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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate NEWS NOW Top tree expert coming to Ashland ... End of the pipeline? Well, maybe … ... City clamping down on deer feeders ... Top tree expert coming to Ashland ... End of the pipeline? Well, maybe … ... City clamping down on deer feeders ... BUSINESS Wiley's redux: Popular eatery reborn as a trattoria Comment By John Darling For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Mar. 17, 2016 at 8:39 PM By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Mar. 17, 2016 at 8:39 PM » Social News Wiley’s, a cute little laid-back and yummy pasta house at 1606 Ashland Street for 23 years, reopened in October under new owners, with twice the space, twice the tables and more parking, but exactly the same menu and ingredients. The prices are also similar. Wiley’s Trattoria has gently morphed into a much busier, more urban-feeling joint, like one you would expect to find in Boston or New York, and they offer a two-liter bottle of red wine, sitting on your table, so you pour what you want through the evening and they charge you by the ounce, a practical arrangement. “Our vision,” says manager Andrew Van Slee, “is to keep the quality food top notch and keep Terry (Wiley’s) original recipes.” He has succeeded, if customer comments are right. “It’s awesome,” says Mike Arapoff, after a meal. It’s sorta Wiley’s, but also bears the new imprint of VanSlee and his wife, Grace Gryeso, a native Filipino. What you notice right off is that they have a full-service bar right in the middle of the restaurant, with bar stools. They have a couple tables out front for people with dogs. Pasta is organic and made on-site. “Julie’s Toss,” an epic pasta fave, is now called Andrew’s Toss. You’ll notice tables are a lot closer together, covered with uber-Italian red-checked tableclothes, ambient sound is louder and service and turnover are a lot faster. The kick-back vibe is gone. So are the former waitresses. Old black-and-white photos of the Rat Pack — Sinatra, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett, line the wall, along with the old faux food ad paintings from Wiley’s. The restaurant took over the adjacent former Four & 20 Blackbirds Bakery space, which moved to A Street. Seats are 70, up from the old 34. Van Slee is a “movie guy” and has directed singer Michael Buble and produced his album. He is no stranger to Las Vegas and was the producer of “Tony and Tina’s Wedding,” a so-called environmental-immersive theater event using stereotypes from an Anglo-Italian wedding for comic effect. It’s a hoppin’ local place now, but gets a lot of tourism clients off the freeway, thanks to the Internet. They like jazz and will have local singers Thursday through Saturday. John Darling is an Ashland freelance writer. Reach him at [email protected]. By John Darling For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Mar. 17, 2016 at 8:39 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501