My wife and I spent the Fourth of July in Bandon and had a marvelous time. Those of you who have been reading my columns know how much we love the fabulous Alloro restaurant in this quaint little town. There is another lovely little jewel of a restaurant called, The Loft, which sits above the harbor, anchoring its east end. Originally, we were destined for Alloro but something came up which did not allow us to have dinner there that evening, so we were directed to The Loft for dinner at about 7:30. The restaurant sits above a kite and kayak rental shop and is not easy to see from the street. Please do not let that, in any way, deter you because this wonderful restaurant is a must experience if you find yourself anywhere close to the town of Bandon.

I knew we were in for a treat with the bouquet of freshly baked bread, grilled seafood and hints of rosemary and garlic came to our senses the moment we opened the door to the restaurant. The Loft is an intimate dining experience with two walls of tall glass windows giving one a spectacular view of the harbor, the lighthouse across the water and west toward one of the greatest (if weather allows) sunsets you can imagine. The restaurant is high enough over the water to offer a first-class view of the wharf and crabbers on the permanent docks in the inlet, as well as the old town through the east side windows.

One of the things I look for in good dining are the acoustics. I know this sounds funny, but The Loft is quiet, almost serene, just perfect for soft conversation over a glass of fine wine and food. I can't tell you how many times I have been to well-run, nicely furnished, great cuisine and wine restaurants where it was barely possible to carry on a conversation because of the surrounding noise.

This is a place to take someone special and be treated well, not feel rushed and experience fine dining at its best. The menu is not overly extensive but seemed to cover exactly what fine dining requires: a tight, well planned experience. The wine list is well thought out with all of the nicer wine regions represented including a few very good house pours. On the evening of the Fourth, the house wines were by the glass, Spanish and Italian; and the prices per glass were well within reason for the quality of wine presented. I had a Spanish Rioja which, I believe, was $6.50 per generous glass, poured in a well-balanced Bordeaux shaped glass.

That evening I decided to really test the water by ordering something which is very close to my heart, cioppino. This dish is a Razzano family classic going back to my memory of my great-grandmother at the fish monger with my grandmother, mother and myself in tow. I remember her looking every fish in the eye and smelling every shellfish imaginable and simmering a fish and tomato stock for the broth. In Italy, and in every restaurant where cioppino is listed on the menu, I have to show real restraint not to knee-jerk an order for the evening; this is how much I love this dish.

Well, I am here to write to you that The Loft makes killer cioppino in a style that not only brings out the best in fresh seafood but has the broth nailed in every way. I think the broth is the hard part, light on the salt, savory and long in flavors. Everything we ate that evening was top flight and beautifully presented. The other fun part of the experience is the wine list, as I have said, and is quite well balanced and fairly priced. The magic in the kitchen comes from the very talented and gifted Kali Fieger who attended Ashland Schools and is a graduate of Le Cordon Blu. I will tell you that this restaurant is in the top five of my restaurants in the last five years and am led to understand that I am not alone in that opinion.

It seems the secret is out as many folks from around the state are raving about The Loft and how much this restaurant has enhanced their experience on the coast. This place is a gem.

Tell us where your favorite spot is in Southern Oregon for Cioppino! Let us know in the comment section. You’ll have to sign up if you’re not a member of the WOW community. But its free, you do it once, and it only takes a few seconds.

Lorn Razzano is owner of the Wine Cellar in Ashland. Reach him at razz49@aol.com.