Evenings at the Feve

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"All problems begin and end at the Feve." ~ Oberlin Proverb

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This semester, I've wiled my way into an improv show that Harris is directing, called Evenings at the Wormhole. The show is centered around a bar at the nexus of time, where people from all different eras fight, chat, drink, and fall in love. Characters include: Jack the Ripper, Joan of Arc, Catherine the Great, Elton John, Shakespeare, and a young Oedipus. I'm playing Amelia Earhart.

This bar is, more or less, The Feve.

What's the Feve?

The Feve is the heart of Oberlin. Shared by students, townfolks, alumni, and staff, the Feve is the most delicious restaurant in town. You can take anyone to the Feve. Whether you're looking to share an order of tots with a friend or have a date with a prospective girlfriend / boyfriend... it all feels comfortable. At the Feve, you can escape your worries, or discuss them at great length. The walls are coated with the secrets of the town.

After a while, the Feve becomes Cheers: everyone knows your name. When you arrive, the bartenders give you huge hugs. They know what you like to drink, what dipping sauces you want with your tots; whether you like it Mild, Hot, or Masochistic.

During the sleepy Oberlin summers, the Feve hosts dance parties that gather the whole town. There's a "Feveband" that plays on Sunday nights, I've braved the cold to see live salsa bands, and recently, Black River Belles played there. My friend Moon DJs a spectacular '80s night, getting the whole crowd to dance: casual head-boppers with folks who groove their whole bodies to Michael Jackson and Soft Cell.

Physically, the Feve is two stories, filling two restaurant genres: the Americana diner and the classy bar. The vibe is relaxed: they serve coffee in huge mugs, often hand-crafted. The owners promote local artists, with rotating exhibits hanging on the walls. They sell Feve t-shirts, which about a fourth of the town own, and wear with pride.

What to Order:

1. Burgers
As a vegetarian, I stick to the portobello burgers, and giant salads, but I respect the massive joy of the Feve's burgers. They have fun with burgers, offering a half-pound burger topped with "just right" wing sauce and danish blue cheese on a kaiser roll.

If you eat meat, a Feve burger is an experience. Make it yours.

2. Tots
The tots are the kicker. Remember tater tots? From elementary school cafeterias? Either still-frozen or too-fried? Well, the Feve redeems tater tots. They make an art of tots. When the kindly waitstaff asks, "Fries or tots?", YOU MUST CHOOSE TOTS. And then, a variety of dipping sauces. Or you will never understand earthly perfection.

3. Coffee
Their coffee is empowering and delicious.

4. Feve Brunch
At a school of chefs, cooks, bakers, and bread-makers, the weekly creations of Feve Brunch still astound.

As they put it:

Here at The Feve, we believe that everyone should be sleeping during breakfast hours. That's why we serve an amazing brunch on Saturdays and Sundays that runs from 9:30 am until 2:30 pm. Our menu changes every weekend, allowing us to pick the best fruits, veggies, meats and cheeses from the market each week, keep the cooks excited about the menu, and keep you from getting bored. All dishes are designed by our creative cooking staff and are made from scratch in our own kitchen.

Feve-brunch includes maple bacon pancakes, wild mushroom quiche, lemon poppyseed pancakes, roasted tomato garlic soup, honey chipotle chicken tacos, blueberry pecan 'cakes, aloo gobi... Everything is $6 to $8.

The following are Feve Brunch Photos by Edseloh! More here! Beware, may cause extreme hunger.

Is the Feve the only food around?

This all isn't meant to degrade the other restaurants in town. I could write an equally emphatic love letter to Black River Cafe. They make the best pancakes in the world. Each night, they transform from a coffeehouse to an amazing classy restaurant, that serves the finest local foods. The only flaw is that it's too small. Patrons tend to linger, and the line grows longer and longer. Still, it's always worth the wait.

I have a soft spot for asian fusion, so I love Weia Teia. I adore Tooo Chinoise: in particular, their vegetable wonton soup. When hungry, I finish a bowl of veggie wonton in approximately 30 seconds. No matter how scalding the soup is.

And though I'm not a huge burrito fan, Agave's creations are incredible. In terms of getting fast, filling, and delicious lunch, they're tops. And they have an Open Mic night, that's a nice mix of townsfolks and current students.

... You can't really go wrong with restaurants in Oberlin. But if you've got one lunch, or one dinner, go to the Feve.

(This entry was in no way endorsed or sponsored by the Feve. I only speak for myself.)