Recently, I was in Eugene, OR for business. When I asked the people at the hotel which restaurant they would recommend, besides their own (the obvious answer), they recommended Marche in Eugene's 5th Street Market.The restaurant was great. The ambiance was relaxing and similar to a hip bistro in any big city. The service was great. The food excellent.
The Marche menu focuses on local ingredients with exceptional preparation. Here is a quote from their web site
We support local farmers, ranchers and forages and are dedicated to using organic, chemical free and genetically unaltered products whenever possible.
The quality of their food was exceptional.
I had the romaine leaf salad to start with. It was their take on the more traditional Caeser salad. I truly enjoyed it. The dressing was lighter than a normal Caesar, but with much more flavor and instead of using Parmesan, they use large shavings of Pecorino Romano. I could have enjoyed a large version of this salad for my entire dinner.
On to my entree. I had the seared Oregon Black Cod with spring pea puree, roasted vegetables and fingerling potatoes. This was my first time trying Oregon Black Cod, so I did not know what to expect. What I can tell you is that I wish I could have this fish every time I wanted fish. The fish was the best prepared I have ever had. It was very moist and fell apart in perfect layers. The vegetables were under the fish and were a perfect medley to let the fish take center stage.
On to dessert. I am constantly in search of the ultimate bread pudding. I have to say that the Warm Chocolate Bread Pudding at Marche was right near the top of my list. Bread pudding can be heavy and overly sweet, but pastry chef at Marche found the perfect balance. It was absolutely sinful and I loved every bite.
In short, I'll be back next time I visit Eugene. The restaurant had a great bar with a knowledgable staff and featured local wines. They even have outdoor seating, but it was a little cold for that.
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