good restaurant with a welcoming atmosphere is important to Sisters.

"To me, I saw this as... something the community would really benefit from," T.R. said. "The first thing we need to do is take care of the people who are here, who support us. If you can win them, everybody who comes to town will want to come."

Jennifer noted that the quality of FivePine as a resort requires a good restaurant.

"It's just disappointing that the restaurant hasn't excelled," she said.

The McCrystals are confident that they can make the restaurant shine.

"It's kind of been a lump of coal for a little while," T.R. said. "And now we're pressing it."