Food scene: Barbecue cart to move, Bier Stein celebrates a milestone, and local food for track visitors

Quick Take:

A popular barbecue food cart is relocating this fall, while one of the area’s beloved beer destinations, The Bier Stein, marked its 20th anniversary this month. And visitors in town for track will have eight local food vendors to dine at.

Paper Plate BBQ cart to mark move with special menu

Isaiah Watson’s barbecue cart is preparing to move from ColdFire Brewing to Play. The move, planned for Sept. 4, will give the cart improved visibility and more parking.

barbecue sandwich — A sandwich plate from Paper Plate BBQ. Credit: Vanessa Salvia / Lookout Eugene-Springfield

Watson opened the cart Jan. 9, 2021, moved to ColdFire in August 2021 and has built a loyal following there. The move to Play will place the cart street-side on Fifth Avenue, making it visible to passing traffic rather than tucked away behind the ColdFire building.

Watson plans to mark the occasion with a special menu Sept. 6, featuring breakfast and brunch items.

“We’re going to have brisket, smoked breakfast sausage links, biscuits and gravy with house-made buttermilk biscuits, and our homemade sausage gravy,” Watson said. “We will have hatch chili taters and a breakfast foldy.”

Watson didn’t grow up in Texas, but his wife did, and in Texas talk, a foldy is a sausage on a bun. He’s creating a variation: a breakfast sausage on French toast with bourbon maple syrup. He’s also making two breakfast tacos, one with beef neck and one with smoked pork jowl, both served on Watson’s house-made flour tortillas. A horchata creme brulee is the dessert plan.

Watson’s approach emphasizes craft cooking and local sourcing. Every item on the regular menu is made from scratch, except the bread. And all barbecue is smoked using a blend of three Oregon oak tree varieties: black oak, white oak and red oak. The cart regularly sells out of items because Watson makes everything himself and is making as much as he can.

Another way he is marking the transition to a new location is by inviting customers to nail old Texas license plates or barbecue-themed signs onto the wood paneling of his truck.

“It’s a way to engage the community and make it feel like this is part of theirs, too,” he said.

While Watson acknowledged that leaving ColdFire feels like “breaking up the band,” he’s optimistic about the new partnership with Play and the improved access for customers.

Want to go?

Paper Plate BBQ
Parked at ColdFire Brewing, 263 Mill St., until relocating to Play, 232 W. Fifth Ave., on Sept. 4
https://paperplatebbq.com

four Bier Stein employees in a group outside — From left: The Bier Stein’s Dave Stockhausen, Ali Hudnall, Sarah Firth and Troy Potter at the 20th anniversary event. Credit: Courtesy of Sarah Firth

The Bier Stein celebrates 20 years

The Bier Stein celebrated its 20th anniversary with a public party Saturday, July 19, a festival that highlighted six collaboration brews created specifically for the anniversary. The Bier Stein worked with breweries around Oregon over several months on the project.

While the 20th anniversary party has already happened, patrons can still try the collaboration beers on tap at the Bier Stein:

20/10 Vision, a pale ale made with ColdFire Brewing
Chip Off The Ol’ Block, an IPA made with Ninkasi Brewing
Stein Bender, an IPA made with Fort George Brewery in Astoria (also available canned)
Ridin’ Low, a hazy IPA made with Great Notion Brewing in Portland (also canned)
Japanese Rice Lager made with Van Henion Brewing and Boneyard Brewing, both from Bend (also canned)
Bialous, an Italian-style pilsner made with Georgetown Brewing Co. in Seattle

woman holding beer can in front of Bier Stein beer case — Sarah Firth holds a can of collaboration beer Stein Bender, pointing out The Bier Stein’s “Hoppy” mascot on the can. Credit: Vanessa Salvia / Lookout Eugene-Springfield

woman holding can of beer in front of Bier Stein beer case — Sarah Firth holds a can of collaboration beer Stein Bender, pointing out The Bier Stein’s “Hoppy” mascot on the can. Credit: Vanessa Salvia / Lookout Eugene-Springfield

The Bier Stein originally opened in a much smaller location in July 2005. The business moved to its Willamette Street building in April 2013, greatly expanding its size and kitchen capacity. Troy Potter took over the business in August 2017, and weathered the pandemic and supply chain issues, among other challenges, maintaining it as an important community hub, said Sara Firth, the Bier Stein’s operations director.

The Bier Stein’s success is rooted in its extensive beer selection of more than 1,000 SKUs in 18 coolers, plus about 25 draft lines. They also get to know their regular customers, which they see as “Bier Stein family.”

Looking ahead, the Bier Stein is planning an expanded Oktoberfest celebration for early October. It also celebrates two different anniversary dates — one for the original business founding in 2005 and another for its move to its current location in 2013.

Want to go?

The Bier Stein
1591 Willamette St.
541-485-2437
https://thebierstein.com

Local food for track visitors

Hayward Field will be the epicenter for track fans in town for the USATF Outdoor & Para National Championships, July 31 through Aug. 3. Those who dine out will have a great sampling of Eugene food available. All of the eight food and beverage vendors on Agate Street outside Hayward are local: