After the opening of an University alumnus’ sustainable and organic food cart alongside campus, students will not only have a new lunch hot-spot, but will soon become familiar with terms such as “tilla,” “filla” and “chilla.”
Alongside of the Lorax located on 16th Alley and Alder Street, , Jesse Orange-Hough is ready to open his very own food cart called “Casa De Dilla” Friday.
The cart, selling different variations and sizes of quesadillas, will use only local and organic food products.
Orange-Hough, is set to supply the campus community with eco-friendly and delicious quesadillas, which he refers to as “dillas.”
The cart’s menu will offer dillas ranging in size, and your choice of ingredients.
Orange-Hough said whenstudents approach the cart, they will be asked three important questions.
“What kind of tilla, filla and chilla would you like?” Orange-Hough repeated. “The tilla is the kind of tortilla, filla is what you want in your dilla and chilla is the kind of cheese you want.”
Aside from the amusing aspects of Casa De Dilla, Orange-Hough has made it a priority to make his dillas with locally farmed and organic products and cook the dillas using no emissions.
Orange-Hough has a distinct appreciation for fresh and local foods, and made it a goal to use products that are grown or raised within 250 miles of Eugene.
“I took an urban farming class that taught me the importance of utilizing local foods,” Orange-Hough said. “It really made me appreciate the local farming process and has really driven me to get involved with local farms and want to support them.”
Although Orange-Hough graduated from the University last summer with a degree in general science, his interests in sustainability and climate change along with his culinary talents have prompted him to become a quesadilla virtuoso.
Orange-Hough said there is an increased demand in the student community for organic, local foods, and they aren’t offered in many places on and around campus.
University senior and friend Amy Ruben said she will be happy to see the addition of the Casa De Dilla food cart this week.
“Casa de Dilla is unique among other food carts because it uses all local ingredients and sustainable energy for preparation,” Ruben said. “It is great to know exactly where your food came from and to support local food industries.”
Orange-Hough said he use to make dillas for his friends and everyone really enjoyed his quirky names and fresh organic ingredients.
“Whenever I made dillas for my friends, we always had so much fun joking with names,” Orange-Hough said. “It has really encouraged me to do this because there is a positive energy I see from people when I make dillas. And, there is a fun, jovial spirit that exists in the dilla.”
University student Travis Hartman has been working with Orange-Hough in opening Casa De Dilla, and Hartman said he has been a long-time fan of Orange-Hough’s dillas.
“Jessie has all kinds of crazy things going on, like the dilla nuggets and the different kinds of organic ‘filla,’” Hartman said. “My favorite has to be this Indian bean sprout spread in a dilla, rolled up real nice.”
When Orange-Hough was putting together the menu for Casa De Dilla, he said he did the best he could to keep prices down because his potential customers were most likely going to be college students.
Perhaps, Casa De Dilla’s most attractive item will be the Dolla Dilla. This will be a featured menu item that will include a tortilla and cheese or, a dilla with some ‘chilla.’
Another menu item created by Orange-Hough is the Dessert Dilla, consisting of an assortment of fancy cheeses and seasonal fruit, for the price of $4. If you are hungry and willing to splurge, Orange-Hough recommends the $6 Godzilla Dilla.
“All the dillas are fairly cheap considering the high quality of ingredients that they are made of,” Orange-Hough said.
Orange-Hough hopes that his cart location will attract many students on their way to class or on the way home from the bars.
Casa De Dilla is set to open Monday through Friday during the lunch hour, and also Friday and Saturday nights.
“Right now, we are going to do the lunch rush Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and also the Friday and Saturday night drunk rush,” Orange-Hough said. “It’s a good spot close to campus and the perfect location to get dillas to people late at night. I really hope to open more carts and get more demand for local foods.”

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