Cafe Eugene
| Address: | 1175 Solano Ave, Albany, CA 94706, USA |
| Phone: | +1 510-647-9999 |
| Site: | cafeeugene.com |
| Rating: | 4.4 |
| Working: | 5–9PM 5–9PM 5–9PM 5–9PM 11AM–10PM 9AM–10PM 9AM–9PM |
Location
Photos 77
Reviews 7
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Tim Cohen-Laurie
I was visiting some friends in the Bay Area who took me to Cafe Eugene last Thursday. I know it was a new restaurant, but I was thrilled with everything. We all shared a bunch of items... Jar of smoked salmon - So much better than we expected! It wasnt super mushy, but rather firm and full of flavor. The pickled veggies were fantastic as well! A perfect dish for a table of 4 to share. Oregon Toasts - We got the salmon and sardine. We like the sardine a bit better, but both were loved by the table. Again, a great sharing item. The mussels - This dish was by far the favorite of the night. Plenty to share, but by the end, we were fighting over them. You cannot come here without ordering them (although I suggest you order an entire one for yourself because you will want every drop of that sauce on them!!) I order mussels any time I see them on a menu, but these blew me away. Such wonderful flavors!!!! mmm, I want more just writing about them! Beet salad - Wonderful salad with the pistachios and and burrata, how could you go wrong??? They didnt! Clam chowder - I had seen some reviews of people not loving the clam chowder, so was a little hesitant however, they were wrong. Do not expect New England style clam chowder. This one is lighter and full of flavor. Not that heavy cream you get in some places... Just nice flavors working together with the small potatoes and clams... Quite delicious... and the puff pastry on top was a nice addition as well. Pork Shoulder - Finally, our big dish. Again, we shared. Grits were creamy and full of flavor. The pork just fell apart and the tomatillo sauce on top... well we wanted to lick the bowl clean after tasting that!! Drinks - The "Duck, Duck, Punch" was surprisingly wonderful! I had that and even with all the items in it, it wasnt too sweet... just enough to counter the rum. I could easily have a few of those throughout the night!! OVERALL: Although Cafe Eugene still has some growing to do (only been open for 1 week when we visited), it clearly it on the right track. I read some reviews about the noise and I think they have turned down the music when we went because we could all hear each other and hold a conversation without problem. It was fabulous and I look forward to going back again soon!!! Cant wait for them to start brunch in a few weeks as well!!
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Yinja Lin
I decided to try out Cafe Eugene out for Brunch today since I was in the area and it was one of the places I previously bookmarked. Its a cute place on the corner with great ambiance located on Solano. The menu is pretty small but they do have a larger drinks menu. I saw from many of my fellow yelpers that the Green Eggs and Sam is a must so we ordered that and our server said the Smoked Salmon Hash is delicious as well. My fellow yelpers and our server was absolutely right! The Smoked Salmon Hash was perfection. It was light and very refreshing but with the perfect touch of smokiness in the salmon. The only downfall to the dish was that one of my poached eggs was over cooked but besides that it was amazing. The Green Eggs and Sam was just as amazing. I overheard many other people ordering it as well. The outer biscuit or Im not quite sure what its called is so good! I tasted like a lemon scone as odd as it may sound but it just works. The food is a bit pricey for the portion but it is so worth it! If youre looking for a brunch spot this is the place to go! I also saw on some reviews about a "Mochi muffin" but turns out their menu changes so its not on there anymore.
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Cindi J
This gem of a restaurant just opened on Solano Ave in the Little Star pizza spot, which is now next door. It is a beautiful place, redone with a lot of wood, cozy colored glass lighting, and a very inviting bar. We had the Foggy East Bay clam chowder topped with buttery puff pastry leaves. It was a light soup with a fresh seafood flavor, unlike most typical clam chowders. It really hit the spot on a cold day. My partner loved the pork braised in tomatillo sauce served over grits. We also got some delicious mussels in hard cider and andouille sausage, with a smoky delicious flavor. Dont miss the cold-smoked salmon pate appetizer! This was my favorite by far- a super-fresh, super-mild rustic salmon spread, served in a small jar with housemade pickles, a soft-boiled egg, and olive oil crackers. For dessert we had the shortcake with whipped cream and raspberry/ marionberry sauce. It was really bright and delish. If youre too full, skip dessert and get a Diplomatico cocktail. Its this addictive espresso/ rum/ cream/ chocolate liqueur cocktail. We seriously had 3 of these between the 2 of us. Drop by here. Youll love it. Great comfort food in a cozy, beautiful atmosphere.
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Kurtis Saiyo
Group of 5, cocktails, appetizers, main courses, and dessert. Everything was fabulous. We ordered the I-5 and Wildwood cocktails (tasty and unique), Oregon Toast (recommended; the mint, dill, tofu pate, avocado blended really well together) and French fries for appetizers, smoked salmon Cesar, rib eye (perfectly medium rare with fantastic greens and potatoes), half chicken (crispy and moist), the trout (which was beautifully orange), the seafood stew had a wonderful hearty broth with lots of seafood. The desserts are all great, but the Meyer lemon cornmeal upside down cake (wow) and Profiteroles really stood out (the Apple cranberry crumble, Beignets, Nanaimo Bar, were all great). The ambiance was perfect; cozy, nicely lit, well appointed music. Service was polite and attentive. Overall we had a great time. I wish all my dining experiences were this good.
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Linda Delgado
Excellent food, prices that make sense, and a staff who take excellent care of their customers. We have had the pleasure of this great new East Bay choice and find it top of our list of options. I so appreciate the service, and that the staff (owners?) who make an effort to know and acknowledge those who return-- a little something extra that definitely informs my choices. Last time my husband and I stopped in the waiter had our favorite cocktail (Knickerbocker) on the table within about 60 seconds. I have been pleased with every dish, and have tried risotto, salads, and meat dishes with equal enjoyment. Dishes are comprised of super fresh ingredients, and put together with care and creativity. Cafe Eugene has won our loyalty, and well continue sharing this lovely spot with friends, neighbors and family.
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Sylvia Elsbury
Just invited a friend to have brunch at Eugene this weekend, because Ive been wanting to go back. Dinner was SO good. I see, reading here, that by happenstance I chose some of the same dishes as the prior reviewer. Little mussels, perfectly cooked, in a broth seasoned like Ive never had before; kept ordering more (delish Acme) toast to soak up the broth. Pork shoulder over grits, wow, dont know why I didnt save half of that for lunch the next day. Oh, I know why: couldnt stop eating it! yeah. My friends burger was fantastic too. And we shared Brussels sprouts/roast cauliflower in cheese sauce, NO not gloppy cliched cheese sauce for veggies, no --- something so savory, and piquant, and so good. I also had a couple of really tasty rye cocktails, cant recall name, on the menu.
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Fabian Sebban
Tres bon brunch. Les breakfast poutine sont un peu poivrée (il faut aimer le poivre) et les blackstone eggs sont excelent. Pas tres copieux et un tres bon service
