n a sunny Sunday, hungry from
yard work and too lazy to grocery
shop, the siren call of craft cider
and Thai food beckons. A quick
bike ride along the river and we’re
at the counter of Krob Krua, a new
eatery co-located inside Wildcraft
Ciderworks in the Whit.
“Krob Krua is a restaurant for
the family,” says owner Jeff Hardinger. “My wife [Luck
Hardinger] and my wife’s sister [Pat Baker], they crush
it.”
Hardinger, who grew up in Eugene, ran a successful
Thai restaurant in Manhattan for years. And it's in that
high-volume environment, that Hardinger and family
developed most of their Krob Krua recipes to perfection.
I tuck into laab, a light and tasty salad with ground
chicken, Thai herbs, red onion, toasted rice-wok fired
chili and lime dressing, enjoying the cool, tactile fun of
romaine lettuce and cukes for scooping. Man, this is good.
Why is this so good?
“We grind the meat ourselves, fresh,” Hardinger
says. “That’s toasted rice powder, made from scratch,
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chilis that we’re roasting, fresh-squeezed lime juice.
They don’t cut any corners.”
There’s a quality and layered richness to the food
that’s undeniable. A massaman curry, with different
protein options, is enveloped in delectable coconut
flavors, scented with cinnamon, star anise and studded
with baby potatoes and peanuts. It’s the perfect blend
of sweet and savory, with a comforting, umami texture.
(Not ashamed to admit that we licked the bowl.)
Chicken and shitake mushroom shu-mai style
dumplings are fat and juicy, with a depth of succulent,
earthy flavor.
Crispy rice salad, from the northeast of Thailand
where Pat Baker and Luck Hardinger are from, features
a sour sausage that’s made in-house, with broken-up
fried rice cakes. “It’s crunchy, soft, wet and dry,” says
Hardinger. “A wonderful blend of textures and flavors.
It’s a jewel.”
A repeat Krob Krua foray confirms: The rice salad
will knock your socks off.
Another popular item that you likely won’t find
on any other local menus is their Ba Mee Moo Dang, a
street-food dish from Bangkok: sliced red-roasted pork
with fresh wonton noodles, fish sauce and powdered
chili. Hardinger says the team’s been making it since
their New York days. “I can’t give it up,” Hardinger says.
“I want to eat it, too.”
Now that the restaurant’s on its feet with a full
kitchen and service area, Hardinger says he ensures
that the Krob Krua chefs have the ingredients they need
to make magic happen.
“That’s what it takes to bring out the brightness and
the beauty of the food.”
Krob Krua is open 11 am to 9 pm Tuesday through Sunday at 254
Lincoln Street, inside Wildcraft Ciderworks. Call 541-636-6267 for
delivery.
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