The idea behind Don Chava’s Spoon came from a dream, back when he lived in Managua, Nicaragua, Said Perez says. That dream became a reality on June 26 — World Refugee Day — on the side of Roosevelt Boulevard in Eugene. 

Perez’s family sought refuge in the U.S. in 2024 after years of political and economic instability in Managua, and moved to Eugene in November 2025. They are currently working with the Refugee & Immigrant Services Program to settle more permanently into the community. Their RISP case manager, Nancy Salgado-Villegas, has helped them land on their feet and helped publicize their food cart. Salgado-Villegas also served as a translator for the interview with Eugene Weekly. 

“I want to say it was really bumpy at first, because they had just arrived here. They were living family to family,” Salgado-Villegas says. “But once they got stable, they hit the ground running.”

Now patrons bustle into Don Chava’s Spoon, buying various hot dog combinations and plates of Nicaraguan food. Right by the food cart is Perez’s “crazy topping bar,” where restaurant-goers can top their hot dogs with jalapeños, sauces and Cheetos. The food cart has six different hot dog combinations, with Said wanting to add the “rancherito,” a hot dog with pork rinds and queso. 

Salgado-Villegas says  the main reason why Don Chava’s Spoon focuses on hot dogs is to stand out from other Latin owned late night spots that might specialize in tacos or quesadillas.

At the heart of the menu and the heart of the business is Costillas de Puerco al Estilo del Viejo Luis — a combo plate of braised pork ribs, fried yuca, fried plantains, french fries and a chopped salad. Yuca, also known as cassava, is a starchy root vegetable used in South American cuisine.

“He talks a lot with my father, and Said has a lot of paternal love for my dad, especially since he didn’t grow up with a father,” says America Medrano, Perez’s wife and co-owner of the business. “They chitchat a lot, and that’s where this recipe comes from.” 

Medrano says that Perez is a “really good cook,” and can cook various cuisines. She says that her dad wasn’t a cook, but the recipe for Costillas de Puerco came after Perez and Medrano’s father collaborated and came up with the recipe. 

“It means a lot to me because it’s a part of [Medrano’s] dad, and when we called to tell him that they were going to name the business what we did, he got very happy,” Perez says of the name Don Chava’s Spoon. “He was also very happy to learn that we were going to add Costillas de Puerco al Estilo del Viejo Luis to the menu.” 

Medrano manages the food cart and teaches their two daughters, Merichell and Nicole, business management skills. Medrano owned a family business in Managua, selling waist trainers, leather belts and other clothing items. 

“All my life, I’ve been in customer service and selling,” she says. “That’s how the girls are growing up, too — their own money and their own business.” 

In 2018, the Perezes moved to Costa Rica after ongoing political and economic violence. Medrano says that their business didn’t have the right to expand and that they weren’t able to advance economically through the store. In Costa Rica, they applied for refugee status in the U.S. 

“We use our food to bring a bit of our culture and what we are used to” to Oregon, Medrano says. After moving to Eugene, they weren’t able to find Nicaraguan-style food, and this venture allowed them to hold on to their roots. 

“He had dreamed that he had a business, and the business was named Don Chava, but he never knew where the business was going to be; he never knew any of the details,” Medrano says. “We didn’t even have a clue that we were going to be coming to the U.S., and all of this just started from a dream.”

The business venture followed them from Sacramento, California, where they initially moved in 2024. There, Said and Medrano owned a more informal business venture where they sold street food and provided catering services. 

“At least from my observation, being their case manager since they arrived, is that they are a power couple,” Salgado-Villegas says. “She supports him and all his ideas, and he leans on her so much, and I just love seeing them.”

Perez and Medrano say that the current plan is to expand the menu soon and to see what is able to sell well before they continue to add food combinations. He does plan on adding Los Ticos, a Costa Rican dish with black beans, rice, plantains and other seasonal vegetables. 

“It’s been a really big leap for us, and being surrounded by people who said ‘you can do it’ and ‘we will support you’ has been nice,” Perez says. “It’s also really nice that it’s family, because we are still all together.”

Don Chava’s Spoon is open 6 pm to 3 am from Wednesday to Sunday at 2638 Roosevelt Boulevard. This location is cash only.