“Dining is an experience,” Jonoah Murphy says. “But not everyone is looking for the same experience. By getting to know diners’ preferences, we’re able to create a custom experience for each of them.”

A difficult mandate, yet Jonoah and his brother Chef Gabriel Murphy are up to the task at Gogi’s Restaurant.

The brothers grew up in the Applegate. As children they loved to visit Jacksonville. “It had stores—and sidewalks!” Jonoah says with a chuckle. “We were like—‘Ooh, we’re goin’ to town!’”

And go to town they did. From age eleven, Gabriel worked in Rogue Valley cafes. “Mom called it ‘extracurricular activity,’” he recalls, “but others saw me as ‘cheap help.’” After college, he moved to Italy, where he worked in a resort’s kitchen. “We had ‘rotating chefs’ from France, Germany, Italy, and Russia,” Gabriel says. “I learned a great variety of cooking styles.”

Jonoah followed another career path, managing a bar and catering weddings in San Luis Obispo, California. Until . . . “In 2005, Gabriel called to talk about opening a restaurant in Jacksonville,” Jonoah says. “I came up to check out the location he’d found—and he pulled me into his venture.”

“We’re actually the second owners,” Gabriel explains. “The building was constructed by a Russian contractor for his brother, a chef named Gogi. We thought about changing the name after we moved in, but we got busy and never did. Now we’re glad, because it’s a talking point for customers.”

Yet it’s the cocktails and the food that people really talk about. “We call it ‘International Fine Dining,’” Gabriel says. “But we don’t tie ourselves to a specific niche. I cook what I feel, with whichever fresh, local ingredients are available. We’re always pushing ourselves to do something new.”

While the menu is revised regularly, certain customer favorites are always there—in some form. “I’ve kept Roasted Beets with Chèvre for a while,” Gabriel says, “but it’s evolved from a chilled dish to a very different warm dish. Even dishes that seem like they’ve been around for a long time actually may be flavor combinations that I’ve reimagined.”

The same creative magic happens behind the bar. “We emphasize craft cocktails,” Jonoah says. “No artificial flavorings, sweeteners, or syrups. During spring and summer, when local fruit and herbs pop, I capitalize on them.” Those cocktails vary from White Chili Pepper infused Cucumber Mojitos, to Jalapeño Margaritas (“A touch of cilantro really kicks it over,” notes Jonoah).

“And don’t forget about our desserts,” Jonoah adds. “Gabriel baked his own birthday cake when he was nine years old—and it was beautiful.”

GOGI’S RESTAURANT
235 West Main Street • 541-899-8699
Dining Wednesday-Sunday 5:00-9:00pm