6th Annual Best of Medford (2011)

Part One: People & Business:MEDIA

FAVORITE RADIO STATION

It’s mainly listened to on the car radio or when one’s place of business has it on as background. In this era of cable TV, Internet and instant visual gratification, radio just isn’t as ubiquitous as it was in the old days. But it’s still a powerful medium, and our readers all responded well to this question.
Winning this hands down again was Jefferson Public Radio. The list also included:

• KISS-F
• KDOV
• KBOY
• KROG
• Lite 102
• KRWQ
• Cool 103

FAVORITE RADIO PERSONALITY

It’s got to be a tough job at times. Even if your dog just got run over by a Frito-Lay truck, you have to come to work and put on the smiley face. Depressing DJ’s just don’t last long in the real world, and playing “Can’t Live … If Livin’ Is Without You” every 45 minutes will earn you a pink slip in no time.
Quite a few of the area DJ’s were mentioned by our readers, and spinning his way to the top again this year was Gemineye at KISS-FM.
The list of fun-loving DJs included:

• Perry Atkinson, theDove
• Bill Meyer, KMED
• Scuba Steve, 102.7 the Drive
• R. Charles Snyder, 102.7 the Drive

BEST LOCAL TV NEWS STATION

They risk life and limb trying to get the best shots possible of that three-alarm fire and/or shootout involving the SWAT team, and our readers were very appreciative, naming KTVL (Channel 10) as their favorite.
KOBI/Channel 5 and NewsWatch 12 (KDRV) were hot on their heels, though.

FAVORITE TV NEWS ANCHOR/REPORTER

You not only have to look good, but you have to exude an air of extreme confidence in your material, despite the fact that you were given a quick briefing just seconds before going on the air. Then, of course, your co-anchor has to say something cute about the topic, and you have to reply with something equally witty while the producer wrings his or her hands hoping that some kind of Freudian slip doesn’t become the legend of YouTube.
Anyway, when it comes to local news, our readers most appreciated Scott Lewis, KDRV NewsWatch 12’s Chief Meteorologist. Scott has been a local favorite since first going on air in 1985.
Others high on the list were:

• Brian Morton of KDRV
• • Laura Cavanaugh of KOBI – Channel 5
• • Ron Brown of KDRV
• Trish Glose of KTVL – Channel 10
• Ashley Hall at KDRV
• Travis Koch of KOBI.

FAVORITE REPORTER AT THE MAIL TRIBUNE

Reporting his way to the top this year was Paul Fatigg.
The Top Five included:

• Sarah Lemon
• Bill Varble
• Chris Conrad
• Sanne Specht

FAVORITE ADS IN THE SNEAK PREVIEW

To the many people who wrote, “all of them,” we want to say “thank you.” Please extend those sentiments to potential advertisers whenever you can.
The overwhelming favorite this year was “any ad from restaurants that included coupons.”

PEOPLE/BUSINESS

BEST NEW BUSINESS IN TOWN (LAST YEAR)

Are we still in a recession, or is it merely a slowdown? Is the economy coming back or is it an illusion? Will our homes ever be worth what they were in 2006 before the bubble burst? Those questions may take a few years to answer, but in the meantime you have to admire people who open a new business during these trying times.
Topping the list for 2011 was the much anticipated Medford Food Coop, located at 945 S. Riverside. You have to appreciate a business whose motto is: “for people, not for profit.”
Others mentioned a lot were:

• Organics Natural Café, 226 East Main Street
• Beer Works, 323 E Main St
• To Gos Great Sandwiches, 1200 Biddle Rd
• Cicily’s Pastaria and Grill, Cicily’s Pastaria and Grill
• Good Bean Café, 3240 Hillcrest Park Dr

BEST FAMILY-OPERATED BUSINESS

You gotta love a place where the children, cousins and in-laws join in the fun of a family-run business. It’s not uncommon in Medford, and 28 different businesses were mentioned, including the number one choice, Great Harvest Bread Co., 203 Genessee Street. Owners Lisa and Dan Allen (along with their children, Natalie, Brad and Kellie) have been milling wheat and making bread here in the Rogue Valley for over ten years. They moved into their new and bigger location this year and now serve sandwiches and gourmet coffee.
The list also included:

• Roosters
• Integrity Carpet Care
• Kaleidoscope Pizza
• Papillon Rouge
• Roxy Ann Bakery

FAVORITE BUSINESSPERSON

It’s not easy running a business. You have to keep track of every cent that comes in and out; manage “x” number of employees; deal with bureaucrats at every level of government (most of who whom think they know more than you … but we know better); and remember the dictum that “the customer is always right.”
This year’s top favorite was Sherm Olsrud of Sherm’s Food4Less and Thunderbird. Sherm and his Wanda Olsrud bought their first meat market in Eugene in 1956. The Olsrud’s have been active in supporting many local activities including baseball, football, basketball and many others. They also are big supporters of 4-H and FFA.

FAVORITE DENTIST

It’s pretty easy to take teeth for granted until things start going south … then you’re all gung ho about doing something. Preventive care is always the best. Our readers named 34 different dentists. The top two were so close we made the executive decision to award a tie between Karl E. Schneck, 1094 Royal Court, and John Linstrom, 1605 East Barnett Rd.
Rounding out the Top Four were:

• Erik Rollem, 1234 North Riverside Avenue
• Julie Wu, 2201 E Barnett Rd

FAVORITE DOCTOR

Whether you like it or not, one good thing that came out of the health care debate was that it made people more aware of health issues. The fact is, if more Americans exercised, stopped eating junk food, gave up cigarettes and took proper supplements like Vitamin D and selenium, the health care crisis in this country would be over.
Doctors, however, will always be important, and our readers named quite a few in this survey, including this year’s top M.D.s, a tie between Dr. Daniel Laury, and Dr. Ashley Peterson of Family Practice Group, 229 Stewart Avenue.
Other favorite doctors included:

• Dr. Alan Binette
• Dr. Robin Miller
• Dr. Alan Bates

FAVORITE ACUPUNCTURIST

Both traditional and alternative forms of medicine operate under a single mission—keeping you healthy. It’s good to know that there’s a whole phalanx of options out there for you to consider, which is where naturopaths and acupuncturists come in handy.
Topping the list of acupuncturists this year was Brian “Rosie” Rosenthal, closely followed by Michael Pope and Maria Teresa M. Bresnan.

FAVORITE CHIROPRACTOR

The human spinal cord wasn’t one of those things that evolution and/or God (depending on your viewpoint) put a whole lot of thought into. While it works admirably when you’re young and supple, things tend to merge or slip as you get older (like at 24). The bones require constant attention, and our readers definitely appreciate their chiropractors, as they mentioned 21 in this survey.
Topping the list for 2011 was Eric S. Reed of Southern Oregon Chiropractic, 2931 Doctors Park Drive.
Others high on the list were:

• Charles Anderson
• Jason Gutches
• Diedre D’Antonio
• Gail Y Flock

FAVORITE PHYSICAL THERAPIST

Any time you have to recover from an injury or surgery, your faithful physical therapist is there to help. From stretching exercises to specific routines that work various muscle groups, they’re trained to get you back on your feet in no time.
And when it comes to getting back on the road to recovery, our readers most often mentioned Bill Esser, MS, PT, CCTT, of Jackson County Physical Therapy. Bill has been practicing since 1981. His interests are in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders and headaches, early intervention and treatment of skeletal and soft tissue injuries due to motor vehicle accidents, and mechanical dysfunction of the spine and extremity joints. He’s also an accomplished musician with expertise in guitar, banjo, bass guitar, and mandolin. Bill would be a good guy to have in the band…especially after a month of sleeping in a cramped tour bus.
The Top Three wonder workers included:

• Amanda Olson PT, DPT
• Ann Sprague, DPT, MFA

FAVORITE PILATES TEACHER

It’s a physical fitness system developed in the early 20th century in Germany by Joseph Pilates, a gymnast of Greek ancestry. For those who care, my wife swears by it. Pilates “believed his method used the mind to control the muscles,” and the program “focuses on the core postural muscles which keep the body balanced and which are essential to providing support for the spine.”
Here in Medford, Pilates is very popular, and the top spot went to Debbie Richter of Southern Oregon Pilates, 1910 E. Barnett Road.
Coming in a very close second was Millie O’Brien of Verve Pilates and Movement Studio, now located at 880 Golf View Drive.

FAVORITE HAIR STYLIST

Sure, you can go for that wind-blown Kennedyesque look or just let it all flow like Albert Einstein. Most of us, however, want a little more order in our lives, which makes our friendly hair stylist an important part of the plan for happiness.
As a testament to their importance, our readers were able to name 59 (yes, 59!) different hair stylists as their favorites. Cutting her way to the top this year was Jodie Scott of Scissorhead Salon, 1112 Progress Drive, Suite 101. Jodie specializes in coloring and cutting hair and enjoys staying active by running, walking, biking and swimming.
The Top Six featured:

• Lisa Hubbard, Gervais
• Di Perez, Fringe
• John Paul Vineyard, Escape
• Troy Stelle, Gervais
• Mr. Thom

BEST PLACE TO GET MEDICURES/PEDICURES

Nails have an uncanny knack for attracting dirt, grime, food and bacteria (I read a statistic recently that there are 3 million bacteria on the tip of one of your fingers). It’s no surprise then that manicurists are extremely popular.
Our readers agreed with that assessment, and they named Gervais Day Spa as their favorite.
Also landing near the top were:

• Perfect Nails
• Bella Sarah
• Elements
• House of Style

FAVORITE MASSAGE THERAPIST

It’s not just a way to pamper yourself, massage not only provides relaxation, but it’s proven to improve your health and can assist in quicker recovery time from injuries. Our readers love their massages, naming 37 different therapists. The number one pick this year ended in a tie between Lanelle Piotrowski of Be Well Massage and Lila Spiritwalker of Gervais Day Spa.
The top five spots were very close:

• Cara Wirt
• Cindy Duron
• Jennifer Mitchell

BEST DAY SPA

Modern living is stress-filled … there’s no doubt about it. It almost makes one yearn for the good old days when we lived in caves and hunted mastodons. At least then there weren’t crazy people with machine guns mowing people down, or maniacs flying airplanes into buildings. Sure, there was the occasional saber-toothed tiger scare, but even they were a little cute.
Anyway, where to go when you want to unwind at a day spa and feel like a queen (or king) for a day? Many of our readers voted for Gervais Day Spa, owned by Lila Spiritwalker and Lisa Hubbard and located at 111 N Central Ave.
The competition was tough in this category, and the Top Five were:

• European Touch
• Lotus Hair Body & Soul
• Medical Eye Center
• Sun Palace

BEST AUTO MECHANIC

The average American can open the hood of a car and accurately locate three things: the battery, the radiator and the little thingie that keeps the hood open. Everything else is a big blur, which is why we rely on our mechanics to take care of business.
Quite a few automobile professionals were mentioned in this survey. Calibrating their way to the top were the folks at Ken Scales Auto Repair, 1101 Court Street.

BEST BODY SHOP

There’s nothing more heart wrenching than to see (and hear) that beautiful new (or slightly used) car get in an accident. What used to be a thing of beauty now looks like ten miles of bad roads in West Virginia. Who to go to in order to get ol’ Betsy looking new again? Our readers were most impressed with the work at Star Body Works, 1385 Sage Road.
Also receiving a lot of votes were:

• Lithia Auto Body
• Anderson Auto Body and Paint
• Bob Thomas Automotive

FAVORITE LOCAL RESTAURANT OWNER

It’s a tough job, running a restaurant, but someone has to do it. Many of them put their life’s savings on the line, and it’s real easy to get nickel and dimed to death. It requires long hours and the patience of Job, which is why our readers recognized 31 different restaurant owners in the balloting.
Topping the list for 2011 was actually a tie between Jake Allmaras of Kaleidoscope Pizza and Chris Dennett of Elements Tapas Bar.
Others near the top included:

• Daniel Jewert, Organics Natural Café
• David Graham, 38 on Central
• Jim and June Potter, Roosters

FAVORITE WAITPERSONS

Every waitperson on earth has a recurring nightmare. Brad Pitt and Angelia Jolie unexpectedly walk into the restaurant, and you end up getting all tongue-tied. When Brad asks what the soup of the day is, you say, “The Cham Clowder.” And when Angelina inquires about the salads, you tell her the lettuce is baked fresh every day.
Anyway, I’m sure the waitstaff here in Medford have it more together than that, and our readers certainly agree, as they named 24 different ones in this category. Serving their way to the top this year were “The ladies at Parkside Café.”

FAVORITE VETERINARIAN

There are almost 80 million dogs in the United States alone. I’m no mathmatician, but I’m pretty sure that means there are a lot of sick dogs out there. And then there are cats, birds, ferrets, alligators, and a host of other amimals to keep our vets busy.
The votes were extremely close in this one, and the winners were the friendly folks at Siskiyou Veterinary Hospital located at 100 W. Stewart Ave.
The list also included:

• All Creatures
• Best Friends Animal Hospital
• Pear Blossom Veterinary Clinic

FAVORITE TREE REMOVAL SERVICE/ARBORIST

When my wife and I moved onto our property 18 years ago, we planted over fifty trees. I’m sad to have to report, however, that one of the original trees on the property, a 60-year-old cherry tree that we once dubbed “The Mother of All Cherry Trees,” is dying. We had an arborist cut off some of the dead branches last summer, and we’re keeping our fingers crossed.
And when it comes to pruning, saving or removing trees, our readers most often mentioned J & J Tree Service.
Coming in a close second was Village Arborist, followed by:

• Bartlett Tree Service
• Beaver Tree Services

FAVORITE COMPUTER SUPPORT PERSONS

The world is becoming semi-reliant on computers, the Internet, cell phones and other technological advances. The whole thing, though, revolves around moving pieces and magnets, and when it goes bad, it’s bad! I mean, it’s hide-the-razor-blades bad. I’m not sure if our reliance on these machines is healthy or not.
But whom to call when the computer crashes or goes on the blink? This was another popular category, and there are over three pages of the phone book dedicated to it. Taking down top honors, though, were the computer experts over at Connecting Point.

GIFT STORE WITH MOST UNIQUE GIFTS

You don’t want to walk into a store where all can get is 75 different kinds of dog figurines. You want something with a little more variety, like what our readers appreciate at both Tiffs Hallmark and Magic Man.
The list also included:

• Terra Firma
• Rogue Gallery
• Real Deals
• Schroeder’s

BEST PLACE TO BUY FURNITURE

While living in Denver, I had a roommate who would drive down alleyways during garbage pick-up days looking for bargains. It was extraordinary some of the stuff people would throw away (especially in the richer neighborhoods), and our house was almost completely furnished with discarded furniture.
I wouldn’t recommend that approach these days, nor would our readers, as they once again voted Larson’s Home Furnishings as their number one local choice.
Others mentioned were:

• Schroeder’s Furniture
• Terra Firma
• Collector’s Market
• La-Z-Boy Furniture

BEST PLACE TO BUY JEWELRY

Diamonds are definitely a girl’s best friend, but I know from personal experience that pearl necklaces come in a close second, not to mention rings, bracelets, earrings and necklaces. You can’t go too wrong when it comes to jewelry, and when our readers want to consult with a professional, they most often choose Father & Son Jewelers, 126 East Main Street.
The list also included:

• Facets
• Lawrence’s Jewelers
• Gold ‘n Gems
• RV Coin & Jewel
• Pacific Diamond
• Goldsmiths

BEST PLACE TO BUY MUSICAL EQUIPMENT

A song came on the radio the other day by Todd Rundgren, and it went, “I don’t want to work; I want to bang on the drum all day.” That was probably Neolithic man’s approach to music before oboes and guitars were invented. “Hey Grog, let’s go hunt some mastodons.” Grog, looking like Buddy Rich with his eyes rolling in the back of his head, replies, “No, man, I just wanta bang on my drum all day.” Little would he know that he would someday get paid big bucks for that ambition.
Where would Grog go when he wants to expand his repertoire and check out the entire range of musical equipment that is available in the 21st century? Guitar Center, located at 2570 Crater Lake Hwy., was our readers’ top pick.
Also mentioned were:

• Tom’s Guitar Warehouse
• Larry’s Music
• Medford Music

BEST PLACE TO BUY CAMERAS

There has been a quantum leap in cameras over the last fifteen years. The market was once dominated by the single lens reflex cameras which relied on film, and now it’s almost totally digital. So instead of taking one or two pictures and having the film developed, you can take thirty, choose the ones you like instantly, and delete all the ones where Aunt Mildred has her eyes closed.
Where to go for the best selection of cameras? The number one choice according to our readers was Total Camera & Video owned by Alex Szentesi and located in the Harry & David Shopping Center. They were followed by Bach’s Camera Center.

BEST PLACE TO BUY HOME DÉCOR ITEMS

In this category, we’re talking about everything from clocks and lamps to wall furnishings and rugs. The top spot this year goes to Real Deals on Home Décor, located at 531 Parsons Drive Suite 105.
Also mentioned were:

• Terra Firma
• Larson’s Home Furnishings
• Ashley’s Furniture Home Store

BEST PLACE TO BUY CAMPING EQUIPMENT

If you don’t think we live in an outdoor paradise, you haven’t been paying attention. Not only is the Pacific Ocean just a few hours away, but there are mountain lakes within a half-hour’s drive, tons of hiking trails, world-renowned rivers, and a system of state and county parks where camping is allowed. (Hey, I just thought of a solution for the homeless camping problem! We’d set up a campground, and each “resident” would have to work during the day to stay there. They could collect cans and bottles, they could rake leaves in the parks, they could be on litter patrol, etc. The only ones allowed to stay in the park would be people willing to work! All of the slugbaits who are just here to freeload could take a hike. Dang, I should run for mayor or something. This is too easy.)
Anyway, where to go when you want camping equipment? Black Bird definitely has some loyal customers, closely followed by Northwest Outdoor Store.

BEST PLACE TO BUY FLOWERS/SHRUBS FOR THE GARDEN

Taking down top honors in this category was the Grange Co-Op, located at 2531 S Pacific Highway.
They were followed by:

• S.O. Nursery
• Four Seasons Nursery
• Valley View Nursery

FAVORITE STORE DOWNTOWN

Our readers certainly love downtown, as they named 24 stores in this category, and our readers mentioned Central Art Supply and My Daughter’s Closet as their favorites.
The Top Ten were:

• Larsons
• Suzannes Gift Garden
• Terra Firma
• Beer Works
• Main Antique Mall Hot Pots
• Father & Son Jewelry
• Yesterdays Blossoms

FAVORITE STORE OUTSIDE DOWNTOWN

North, south, east or west, there are shopping opportunities throughout Medford, including La Strada Boutique located at 1251 E. McAndrews, which took down the top spot this year.
Also receiving a lot of votes were:

• Tiff’s Hallmark
• Medford Coop
• Boot Barn
• Lotus Imports
• Real Deals

FAVORITE STORE IN ASHLAND

Okay, sometimes you just have to get out of town, and when our readers are in the mood to shop in Ashland, their favorite spot is Paddington Station.
Others in the run were:

Avant Garb, Rare Earth, Renaissance Rose, Deja vu and Bloomsbury Books

Part Two: Restaurants & Entertainment: RESTAURANTS

BEST NEW RESTAURANT

Sixteen different restaurants emerged in this ever-competitive category. The top two ended up being a tie between Cicily’s Pastaria and Grill, 1251 East McAndrews Road; and The Uptown Grill at the Bohemian,123 West Main St.
The Top Five were very close:

• Buttercloud Bakery and Café
• Good Bean Café
• Misoya
• Flappers Wild West Wings

BEST BREAKFAST

Breakfast can range from a piece of toast to quadruple stack of blueberry pancakes topped with syrup, whipping cream and bananas with a side of bacon and sausage, as well as two poached eggs drowning in hollandaise sauce…oh, and biscuits and gravy on the side.
The winner of this category was Black Bear Diner located at 1150 East Barnett Road.
The Top Five included:

• Old Farm House Restaurant
• Elmer’s
• Parkside Café
• Ahuva Bagel Co

BEST LUNCH

Lunch may be a time to replenish your energy and/or make some fat deposits for future reference, but it’s also a social hour—a time to entertain friends, family and co-workers and catch up on all the latest gossip.
In this category, our readers were able to name 31 different restaurants as their favorites, but lunching their way to the top was Organic Natural Café located at 226 East Main Street.
And now for the Top Five:

• Squeeze Inn Sandwich Shop
• Joey’s Italian Deli
• Sunrise Café
• Kaleidoscope Pizzeria

BEST FRENCH TOAST

You’d think it came from France, right? Nope, just another case of the French taking credit for something that’s not theirs. According to Wikipedia, its origin was in Spain during the Middle Ages, as the recipe was integrated by new Arab ingredients.
Here in Medford, we don’t need the Spaniards or Arabs telling us how to make French Toast. You simply have to go to Elmer’s where our readers say they make a superlative batch.
Others toasting their way to the top were:

• Black Bear Diner
• Parkside Café
• Dolly Vardens
• Old Farm House Restaurant

FAVORITE DINNERHOUSE

You get home from a long day at the office, open up the refrigerator to start dinner, and notice that no one remembered to go grocery shopping that day. Yes, you could scream, act insane and start filing divorce papers, or just take some advice from our readers and treat the entire family to your favorite dinnerhouse. Taking down top honors this year was Porter’s Restaurant and Bar located in the historic train depot at 147 N. Front St.

BEST SOUPS & SANDWICHES

It’s a classic lunch selection. The soup acts almost like an appetizer, only to be topped off by a delicious (and more filling) sandwich. A lot of restaurants have soup & sandwich specials on their menu, and our readers named 18 of them, including the number one choice, which was Squeeze Inn Sandwich Shop located at 616 Crater Lake Avenue. Squeeze Inn has been serving up soups and sandwiches in southern Oregon for 38 years and is family owned and operated.
The Top Five included:

• Sophia’s Soup Factory
• Organic Natural Café
• Deli Down
• • R & D’s Sandwich Factory

MOST ROMANTIC RESTAURANT FOR LUNCH

You want to make an impression, and the last thing you need is a loud sports bar with the playoffs in the background. Something a little more laid back—maybe with some mood music, attentive waiters, and soothing ambiance—would be just the ticket.
With that in mind, our readers named 38 Central the overwhelming favorite.
Other romantic restaurants include:

• Café Dejeuner
• Downtown Market Co.
• Pomodori Ristorante

MOST ROMANTIC DINNER RESTAURANT

You’re mentally prepared to spring the question, and you have to find the perfect restaurant with just the right ambiance. Where do our readers go when they want to find out the capital of Zimbabwe? (Just kidding … you know what question I meant.) The number one choice with our readers was Porter’s Restaurant and Bar.
Other top romantic spots are:

• Cicily’s Pastaria & Grill
• 38 Central
• Vinny’s Italian Kitchen

BEST STEAK DINNERS ON MENU

The guys in Lonesome Dove had the right idea—take a herd of about 300 cattle from Texas up to Montana and strike it rich in God’s country. We have all those cowpokes to thank every time we sit down to dinner and enjoy a big, juicy steak.
Once again this category was a runaway, as Porters Restaurant and Bar landed at the top spot.

BEST SEAFOOD DISHES ON MENU

They can breathe underwater, and that may seem a little strange to us landlubbers, but fish are actually fellow vertebrates … so let’s show them a little respect and try not to pollute their waters. (That’s my political statement for the day.) Two things are for sure: they taste great and they’re chock full of healthful omega-3 fatty acids.
In that regard, searing their way to the top was The Wharf Fresh Seafood Market & Eatery located at 827 W. Jackson Street.

BEST PASTA DISHES ON MENU

Rumor has it that Marco Polo imported pasta from China in the 1300s, but other accounts have it introduced by Arabs during their conquest of Sicily in the 7th century. Either way, our readers love their pasta dishes, and they reserved their number one choice for Vinny’s Italian Kitchen located at 970 N Phoenix Rd.
The Top Six were actually very close, and they were:

• Rosario’s
• Cicily’s Pastaria & Grill
• Gaetano’s
• Pomodori Ristorante
• Rossos Trattoria

FAVORITE ASIAN RESTAURANT

It’s the world’s largest continent with a surprisingly diverse ethnic mix of cultures, from Japan in the north to India in the south. Then, of course, there’s that big, cuddly panda bear in the middle—China; not to mention Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and points in between.
So many selections of Asian cuisine, so little time. Our readers were torn, but in the end the number one spot was Bambu located at 970 N Phoenix Road.
Followed by:

• Shoji’s
• Silver Dragon
• Mongolian BBQ
• Asian Grill

BEST JAPANESE DISHES

Ichiro Suzuki will probably never break Pete Rose’s record for career base hits, but he certainly knows where to go for great Japanese food. Outside of his hometown of Toyoyama, he would probably follow our readers’ advice and visit Oh’s Osaka located at 123 S Front Street in downtown Medford.
Others receiving their fair share of votes were:

• Shiki Four Seasons
• Shoji’s
• Bonsai Teriyaki
• Star Sushi

BEST THAI DISHES

When it comes to outstanding Thai food in Medford, our readers chose Ali’s Thai Kitchen located at 2392 North Pacific Highway.
Also mentioned a lot were:

• Thai Bistro.
• Tasty Thai.

FAVORITE MEXICAN RESTAURANT

You walk into the typical Mexican restaurant, and you’re instantly greeted by happy, friendly people who act as if they’re inviting you into their home. It’s definitely a fun, fiesta-style atmosphere, and our readers appreciate them, as they named Si Casa Flores Numero Uno.
The Top Five were actually pretty close, and they were:

• Mazaltan Grill
• La Burrita
• Mucho Gusto
• Habaneros

BEST BURRITOS

This dish is so easy to make—just fill a tortilla with as much good “stuff” as you want, heat ‘er up, and you’re ready to go. It’s also the most popular Mexican dish in the world, and if you want some really good ones, do as our readers do and visit Señor Sam’s in the Medford Shopping Center or at 1234 S. Riverside, which was voted number one, with all of the aforementioned places getting mucho votes.

FAVORITE ITALIAN RESTAURANT

I read in Time magazine about a summer program for kids that taught them about different cultures. When it came time for Italy, one of the interactive ways in which they participated was to cook a meal and sit around the dinner table for a close encounter of the Italian kind.
Our readers were torn over this category, as only two votes separated the top five spots. Inspired by the 24-hour news channels, we’re calling this category “To Close to Call.”
The Top Five, in alphabetical order were:

• Cicily’s Pastaria & Grill
• Gaetano Ristorante Italiano
• Pomodori Ristorante
• Rosario’s Italian Restaurant
• Vinny’s Italian Kitchen

BEST SELECTION OF PIZZAS

When I was growing up, Friday night was traditionally reserved for pizzas and movies. Usually, we’d have a pizza delivered and rent a movie, but on special occasions we’d visit our favorite pizza place go wild.
There was some stiff competition in this category for 2011, but in the end Kaleidoscope Pizzeria once again wears the crown.
The Top Three included:

• Jackson Creek Pizza.
• Wild River Brewing and Pizza Co.

BEST VEGETARIAN DISHES

The human alimentary canal is a monumental work of nature, as it’s able to assimilate and digest almost everything but starter fluid. It’s a medical fact that a vegetarian diet is much easier on the digestive system, as the body naturally and seamlessly breaks down food and sends the nutrients throughout the bloodstream.
Where to go for delicious vegetarian dishes? Most often mentioned was Organic Natural Café.
Followed by:

• Bambu
• India’s Kitchen
• Ali’s Thai Kichen

BEST CHICKEN WINGS

If you’re using a sauce that was made in Buffalo, New York, you can actually advertise these as Buffalo Wings. By that logic, can we make our own sauce and call them Medford Wings?
Anyway, the favorite chicken wings in Medford can be found at Flappers Wild West Wings located at 1213 W. Main Street.
Other favorite chicken wings are:

• Jackson Creek Pizza.
• Joe’s Sports Bar & Grill.
• Red Robin.

BEST SALADS

Salads exist for many reasons. They can be appetizers. They can be sides to bring an entrée together. They can be the main course layered in meat and cheese. Salads are versatile. Consider them the Renaissance Men of food choices. Tossing their way to the top once again this year was Kaleidoscope Pizzeria.
Others receiving lots of votes were:

• Squeeze Inn Sandwich Shop.
• Organic Natural Café.

BEST RESTAURANT TO TAKE THE ENTIRE FAMILY

This kind of restaurant has to have everything—a space large enough to accommodate the whole family, a menu that caters to all tastes, and servers who are willing to accept Grandpa’s foibles and Junior’s temper tantrums.
A lot of local restaurants were mentioned in this survey, with the number one nod going to Red Robin Gourmet Burgers located in the Medford Center.

RESTAURANT WITH MOST EXOTIC MENU

We’re not talking about menus that have pop-up figures emerge when you open them, but a list of entrees with enough exotic items to make you think you were in another country. And in that regard, our readers voted for Elements Tapas Bar and Lounge located at 101 E. Main Street in downtown Medford.

RESTAURANT WITH BEST DESSERTS

You’ve just eaten a steak the size of a mailbox, with all the trimmings plus a baked potato, and the waitress comes by and asks if you’d like to see the dessert menu. Your first reaction is to say no, but then the sweet tooth overrules all objections from the stomach, and you acquiesce.
Where do our readers most often like to pay attention to the demands of their sweet teeth? Winning this category was Rooster’s Restaurant located at 350 E. Barnett.

BEST PLACE TO BUY PASTRIES/CAKES

Before naming the winners in this category, I would also like to encourage our readers to take care of their teeth by making regular visits to the dentist. You can also chew a gum with xylitol in it after every meal to kill all the bacteria that just love to share those pastries and cakes with you. This has been a public service message from the Sneak Preview.
All right … now let’s eat those fun things. When it comes to pastries and cakes, our readers most often mentioned both Artisan Bakery and Great Harvest Bread Co.

BAR WITH MOST INTERESTING COCKTAIL MENU

We’re not talking about your basic bourbon and water here, but wild drinks that show a little imagination on the part of the bartender. Restaurants in Medford have been especially creative lately, and in that regard, our readers were most impressed with the artistry at Elements Tapas Bar & Lounge, owned by Chris Dennett.
Others high on the list were:

• 38 Central
• Havana Republic

BEST SELECTION OF SANDWICHES

It was named after John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, an 18th century English aristocrat who was fond of meat tucked between two pieces of bread. Another one of his relatives was the first Lord of the Admiralty, and James Cook named Hawaii the Sandwich Islands after him.
But enough of this trivia … it’s making me hungry. When it comes to great sandwiches, our readers’ pick was Joey’s Italian Deli located at 149 S. Central Avenue in downtown Medford.
The Top Five included:

• Squeeze Inn Sandwich Shop
• Deli Down
• R & D’s Sandwich Factory
• Luigi’s Italian Sandwiches

BEST BURGERS

This is pretty much the quintessential American sandwich, despite the fact that it’s named after a town in northern Germany. And when in comes to making the perfect burger, our readers once again named the artistry of Jasper’s Café, 2739 N. Pacific Hwy., as their favorite.

BEST MILKSHAKES

Well, isn’t this interesting from Wikipedia: “When milkshakes were first used in 1885, they were an alcoholic whiskey drink that was touted as a sturdy, healthful eggnog type of drink with eggs, whiskey, etc., served as a tonic as well as a treat.”
Almost makes me want to add some Old Granddad to my next vanilla shake, but in lieu of that I’ll go where my readers say you can find the absolute best milkshakes in town—at Jasper’s Café.

BEST FAMILY-OPERATED RESTAURANT

You have to love those restaurants where almost everyone in the family chips in to make the thing work. In that regard, our readers named Old Farm House Restaurant located at 603 S. Riverside Avenue and owned by Cheryl and Greg Cordova.

FAVORITE COFFEEHOUSE

Coffeestands have been sprouting up almost everywhere. Back during the Starbucks craze, the joke was, “Did you hear about the Starbucks that opened inside the bathroom of a Starbucks?” Here in Medford, it’s not that bad, but there is a wealth of coffeehouses in which to enjoy a soothing cup of coffee.
In this category, Mellelo Coffee Roasters was the clear winner, with two locations here in Medford: 229 W. Main Street and 3651 Lear Way.
Rounding out the Top Five were:

• Human Bean
• Dutch Bros
• Good Bean Café
• Bad Ass Coffee

BEST RESTAURANT OUTSIDE MEDFORD

Yes, Virginia, there is life outside Medford, or at least some great restaurants to visit. Our readers named 31 different ones in this survey, and it was the Jacksonville Inn taking town the top spot.
Others mentioned a lot were:

• Rogue River Lodge
• Kobe – Ashland
• Chateaulin – Ashland
• Loft – Ashland

ENTERTAINMENT

FAVORITE CONCERT AT THE BRITT FESTIVAL LAST YEAR

It’s one of the largest outdoor music festivals in the Pacific Northwest, lasting three months in Jacksonville, and it brings in some of the biggest names in music. The number one choice by our readers this year was Michael Franti, followed by Willie Nelson.

BEST PRODUCTION AT THE CRATERIAN LAST YEAR

It’s definitely the premier indoor music and theater venue in southern Oregon, and they bring in an outstanding lineup every year. Our readers agreed and named quite a few productions, including last year’s favorite, Pink Martini, who lit up the stage on November 11.

MOST FUN PLACE FOR THRID FRIDAY ART WALK

During the third Friday of every month, art galleries and businesses throughout downtown Medford open their doors to art, conversation, refreshments and entertainment. It has become extremely popular and has helped rejuvenate the local economy.
Taking down top honors was Yesterday’s Blossoms located at 275 Theater Alley.

BEST CHICKEN DISHES ON MENU

It’s probably the most popular dish in the world. With a cow, you got to do some major work to prepare it for eating. A chicken, however, is simple … just chop, pluck and sizzle. (But shhh, don’t let my chickens hear you talking like this. They’re already nervous about the raccoon that tried to get in the coop last night.)
Where do our readers go when they want interesting (and delicious) chicken dishes? The votes were all over the place on this category, and apparently our local restaurants know what they’re doing. Voted number one was No Ho’s Hawaiian Café located at 330 E. McAndews Rd.

BEST PLACE TO GET A WORKOUT

Seriously, if every American paid more attention to their diet and lifestyle, the health care crisis in this country would be solved tomorrow. (Reducing pollutants from the environment would be the second priority, but that’s a story for another day.) One of the most important parts of the health equation is fitness, and it has been proven that physical fitness leads to mental and emotional health because a stronger heart is able to pump more blood to the brain.
So … try to get a workout at least 4-5 times a week. And when our readers put that on their “to-do” list, they most often picked the friendly confines of the Superior Athletic Club, followed by:

• Rogue Valley CrossFit
• Southern Oregon Pilates
• YMCA
• Verve Pilates
• Rasa Yoga Center

BEST LOCAL MUSICIANS

Here are some great quotes: “Music is what feelings sound like.” “Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those could not hear the music.” “Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music.”
Are you inspired yet to go catch a concert this weekend? There is a wealth of music talent in southern Oregon, including this year’s winner, The Rogue Suspects.

BEST NIGHTCLUB TO HEAR LIVE MUSIC

The list is getting longer every year for local music venues, and topping the list was 4 Daughters Irish Pub, followed by Shenanigan’s Irish Pub.

BAR WITH FRIENDLIEST BARTENDERS

You’re either there to party and/or drown your sorrows, and it always helps to have friendly bartenders who can tend to your every need. In that regard, our readers most love the folks at Howiee’s on Front located at 16 Front Street in downtown Medford.

BEST BAR TO WATCH SPORTS ON TV

Sure, you can watch your favorite sporting events on TV at home, but when you go to a crowded bar with a lot of energy, it’s almost like watching the thing live.
According to our readers, the best place to watch sports is Joe’s Sports Bar & Grill located at 2061 Roberts Road.

FAVORITE PART OF GROWERS MARKET

According to our readers, the best thing about the Growers Market is all of the fresh produce available, followed by:

• The tamales
• The musicians
• RoxyAnn Bakery
• The beautiful flowers

FAVORITE CARPET CLEANER

Not only can they make your house look and smell better, but they can help you save money by not having to replace your carpets as often.
Taking down the top spot once again was Integrity Carpet Care.
Hot on their heels were:

• Holland’s Carpet
• ServiceMaster
• Superior Services Carpet Care
• Pro Kleen
• Blue Wave Carpet Cleaning

FAVORITE ESTHETICIAN

Estheticians specialize in making our skin as beautiful as it can be. And with the weather in this part of the world, our skin can use as much help as it can get! Receiving the most votes in this category was Gina Ennis of Gervais Day Spa.

* * * * *

Well … I just emerged from my cave after compiling over 100 categories and want to thank everyone for putting up with me. If you have any suggestions for new categories next year, write to me at sneakpreview@medford.net —N.H.

Best of Medford 2025, Part One:

Another year, another Best of Medford. If life is merely “enjoying the passage of time,” a philosophy that was explained to me during a late night bull session at the frat house in college, then I’ve been a very happy person for the last 37 years, when I first introduced this readers’ survey to Southern Oregon with the first “Best of the Rogue Valley” in the Grants Pass Sneak Preview. Now everyone and their brother wants to cash in on the action, and some of them take it very very seriously. 

It is what it is, I suppose. After 37 years, though, I’ve realized that readers’ surveys are extremely subjective and open to all kinds of statistical errors. They are, however, very accurate at gauging the sentiments of the readers who took the time to fill out the categories and/or stuff the online ballots with one submission after another. One positive outcome is that it helps recognize a lot of people, organizations and businesses that might somehow slip through the cracks.

So without further ado … the 2025 “Best of Medford.”

MEDIA

FAVORITE LOCAL RADIO PERSONALITY OR DJ

 As a radio host or DJ, it can sometimes become a “Ground Control to Major Tom” moment. You stare into the control booth where your producer gives you the thumbs up and you begin to wonder, “Is anyone even tuned in to this show? Am I talking into the void? Where is my mother?” Then, the lights start flashing because you have 52 callers wanting to join the show or request their favorite song from the summer of ’69, and voila, life is good again.

This category proved the power of Jefferson Public Radio, as quite a few radio personalities were named, including their number one favorite Danielle Kelly with her “Open Air” show. 

FAVORITE LOCAL TV ANCHORPERSON

From the latest drug bust and five-alarm fire to the sex scandal at City Hall, our local TV news anchors have to approach each story with a dispassionate demeanor, letting the viewer make his or her own decision on the merits of the story. It’s not always easy to do, and our hats are off to local news anchors for not letting their personal opinions get in the way of the news.

Winning this spot with our readers was Hailey Gravitt, of KDRV-12.

PEOPLE/BUSINESS

BEST NEW BUSINESS IN TOWN (LAST YEAR)

Ah, the joys of opening one’s own business. I was in the same boat 37 years ago, and to be truthful, the first couple of years were tough. It was definitely a 24/7 commitment, but in the end, it paid off. Our hats are off to anyone who makes the plunge.

Number one on their minds actually came from a business outside of Medford: The Phoodery in Phoenix where you can choose from five unique food truck options and a wide variety of drinks from the taphouse. They also have spacious outdoor dining, with rooftop views and games for the whole family. 

FAVORITE DENTIST

I still remember that scene from the TV series “Alias” (which also starred my friend and Grants Pass High School graduate David [Holt] Anders), where Jennifer Garner is about to be tortured, and the guy comes at her with a pair of pliers and forces her mouth open. I was sweating bullets watching that scene, but Garner calmly said, “If you could, I’m having problems with this back molar,” then she got him in a choke hold with her legs and wrestled the keys out of his belt for a great escape. It was an outstanding move, but don’t try that with your dental hygienist when you’re getting a cleaning.

A lot of dentists were mentioned in this survey, and we’d love to list all of them. The top two vote getters were Summit Dental and Exceptional Dentistry with John R. Linstrom DDS.

Also landing at the top of the list were:

• Wu Family Dentistry

• Cascade Dental

FAVORITE FAMILY DOCTOR 

I’m reading a textbook on Immunology right now, and it is extraordinary how our immune system keeps us safe every second of the day. Right now there are billions of unique antibodies coursing through your blood cells just looking for foreign invaders to destroy. There are dozens of different kinds of cells willing to do the dirty work, not to mention helper cells and cytokines that identify the invaders and guide the soldiers to the battlefield. It is amazingly complex, and I don’t know how doctors can keep it all straight. Thankfully, they’re on top of it.

And in that regard, our readers have their favorites, including Southern Oregon Pediatrics’ Dr. Mary Hough.

FAVORITE ACUPUNCTURIST

Our readers once again chose Alexandria Guasco, LAc, MAcOM, Dipl.OM at Epic Wellness.

FAVORITE CHIROPRACTOR

Cracking himself to the top of the list this year was Dr. Casey Frieder.

FAVORITE PHYSICAL THERAPIST

The top spot went to Dr. Eric Reed at Southern Oregon Chiropractic, with a close second going to Kathy Bowlin at Jackson County Physical Therapy.

FAVORITE OPTOMETRIST

According to our readers, Medford’s favorite is Taylor Oberly at Medford Group Eyecare.

Coming in second was Russell Horn of Clair Horn Eyecare.

FAVORITE NATUROPATHIC DOCTOR

Traditional medicine is very analytic and scientific in their analyses, but sometimes you just need to think outside the box. And the winner of this category once again was McClane Duncan at Siskiyou Vital Medicine.

FAVORITE NURSE PRACTIONER

Our readers were able to identify a number of local nurse practitioners. Topping the list was Kathryn Stringer of Medford Women’s Clinic.

FAVORITE SPA/SALON

This is always a popular category, with the top spot going to both The J Rose Salon and Gervais.

FAVORITE MESSAGE THERAPIST

Kneading his way to the top once again this year was Blake Knight – Epic Wellness.

FAVORITE HAIR STYLIST

Ah, the 1980s. Every time I see a movie from that period and notice the hair styles, I say to myself, “What could they possibly have been thinking?” I checked it out on Wikipedia, and “amongst women, large hair-dos, puffed-up styles, permanent waves, and softer cuts typified the decade. Big hair that was often permed to achieve the desire volume is especially associated with women of the mid-1980s as well as male rock stars of that era, especially of the glam metal genre.” Thankfully, we’ve put all that behind us, although in forty years we’ll probably look back at the tattoos and lip rings and say to ourselves, “What were we thinking?”

Anyway, haircuts are an important part of living in a civilized society, and our readers mentioned 30 different ones, with the Top Spot going to Erika Clogston at the J Rose Salon.

FAVORITE AESTHETICIAN

Our readers named quite a few, reserving their number one accolades for both Zoe Belovitch at Epic Wellness and Chelsey Graham at the Advanced Aesthetics Center

FAVORITE POLICEPERSON 

Well, we might as well do a couple of police jokes just to make things even with the lawyers.

Cop: When I saw you driving down the road, I guessed 55 at least.

Woman: You’re wrong, officer, it’s only the hat that make me look that old.

And:

Police officer: I’m arresting you for illegally downloading the entire Wikipedia.

Man: Wait, I can explain everything.

Okay, fairly lame, but our readers were still able to name a strong cadre of police officers as their favorites, including this year’s picks, Ian McDonald and Steve Furst.

BEST AUTO REPAIR SHOP

Our readers appreciate the work of our local mechanics and mentioned quite a few shops in this survey, including their number one choice Star Collision. Also getting a lot of votes was Classic Collision.

BEST SELECTION OF WOMEN’S CLOTHES

Have you ever seen those runway shows in Paris where really skinny women wear some of the most outlandish and ridiculous outfits imaginable (think the TV show Emily in Paris). You have to wonder if there are runway shows where normal clothes being worn by normal-looking women get the spotlight. That’s probably too boring for the media, but those are the fashions that end up at clothing stores around the world.

Anyway, when our readers wanted to go shopping for women’s clothes, they love the selection at Volamos.

BEST PLACE TO BUY CHILDREN’S CLOTHES/TOYS

Here’s the thing about children’s clothes—you buy them something and within a year they’ve outgrown them. Growing up in a family of nine kids, my siblings and I got used to a lot of hand-me-downs, but it was always a treat when our mom would spring for something new (usually birthdays and Christmas). And, of course, toys only worked as hand-me-downs on a limited basis since most toys became community property anyway.

And when it came to toys (and clothes), our readers most often mentioned Kid 2 Kid. 

FAVORITE BICYCLE SHOP

Spinning their way to the top was Medford Cycle Sport.

FAVORITE LOCAL RESTAURANT OWNER

When I first visited Medford in February 1976, there might have been three restaurants in the entire city. Now there about 100, and they come in all shapes and sizes, eager to feed a growing population.

This is always a popular category with our readers, as they named 23 different restaurant owners, starting with their favorite, Mike Sidon of 4 Daughters.

Second place went to Adam Benson at Tap & Vine. Third went to Alex Saucedo of Common Block. 

FAVORITE BARTENDER 

Back in the wild, wild West, bustling towns had 30 bars to every church. It wasn’t much different back in the Midwest, where I grew up in the 1950s/60s. There must have been a corner bar on every city block. The popularity of liquor in 19th century America can be easily explained. We were a country of immigrants from Ireland (whiskey), England (Scotch), Germany (beer), Italy (wine), and France (chartreuse). Is it any wonder that the Puritan ethic was quickly overwhelmed? The temperance people had their way from 1920 to 1933 with a constitutional amendment outlawing alcohol, but that was a disaster which was quickly overturned.

Want more information on this? Just ask your local bartender; they know everything. And in that regard, our readers were able to identify quite a few, with the top spot going to Yusef at Tap & Vine.

FAVORITE NOT FOR PROFIT

Here were the top five:

• Sparrows Club

• Maslow

• YMCA

• ACCESS

• Friends of the Animal Shelter

FAVORITE VETERINARIAN

Our readers’ favorite was once again Dr. Steve Poet at Best Friends Animal Hospital.

FAVORITE HOUSE PAINTER

Yep, you thought you’d save some money by slapping some paint on your house in one of your more inspirational do-it-yourself moments. Then, about six months later whole swathes of it started peeling off because you didn’t prep the wood. Oops, guess you should have read the manual, huh? Prepping and painting a house is not for the faint of heart, which is why most of us call a professional and have it done right.

Who to call in Medford when you need that job done right? Our readers most often mentioned both Brotherhood and Rick Stevens.

FAVORITE HEATING AND AIR COMPANY

Heating and cooling their way to the top once again was Advanced Air & Metal.

Followed by:

• Jahnke

• Caveman Heating and Air

• Metal Masters

FAVORITE STORE DOWNTOWN

Sinclair Lewis wrote the novel Main Street in 1920, depicting the downtown areas of small-town America as not only shopping centers but social places where the community gathered and exchanged information and local gossip. They are the glue that holds towns together, and that’s certainly true for downtown Medford with its outstanding array of shops, restaurants, bars and parks.

Our readers agreed and once again they were able to name 23 different downtown stores as their favorite. And this year’s favorite goes to Bumble & Wren.

FAVORITE CONSIGNMENT SHOP

Winning this category was ReFashion Consignment Shop.

BEST PLACE TO BUY FURNITURE

Winning this category was Garrison’s.

Followed by:

• Terra Firma

• ReStore

• LaZBoy

FAVORITE PLACE TO BUY JEWELRY

According to Wikipedia, “The earliest known jewelry was created not by humans (Homo sapiens) but by Neanderthals living in Europe. Specifically, perforated beads made from small sea shells have been found dating to 115,000 years ago in a cave along the southeast coast of Spain.”

Well, it’s good to know that our cousins were keeping themselves busy. Meanwhile, our local jewelers have advanced well beyond perforated beads, and our readers certainly appreciate their efforts. Winning once again was Father and Son Jewelry.

FAVORITE PLACE TO BY VITAMINS/SUPPLEMENTS

Boosting their way to #1 again was Healthway Nutrition Center.

FAVORITE GROCERY STORE

Winning this category was The Medford Food Coop, followed by:

• Grocery Outlet

• Cartwrights

• Sherms

FAVORITE PLACE TO BUY MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

Winning this category was Tom’s Guitars. 

BEST PLACE TO BUY SHOES

Taking the top spot was Paradise Shoes.

FAVORITE MARIJUANA DISPENSARY

The number one spot went to Wicked Flower Shop.

Followed by:

• Emerald Triangle

• Nectar

• Top Shelf

FAVORITE REALTOR

Our readers’ top pick was Kaliko Todd at Windermere Van Vleet.

FAVORITE FLORAL SHOP

Arranging their way to the top was Penny & Lulu followed by Susie’s Flower Shop.

FAVORITE ART GALLERY

Our readers’ favorite this year was The Rogue Gallery.

BEST PLACE TO BUY STUFF FOR THE GARDEN

Once again winning this category was The Grange Co-op followed by Southern Oregon Nursery.

FAVORITE YOGA STUDIO

Downward Dogging their way to #1 was The Flow Yoga, located at 810 Biddle Rd.

BEST PLACE TO ENTERTAIN THE KIDS

Winning this category once again were the friendly folks at The Children’s Museum of Southern Oregon.

FAVORITE STORE IN ASHLAND

The top spot in Ashland according to our readers is Paddington Station, followed closely by Northwest Nature Shop.

Best of Medford 2025, Part Two:

Part II of our annual readers’ survey, “The Best of Medford,” is scheduled to hit the mailboxes just after, February 2, aka Groundhog Day. It’s hard for people to wrap their heads around the fact that this is also the first day of spring. Yeah, I know, you’ve been told all your life that March 21 is the start of spring, but that is actually the middle of spring. Think about it logically: winter theoretically starts on December 21, which is the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. It is when the rays of the sun are as far away as possible and you’re smack dab in the middle of winter. Which means six weeks before December 21 and six weeks after are really the dates for winter. And six weeks after December 21 is February 2, which means that is the start of spring. The calendars can say whatever they want, but the rays of the sun are on my side in this discussion.

In the meantime, enjoy Part II of the “Best of Medford.” Any category where the results were separated by only a few votes will be awarded as ties. It’s the only fair way to do it.

But first a correction from Part I: Dr. Reed, who is a chiropractor at Southern Oregon Chiropractic was listed as a winner of the wrong category. Dr. Reed tied for Medford’s Favorite Chiropractor. And Kathy Bowlin at Jackson County Physical Therapy was supposed to be the winner of Medford’s Favorite Physical Therapist. Our apologies for the error…and congratulations to Dr. Reed and Kathy Bowlin!

Now on with the show…

RESTAURANTS

BEST NEW RESTAURANT

The concept is simple: prepare great food for a hungry public and hope for the best. It’s not as easy as it sounds, and our hats are off to those who follow their dreams and makes it happen. It was a slow year for new kids on the block, as our readers were only able to name three new restaurants. Their number one choice was The Phoodery, located in downtown Phoenix. 

BEST BREAKFAST

The in-laws are in town and your mother-in-law has been hovering over your shoulder every morning while cooking breakfast. “You’re not cooking those eggs right!” “You need to turn the timer down on the toaster; they’re getting too burned.” “Where’s your coffee maker?” “How do you turn the thermostat down?” “What’s the capital of Zimbabwe?” It’s literally driving you crazy, and the only solution is to pack everyone into the station wagon (do they still make those?) and head to your favorite restaurant for breakfast.

Once again this was a tough decision, and same four restaurants always land near the top in this category. Edging out a win this year was Buttercloud.

Coming in a close second was Tartine.

Rounding out the top four was Over Easy and Punky’s Diner.

BEST LUNCH PLACE

This was probably the most popular category in the entire Best of Medford, as 29 different restaurants were mentioned. Apparently, people like to eat out for lunch, and I suppose it’s better than leftovers and cold turkey sandwiches on white bread, which is my go-to lunch when stuck at home. Thankfully, there’s always ketchup to liven things up. I’m one of those guys who puts ketchup on ketchup, so don’t judge me.

Landing at the top in this survey for 2025 was Squeeze Inn Sandwich Shop

Also landing near the top was Kaleidoscope Pizzeria.

The Top FIVE featured:

• Rogue Salad Company

• Ruby’s 

• Jasper’s

BEST OMELETS 

Just for fun, I went to the Guinness Book of World Records and typed in “largest pancake ever made,” and it turns out that on August 11, 2012 a group of 55 chefs from Santarem, Portugal made an omelet out of 145,000 eggs. It took over six hours to cook completely.

Where to go when you don’t have time to cook a 14,225 pound omelet? Our readers most often mentioned the omelets at Punky’s Diner.

BEST FISH & CHIPS

This originated in England and is considered Britain’s “national dish.” It first appeared in the 1860s and by 1910 there were 25,000 fish & chips shops across the U.K. The government safeguarded the supply of fish & chips during both world wars, and it was one of the few foods not subject to rationing during the wars. If only the U.S. could have a national dish to rally the red and blue states together. A double chili cheeseburger, maybe? 

Anyway, when it comes to fish & chips, our readers most often mentioned the ones at The Wharf.

RESTAURANT WITH BEST APPETIZERS

Winning this category was Tap & Vine.

BEST SALADS

This category ended in a tie between Kaleidoscope Pizzeria and Rogue Salad Company.

FAVORITE DINNER HOUSE

Sure, you can slave away in the kitchen for a couple of hours prepping and getting everything ready for dinner, only to see the entire family gobble it down and head to the TV room to watch the latest episode of “Real Housewives of Medford,” while you do the dishes. OR you can head down to your favorite dinner house and let them do the work.

According to our readers, the best place to go in Medford was a Tap & Vine.

RESTAURANT WITH MOST ROMANTIC ATMOSPHERE

I suppose you don’t have to have an Italian guy strolling through the restaurant playing the violin and singing love songs, but it does help that there’s not a 55-inch TV showing the latest football game with guys from the local softball teams screaming on every play. We’re talking about ambience, where attentive waitpeople calmly read the daily specials, soothing music wafts from the speakers, and the décor/ambience is soft and inviting.

Leading the way in this category for 2025 was Porters.

BEST STEAKS

Here’s a sobering thought: about 890,000 cattle are slaughtered every day to feed the overpopulated billions of humans on earth. It is what it is, and you’re probably thinking that all the butcher has to do is slice and dice and get the food on the table. Wrong. I went to Wikipedia and counted over 15 different areas of a cow that need to be delicately cut and separated from its neighbors. The best cuts are tenderloin, strip, rib-eye and t-bone, while the toughest are chuck, brisket, flank and ribs. And don’t forget the brain, tongue and hoof!

Our readers were able to single out a few places where steaks reign supreme, and once again winning this category was Porters.

BEST SEAFOOD 

You gotta love our fellow vertebrates under the deep blue sea. In a way, it’s a fairly stress-free life since you don’t ever have to worry about drowning. You do, however, have to worry about getting eaten by bigger fish. Even if you’re lucky enough to avoid that fate, one day that tasty looking morsel flicking in front of your face just might be attached to a hook, and all of a sudden you’re someone’s supper on land. I suppose it’s all part of the web of life.

Seafood has enjoyed a pretty good reputation as a healthful alternative to other forms of protein, and when our readers wanted to enjoy some really good seafood dishes, they most often turned to The Wharf.

FAVORITE MEXICAN RESTAURANT

When I first moved to the area in 1988, the only Mexican restaurant was Taco Bell. Today, our readers submitted 14 different ones as their favorites, and they have certainly made Medford a more fun place to be.

Taking down top honors this year was El Molcajete

It hard to exactly measure popularity, as they all received their fair share of votes. The Top Five included:

• El Paraiso

• Luna

• Magueys

• Comal

BEST BURRITOS

Wrapping to the top once again was Senor Sam’s.

BEST MARGARITAS

I don’t know if Jimmy Buffet’s song “Margaritaville” in 1977 had anything to do with the burgeoning popularity of this drink in the United States, but it certainly couldn’t have hurt. Personally, I was a banana daiquiri man back then, but how could you resist these lyrics: “I blew out my flip-flop, stepped on a pop top, cut my heel, had to cruise on back home. But there’s booze in the blender and soon it will render … that frozen concoction that helps me hang on.” Classic.

And when our readers wanted to taste that concoction (frozen or not) to help them hang on, where would they go? Most picked the margaritas at El Paraiso.

BEST FOOD TRUCK

Driving to the top was Fatsos Cheketos, followed by Wok Star and Peruvian Point. 

FAVORITE ASIAN RESTAURANT

Did any of you see the video of the President of South Korea when he was in Washington for a state dinner last winter and sang the opening lines to the 1971 song “American Pie” by Don McLean? It was pretty impressive. “But February made me shiver with every paper I’d deliver; bad news on the doorstep; I couldn’t take one more step. I can’t remember if I cried, when I read about his widowed bride. Something touched me deep inside, the day the music died.” He was referring, of course, to Buddy Holly, but to see the President of South Korea sing it with some heartfelt emotion was very powerful. I encourage you to Google it.

In lieu of an Asian President singing your favorite song, you can visit any of the popular Asian restaurants to get a taste of the Far East. Pulling down the number one spot for 2025 was Bambu.

BEST JAPANESE DISHES

Winning the Top Spot was Star Sushi, followed by Bonsai and Oh’s Osaka.

FAVORITE ITALIAN RESTAURANT

Western Civilization is replete with empire building back in the day. First came Alexander the Great, some Greek/Macedonian dude who overran cities and states all the way to India from 356 to 353 BC. Not to be outdone, the Roman Empire stretched across all of Europe, including Greece and England, only to be destroyed by the Visigoths and Vandals around 476 AD. You gotta hand it to the Italians, though, they knew how to create an empire and held onto it for almost 600 years.

Where to go when you want to get the inside dirt on empire building while having some great Italian food? Our readers most often mentioned Cicily’s.

FAVORITE PIZZA PLACE

Ah, college, when living on pizza for a dollar a slice helped balance my budget. That was, of course, back in the Dark Ages. According to a news article from 2021, critics were bemoaning the death of dollar slices, which are now officially $2.50. Just doesn’t sound as romantic. 

Here in Medford, we can still find great deals on pizza, and according to our readers, the first place to turn is Kaleidoscope Pizzeria.

BEST SALAD BAR

Topping this category was Rogue Salad Co.

BEST VEGETARIAN DISHES

Coming in first in this category was Rooted.

BEST ICE CREAM

Scooping to the top was Violets & Cream followed by Yogurt Hut.

BEST BAKED GOODS

Rising to the top was Great Harvest, followed by Artisan Bakery and Buttercloud.

BEST SELECTION OF BEER.

Pouring their way to the top was both Common Block and Jackson Creek Pizza.

FRIENDLIEST WAITSTAFF

A smile on your face can do wonders, and every waitperson knows that. A family of five comes in, and the dad apparently is having a bad day as he tries to keep the kids in line and it ain’t working. You can tell he’s ready to lose it, but as soon as the waitperson smiles and makes a joke, he melts and orders “drinks for everybody.” Just kidding about that, but you get the picture: a friendly smile can make the world a better place.

And in that regard, our readers most often named the friendly staff at Kaleidoscope Pizzeria.

FAVORITE “QUICK SERVICE” RESTAURANT

In a show of support for Ukraine, McDonald’s pulled all of its restaurants out of Russia. Burger King tried to do the same but apparently some Russian oligarch owns 30% interest in the franchise and is giving BK a hard time about it. Don’t be surprised if you hear about that guy falling from the 30th floor of his apartment building soon.

Here in Medford, we don’t have to worry about that international political stuff. Just give us our burgers, fries and chocolate milkshake, and we’re happy. Pulling down top honors in this category for 2025 was Sweet Tea Express.

BEST BURGERS & FRIES

Not everyone can create the perfect hamburger. Try going to Dubai or Singapore and you’ll come to appreciate the good old American burger. Of course, we’ve had 250 years to perfect the thing, and I’m sure some mistakes were made along the way, like the guy in Duluth who wanted to make the patties out of goat meat. Or that woman in Akron who thought daisy petals would make a good accompaniment. Now here we are: perfection. You gotta love it.

Where to go for that perfect burger and even more perfect fries? This is always a big battle every year, and this year was no exception as Jasper’s took down the top spot.

The list also included:

• Barney’s

• Five Guys

BEST SELECTION OF SANDWICHES

Dagwood Bumstead became famous for his sleep walking routines in which he would open the refrigerator at three in the morning and make a sandwich that was about two feet tall. Seriously, the guy looked like he weighed about 120 pounds, and the sandwich weighed more than he did. Today, a “Dagwood Sandwich” is on the menu in restaurants around the world, so he must’ve been doing something right. The cartoonist, Chic Young, died in 1973, and his son Dean took over the writing for the strip. That was 50 years ago and the comic strip, and sandwich, are still alive.

Anyway, where would Dagwood go in Medford if he wanted some really good sandwiches? Taking down top honors was perennial favorite Squeeze Inn Sandwich Shop.

BEST RESTAURANT TO TAKE THE WHOLE FAMILY

Winning this category once again was Kaleidoscope Pizzeria, followed by Clyde’s Corner.

FAVORITE BARISTAS

Once again Medford’s Favorite Baristas are those smiling (and caffeinated) faces at The Human Bean. 

BEST PLACE TO GET COFFEE

Yeah, I remember when Dutch Brothers opened their first stand just down the street from my office in Grants Pass in 1992. When walking to Kacy’s Market, I used to see Travis and Dane Boersma there pouring coffee for a long line of people and thought, “Those guys can’t make enough money doing that to support two families.” Now that Dutch Brothers went public two years ago and is valued at $4 billion, I guess I was wrong, huh?

And when it comes to favorite coffeehouses, our readers first pick was  The Human Bean

The list also included:

• Dutch Bros

• Outsider

• Solid Ground

ENTERTAINMENT

BEST CONCERT AT THE CRATERIAN LAST YEAR

Music is the spice of life, and that was evident last year as our readers mentioned numerous concerts and shows at The Craterian, included their favorite: The Little Mermaid.

BEST PERFORMANCE ARTS PRODUCTION

Winning this category was Studio Roxander’s Nutcracker. 

FAVORITE LOCAL ARTIST

Here’s an interesting piece of trivia: “Van Gogh only sold one painting during his lifetime: ‘The Red Vineyard at Arles.’ The painting now resides at the Pushkin Museum in Moscow. The rest of Van Gogh’s more than 900 paintings were not sold or made famous until after his death.” Yet the guy kept plugging away; now that’s truly a commitment to one’s art. Here’s hoping our local artists are making some sales.

A number of artists were mentioned by our readers, and the number one choice was The Borther’s Reed.

BEST PLACE TO GET A WORKOUT

Pumping themselves to the top this year was Crunch Fitness.

BEST LOCAL PLAY 

It may be fun to stream your favorite sitcoms and action movies, but there’s nothing that compares to live theater. When the actors embrace their roles and get all emotional, it’s almost as if you’re on stage with them, vicariously experiencing everything they’re going through.

Our readers agreed, and they totally loved CTP’s Baskerville.

BEST THEATER PERFORMANCE – MALE 

The guys were working overtime last year with their performances and topping the list was Jake Roxander in Studio Roxanders production of Surealia.

BEST THEATER PERFORMANCE – FEMALE  

Our readers also appreciated the work of local actresses, including this year’s winner, Tegan Kelley, in CTP’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

BEST LOCAL DIRECTOR  

Winning this category was “The Roxanders,” at Studio Roxander.

BEST LOCAL MUSICIAN/SINGER

So for the last couple of years I’ve been having Alexa play the Top 100 Billboard songs while I’m making my smoothie in the morning and while taking showers. I started with the year 1960 and am now up to 1994. That’s thirty-three years worth of music and 3,400 songs I’ve listened to … some great, some so-so, and some outright horrible. Music is what makes the world go around, so I’m not complaining.

Our readers certainly appreciate music, and they named Rogue Suspects their favorite.

BEST HAPPY HOUR

Smiling and laughing their way to the top was Tap & Vine.

BEST SELECTION OF MIXED DRINKS

This category ended in a tie between Jefferson Spirits and Elements. 

BEST SELECTION OF BEERS

Hopping to the top once again was Beerworks.

FREINDLIEST BARTENDERS

Our readers’ favorites are those at Jefferson Spirits. 

BEST BAR TO MEET FRIENDS LATE AT NIGHT

After dinner and binge watching “The Big Bang Theory,” boredom can easily set in, and what better way to solve that dilemma than to pay a visit to your favorite establishment and hang out with some friends while listening to honky tonk music on the jukebox and maybe winning some money on the poker machines or pool tables.

And in that regard, our readers most often Rocky Tonk Saloon.

BEST WINERY

This is always a popular category, with the winner going to RoxyAnn Winery.

Followed by:

• Red Lily

• Eden Vale

• Kriselle

• Quady North

 

Phew! I spent two days on this, and now I have to respond to those 342 emails I’ve ignored. I hope they understand. If you have any suggestions for new entries next year, write to me at sneakpreview@medford.net. —N.H.

On with the show … the 2013 “Best of Medford.”

DEMOGRAPHICS

We asked the question, “Favorite Movie Ever,” figuring this would give us an insight into the minds of our readers. The results were all over the board and we didn’t even start writing them down until they notched a few mentions. The top four were: Gone With the Wind, Pulp Fiction, The Hobbit, The Notebook. It’s a very well-rounded group of respondents that we have here.

MEDIA

FAVORITE RADIO STATION

Marconi didn’t know the can of worms he was opening when he postulated the possibility of sending signals by radio telegraphy. Little could he know that the invention would make millions of dollars for professional haranguers like Howard Stern and Rush Limbaugh.

Here in Medford, we keep our haranguing on the radio to a minimum, which is why our readers once again gave their overwhelming voice of approval to Jefferson Public Radio, which ran away with this category.

Other favorites included:

• 96.9 The Rogue
• Kool 103.
• 102.7 “The Drive.”
• 107.5 KISS-FM.
• 1440 KMED

FAVORITE DJ

There’s a conspiracy theory going around that when the aliens landed at Roswell, N.M., in 1947, they inserted their brains into radio disc jockeys around the world, spreading their message of rock ‘n’ roll, which was invented on their home planet. More on this theory later.

One deejay able to thwart the advances of the alien takeover was once again Gemineye at Kiss-FM.

Other deejay stalwarts featured were:

• Delilah of Lite 102.
• Bill Meyers KMED 1440.
• Don Matthews of JPR.

BEST LOCAL TV NEWS STATION

Okay, how many people saw me interviewed on Channel 10 while spending a day at Grants Pass Downs in June? The reporter even zoomed in on my stat sheet, where it showed me winning $1.75 for the day. Last of the big-time spenders, I’ll tell ya.

Once again this category was a runaway as NewsWatch 12 (KDRV) continued to impress viewers with their coverage of the news.

• KTVL (Channel 10) and KOBI/Channel 5 also received a fair amount of votes.

FAVORITE TV ANCHOR/REPORTER

There’s more to the world than death, mayhem and political machinations at City Hall, and every now and then the newscasters will surprise us with a heart-warming story of local interest. When it comes to presenting the news, our readers named many of the local anchors, including once again this year’s winner, Trish Glose of KTVL Channel 10. Rumor has it, Trish enjoys dancing to Cuban music.

FAVORITE REPORTER AT THE MAIL TRIBUNE

• Sarah Lemon, the Mail Tribune’s Food Editor, was once again honored by our readers as their favorite.

Others mentioned a lot were:

• Sanne Specht
• Paul Fattig
• Chris Conrad

FAVORITE PART OF THE SNEAK PREVIEW

To all those who said, “all of it,” we thank you profusely, but we were hoping to break this thing down a little bit. While “The Best of Medford” held the home field advantage and garnered many votes, we were looking at the other 95% of the paper. Winning the most support again was The Profile, featuring a light-hearted interview with local personalities.

Other favorites include:

• The Calendar of Events.
• “Common Sense”
• All of the ads.
• Business Grapevine.
• Coupons!

PEOPLE/BUSINESS

BEST NEW BUSINESS IN TOWN (LAST YEAR)

Anyone who opens a new business in this economy is a true hero and an eternal optimist. But seriously, the only reason we’re in this economic mess is that we all got a little greedy back during the housing bubble, and the house of cards came tumbling down. We just got to hang in there and support each other.

Anyway, winning this category was 2 Hawks Winery located at 2335 N. Phoenix Rd. The Jackson family’s 15-acre vineyard and tasting room sit across the street from Centennial Golf Course. The tasting room is truly unique and charming with its attention to custom detail and the use of recycled building materials. If you haven’t check it out, we recommend you do so soon.

• Coming in a close second was Trader Joe’s.

Others mentioned a lot were:

• REI
• Marco’s Pepper Grill

FAVORITE HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER

Your time in high school only lasts four years but for many it’s a defining moment in their career as a human being. Why else would high school reunions be so popular? By definition, we all probably exhibited a certain amount of adolescent behavior at that time, and we should thank our teachers for putting up with us. The winner of this category was Kathleen Thomas, a Science teacher at North Medford High School.

FAVORITE PRINCIPAL

When the latest natural disaster hits (a plague of locusts, a 9.2 earthquake, etc.), everyone else in school is allowed to go crazy, bemoaning their fate and generally acting like a human. The principal, however, has got to keep it together and be totally in charge, instilling confidence, directing traffic, and laying down the rules.

Who to turn to when disaster strikes? Our readers most often mentioned Kevin Campbell of South Medford High School.

FAVORITE DENTIST

They greet you in the mirror every morning with a beautiful smile, and three times a day they take complete responsibility for making sure your food is properly chewed. So, hey, show ’em a little respect and visit your dentist.

64 local dentists were mentioned by our readers at least once in this category. The balloting was so close at the top we had no choice but to award a three-way tie between: Dr John Linstrom (1605 E Barnett), Dr. Karl Schneck (1094 Royal Court) and Dr. Julie Wu (2201 E. Barnett Rd.).

Others mentioned a lot were:

• Dr. Beau Kapp
• Dr. Bruce Mitchell

FAVORITE NURSE PRACTITIONER

Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners actually provide a large portion of health care in this area. They are board certified health care professionals with advanced medical education and surgical training. In fact, most doctors in Medford have an NP or a PA-C in the practice.

Our readers were able to name quite a few NPs in this survey, and the top spot going to Mary Lou Follett of Southern Oregon Chiropractor.

Also mentioned a lot were:

• Sheri Clark, Medford Medical Clinic
• Kimberly Larson, Medford Women’s Clinic

FAVORITE MASSAGE THERAPIST

You just spent the entire afternoon helping your buddy Sisyphus try to roll an immense boulder up a hill, and the damn thing kept rolling back just as you got to the top. Being a former king, he tried to blame it all on you. By the end of the day, every muscle in your body ached, and the only cure was a visit to your favorite massage therapist.

Our readers were able to name quite a few, including the number one choice, Cara Wirt, the founder of Balanced Massage, 836 E. Main St. Cara has been practicing here in Medford for nearly 10 years. “I strongly believe that massage is an integral part of ongoing health and balance in our busy times,” Cara said.

Followed by:

• Samantha Rose, Dalton’s Massage
• Lila Spiritwalker, Gervais Day Spa
• Lanelle Piotrowski, Be Well Massage

FAVORITE ALT. MEDICINE PRACTITIONER

Surgery and a lifelong addiction to pharmaceutical drugs are not always the best solutions to perfect health. Sometimes it just comes down to nutrition and lifestyle, with an emphasis on preventive medicine. And when our readers want to learn more about alternative medicine, they most often mentioned Dr. Daniel Smith at Bear Creek Naturopathic Clinic. Dr. Smith is uniquely trained and qualified to provide patients with a comprehensive, cutting-edge approach to health care diagnoses, services, treatments, and care.

FAVORITE POLICEPERSON

We live in a society full of rules, and the only way to ensure the success of such a system is to have a dedicated group of people to enforce them. The best police officers, though, are ones who realize that “the law” should never trump “the people,” and that every situation needs to be approached with some flexibility. That’s my soapbox for the day.

This is always a popular category with our readers, and 36 different police officers were mentioned, including this year’s winner, Chief Tim George.

The favorites also included:

• Lt. Kim Budreau
• Jason Penn
• Dan Ashworth
• Kerry Curtis
• Officer Friend

FAVORITE HAIR STYLIST

Out of the blue, Hollywood called and asked you to emcee the Oscar awards next year, and you’re already freaking out about your hairdo. Forget the fact that millions of people, not to mention George Clooney, will be listening to your introductions and one-liners … what’s most important is that you look good.

Where to go when the Academy calls for you? This was our popular category, 63 different hair stylists were named, so the competition was tough. It also turned out to be extremely close, but the award goes to: Jadie Smith-Thompson of Salon Static.

The Top Seven featured:

• Megan DeAngelo, Lotus
• Gina Ennis, Gervais
• Gayle Meyer, Beauty Biz
• Di Perez, Fringe
• Sarah Horner, Bella-Sarah Salon
• John Paul Vineyard, Escape Salon

FAVORTIE SPA/SALON

In this helter skelter world of tsunamis, Navy Seal attacks, phone hacking in Britain, and bad reality TV shows, you need a little pampering. Nothing says it quite like a facial, where you just lie back and have your face transformed amid a tranquil atmosphere of total serenity. (I missed my calling; I should write ad copy for Vanity Fair.)

Anyway, who are our readers most impressed with when it comes spas? The majority said Gervais Day Spa located at 111 N Central Avenue in downtown Medford, although quite a few were mentioned, including:

• Salon Static, 819 Bennett Ave.
• Beauty Biz, Shoppes at Exit 24
• Salon Muse, 406 E Main St.

FAVORITE CHIROPRACTOR

Did you know that you have up to 350 bones in your body at birth, and as you age some of these bones fuse together, dropping that number down to a whopping 206 for an adult human body? And get this—humans have EXACTLY the same number of bones in their necks as giraffes do.

Who do our readers turn to when their bones are out of line: Dr. Jeffrey Taylor of Rogue Valley Chiropractic Clinic located at 1744 E. McAndrews. Dr. Taylor provides personalized, quality chiropractic care with an emphasis on the patient’s quality of life and health education. He strives to give his patients more fulfilled and enjoyable lives by reducing pain and increasing the function of their body.

FAVORITE HEALTH FOOD/SUPPLEMENT STORE

The human body is amazing to put it mildly. When trying to keep it operating smoothly it’s easy to get overwhelmed when thinking about what it needs: vitamins, minerals, fiber, fatty acids and amino acids.

And when our readers need help in this category turn to: Healthway Nutrition Center located in the Medford Center.

BEST AUTO REPAIR SHOP

The first car I ever bought was a ’49 Packard in Yellowstone Park the summer of 1969. Four of us chipped in on it, and while driving it home from St. Anthony, Idaho, it broke down on us. Turned out it was unfixable, and the guy gave us half our money back. Doesn’t seem right, does it?

Where would our readers recommend we go if the same thing happened today? Many of the local repair shops were mentioned, with, Crater Lake Ford getting the number one nod. It was extremely close at the top, however, and the Top Five were:

• Medford Automotive, 4642 Table Rock Rd.
• Star Auto Body, 1024 Summit Ave.
• Specialized Auto Service, 893 Beatty St.
• Henry’s Foreign Auto, 4586 S. Pacific Hwy.

BEST PLACE TO GET LUBE/OIL CHANGE

Even the human body knows the importance of proper maintenance. Every hour, new blood is produced by our bone marrow so that all that old blood doesn’t go clogging up the system. Once they’ve outlived their usefulness, old blood cells are filtered through the liver and kidneys and eliminated in the urine.

The same is true for a car engine, which is why replacing that old oil every 3-4 months is so important (unless you want to just let it drip out and go dry over time, then we’re talking major problems). Where to go in order to do that? The number one choice was The Oil Stop, followed by:

• Quench and Drench
• Crater Lake Ford

FAVORITE CAR SALESMAN

I still remember the scene in Breaking Away, where the teenage son is helping his car salesman dad at the lot and tells an unsatisfied customer he can have a refund. “REFUND!” the dad screams, then has a heart attack and is taken to the hospital.

Things aren’t nearly that drastic here in Medford, and our readers appreciate all the hard work that car salesmen put in. Topping the list for 2013 was Glenn Morgan of Airport Chevy.

FAVORITE LOCAL RESTAURANT OWNER

Medford has had a renaissance in restaurants over the last ten years, and we can thank a strong cadre of dedicated restaurant owners for that. Thirty-two different people were mentioned in this category, with the top spot going to Vincenzo DiCostanzo of Vinny’s Italian Kitchen, 970 N Phoenix Rd.

Others mentioned a lot were:

• Chris Dennett, Elements
• Kristi & Jack Allmaras, Kaleidoscope Pizzeria
• Lisa Allen, Great Harvest
• David Graham, 38 Central
• John Bartow, Pomodori

FAVORITE WAITPERSON

They say that ocean fishermen, loggers, aircraft pilots, ranchers and roofers have the five most dangerous jobs in the world, but those guys wouldn’t last a week as a waitperson. They’d buckle under the pressure and would go back to their day jobs.

This is another popular category, as our readers mentioned 31 different waitstaff as their favorite. Taking down the top nod was Chellie at Flappers Wild West Wings located at 1213 W. Main Street.

FAVORITE BARTENDER

So a hotdog walks into a bar and orders a beer. The bartender replies, “Sorry, we don’t serve food here.” Or … a gorilla walks into a bar and orders a beer. The bartender gives him a mug and says, “That’ll be five bucks.” As the gorilla reaches for his pocket the bartender says, “You know, we don’t get many gorilla customers in here.” The gorilla shrugged and replied, “At five bucks a beer, it’s no wonder.”

Where do our readers go when they want to hear great jokes like that? The competition was intense, but in the end pouring his way to the top was Sean Morse of Howie’s on Front, 16 N. Front Street.

FAVORITE LOCAL CHEF/COOK

They rarely make an appearance except at the end of the night when the customers gives them a standing ovation, but it’s the chef in the kitchen that makes or breaks a restaurant. Quite a few were mentioned by our readers, and the top nod goes to Nora LaBrocca of the Downtown Market Co. Nora has a deep love and passion for preparing flavorful whole foods. If you’ve ever eaten at her restaurant, you know that she deserves this honor.

FAVORITE JEWELRY STORE

They say that diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but I have it on high authority that gold, silver, emeralds, topaz, rubies, jade, opals, and sapphires are also close friends.

Taking down the top spot this year was Facets Jewelry Studio, 301 E. Main Street, followed closely by Father and Son Jewelers, 126 E Main St.

• Others in the hunt were:
• Pacific Diamond
• Zales
• Rogue Valley Coin & Jewelry

FAVORITE LANDSCAPER/GARDENER

Getting your yard and garden looking good may require a little bit of work, but at the end of the day it’s all worth it. Living in a beautiful surrounding can work wonders for your soul.

And when our readers want some uplifting work done in their yard, they named 23 different people. The top spot goes Hill Top Landscaping, 541-944-3075.

BEST PLACE TO BUY OUTDOOR GEAR

You are on day six of a ten-day backpacking trip. You reach in your pack to pull out your tent and the poles are broken and the zipper is already broke. Now you’re swearing at yourself…you never should have shopped at that discount outdoor store.

Our readers agree, when it comes to buying quality outdoor gear, they chose Northwest Outdoor Store located at 980 Biddle Rd, and locally owned and operated by Scott Keith. Coming in second was REI, located in the new Northgate Center.

BEST PLACE TO BUY FURNITURE

Once while living in Alaska in a cabin without electricity, I managed to make a shelf, table and chairs out of logs I found on the property. I had a handsaw and a hammer and some nails. They weren’t the finest pieces of furniture ever created, but to this day, they are still my favorite.

Anyway, taking down the top spot once again this year is Larson’s Home Furnishings located at 213 S. Fir St. In addition to their new beds, chairs, couches and mattresses, they have a huge selection of consignment furniture.

Others on the list were:

• La-Z-Boy Furniture
• Terra Firma Home
• Garrison’s
• Gates

FAVORITE STORE DOWNTOWN

The number one spot was a battle between four different stores, and they all have their loyal customer bases: Beerworks, 323 E. Main; Larson’s Home Furnishings, 213 S. Fir; Norris Shoes, 221 E. Main; Central Art Supply 101 N Central Ave.

Others mentioned a lot were:

• Main Antique Mall
• Al’s Cycles & Hobbies

FAVORITE STORE OUTSIDE DOWNTOWN

You don’t have to venture to far from downtown to find great stores and bargains.

Winning in a landslide this year was Trader Joe’s.

The Top Five included:

• Northwest Outdoor Store
• Papillon Rouge
• Goodwill
• COSTCO

GIFT STORE WITH MOST UNIQUE GIFTS

Variety is the spice of life, and when our readers want to find a lot of different, interesting gifts, they turn their attention to the selection at Real Deals on Home Décor, 2917 N Pacific Hwy.

The top five were pretty close and included:

• Tiffs Hallmark
• Harry and David
• Terra Firma
• Magic Man

BEST PLACE TO BUY CLOTHES FOR KIDS

They’re at the age where “fashion” is not an operable word for them, unless you’re that obnoxious baby on the E-trade commercials (I actually think he’s cute). You never know, though, when some Hollywood agent will “discover” your kid while strolling through Bi-Mart, and you will want him or her looking good.

Anyway, when our readers wanted to really go clothes shopping for the kids, they most often turned to, Kid 2 Kid, located at 2324 Poplar Drive.

Followed by:

• Kid’s Alley, 535 Stevens St.
• Old Navy

FAVORITE CONSIGNMENT SHOP

While consignment shops have been around for quite some time, it seems that in the past few years they have really gained some momentum here in the Rogue Valley.

The top honor this year goes to My Daughter’s Closet, owned by Susan Fichtner and Tami Abeloe and located at 237 E. Main Street.

They were followed by:

• Mint Consignment Boutique, 406 E. Main
• Fit for a Queen, 535 Stevens St.

FAVORITE BOOKSTORE

I wonder what that ancient Sumerian who scribbled down civilization’s first writings on a piece of clay some 4000 years ago would think of a Kindle or a Nook? My guess is he’d think it was pure magic (which is exactly the same as I think of it).

Anyway, when it comes to actual books you can hold in your hand and smell and feel (and read), our readers chose Barnes & Nobel followed closely by Village Books.

FAVORITE ART GALLERY

Our readers’ number one accolades go to Rogue Gallery & Art Center, 40 S. Bartlett. Founded in 1960 by artists, educators, and local leaders, it was the first non-profit visual art organization in the Rogue Valley. Since that beginning, they’ve served as an artistic catalyst for Southern Oregon through innovative exhibition, art education and community leadership.

BEST PLACE TO BUY WINE

What do Thomas Jefferson and WC Fields have it common? They both loved wine. TJ: “Good wine is a necessity of life for me.” WC: “I cook with wine. Sometimes I even add it to the food.”

Where would TJ and WC go for wine if they were in Medford. Most of our readers recommended RoxyAnn Winery located at 3285 Hillcrest Road. In 2001 RoxyAnn’s first grape harvest produced only 150 cases, today they produce almost 15,000 cases of award-winning wine.

The list also included:

• Harry & David
• Trader Joe’s
• Del Rio Vineyards

BEST PLACE TO BUY ARTISAN BREAD

Amazingly, I found some great quotes about bread. Julia Child: “How can a nation be great if its bread tastes like Kleenex?” Milton Berle: “Any time a person goes into a delicatessen and orders a pastrami on white bread, somewhere a Jew dies.”

Here in Medford, many of our readers singled out Great Harvest, 203 Genessee St., as their favorite.

BEST PLACE TO BUY HOME DÉCOR ITEMS

When it comes to decorating my office, a few things are essential: Indiana University basketball posters, a nerf ball hoop, and lots of books. The rest of the house, however, is a different story, and my wife has it looking good, with cool furniture, R. Atkinson Fox paintings, and a decorative style that my feeble, I.U. basketball mind would never contemplate.

Where to go when you want to shop for home décor items? This was a tie between Terra Firma Home, 309 E Main St., and Real Deals on Home Decor, 2917 N Pacific Hwy.

Others receiving recognition were:

• Larson’s Home Furnishings
• Collector’s Market

BEST SELECTION OF WOMEN’S CLOTHES

I really doubt if Lady Gaga is going to talk many women into wearing some of the crazy stuff she comes up with, like a dress with Christmas tree bulbs flashing all around it. Fashion for most women is just a little more functional than that.

And when it comes to shopping for women’s clothes, our readers named quite a few places. The top two were so close we awarded a tie between Mint Consignment Boutique and My Daughter’s Closet.

The top five were close and included:

• Macy’s
• Papillon Rouge
• Chico’s

HARDEST WORKING FLORISTS

When you think about it, every flower we see was once growing wild in the woods and valleys. It is one of mankind’s great accomplishments that we have taken the best and brightest from the plant kingdom and turned them into beautiful bouquets.

This year’s hardest working florists goes to the folks at Susies’s Medford Flower Shop, 502 Crater Lake Ave.

BEST PLACE TO BUY STUFF FOR THE YARD/GARDEN

A garden is not just something beautiful to behold but is home to a myriad of animals, from birds and spiders to ladybugs and butterflies. With a little creativity, you can also keep the “bad” animals out without resorting to a lot of pesticides.

Running away with this category again was the Grange Co-op, located 2531 S Pacific Hwy.

They were followed by:

• Southern Oregon Nursery
• Leave Your Mark
• Shooting Star Nursery

BEST PLACE TO BUY BICYCLES/BIKE ACCESSORIES

The benefits of bicycle riding are many: they get you outdoors breathing fresh air, they get you in shape, they put you in touch with your surroundings, AND you don’t have to fill them up with gas at $4 a gallon every two weeks.

Bicycling is definitely popular in Medford, and our readers mentioned Al’s Cycles & Hobbies located at 127 N. Central Ave. as their favorite.

They were followed by:

• Marty’s Cycle and Moore
• Medford Cycle Sport

FAVORITE STORE IN ASHLAND

Sometimes it is good to just get the hell out of Dodge and visit the rest of the world. And when our readers take the precipitous leap of visiting our neighbors to the south, where do they most like to go? The winner this year was Paddington Station, followed by:

• Ashland Food Coop
• Papaya Living
• Déjà vu
• Ashland Art Emporium

RESTAURANTS

BEST NEW RESTAURANT

There must be something in the water (or food) in Medford, because there were actually quite a few new restaurants to open here in the last year.

The top five in this category were very close, with most votes going to Marco’s Pepper Grill owned by Marcus Flakes and Anna Sanchez, located at 515 S. Riverside.

Following close on their heels were:

• Capers, 35 N. Central
• My Plate Asian Fusion, 17 W. 4th St.
• New China, 409 E. Barnett Rd.
• Chipotle, 7 Rossanley Dr.

BEST BREAKFAST IN TOWN

When you wake up and your stomach is already growling, you know it’s time to have some breakfast. And the best way to drown out the rumblings from down under is good conversation with friends.

Where do our readers go in that regard? Finishing in a tie for the number one spot was Black Bear Diner (1150 E. Barnett Rd) and Old Farmhouse Restaurant (603 S Riverside Ave.).

Others near the top included:

• Buttercloud Bakery
• Parkside Café
• Rooster’s
• Debby’s Diner

BEST PLACE TO MEET FRIENDS FOR LUNCH

This was probably the most popular category in the restaurant section of this survey, as 58 different establishments were named. Lunch apparently is one of those times when we love to socialize (“let’s do lunch,” etc.) and get out of the house.

Topping the list for 2013 was the Downtown Market Co, owned by Nora LaBrocca and located at 231 E Main Street.

Here is a list of the Top Ten:

• 4 Daughters
• Bambu
• Flapper’s Wild West Wings
• Squeeze Inn Sandwich Shop
• Kaleidoscope Pizzeria
• Jackson Creek Pizza
• Organic Natural Café
• No Ho’s Hawaiian Cafe
• Red Robin

FAVORITE DINNERHOUSE

Going out for dinner can be a cause for celebration or for just wanting to get out of the house. Either way, diners in Medford have a great selection to choose from. Number one honors once again goes to Porter’s Dining at the Depot, located at 147 N. Front St. in downtown Medford.

MOST ROMANTIC RESTAURANT FOR LUNCH

When it comes to romantic lunch spots, you don’t need Edith Piaf at the piano singing “La Vie en Rose,” but you do want an ambiance that isn’t all hectic and stressful.

And when it comes to that, our readers named Café Dejeuner, 1108 E. Main St., as their favorites.

Others mentioned a lot were:

• Bambu
• Cicily’s Pastaria and Grill
• Pomodori Ristorante

MOST ROMANTIC RESTAURANT FOR DINNER

Sometimes, instead of sitting there and checking out the scores on Sports Center with one eye, you want to gaze lovingly into the eyes of your significant other and talk about important things, like the Yankees/Red Sox series … just kidding.

In this category, our readers named Porter’s Dining at the Depot as being particularly romantic.

The Top Five were actually very close, and they included:

• Elements Tapas Bar & Lounge
• 38 Central
• Vinny’s Italian Kitchen
• Jacksonville Inn

BEST STEAK DINNERS ON MENU

I went on the Internet to check out the leading cattle producers in the world and was shocked to see that India led the way. I always thought cows were sacred in India, and that they could practically get elected president if only they had the right slogan. “Got milk?” would be a good one.

Anyway, when the slogan becomes “Where’s the beef?” our readers once again named Porter’s Dining at the Depot, as their number one choice.

BEST SEAFOOD DISHES ON MENU

Oceans cover 75% of the world, and it’s almost amazing that humans are notoriously close to depleting some of the fish stock. I mean, a single (or married) cod produces 9 million eggs per spawning season, and we have somehow depleted them. As a species, we border on being idiots.

When it comes to enjoying some great seafood, though, our readers are pretty smart, naming The Wharf Fresh Seafood Market & Eatery (827 W. Jackson St) as their favorite.

BEST PASTA DISHES ON MENU

Pasta comes in a variety of different shapes and is basically unleavened dough of wheat, flour, water, and sometimes eggs. Add some meat and sauces to it, and it borders on being a perfect dish.

Where do our readers go to seek perfection? This year they chose the friendly confines of Pomodori Ristorante located at 1789 Stewart Ave. Coming in second by just a few votes was Vinny’s Italian Kitchen. And just a handful of votes behind that—tied for third—was Rosario’s and Cicily’s Pastaria and Grill.

BEST SOUPS AND SALADS

They can either accompany a meal or be a meal unto themselves, so what more could you ask for? Our readers didn’t mess around, as they named Sophia’s Soup Factory (543 Medford Center) as tops in this category, followed by:

• Spoons
• Squeeze Inn Sandwich Shop
• Organic Natural Café

FAVORITE MEXICAN RESTAURANT

It’s a slice of Mexico City every time you walk into a Mexican restaurant here in Medford. Not just the cuisine, but the atmosphere and the staff combine to make it a fun, south-of-the-border experience without the expensive plane ticket.

All of the local Mexican-style establishments were mentioned this year, with the top spot going to Si Casa Flores.

The list also included:

• Habaneros
• Mazaltan Grill
• Miguel’s
• Mucho Gusto
• Senor Sam’s

FAVORITE ASIAN RESTAURANT

The first “Asians” crossed over into America about 25,000 years ago via the Bering Strait, setting up their first sushi restaurant at an Eskimo village in Alaska. Since then, Medford has seen a proliferation of outstanding Asian restaurants, covering the full spectrum of choices.

Taking down the number one spot this year was Bambu, 970 N Phoenix Rd.

The list also featured:

• My Plate Asian Fusion
• Oh’s Osaka
• New China
• Mongolian BBQ
• Silver Dragon
• Thai Bistro

BEST JAPANESE DISHES

I’m still mad at Japan for beating our women’s soccer team in the World Cup last year, but how can you stay mad at a country that suffered a devastating earthquake, tsunami, and the breakdown of a nuclear power plant? You can’t, so you go, Japan!

There was stiff competition in this category, as a number of restaurants cater to Japanese dishes, including the top two vote-getters, Shoji’s (2640 E. Barnett Rd.) and Oh’s Osaka (123 S. Front St.).

They were closely followed by:

• Bonsai Teriyaki
• I Love Sushi
• Misoya
• Shiki

FAVORITE ITALIAN RESTAURANT

We all love our Italian restaurants, and in this category our readers named Vinny’s Italian Kitchen as their favorite.

Followed extremely closely by:

• Pomodori Ristorante
• Rosario’s
• Cicily’s Pastaria and Grill

BEST SELECTION OF PIZZAS

Watching a video of professional pizza makers is fascinating stuff. They roll the dough around in their hands to make a huge pie, then literally throw it 20 feet in the air, catching it behind their backs, etc.

Here in Medford, our pizza guys don’t get that crazy, but they do make some mean pizza.

Spinning their way to the top once again was Kaleidoscope Pizzeria, 3084 Crater Lake Hwy.

Also mentioned a lot were:

• Jackson Creek Pizza
• Wild River Brewing

BEST VEGETARIAN DISHES

Human beings are natural omnivores, but for a long time the only food items we regularly had access to were vegetables and fruit, so we probably lean toward that orientation (although a balanced diet that includes some carnivorous delights is not a bad thing).

Many restaurants in Medford offer vegetarian dishes to complement their omnivorous menu, with Organic Natural Café (226 E. Main) getting the top nod.

BEST RESTAURANT TO TAKE THE ENTIRE FAMILY

“Get that ol’ station wagon loaded up, and let’s head out to dinner!” Grandpa said one night after scratching off 300 lottery tickets. “I just won $74, and the treat’s on me.”

Where to go when Grandpa strikes it rich? The most popular with our readers is Kaleidoscope Pizzeria.

Other favorites included:

• Flappers Wild West Wings
• Black Bear Diner
• Wild River Brewing

BEST BBQ DISHES

I was at a restaurant a few years ago and got to hear an argument about what was better—Texas-style barbecue or North Carolina barbecue. It got pretty heated, and I thought they were going to take it outside, but someone across the room offered to buy them a couple of shots of bourbon if they’d shut up, and they went for it. Then they argued about what was better—Kentucky Bourbon or Tennessee Whiskey. You can’t win!

Our readers certainly appreciate the efforts of our local barbecue providers, reserving their number one choice for Roscoe’s, a BBQ joint located in Phoenix.

Also mentioned were Tim’s Backyard BBQ, NoHo’s Hawaiian Café and Backporch BBQ.

BEST PLACE TO BUY PASTRIES/CAKES

They come in all shapes and sizes, from tarts and cakes to scones and cream puffs, but one thing is for sure … we all love them.

When it comes to finding the perfect pastry, our readers most often turned to the creations at Artisan Bakery Café located at 1325 Center Drive.

Coming in a very close second was Buttercloud Bakery, 310 Genessee St.

FAVORITE APPETIZERS

Instead of just making a decision off the huge entrée menu available, it’s sometimes best to check out some of the competition. That’s where appetizers come in. They tip you off as to exactly what is happening in the kitchen and how to best make the all-important decision on which entrée to order.

Topping the list for 2013 were the delectable offerings at Elements Tapas Bar & Lounge.

BEST “QUICK SERVICE” RESTAURANT

Apparently, a few people objected to the term “fast food,” claiming that it has gotten a bad rap in this country lately. Most fast food restaurants have upped their game dramatically in the last decade with regard to nutrition and wholesome ingredients, so we’ve opted for a new nomenclature: “Quick Service” restaurants.

Taking down the top spot in this category for 2013 was Senor Sam’s located in the Medford Center.

The Top Five included:

• Mucho Gusto
• Red Robin
• Chipotle
• Mongolian BBQ

BEST SELECTION OF BURGERS

As I’m writing this, I’m waiting for my family to get it together to leave for dinner. Being hungry, just the thought of a big juicy cheeseburger makes me want to start gnawing on my arm … pass the ketchup, please.

In lieu of that, our readers would much rather visit some local establishments known for their burgers, like this year’s winner, Jasper’s Café, 2739 N Pacific Hwy.

Coming in a solid second was Red Robin Gourmet Burgers.

BEST SELECTION OF SANDWICHES

They can be anything from Dogwoods, wraps, melts, burritos, pasties, etc., but one thing is for certain … we love them. And when it comes to a great selection of sandwiches, our readers again turned to Squeeze Inn Sandwich Shop.

Followed by:

• Deli Down
• Togo’s
• R&D Sandwich Factory
• Great Harvest
• Jackson Creek Pizza

BEST ICE CREAM/YOGURT/GELATO

While a soothing, tasty ice cream dish is good almost anytime, it’s especially appropriate after a spicy meal. Where to go when you want to soothe that palate, or just taste something outstanding? In this category, our readers most often named Yogurt Hut located at 1345 Center Dr.

Other favorites listed were:

• Yotopia
• Ruth & Sparky’s
• Cold Stone Creamery
• Mamma Mia Gelataria

FAVORITE COFFEEHOUSE

Today it seems as if they’re at every street corner, with everyone wanting to capitalize on our craving for caffeine. That’s not a bad thing. The quality of coffee has gone up dramatically over the past 20 years, and we can thank our local coffee purveyors for that.

Who do our readers first want to thank when it comes to coffee? Out of the hundreds and hundreds of votes cast, the top two were separated by only TWO votes. Our staff has officially called it at tie between Dutch Bros Coffee and The Human Bean.

Rounding out the Top Seven:

• Good Bean Coffee
• Black Rock Coffee
• Melello Coffee Roasters
• Bad Ass Coffee
• Starbucks

BEST RESTAURANT OUTSIDE MEDFORD

As a great American once said: “Sometimes in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for people to get the hell out of Dodge and visit restaurants outside Medford. We, of course, hold these truths to be self-evident, that we are endowed by our Creator with the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of different restaurants.”

Okay, I kind of got out of control there, but you know what I mean, and when it comes to that our readers most often picked Bella Union in Jacksonville

Also popular spots are:

• Black Sheep (Ashland
• Amuse (Ashland)
• Gogi’s (Jacksonville)
• Cucina Biazzi (Ashland)

ENTERTAINMENT

BEST CONCERT AT THE BRITT FESTIVAL LAST YEAR

Our readers love the Britt Festival in Jacksonville, and they named quite a few performances, including this year’s favorite, a tie between Steve Martin and The Avett Brothers.

Others mentioned a lot were:

• Michael Franti
• Slightly Stoopid
• Classical Concerts

BEST PRODUCTION AT THE CRATERIAN LAST YEAR

The Craterian Theater is one of the classiest venues in all of southern Oregon, and it attracts some outstanding acts. Topping the charts this year was Glenn Miller Orchestra.

Also popular were:

• Weird Al Yankovic
• The Nutcracker
• Celtic Christmas
• Wayne Brady

BEST LOCAL FUNDRAISING EVENT LAST YEAR

I love the bumper sticker that says, “It will be a great day when our schools get all the money they need and the Air Force has to hold a bake sale to buy bombs.” Money drives the world, but when you’re a struggling non-profit agency with a mission to improve society’s quality of life, you sometimes have to get creative.

In that regard our readers most often mentioned the Dancing with the Rogue Valley Stars, an annual event to benefit the Southern Oregon Sparrow Clubs.

Also mentioned were:

• Providence’s Festival of Trees
• Toast for Tails – S.O. Humane Society

FAVORITE NONPROFIT AGENCY

Winning this category in 2013 was the Children’s Advocacy Center of Jackson County, a community-based, child-focused center that facilitates a compassionate, multidisciplinary approach to the prevention, treatment, identification, investigation, and prosecution of child abuse.

Others receiving lots of votes were:

• Southern Oregon Humane Society
• ACCESS
• Hearts with a Mission
• CASA
• Habitat for Humanity
• Sparrow Clubs

BEST PLACE TO GET A WORKOUT

By now all those ambitious New Year’s resolutions are being held to the test of time. It is much easier to stay on top of your weekly workout regimen if you actually enjoy where you are working out.

And where do our readers go for a workout? The number one spot is Superior Athletic Club, followed closely by Elite Fitness.

Other favorites are:

• YMCA
• Snap Fitness
• Anytime Fitness

FAVORITE YOGA/PILATES CENTER

On the Yoga side of this category, Rasa Center for Yoga and Wellness (3132 State St.) stretched their way to the top. And Southern Oregon Pilates (1910 E. Barnett) was voted the number one Pilates center.

Others high on the list included:

• The Chi Room
• YMCA
• Verve Pilates
• Rose Yoga Center

BEST PLACE TO GO FOR WINE TASTING

You don’t have to get all “Sideways” on us and travel down to the Napa Valley for this category. There are plenty of places in Medford to enjoy some good wine, and the number one place is RoxyAnn Winery located at 3285 Hillcrest Rd.

Also landing at the top of the list were:

• Del Rio Vineyards (Gold Hill)
• Red Lily (Jacksonville)
• Kriselle Cellars (White City)
• 2Hawk Winery (Medford)

BEST PLACE TO GO DANCING

Once the mood hits, you don’t need Lady Gaga or Madonna screaming at you to get on the dance floor. You just need great music, plenty of room to shake a leg, and some fun people to dance with. According to our readers, the best place to do that was Sky Bar in the Bohemian building in downtown Medford (Havana Republic) , 123 W. Main St.

Other great places to dance are:

• Rocky Tonk
• Evergreen Ballroom
• Johnny B’s

BEST NIGHTCLUB TO HEAR LIVE MUSIC

The scene for live music in Medford is not overwhelming, but there are still a few places where you can party with live music. The number one spot according to our readers is Johnny B’s, 120 E. 6th St.

The list included:

• Havana Republic
• Gypsy Blues
• Rocky Tonk

BEST BAR TO MEET FRIENDS AFTER WORK

Well, it’s obvious that there are plenty of bars and nightclubs in Medford, since our readers mentioned 36 in this survey.

And when you want to unwind after work, our readers mentioned Howie’s on Front, 16 N. Front St. in downtown Medford.

The Top Five included:

• Porters
• Elements
• Beerworks
• Havana Republic

BEST BAR TO MEET FRIENDS LATE AT NIGHT

It’s probably not something you want to do every night, but hitting the bars to connect with friends can be very healthy when practiced in moderation. There, that’s my public service message for the day.

And when it comes to fun bars where friends can meet late at night, our readers picked 4 Daughters Irish Pub, 126 W. Main Street.

Also mentioned a lot were:

• Havana Republic
• Gypsy Blues
• Elements

BAR WITH MOST ROMANTIC ATMOSPHERE

Bars aren’t all loud music, football games on TV, pool tables and raucous laughter. There are also places where you can relax and have a refreshing drink while carrying on a scintillating conversation with your significant other or close friends. Topping the list in this category was Elements Tapas Bar and Lounge.

BEST BAR TO WATCH SPORTS ON TV

Sports bars are growing in popularity all over the country, and Joe’s Sports Bar and Grill (2061 Roberts Rd.) once again took down the top spot.

FAVORITE PART OF THE GROWERS MARKET

The Thursday Growers Market at the Medford Armory, and the Saturday Market downtown have evolved into not only great places to buy fresh produce and crafts, but a social scene and gathering place for many in the community.

The variety at the market is endless, but our readers most appreciated the selection of organic produce that was available. Also important are:

• The Balloon Man
• Tamales!
• Fresh Donuts
• Spring berries

FAVORITE GOLF COURSE IN THE VALLEY

All of the courses in Jackson County received some recognition by our readers, but Centennial sliced its way to the top.

The list also included:

• Stoneridge
• The RV Country Club
• Eagle Point
• Stewart Meadows.
• Quail Point.

BEST VINEYARD/WINERY

The top spot this year was a tie between Medford’s own RoxyAnn Winery and Wooldridge Creek Winery located in the Applegate, followed by:

• Red Lily
• Valley View Winery
• Schmidt Family Vineyards

* * * * *

Part One: People & Business:MEDIA

FAVORITE RADIO STATION

It’s mainly listened to on the car radio or when one’s place of business has it on as background. In this era of cable TV, Internet and instant visual gratification, radio just isn’t as ubiquitous as it was in the old days. But it’s still a powerful medium, and our readers all responded well to this question.
Winning this hands down again was Jefferson Public Radio. The list also included:

• KISS-F
• KDOV
• KBOY
• KROG
• Lite 102
• KRWQ
• Cool 103

FAVORITE RADIO PERSONALITY

It’s got to be a tough job at times. Even if your dog just got run over by a Frito-Lay truck, you have to come to work and put on the smiley face. Depressing DJ’s just don’t last long in the real world, and playing “Can’t Live … If Livin’ Is Without You” every 45 minutes will earn you a pink slip in no time.
Quite a few of the area DJ’s were mentioned by our readers, and spinning his way to the top again this year was Gemineye at KISS-FM.
The list of fun-loving DJs included:

• Perry Atkinson, theDove
• Bill Meyer, KMED
• Scuba Steve, 102.7 the Drive
• R. Charles Snyder, 102.7 the Drive

BEST LOCAL TV NEWS STATION

They risk life and limb trying to get the best shots possible of that three-alarm fire and/or shootout involving the SWAT team, and our readers were very appreciative, naming KTVL (Channel 10) as their favorite.
KOBI/Channel 5 and NewsWatch 12 (KDRV) were hot on their heels, though.

FAVORITE TV NEWS ANCHOR/REPORTER

You not only have to look good, but you have to exude an air of extreme confidence in your material, despite the fact that you were given a quick briefing just seconds before going on the air. Then, of course, your co-anchor has to say something cute about the topic, and you have to reply with something equally witty while the producer wrings his or her hands hoping that some kind of Freudian slip doesn’t become the legend of YouTube.
Anyway, when it comes to local news, our readers most appreciated Scott Lewis, KDRV NewsWatch 12’s Chief Meteorologist. Scott has been a local favorite since first going on air in 1985.
Others high on the list were:

• Brian Morton of KDRV
• • Laura Cavanaugh of KOBI – Channel 5
• • Ron Brown of KDRV
• Trish Glose of KTVL – Channel 10
• Ashley Hall at KDRV
• Travis Koch of KOBI.

FAVORITE REPORTER AT THE MAIL TRIBUNE

Reporting his way to the top this year was Paul Fatigg.
The Top Five included:

• Sarah Lemon
• Bill Varble
• Chris Conrad
• Sanne Specht

FAVORITE ADS IN THE SNEAK PREVIEW

To the many people who wrote, “all of them,” we want to say “thank you.” Please extend those sentiments to potential advertisers whenever you can.
The overwhelming favorite this year was “any ad from restaurants that included coupons.”

PEOPLE/BUSINESS

BEST NEW BUSINESS IN TOWN (LAST YEAR)

Are we still in a recession, or is it merely a slowdown? Is the economy coming back or is it an illusion? Will our homes ever be worth what they were in 2006 before the bubble burst? Those questions may take a few years to answer, but in the meantime you have to admire people who open a new business during these trying times.
Topping the list for 2011 was the much anticipated Medford Food Coop, located at 945 S. Riverside. You have to appreciate a business whose motto is: “for people, not for profit.”
Others mentioned a lot were:

• Organics Natural Café, 226 East Main Street
• Beer Works, 323 E Main St
• To Gos Great Sandwiches, 1200 Biddle Rd
• Cicily’s Pastaria and Grill, Cicily’s Pastaria and Grill
• Good Bean Café, 3240 Hillcrest Park Dr

BEST FAMILY-OPERATED BUSINESS

You gotta love a place where the children, cousins and in-laws join in the fun of a family-run business. It’s not uncommon in Medford, and 28 different businesses were mentioned, including the number one choice, Great Harvest Bread Co., 203 Genessee Street. Owners Lisa and Dan Allen (along with their children, Natalie, Brad and Kellie) have been milling wheat and making bread here in the Rogue Valley for over ten years. They moved into their new and bigger location this year and now serve sandwiches and gourmet coffee.
The list also included:

• Roosters
• Integrity Carpet Care
• Kaleidoscope Pizza
• Papillon Rouge
• Roxy Ann Bakery

FAVORITE BUSINESSPERSON

It’s not easy running a business. You have to keep track of every cent that comes in and out; manage “x” number of employees; deal with bureaucrats at every level of government (most of who whom think they know more than you … but we know better); and remember the dictum that “the customer is always right.”
This year’s top favorite was Sherm Olsrud of Sherm’s Food4Less and Thunderbird. Sherm and his Wanda Olsrud bought their first meat market in Eugene in 1956. The Olsrud’s have been active in supporting many local activities including baseball, football, basketball and many others. They also are big supporters of 4-H and FFA.

FAVORITE DENTIST

It’s pretty easy to take teeth for granted until things start going south … then you’re all gung ho about doing something. Preventive care is always the best. Our readers named 34 different dentists. The top two were so close we made the executive decision to award a tie between Karl E. Schneck, 1094 Royal Court, and John Linstrom, 1605 East Barnett Rd.
Rounding out the Top Four were:

• Erik Rollem, 1234 North Riverside Avenue
• Julie Wu, 2201 E Barnett Rd

FAVORITE DOCTOR

Whether you like it or not, one good thing that came out of the health care debate was that it made people more aware of health issues. The fact is, if more Americans exercised, stopped eating junk food, gave up cigarettes and took proper supplements like Vitamin D and selenium, the health care crisis in this country would be over.
Doctors, however, will always be important, and our readers named quite a few in this survey, including this year’s top M.D.s, a tie between Dr. Daniel Laury, and Dr. Ashley Peterson of Family Practice Group, 229 Stewart Avenue.
Other favorite doctors included:

• Dr. Alan Binette
• Dr. Robin Miller
• Dr. Alan Bates

FAVORITE ACUPUNCTURIST

Both traditional and alternative forms of medicine operate under a single mission—keeping you healthy. It’s good to know that there’s a whole phalanx of options out there for you to consider, which is where naturopaths and acupuncturists come in handy.
Topping the list of acupuncturists this year was Brian “Rosie” Rosenthal, closely followed by Michael Pope and Maria Teresa M. Bresnan.

FAVORITE CHIROPRACTOR

The human spinal cord wasn’t one of those things that evolution and/or God (depending on your viewpoint) put a whole lot of thought into. While it works admirably when you’re young and supple, things tend to merge or slip as you get older (like at 24). The bones require constant attention, and our readers definitely appreciate their chiropractors, as they mentioned 21 in this survey.
Topping the list for 2011 was Eric S. Reed of Southern Oregon Chiropractic, 2931 Doctors Park Drive.
Others high on the list were:

• Charles Anderson
• Jason Gutches
• Diedre D’Antonio
• Gail Y Flock

FAVORITE PHYSICAL THERAPIST

Any time you have to recover from an injury or surgery, your faithful physical therapist is there to help. From stretching exercises to specific routines that work various muscle groups, they’re trained to get you back on your feet in no time.
And when it comes to getting back on the road to recovery, our readers most often mentioned Bill Esser, MS, PT, CCTT, of Jackson County Physical Therapy. Bill has been practicing since 1981. His interests are in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders and headaches, early intervention and treatment of skeletal and soft tissue injuries due to motor vehicle accidents, and mechanical dysfunction of the spine and extremity joints. He’s also an accomplished musician with expertise in guitar, banjo, bass guitar, and mandolin. Bill would be a good guy to have in the band…especially after a month of sleeping in a cramped tour bus.
The Top Three wonder workers included:

• Amanda Olson PT, DPT
• Ann Sprague, DPT, MFA

FAVORITE PILATES TEACHER

It’s a physical fitness system developed in the early 20th century in Germany by Joseph Pilates, a gymnast of Greek ancestry. For those who care, my wife swears by it. Pilates “believed his method used the mind to control the muscles,” and the program “focuses on the core postural muscles which keep the body balanced and which are essential to providing support for the spine.”
Here in Medford, Pilates is very popular, and the top spot went to Debbie Richter of Southern Oregon Pilates, 1910 E. Barnett Road.
Coming in a very close second was Millie O’Brien of Verve Pilates and Movement Studio, now located at 880 Golf View Drive.

FAVORITE HAIR STYLIST

Sure, you can go for that wind-blown Kennedyesque look or just let it all flow like Albert Einstein. Most of us, however, want a little more order in our lives, which makes our friendly hair stylist an important part of the plan for happiness.
As a testament to their importance, our readers were able to name 59 (yes, 59!) different hair stylists as their favorites. Cutting her way to the top this year was Jodie Scott of Scissorhead Salon, 1112 Progress Drive, Suite 101. Jodie specializes in coloring and cutting hair and enjoys staying active by running, walking, biking and swimming.
The Top Six featured:

• Lisa Hubbard, Gervais
• Di Perez, Fringe
• John Paul Vineyard, Escape
• Troy Stelle, Gervais
• Mr. Thom

BEST PLACE TO GET MEDICURES/PEDICURES

Nails have an uncanny knack for attracting dirt, grime, food and bacteria (I read a statistic recently that there are 3 million bacteria on the tip of one of your fingers). It’s no surprise then that manicurists are extremely popular.
Our readers agreed with that assessment, and they named Gervais Day Spa as their favorite.
Also landing near the top were:

• Perfect Nails
• Bella Sarah
• Elements
• House of Style

FAVORITE MASSAGE THERAPIST

It’s not just a way to pamper yourself, massage not only provides relaxation, but it’s proven to improve your health and can assist in quicker recovery time from injuries. Our readers love their massages, naming 37 different therapists. The number one pick this year ended in a tie between Lanelle Piotrowski of Be Well Massage and Lila Spiritwalker of Gervais Day Spa.
The top five spots were very close:

• Cara Wirt
• Cindy Duron
• Jennifer Mitchell

BEST DAY SPA

Modern living is stress-filled … there’s no doubt about it. It almost makes one yearn for the good old days when we lived in caves and hunted mastodons. At least then there weren’t crazy people with machine guns mowing people down, or maniacs flying airplanes into buildings. Sure, there was the occasional saber-toothed tiger scare, but even they were a little cute.
Anyway, where to go when you want to unwind at a day spa and feel like a queen (or king) for a day? Many of our readers voted for Gervais Day Spa, owned by Lila Spiritwalker and Lisa Hubbard and located at 111 N Central Ave.
The competition was tough in this category, and the Top Five were:

• European Touch
• Lotus Hair Body & Soul
• Medical Eye Center
• Sun Palace

BEST AUTO MECHANIC

The average American can open the hood of a car and accurately locate three things: the battery, the radiator and the little thingie that keeps the hood open. Everything else is a big blur, which is why we rely on our mechanics to take care of business.
Quite a few automobile professionals were mentioned in this survey. Calibrating their way to the top were the folks at Ken Scales Auto Repair, 1101 Court Street.

BEST BODY SHOP

There’s nothing more heart wrenching than to see (and hear) that beautiful new (or slightly used) car get in an accident. What used to be a thing of beauty now looks like ten miles of bad roads in West Virginia. Who to go to in order to get ol’ Betsy looking new again? Our readers were most impressed with the work at Star Body Works, 1385 Sage Road.
Also receiving a lot of votes were:

• Lithia Auto Body
• Anderson Auto Body and Paint
• Bob Thomas Automotive

FAVORITE LOCAL RESTAURANT OWNER

It’s a tough job, running a restaurant, but someone has to do it. Many of them put their life’s savings on the line, and it’s real easy to get nickel and dimed to death. It requires long hours and the patience of Job, which is why our readers recognized 31 different restaurant owners in the balloting.
Topping the list for 2011 was actually a tie between Jake Allmaras of Kaleidoscope Pizza and Chris Dennett of Elements Tapas Bar.
Others near the top included:

• Daniel Jewert, Organics Natural Café
• David Graham, 38 on Central
• Jim and June Potter, Roosters

FAVORITE WAITPERSONS

Every waitperson on earth has a recurring nightmare. Brad Pitt and Angelia Jolie unexpectedly walk into the restaurant, and you end up getting all tongue-tied. When Brad asks what the soup of the day is, you say, “The Cham Clowder.” And when Angelina inquires about the salads, you tell her the lettuce is baked fresh every day.
Anyway, I’m sure the waitstaff here in Medford have it more together than that, and our readers certainly agree, as they named 24 different ones in this category. Serving their way to the top this year were “The ladies at Parkside Café.”

FAVORITE VETERINARIAN

There are almost 80 million dogs in the United States alone. I’m no mathmatician, but I’m pretty sure that means there are a lot of sick dogs out there. And then there are cats, birds, ferrets, alligators, and a host of other amimals to keep our vets busy.
The votes were extremely close in this one, and the winners were the friendly folks at Siskiyou Veterinary Hospital located at 100 W. Stewart Ave.
The list also included:

• All Creatures
• Best Friends Animal Hospital
• Pear Blossom Veterinary Clinic

FAVORITE TREE REMOVAL SERVICE/ARBORIST

When my wife and I moved onto our property 18 years ago, we planted over fifty trees. I’m sad to have to report, however, that one of the original trees on the property, a 60-year-old cherry tree that we once dubbed “The Mother of All Cherry Trees,” is dying. We had an arborist cut off some of the dead branches last summer, and we’re keeping our fingers crossed.
And when it comes to pruning, saving or removing trees, our readers most often mentioned J & J Tree Service.
Coming in a close second was Village Arborist, followed by:

• Bartlett Tree Service
• Beaver Tree Services

FAVORITE COMPUTER SUPPORT PERSONS

The world is becoming semi-reliant on computers, the Internet, cell phones and other technological advances. The whole thing, though, revolves around moving pieces and magnets, and when it goes bad, it’s bad! I mean, it’s hide-the-razor-blades bad. I’m not sure if our reliance on these machines is healthy or not.
But whom to call when the computer crashes or goes on the blink? This was another popular category, and there are over three pages of the phone book dedicated to it. Taking down top honors, though, were the computer experts over at Connecting Point.

GIFT STORE WITH MOST UNIQUE GIFTS

You don’t want to walk into a store where all can get is 75 different kinds of dog figurines. You want something with a little more variety, like what our readers appreciate at both Tiffs Hallmark and Magic Man.
The list also included:

• Terra Firma
• Rogue Gallery
• Real Deals
• Schroeder’s

BEST PLACE TO BUY FURNITURE

While living in Denver, I had a roommate who would drive down alleyways during garbage pick-up days looking for bargains. It was extraordinary some of the stuff people would throw away (especially in the richer neighborhoods), and our house was almost completely furnished with discarded furniture.
I wouldn’t recommend that approach these days, nor would our readers, as they once again voted Larson’s Home Furnishings as their number one local choice.
Others mentioned were:

• Schroeder’s Furniture
• Terra Firma
• Collector’s Market
• La-Z-Boy Furniture

BEST PLACE TO BUY JEWELRY

Diamonds are definitely a girl’s best friend, but I know from personal experience that pearl necklaces come in a close second, not to mention rings, bracelets, earrings and necklaces. You can’t go too wrong when it comes to jewelry, and when our readers want to consult with a professional, they most often choose Father & Son Jewelers, 126 East Main Street.
The list also included:

• Facets
• Lawrence’s Jewelers
• Gold ‘n Gems
• RV Coin & Jewel
• Pacific Diamond
• Goldsmiths

BEST PLACE TO BUY MUSICAL EQUIPMENT

A song came on the radio the other day by Todd Rundgren, and it went, “I don’t want to work; I want to bang on the drum all day.” That was probably Neolithic man’s approach to music before oboes and guitars were invented. “Hey Grog, let’s go hunt some mastodons.” Grog, looking like Buddy Rich with his eyes rolling in the back of his head, replies, “No, man, I just wanta bang on my drum all day.” Little would he know that he would someday get paid big bucks for that ambition.
Where would Grog go when he wants to expand his repertoire and check out the entire range of musical equipment that is available in the 21st century? Guitar Center, located at 2570 Crater Lake Hwy., was our readers’ top pick.
Also mentioned were:

• Tom’s Guitar Warehouse
• Larry’s Music
• Medford Music

BEST PLACE TO BUY CAMERAS

There has been a quantum leap in cameras over the last fifteen years. The market was once dominated by the single lens reflex cameras which relied on film, and now it’s almost totally digital. So instead of taking one or two pictures and having the film developed, you can take thirty, choose the ones you like instantly, and delete all the ones where Aunt Mildred has her eyes closed.
Where to go for the best selection of cameras? The number one choice according to our readers was Total Camera & Video owned by Alex Szentesi and located in the Harry & David Shopping Center. They were followed by Bach’s Camera Center.

BEST PLACE TO BUY HOME DÉCOR ITEMS

In this category, we’re talking about everything from clocks and lamps to wall furnishings and rugs. The top spot this year goes to Real Deals on Home Décor, located at 531 Parsons Drive Suite 105.
Also mentioned were:

• Terra Firma
• Larson’s Home Furnishings
• Ashley’s Furniture Home Store

BEST PLACE TO BUY CAMPING EQUIPMENT

If you don’t think we live in an outdoor paradise, you haven’t been paying attention. Not only is the Pacific Ocean just a few hours away, but there are mountain lakes within a half-hour’s drive, tons of hiking trails, world-renowned rivers, and a system of state and county parks where camping is allowed. (Hey, I just thought of a solution for the homeless camping problem! We’d set up a campground, and each “resident” would have to work during the day to stay there. They could collect cans and bottles, they could rake leaves in the parks, they could be on litter patrol, etc. The only ones allowed to stay in the park would be people willing to work! All of the slugbaits who are just here to freeload could take a hike. Dang, I should run for mayor or something. This is too easy.)
Anyway, where to go when you want camping equipment? Black Bird definitely has some loyal customers, closely followed by Northwest Outdoor Store.

BEST PLACE TO BUY FLOWERS/SHRUBS FOR THE GARDEN

Taking down top honors in this category was the Grange Co-Op, located at 2531 S Pacific Highway.
They were followed by:

• S.O. Nursery
• Four Seasons Nursery
• Valley View Nursery

FAVORITE STORE DOWNTOWN

Our readers certainly love downtown, as they named 24 stores in this category, and our readers mentioned Central Art Supply and My Daughter’s Closet as their favorites.
The Top Ten were:

• Larsons
• Suzannes Gift Garden
• Terra Firma
• Beer Works
• Main Antique Mall Hot Pots
• Father & Son Jewelry
• Yesterdays Blossoms

FAVORITE STORE OUTSIDE DOWNTOWN

North, south, east or west, there are shopping opportunities throughout Medford, including La Strada Boutique located at 1251 E. McAndrews, which took down the top spot this year.
Also receiving a lot of votes were:

• Tiff’s Hallmark
• Medford Coop
• Boot Barn
• Lotus Imports
• Real Deals

FAVORITE STORE IN ASHLAND

Okay, sometimes you just have to get out of town, and when our readers are in the mood to shop in Ashland, their favorite spot is Paddington Station.
Others in the run were:

Avant Garb, Rare Earth, Renaissance Rose, Deja vu and Bloomsbury Books

Part Two: Restaurants & Entertainment: RESTAURANTS

BEST NEW RESTAURANT

Sixteen different restaurants emerged in this ever-competitive category. The top two ended up being a tie between Cicily’s Pastaria and Grill, 1251 East McAndrews Road; and The Uptown Grill at the Bohemian,123 West Main St.
The Top Five were very close:

• Buttercloud Bakery and Café
• Good Bean Café
• Misoya
• Flappers Wild West Wings

BEST BREAKFAST

Breakfast can range from a piece of toast to quadruple stack of blueberry pancakes topped with syrup, whipping cream and bananas with a side of bacon and sausage, as well as two poached eggs drowning in hollandaise sauce…oh, and biscuits and gravy on the side.
The winner of this category was Black Bear Diner located at 1150 East Barnett Road.
The Top Five included:

• Old Farm House Restaurant
• Elmer’s
• Parkside Café
• Ahuva Bagel Co

BEST LUNCH

Lunch may be a time to replenish your energy and/or make some fat deposits for future reference, but it’s also a social hour—a time to entertain friends, family and co-workers and catch up on all the latest gossip.
In this category, our readers were able to name 31 different restaurants as their favorites, but lunching their way to the top was Organic Natural Café located at 226 East Main Street.
And now for the Top Five:

• Squeeze Inn Sandwich Shop
• Joey’s Italian Deli
• Sunrise Café
• Kaleidoscope Pizzeria

BEST FRENCH TOAST

You’d think it came from France, right? Nope, just another case of the French taking credit for something that’s not theirs. According to Wikipedia, its origin was in Spain during the Middle Ages, as the recipe was integrated by new Arab ingredients.
Here in Medford, we don’t need the Spaniards or Arabs telling us how to make French Toast. You simply have to go to Elmer’s where our readers say they make a superlative batch.
Others toasting their way to the top were:

• Black Bear Diner
• Parkside Café
• Dolly Vardens
• Old Farm House Restaurant

FAVORITE DINNERHOUSE

You get home from a long day at the office, open up the refrigerator to start dinner, and notice that no one remembered to go grocery shopping that day. Yes, you could scream, act insane and start filing divorce papers, or just take some advice from our readers and treat the entire family to your favorite dinnerhouse. Taking down top honors this year was Porter’s Restaurant and Bar located in the historic train depot at 147 N. Front St.

BEST SOUPS & SANDWICHES

It’s a classic lunch selection. The soup acts almost like an appetizer, only to be topped off by a delicious (and more filling) sandwich. A lot of restaurants have soup & sandwich specials on their menu, and our readers named 18 of them, including the number one choice, which was Squeeze Inn Sandwich Shop located at 616 Crater Lake Avenue. Squeeze Inn has been serving up soups and sandwiches in southern Oregon for 38 years and is family owned and operated.
The Top Five included:

• Sophia’s Soup Factory
• Organic Natural Café
• Deli Down
• • R & D’s Sandwich Factory

MOST ROMANTIC RESTAURANT FOR LUNCH

You want to make an impression, and the last thing you need is a loud sports bar with the playoffs in the background. Something a little more laid back—maybe with some mood music, attentive waiters, and soothing ambiance—would be just the ticket.
With that in mind, our readers named 38 Central the overwhelming favorite.
Other romantic restaurants include:

• Café Dejeuner
• Downtown Market Co.
• Pomodori Ristorante

MOST ROMANTIC DINNER RESTAURANT

You’re mentally prepared to spring the question, and you have to find the perfect restaurant with just the right ambiance. Where do our readers go when they want to find out the capital of Zimbabwe? (Just kidding … you know what question I meant.) The number one choice with our readers was Porter’s Restaurant and Bar.
Other top romantic spots are:

• Cicily’s Pastaria & Grill
• 38 Central
• Vinny’s Italian Kitchen

BEST STEAK DINNERS ON MENU

The guys in Lonesome Dove had the right idea—take a herd of about 300 cattle from Texas up to Montana and strike it rich in God’s country. We have all those cowpokes to thank every time we sit down to dinner and enjoy a big, juicy steak.
Once again this category was a runaway, as Porters Restaurant and Bar landed at the top spot.

BEST SEAFOOD DISHES ON MENU

They can breathe underwater, and that may seem a little strange to us landlubbers, but fish are actually fellow vertebrates … so let’s show them a little respect and try not to pollute their waters. (That’s my political statement for the day.) Two things are for sure: they taste great and they’re chock full of healthful omega-3 fatty acids.
In that regard, searing their way to the top was The Wharf Fresh Seafood Market & Eatery located at 827 W. Jackson Street.

BEST PASTA DISHES ON MENU

Rumor has it that Marco Polo imported pasta from China in the 1300s, but other accounts have it introduced by Arabs during their conquest of Sicily in the 7th century. Either way, our readers love their pasta dishes, and they reserved their number one choice for Vinny’s Italian Kitchen located at 970 N Phoenix Rd.
The Top Six were actually very close, and they were:

• Rosario’s
• Cicily’s Pastaria & Grill
• Gaetano’s
• Pomodori Ristorante
• Rossos Trattoria

FAVORITE ASIAN RESTAURANT

It’s the world’s largest continent with a surprisingly diverse ethnic mix of cultures, from Japan in the north to India in the south. Then, of course, there’s that big, cuddly panda bear in the middle—China; not to mention Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and points in between.
So many selections of Asian cuisine, so little time. Our readers were torn, but in the end the number one spot was Bambu located at 970 N Phoenix Road.
Followed by:

• Shoji’s
• Silver Dragon
• Mongolian BBQ
• Asian Grill

BEST JAPANESE DISHES

Ichiro Suzuki will probably never break Pete Rose’s record for career base hits, but he certainly knows where to go for great Japanese food. Outside of his hometown of Toyoyama, he would probably follow our readers’ advice and visit Oh’s Osaka located at 123 S Front Street in downtown Medford.
Others receiving their fair share of votes were:

• Shiki Four Seasons
• Shoji’s
• Bonsai Teriyaki
• Star Sushi

BEST THAI DISHES

When it comes to outstanding Thai food in Medford, our readers chose Ali’s Thai Kitchen located at 2392 North Pacific Highway.
Also mentioned a lot were:

• Thai Bistro.
• Tasty Thai.

FAVORITE MEXICAN RESTAURANT

You walk into the typical Mexican restaurant, and you’re instantly greeted by happy, friendly people who act as if they’re inviting you into their home. It’s definitely a fun, fiesta-style atmosphere, and our readers appreciate them, as they named Si Casa Flores Numero Uno.
The Top Five were actually pretty close, and they were:

• Mazaltan Grill
• La Burrita
• Mucho Gusto
• Habaneros

BEST BURRITOS

This dish is so easy to make—just fill a tortilla with as much good “stuff” as you want, heat ‘er up, and you’re ready to go. It’s also the most popular Mexican dish in the world, and if you want some really good ones, do as our readers do and visit Señor Sam’s in the Medford Shopping Center or at 1234 S. Riverside, which was voted number one, with all of the aforementioned places getting mucho votes.

FAVORITE ITALIAN RESTAURANT

I read in Time magazine about a summer program for kids that taught them about different cultures. When it came time for Italy, one of the interactive ways in which they participated was to cook a meal and sit around the dinner table for a close encounter of the Italian kind.
Our readers were torn over this category, as only two votes separated the top five spots. Inspired by the 24-hour news channels, we’re calling this category “To Close to Call.”
The Top Five, in alphabetical order were:

• Cicily’s Pastaria & Grill
• Gaetano Ristorante Italiano
• Pomodori Ristorante
• Rosario’s Italian Restaurant
• Vinny’s Italian Kitchen

BEST SELECTION OF PIZZAS

When I was growing up, Friday night was traditionally reserved for pizzas and movies. Usually, we’d have a pizza delivered and rent a movie, but on special occasions we’d visit our favorite pizza place go wild.
There was some stiff competition in this category for 2011, but in the end Kaleidoscope Pizzeria once again wears the crown.
The Top Three included:

• Jackson Creek Pizza.
• Wild River Brewing and Pizza Co.

BEST VEGETARIAN DISHES

The human alimentary canal is a monumental work of nature, as it’s able to assimilate and digest almost everything but starter fluid. It’s a medical fact that a vegetarian diet is much easier on the digestive system, as the body naturally and seamlessly breaks down food and sends the nutrients throughout the bloodstream.
Where to go for delicious vegetarian dishes? Most often mentioned was Organic Natural Café.
Followed by:

• Bambu
• India’s Kitchen
• Ali’s Thai Kichen

BEST CHICKEN WINGS

If you’re using a sauce that was made in Buffalo, New York, you can actually advertise these as Buffalo Wings. By that logic, can we make our own sauce and call them Medford Wings?
Anyway, the favorite chicken wings in Medford can be found at Flappers Wild West Wings located at 1213 W. Main Street.
Other favorite chicken wings are:

• Jackson Creek Pizza.
• Joe’s Sports Bar & Grill.
• Red Robin.

BEST SALADS

Salads exist for many reasons. They can be appetizers. They can be sides to bring an entrée together. They can be the main course layered in meat and cheese. Salads are versatile. Consider them the Renaissance Men of food choices. Tossing their way to the top once again this year was Kaleidoscope Pizzeria.
Others receiving lots of votes were:

• Squeeze Inn Sandwich Shop.
• Organic Natural Café.

BEST RESTAURANT TO TAKE THE ENTIRE FAMILY

This kind of restaurant has to have everything—a space large enough to accommodate the whole family, a menu that caters to all tastes, and servers who are willing to accept Grandpa’s foibles and Junior’s temper tantrums.
A lot of local restaurants were mentioned in this survey, with the number one nod going to Red Robin Gourmet Burgers located in the Medford Center.

RESTAURANT WITH MOST EXOTIC MENU

We’re not talking about menus that have pop-up figures emerge when you open them, but a list of entrees with enough exotic items to make you think you were in another country. And in that regard, our readers voted for Elements Tapas Bar and Lounge located at 101 E. Main Street in downtown Medford.

RESTAURANT WITH BEST DESSERTS

You’ve just eaten a steak the size of a mailbox, with all the trimmings plus a baked potato, and the waitress comes by and asks if you’d like to see the dessert menu. Your first reaction is to say no, but then the sweet tooth overrules all objections from the stomach, and you acquiesce.
Where do our readers most often like to pay attention to the demands of their sweet teeth? Winning this category was Rooster’s Restaurant located at 350 E. Barnett.

BEST PLACE TO BUY PASTRIES/CAKES

Before naming the winners in this category, I would also like to encourage our readers to take care of their teeth by making regular visits to the dentist. You can also chew a gum with xylitol in it after every meal to kill all the bacteria that just love to share those pastries and cakes with you. This has been a public service message from the Sneak Preview.
All right … now let’s eat those fun things. When it comes to pastries and cakes, our readers most often mentioned both Artisan Bakery and Great Harvest Bread Co.

BAR WITH MOST INTERESTING COCKTAIL MENU

We’re not talking about your basic bourbon and water here, but wild drinks that show a little imagination on the part of the bartender. Restaurants in Medford have been especially creative lately, and in that regard, our readers were most impressed with the artistry at Elements Tapas Bar & Lounge, owned by Chris Dennett.
Others high on the list were:

• 38 Central
• Havana Republic

BEST SELECTION OF SANDWICHES

It was named after John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, an 18th century English aristocrat who was fond of meat tucked between two pieces of bread. Another one of his relatives was the first Lord of the Admiralty, and James Cook named Hawaii the Sandwich Islands after him.
But enough of this trivia … it’s making me hungry. When it comes to great sandwiches, our readers’ pick was Joey’s Italian Deli located at 149 S. Central Avenue in downtown Medford.
The Top Five included:

• Squeeze Inn Sandwich Shop
• Deli Down
• R & D’s Sandwich Factory
• Luigi’s Italian Sandwiches

BEST BURGERS

This is pretty much the quintessential American sandwich, despite the fact that it’s named after a town in northern Germany. And when in comes to making the perfect burger, our readers once again named the artistry of Jasper’s Café, 2739 N. Pacific Hwy., as their favorite.

BEST MILKSHAKES

Well, isn’t this interesting from Wikipedia: “When milkshakes were first used in 1885, they were an alcoholic whiskey drink that was touted as a sturdy, healthful eggnog type of drink with eggs, whiskey, etc., served as a tonic as well as a treat.”
Almost makes me want to add some Old Granddad to my next vanilla shake, but in lieu of that I’ll go where my readers say you can find the absolute best milkshakes in town—at Jasper’s Café.

BEST FAMILY-OPERATED RESTAURANT

You have to love those restaurants where almost everyone in the family chips in to make the thing work. In that regard, our readers named Old Farm House Restaurant located at 603 S. Riverside Avenue and owned by Cheryl and Greg Cordova.

FAVORITE COFFEEHOUSE

Coffeestands have been sprouting up almost everywhere. Back during the Starbucks craze, the joke was, “Did you hear about the Starbucks that opened inside the bathroom of a Starbucks?” Here in Medford, it’s not that bad, but there is a wealth of coffeehouses in which to enjoy a soothing cup of coffee.
In this category, Mellelo Coffee Roasters was the clear winner, with two locations here in Medford: 229 W. Main Street and 3651 Lear Way.
Rounding out the Top Five were:

• Human Bean
• Dutch Bros
• Good Bean Café
• Bad Ass Coffee

BEST RESTAURANT OUTSIDE MEDFORD

Yes, Virginia, there is life outside Medford, or at least some great restaurants to visit. Our readers named 31 different ones in this survey, and it was the Jacksonville Inn taking town the top spot.
Others mentioned a lot were:

• Rogue River Lodge
• Kobe – Ashland
• Chateaulin – Ashland
• Loft – Ashland

ENTERTAINMENT

FAVORITE CONCERT AT THE BRITT FESTIVAL LAST YEAR

It’s one of the largest outdoor music festivals in the Pacific Northwest, lasting three months in Jacksonville, and it brings in some of the biggest names in music. The number one choice by our readers this year was Michael Franti, followed by Willie Nelson.

BEST PRODUCTION AT THE CRATERIAN LAST YEAR

It’s definitely the premier indoor music and theater venue in southern Oregon, and they bring in an outstanding lineup every year. Our readers agreed and named quite a few productions, including last year’s favorite, Pink Martini, who lit up the stage on November 11.

MOST FUN PLACE FOR THRID FRIDAY ART WALK

During the third Friday of every month, art galleries and businesses throughout downtown Medford open their doors to art, conversation, refreshments and entertainment. It has become extremely popular and has helped rejuvenate the local economy.
Taking down top honors was Yesterday’s Blossoms located at 275 Theater Alley.

BEST CHICKEN DISHES ON MENU

It’s probably the most popular dish in the world. With a cow, you got to do some major work to prepare it for eating. A chicken, however, is simple … just chop, pluck and sizzle. (But shhh, don’t let my chickens hear you talking like this. They’re already nervous about the raccoon that tried to get in the coop last night.)
Where do our readers go when they want interesting (and delicious) chicken dishes? The votes were all over the place on this category, and apparently our local restaurants know what they’re doing. Voted number one was No Ho’s Hawaiian Café located at 330 E. McAndews Rd.

BEST PLACE TO GET A WORKOUT

Seriously, if every American paid more attention to their diet and lifestyle, the health care crisis in this country would be solved tomorrow. (Reducing pollutants from the environment would be the second priority, but that’s a story for another day.) One of the most important parts of the health equation is fitness, and it has been proven that physical fitness leads to mental and emotional health because a stronger heart is able to pump more blood to the brain.
So … try to get a workout at least 4-5 times a week. And when our readers put that on their “to-do” list, they most often picked the friendly confines of the Superior Athletic Club, followed by:

• Rogue Valley CrossFit
• Southern Oregon Pilates
• YMCA
• Verve Pilates
• Rasa Yoga Center

BEST LOCAL MUSICIANS

Here are some great quotes: “Music is what feelings sound like.” “Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those could not hear the music.” “Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music.”
Are you inspired yet to go catch a concert this weekend? There is a wealth of music talent in southern Oregon, including this year’s winner, The Rogue Suspects.

BEST NIGHTCLUB TO HEAR LIVE MUSIC

The list is getting longer every year for local music venues, and topping the list was 4 Daughters Irish Pub, followed by Shenanigan’s Irish Pub.

BAR WITH FRIENDLIEST BARTENDERS

You’re either there to party and/or drown your sorrows, and it always helps to have friendly bartenders who can tend to your every need. In that regard, our readers most love the folks at Howiee’s on Front located at 16 Front Street in downtown Medford.

BEST BAR TO WATCH SPORTS ON TV

Sure, you can watch your favorite sporting events on TV at home, but when you go to a crowded bar with a lot of energy, it’s almost like watching the thing live.
According to our readers, the best place to watch sports is Joe’s Sports Bar & Grill located at 2061 Roberts Road.

FAVORITE PART OF GROWERS MARKET

According to our readers, the best thing about the Growers Market is all of the fresh produce available, followed by:

• The tamales
• The musicians
• RoxyAnn Bakery
• The beautiful flowers

FAVORITE CARPET CLEANER

Not only can they make your house look and smell better, but they can help you save money by not having to replace your carpets as often.
Taking down the top spot once again was Integrity Carpet Care.
Hot on their heels were:

• Holland’s Carpet
• ServiceMaster
• Superior Services Carpet Care
• Pro Kleen
• Blue Wave Carpet Cleaning

FAVORITE ESTHETICIAN

Estheticians specialize in making our skin as beautiful as it can be. And with the weather in this part of the world, our skin can use as much help as it can get! Receiving the most votes in this category was Gina Ennis of Gervais Day Spa.

* * * * *

Well … I just emerged from my cave after compiling over 100 categories and want to thank everyone for putting up with me. If you have any suggestions for new categories next year, write to me at sneakpreview@medford.net —N.H.