Since he was young, Chef Isaiah Martinez wanted to run a Caribbean restaurant. Now, his dream is a reality. His beloved Yardy Rum Bar, a teal house in downtown Eugene, is the cozy dining space filled with rich colors and smells he envisioned as a youngster. The vision that he used to start Yardy has earned Martinez many accolades, the most recent being Restaurant of the Year from USA TODAY.
Yardy is well-known in Eugene for its floral cloths topped with bountiful plates of fried chicken, doubles, seasonal salads and rum-based cocktails. Menu staples like Sorrel Punch and the fried chicken sandwich transport Oregonians from their dreary surroundings to the delicious culinary world of the Caribbean, but now readers from all around the USA TODAY Network will be trying to squeeze their way into the dining room at the already crowded restaurant…