The drive through the Willamette Valley—especially if you take back roads—takes you through idyllic pastures and picturesque old downtowns, most notably McMinnville, home to Bistro Maison, which glows warmly next to an ancient train station. The Bistro’s patio is terrific, separated from the street by shady pines, and watched over by a dog named Lily, who sleeps quietly in the corner. Make reservations to guarantee a coveted spot out here. Inside, the lighting and wallpaper match the age of the building. French artwork dots the walls, and light jazz floats through the air. Padded leather chairs surround linen-covered tables.

The wine list is long, if redundant, and full of French and Oregon bottles at all price points (the latter have higher markups). We love how many half-bottle choices there are—especially key if you’ve got to drive back to Portland.

Service is friendly and efficient, if awkwardly formal at times (staff will read the specials off to you even while you’re staring down at them). The chef and his wife often come out to greet tables. It’s a meal you want to love before you’ve even taken a bite.

And, just like when you visit a friend’s house for dinner, the food is deeply enjoyable, if not mind-blowing. The kitchen makes good use of seasonal ingredients, like in a soup bursting with summery local corn and Vidalia onion. But a “Caprese” salad of local peaches and mozzarella—while a good idea—may feature impenetrable peaches or chewy and bland mozzarella di bufala. Other salads like Neskowin pepper greens with bacon, local berries, toasted almonds, and triple-cream cow’s-milk cheese, have been great.

Mussels and french fries are reliably good here. Carlton Farms thick-cut pork chops are properly cooked to a tender, deep pink, but one preparation of grilled peaches on top and a peach sauce was overkill; a different version with mixed berries fared much better. Hanger steak came tender one night, full of inedible tendon on another night.

Desserts bring the meal up a peg, with deftly made profiteroles au chocolat, filled with vanilla bean ice cream, and served with warm chocolate sauce; and a brilliant Napoleon of crispy, flaky layers. It’s a sweet note to end on as you contemplate the evening sky, far from the trendy, ambitious restaurants of the city.