Medford train station

Medford, Oregon, July 13—

WE'VE NEVER EXPECTED to find a decent place to eat in this town. It's close enough to Ashland that we've driven there for dinner on previous stops, or to nearby Talent, as we did last Wednesday, for dinner at New Sammy's.

Something told me there had to be something, though, so I did a little websleuthing and came up with something of a find: a decent enough kitchen and a very pleasant dining courtyard outside a beautiful (and beautifully restored) old train station in this southern Oregon town. Don't get me wrong: this will never displace New Sammy's. But it has the advantage of being open on Monday, and closer to our fiftydollar hotel (thanks, Priceline).

I had the "princess" New York steak, eight ounces — twice as much as I need or really want, but the smallest on the menu. It wasn't a bad piece of beefsteak, quite lean, and it came with a grilled tomato slice, some slices of blanched carrot and zucchini, and nice salty garlicky mashed potatoes. A green salad first, with a bottle of olive oil and another of "balsamico". Lindsey had a chicken Marsala; she suspects it was frozen.

Zinfandel, Ridge Vineyards "Three Valleys," 2007

• Porter's Train Station, 147 N. Front St., Medford, OR; tel. 541-857-1910