Crooked House Bistro

Years ago, I was a frequent customer of the Crooked Coffee House which stood on Edgewater and had always loved the building as much as the coffee.  A couple of weeks ago, after years of watching restaurants come and go from the location, it was exciting to see some work being done on the place.  When I got the email from KandN asking if I wanted to go to the soft opening of the new Crooked House Bistro, I was very excited.  As a West Salemite, I love it when new places open in the neighborhood.  I was excited to see what they had done with the place and it certainly did not disappoint!

Upon arrival, we were blown away by the remodel.  The chef and owner, Bernard Malherbe has kept the originality of the house, but has enhanced the cozy and warm feeling.  We were immediately seated and because it is such a small venue, found ourselves in conversation with our neighbors, which happened several times throughout the evening.  Since the neighbors on both sides of us were quite friendly, this added to the charm of our evening.  We were presented with a single page menu and a glass of sparkling wine to help celebrate the opening.  We opted of the cheese platter to start, which consisted of three cheeses, a goat's cheese, sheep and cow's cheese and a bleu cheese along with bread.  I ordered the albacore over polenta which was delicious.  Topped with a chunky tomato sauce, the added cornichons gave a pleasant contrast in texture and a slight vinegar taste.  My sister ordered the bison NY steak which was cooked just to her liking.  Her steak came with potatoes which had a great flavor and were well seasoned.
  

While I expected some fumbling during a soft opening night, I was pleasantly surprised to find everything cooked and presented so beautifully and that the staff were friendly and knowledgeable, giving the appearance of a restaurant that has been opened for quite a while instead of just one day.  With it's very friendly staff and great food, I have no doubt that Crooked House Bistro well do well.  Bernard mentioned he plans to open for both lunch and for weekend brunches in the near future. With prices ranging from $10.50 to $22.50 for entrees without soup or salad on the soft opening menu, Crooked House Bistro may be more of a special occasion restaurant for many Salemites.  Hopefully by adding lunch and brunches, this will allow a greater variety of customers to taste Bernard's amazing food.

Crooked House Bistro
1142 Edgewater Dr. NW
Salem, OR 97304
(503)385.8851
http://www.crookedhousebistro.com/
Follow on Facebook: Crooked House Bistro

eatsalem.com on Huffingtonpost.com

My Google alert for "eatsalem.com" went off yesterday when our web page was linked to from the Huffingtonpost.com. It was an article in the left leaning opinion page linking to another article in the Chicago Tribune about the Trader Joe's beer line up. Here's the link. You may have to search the page a bit to find the article titled "Trader Joe's Beer." Interestingly we did not see a significant boost in traffic from the link.

Seven Brides Beer Pairing Dinner

UPDATE: Due to some unforeseen reasons, we are going to have to reschedule the Beer Pairing dinner scheduled for Wednesday September 29, 2010 to a later date, which will be Tuesday October 19, 2010. The dinner will still be from 7:00pm-10:00pm and will be the same menu which was previously published.
We apologize for any inconvenience with this change.

So, mark your calendars for the 19th, and get your RSVP's in today!


"Please come and join us for a third helping of our Beer Pairing Dinner this Wednesday, September 29th at 7:30pm. Enjoy 5 courses of exquisite food prepared and paired with your favorite Seven Brides brew or Vitis Ridge wine. Space is limited so call and reserve your spot today. Cost is $45 per person. Menu includes:

First course
Brushetta
Classic brushetta made with a combination of marinated roma tomatoes, red onion, basil, green onion, garlic and balsamic vinaigrette, served atop a crostini and garnished with bruleed parmesan.
Paired with Lil’s Pils or Vitis Ridge Pinot Noir

Second course
Prawns and Scallops
Pan seared prawns and scallops accompanied by a potato cake with match stick green apples and finished with a roasted red pepper cream sauce.
Paired with Kili’s Kolsch or Vitis Ridge Marechal Foch

Third course
Acorn Squash Soup
Rich and creamy caramelized acorn squash adorned with roasted Oregon hazelnuts.
Paired with Frankenlou’s IPA or Vitis Ridge Merlot

Fourth course
Stuffed Sole
Fennel cream cheese stuffed sole, presented with a polenta cake and glistening with a lemon thyme cream sauce.
Paired with RIP or Vitis Ridge Chardonnay

Fifth course
Apple Crisp
Verdot braised apples topped with a crisp streusel and drizzled with an orange cream anglaise.
Paired with Abbey’s Ale or Vitis Ridge Grigio D’oro

Enjoy a night out with friends, or a date night with that special someone, all while enjoying 5 fabulous courses and 5 fantastic brews. Please feel free to call with questions. Hope to see you there!"


Cheers!

Kayla Calton
Seven Brides Brewing
503.874.4677 (work)
925.784.1990 (cell)
kayla@sevenbridesbrewing.com
www.sevenbridesbrewing.com

Ricos Tacos - CLOSED

Ricos Tacos has closed.

When we saw the Aladdin Mexican grocery store at the corner of Wallace and Glen Creek had a sign out front saying they now served tacos, we were thrilled.  We have no taco trucks or taco stands in West Salem, and sometimes, it really is too much effort to go "into town," as we West Salemites call crossing the bridge.  We have visited Aladdin's on occasion for some of our favorite bakery items and meat and have always been impressed with both the goods as well as their customer service.  So, we turned the car around and pulled up to Ricos. Ricos really is just a grill outside, with a table and chairs set in the middle of one of the parking spaces.  She takes cash, but you can also use your debit/credit card inside and bring her the receipt.
 

Unlike a taco truck, there were limited options, given the size of the operation, with only tacos on the menu.  She offers carne asada, pollo asada, lengua, and carne adobado as meat options.  To top your taco, you have the choice of  red onion, cilantro, spicy red salsa and lime.  We ordered a combination of carne asada and pollo adada with all the toppings and settle down at the table to wait with the Jarritos sodas we purchased in the store when we paid for our tacos.  She brought us our tacos which were generously filled with a nice wedge of lime, in my book a necessity for tacos. 

Now, my husband, a connoisseur of tacos, has a saying to describe the "goodness" level of taco stand/truck tacos.  They are either A) Good tacos for 50 cents or B) Good 50 cent tacos.  Yes, the difference is subtle and may be hard to recognize, but description A indicates that they good tacos and they only cost 50 cents.  Description B indicates they are good tacos, but you get what you pay for. Although these tacos were actually $1.00 a piece, we both agreed they fell into category A.  They were really good $1.00 tacos.  The meat was well seasoned, the tortillas soft and pliable, and the toppings were fresh.  We will definitely be back, the only bummer?  Limited hours, confined to the weekends.

Ricos Tacos and Aladdin Bakery and Meat Shop
1085 Wallace Rd NW
Salem, OR 97304
(503) 371.7799
http://www.aladdinbakery.net/

Friday 3:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Saturday and Sunday 1:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Burley's Chuck Wagon & Minto Island Grower's Food Stand

What a beautiful Saturday afternoon! N and I made a trip to Saturday Market specifically for lunch and music. After a walk through to check out all of the food booths, we returned to Burley's Chuck Wagon to try their BBQ. I opted for a chicken sandwich, to compensate for the NY steak I'd eaten the night before. I was hoping for some smoke flavored chicken, but it was a fairly bland, grilled chicken breast pulled apart on a bun with mayo and some of their Carolina sauce. At least the chicken wasn't overdone and dry.
Lucky for me, N shared 2 of his ribs. They were smoky, fall off the bone delicious! Right up there with the ribs we ate at the Bite and Brew from Adam's Ribs. But N was disappointed in the sides. The tasteless biscuit was slightly underdone and the potato salad was scooped out of a tub with Reser's printed on the side.  (sigh)  Details are important in my book.  Even if it is at a booth as opposed to a restaurant.  The folk music group nearly made up for those less than exciting sides.  I hope to hear them again soon.

After a drive through Salem's beautiful agricultural area northeast of town, we turned the car south and sought out Minto Island Grower's new fruit and food stand, just off of River Road South, on Brown's Island Road, on our way home.  I can't remember if it was Salem Man or Vegan's Nightmare who told me last year that MIG were planning on putting up a food stand out south.  I've been anxiously waiting ever since--driving down Brown Island Road once a month to check on any possible progress.  And then I heard the news of their opening via Emily's, "Desperately Seeking Salem" blog.


By the time this is posted on eatsalem, their stand will be open for the final day of the season.  If you don't make it today (Saturday, 25th) be sure and check them out in the spring.  I predict their delicious smoothies, milkshakes and food will be in high demand.

3394 Brown Island Road South, Salem OR
View Larger Map

Salem Beer and Cider Festival

I don't know about you, but I'm ecstatic, elated, excited, joyous, jubilant, and thrilled about the premiere of the Salem Beer and Cider Festival at Mission Mill this Saturday.
A big round of applause to all involved--from the first idea to the clearing of the floor Saturday night.  I've included information and a link below.
See you there!

"Please join us for the first Salem Beer & Cider Festival on

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25TH
Between noon and 10:00pm
At the Mission Mill Museum in Salem, Oregon (1313 Mill St SE)

We will feature:
* Samples from about 11 craft breweries, 2 ciderworks, and 1 winery
* Food from 2 local restaurants
* Artwork from local artists
* Live music from local musicians
* Three beer classes offered by Oregon Beer Odyssey

Sponsors:
* Mission Mill Museum (Salem)
* Tomson Burnham (Salem)
Breweries:
* Gilgamesh Brewing (Turner)
* Pale Horse Brewing (Salem)
* Seven Brides Brewing (Silverton)
* Fearless Brewing (Estacada)
* Migration Brewing (Portland)
* Captured by Porches (St Helens)
* Lucky Labrador Brewing (Portland)
* Cascade Brewing (Portland)
* Alameda Brew House (Portland)
* Klamath Basin Brewing (Klamath Falls)
* Golden Valley Brewing (McMinnville)
Ciderworks:
* Wandering Aengus (Salem)
* Carlton Cyderworks (Carlton)
Winery:
* Vitis Ridge Winery (Silverton)
Restaurants:
* Adam’s Ribs Smokehouse (Salem)
* Venti’s Cafe (Salem)

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!"
http://salembeerandciderfestival.com/

Bugging Chris Dudley at Shari's

It's a strange world we live in. I'm sitting at home in Salem watching this Youtube video of former Trailblazer and current Republican contender for governor of Oregon, Chris Dudley, as he is sitting down to eat at a Shari's in eastern Oregon. My first thought is, give this guy a break. He's probably been on the road all day and some guy rolls up on him with a cell phone camera while he's trying to enjoy a meal. How rude. I actually pulled up the Shari's menu and tried to imagine what he would order. I'm guessing the Flat Iron Steak and Shrimp with Stuffed Hashbrowns, side salad with ranch. My second thought was, why would he go to Shari's of all places? Come on, you're Chris Dudley, an NBA star. You've probably traveled all over the world. Shari's? My third thought was, maybe it's the best place to eat in Pendleton or at least the least scary. If you think Salem is slim pickings for restaurants, imagine eastern O.

There are many ways to participate in our democracy. The above video is one way. A better way is to register to vote. It's easy in Oregon, you can do it online. Click Here. Our founding fathers wrote the constitution thinking that...What's that? Gotta go, someone just downloaded video of Democrat John Kitzhaber in the waiting room at Jiffy Lube.

Cocktail Class Infuses Drink Know-How

Oh My.  Where did I get this delicious pear-infused vodka I'm sipping on?  Oh that's right, I MADE it!  Sweet!  On Monday night, my new BFF, Rob the Bartender, a.k.a. RobDrinkenstein, taught a class of local foodies (via La Capitale and held at Andaluz) the essentials of infusing spirits and making great cocktails.  I was one of the lucky few (about 20 of us) to have heard about the sold-out class on Twitter and was able to secure two spots for my wife and I to attend. A perfect date night!

The first step in any cocktail infusion class is to have one in hand, so Rob started us off with some cocktails using his own infused creations.  Hot and Cold Margarita, Manhattan, Now and Then, Spiced Apple Brandy Mojito, and Old Fashioned were our choices.  As he made each drink, he gave the ingredients and information about each, and described the process for making it.  Once we had an opportunity to loosen up, Rob went over the essential equipment needed for a home-bar to make infused spirits and using them in cocktails, and then gave us a pre-taste of a citrus-infused tequila.  After a taster of the tequila, he added serrano peppers to the infusion tank and re-filled it with more tequila.


We then spent some time learning the tricks of making an attractive infusion tank by layering oranges, grapefruits, limes, and lemons -- it's not only for show, it serves a purpose too (I'll have to refer to my wife's notes to remember what that is though).  Then after that grueling lesson, it was time for another cocktail and some snacks courtesy of La Capitale.


Time flew by, and the last part of the class was spent drilling Rob with questions -- "what about infusing with mint?" and "how do you make your own bitters?" and "where's my drink?"  That last one he answered by pouring us a post-taste of the new serrano-pepper infused tequila that had been sitting for about an hour by this time.  HOT!


My wife and I entered this class as total novices when it comes to making good cocktails.  Everything we knew, which wasn't much, came directly from recipes in The Bartender's Guide book.  We walked out of the class feeling confident that we can go home and immediately start making our own infusions and delicious cocktails (and this pear-infused vodka proves it).  You can find infusion recipes all over the web.  You can find how-to guides, read books, and do your own research on how to infuse spirits with herbs and learn how to use them to make cocktails.  What you don't get when you do that, is full-access to that inside experience from someone who has spent years making good drinks great.  What a real treat it was for us to have the opportunity to attend that class.  If Rob and La Capitale decide to offer it again, I highly recommend you jump at the chance.


For more information about future classes, I recommend pestering Rob via Twitter.  I don't know if there's plans to do it again, but if there's enough interest there's just no way he can refuse.  He's available at http://twitter.com/Robdrinkenstein.


La Capitale 
508 State St.
Salem, Oregon
http://www.lacapitalesalem.com/

503.585.1975

Church Street Pizza

I've been meaning to try Church Street Pizza since the first time I heard about them.  Spontaneously, we declared the evening pizza night and decided a visit to Church Street Pizza was way past due.  When we arrived, the owner/chef Ian was busy making a pizza, but quickly helped us.  He serves pizza by the slice or by the pie.  Although the Greek pizza really caught my eye, hubby likes more traditional pizza and I was in the mood for mushrooms.  We ended up ordering a full pizza, half Hawaiian and half mushrooms.  Ian informed me he had a variety of mushrooms in the back that he bought at the Salem Saturday Market and if I didn't mind an extra minute or two, he would saute up a variety in butter and garlic and add them to the pizza.  I jumped on that offer, few things make me happier than mushroom.  As he rung us up, I asked about what he had on tap, after seeing the very recognizable Gilgamesh tap handle.  He currently has 3 taps of local Gilgamesh as well as a tap of Widmer.  

We sat down and waited, watching Ian perform a dance of dough tossing.  True to his word, Ian slipped a mix of mushrooms in butter and garlic into a pan in the pizza oven to saute, creating the most delicious aroma, which wafted through the restaurant.  Shortly, Ian delivered our pizza and plastic baskets with paper liners to use as plates.  As the red chili flakes my hubby constantly craves were on the table, we were set.  Shortly after my first bite, I fully understood the New York concept of folding a slice of pizza to eat it.  I quickly adjusted from my usual fork technique, folding my slice in half and savoring every single bite.  While we stayed true to the dividing line, hubby on his Hawaiian side and me on my mushroom side, we did each steal a bite of toppings from each other.  And boy was it hard to give up ANY of those mushrooms.  One thing to note, if you are a sauce lover, ask for extra sauce.  Our pizza was lightly sauced, which I enjoyed, but hubby wished for a little more.  

Having both missed lunch, we made short work of the pizza, leaving just one of my slices. Ian delivered a triangle 1-slice pizza box to us and we spoke for a moment about his love of local goods and how he always tries to hit the Salem Saturday Market for the freshest goods.  Although this means sometimes toppings will not be available, it also means you are getting the freshest food possible and supporting a local business that supports other local businesses.  I'm looking forward to trying the sausage, which he gets from Carlton.  And, of course, there will be mushrooms on that sausage pizza. 

 
Church Street Pizza
324 Church St NE Salem, Oregon 97301
Phone: (503) 363-4638

http://www.churchstreetpizzasalem.com/index.html

Follow Church Street Pizza on Facebook and Twitter.  

Monday - Saturday: 10:00 AM - 08:00 PM

What's New at Gamberetti's

Gamberettti's is now serving happy hour!

3-6pm Monday through Friday
4-6pm Saturday and Sunday

We will also be hosting a "Dogtober 20th" with the Willamette Humane Society.
10% of all sales will be donated to the Humane Society.
If you bring in a picture of your pet to enter in our contest we will donate another 5% of your bill.
Contest will be judged by guests over the following week and winner will receive dinner for two.
We will also have some great pawtini's during yappy hour and have a live remote with KBZY that day with other give aways!
Thanks,
Treva

2360 Fairgrounds RD NE
Salem, OR, 97301
(503)-339-7446
Mon - Thurs: 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Fri:  11:00 am - 10:00 pm
Sat:  4:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Sun:  4:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Jameson Whiskey and Cigar Dinner at Jonathan's

Our Jameson Whiskey and Cigar Dinner is going to be held on Thursday, September 30th at 7 pm.
Tasting will include:
-Jameson Whiskey, 12 Year Special Reserve, 18 Year Limited Reserve and Rarest Vintage Reserve.
-One Cigar
-Four Course Meal:
(1) Ginger-Soy-Lime Marinated Prawns
(2) Avocado Stuffed w/ Crab-Mango Salad
(3) Sauteed Chilean Sea Bass w/ Potato-Parsnip Brandade w/ Piquillo
Pepper Saffron Sauce
(4) Glazed Chocolate-Pumpkin Bundt Cake

$60.00 per person, includes gratuity.
LIMITED TO THE FIRST 20 PREPAID GUESTS.
Sorry, but it must be pre-paid due to no-shows at recent events.

Best Regards,
Casey Lucas
Jonathan's

Duffy's Hangar

Gary Bennett has been making changes down at Duffy's Hangar since he took over ownership on August 2nd of this year.  That's according to the Statesman Journal, but, as far as I know, it's the same as it's always been since I've never been there.  So, what does it take to get a meat-lover like me to go to a place I've never been like Duffy's?  Is it the "UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP" or "BREAKFAST AT 8AM"?  Of course not.  It's the BBQ Trailer Pit sitting out front with smoke coming out of the chimney and the hand-painted signs saying "BBQ" in bold red letters.  Oh. Hell. Yes.

The first time I drove by with a lunch companion and we saw the signs (but not the pit) I said, "Places that put signs out like that with no real BBQ evidence have nothing more than a crock pot and an oven in the kitchen."  By the way folks, if you're cooking anything with a crock pot or in the oven, you may not, under any circumstances call it BBQ.  For example, when you cook a pork butt in a crock pot with BBQ sauce, you may call it "shredded pork" or "shredded pork with BBQ sauce," but calling it "BBQ Pork" is just plain offensive. Where was I?  Oh that's right, Duffy's.  After we noticed the pit out front, we decided this was a place we MUST try for lunch.

The BBQ menu was small (which I consider a good thing).  We ordered one of each of the three BBQ items -- Pork Ribs, Pulled Pork, BBQ Chicken.  The menu claimed that the ribs were cooked for 5 hours, the pork for 15, and I don't recall how long the chicken was cooked. Doesn't matter.  We drank a beer while we waited for our to-go order, and I could have sworn they mixed the Bridgeport IPA tap with an amber - but even a bad lunch beer is still pretty good.  The waitress was a perfect combination of sassy-smart-ass and competent.  She knew what she was doing, had a good sense of humor, but wasn't about to put up with any crap.  I discovered this when I asked if she was sure she poured me an IPA.

According to the menu, each meal came with a roll, coleslaw or potato salad, and baked beans and tomaltino.  The waitress informed us that they didn't have any tomaltino, she didn't know what it was, and didn't know why it was still on the menu, so we weren't going to get any.  No problem, we didn't know what it was either.

There were 4 ribs in the box and they were good, but not great.  Although, I think I may have higher standards than some.  I try to take that into consideration when I go to a place that doesn't do BBQ for a living, but it doesn't always work, so my judgement is often skewed.  I can tell you though, that the green onion are totally unnecessary for a garnish on ribs.  I won't shine you on, it's ugly, and tastes nasty - get it gone.  The sauce was standard and unremarkable, but the meat was tender and good quality. I was a little disappointed at the amount of smoke on them, but they were still pretty good.  There was no discernible smoke ring which made me think much of the 5 hours of cook time was indoors instead of in a pit.

The BBQ pork was a total surprise because the menu didn't say anything about a sandwich as far as I can recall.  It was pretty darn good though.  The pork was exceptionally tender, moist, and the BBQ sauce complimented it well.  The bottom bun was soggy by the time I got to it after the drive back to the office, but it held together long enough for the fateful journey to my mouth.

The chicken was attractive and mediocre.  It wasn't quite cooked enough to pull cleanly away from the bone, so it was a little difficult  to try and tear pieces of meat from the bone to share with my lunch mates.  It tasted alright, but again, there wasn't enough smoke on it for my taste.  And again with the green onions -- seriously?

I didn't try the potato salad because I can't stand the stuff, but I did have the coleslaw which wasn't too bad (for a vegetable dish).  I don't usually order baked beans, but I'm glad I did because I really liked theirs.  I can honestly say I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the sweet and saucy flavor.  Maybe there was bacon in it?

Overall, I found my experience at Duffy's to be enjoyable.  The BBQ was OK, the atmosphere is old and back in style, the wait staff is friendly (with sass), and the whole place just felt comfortable.  It's probably not a place I'd go on my all-too infrequent date night, but my co-workers and I decided we're going to give it a go for after-work drinks.  The waitress said they have live music every weekend, and I believe it from the look and size of the stage.


Hey you!  Stop making excuses and try Duffy's out.  Broaden your horizons!

More pics: http://www.vegansnightmare.com/duffys-hanger-bar-and-grill

Duffy's Hangar Bar and Grill

2275 Mcgilchrist St SE
Salem, OR 97302

(503) 581-5278

Septoberfest

When: Friday September 17, 2010 11am-11pm
Saturday September 18, 2010 11am-11pm
Sunday September 19, 2010 11am-5pm

Where: Seven Brides Brewing Tap Room
990 N. First St., Silverton

Cost: Free!

Come and discover Silverton at Septoberfest!
Bring your family and friends down to Seven Brides Brewery for some great beer from 5 different breweries, wonderful wines, excellent cuisine, fun kid's activities, and fantastic live music throughout the weekend.
Can't wait to see everyone!

In the Brewery this month...
Just released ~ Abbey's Ale and Maggie Marzen; both of which have been very well-received.
Becky's Black Cat and Weezin-ator are currently being brewed. Expect for Becky's to be released just in time for Halloween, and for Weezin-ator to make its debut at the Holiday Ale Fest in Portland.
We are preparing to put Becky's Black Cat's big sister (ie an even bigger beer, with even more alcohol!) into new barrels to age.
(503) 874-4677
990 North First Street
Silverton, Oregon 97381

Gilgamesh Brewing Pairing Dinner

WITH LOUSTIC CATERING- SAT, SEPT 18
Gilgamesh Brewing is doing our first pairing dinner! Please check out the menu below and reserve as soon as possible! Seating is limited!

When: Saturday September 18, 2010 - 6:00 pm
Where: Columbia Banquet Room, Premier RV Resort - 4700 Hwy 22 W, Salem (West Salem/Eola area)
Cost: $50.00 per person does not include gratuity (sorry, no credit cards)
RESERVATIONS REQUIRED ASAP - 503-364-6042, catering@lousticcatering.com

GATHERING
GilgaLight

APPETIZER
Goat Cheese and Lox Napolean with Ginger Chile Sauce
Pumphouse Copper

PASTA
“Mac and Cheese” Pennette Triangles with Willamette Valley
Gouda and Fontina, Toasted Hazelnuts
Filbert Lager

SORBET
Mojito Lime
Leapfrog Mint Kolsch

SALAD
Organic Greens with Apricot, Bacon and Grilled Peaches
Mamba

MAIN
Ancho and Coffee Rubbed New York Strip
Caramelized Onions, Roasted Root Vegetables
HopScotch

DESSERT
Spicy Gingerbread with Whipped crème Fraiche
Mega Monster Imperial IPA

www.lousticcatering.com/events

We hope to see you there! THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT!

Lunch with friends at Word of Mouth

I have a friend visiting from southern California. He's the kind of guy who parties hard, stays up late, and recharges with a hearty breakfast of classic diner fare. The other day I decided to introduce him to the culinary delights at Word of Mouth Neighborhood Bistro- my new favorite place for breakfast and lunch.

And I'm not alone. Every time I eat there the dining room is packed, with at least ten people waiting patiently for a table of their very own.

Indeed, Word of Mouth seems to be the darling of Salem's dining scene. They've received lots of good press, plus their customers are taking this "word of mouth" suggestion to heart. I hear people talking about the bistro often. But it's not just because of the name. The food happens to be very, very good.

We arrived at 2pm. As usual the dining room was full, so we waited about ten minutes for a table for four to become available. Our charming waitress greeted us, alerted us to the specials, and gave us a few minutes to look over the menu.

I decided on the Cheesy BLT with a cup of Clam Chowder ($9.95), while my three guests chose Creme Brulee French Toast with two eggs and bacon ($10.50), the Prime Rib French Dip ($11.50), and Biscuits and Gravy ($9.95), respectively.

Fifteen minutes later, we were digging in! The Cheesy BLT was served on chewy, grilled sourdough bread from Cascade Baking Company. The sandwich included thick-cut bacon, tomato, lettuce, and melted cheddar cheese. While the local sourdough is good in theory, it doesn't quite work in this sandwich. "Salem Sourdough" is a little too dense for a grilled sandwich, and is best enjoyed in simpler form such as toast. Frankly, the BLT was difficult to eat.

It was the clam chowder that really stole the show. The chowder featured finely-chopped clam, potato, onion, herbs, and a healthy amount of black pepper. Flavor was spot-on, and the creamy texture of the soup left me wanting more than just a 6-ounce cup. This is the best clam chowder I've ever tasted. And I've had some damn fine clam chowders at well-known locations on the Oregon coast, in Seattle and Portland.

My dining partners each enjoyed their meal. I heard rave reviews on the French Toast and the Biscuits and Gravy.

Word of Mouth Neighborhood Bistro
open every day 7am to 3pm
140 17th St. Salem
503-930-4285

Willamette Noodle Co.

This just came this afternoon via email from Willamette Noodle Co.--

"We have some exciting news here at WNC! Effective today (9/14/10) we now offer lunch portions & pricing on all of our menu items (yes – even the LASAGNA!) from 11-4 every day (except Sundays when we are closed!). We have also added a fantastic new garlic dipping oil, freshly grated parmesan and a half dozen new menu items to our repertoire.

There are still a few seats available for the Italian WINE & DINE this Sunday. $50 per person, five course meal with pairings from Small Vineyards. Contact Maggie at Grand Vines, 503.399.9463 to get tickets. Menu features braised short ribs with balsamic reduction and HANDMADE chevre ravioli…"
To read about all of their menu changes, click here.

380 High Street NE
Salem, OR, 97301
Phone:
503.362.8667
Mon - Thurs: 9:00 am - 8:00 pm
Fri: 9:00 am - 12:00 am
Sat: 11:00 am - 12:00 am

Love Love Teriyaki

Ever since N and I, restarted our weekly movie nights at Salem Cinema, we've been struggling to refit a leisurely dinner out into our schedule.  We exchanged one for the other and that was not the plan.  So, for the first time in decades, we managed to squeeze both a dinner and a movie into one evening.  Nothing like an exhausting day to provide some inspiration--with help from another Salemite's blog.

A few weeks ago, Rebekah posted about her "go to" places around town (click here). Prior to finding Salem Man and his blog 3 years ago, N and I had a very short list of "go to" places. One was Love Love Teriyaki.  Okay, scratch the past tense, it's still one of our "go to" places, just not as often.  Their south location is convenient for us and they provide dependably fast, fresh, mostly healthy food.

N and I ordered our two long time favorites for dinner:  Spicy Vegetables with Chicken and Yakisoba with Beef.  We never know how spicy the first dish will be, but we never care.  It's always good.  Halfway through, the two of us switch plates, but I'm pretty sure they'd be happy to bring you a couple of extra plates if that's how you roll.

This past year, we've noticed a new menu item, Curry Rice with Chicken.   Maybe we can look forward to a little more experimentation in their kitchen.  Variety is good.

Love Love Teriyaki
Sunnyslope Shopping Center
4555 Liberty Rd. S
(503) 371-3000

La Perlita

Location, location, location--how many times have you heard someone say that?  Whether it was about a piece of real estate or someone thinking about where to locate a business, it's an important bit of truth.  It's also the first thing that pops into my head whenever I've visited one of the restaurants where La Perlita currently exists.  I do think their idea of putting tables out on the sidewalk was a good one.  It's one way of giving people an unmistakable cue that, "we're open for business!".

Recently a local Salemite mentioned that La Perlita, like La Margarita Express, has pupusas.  That's all the encouragement needed,  I wanted to give them a try.  N and I took advantage of our latest "blood date" to head on over to Chemekata to see how they compare.

It was 6:30PM on a Wednesday evening when we entered the restaurant.  We were the only customers and they were happy to see us.  Instead of a menu with pages and pages of choices, like many of the Mexican restaurants I've been to, their menu is a single page, printed on both sides.  I chose the Carne Asada and one pork & cheese pupusa, ala carte.  N decided on a Mole Burrito with one bean & cheese pupusa, ala carte.

After the delivery of our pupusas, I took the side of pickled slaw and spread it over the top.  Mmmm!  Very nice!  And it wasn't just the pork, N said his also had a nice flavor.  He did learn that the sliced chile in the slaw was a hot one, though!  My carne asada had been left on the grill just a tad too long, but I enjoyed the addition of the grilled onions, tomatoes and a squeeze of lime on top.  N had sat quietly eating his Mole Burrito, until I asked for his opinion, "Delicious! Want a bite?".  Oh!  Now those are the flavors that I remember from the mole we used to make--spicy, nutty and chocolaty.

While La Perlita is lacking in the festive environment category, it's obvious by the recent coats of cheerful paint that they are trying.  N and I think the restaurant is worth a visit.  Their service was very attentive and the bargains are hard to pass up.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sun. through Wed.
11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
635 Chemeketa St. NE
 (503) 371-3968

Go here to read another review on Willamette Live.

Salem Daily Dish

Are you hungry? What's for dinner? Where do you want to eat? Those questions are answered with one click to Salem Daily Dish. It's a collection of daily, weekly and monthly specials from local restaurants. Participating restaurants have access to posting their menus to this site as often as they would like. Give it a look next time you are hungry to see what's being served locally. If you are a restaurant owner or manager and you would like to expand your social media presence, send me an email and I will tell you how to sign up for this free service. eatsalem@gmail.com We are able to offer this service at no charge because it requires very little upkeep. We hope that you will bookmark this page or just link through to it on eatsalem.com and salemites.com. There is also a listing of restaurant jobs in the left column of the page. Salem Daily Dish

A Bottle Among Friends

Or, they could have called this, Bargains on Bottles with your Buddies at Bentley's. The first one sounds more elegant. Every Thursday at Bentley's, their Wine Steward Brian Kemmerle will be pouring some of their lesser known wines and selling bottles at discounts. Tonight, you can get $12 off a $44 bottle of Bergevin Lane Syrah. I got a DM on Twitter this morning alerting me to the special. Here's the link and here's a link to the wine specials for tonight. It's nice top see Bentley's doing some outreach to the locals instead of just relying on the hotel traffic. Even if it is just to unload some of their lesser known wine stock. The discount is for lounge customers only. I was in their recently for a drink and have to say that the clams were fantastic.

Trader Joe's

Update:  Salem Trader Joe's is now open at 4450 Commercial St SE
Update: 9:17pm
This is Salem Man;
That sign is real. The good news is that it's a building that is already built so I can't imagine it will take long for this thing to open. Can we get those Extreme Makeover folks to come by and set up this TJ's in a week? If you are as excited as I am, you can go to the TJ's website and sign up for their Fearless Flyer newsletter. Here's the link. I am especially happy tonight because this is the exact location that I mentioned a few years ago as the ideal location for this thing. Take a look at this old post and this one. Yes, I won at least one bet on that storefront. So how long will the line be on opening day? One more thing, on the "Put Trader Joe's in Salem Oregon" Facebook page, Lisa Stockburger Snively called it first on Sept 6th when she said;

"Is this true??? Trader Joe's is coming to Salem -- location, the long-vacant Albertson's on south Commercial, next to Rite Aid and close to WinCo. Should take about a year for the remodel. Let's hope it's really true this time!!!!"

Breaking news!!
Yes, it's true!
No signage mistake this time!
Thanks to a very reliable source, we've just learned that Salem, Oregon is going to have a Trader Joe's . . . in south Salem where the empty Albertson's building now stands.

Lunching Around Town

What's one of my favorite activities I look forward to every summer?  Lunching around town with friends.  What a great summertime treat!
First I enjoyed a leisurely lunch with Jonathon at Prudence Uncorked and then a few days later began to meet up with work pals for once a week lunches around downtown, south and Keizer.  I failed at taking pictures of every lunch, but we never failed to have a great time.


When Jonathon and I went for our lunch, we noted that only one employee was tending the seating, menus, water, taking and delivering of orders both inside and out (whew!).  While James did an excellent job, I decided to give Prudence Uncorked a call before showing up with a crew of 5 who would be ordering cocktails along with lunch.  Jonathon proclaimed his tuna sandwich one of the best he'd ever eaten, during my first visit and Linda Y. loved her portabella mushroom dish.  Linda G. enjoyed her wrap, except for the bits of chicken that were overly blackened.  The cocktails were also a big hit

Next on the list?  Outdoor dining at La Capitale Brasserie.  The sidewalk tables, cocktails and delicious entrees were a success with everyone, as well as the people watching to be had at the corner of High and State. We ended up seeing a past school parent we all knew who had just returned from a humanitarian trip to Haiti.

The following week we dined at Willamette Noodle Co., who also provides a nice outdoor dining spot.  Finally I had an opportunity to try their popular cheesy potato bacon soup.  And what a lovely cup of deliciousness it was!  Another thumbs up on lunches and cocktails from all.

We met for our fourth lunch at Thompson's Brew Pub.  My hope was to eat outside again, but the temperature was too cool.  Our food was tasty.  Three of us shared a pitcher of one of their seasonal brews and Linda G. had a delicious cocktail named "Sweet Tea Smash".  Funny thing, I ordered the same cocktail a week later at Boon's and it just didn't measure up to the first.

The following week, we had our fifth fun lunch at La Margarita Express on Chemekata.  I ended up having to text @AmberPadilla to find out the name of the drink in a bowl she introduced the happy hour group to, Consuela, as well as one of her favorite entrees--Huraches.  My brain was a total blank!

We made reservations for our last lunch at Caruso's Italian Cafe in Keizer.  I've been wanting to try their lunch special.  Unfortunately, the patio was closed due to the cooler temperatures that afternoon, so we settled for a table inside. Linda Y. said that her Halibut alla Piccata was the best entree she'd had all summer.

Overall, the service we received during our lunches was good, the best was at La Capitale and Prudence Uncorked.  Our best deals were a tie between La Margarita Express and Willamette Noodle Co..  Although, it's tough to compare, because sometimes I ordered one drink and sometimes two.  At each restaurant there were moments when we had to wait awhile to catch the wait staff's eye.  Never did we feel rushed, even though we were a group taking up valuable "real estate" for a long period of time.  I was pleased Salem has so many places (that serve cocktails) to choose from for a leisurely lunch.  If summer was a little longer we would've made our way to La Margarita, Word of Mouth, Jonathan's, Alessandro's, Wild Pear or Tuff Ranch.
Maybe next summer.

Mariscos Playa Azul

Listen to people and order what they tell you to order. That's what I need to remind myself when staring at a new menu.

A few months back the Mexican grocery store on Silverton Rd NE caught fire and burned to the ground. I happened to be in the neighborhood at the time and was talking to people about the businesses that were in there. If you remember, the sign had like 5  or 6 different names on it. I don't think I could come up with a better way to describe the place then the Mexican grocery store. Anyway, everyone was really sad that the guy that sells the chicken out front wouldn't be there. They said their chicken was the best in town, barbecued in a smoker out front. So the other day, I was driving up Silverton Rd, headed to Salvador's when I noticed smoke pouring out of a bbq in the parking lot next door to my destination. I pulled in to investigate and discovered, with my best broken Spanish, that these are the folks from the burned down grocery store.(I think)

Here's where things went the wrong direction for me. I went to the trailer to order, looking up at the menus on the side. When I say menus, I mean there was at least three different ones posted on the side. It looked like there was maybe three different businesses here? The price for tacos advertised out front, $1, was different from the price on the menu in front of me, $1.50. It really threw me off, so I went into a cautious mode. My default selection at a small Mexican restaurant is a carne asada burrito. Not even seeing it on the menu, I ordered a carne pollo buritto. Somehow they steered me into a "Super Burrito" with chicken for $5.

They must have thought I was some kind of big eater. This thing was huge, full of nice big chunks of that barbecued chicken. Biting into it unleashed a wave of the sauce pouring out the cavity I created with my bite. More napkins became immediately necessary but not easily found on the picnic table I was eating on. I used the ones I had efficiently, but they were not enough, leaving me with gooey hands post meal. I actually didn't eat the whole thing. It wasn't very good. The only reason to finish this thing off, was to satisfy my mother's voice in my head telling me "you have to clean your plate or there will be no dessert."(I wonder why my kids don't have that same voice. I guess I have more work to do with them.)

So, I ate as much of this massive tortilla with meat as I could stand, regretting that I didn't get the 1/4 chicken that I came there for. The chicken that everyone told me was great. Now I'm stuck with a dilemma. Should I go back to this taco stand that I didn't particularly like and try something else on the menu(mind you Salvador's is next door.) or do I cut my losses and try somewhere else? A google search didn't result in an address for this place yet, so I will give you the address for Salvador's, 3790 Silverton Rd. NE. Mariscos is in the parking lot next door on the other side of the bar.

I