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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News AP Entertainment Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Distinctly Northwest Readers' Choice Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Holiday Guide Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend January 12, 2007 Elements Owners of Medford's newest eatery acknowledge that, for them, word-of-mouth may not attract the right crowd. I learned over the weekend that "tapas bar" — when pronounced with a passable Spanish accent but, perhaps, too quickly — sounds like some other kind of bar. Of course, I wondered why my friend and I would visit, much less dine at, such an establishment. Imagine our amusement upon discovering that staff at Elements Tapas Bar and Lounge not only anticipate the miscommunication, but sport T-shirts clarifying what sort of business they're running. Once we got a taste of their food, however, it was all we could talk about. Specializing in popular Spanish appetizers known as "tapas," Elements serves up dozens of cold and hot dishes that, on their own, make for a light bite. Combining several plates, diners can make up an entire, eclectic meal. The menu's healthy variety of seafood begged tasting. Not fans of cold shellfish, however, we passed up the chilled platter of mussels, shrimp, rockfish and calamari ($10) in favor of the fried soft-shell crab ($11), pledging to try the fried calamari if we were still hungry. Advertisement A coating of poppy seeds enhanced the crab's crunch. Accompaniments of roasted-red-pepper puree and a watercress salad added sweetness and a softer texture. Other hot tapas range from the $5 "patatas a la riojana," a Basque-style stew of potatoes, chorizo and paprika, to the paella for two, priced at $20. The seafood platter the costliest cold tapas. Several other selections, like grapes encrusted with Rogue Creamery blue cheese and pistachios, sell for as little as $3. The bacon-wrapped medjool dates stuffed with dry-cured Spanish chorizo ($8) sounded particularly tempting. But not as tempting as Elements' homemade flatbreads, similar in concept to a personal-sized pizza only much more tasty. Torn between two topping combinations, we ordered the Barcelona (anchovies, caramelized onions, roasted red pepper and Manchego cheese) and the Madrid (figs, caramelized onions, Serrano ham and Manchego). Each cost $8. When the free-form flatbreads arrived, it was apparent one would have been enough for both of us. But that didn't stop eager sampling of both. The flatbreads' lack of sauce makes it all the easier to recline in one of Elements' leather armchairs or wield a wine glass without fearing tomato stains. Figs and ham were the most obvious pairing and the most successful. Yet the anchovies' pungent saltiness brought out the best in my glass of Spanish tempranillo. A bite of fish along with roasted red pepper also mellowed each flavor. In addition to Spanish wines, Elements stocks a respectable number of Oregon labels. Two-ounce pours encourage sampling and protect the pocketbook. Domestic and imported beers and cocktail specialties ensure there's a thirst-quencher for every palate. The evening's one disappointment arrived with dessert. Perhaps intended only as the base for its liquor-laced "Spanish coffee," Elements' brew lacked strength and bordered on tepid. Our poached and chocolate-stuffed pear encased in phyllo ($8) would have been nearly stunning with a proper cup of coffee. Given something to sip, I would have lingered longer to enjoy Elements' atmosphere, a refreshing makeover from the spot's long run as the Russian restaurant Samovar, and brief diversion as a cafe called The Trolley Stop. Playing off its name, Elements' decor marries slate-tiled floors with sea- and earth-toned walls. A fantastical, three-panel painting depicting air, fire, water and wood is worth a closer look. Elements Tapas Bar and Lounge is at 101 E. Main St. in Medford. Hours are 4 p.m. until closing Tuesday through Sunday. Call 779-0135. -- Sarah Lemon Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2007 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Online Casino Reviews Men's Clothing Fundraisers UK Homeowner Loans Discount Hotel Reservations Send Flowers Casinos Canada Texas Electric Choice Compare Electric rates in Texas Windermere Van Vleet Trunks, Footlocker Online poker at AbsolutePoker.com