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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 Since You Asked: Pedestrians can be cited for carelessness ... Wolf once believed to be dead shows up near Crater Lake ... One of Oregon's two health insurance co-ops says it will shut down ... Since You Asked: Pedestrians can be cited for carelessness ... Wolf once believed to be dead shows up near Crater Lake ... One of Oregon's two health insurance co-ops says it will shut down ... DINING Hearsay's cuisine mingles trendy and timeless Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Oct. 16, 2015 at 2:00 AM Updated at 7:09 PM Posted Oct. 16, 2015 at 2:00 AM Updated at 7:09 PM » Social News Nostalgia flavors the food, drinks and ambiance at Ashland’s new Hearsay Restaurant, Lounge & Garden. Adorned with colorful, abstract murals of cosmopolitan clientele, the atmosphere suggests both opulent jazz club and shadowy speakeasy in the former location of Dragonfly Cafe & Gardens. The space’s most endearing aspect — seating in a lush, walled garden — remains. And amid the interior makeover, guests could imagine themselves lingering in a secluded corner of The Great Gatsby’s estate. To that end, Hearsay’s cocktail list recalls a bygone era when vermouth, bourbon, gin and rye reigned over vodka and rum. Classics such as the mint julep, Sazerac, Manhattan and old-fashioned are prominently featured alongside a few house-made bitters and spirits. A sucker for elderflower, particularly as liqueur, I ordered the Lily of the Valley, which marries St. Germain to Lillet Blanc, Prosecco and soda ($11). Entrusted with selecting a glass of white wine for my husband, Will, I chose the Cuckoo’s Nest pinot gris ($6). Although my cocktail initially tasted a bit too much of wine, its floral notes came to the fore after I sampled from Will’s glass. Subtle also is the impression that Hearsay’s cuisine imparts. While the menu mingles trendy (think sliders and poutine) with timeless (potpie and Brussels sprouts), flavors hover somewhere in the midrange. A filling of rabbit confit does much to recommend the potpie appetizer, with pasta crust no less. But the server apologetically reported that the last had been sold for the evening. The Brussels sprouts with bacon ($8) actually provided the better contrast to Will’s poutine ($7), an icon of Canadian cooking that layers french fries with gravy and cheese curds, in this case Rogue Creamery’s. Hearsay’s version proves that bar food can be recast for fine dining. Rather than smothering the nest of shoestring fries, the light gravy just moistened them and a few strategically placed cheese curds. I hoped for a bit more savor, but texture redeemed this dish. What the poutine lacked, the Brussels sprouts dish delivered in spades. I remarked that I’d never tasted such delicious bacon as Will reminded me to take a breath between bites. We both admired the caramelized lemon vinaigrette, musing that mustard had to be one of the ingredients. Approving of the sprouts’ tender-crisp doneness, I wondered why the menu described them as “charred” when their cut sides were barely browned. Another mischaracterization came with the salad course. Toasted Marcona almonds, not candied, were tossed with arugula and macerated figs, cherries and currants, all crowned with a few Parmesan shavings. Priced at $6 for a small, $14 for a large, the salad is one of two, the other being spinach topped with grilled hanger steak. A New York strip anchors the main courses, which also include duck breast, pork medallions, salmon fillet and a gluten-free, dairy-free vegetable curry. Straightforward sides of mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables couldn’t sway us toward the pork or beef. A Latin interpretation enticed Will to try the salmon, crusted with cumin and perched atop fire-roasted corn kernels with whipped avocado and chili crema ($24). I had high hopes for the togarashi pepper-seasoned duck with Chinese five spice-infused quinoa ($24). Heat, however, was not in store for either dish. The duck’s skin was appropriately crispy, the flesh succulent, with a rich, livery note that would have benefitted from some acid, either in the ginger-lime glaze promised on the menu, or the slaw that more closely resembled root-vegetable shavings. The avocado served more as a sauce for Will’s dish, boosted by toothsome chunks of wild mushroom that ate more like sea scallops than fungus. Cumin was commendably prevalent on the palate. I craved Hearsay’s “milk and cookies,” a freshly baked canvas of dark chocolate for cherries and pistachios ($6). But we were running short on time, and this dessert’s preparation takes a few extra minutes. Those cookies certainly could compel me back this winter to sip a warming brandy flip. Located at 40 S. First St., Hearsay is open from 5 to 10 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, until 2 a.m. Friday through Sunday. Call 541-625-0505. — Sarah Lemon MailTribune.com Writer Posted Oct. 16, 2015 at 2:00 AM Updated at 7:09 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... 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