This week we interviewed Crystal Platt, head chef at Lion & Owl. Crystal, “the Owl”, co-owns the restaurant along with her spouse Kirsten Hansen, “the Lion”. Lion & Owl opened in 2017 as a food truck, where Crystal served artfully prepared farm-to-table food from a vintage Airstream, which was parked in the parking lot of a local farm and garden supply store. After two very successful years they opened a brick and mortar in downtown Eugene. Their cuisine, which is New American but heavily influenced by French cuisine, places an emphasis on locally-sourced ingredients and has been described as a “celebration of Pacific Northwest flora and fauna”. They serve brunch and dinner “for the fierce and the wise” and offer a curated wine list that is designed to compliment any dish on the menu.
In planning the menu, Crystal’s philosophy is “what grows together, goes together.” Shopping at the farmers market and scoping out all the produce that is in season gives her inspiration in deciding what to put on the menu. Lion & Owl has been described as ‘hyper-seasonal’, and their fierce adherence to the season and what grows locally is evident in their frequently changing menu. If something is not available at the farmers market that’s when Crystal decides to change the menu. She is proud to say that 99% of their sourcing comes from her relationships with local farms. As a result, her menu captures what is happening in the Willamette Valley in real time. The only downside of shopping at the market for Crystal is buying produce in large quantities and having to lug them back to the restaurant.
What are some of Crystal’s favorite seasonal crops? She loves fava beans despite how labor-intensive they are. Fava beans are only at the market for a brief moment so she tries to take advantage of it as much as possible. Her favorite vegetable family is alliums.
“People who come to my restaurant with an allium allergy have a hard time being here. They just add a nice base flavor,” she says.
One of Lion and Owl’s most popular dishes is their smoked potato. They take a classic, simple dish and give it some flair by using locally-sourced ingredients that change according to the season. It has been on the menu from the beginning and is never taken off the menu. Every year Crystal gets excited to use peas during their peak season for the smoked potato because of their sweetness, which works in harmony with this savory dish.
Come check out Lion and Owl at 60 E 11th Avenue from Thursday to Monday. Their brunch hours are from 10am – 3pm. Their dinner hours are from 5 – 9pm.