3 Local Eats

January 23, 2015 by Chelsea Roberts

1. Manola’s Thai Cuisine is located on 652 E. Broadway in Eugene and serves a large variety of Thai cuisine very close to campus. Its location is obviously a huge positive, but it is ideal for students because of the price and the option to order online. The food is served by a kind and hospitable staff, is pretty inexpensive and comes in extremely large delicious portions. With a variety of dishes Manola’s creates a great mix for those who are looking to spice up their appetite or to stay with the regular rice and noodle type of dishes. When I visited a few weeks ago I ordered the Northern Grilled Chicken for $13.95, which is half a chicken (so much food) marinated in garlic, herbs, and other Thai seasonings along with a side of sticky rice, steamed vegetables, and homemade plum sauce. For dessert our table shared a bowl of Homemade Mango Ice-Cream for $4.95 and the Golden Fried Banana dish for $5.95, a deep fried banana dipped in coconut flakes and topped with honey served with a scoop of homemade coconut ice cream.

2. Barry’s is literally right across the street from the NCU campus at 804 E. 12th, but if your Netflix marathon is too intense to leave they also offer delivery. If you haven’t visited them, I suggest you leave right now. I first ate at Barry’s a few years ago when my cousin worked there and I got to taste the delectable pastries she helped bake. One bite and I was hooked. Fortunately, I lived far enough away during high school that I was unable to get Barry’s often, now living across the street is a hazard. They serve a variety of soups, sandwiches and breakfast items, but the bakery items are the best. My all-time favorite being the raspberry, cream cheese Danish which is a measly $2.95 for a piece of Heaven.

3. Ambrosia’s is one of Eugene’s finest Italian restaurants and is located on 174 E. Broadway and is also relatively close to campus. I went to this restaurant with my family and I recommend it as somewhere to go to with your folks when they come to visit, so that you (the broke college student) doesn’t have to pick up the check, because it is pricey. The formal dining experience creates great opportunities to dress up and go out with friends or a significant other for a special occasion or celebration. It has a very classic Italian menu, of which I chose to eat the Lobster Ravioli, a dish consisting of house-made ravioli filled with lobster, ricotta and Parmesan in a sun-dried tomato and Prosciutto garlic cream sauce, for $22 and the dish delivers for every penny.