QuickTake:

Plus, a new taco truck in North Springfield opens, Springfield Farmers Market premieres this Sunday and Runners Cafe Eugene closes.

North Springfield residents in need of a taco platter and a fat breakfast burrito can now head to El Taco Nacho.

The food truck opened May 1 off Q Street and offers tortas, tacos, flautas and other grab and go items, as well as sit-down plates such as saucy enchiladas with rice and beans and chilaquiles for a hearty breakfast. 

The taco platter ($20) gets you four tacos on house-made tortillas with proteins of your choice. I ordered al pastor (tangy marinated shredded pork with pineapple), birria (savory and tender and slow-cooked, like a Sunday beef stew), and asada. Other meats include lengua (beef tongue), chorizo and chicken. Vegetarian options are available as well. 

If you go: El Taco Nacho is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily at 824 Q Street (behind Unique Auto) in Springfield. You can order to go, and outdoor seating is available. Parking can be dicey, so if you don’t find a spot, residential parking is nearby. Another option: If you just finished shopping at Fred Meyer, you’re a five-minute walk away. 

Dabbed on too much red salsa at El Taco Nacho? Cool down with horchata or an agua de jamaica (hibiscus tea), which is sweet and tart and just the drink for those hot, drippy summer days.  Credit: Taylor Goebel / Lookout Eugene-Springfield

A third Tiger Mama comes to North Eugene this summer

Tiger Mama is expanding its Korean offerings to Crescent Village, with plans to open a 45-seat eatery sometime in June. 

Tiger Moon (and Sushi Pure) owners Sunny Moon and Preston Shin are renovating the space at 2776 Shadowview Drive, which had been vacant since Unrefined Wellness Bar closed last November.

The menu is being finalized, but expect a cross between the couple’s OG full-service restaurant in the Whiteaker and Tiger Mama Cupbap, a fast-casual eatery they opened last May in South Eugene. As in, after customizing your Korean bowl — similar to Chipotle or Panda Express with different bases, proteins, sauces and toppings — you can take it to go or enjoy it with a glass of soju on the patio. As with any Tiger Mama location, gluten-free and vegan options will be available. 

“Every location is unique and different,” Shin said. “Although our concept [in North Eugene] is convenience for people, we never compromise on the quality of the food or the ambiance.”

Moon and Shin will introduce Korean desserts such as bungeoppang (a fish-shaped stuffed pastry similar to taiyaki) and bingsu (a certain food correspondent’s favorite version of shaved ice). The black-and-pink color scheme will also differ from their other two locations.

Moon and Shin, who both grew up in Korea before moving to Eugene more than 25 years ago, are excited to bring the cuisines of their home country to North Eugene. 

“​​When it comes to Korean cooking, my wife is a genius,” Shin said. “I always wanted to feature her skills because it almost feels sinful to keep it to myself.”

Former Shari’s locations revived by sushi, seafood boil eateries

Nearly two years after Pacific Northwest chain Shari’s Café & Pies went out of business, two of its former Lane County locations will welcome diners once again as they transform into new eateries.

Cajun Claws Seafood Boil House took over the former Shari’s near Pioneer Plaza in Springfield in late May. The restaurant offers a choose-your-own-boil experience, with mix-and-match seafood, extras such as corn and sausage, seasoning and spice level. Other menu items include pastas, po’boys, chicken wings and beignets.

Find Cajun Claws at 1807 Pioneer Pkwy E., Springfield. The seafood boil restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. It will host a grand opening sometime in July. This is Cajun Claws’ second location, after its Oakland, California, restaurant opened earlier this spring. 

The former Shari’s in Santa Clara is slated to become the first Lane County location for Sumo Sushi & Grill, a Pacific Northwest chain that offers an all-you-can-eat Japanese dining experience. Photos and reviews from other locations show robot servers and a hot food and dessert buffet. 

Portland-based Mason Construction announced its groundbreaking day for the renovation project April 16. The restaurant location is 280 River Road, Eugene. Sumo Sushi did not respond to Lookout Eugene-Springfield to confirm the new location, opening date or other details. 

Runners Cafe Eugene closes

Runners Cafe Eugene closed permanently last month, according to its business hours on Google and a since-deleted post on its Instagram page. The cafe was located inside a Chevron gas station at 4820 Goodpasture Loop. It offered coffee drinks, tea lattes, pastries and runner-themed sandwiches. 

Happening this weekend

Springfield Farmers Market
Springfield Public Library Parking Lot, 225 Fifth St., Springfield
9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sundays from June to October

Lane County Farmers Market is launching its Springfield Farmers Market, June 7, with nearly 50 farm and food artisan vendors selling produce, meat, eggs, flowers, honey and ready-to-eat food. Read more about the new market here. 

Youth Farm stand
Youth Farm, 34596 Seavey Loop, Eugene
10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturdays from June to October

Food for Lane County’s Youth Farm is opening its farm stand for the first time at its new — and permanent — 25-acre home June 6. This time of year, you can purchase cabbage, salad mix, peas, onions and other produce while fighting hunger in Lane County. 

Taylor Goebel covers Lane County's food and drink scene. She has nearly a decade of experience in multimedia journalism, having reported across the Mid-Atlantic on dining, food systems, education, healthcare, local elections, labor and business. She was most recently a food reporter in Washington state, where she documented a fourth-generation fishing family, covered a David vs. Goliath conflict between a national coffee chain and a small Turkish cafe, and had many culinary firsts, from ensaymadas and gilgeori (Korean street) toast to morels and black cod.