Travel Lane County | EugeneCascadesCoast.org | 541.484.5307 29 FOOD & DRINK CHEF ROCKY MASELLI OSTERIA DOP At Osteria DOP, chef and owner Rocky Maselli’s dedication to authenticity led him to Italy, where he was certified at a prestigious pizza school in Naples. This certification oversees Neapolitan-style pizza production and guarantees that only wood-fired ovens are permitted and the dough is made of only four ingredients: flour, sea salt, fresh yeast and water. You’ll find traditional touches throughout, like the stunning wood-burning oven built by fourth-generation craftsmen and imported from Naples. The oven reaches 900 degrees and cooks authentic Neapolitan pizzas in 60 to 90 seconds. Seasonal pastas are also available. When Maselli takes his family out to dinner, he heads to Yardy Rum Bar, owned and operated by Isaiah Martinez, who has Caribbean family roots. “The flavors are Caribbean with all of the East Indian influence,” Maselli says. Of all the dishes, Maselli most often orders the doubles — Trinidadian flat bread with chana, a chickpea curry, and flavorful chutneys. Yardy was recently honored with placement on the list of the top 50 restaurants in America by the New York Times, which said, “When you think Oregon, the first flavor that jumps to mind is probably not Caribbean spice. But it should be.” CHEF TODD WALLENBECK TAVERN ON MAIN Tavern on Main is Springfield’s version of Manhattan’s Tavern on the Green. The restaurant, which opened in 2021, occupies a beautifully restored building with art deco chandeliers and vintage Gatsby-esque styling — but co-owner and chef Todd Wallenbeck says the elegant atmosphere is meant for everyone. “Sometimes people think they have to get dressed up to come here, which is not the case,” Wallenbeck says. “People come in wearing shorts and flip-flops or work boots.” The smash burger remains a crowd favorite, while dishes showcase Wallenbeck’s eclectic palate and seasonal ingredients. Year-round, the menu puts seafood and steak first, with items like lobster rolls, scallops crudo with zippy chiles, and Northwest steaks and pork chops paired with the freshest produce. The carefully curated cocktail menu also changes with the seasons. Wallenbeck worked at James Beard Award-nominated Marché for years before establishing his own restaurants and recommends the downtown French bistro as a classic. “It’s going to be good quality and consistent across the board,” Wallenbeck says. “I go for the steak frites every time, because it’s always so good.” For pizza, Wallenbeck hunts down Osteria DOP’s food cart, Pizzeria DOP, where takeaway wood-fired Neapolitan pies emerge from a wood-fired oven built right into the roaming 18-foot (5.5-m) truck. Osteria DOP Tavern on Main TODD COOPER (3); COURTESY OF TODD WALLENBECK
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