This cute, quaint little restaurant just 28 miles outside of Salem on the road to Bend is a veritable goldmine of epicurean treats for the not-so-faint of arteries.

The signature specialty is, not surprisingly, gingerbread. Enjoy a great big gingerbread cookie, a large portion of fresh gingerbread cake smothered in vanilla ice cream or a delightful gingerbread milkshake.

The restaurant, founded by the Roth family in 1954, has changed hands three times since, and is currently owned and operated by Diane and Mark Pantovich.

The restaurant also serves standard fare such as burgers, fish and chips, and other desserts. But the big draw will always be gingerbread and elk burgers. Not exactly the first combo to roll off Emeril's tongue, but hey, this is Oregon.

The elk burger is exceptionally tasty -- and lean. Who says lean has to be cardboard-esque? This is one good burger, and for $4.65 (with cheese), a reasonable value.

The Pantoviches wait on a fair blend of locals and tourists. Some friendly banter revealed what one might have already suspected: The locals love their gingerbread, and their Pantoviches.
As one woman said, "Where else can you go, take a lot of guff, and still not want to wait to come back for more?"

The Gingerbread House is undergoing a major facelift, and fans hopefully will like the changes. Diane says, "We have had some pretty cute things outside, but have suffered some vandalism in the past. But we will be remodeling soon, increasing capacity a bit, and we hope to be done by the first of the year."

With a three year run until retirement, the Pantoviches hope to complete the remodeling while continuing to turn out incredible gingerbread and elk burgers.

The Gingerbread House compares favorably with national giants such as Burgerville. But the TLC put into it and the diversion it offers on that long road between Bend and Salem makes a stop well worth it. The gingerbread cookies are huge and just $1.50, as is the gingerbread cake. Cake a la mode is $2.75. The tasty and very popular fish and chips is just $6.