New Sammy's Cowboy Bistro in Talent, Oregon

Rick Sadle, co-owner of Salvador Molly’s, tells of his adventure in Oregon’s south!

We try to get to Ashland, Oregon once a year. Although only a four and half hour drive, it’s a world away from Portland. We always see a few plays at the Ashland Shakespeare Festival, explore the local food, and stroll around town and parks, taking photos. This trip was no exception. We loved Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Hamlet, and enjoyed two other plays. We had excellent meals at Kobe and Tabu, but the big surprise was a short four mile ride away in Talent, Oregon.

New Sammy’s Cowboy Bistro has been around for a long time and I had read positive reviews, there was always a waiting list for reservations (and plenty of excellent food in Ashland), so we never made the trek. Vernon and Charlene Rollins recently rebuilt New Sammy’s, which was a small shack-looking spot until a couple of years ago. Since they have greatly expanded it and opened for lunch, we went for an early afternoon lunch and were delighted. I won’t try to describe every delicious morsel, but Chef Charlene lived up to her reputation for using the freshest local ingredients, working continental magic on them with complex yet delicate flavors resulting. It was easy to see why her reputation is nation wide and why she has been nominated for best chef in the Northwest by the James Beard Foundation.

The restaurant is pricey but we felt we got full value. We didn’t get into the wine cellar, since it was daytime and we had two plays to go to after lunch, but Vernon who runs the house side of New Sammy’s has built a sizable list of excellent vintages.

Vernon in Sammy’s wine cellar

If you find yourself in Ashland Oregon anytime soon don’t miss the Shakespeare Festival or New Sammy’s Cowboy Bistro. In the mean time, try this delicious salad recipe by Chef Charlene Rollins.