The story of Eugene’s “fierce and wise” Lion & Owl
Lion & Owl’s downtown Eugene location shines with floor-toceiling windows and jewel-colored glassware. But the true showstopper is the vintage silver Airstream parked inside — a reminder of when chef Crystal Platt and co-owner Kirsten Hansen, newly married, launched their farm-to-table restaurant in the trailer in May 2017 in the parking lot of a local farm and garden supply store. Two years later, they opened their downtown location. They persevered through the pandemic and expanded recently with Lemon & Olive, an art deco– style cocktail bar next door. Earlier this year, Platt was nominated as Best Chef in the Pacific Northwest by the James Beard Foundation. And, co-owner Kirsten Hansen’s wine program recently won an award from Wine Spectator.
Platt and Hansen’s paths first crossed at Marché, a pioneering Eugene restaurant, after Platt graduated from Lane Community College’s culinary program and Hansen, with her sommelier experience, joined the restaurant to run the wine program. Platt’s goal was to become Marché’s sous chef within a year. “I did it after nine months,” she says proudly.
“We were drawn to each other’s knowledge and passions,” Hansen recalls. “We were friends for about five years before we became a couple, and the whole time we were talking, we found that our interests complemented each other very well.”
Hansen, born in Boston but with roots in Eugene, had lived “all over” before returning to be closer to her mother. Before settling in Eugene, Platt — originally from Estacada — dreamed of becoming a stand-up comedian. “I wanted to be on SNL, then transition to comedy roles, then drama, and eventually win an Oscar,” she laughs. Her crowning achievement so far came in 2023 when Platt was named a James Beard Award semifinalist. “I was so excited and honored,” she beams.
During their three-month honeymoon in Europe, the dream arose for Lion & Owl, named after Platt, the wise owl, and Hansen, the fierce lion. They started looking for carts and found the Airstream, then transformed it into a brunch spot, though now they are also open for dinner.
The early days were grueling — prepping all week, serving Thursday through Monday, and washing dishes late into the night. “It tested our relationship and our stamina,” Hansen admits. In 2019, they opened Lion & Owl’s brick-and-mortar location, with the Airstream incorporated inside, providing additional seating.
Menus are vegetable-forward and based on hyper-local ingredients. Platt’s French-influenced techniques, honed under the tutelage of Marché’s Stephanie Pearl Kimmel, are evident throughout the menu. “We wanted to have that feeling of elevation of a dinner meal, but at brunch,” Platt explains.
One such dish is the black ash cauliflower. “We take a whole head of cauliflower and cover it with a mixture of leek ash and black garlic, then roast it until tender,” Platt says. It’s served with a preserved lemon vinaigrette, fried chickpeas, and sunchoke tahini. Another customer favorite is the summer bean dish, Platt’s take on salad Niçoise. It features crispy panisse (chickpea flour fritters), sautéed beans with herb gremolata, green tomato relish, and black garlic gel. Spring menus burst with morels, green garlic, and Miners lettuce.
Winter meals lean on short ribs, root vegetables, and celebratory dishes like halibut with a caviar beurre blanc. They’ve built relationships with local producers like My Pharm in Junction City, which supplies them with quail and rabbit, and Olympia Provisions for pork products. A signature year-round dish is potatoes in the style of ham — a three-day process resulting in crispy-on-the-outside, unctuous-on-theinside morsel.
Hansen’s wine list recently earned Lion & Owl the 2024 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. She primarily features interesting and affordable Oregon wines alongside French wines that people don’t normally see. “I try to have very foodfriendly wines, which means I’m a lover of a nice balance of acid to create the space for the food to shine with it,” Hansen says. “I no longer buy anything that I’m not willing to take home and drink. And I like to keep it affordable, so you can have two bottles instead of just one.” By the glass, diners can choose from three rosés, three whites, three bubbles, and three reds.
Hansen offers the wine cellar to both the cocktail bar and the restaurant. Lemon & Olive — which offers creative non-alcoholic, and low-proof drinks — works hand-in-hand with Lion & Owl’s kitchen to make the most of ingredients and ensure nothing goes to waste. For instance, tomato skins might get dehydrated and used in a glass rim seasoning or syrup.
Looking to the future, Platt dreams of opening an even more intimate boutique restaurant focusing on woodfired cooking. They’re also considering writing a cookbook. “Kirsten wants to make it a love story,” Platt laughs, “based on our relationship and all the meals that got us to the restaurant.” A cookbook celebrating their love and food seems like a fitting next chapter for this duo.
