There’s more to Simple Cafe than its name implies.
Chef-owner Javier Cruz could get by serving a straightforward menu of burritos, burgers, sandwiches, hot dogs and rice bowls at his walkup window in Ashland’s Railroad District. Adding no fewer than four specials each week keeps customers’ interest piqued.
It all began with the owner of Simple Cafe, Javier Cruz. He said he started his own reusable container program at his restaurant a few years ago and his customers loved it… …The City of Ashland heard about his program and asked how other restaurants could get involved. With the help of an Oregon grant and the Oregon DEQ, five restaurants and stores are now involved
“Rogue To Go is an easy way to reduce waste and show that there is a better way to do take out!” the city said. “Single-use containers and utensils create unnecessary waste and environmental impact. The purpose of the program is to reduce disposable packaging and explore alternatives.”
With a $9,700 grant from the state Department of Environmental Quality and a lot of research and planning by local eateries and the city, five Ashland restaurants will now put your leftovers in a durable, reusable plastic takeout container that you can bring back to any participating restaurant and exchange for a clean one, using it again and again, with no waste.
I have my Ashland places that I rotate through visiting, but we have been over here so frequently that we decided to try a new spot. We went to the Simple Cafe today, and it was far from simple!!! We are very impressed. It’s affordable, super high-quality ingredients, fantastic flavors, and a good variety…
Dedicated to green, renewable, low-waste practices, Cruz shows off a hard plastic clamshell container, which you can get for a $5 one-time fee, then bring back for a thorough washing as you grab another. Smaller cardboard-like containers are compostable and Cruz is looking for farmers and gardeners who will recycle them.
Today’s WasteNot article celebrates a local WasteNot champion who leads our community by example. He offers a choice to his customers to re-use and avoid single-use materials for meals “on the go.” Javier Cruz is not just the maker of tasty food. He is the creator/chef/business owner of the Simple Cafe on A Street next to the Ashland Ace Hardware store.
Simple Cafe is a restaurant with a food truck vibe and outdoor seating located in front of Ace Hardware in the Railroad District.