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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 1, 2024)
Chow! E U G E N E W E E K LY ’ S G U I D E T O F O O D A N D D I N I N G Chefs, treat yourselves CHEF BILLY REID’S FRIDGE Courtesy Billy Reid ‘YOU GET INTO WORK MODE, AND YOU’RE NOT THINKING ABOUT IT, BUT IT’S SUPER IMPORTANT FOR LONGEVITY TO TREAT YOURSELF AND THE PEOPLE ASSOCIATED WITH FOOD TO ENJOY FOOD IN THE SAME WAY AS THE CUSTOMER. WE NEED TO CARVE OUT TIME TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.’ — Rocky Maselli, chef, Osteria DOP Rocky Maselli is driving while talking with EW, hauling the Pizzeria DOP food cart trailer, when someone shouts out to him, “pizza, pizza!” And no two words better sum up Maselli’s eateries in Eugene. He owns the Pizzeria DOP food cart, which roves around town, and the down- town Osteria DOP. But when he’s home, pizza and pasta don’t always take the spotlight (though he says he may be tempted to order from Hey, Neighbor! sometimes). With two adult daugh- ters at home right now, Maselli usually comes home to eat what they’ve made, which can be Japanese- or Kore- an-inspired meals. “Those flavors appeal to the opposite of pizza and pasta,” he says. Maselli also spends time cooking at home, preferring to grill proteins like chicken with light marinades rather than heavy barbecue sauce. And being a fan of the farm- ers market, his fridge is often filled with what’s available seasonably, such as berries, summer squash and cucum- bers during summer. Eating well and keeping fresh food stocked at home is about finding balance, rather than just eating and drink- ing booze late when you’re off the clock around midnight, Maselli says. In a way, it’s about making sure you extend the reverence of the customer’s eating experience for yourself, too. “As a chef, your priority is to make the most amazing food for the guests,” Maselli says. “You get into work mode, and you’re not thinking about it, but it’s super important for longevity to treat yourself and the people associated with food to enjoy food in the same way as the customer. We need to carve out time to make it happen.” Leaving town with an empty fridge Chef Andrew Hroza is about to head to Europe to do a lot of eating (aka research for chefs) after running a pop-up restaurant at Alesong Brewing. And his sparse fridge reflects his summer adventure — or someone who is always eating charcuterie-type meals. “We’re down to the bare essentials,” Hroza says over email. “There’s a nice bottle of Alesong sour, thanks to my pop-up there. Also some excellent Antiquum pinot gris. I’ll be cooking a lot there over the summer and getting to know their catalog has been a real treat! There’s left- over paczki dough from a recent dinner with friends and lots of leeks and herbs, cooking staples of mine for sure.” Since Ninkasi closed its Better Living Room in 2023, Hroza has been collaborating with Alesong, trying out new recipes for Domek, a new restaurant he’s planning that will be an Eastern European style bistro. So far, his favorite menu item has been làngos, smoked pork pierogi. “It spoke to my childhood growing up in a large Polish family and to my days in Copenhagen, working the smoker at Warpigs,” he says. When Hroza and his family aren’t keeping a minimal fridge, he says between him and his wife, there’s always leftovers to rely on. “I always keep stuff stocked for simple tacos and late-night sandwiches. Pickled herring, too,” he says. “My arsenal of spicy condiments — Valentina, Momofuku chili crunch and Ají (a local company) — help keep even the boring stuff interesting.” Hroza plans to have a fall pop-up at Antiquum Farm in Junction City when he returns from Europe, and he and his wife are looking for a more permanent location for Domek and hoping to open later in 2024. “Goulash pot pie, moules paprikash, pelmeni noodle soup — there’s nothing like Eastern European comfort food in the winter,” he adds. Dueling Spoons is at 39074 Jasper Lowell Road, Fall Creek. Hours are 5 pm to 9 pm Wednesday through Saturday, 541-398-8929, DuelingSpoons.net. Osteria DOP is at 1122 Oak Street. Hours are 5 pm to 10 pm Tuesday through Saturday, 541-913-6460, OsteriaDop.com. Find Pizzeria DOP’s next location via Instagram: @pizzeriadop. CHEF ROCKY MASELLI’S FRIDGE Courtesy Rocky Maselli support.eugeneweekly.com Keep updated with chef Andrew Hroza on Instagram: @ChefAndrewHroza. August 1, 2024 21
