I love all cheeses: cheddar, feta, pepper jack, etc. A close friend recently introduced me to the Holy Grail of all cheeses. You guessed it: goat cheese. Foodies all around are getting into goat cheese. Sure to please any palette, chèvre has a tart flavor that can match perfectly with fruits and veggies on any plate. To test my theory, I hit the streets of Eugene in order to find perfect goat cheese pairings.
1. Provisions Market Hall
Photo by Mariah Swift
Provisions regularly features a cheese plate that changes with the seasons and availability in the area and a bit beyond. After speaking with Provision’s master of goat cheeses, Sam Rollins, he put together a plate for us featuring three different goat cheeses of our selection. Provisions features a wide variety of cheeses made with cow’s milk, goat’s milk, sheep’s milk and combinations of a few. For our plate, we picked Humbolt Fog, Drunken Goat and Truffle Tremor. Paired with pears, hazelnuts and a baguette, each cheese had a distinct flavor that wasn’t overpowering, but just enough to put a smile on your face. The entire chèvre plate cost $13 and filled the 3 of us up!
2. Noisette Pastry Kitchen
Photo by Mariah Swift
Noisette Pastry Kitchen takes my mind right to sweet flavors like chocolate with caramel swirl, but they really lighten the mood with their savory dishes. My favorite? Of course the Goat Cheese Biscuit, available in gluten free form as well. This biscuit is the perfect way to start a cold morning in Downtown Eugene. The chèvre gives the biscuit a moist flavor that is literally unreal, paired with fresh herbs and sprinkled with a touch of sea salt. A measly $2.25 for this delicacy!
3. Rye
Photo courtesy of yelp.com
A small French restaurant and cocktail bar only a few blocks from campus was the perfect place to find my next favorite. On the menu, Rye features a chèvre frites, described as a breaded and fried ball of goat cheese. It’s pretty much all you could imagine and more. My recommendation? Get two! While the goat cheese packs a punch, it’d take a few of these bad boys to stop me from eating. Paired with an onion marmalade and fresh baguette, the warm goat cheese practically melts in your mouth. An irresistible stop along the Eugene Goat Cheese Tour. Starting at $6, get double for only $10.
4. Little Big Burger
Photo by Mariah Swift
For smaller appetites with big ideas, Little Big Burger is the perfect stop to get just the right amount of goat cheese. I selected the veggie burger this time around (Yay Lent!) with added goat cheese. Little Big Burger’s veggie burger is a great little snack, but a perfect meal with the help of some local chèvre. Paired with a root beer float and some truffle fries, this is a must stop along the tour. A fabulous afternoon pick me up, grab one of these veggies burgers with goat cheese for only $4.25.
5. Off the Waffle
Photo by Mariah Swift
Off the Waffle is known for having some killer breakfast, lunch and everything in between. With the “Goat in the Headlights” dish, they really live up to what they are praised for. I was shocked when I found that all my favorite things could be packed together on one plate: avocado, two eggs, a waffle and of course goat cheese. Off the Waffle also gives you the option of adding bacon to this set up. A great way to wrap up my goat cheese tour, so irresistible and I had a really hard time taking a picture before completely devouring it. Off the Waffle also features another goat cheese waffle that I need to try. Goat in the Headlights can be all yours for $9.50, but totally worth every penny!
Offering us delightful variation and incredible contrast, each stop makes a name for itself with flavors some palettes have never even tried before. An out of this world experience, I highly recommend the Eugene Goat Cheese Tour to cheese lovers and foodies alike.