Food Geography
Three meals and dessert near campus
By Sarah Decker & Shannon Finnell
Salmon on sourdough from Eugene City Bakery. Trask Bedortha. |
Good food seems to disappear from any college student’s life. With busy schedules, limited funds and even more limited mobility, many Webfoots find themselves eating frozen this and a box of that while hankering for tasty, local food. But leaving campus for downtown can be a pain in the ass, and a lot of close-to-campus cuisine is served up by a cartoon character or eaten on repeat. Worry not Ducklings, the corner of 19th and Agate provides you with what you’re craving, and more, all without the unnerving glow of the golden arches.
First things first: Rising for that early morning class can be insurmountable without a cup of Joe to get you through. Eugene City Bakery, which expanded to include the space next door, offers a coffee and espresso menu, serving Café Mam coffee as well as an assortment of pastries baked fresh each day, plus a selection of lunch items. No reason not to grab a cookie or one of the many other mouthwatering desserts for a little later in the day.
If you’ve learned the art of scheduling no class before noon, you might spend a little extra time enjoying breakfast at Studio One. The menu has for years landed on our number-one breakfast list, the crux of which is Studio One’s selection of gourmet French toast or variety of eggs Benedict. They serve breakfast all day, as well as burgers and sandwiches.
If it’s a break between classes you need, Agate Alley Bistro can serve it up. Its menu includes everything from the standard (sandwiches, pizzas) to the downright experimental (pumpkin enchiladas, pork belly sliders), all of which are delectable. It also keeps the primo grub rolling on into the evening and provides a raucous list of weekly events including Taco Tuesday, Drink Wheel Thursday and House Party Saturday.
For a meandering evening, walk just two doors over to find McMenamins 19th Street. Here you can combine standard pub fare and microbrews with a game of pool or darts and even stick around for televised Duck games. When dinner includes that special someone or the need to impress that special someone’s parents when they visit, Beppe and Gianni’s has you covered. Serving up some of the best Italian food in town, including an ever-changing daily ravioli selection, B&G’s will fill you up with good food and good feelings, just like Aunt Rose back home.
And last but certainly not least, don’t forget to satisfy that sweet tooth. Prince Pückler’s Gourmet Ice Cream scoops up rich creamy ice cream and caters to that limited funding we all face with deals such as the Tuesday Hot Fudge Sunday special for $2.95.
have you heard…
Always wanted to visit France, but just don’t have the money? Let’s face it: The real reason to go is the food. And Marché offers a monthly French regional dinner, each focusing on a different food and wine region, and presents it with a prix-frixe tasting menu paired with wine. Check out www.marcherestaurant.com/events for more information.
Guess what you’re missing out on (if you don’t already have tickets)? Boil ‘n’ Brew, Delacata and Ninkasi Brewing’s crawfish boil, is this Sunday, Oct. 9. Tickets are sold out, but we hear it’s going to be an annual event, so keep it on the radar for next year.
A new handcrafted ice cream business in town is Red Wagon Creamery, with carts at the Springfield and Eugene farmers markets, Kesey Plaza and elsewhere (plus we’ve gotten some at Party Cart). Owners are chef Emily and her husband Stuart Phillips. See www.redwagoncreamery.com or call 337-0780.