Dear Eugenifites,
Eugenified.com’s underpaid and overworked staff have gone on temporary hiatus. Please sign up for email updates of the website to be informed when we get back to work. In the meantime, watch as our previous posts and restaurant reviews age gracefully.
Mr. E
The Mission Mexican Restaurant
610 East Broadway
Eugene, OR 97401
(541) 686-8226
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Imagine two UO college undergrads. They’re friends, maybe really good friends, and they decide to go to Mexico for an “adventure”. Plus one of them is a Mesoamerican Civ major, so two birds with one stone, right? [Read more...]
Chelitas Taqueria & Restaurant
321 Main Street
Springfield, OR 97477
(541) 736-7441
Eugenified.com rating:
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So I happened to be slumming it over in Springfield a few days ago and spotted a newish Mexican taqueria across the street. It was fairly dark and foreboding looking, thus I decided to skip it. I pictured myself walking in the front door with my surprisingly heavy guitar case, and suddenly everyone in the place would stop, turn, and glare at me. So imagine my surprise when a day later I went by the same spot in the evening and found a nice, clean, well-decorated Mexican taqueria in the exact same spot. It’s amazing what interior lighting can do for your image. [Read more...]
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Before moving to Eugene, I tried to do some research on the “notorious” weather. What I found was two types of info: charts/graphs and anecdotal garbage (trust me, these “it rains 9 months per year” anecdotes are usually greatly exaggerated). Neither were quite what I needed. Now that I actually live here, for the benefit of others interested in the area, I decided to build a day-by-day log of the weather. Instead of focusing on the numbers, I am attempting to give a real world summary of how the weather feels each day. [Read more...]
Dickie Jo’s Burgers
Ste A, 201 E 13th Ave
Eugene, OR
(541) 636-4488
Eugenified.com rating: 
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OK, here’s the idea. This place is sorta like a cross between an old-fashioned diner and In-N-Out Burger (from California). Sounds OK…if you like that sorta thing…and if it is executed properly. Dickie Jo’s got blasted in its opening weeks for bad service, chaotic management, and other foibles. Have those problems been solved yet? More self-importantly, what advice can Mr. Eugenified offer to improve their chances of success? [Read more...]
Gary’s Coffee
525 High Street
Eugene, OR 97401-2711
(541) 868-1608
Eugenified.com rating:
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Quick Review: Gary’s Coffee is a nice quiet little shop that serves delicious cappuccinos and lattes. The best tasting in all of Eugene. I don’t understand why their espresso drinks taste so much better than the other players’ in Eugene (Beanery, Wandering Goat, Full City, etc.). Can they legally be putting opium in the mix? I don’t think so. It’s a mystery. [Read more...]
Papa’s Soul Food Kitchen
400 Blair Blvd
Eugene, Oregon 97402
(541) 342-7500
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I’ll go a little easy on this one, what with the owner passing away not too long ago and all. But I still have to maintain my journalistic integrity (huh?) and warn you not to expect anything approaching the 5-star rave reviews that this place tends to get online. [Read more...]
Pizza Research Institute
530 Blair Blvd
Eugene, OR 97402-4630
(541) 343-1307
http://pizzaresearchinstitute.com/
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Wow, Pizza Research Institute gets really strong ratings online. It must be a great place to eat, right? Uhhh…sorta…but maybe not. Depends on your point of view and how important food is to your restaurant experience. [Read more...]
Bai Khao Thai Cuisine
541 W. Centennial Blvd
Springfield, OR
(541) 736-8424
Eugenified.com rating:
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Checked out this new Thai place in Springfield the other day with not very high expectations. Turns out this place has been open for six years, and I was wrong about the food as well. [Read more...]
Shari’s Restaurants
2950 West 11th Avenue
Eugene, OR 97402-3221
(541) 344-1155
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I know I am supposed to hate chain restaurants. This is something I need to work harder at doing. I should know that a big evil corporation could not possibly compare with all the funky little local competitors in the Eugene breakfast market, right? This is all my fault. [Read more...]
Chao Pra Ya Thai Cuisine
580 Adams Street
Eugene, OR 97402-5164
(541) 344-1706
Eugenified.com rating:
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Quick Review: Consider me a bit dumb (no, don’t), but I never knew that the son of the owners of Chao Pra Ya Thai Cuisine was the owner of Ta Ra Rin, what I consider to be the best Thai restaurant in Eugene. With this new info in mind, I decided to pay another visit to Chao Pra Ya to do some comparison shopping. [Read more...]
Caspian Mediterranean Restaurant
863 East 13th Avenue
Eugene, OR 97401-3706
(541) 683-7800
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Some restaurant owners are real marketing geniuses. Not only can they cook tasty food, but they also know how to present it in an atmosphere that enhances the dining experience, whether it be a high-brow sit-down restaurant or a simple cafe/diner. The owners of Caspian Mediterranean Restaurant are not that type of genius. [Read more...]
Golden Orient Chinese Restaurant
2513 West 11th Avenue
Eugene, OR 97402-3315
(541) 683-5469
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Uh, oh…I hear Cantonese being spoken as I walk in the front door. I predict some slimy, mushy, gou qian-y, low-on-taste Chinese food will be part of my very near-term future. Let’s see if my prediction is correct. [Read more...]
Noli Italian Cafe
296 E. 5th Ave (5th Street Market Food Court)
Suite 201
Eugene, OR 97401
(541) 686-9199
noliitaliancafe.com
Eugenified.com rating:
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What an interesting idea: Italian food without all the pretentiousness and price. Why didn’t I think of that? Well, actually I did think of that. Or rather, I have been dreaming of that for years. And finally I have found it. [Read more...]
Old Address:
39128 Dexter Rd
Dexter, OR 97431
New Address:
155 E Main St
Lowell, OR
Eugenified.com rating:
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Went searching for a cool little cafe along Highway 58 last week and decided to try out the cafe attached to Dexter Lake Club from the movie Animal House (“Otis, my man!”). Bad news…The cafe has moved, and the club is closed (you can buy the club including building and land for $355K). Maybe good news…The cafe has relocated to nearby Main Street in Lowell. [Read more...]
Toshi’s Ramen
1520 Pearl St
Eugene, OR 97401
(541) 683-7833
Eugenified.com rating:
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Please supply your own pithy first sentence which drives you to click the “Read more” link to read the full review. [Read more...]
Steelhead Brewing Co.
199 East 5th Avenue
Eugene, OR
(541) 686-2739
Steelhead Brewing Co.’s website
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There’s a fine line between boring and reliable. Steelhead Brewing Co. toes the line admirably. [Read more...]
Hop Valley Brewing Co.
980 Kruse Way
Springfield, OR 97477
(541) 744-3330
Hop Valley Brewing Co.’s website
Eugenified.com rating:
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This is the kind of restaurant you would get if the Chief Operating Officer of Chili’s decided to set up a new business of his own. All the hardware and fancy control systems are in place…in fact, they are WAY overdone for a single location restaurant…but there’s still something missing. [Read more...]
Poppi’s Anatolia
992 Willamette Street
Eugene, OR 97401-3134
(541) 343-9661
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Yet another hippie-vibe restaurant for me to crush. But wait! What is this I see?! Clean tables, quality materials, well-decorated, table service, a first-rate menu with dishes suitable for adults with no fear of fragrant spices?! The other hippie places in town are going to be pissed when they see this travesty of hippie-dom. What a big disappointment… [Read more...]
Bates Steak House and Saloon
433 East Broadway
Eugene, OR
(541) 683-3108?
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Quick Review: Stopped by Bates Steak House a couple of nights ago for their burger & brew special: $8.50 for a burger and a pint of beer. Imagine my surprise when my meal arrived with a hand-written note from the owner of the establishment. [Read more...]
Taco Time
Mexican Fast Food
Many locations
Eugenified.com rating:
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Quick Review: Here we have a local clone of Taco Bell. I wonder if they have taken the basic Taco Bell theme and upgraded it with something a little special or more local or more handmade or whatever? [Read more...]
Just for fun, here’s a short list of some of the more bizarre search terms that visitors typed into Google and then clicked on the Eugenified website listing… [Read more...]
The Wagon Yard BBQ
41301 McKenzie Highway
Springfield, OR 97478
(541) 896-3339
Eugenified.com rating:
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Depressed that Howling Coyote BBQ has shut down. I along McKenzie Hwy drive blindly east. My vision is clouded and my mind too. My car begins to swerve ever so slightly. Left. Then right. Left. Suddenly I, tears streaming down my face, scream, “Oh why is there no real smoked barbecued meats to eat for me anymore?! Why?!” I begin to look for the nearest precipice off upon which to solve this problem permanently. But wait, I say to myself out loud. What is that up ahead on the left? Could it be the soft woody acrid smoke of a BBQ joint? Bright light shines down through the clouds. Cut to commercial. [Read more...]
Holy Donuts
1437 Willamette St
Eugene, OR 97401
541-510-6635
Eugenified.com rating:
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Mmmmm…just what I’ve been dreaming about for all these years. Vegan donuts!…Well, not really, but worth a try. [Read more...]
Laughing Planet Cafe
760 Blair Boulevard
Eugene, OR 97402-4802
(541) 868-0668
www.laughingplanetcafe.com
Eugenified.com rating:
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Here we have another one of those Eugene restaurants that has a strong “political” following, i.e. people strongly support this place for cultural/lifestyle reasons. Which is nice and all…but the question still remains: When all the quirky cultural aspects are stripped away, is the food at Laughing Planet any good to eat with your mouth? [Read more...]
Hult Plaza Restaurant
401 East 10th Avenue,
Eugene, OR
(541) 484-2933
Eugenified.com rating:
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As the goofballs on Fox News often say, things were so much better back in the old days. America was great, everyone got along, and diners served good, hearty food with a smile…Really? [Read more...]
World Cafe
449 Blair Boulevard
Eugene, OR 97402-4510
(541) 485-1377?
Eugenified.com rating:
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Quick Review: Another in a long line of too hippie restaurants in Eugene. You know the drill. [Read more...]
Fina Taqueria
2621 Willamette Street
Eugene, OR 97405-3134
(541) 431-3462?
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Quick Review: Basically the same as Mucho Gusto, which is basically the same as Chipotle, which is basically the same as Freebirds. [Read more...]
The Dough Co.
1337 Hilyard St
Eugene, OR 97401
(541) 485-7459
Eugenified.com rating:
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Once in a while, you come across a little restaurant with humble goals. Concentrate on one type of food, do it well, and keep the price down. That pretty much sums up The Dough Co. Is it fancy food that you can feel snooty about? No. Is it pretty good? Yes. Is this a boring review? [Read more...]
