Ashland, Oregon area 2015 (various eateries)

It's wonderful to visit a place like Ashland and find that it's still relatively the same each time. There are still lots of trees, there's still fresh air and there's still friendly visitors and locals who are pleasant and warm. It's nice to find the food is still good as well.

Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.


Mamma Mia Gelateria
42 S Central Avenue, Medford OR 97501
http://www.mammamiagelateria.com/


Vanilla Bourbon Gelato. Incredibly smooth and creamy, this non-alcoholic gelato had a pronounced vanilla flavor and was not too sweet.

Margherita Pizza. Expertly crafted with a house-made sauce and fresh ingredients. This was cooked in a smoking-hot wood-fired oven until the dough was crusty on the outside but still fluffy on the inside. Delicious and satisfying.

Caldera Brewery & Restaurant
590 Clover Lane, Ashland OR 97520
http://www.calderabrewing.com/

This was a lovely IPA tasting. From left to right:

Dry Hop Pale--very light and malty.
IPA--full bodied, the hoppy-er of the group.
Mosaic IPA--citrusy, slightly sweet in the middle.
Repeater Repeater IPA--medium bodied and smooth.
Cauldron Brew--tickles the tongue with a lot of carbonation, lightly bitter hops.

Mogli® Bourbon Oak-Aged Chocolate Imperial Porter. The initial chocolate aroma of this beer punched me in the face. The rest was a charred, malty, robustness that was very pleasant for me with a mild bitter finish. My kind of beer.

Pretzel. This freshly baked pretzel was piping hot, buttery, salty and served with a grain mustard and chipotle cheddar cheese sauce.

Gnocchi. Made with Yukon Gold Potatoes and sauteed with wild mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli and onions. The pan sauce had a meaty savory flavor in this meatless dish. The marinara, parmesan cheese and fresh basil finished it off nicely.

Loaded Hawaiian. A personal sized pizza with BBQ sauce, mozzarella, canadian bacon, pineapple, bacon, peppadew and super-hot jalapeno peppers. My mouth burned with the spicy peppers and fully loaded flavors. Delicious.

Very conveniently located off the freeway. If en route to Portland or some other road trip, a stop here would be a good choice. Furry friends are welcomed too as they have a dog-friendly outside seating area.