The Q Finds a Home in Waitsburg

WAITSBURG - If you're in Waitsburg and in the mood for a great cup of coffee, a tri-tip steak breakfast burrito, a bowl of gourmet soup or a freshly-baked treat, there's just one place to look: The Q Wood Fired Grill. Owners Emry and Sandy Kleck, accomplished chef Jeff Davis and barista Nichole Wood combine their passion for food and drink with an appreciation for community and the individuals they serve.

From the beginning, the Klecks's had a vision for the type of atmosphere they wanted to create in their restaurant; one where community and interaction with the guests is nearly as important as the food itself.

"When we took over the lease I was worrying about menus and all the logistics and Emry started building tables," said Sandy laughing. While it may seem an odd priority, those tables and benches - crafted from strips of Douglas Fir that Emry selected himself and sanded by hand - are symbolic of The Q's philosophy.

"We wanted big, long tables to accommodate wine tastings, but also to be more communal, where you can sit down next to someone you don't know and make a friend. I love to watch the connections between people," said Sandy, who shared the story of a customer who came in with a familiar accent. It turned out that he was not only from Pennsylvania, but also from her hometown of Norristown. "It happens all the time. There's just all kinds of crazy 'small world' stuff like that," she said.

Emry also hand crafts the wood-fired Santa Maria Grills he uses to cook the marinated steaks, chicken, fish, shellfish and grilled vegetables used in The Q's signature dishes. His latest project is creating the outdoor kitchen located outside the back door of the restaurant. In keeping with the communal approach, guests will be able to sit in the landscaped, covered patio area and visit as they watch Emry grill.

According to Sandy, it was a serendipitous series of events that led them into the catering and restaurant business. The Kleck's lived in Santa Barbara, Calif. before they moved to Cove, Ore. in 2000, and then to Dayton in 2004. Emry began cooking for friends and family who came to visit them in Santa Barbara.

"Everybody knew Emry loved to cook and that he would cook for anyone who would stand in front of him!" she said.

After moving to Dayton, Sandy, who has many years experience in the wine and restaurant industries, went back to school and graduated from the WWCC Enology and Viticulture program in 2006. She then began working at Tamarack Cellars, which she loved. Word of Emry's cooking hobby got out and he was soon cooking for wine club parties and private dinners on the side, while working full-time at O'Brien Motors.

A back injury and subsequent surgery in 2012 left Sandy unable to continue her winery work. At the same time, Emry began grilling at Waitsburg's jimgermanbar on Friday nights, which spurred a great deal of interest in The Q. The Klecks began to wonder if they could take their catering business full-time.

"We started booking parties and by mid-May we had most of the summer booked," Sandy said.

Emry quit his job in June of this year and the couple began catering full-time. They cater events such as winemaker dinners, weddings, corporate meetings, and events at the Powerhouse Theater. Sandy says they cover everything from multi-course gourmet dinners complete with wine pairings to family style buffets.

The couple rented the commercial kitchen in Waitsburg's Town Hall before their current space, the former home of Coppei Coffee, became available in July. Sandy said they walked in and fell in love with the place, though she had never intended to operate a restaurant.

Attempting to cover the catering business and the restaurant at the same time has been a challenge, but Sandy's brother, Jeff Davis, recently moved from Philadelphia to help with the restaurant, enabling The Q to set regular restaurant hours while still maintaining the catering business. "We can finally stop trying to be two places at once," said Sandy.

Davis boasts over thirty years of restaurant experience. He studied at the Philadelphia

Restaurant School before working as a private chef and at several upscale Philadelphia restaurants. For thirteen years, he and a partner ran Full of Soup, a popular soup stand with locations at the Bellevue Hotel and Liberty Place in Philadelphia. He last worked at a historic Pennsylvania bed and breakfast before heading out west to take advantage of the opportunity to work with his sister.

In addition to his gourmet soups, Davis worked with Emry to perfect the perfect "over-the-top" cheese steak sandwich. Sandy says it is a kind of "east meets west" version using tri tip steak and apple slaw.

The Q is currently open for brunch on the weekends from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. They are open at 7:30 a.m. on Monday - Friday and close at 2 p.m. on Monday, Thursday and Friday and at 11 a.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday. Signature dishes include tri tip steak breakfast burritos, steak and eggs, and cheese steak sandwiches.

Barista Nichole Wood, who Sandy says has been key in making the restaurant work, loves making custom drinks using Walla Walla Roastery beans and several sauces and syrups made in-house.

After the busy holiday catering season, the Klecks plan to bring Friday music nights back to Main Street. Sandy said they're hoping to bring in more types of music and she is hopeful that Whitman college students will participate, as well as local talent.

Sandy said she, Emry and Davis all feel that Waitsburg is primed for growth. "We feel like Waitsburg is on the verge of something big. It's exciting to be a part of what is, hopefully, a re-energizing of the downtown area," she said. "It's been crazy and exhausting, but we love it! The community has been very supportive and generous in spirit."