Cambodian Cuisine

If you’re not sure what Cambodian food is like, Horn Nov, the owner of Angkor Cambodian Cafe, offers some tantalizing clues. “Next door to Thailand, next door to Vietnam,” he says about Cambodia’s closest neighbors. “A lot of fresh ingredients, lemon grass, turmeric, ginger.”  The curry, for example, is served with noodles, Cambodian-style. Nov tries to describe it and then decides to bring out a bowl of the colorful dish instead.  Continue reading 

Two Dolla Holla

Though perhaps not the salmon nigiri you’ll rave to your friends about or the most amazing Cali roll you’ve ever had, 541 Sushi Bar’s conveyer belt-style fare really isn’t half bad — especially at a consistent $2 a plate. And the restaurant, which opened Dec. 10, doesn’t aim to be fine dining, anyway. Owner Wookyn Lee would be the first to tell you this. Continue reading 

Word Is

• Want fresh-ground hazelnuts mixed with chocolate? Head over to South Willamette's Market of Choice bulk section — they’ve struck gold with a make-your-own-Nutella contraption. Just resist the temptation to position your mouth under the spigot and pull the lever.  Continue reading 

Sour Secret Weapons

Preserved lemons are cost effective, zesty and useful

How many times have you used some zest from a fresh lemon only to have the remainder of the fruit shrivel up on the counter or in the fridge?  Is it possible to keep the fresh flavor of this bright yellow globe on hand for the times you might want to add some rays of sunshine to whatever you’re cooking?   The answer: Yes, with preserved lemons. Every foodie needs to have these lemons in his repertoire of spices and flavoring additions.  Continue reading 

Xoco Mexican Street Food Offers Mexican Eats

Ever since Xoco Mexican Street Food set up shop on 13th Avenue last October, the food cart has focused on introducing Eugene to its unique Mexican cuisine.  “You can taste it; it’s from Mexico City,” Gregorio Gonzalez, cook and co-owner of Xoco, says with a smile. Inside the small, brightly colored cart, Gonzalez cuts open a bolillo roll and begins making a torta, Mexico City’s take on a sandwich, consisting of a roll filled with meat, cheese and veggies. Continue reading 

It’s Cider Time

There’s no shortage of ciderhouses in Portland, and now the Willamette Valley is jumping onboard the fruit-filled trend. Some hit the market early: 2 Towns Ciderhouse, which opened in Corvallis in 2010, is now expanding its craft cider sales to Alaska, Idaho and Nevada. And some, such as WildCraft Cider Works and Elk Horn Brewery, opened just last year, offering their brand new apple-y goodness to the people of Eugene.  Continue reading 

Party Downtown Chefs Focused on Local, Sustainable Cooking

Tiffany Norton, 33, and Mark Kosmicki, 37, the chefs and owners of Party Downtown, have a hard time settling on a favorite dish. “I really like the lamb bacon,” Kosmicki says. “But that’s fleeting,” Norton adds. “We only had four bellies.” “I love this Brussels sprouts dish,” Norton says, pointing to a side dish of roasted Brussels sprouts, beer jam and fried garlic.  Continue reading