Dolliaz Cafe and Deli

~by KandN & Liseanne

I've been hoping for an opportunity to to try out Dolliaz Cafe and Deli ever since the first time I spotted the business next to Fitt's Seafood on 12th. Their hours (Monday thru Friday, 8 AM - 3:30 PM) make a visit difficult on a regular work schedule, but now I have plenty of opportunities since I'm off work for the summer. So one of my goals is to make an effort to visit some of these lunch spots in town.

Lise and I had finished running our freezer jam errands and realized it was 1:30 and past time to eat. After our first miscalculation on which part of 12th the cafe is situated, we drove around the block and pulled into the parking lot. My first impression upon walking through the door was a good one. The nicely decorated, modern interior was nice on the eyes - from the photo displays on the walls to the wood laminate floor. The menu, hanging above the order counter, is easy to read, bright, appealing and well lit.

The Reuben was beckoning to me from the "hot sandwich" portion of the menu, but the owner (?) pointed to another sign below the main menu that stated you could get half a sandwich from their "gourmet sandwich" menu and a bowl of soup. I had spotted the four soup tureens on our way to the counter. The Baja Chicken soup sounded tempting - as well as the Loaded Potato with Bacon. I asked which sandwich he would recommend and he suggested the Turkey, Avocado and Bacon on wheat.

After ordering I walked over and stood in front of the soup tureens trying to make up my mind between the Baja Chicken and Loaded Potato soups (there was a seven bean and chicken noodle, too). Another customer came up and was faced with the same decision. I remarked that they should have a bottomless soup bowl. "They do! For $9!", the customer replied. He came up to our table later to check if the Baja Chicken had been the right choice. :>) My father would love a place with a bottomless soup bowl! {making mental note to take Dad here}

The Chicken Baja soup was delicious with a touch of heat and the bowl was a nice size. The sandwich was made with a soft wheat bread and shredded iceberg lettuce. The bacon was flavorful and crispy and went together nicely with the tomato and avocado. Overall it's the kind of place I'd like to have in my neighborhood - local, well done, and friendly with delicious soup!

And now it's Lise's turn . . .

Hi all! I thought the same thing when we walked in. I loved the deep red color on the walls and black and maple furniture with spot lights positioned well to see the menu at the back and the art on the walls. Their outside sign is pretty cool looking too.
I ordered the Garden Veggie sandwich on 7 Grain bread. The bread was soft with an herb cream cheese spread on one side. There was a good assortment of veggies, which tasted great with the cream cheese and maybe a slight bit of herb infused vinegar(?). My preference for veggie sandwiches is for a bit more exotic array of veggies or at least the addition of olives and sprouts, but the sandwich tasted good and they didn't skimp on bell peppers and cucumbers. Each sandwich came with chips. As with many things in life we must sacrifice quantity for quality, and that's how I felt about the chips. They were very fresh and crunchy Kettle chips, but there were probably only six in each of our baskets.

I saw Dolliaz served a large selection of Espresso and other cafe drinks. My test for all coffee places is the mocha. Their mocha was not too sweet but the espresso was a bit too light for me. I think I'd go back for coffee sometime, maybe for breakfast. (Yes, they serve breakfast!)

My one problem was the number of unbussed tables. You could tell it had been a few minutes since someone was sent out to bus. If I could, I'd suggest to the Dolliaz owners to put a self bussing station out somewhere to help with this issue. Other than that, the server, cashier, and the barista were very nice and helpful. Friendly service is often the best part about family owned and run restaurants.

1555 12th St SE # 130
Salem, OR 97302-2854
(503) 363-6077