BEST OF EUGENE 2004
BEST PACIFIC RIM: RING OF FIRE
BEST BURRITO: BURRITO BOY
(See Best of the Best p. 16)
2nd: Shiki
3rd: Mekala’s
(See Best of the Best p. 16)
2nd: Burrito Amigo
3rd: Los Jarritos
BEST VEGETARIAN: LOCOMOTIVE
BEST SWEETS: SWEET LIFE
2nd: Café Yumm!
3rd: Morning Glory
EW talked to Lee Zucker, co-owner:
Why do you think that LocoMotive deserves
to win? It is very simple: we are the only
full service vegetarian restaurant in town.
What is your worst kitchen disaster? We’ve
never had one — I don’t know how to
answer that question.
(See Best of the Best p. 17)
2nd: Euphoria
3rd: Café Zenon
BEST DISHES
kitchen catch on fire once, in the beginning,
a long time ago. One of the pots caught fire,
so we had to close the restaurant for like an
hour. If you could drive any vehicle, which
would it be? Well, I’d like to drive some-
thing called a hybrid. I care about the envi-
ronment.
BEST LATIN/CARIBBEAN: RED AGAVE
2nd: Los Jarritos
“Who comes in second in this category?”
Head Chef Brendan Mahaney asked. “I
mean how many Latin/Caribbean restau-
rants are there in Eugene?” Well, all the
same, Red Agave, located at 454 Willamette
St., has found its niche and prevails as the
best in Eugene and maybe the only one of its
kind. It has been around for about 2 1/2
years, and Mahaney’s been cooking there
most of that time. “We have a lot of fun
here,” Mahaney said. “Everyone in the
kitchen cares deeply about good food. Worst
kitchen disaster? One winter someone
brought in a potent batch of “special”
brownies for the chefs and waiters to enjoy,
but failed to mention to anyone their ingre-
dients. So naturally everyone dug in inno-
cently enough. Before too long, Mahaney
was asking himself if he was having a flash-
back or if something was wrong with his
heart. Because of the dangers involved with
operating sharp knives in this state of mind,
the restaurant was forced to close early that
night so as not to harsh the mellow.
BEST MIDDLE EASTERN: SORIAH
(See Best of the Best p. 16)
2nd: Poppi’s Anatolia
3rd: Adam’s Place
BEST NORTHWEST: KOHO BISTRO
2nd: Marché
3rd: Adam’s Place
EW talked to Kevin Hyland, the owner:
Do you think you really deserve to win?
Yes of course. Because we use tons of fresh
ingredients from right in the area. I’ve got
mushroom guys at my door all the time.
They go out into the woods and pick mush-
rooms. We use local wild chinook salmon.
Our lamb grower is Cattail Creek Farms,
our beef supplier is also local, Knee Deep
Saddle Company. We take food from here
and work it together. We do things right,
we don’t take shortcuts. We make all our
own stock. And the best thing about win-
ning this year is that neither myself or my
employees voted. Worst kitchen disaster?
We’ve set off our sprinklers in the kitchen
four times. That’s far worse than any culi-
nary disaster we could have. We’ve never
actually started a fire, it just goes off
because it wants to.
BEST MEXICAN: CHAPALLA
2nd: Taco Loco
3rd: Los Jarritos
EW talked to Edgar, waitstaff
Do you think you really deserve to win?
Well, we work hard and we’re trying to do
our best. But it’s up to the people to decide,
who vote for us. That’s really nice. Worst
kitchen disaster? Well I think we had the
WHEN YOU'VE MET YOUR
PRINCE CHARMING
• Showers & Weddings
• Indoor & Outdoor
• Formal to Casual
• We Meet Your Budget
• Menu Design
(Seasonal Ingredients, Fresh Herbs)
• Event Planning
• Experienced Staff
• Beer/Wine or Full Bar
CORNUCOPIA
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485 2300
24 OCTOBER 21, 2004
(See the Best of the Best p. 16)
2nd: Pizza Research Institute
3rd: Bene Gourmet Pizza
BEST BURGER: HIGH STREET
MCMENAMINS
2nd: Jamie’s
3rd: North Bank
EW talked to Jenny, the manager:
Do you think you deserve to win? Yes,
because they are the best burgers! Worst
kitchen disaster? Oh my gosh, probably a
grease fire, but it wasn’t a grease fire. It was
a box that caught on fire.
BEST SEAFOOD:
NEWMAN’S FISH CO.
2nd: Fisherman’s Market
3rd: McGrath’s
Located at 1545 Willamette
St., Newman’s has the best of
both worlds: a restaurant style
serve-‘em-up-hot menu as
well as fresh raw fish to bring
home to cook yourself. For
this reason, Dwight Collins,
owner for the past 25 years,
believes that there is little
competition for Newman’s.
“We seem to be cheating the
category,” Collins said.
Newman’s has been around
since 1980 offering a great
assortment of fresh fish and
other seafood treats that are
flown in daily from Alaska or
shipped from the Oregon
Coast. With a small kitchen
and few cooks, not much is
left to chance at Newman’s.
2nd: Dutch Brothers
3rd: Allan Brothers
EW talked to owner and master roaster
Michael:
Do you think you really deserve to win?
Yes. Because I believe I’m the best coffee
roaster in the area. I’ve got the most experi-
ence — 25 years I’ve been roasting coffee
for a living in this town. I also do the best
job of training my people. It’s experience
and talent I guess. What’s the oldest item in
your wardrobe? A sweater that I bought
when I was a freshman at the university. I
still wear it. It’s just an old oiled New
Zealand sweater that I really like.
BEST SUSHI: SHIKI
2nd: Sushi Station
3rd: Misako
EW talked to Yoshi Kikuchi, the owner:
Do you think you really deserve to win? I
would rather the editorial board at your paper
Brail’s - BEST HANGOVER BREAKFAST
TODD COOPER
Full City Coffee
BEST COFFEE
TODD COOPER
BEST PIZZA: PEGASUS PIZZA
BEST COFFEE: FULL CITY
The Little Cafe That Time Forgot
m
25
YEARS
& still cookin'!
Best breakfast in town.
If we don't make it, we don't serve it.
Vegans, Carnivores, Vegetarians we serve them all!
342-2075 • 395 W. 5th, Eugene • Open 7am, 7 days a week