November 2023
Taco Joe’s Spotlight
Eugene’s Dumpling & Noodles
Night Out on the Town A business publication of Emerald Media Group
An Evening at Lemon and Olive
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Letter from the Editor
As the term comes to an end, sometimes the best way to unwind is through a good drink and a delicious meal. Halfway through November, we are so close to break and it’s time to finish strong! There is nothing I love then treating myself a little bit with one of my favorite overnight oat recipes or some amazing dumplings. If you are looking to celebrate the end of the term, be sure to check out Lemon and Olive for some amazing cocktails and small bites. I absolutely loved the calm cocktail bar experience. If you are looking for a more mellow way to celebrate, we have a comprehensive charcuterie how-to! If you are like me, sometimes relaxing and reading a fun article is the best way to spend an afternoon. Check out our interview with Taco Joe for an afternoon of fun read. I hope you gather some ideas on how you can rewind after a busy fall term!
Isabella Albin Special Sections Editor
Meet the Team
Special Sections Editor
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Alex Hernandez Armando Ramirez
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John Ofstedal
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Lindsay Rogers
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Lizzy Lee
Ryan Ehrhart
Bailey Meyers
Max Winer
John Ofestdal
Liz Blodgett
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Eugene’s Dumpling & Noodles Written by: Abigail Rea Photographed by: Armando Ramirez Designed by: Ryan Ehrhart Eugene is often the butt of jokes for having little to no culinary diversity. If you do some digging, however, you will find that there are many delicious spots speckled throughout the city. Noodles and dumplings are some of my favorite foods, so I’ve made it my mission to find the places that do them best. With years of experience under my belt, these three restaurants have exceeded my expectations to win the titles of the best dumpling and noodle spots in Eugene.
Jade Dumpling and Noodle:
2560 Willamette Street, Eugene, OR Open Wednesday-Monday, 12pm-10pm, closed Tuesdays
Order- Spicy Pork Xiao Long Bao and Dan Dan Noodles
Total price: $18.98 before tip
Jade opened just under a year ago and has already become a staple in the Eugene food scene. The owners carefully handmake the dumplings multiple times a day. Legend of Szechuan, the parent restaurant to Jade, is located near the 5th Street Market. Szechuan’s owners opened Jade earlier this year to focus on their dumpling and noodle dishes. There are no bad choices on the menu, but fan favorites are favorites for a reason. An order of the Xiao Long Bao is $12.99 for eight dumplings. They are filled with a savory, meaty broth and a mouthwateringly spicy pork filling. The wrapper is impeccably soft and chewy, acting as the perfect barrier between the soup and the chili oil or vinegar you’ll want on your dumpling. A hidden delight on the menu are the Dan Dan noodles. These noodles are coated in their delicious, house-made chili oil, ground pork, and green onions. I promise that after one bite of these noodles you will be hooked. The noodles are chewy but not too dense. The ground pork topping is flawlessly seasoned, mixed with sesame seeds and green onions. The real star of the show, is the chili oil. Made in-house, the oil is filled with Szechuan peppercorns that give a mouth-numbing tingle, along with garlic and secret ingredients the owners choose to not give away. Jade has never let me down, and for the price you just can’t beat it.
Stretched:
263 Mill Street, Eugene, OR Open Tuesday-Saturday, 5pm-9pm
Order- Pork Zhajiang Chili Oil Biang Biang and Crispy Wontons
Total price: $19.98 before tip The Stretched Food Truck lives inside the Coldfire Brewery. Though surrounded by some of the most renowned food trucks in Eugene, Stretched has been able to make a name for itself in the year since it opened. Stretched does everything from scratch from the comfort of their tiny kitchen. Basically everything on the menu is first come, first serve. If you want to try some of their best items you had better get there early. They are known for their Biang Biang, a type of noodles from the Chinese Shannxi cuisine, and for good reason. Another fan favorite is the Pork Zhajiang Chili Oil Biang Biang. These thick, chewy, homemade noodles are swimming in a chili oil sauce, bean sprouts, bok choy, and ground pork. The noodles are so good that they could be eaten plain, but they’re undoubtedly elevated by Streched’s fresh-made chili oil. The oil is loaded with sesame seeds, green onions, and garlic. It
Yi Shen:
1915 W 11th Avenue, Eugene, OR; open Monday-Friday, 11 am-8 pm
Order- Basil Chow Fun and BBQ Pork Steam Buns
Total price: $15.50 before tip
enhances every part of the dish. These noodles are a constant on the menu, but they often sell out before the end of the night.
Yi Shen is a lunch-counter style restaurant tucked inside of a Vietnamese market in West Eugene. The establishment is entirely family run, contributing to its inviting atmosphere. There is a large menu board of staple dishes and a rotating menu of specials. While the huge, handwritten menu board can seem overwhelming, all the dishes are organized by category with short, helpful descriptions. My first recommendation from this menu would hands down be the BBQ pork steam buns. For $2 each, you get a huge steaming bun filled with pork in a sweet, sticky, smokey sauce. The bun itself is soft and bouncy and the perfect shell for the delicious filling inside. For noodles, the Basil Chow Fun is the way to go. The noodles are thick-cut and just the right vessel for the sweet soy sauce that coats them. With large pieces of basil
and veggies and your choice of protein, the Chow Fun is sizable and worth every penny. Yi Shen is the perfect spot if you’re looking for a cozy weekday lunch or a quick dinner! I hope you give all three of these places a chance, I promise you will not be disappointed. They are all small family-run businesses whose deep love and care for their food and customers translate into unbelievably flavorful dishes.
Four Fantastic Farms In Eugene
Written by: Georgia Tucker | Photographed by: Alex Hernandez|Designed by: Ryan Ehrhart
Now that we’re well into the fall season, what’s a better way to enjoy what’s left of it than with a trip to a local farm. The Eugene and Springfield area are home to many different farms. Buying produce and homemade goods from these farms is a great way to support the local community. If you are curious about visiting a farm in the area, here are a few you should check out. Johnson Farms is located on Armitage Rd in Eugene. Not only is this farm family-owned, but it is also one of oldest local farms in the Lane County area. The farm grows many different types of fruits and vegetables depending on the season. If you are interested in trying some of their produce, you can either stop by and purchase at the stand, or you can participate in the U-pick experience. For the month of November, their featured crops include; sweet corn,
tomatoes, herbs, peppers and apples. For more information on their harvest calendar, you can visit jhonsonfarmseugen.com. Another great place to check out is River Bend Farm and Pleasant Hill Orchard, located on Fremont Ave in Eugene. The farm is set on 25 acres of land, with a variety of lush fruit trees. The farm also has a store where you can buy fresh produce and homemade goods. For the fall season, the main crops that are in season include; apples, pears, and squash. The farm is temporarily closed, although fruits will be sold at the farmers market on saturdays. One other notable farm is Thistledown Farm, Located on River Rd in Junction City. When the family owned farm was just starting out, it was very small. Now the farm has expanded over 800 acres. The farm grows a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, along with seasonal flowers. Currently, the in season crops include apples, kale, squash, and sweet potatoes.
Pictured Above: A sample of the many dried flowers available at the Charles Little and Company Farmstand near Pisgah. Pictured Below: Farm-goers ride the Johnson Farms Hay Ride on Oct. 30. Riders are taken from the main farm stand to an area with a pumpkin patch, corn maze, and other autumn-themed farm attractions.
The farm also has a nursery, with lots of different plants and flowers for gardens. The fourth and final farm is Charles Little & Company, Located on Seavey Loop Rd in Eugene. The 35 acre farm is covered in many different crops including, herbs, grain, and flowers. Their main claim to fame is their wide variety of unique and beautiful flowers. They have a farm stand and U-pick that is available to the public, open Thursday-Sunday from 9am-5pm. They also teach classes and hold private events at their farm, for more information visit Charleslittleandcompany.com. I hope you enjoyed these four local farms! Make sure to plant out a visit before the end of the fall season, and take advantage of these fresh fruits, veggies, and flowers.
An Evening at Lemon a Written by: John Ofestdal | Photographed by: Oliver Barlow | Designed by: Lindsay Rogers The experience served at Lemon & Olive is plateaus above what college students have in mind when going out for drinks. Stepping into the newly renovated space near Oak and 11th Ave. you’ll be served a classy ambiance with a Eugene twist.
Lemon & Olive is the latest venture by Eugene restaurantuer couple Kirsten Hansen and Crystal Platt. Fans of their James Beard award nominated Lion & Owl will only have to go one door down to find their new favorite spot to unwind. The design of the Lemon & Olive is inspired by some of the owners’ favorite historic steakhouses in New York and San Francisco. “There isn’t really a cocktail bar for grown-ups,” owner Kirsten Hansen said of Eugene’s mixology scene. While the bar’s sophisticated atmosphere cannot be overlooked by patrons, it is literally overlooked by a life-sized sculpted giraffe gifted to them by regulars, whose watchful gaze ensures you’ll enjoy your soiree. The walls are covered in paintings that toe the line between Renaissance masterpieces and pop-art. The decor blends well to keep the mood light while offering a thoughtfully curated space. The couples’ initial foray into fine dining began out of a retro airstream trailer, which grew into a full-sized restaurant after a couple of years. The airstream was installed as a mini bar in Lion & Owl, but they were left wanting to deliver a full cocktail bar experience. When the space next door vacated, they decided it was time to try something new. “We just wanted to have that extra ambient space for people that want to belly up to the bar and just have a cocktail” said Hansen, “I think it’s been a very organic growth.” Hansen moved to Eugene from San Francisco where she worked at a vegetarian restaurant. She said she was consistently blown away by the quality of produce they were able to source in Eugene. Lemon & Olive works with local farms and takes no shortcuts in serving the freshest seasonal dishes. “We want to showcase what the valley does,” Hansen said. “you’re not gonna get that quality when you’re dealing with something that’s not close to home.”
The Crispy Heirloom Tomato is a play on the steakhouse tomato salad with none of the excess. A few dollops of aioli offset the delightfully acidic diced red onions atop the rare delicacy of an in season fried and breaded tomato. Naturally, it is only served when tomatoes are in season. The Shrimp Cocktail was executed perfectly, which is to say simply. Its presence on the menu offers some familiarity to the at times experimental offerings of Lemon & Olive. The classic cocktail sauce offers acidity and spice without overpowering the delicate fresh shrimp. The shrimp are served over ice, but don’t worry, they’ll be all gone by the time anything starts to melt.
and Olive
Two unconventional sweet treats are found on the menu, grasshopper pie and butterscotch pudding. “They are two things that are not trendy and now in any way, shape or form,” said Hansen of the fall
The wickedly creative cocktail menu is separated into four sections, Strong, Sour, Bitter, and Fruity, with separate sections that should not be overlooked for Low ABV and Mocktails. There is rotation in the cocktail selection each season, but for the most part these drinks will stay the same month over month. The cordyceps cocktail immediately caught my eye thanks to its freaky name and peculiar ingredients. Made with mushroominfused dark rum, this strong cocktail dug its hooks in and didn’t let go. If you’re wanting something light and refreshing, look no further than Ume mocktail. The fruity plum base pairs nicely with the rosemary shrub to keep you sipping to the very last drop. As winter rolls around, it’s important to hold on to the fleeting flavors of fall. The Cozy Blanket mocktail wrapped me up in a deep and flavorful slumber that made me forget that winter is coming, if but for a moment. The cherry on top was the... apple on top in this case, a garnish which soaked up the flavor to deliver the perfect last bite. The culinary offerings weave in flavors from classic steakhouse staples. The menu features a bite-sized brisket, crab cakes, and onion dip in the “evening bites” section. A popular item on the snack menu is the Savory Popcorn. This is not your typical bar popcorn, but an upscale nod to a less-than-luxurious classic, Chex Mix, owner Kirsten Hansen revealed. Using local popcorn and a light seasoning blend, they were able to get one of their favorite snacks to hold its own on among gourmet selections.
dessert selection, “they’re things that were favorites of ours and our kids.. I think it’s like, if you’re going to do it, do it because you love it and you want to show what you can do to the world.” If you’re looking to enjoy an extra special evening, Lemon & Olive will not disappoint. An ever-changing menu of cocktails and seasonal delicacies will keep you coming back to new spins on old favorites.
s at O t h g ni r e v O o -G nd -a ab r G Written by: Lizzy Lee |Designed and Illustrated
by: Liz Blodgett
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Fruity Oats
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cup Combine ½ cup rolled oats, ½ ¼ n, amo milk, ¾ teaspoon cinn ground teaspoon nutmeg, a pinch of an and e, clov of h pinc a ginger, ner. Stir optional tablespoon of sweete ht. rnig ove and refrigerate Overnight Oats have plenty of benefits. There are hundreds of variations, sweet or savory. They can match any dietary restriction. They are cost effective and there is little chance you’ll get sick of them even if you eat them every day. It takes five minutes at most to make. Now there is no excuse to skip breakfast!
A Simple Guide To Charcuterie
Written by: Samantha Sobel | Photographed and Designed by: Lindsay Rogers
Want to impress your friends and family the next time they come over? Want to get rid of the extra stuff in your fridge without looking lazy?
best combinations. To diversify the flavors present on the board, you can add something pickled or canned like peppers or black olives. This offers more sour and bitter tastes, which stick out from the other pairings.
Preparing a charcuterie board is the best way to spice up everyday snacks for more formal gettogethers without going out of your way to spend all your money. Filled with versatility, color, and aesthetic presentation, charcuterie boards are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser at any event or gettogether. These appetizers are easy to share and inviting to even the pickiest of eaters! You don’t want to forget the best food pairings before your next dinner party.
If you still need an extra pop of color, adding some fresh fruit to the board can always bring it together. Traditionally, people tend to avoid most sweet fruit because it doesn’t pair well with meats and cheeses. That being said, green grapes, plums, and dried pears go exceptionally well with savory foods. You can also use raspberries, blackberries, and apricots to add a jam, preservative feel to the board. Finishing off, it’s good to add nuts in the empty spaces and place crackers on the sides to balance everything out with the perfect crunch.
-Essentials-
Every amazing charcuterie board starts with an unique platter to put the snacks on. Using a big plate makes for easier organization and convenient access for guests. The traditional board is usually prepared on a wooden slab, but a plate or tray works just as well. If you’re looking for a cute platter and don’t know where to look, the dollar store has a plethora of seasonal options to choose from, perfect for any holiday party you’re throwing. While charcuterie boards vary in content, there are some go-to staples that trademark most plates. For instance, you’ll frequently find assortments of cheese including a variety of textures and colors. You can use whatever cheese you like, as long as you have good variety and presentation. Cured meats are a popular pairing as well. Meats like prosciutto, salami, pepperoni, or pancetta are versatile choices. Cheese and meat are known as the foundation for traditional charcuterie boards because they are complementary and provide colorful presentation. Charcuterie boards look fancy but can still consist of things you find at home. Dig to the back of your fridge and pull out your favorite dip, this is the perfect time to use it. Adding spreads and sauces creates dimension to the board, creating the perfect outline to organize the other foods. It also offers options for everyone to try and gives people more to discuss as they investigate the
Although charcuterie directly translates to “cured meat”, you can avoid using meats on your board by doubling down on fruits and vegetables. Bell peppers, snap peas, cauliflower, and strawberries are incredibly yummy and colorful alternatives that are great foods for dipping. Your charcuterie board should be a reflection of your preferences, so feel free to add or remove whatever you need!
-3333 rule-
The 3333 rule suggests using three cheeses, three meats, three starches, and three preservatives to add versatility to the board. This is the perfect formula to keep your board balanced with an ample range of different tastes and enough pairings for your guests. If you have no idea where to start, but know you want to make a charcuterie board, Trader Joes’ has a whole section devoted to charcuterie foods just to help you out! Everything you need to make the ideal board at a reduced price can be found there. Making a charcuterie board doesn’t need to be a complicated and expensive process, it can be something you do for fun with your friends. Knowing how to prepare this crowd pleasing appetizer will come in handy for all types of special occasions. Next family gathering, surprise everyone with a dish they can’t help but love.
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THE EUGENE TACO SCENE IS AT
Written by: Bailey Meyers | Photographed by: Sophia Craft | Designed and Illustrated by: Max Winer At a local house show, you’ll find crowds dancing along to some of Eugene’s best studentrun bands, friends laughing and singing along, and the delicious smell of Taco Joe’s wafting in the background. Since spring of 2023, Joey Vierra and his roommates have been cooking up delicious and affordable Mexican cuisine for hungry concert-goers. Cooking has been a prominent influence in Vierra’s life since childhood. He recalls getting his initial love for cooking from his mom while she worked as a chef during the summers. Vierra had always aspired to live up to her cooking skills. Vierra honed in on his cooking skills during the summer of 2022 when he and his roommate, Jesse Brodrick, went backpacking in Chile. While backpacking, they had to cook for themselves using a small camping stove and limited ingredients. Along the trails, they encountered other backpackers who would share ingredients with them in exchange for a meal. “We were sharing all the time- that community aspect is a big part of why we wanted to do this,” Vierra said. It was on this backpacking trip that the idea for Taco Joe’s was born. Vierra and Broderick loved cooking and sharing their food with fellow backpackers. They wanted to use food to create a sense of community back in Eugene. “We can make food for people and it can be fun for everyone, and it can bring people together,” Vierra said. Upon returning to Eugene, Vierra and Broderick and their other roommates began selling tacos out of their house. Though it was at times chaotic, Taco Joe’s was a success. After selling tacos out of his house for a couple of weeks, Vierra and his roommates decided to take their business to one of the most popular student events of the year - the Spring Game. On the morning of the Spring Game, the Taco Joe’s crew set up a canopy tent along the popular walking path to Autzen Stadium. They sold water alongside their beloved tacos. Vierra and his roommates established themselves with the University of Oregon student community and made enough money to upgrade their two-burner camping stove to an elite Blackstone griddle.
After their success at the Spring Game, Taco Joe’s began cooking at local house shows every week throughout the spring term. Although the logistics can get jumbled, Vierra says it’s the chaos that makes the experience exciting and memorable. “I really appreciate the community aspect of it… I enjoy giving people good food. It’s just an added bonus being able to bring people together,” Vierra said. “It’s a team effort with the housemates and it never gets done the same way,” Vierra said. In the future, Vierra and his Taco Joe’s crew look forward to continuing to provide delicious tacos and community for students at house shows. Stay up to date with Taco Joe’s by following their Instagram @ tacojoesofficial.
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