Grit is Elegant in the Whit

There’s a new kid on the block in Whiteaker’s culinary community. Grit is dignified but rough around the edges. And in keeping with Eugene’s passion for the slow food movement, Grit will offer an entirely farm-to-table menu that will change weekly if not nightly. Continue reading 

Brunch and Seafood, Oh My!

“No foams, no gels,” says Sara Ellis, self-proclaimed “serial entrepreneur” and owner of the soon-to-open Carmelita Spats. Although the name invokes Mexican seafood (Carmelita is the name of her Chihuahua, and spats refers to mollusks) this is not really representative of the direction of the restaurant. It is more representative of the unique style of this restaurant. Continue reading 

Seoul Food

The biggest mistake one could make when eating at downtown Eugene’s Noodle Bowl is to order a noodle bowl. It’s a delicious dish but a safe Americanized choice as EW’s Best of Eugene Korean gem. “When the people come, if they want to try Korean food, I want them to ask the servers and get a recommendation rather than just getting a noodle bowl,” says Jae Lee, server and son of owner Sue Lee.  Continue reading 

Reuben off!

There are a lot of businesses around Eugene that claim to have “The Best Reuben in Town.” The sandwich itself is iconic across the country: Rye bread loaded with either pastrami or corned beef, topped with sauerkraut and either Thousand Island dressing or Russian dressing. We decided that it would be fitting to find out who, if anyone, deserved the title for “the best.” Many Reubens were eaten. Lengthy discussions were held. Criteria changed and evolved to account for creativity and tradition. Continue reading 

Celebrate Eugene

Oh Eugene, you’re not happy unless you’re complaining about the heat, the rain, too little to do downtown, too many bars downtown … and the fact that it costs money to go to the Eugene Celebration, Aug. 23-25. Pony up, kids, and get ready for three days of what makes Eugene what it is: SLUG queens roaming the streets, anarchists dancing to local music while the mayor grooves nearby, good eats and good fun.  Continue reading 

Cars, Cars, Cars

Shiny cars from old to new downtown

Most people peruse the Eugene Celebration looking for things to buy, food to eat or entertainment to watch. Most don’t think of it as an opportunity to time travel. However, on 8th Avenue between Charnelton and Olive, the Show ‘n’ Shine Classic Car Show will give Eugeneans the opportunity to travel nearly 90 years in one stroll of about 100 cars. At the Celebration, you might expect to see a bike show rather than a car show, but cars still seem to be a timeless way to look at American culture.  Continue reading