■ Restaurant review
Oregano's Grill & Wine Bar serves a spice of Italian life
The restaurant, located at 830 Olive St., has more
than 400 wines to complement its selection of fine food
BY KRISTEN GERHARD
PULSE REPORTER
Oregano's Grill & Wine Bar, located
at 830 Olive St., advertises that it is
one of Eugene's newest Italian
restaurants, but owner Spencer
Whitted is no strangerto business in
the downtown area. In the past, the
entrepreneur has served as general
manager of the Eugene Hilton and
owner of the Rock'N Rodeo bar. With
Oregano's, his latest venture in the
restaurant industry, Whitted com
bines fine and family-style Italian din
ing in a versatile atmosphere where
diners feel just as comfortable in chic
attire as they would in jeans.
The decor of Oregano's, while cozy
throughout, is different depending on
where patrons sit. In the front, where
the lighting is brighter and red brick
and crimson-painted walls are
adorned with gold leaf mirrors and
paintings of the Mona Lisa (a nod to
the restaurant's old moniker, Mona
Lizza), the mood is slightly more ele
gant. Whereas the middle of the
restaurant, where the bar is located,
begins to feel more like a jazz club.
The intimacy level increases with the
close proximity of the tables and the
dim lighting thrown by the tiny
chandeliers that hang overthem. On
Musique Gourmet
Classical Music
Opera
Broadway
Filmscores
CD's
SACD'S
DVD'S
Open Noon - 5:00
Sundays Noon - 4:00
Closed Tuesdays
Behind Bradfords
Across from Library
3 942 Olive St.
§ FREE PARKING
343-9000
VISA
University Theatre
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Tickets:
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741-1707 1
some nights a pianist mixed right in
with the diners can help set the mood.
In fact, the restaurant advertises a
number of entertainment options and
theme nights. "Date night," on
Wednesdays, features bruschetta,
Caesar salad, one pasta and two
dishes for up to $12.95, amaretto
creme brulee and a bottle of
Oregano's own house wine. "Girl's
Night," from 4-6 p.m. on Thursdays,
features two-for-one appetizer spe
cials and a complimentary bottle of
wine if patrons come with one of their
"best girlfriends."
The restaurant also sets itself
apart with one of the most extensive
wine selections in the city.
Oregano's bottle room has more
than 400 wines, predominantly from
Italy, Oregon and California, and the
selection continues to grow. Patrons
are encouraged to try the vino with
"Wine Flights," which servers com
pare to a beer tasting at a micro
brewery. There are two "flights" on
a given night, each consisting of
three different types of wine served
in ample sampling portions. In addi
tion to the wine list, the restaurant
also has a full bar and a creative
martini menu.
As far as choices go, the food
menu competes commendably with
the wine list. In all areas, from appe
tizers to desserts, Italian home-style
classics mingle with upscale, fine
dining choices. A loaf of herbed
bread, baked fresh at the restaurant
every morning and served with quality
olive oil and balsamic vinegar, comes
with every meal.
My dining partner and I decided to
start by trying a bit of everything, so
we wentforthe antipasti samplerfor
$14.95. It included bruschetta, pesto
torta — a layered spread of garlic and
herb cheeses, sun-dried tomato,
tapenade (an olive and olive oil
spread) and basil pesto — calamari
fritti and steamed clams. The steam
ers, with their rich, garlic-flavored
broth, were the highlight of the sam
pler. The lightly-fried calamari was
also very good. The bruschetta, how
ever, came up a bit short in compari
son. The Roma tomato, garlic and
pesto topping was full-flavored, but
the bread could have been crispier.
Soup choices at Oregano's in
clude baked minestrone, served
from a crock and topped with melted
provolone cheese, and zuppa
toscana, a white bean soup. Salads
include regular, chicken and salmon
Caesars, a wilted spinach salad and
a blue cheese garden salad. All pas
tas, entrees and pizzas are served
with a well-portioned side Caesar.
The dressing on our side salads, ap
plied on the heavier side, was dis
tinct— creamy, smooth and light on
the garlic.
The pastas at Oregano's are var
ied and include everything from tra
ditional spaghetti with meatballs to
vegetarian lasagna. The entrees,
which are all cooked in the restau
rant's oak wood oven, are a bit
OREGANO’S, page 10
023699
10 aiALLBI
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