Eugene Weekly

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 →

Summer is shining ahead of us, and one of its brightest parts is plodding through the dirt to gather Oregon berries in the morning sun. Fortunately, u-pick farms surround Eugene, making the experience easily accessible. Check out these farms (and there are many more!) for their u-pick options; we’ve organized them by distance from the Park Blocks that host the Lane County Farmers Market. Many of these farms are augmented with other fresh produce, flowers and baked goods you can pick up, plus it’s a great way to wear out kids if you’ve got ‘em. Continue reading →

When Chef Walid “Willie” Saleeby makes traditional Lebanese food, he’s replicating the dishes his mother and grandmother made for him in Lebanon when he was a boy. It’s not about working off a recipe, he says, but remembering all those tastes and textures — that’s what makes the best traditional meals. Continue reading →

Eating healthy as a taste snob can be a chore. But not at Tru Veg. Crystal DuBoyce and Brian Igarta, and their 12-year-old daughter Skye, serve up plant-based foods packed with both flavor and nutrition from a tiny white trailer in the parking lot of an automotive business on Chambers Street. They’ve divided the menu at Tru Veg in two: cooked vegan food and raw, or living, food.  Continue reading →

Mitchel Hescheles’ grandfather woke every morning at 2:30, tending his farm before heading to work at a factory. After retiring, he refused to get out of bed before 11:11 am. Hescheles is unclear why his granddad picked such an arbitrary time, but he decided to pay homage to his hardworking grandpa when opening Chow, his new restaurant on South A Street in downtown Springfield.  Continue reading →

Securing a seat at certain times was nearly a sport at chef Gabriel Gil and restaurateur Cory Stamp’s first restaurant incarnation in Eugene, the Rabbit Bistro and Bar. The space was tiny and Chef Gil’s creativity was staunched by a lack of storage space, famously leading to a “no substitutions” clause on the menu. And that “no ketchup” thing? “That truly was because I forgot to order ketchup,” Gil says, laughing. Continue reading →

If you are wondering why all Chinese restaurants in Oregon don’t serve an eclectic menu ranging from eggplant to frog, it’s because there’s only one Tony Luo. Kung Fu Bistro’s chef sticks to his roots and stays away from Americanized fare.  Continue reading →

While Kopi-O is the first restaurant that Azam Ismail has ever owned, chances are that you have enjoyed some of his creations before. “My dad was a chef at Ring of Fire, Adam’s Sustainable Table and Lucky Noodle,” his son Aaron Ismail says. “This is a dream he has always had, and we’ve always wanted to make it happen for him.” Continue reading →