Niçoise at New Sammy's

Ashland, Sept. 2—

ONE OF THE BEST things about spending a few days here is eating at New Sammy's Cowboy Bistro, one of the Five Restaurants. Everything about the place is authentic, nourishing, and good. Buono, pulito, e giusto, as Slow Food has it; and to a great extent local as well. I'll undoubtedly write more about it tomorrow; we're going back. (In fact we'll be eating there three days straight: two lunches and then dinner. We're quite shameless.)
The lunch menu at New Sammy's is enticing. Today we chose from:

•summer-squash garlic marjoram ravioli,
•grilled wild Louisiana shrimp,
•poached albacore "Niçoise" salad,
•duck leg confit and warm salad with bacon,
•hamburger sandwich with goat cheese, backon, kale, and aioli
•flank steak with cucumber tabbouleh, garlic green beans, cherry tomatoes, and feta

I opted, predictably, for the "Niçoise," attracted partly by the quotation marks. Charlene Rollins, the chef, is one smart cookie. She's respectful of authority and would never compromise as great a dish as salade Niçoise, so she warns the wary diner of her occasional divagations.

The albacore was poached in olive oil. The lettuce, tomatoes, and herbs were from the back garden. The eggs were probably from not much farther, and were perfectly boiled.
Did I mention that each of these lunch entrées is priced at fifteen dollars? Since a lunch like this is Principal Meal of the Day for us, it's a real bargain.

Rosé, Provence, 2008

New Sammy's Cowboy Bistro, 2210 South Pacific Highway, Talent, OR 97520;
tel. (541) 535-2779