It would be an understatement to say that Helena's, a take-out lunch spot in Ashland, is out of the way.

But the location, tucked away in the back of an eclectic industrial park at 280 E. Hersey St., still draws plenty of old and new fans of chef and entrepreneur Helena Darling, long a fixture on Ashland's culinary map.

Over the past two decades, Darling has operated a catering company, a kitchenware shop and two restaurants — Primavera, nestled under Oregon Cabaret Theatre, and Verdant, at Lithia Springs Inn.

Now she's serving up fresh, local fare from a take-out window amidst loading docks and looming garage doors. The menu changes daily, but a sample menu promises "All Take-out — All Good" and the workers streaming across the parking lot from Professional Tool Manufacturing, Pacific Domes and Maté Revolution's warehouse seem to agree.

One patron proclaimed that he couldn't get tired of any of the food, from the regularly appearing sandwiches, tacos and "big-ass burrito" to the specials that only show up occasionally, such as meatloaf.

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Most of the sandwiches, hearty creations of rustic bread, roasted meats and vegetables served with a side of potato chips, are priced at $5, as is the burrito. Tacos, featuring beans simmered up on-site or snapper if you're lucky, cost $3, as do some of the simpler sandwiches such as a roast turkey creation.

My husband favors the house-made gyros, a regular menu offering usually featuring chicken or turkey. The lean and savory meat is topped with a cooling yogurt sauce and wrapped in a warm, tender pita along with tomatoes, cucumbers and olives.

The gyro sounded tempting when I ordered, as did a goat cheese and basil pita pizza ($6), but I opted for a grilled zucchini and eggplant sandwich on ciabatta bread ($5).

The grilled vegetables, which included carrot as well as the advertised zucchini and eggplant, had each spent the perfect amount of time over heat to gain a flame-enhanced flavor and texture. They were topped with rich slices of rosemary cheddar and accented with fresh tomatoes, lettuce, onion, thinly shredded cabbage, slivers of fresh basil and a savory aioli. All this deliciousness was loaded on a crispy, crunchy, crusty chunk of ciabatta. Yum!

With all those healthy vegetables on order, I couldn't say no to the temptations of an "evil chocolate cupcake" for just $2. The menu, posted on the window where orders are placed, also touted an "angelic bread pudding," but when it comes to chocolate, I'll always go to the dark side. The cupcake, made with olive oil and served upside down and covered with a silken chocolate ganache, delivered on its dark promise and was sinfully delicious.

Helena's has a few tables under an awning in the parking lot where the lunch bunch can enjoy the waning days of autumn. When the weather makes outdoor dining unpleasant, Darling plans to provide limited seating at an elegant dining room her catering company has hidden behind that big metal door.

She also serves dinners there twice a month — a food and wine pairing event on the first Friday of the month that complements Ashland's Art Walk and a family-style dinner prepared in a theme of her choosing on the third Friday of the month. Reservations are required and the little dining room fills up fast.

The lunch window is open 11 a.m-2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Debit cards are only accepted for orders of $20 or more, and with prices this low, that's only if you're buying lunch for the whole gang.

Helena's also provides prepared sandwiches to several local groceries, including Shop'n' Kart, so look for that grab-and-go option, too.

This food is definitely worth veering off the beaten path to get to, though.

-- Anita Burke