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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW A continuing vision ... Sticker shock: Medford schools raise facility rates for youth groups ... Medford police looking for owner of 8-foot-long snake ... A continuing vision ... Sticker shock: Medford schools raise facility rates for youth groups ... Medford police looking for owner of 8-foot-long snake ... DINING Ooblies Artisan Waffle Sandwiches It’s the rare occasion when one comes across a culinary concept entirely new to the Rogue Valley. Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Dec. 5, 2014 at 12:01 AM Posted Dec. 5, 2014 at 12:01 AM » Social News It’s the rare occasion when one comes across a culinary concept entirely new to the Rogue Valley. Waffles — served as sandwiches — are the specialty of Ooblies Artisan Waffle Sandwiches, a food truck parked most days across from Rogue Community College in downtown Medford. Customers can sit inside or outside the nearby Digger’s Goodyear Tavern, which hosts a food court in its parking lot. While waffle vendors number among Portland food carts, the idea sprang from co-owner Tanner Elliott’s travels in Asia, specifically snacks sold in Singapore’s international airport. Back home in Jacksonville, the 22-year-old spent more than a year refining his product with help from his dad, Nick Elliott. It took me at least three months to track down Ooblies, which has moved from White’s Country Farm in west Medford to local wineries and breweries before finally settling on Digger’s South Riverside Avenue digs as its semi-permanent location Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, Tanner Elliott says. Re/Max Ideal Brokers on Medford’s Heathrow Way will be Ooblies’ home Thursday afternoons. RCC students no doubt gobble up Ooblies’ portable fare, both sweet and savory, priced between $3 and $8. Nutella, fruits, meats and cheeses tucked inside tender but toothsome shells transported me back to my own college-student days spent snacking on savory crepes from streetside stands in France. For the price, this is comfort food that’s hard to beat, and students get a 10-percent discount with ID card. The Elliotts riff on plenty of classic sandwiches, from grilled cheese to peanut butter and jelly to hot pastrami and the turkey club. Not surprisingly, Ooblies’ most popular sandwich is a variation on the quintessential chicken and waffles, priced at $7.  “It’s my own, original recipe,” Tanner Elliott says. “I make everything from scratch.” The chicken breast is hand-battered with buttermilk, Elliott says, and fried to a crisp contrast with its waffle counterpart. A tangy cabbage slaw and honey-chili sauce heighten the flavors and textures. But first, I started with a peaches-and-cream waffle ($5), which simply looked too tempting to leave until dessert. Canned peaches bathed in organic honey-flavored Greek yogurt made a creamy foil for the just-baked waffle dusted with powdered sugar. The dish would only be better with fresh, local peaches in season. Still developing their menu, the Elliotts have rewarded customer suggestions with status as weekly specials. Among the most recent is a bacon-laden, macaroni-and-cheese-stuffed waffle soon to make the regular menu.  With a make-your-own-waffle option, customers furnish plenty of inspiration, including fried chicken topped with ham, Havarti cheese, mustard and mayonnaise. The Elliotts even swapped a neighboring taco truck’s tortillas for a waffle in their twist on fish tacos. A “plain Jane” waffle starts at $3. A breakfast waffle, veggie waffle, waffle “fries” and a grilled romaine salad round out the choices. Ooblies also sells a variety of bottled and canned beverages and accepts credit and debit cards. Ooblies is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday, and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at 101 S. Riverside Ave. Hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday at 3539 Heathrow Way. To see the full menu and for more information, go to www.ooblie.com or call 541-937-5533. — Sarah Lemon   MailTribune.com Writer Posted Dec. 5, 2014 at 12:01 AM » 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... 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