Tom's Tea House

Leah C.

November 30, 2009 - 2:00 AM

I've heard of Tom's Tea House many times from my Chinese professor, and today or I guess yesterday (since it is 2AM) was my first time eating there. I was told by my professor that this is the place to go if you wanted real Chinese food in Eugene, and I would have to agree. This is definitely where you would go for a home cooked meal. The restaurant is a tiny place on 13th and Hilyard right behind Dairy Queen. When my friends and I first walked in we were greeted by an old couple. The restaurant was really cute, just like a mom and pop place with children books lying in a pile on one table. The old women tended to the cash register and the cramped dining room and her husband worked the stoves. After we had settled down, the tables quickly filled up with students looking for a delicious meal. We were lucky to have come in first because I was starving!

We ordered 4 dishes, BBQ Chicken, Mao Pao Tofu, Beef Tenderloin and a Lion's Head Hotpot. We were really curious what the Lion's head was and it turned out it was pork meat balls cooked with rice noodles and vegetables. Interesting name, but otherwise very good. Looking around the place there were photos of graduates from the University of Oregon, students posing with Puddles the duck, costumers who were probably teachers dining at the restaurant. A newspaper clipping framed on the wall revealed the younger chef in 1976. There were also signatures on the wall from sports players and a Matthew something from what I could see. This restaurant definitely has its charm and the historical connection they have with the U of O students and faculty members can definitely be found through the memories of their customers.