If you frequently dine out in Eugene, you’ve probably already heard the news that after 13 years of business, Izakaya Meiji, a staple of the restaurant scene in Eugene, has closed.The restaurant closed on Oct. 22 after founders Quinn Brown and Ayumi Kamata realized Meiji’s identity wasn’t clicking with evolving eating and drinking habits.
If you convert the word izakaya from Japanese to English, it translates to “stay-drink-place.” This is exactly what Izakaya Meiji was — a cozy, candle-lit wooden sanctuary for people to take a load off with a well-crafted drink and some Japanese tavern food.
Following the traditional definition of an izakaya, Meiji’s character was inherently connected to drinking culture. So when that culture began to change due to the pandemic, problems arose for the restaurant.
“It changed, long term, the way people are dining,” Alex Dakers, former chef at Izakaya Meiji said. He said before the pandemic, some customers came in a few times a week to enjoy a drink. But after the pandemic, that habit dropped off.
When the number of people coming in for drinks dwindled, Meiji’s backbone started to weaken. “The whole model was built around selling a bunch of food and a bunch of drinks, with the food taking a lot more of the labor,” Dakers said. “So once it became more about the food, the concept struggled a little bit.” This, along with fatigue from being open for over a decade, caused its closure.
But there’s still hope for those of you wallowing in your misery trying to imagine the taste of Meiji’s Bourbon Ginger one last time. Meiji Founders Kamata and Brown have opened a new restaurant in Meiji’s place, at the same location. Their new establishment, JungleFowl, is a departure from the structure of Izakaya Meiji and aims to carry over the culinary capability of its predecessor.
JungleFowl’s main focus is poultry, with chicken-based dishes being the main attraction. Dakers, who is now a chef at JungleFowl, said part of the goal is to change the way people think about chicken. “It’s way more than just fried chicken or the healthy option on your salad,” he said. Their philosophy is to honor poultry with simple, high-quality dishes supported by the local bounties of the Willamette Valley.
I tried two of their most popular dishes, the chicken curry and the Peruvian chicken leg. Both were delicious. The curry was rich and spicy, with a hint of lime that added a pleasant brightness to the flavor. Instead of simmering the chicken in the curry, they sear it separately, which gives it a nice crispy skin. It was unique and satisfying.
While the curry was great, the Peruvian chicken leg was my clear favorite. The roasted chicken leg is served with fries, a simple salad, ají amarillo aioli and salsa verde. The chicken was incredibly tender and juicy with well-seasoned skin, and the ají aioli was delicious with the fries. Simple, but fantastic. A definite must-try item.
While JungleFowl is different from its predecessor, the quality hasn’t changed. This is no surprise since it’s still owned by Brown and Kamata, and operated mostly by former Meiji employees. “We’re the same people, we’re just doing something different,” Opal Dakers said.
Local diners are coming around to the change. Dakers, a server at JungleFowl, said they noticed most people don’t know it’s essentially the same crew, but that “we are growing steadily.” So, if you liked Meiji, and felt abandoned by their team, hold your worries and try something on the menu that catches your eye. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
And for those of you who just can’t let it go, JungleFowl still serves that Bourbon Ginger.They also do Meiji Mondays — a weekly throwback where customers can order some classics from the Meiji era. This feature is great for those feeling nostalgic, but I’d still implore everyone to try that Peruvian chicken leg at least once.
