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Sections Home Page Local News AP News 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 Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Readers Choice 2006 Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Our Valley 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 May 26, 2006 MacLevin's Whole Foods Restaurant When MacLevin's Whole Foods Restaurant opened in 1998, the Jewish deli and bakery brought a new bill of fare to Jacksonville. This year, owners Jeff and Penelope Levin built on that reputation, adding dinners Friday and Saturday nights. The menu is small but offers items absent from other Jacksonville establishments for a fraction of the town's typical dinner price. A fan of MacLevin's hearty breakfasts, I decided to give dinner a try on a recent rainy weekend. Creamed chicken crepes were billed as the evening special. They had to be good, I figured, as MacLevin's cheese blintzes — a breakfast staple — are about the best around. The entree came with a side of broccoli and a small salad for $12. My co-worker and fellow foodie selected the cabbage rolls filled with a melange of brown rice, lentils, apples, eggplant and other veggies, also $12. I passed up my side salad in favor of the Caesar, prepared table-side. A featured item, the salad $8 for one person, $12 for two is mixed up fresh in a garlic-rubbed wooden bowl with a dose of the famous dish's history, courtesy of Jeff Levin. The hand-torn Romaine was certainly the most appealing I'd seen in just about any salad anywhere. And while many restaurants make their own Caesar dressing, MacLevin's takes its taste from the anchovy paste, coddled egg, olive oil, lemon juice and Parmesan being combined just seconds before it's presented. Advertisement My friend appreciated the "lightness and brightness" of the dressing. Our heaping platters of salad were served with a side of grilled French bread slices. I was still munching on salad when our dinners arrived. The two large chicken- and mushroom-filled crepes were liberally topped with a nutmeg-spiced cream sauce. But the broccoli, oddly enough, was the star of the plate. Normally blase about cooked broccoli, I was intrigued by the first taste. It was topped with a little crisped turkey bacon, but another flavor lingered just beyond recognition. My friend also couldn't quite put her finger on it. Sauteeing the vegetable with a little apple cider vinegar imparted the unusual sweetness, we learned, and also took away the sharp taste typically associated with steamed broccoli. My co-worker was less thrilled with her cabbage rolls but attributed the lack of enthusiasm to a taste-bud altering medication. And the side of potato latkes — always a reliable favorite — didn't fail to please. And she wasn't so affected as to refuse dessert. MacLevin's pies and cakes are always tempting. But I usually manage to pass them up at breakfast. The blustery weather that night, however, warranted a homey dessert. After the Caesar's lemony dressing, I resisted the lemon cake, which would be nearly irresistible otherwise. We settled on the coconut cream cake and one of Penelope Levin's gorgeous, individual apple pies. Sadly, the coconut cake had lingered a bit too long in the refrigerator case and was too dry to enjoy. The Levins realized the mistake and didn't charge for it. But the pie, served warm with a bit of vanilla ice cream, was the perfect finish to this comfort-food meal. I even ate the rest for breakfast the next morning when the refreshing bits of orange zest were even more apparent. The pie certainly has the power to call me back for another visit, as does the promise of fish and chips or one of MacLevin's signature Jewish platters. Indulgent at breakfast, the Nosh $12 and Nova Scotia $15 plates feature fresh bagels and lox or white fish with olives, a pickle and a hard-boiled egg. The half-portion Nosh adds a cheese blintz, latke and chicken livers on toast. Other dinner offerings are Greek and chef salads; flat-iron steak with grilled tomatoes, onions and peppers; and a grilled sandwich with a choice of corned beef, pastrami or Gardenburger and a side dish, all $12. -- Sarah Lemon Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Windermere Van Vleet Men's Clothing Southern Oregon Loans --> GMAT Prep Fundraisers Send Flowers Texas Electric Choice Entertainment Guide --> Casinos Canada Trunks, Footlocker Online Casino Reviews Online poker at AbsolutePoker.com Advertisement s Advertisement