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Off The
Waffle - The Best New Restaurant in Eugene for 2009/2010
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Press coverage: Best New Restaurant Off The Waffle - The best New Restaurant @ EugeneWeekly from the paper's October 29, 2009 edition. Best New Restaurant
1. Off the Waffle 740 Van Buren St., 606-4348; 525 E. 13th Ave. www.offthewaffle.com 2. The Rabbit Bistro and Bar 2864 Willamette St. 343-8226. 3. Adam’s Sustainable Table 30 E. Broadway, 344-6948. www.adamsplacerestaurant.com It’s hard to think of a time we couldn’t go out and get a piping hot waffle as a late-night snack. But it is really less than a year since the opening of Off the Waffle, Eugene’s “confection sensation,” as their website states. Since then, proprietors Dave and Omer Orian have blanketed the town with free waffle samples and established a barter system — books for waffles — that appeals to thrifty individuals. The original waffle house is actually a real house on Van Buren, complete with a billboard with Off the Waffle’s iconic image (the red-headed waffle chef who resembles the brothers) and Belgian gypsy jazz piped outside. A second location, a cart in front of High Priestess tattoo parlor, doesn’t quite manage to create the same atmosphere (or, at times, freshly made waffles), but its convenience to the university and late-night hours ensures a steady stream of customers. So what’s all the fuss? These small, hand-held waffles are fantastic. Based on the famous sugar waffles from the Belgian city of Liège, they are sweetened with imported pearl sugar that creates a crackly, caramelized exterior and a moist interior. After some experimentation with ingredients and waffle irons, the shop now offers several fillings, including goat cheese with berries, or chocolate chips and banana. Cardamom and pistachios often join the party. Savory combinations, such as the havarti, apple and cinnamon, don’t always fare quite as well, especially when the waffle isn’t warm enough to melt the cheese. Off the Waffle sources as many ingredients locally as it can, including flour, farm-fresh eggs, Noris Dairy milk and Wandering Goat Coffee. The popularity of the waffles ensures the shop and the cart are continuously busy, and sometimes the lines get long. Enjoy the music, the books and the conversations around you while you wait. |
