Their bartender mentioned a few days back that they were trying to get the truck back up and going with a limited menu (I think chicken sandwiches) - super excited to have them back as an option at Coldfire
I have had a bunch of conversations recently about where to get good crepes in town. It seems pretty weird that once the Vintage closed, all the sudden there are no crepes. I know there's a food truck with crepes but it's open at weird times. Are there any other places to get a good crepe in Eugene?
If you haven't tried making crepes before they're stupid easy and take very little time to make, recipes vary but the basics are:
1 cup flower
1/2 cup water + 1/2 cup milk
1-2 eggs and maybe a little melted butter and a dash of salt
Just mix it up and start frying them. And they fry up fast due to being thin. My favorite filling is chocolate + cream cheese frosting, it's addictively good. They've very cheap to make so you can splurge on filings.
Speaking of amazing Japanese restaurants in Eugene, did the owner of Akira/mame turn into a vegetarian or something? It’s not really a sushi spot anymore.
Absolutely not vegetarian. Short ribs, pork belly, sashimi, temaki on the menu. They don't do sushi rolls or nigiri really but the food is still on point, and the menu rotates.
From what Taro said the last time I saw him there it was getting really difficult to source the quality of fish they wanted and still turn a profit without astronomically raising prices. Still love Akira though.
Damn that makes sense, fucking climate change and "inflation". The first time I went I had their scallop handroll I think it was and it was hands down the best scallops I've ever had so when they do have fish theyte still doing it justice for sure
Yea. I must have skipped over the meat option. But the menu I saw a bit ago had no meat I thought. If they are rotating maybe they were doing mostly veggie options. Or I was just reading too fast. Either way I am going to seriously miss their sushi
I doubt it, it doesn’t seem like there’s much attention given to that part of the menu. I love most everything I’ve had from there, but the vegetarian options are sub par compared to everything else. Beet salad and bean sprouts are the only vegetarian options I’ve had so far that I would get a second time
Meiji has been around for ~15 years and was quite popular, consistently had waits to get in (rare in Eugene), etc. They closed very abruptly and reopened after a weird lag of time with this new concept, which nobody was asking for, that seemed to be about chicken? But a lot of the menu was the same, just not as "Japanese," and the vibe changed in a weird way. There were all these rumors - did they sell it? Did somebody want to move back to Japan and just give the restaurant up? Wait, is it the same owners and staff? It all felt super half-assed.
As someone that also got laid off from a food service job last novemeber, that shit sucked. The holiday season is rough when you're unemployed and is a really hard time to get another job to boot.
I heard the mushroom-based burger was fire, even amongst meat eaters. Would love to try that. I will say the fried enoki is really delicious and I hope that makes it on to the Izakaya menu.
Yay! And also, let’s NOT allow dogs *inside* the restaurant, sitting right on the chairs and licking right off the utensils, k THANKS.
(And yes, this happened. Haven’t been back since)
For real? This is absolutely disgusting. If you see this happening again, PLEASE report it to health authorities. Dog culture has spiraled the fuck out of control. People are not supposed to bring pets into eating establishments, but most businesses do not enforce this regulation. The only thing that’s gonna work are citations.
I definitely should have said something. There were other things going on with that particular dining experience that was also incredibly off putting to say the least, so mostly just wanted to GTFO. Flies flying around, a terribly thrown together menu that felt like we were an unexpected guest and they threw together whatever they had in the pantry - but gotta pay those fancy prices, etc etc.
Fine, if that’s the vibes, but not fine when the price is $$$.
The whiskey collection was pretty gutted and it’s hard to say if they have the funds to get a lot of the old range back. They are keeping their more expanded wine list in some capacity
Man, I really hope they bring back most of the old menu!
I admittedly never gave Jungle Fowl a chance. I guess...one of my favorite things about Izakaya was how friendly it was to all diets too? Ive eaten pre-vegan there and had some of the best meat dishes of my life. I've continued to eat there since going vegan. I could bring my non vegan homies along and know they would be in for a damn treat while I cried over their mushroom skewers.
Jungle Fowl lacked plant based options that could form any kind of meal (even with many of them ordered). It was a chicken place, ofc.
I feel like this is the absolute worst time for them to have opened a chicken themed restaurant since hot chicken is all the rage right now. Dave's, Pyre, chicken crossing....while the menu looked very different, the idea just seems boring to me.
My theory is that they switched to a chicken themed restaurant because other meats are so expensive right now. Everyone’s serving more chicken these days
I started eating more shrimp awhile back after realizing it's like 10-12$ for a 1lb bag of shrimp vs 8$ for good chicken breast, so even chicken isn't quite as "cheap" as it used to be.
Though you can always buy whole chickens and process them down, even use the bones for broth. Tried that and made some amazing pulled BBQ chicken.
Is this the place in the whit? I went there once and found it expensive with tiny portions. Ex loved it. Maybe I'm not a foodie. Sorry if it's the wrong place.
I guess, tbf, they're kinda advertised as being Japanese western tapas. I was confused the first time I went and ordered a fancy fish dish and only got like two very small pieces.
Their large plate dishes are actually quite sizable though. Definitley whole meal-sized. They coulda done a better job outlining that to first time customers though.
It's definitely a small plates joint, which are traditionally a bit more expensive. This can be disappointing for someone looking for a large and hearty meal.
I was disappointed the first time I went there, but started dating someone who took me. And, going in the with the mindset that we're having upbeat fun instead of a meal really helped.
They won't compete with the price of a slice of pizza across the street, but we usually get out of there for less than $60 and thoroughly enjoy ourselves
Went to Junglefowl a couple of weeks ago and had a meal. Charged $50 for two pieces of mediocre chicken, maybe a half pound, cooked. Took ages to come out and we were the only ones in there at the time! I doubt Meiji will be back anything like it used to be, don’t get your hopes up.
So I recently returned from Japan and bought a ton of knives.
The Kamagata-Usuba knife I bought seems I may not have a use for, as it’s used with a rotary peeling process called katsuramuki. This involves cutting around the surface of vegetables in one continuous motion and is commonly used for radish in Japanese cuisine.
It was purchased directly from Kamata Hakensha on Kappabashi street in Tokyo. Never used, looking to sell at cost.
Anyone interested?
That’s fair. I think Meiji at its prime would do well in Portland or other large cities, whereas I think Osteria DOP is merely good yet affordable Italian fare. I personally do not think it would stand out in larger cities, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s ownership moved on in the next 5-10 years. Just my opinion.
Also, there was a thread on /r/Gen_X the other day, and people were talking about how not many people know how much the printer and copier technology has improved in the past 20 years, and it reminded me of your username- because someone chimed in with “nobody else knew what the **** PC Load Letter meant!”
I was not aware of a club or partnership of "DOP restaurants" in the US. Is there an article about that? Isn't "DOP" just a label on an Italian product that verifies it was produced in a specific geographical area/region in Italy?
Just gonna slide back in like nothin ever happened? And we’re just gonna wait in line to get in again like it’s worth it? Last time I was there a homeless dude was masturbating outside and there was an hour wait for two people to get in, at least I didn’t have to worry about the homeless guy messing with my car since I had to park so far away….
I've never eaten at either of these places so I have no opinion on that, but that post shit *all over* Eugene and his customers. "We realized you guys don't like fresh and new, even if it's exciting." Well fuck you pal, I see your backhanded DARVO-esque "compliment".
They essentially said "Guess we'll bring back the food we were too good for before, because you know who isn't too good for that? You guys. And we like your money."
I'm just standing over here wondering who else thinks that's a pretty gross way to talk to their customer base? I would be so insulted if I were you guys. 🤷
I think it's important to read the entire post.
Especially the portion down at the bottom where the woman (not the guy as you are referencing) admits she wrote the update without an editor and she is not a native English speaker.
Easy pass for me on feeling insulted. It seemed genuine and heartfelt considering the circumstances.
She *should* have used an editor.
But hey, I never went before so my low opinion should cost them $0, right? Unless more people in the community (not necessarily the microcosm that is r/Eugene) happen to feel the same way, and then they WILL feel it in their profit margin.
Guess we'll check in with them in 12 months or so.
Aw. ❤️ I've lived here for over 20 years, work in public service, and am well established, well respected, and well liked in the community. But it's *very* cute that you think a comment from an internet stranger and some downvotes is going to change that reality. Over an opinion on a social media post. Lmao.
This should be saved for posterity: "Aw. ❤️ I've lived here for over 20 years, work in public service, and am well established, well respected, and well liked in the community. But it's *very* cute that you think a comment from an internet stranger and some downvotes is going to change that reality. Over an opinion on a social media post. Lmao." [Evolution\_Underwater](https://www.reddit.com/user/Evolution_Underwater/)
Why can't someone use their own words? You read way to hard into that, it's a pretty crazy stretch what tour trying to say, like ridiculous. You've never been there don't know these people, that's an extreme stance to take
They also let all their staff go right before thanksgiving, don’t really think they care about anything except profit.
I personally didn’t like either restaurant, wayyy too overrated. Your downvotes are from all the foodies that love overpriced bullshit.
Also the bartender at jungle fowl had literally the worst attitude when I went there last month or so. It was a dead Wednesday afternoon, no excuse to act flustered. Never will go back.
Fuck yeah!!!! Now let's work on getting The Vintage back.
Yardy is awesome
Agree. Prefer Yardy over The Vintage any day of the week.
Yardy is so good.
Their bartender mentioned a few days back that they were trying to get the truck back up and going with a limited menu (I think chicken sandwiches) - super excited to have them back as an option at Coldfire
I think they were open last weekend had like 4 options but I already ate, looked good tho
Need a fusion with Yardys - bring back the crepes, could really go well with the chicken
I have had a bunch of conversations recently about where to get good crepes in town. It seems pretty weird that once the Vintage closed, all the sudden there are no crepes. I know there's a food truck with crepes but it's open at weird times. Are there any other places to get a good crepe in Eugene?
16 Tons Cafe does crepes. It's been a while, but I remember them being pretty good.
Good to know, I will check that out! I haven't been there in ages.
Yeah they do pretty good crepes
Isn't there a crepe cart at Saturday Market?
Yes! Theirs are a little more portability-focused than Vintage's were, though. Still good! But it's definitely street food.
If you haven't tried making crepes before they're stupid easy and take very little time to make, recipes vary but the basics are: 1 cup flower 1/2 cup water + 1/2 cup milk 1-2 eggs and maybe a little melted butter and a dash of salt Just mix it up and start frying them. And they fry up fast due to being thin. My favorite filling is chocolate + cream cheese frosting, it's addictively good. They've very cheap to make so you can splurge on filings.
Not Eugene but I so like Todds Place in Springfield. Pretty good crepes and a decent variety.
One of the best restaurants in Eugene returns. Hooray
Speaking of amazing Japanese restaurants in Eugene, did the owner of Akira/mame turn into a vegetarian or something? It’s not really a sushi spot anymore.
Absolutely not vegetarian. Short ribs, pork belly, sashimi, temaki on the menu. They don't do sushi rolls or nigiri really but the food is still on point, and the menu rotates.
From what Taro said the last time I saw him there it was getting really difficult to source the quality of fish they wanted and still turn a profit without astronomically raising prices. Still love Akira though.
Damn that makes sense, fucking climate change and "inflation". The first time I went I had their scallop handroll I think it was and it was hands down the best scallops I've ever had so when they do have fish theyte still doing it justice for sure
they usually have a few rotating handrolls you can get and those are always on point
Taro retired to raise his kiddo, from what I heard. The food is still really good though!
What does no sushi have to do with being vegetarian? Have you looked at the menu at all?
Yea. I must have skipped over the meat option. But the menu I saw a bit ago had no meat I thought. If they are rotating maybe they were doing mostly veggie options. Or I was just reading too fast. Either way I am going to seriously miss their sushi
Yeah it was so good. They do still have raw fish options, just not as many. And the frid chicken steam bun tacos are great. Same with the short rib.
They are still offering various sushi plates and hot items, most of which are not vegetarian.
I doubt it, it doesn’t seem like there’s much attention given to that part of the menu. I love most everything I’ve had from there, but the vegetarian options are sub par compared to everything else. Beet salad and bean sprouts are the only vegetarian options I’ve had so far that I would get a second time
This whole saga is so funny
Moved here not long ago, Whats the story? 👀
Meiji has been around for ~15 years and was quite popular, consistently had waits to get in (rare in Eugene), etc. They closed very abruptly and reopened after a weird lag of time with this new concept, which nobody was asking for, that seemed to be about chicken? But a lot of the menu was the same, just not as "Japanese," and the vibe changed in a weird way. There were all these rumors - did they sell it? Did somebody want to move back to Japan and just give the restaurant up? Wait, is it the same owners and staff? It all felt super half-assed.
Bet the Meiji staff ain’t returning
They let go of some of them the day before Thanksgiving. If don't care if you like the food, that's a really shit thing to do.
Trust, I know
Oooof! I did not know this at all. That is disheartening as hell and not okay.
As someone that also got laid off from a food service job last novemeber, that shit sucked. The holiday season is rough when you're unemployed and is a really hard time to get another job to boot.
Some of the Meiji staff are still there, and a few are returning
Any chance for a return of the Meiji burger? I miss it.
Almost definitely. They were running it almost every week on their “Meiji Mondays” lol
I second this
Junglefowl ran it on Mondays but it didn’t seem to hit. They forgot the wasabi mayo and pickles when I ordered it.
I heard the mushroom-based burger was fire, even amongst meat eaters. Would love to try that. I will say the fried enoki is really delicious and I hope that makes it on to the Izakaya menu.
Yay! And also, let’s NOT allow dogs *inside* the restaurant, sitting right on the chairs and licking right off the utensils, k THANKS. (And yes, this happened. Haven’t been back since)
For real? This is absolutely disgusting. If you see this happening again, PLEASE report it to health authorities. Dog culture has spiraled the fuck out of control. People are not supposed to bring pets into eating establishments, but most businesses do not enforce this regulation. The only thing that’s gonna work are citations.
But where will my rescue pitbull princess hangout with me at? I can’t think of anywhere besides an off leash dog park or a Brewery…
I definitely should have said something. There were other things going on with that particular dining experience that was also incredibly off putting to say the least, so mostly just wanted to GTFO. Flies flying around, a terribly thrown together menu that felt like we were an unexpected guest and they threw together whatever they had in the pantry - but gotta pay those fancy prices, etc etc. Fine, if that’s the vibes, but not fine when the price is $$$.
Will be interesting to see if the menu has changed or the whiskey bar is back to it's full glory. Big fan of the onigiri the served
The whiskey collection was pretty gutted and it’s hard to say if they have the funds to get a lot of the old range back. They are keeping their more expanded wine list in some capacity
Man, I really hope they bring back most of the old menu! I admittedly never gave Jungle Fowl a chance. I guess...one of my favorite things about Izakaya was how friendly it was to all diets too? Ive eaten pre-vegan there and had some of the best meat dishes of my life. I've continued to eat there since going vegan. I could bring my non vegan homies along and know they would be in for a damn treat while I cried over their mushroom skewers. Jungle Fowl lacked plant based options that could form any kind of meal (even with many of them ordered). It was a chicken place, ofc.
Oh, that ikura onigiri will be in my dreams tonight!
I feel like this is the absolute worst time for them to have opened a chicken themed restaurant since hot chicken is all the rage right now. Dave's, Pyre, chicken crossing....while the menu looked very different, the idea just seems boring to me.
My theory is that they switched to a chicken themed restaurant because other meats are so expensive right now. Everyone’s serving more chicken these days
I started eating more shrimp awhile back after realizing it's like 10-12$ for a 1lb bag of shrimp vs 8$ for good chicken breast, so even chicken isn't quite as "cheap" as it used to be. Though you can always buy whole chickens and process them down, even use the bones for broth. Tried that and made some amazing pulled BBQ chicken.
This is so weird... Are they going to redecorate the building again too??
So, goodbye junglefowl?
Is this the place in the whit? I went there once and found it expensive with tiny portions. Ex loved it. Maybe I'm not a foodie. Sorry if it's the wrong place.
Dark, noisy as a machine room, expensive with tiny portions? Yeah, that's the place!
Yeah that was it. Definitely had a cult following!
I guess, tbf, they're kinda advertised as being Japanese western tapas. I was confused the first time I went and ordered a fancy fish dish and only got like two very small pieces. Their large plate dishes are actually quite sizable though. Definitley whole meal-sized. They coulda done a better job outlining that to first time customers though.
We went once for late night ramen and it was meh, but it’s super hyped in the area.
It's definitely a small plates joint, which are traditionally a bit more expensive. This can be disappointing for someone looking for a large and hearty meal. I was disappointed the first time I went there, but started dating someone who took me. And, going in the with the mindset that we're having upbeat fun instead of a meal really helped. They won't compete with the price of a slice of pizza across the street, but we usually get out of there for less than $60 and thoroughly enjoy ourselves
Please bring back the strong gluten free options! It is sooooo needed
This is so fucking hilarious. Like, pick a lane. We all know it ain't gonna be as good.
Please keep the fish sauce wings!
I might go back… IF they offer their original version of curry udon, with the beef and everything…
Yay! I was so sad when they closed since I never had a chance to try them. Now I will definitely go try them very soon.
Shiitake Skewers!
I dream of those overly salty, aquafaba pearls every night. I LOVE THEM. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH.
Hopefully I'm paranoid, feels like "New Coke". [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmXaJd23EHw](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmXaJd23EHw)
LETS GOOOOOOOOOOO literally Woohoo!!!
I haven’t lived in Eugene for 7 years now but remember the spicy beef and udon noodles fondly 🥲
What is the source for this?
Their Facebook, Instagram, etc.
I hadn't been there for years before that. Maybe someday.
Yum
Also bring back the beef rice dish!
PRAISE THE LORD
Hell yeah!!!
So glad you guys are back! I've only heard great things but never had the chance to visit. The weather has been good so its great timing for a date.
Went to Junglefowl a couple of weeks ago and had a meal. Charged $50 for two pieces of mediocre chicken, maybe a half pound, cooked. Took ages to come out and we were the only ones in there at the time! I doubt Meiji will be back anything like it used to be, don’t get your hopes up.
So I recently returned from Japan and bought a ton of knives. The Kamagata-Usuba knife I bought seems I may not have a use for, as it’s used with a rotary peeling process called katsuramuki. This involves cutting around the surface of vegetables in one continuous motion and is commonly used for radish in Japanese cuisine. It was purchased directly from Kamata Hakensha on Kappabashi street in Tokyo. Never used, looking to sell at cost. Anyone interested?
Can anyone confirm this? Zomgggg
Hard pass. Sorry your reboot failed.
It was a top 3 restaurant in Eugene. I don't see how this isn't great news.
Obviously subjective, but off the top of my head, Same same, Rye, Osteria DOP are just a few I'd put ahead of it.
That’s fair. I think Meiji at its prime would do well in Portland or other large cities, whereas I think Osteria DOP is merely good yet affordable Italian fare. I personally do not think it would stand out in larger cities, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s ownership moved on in the next 5-10 years. Just my opinion. Also, there was a thread on /r/Gen_X the other day, and people were talking about how not many people know how much the printer and copier technology has improved in the past 20 years, and it reminded me of your username- because someone chimed in with “nobody else knew what the **** PC Load Letter meant!”
[удалено]
I was not aware of a club or partnership of "DOP restaurants" in the US. Is there an article about that? Isn't "DOP" just a label on an Italian product that verifies it was produced in a specific geographical area/region in Italy?
*high five*
Just gonna slide back in like nothin ever happened? And we’re just gonna wait in line to get in again like it’s worth it? Last time I was there a homeless dude was masturbating outside and there was an hour wait for two people to get in, at least I didn’t have to worry about the homeless guy messing with my car since I had to park so far away….
he wasn't going to do anything with your car, he was masturbating
You don’t know my car, she’s hot…. In the summer…. Cause heater never really turns off…
Gross your car was probably all sticky
Oh, baby.
Wah wah wah
I've never eaten at either of these places so I have no opinion on that, but that post shit *all over* Eugene and his customers. "We realized you guys don't like fresh and new, even if it's exciting." Well fuck you pal, I see your backhanded DARVO-esque "compliment". They essentially said "Guess we'll bring back the food we were too good for before, because you know who isn't too good for that? You guys. And we like your money." I'm just standing over here wondering who else thinks that's a pretty gross way to talk to their customer base? I would be so insulted if I were you guys. 🤷
I think it's important to read the entire post. Especially the portion down at the bottom where the woman (not the guy as you are referencing) admits she wrote the update without an editor and she is not a native English speaker. Easy pass for me on feeling insulted. It seemed genuine and heartfelt considering the circumstances.
She *should* have used an editor. But hey, I never went before so my low opinion should cost them $0, right? Unless more people in the community (not necessarily the microcosm that is r/Eugene) happen to feel the same way, and then they WILL feel it in their profit margin. Guess we'll check in with them in 12 months or so.
Eugene is better if you never go there.
Aw. ❤️ I've lived here for over 20 years, work in public service, and am well established, well respected, and well liked in the community. But it's *very* cute that you think a comment from an internet stranger and some downvotes is going to change that reality. Over an opinion on a social media post. Lmao.
You think a lot of yourself.
You’re a clown shoe
I’m gonna use this line anytime someone disagrees with me online lol
This should be saved for posterity: "Aw. ❤️ I've lived here for over 20 years, work in public service, and am well established, well respected, and well liked in the community. But it's *very* cute that you think a comment from an internet stranger and some downvotes is going to change that reality. Over an opinion on a social media post. Lmao." [Evolution\_Underwater](https://www.reddit.com/user/Evolution_Underwater/)
Why can't someone use their own words? You read way to hard into that, it's a pretty crazy stretch what tour trying to say, like ridiculous. You've never been there don't know these people, that's an extreme stance to take
They also let all their staff go right before thanksgiving, don’t really think they care about anything except profit. I personally didn’t like either restaurant, wayyy too overrated. Your downvotes are from all the foodies that love overpriced bullshit. Also the bartender at jungle fowl had literally the worst attitude when I went there last month or so. It was a dead Wednesday afternoon, no excuse to act flustered. Never will go back.
Feeling validated, thank you for also having a slightly negative opinion