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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 June 23, 2006 Oregon Cabaret Theatre Looking for a fine dining experience with a little extra verve? How about adding a lot of laughs and a postprandial conga dance to a glorious gourmet meal? If this sounds intriguing, go sample food and fun at the Oregon Cabaret Theatre. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Cab is alive and jivin' to the music of the "Big Bounce" blues era with the return of the hugely popular review "Five Guys Named Moe." As great as this show is — and my three dining companions and I had a riotous good time — the culinary displays of Chef Douglas Todd deserve their own showcase. The renovated church provides a classical backdrop to the beautifully creative meals put out by Todd and crew. Perfect pansies and other edible flowers adorn plates piled high with delicious soups, salads, entrees and decadent desserts. At our table, we chose an eclectic mix. One selected the slow-cooked Hawaiian pork in a sweet coconut curry sauce ($18.95). The dish, his favorite, came accompanied with fragrant white rice and asparagus spears. Advertisement Another opted for the smoked salmon ravioli ($16.95). The pasta arrived sitting in a light cream sauce swimming with chopped tomatoes and capers. I had ordered the night's seafood special, blackened salmon. Alas, the server and I had a miscommunication, and I was presented with another pasta plate. Although my first selection was now sold out, she offered to exchange it for any other choice. However, since I wanted to dine with my companions, I kept my pasta and enjoyed it rather well. All three entrees came with choice of soup or salad. We each had the salad. On my side of the table, we agreed the drizzle of blue cheese dressing on our crispy greens was distinctly lacking in blue cheese. Since we were all freely sampling each other's selections, I must say my taste testing concluded my across-the-table dining companion made the best choice. She started her evening off with a bowl of roasted red pepper and mushroom soup ($6). The meaty mushrooms were enhanced by the smoky flavors of the peppers and sweet cream. For her main course, she chose the strawberry and avocado salad ($8.95). At first suspicious of the curious mixture, which also included slivers of red onions, mandarin oranges and spiced nuts, I was sold after sampling a single bite. The slow heat of the spicy nuts perfectly offset the sweet berries, creamy avocado and tangy citrus. Before intermission, there came a little musical exercise. After it, our desserts arrived ($5 each). The couple across selected two slices of lemon merengue pie. The tart lemon curd was topped with sweet peaks of golden-tipped merengue. One half of the couple decreed the crust to be a bit less than stellar, but the pie's filling was delicious, she said. My adjacent neighbor chose the fresh fruit tart cake. The light-as-a-feather poppyseed cake was layered with vanilla custard and topped with blueberries, strawberries and mandarin orange slices. Wonderful, she said. Since a day without chocolate is a sad, sad thing, I quickly yielded to the clarion call of the chocolate truffle torte. The dark, dense Callebaut chocolate truffle was perfectly in tune with the white Callebaut chocolate sauce: decadent and delicious. And, because he asked so nicely, I did save a bit of my dessert for my favorite of the five guys named Moe — Eat Moe. But just one bite. -- Sanne Specht 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