FOOD,
FOOTBALL … OR BOTH
NEW
DOWNTOWN BAR CATERS TO CUSTOMERS
Story
by Vanessa Salvia • Photo by Todd Cooper
For the past eight years, customers have appreciated
Tom Kamis behind the bar at Café Soriah, one of Eugene's finer
dining and cocktail spots. Now Kamis is looking to spread some of
that rosy glow to The Davis, a new downtown Eugene establishment opening
in early April.
 |
| (Right
to left) Daryl Anderson, Ibrahim Hamide, Jeff Desler, Kurt Kuehnast,
Tom Kamis (kneeling) |
Located in the refurbished Quan's at 94 West Broadway,
The Davis will incorporate amenities customers have told him they
desire in a nightspot. "I really just like to have everybody feel
comfortable," Kamis says. "I'm trying to create a space that has almost
a lounge feel, a lot of low banquettes and nooks and little areas
where you can crawl away to, but I'll keep it open as well so that
you can do the people-watching that people love to do at bars."
Remodeling plans include an open main area with banquette
seating and a side room for televisions and couches. "If people want
to come down and watch a game, it'll be in the side room where the
sound will be on and it won't really filter into the other rooms,"
he says.
Kamis long dreamed of having his own establishment
but didn't come up with plans until about three years ago. "I thought
really super seriously about it and then started looking for the opportunity
to do it," he said. He investigated two other locations before finalizing
this one, mainly because he sought a quality restaurant space that
was already up to code.
Naming the bar was easy. Kamis and a friend named
John Davis, who passed away a few years ago, imagined their own version
of the ideal bar, called The John Davis. "We just didn't come up with
a better name, so we decided to call this The Davis," he says. The
name doesn't lend itself to any particular type of food or atmosphere,
which Kamis appreciates.
The Davis' menu veers toward eclectic Northwest, with
a twist: The entire menu will be appetizers — and the entire
menu will be entrées. Want a snack with drinks before heading
home to dinner? Order the appetizer portion of any item. Want a substantial
meal? Choose the entrée size and receive the same item as a dinner
plate with harmonizing sides.
With Kamis' connections, bank on The Davis boasting
good service. He will manage the front of the house while business
partner Daryl Anderson will head a talented kitchen crew. "The people
I have … are super professional people that I've known for a
long time, that I know can make people feel at home," Kamis says.
"The guys that I have working in the kitchen have years and years
of experience working in restaurants and different styles of cooking.
I want them to run with their ideas and make the best food they know
how."
Though he's leaving Soriah, Kamis has the blessing
of Soriah owner Ibrahim Hamide. "Ib is a part of this," says Kamis.
"He's my mentor in a lot of ways. I love the way he treats people
and the way he runs his restaurant and how generous he is with time
and energy and everything." While Hamide isn't providing any funding
for The Davis, he did assist Kamis in securing a Downtown Revitalization
Loan. Kamis also whispers about the possibility that he and Hamide
might open another establishment together someday.
Meanwhile, we've got The Davis to elevate Eugene's
downtown offerings. "If you're a foodie and a drink lover, you can
come here and have that," says Kamis. "And if you just want to hang
out with friends and watch a football game, you can do that too."
