Emerald Eve in Salem offers sweet reprieve from bad weather, bad moods
A Chicken Italy sandwich with chicken strips, the Burger: Americano and a pizza sandwich at Emerald Eve Cafe in Salem.
A Chicken Italy sandwich with chicken strips, the Burger: Americano and a pizza sandwich at Emerald Eve Cafe in Salem.
The chicken strips with fries at Emerald Eve Cafe in Salem.
A pizza sandwich at Emerald Eve Cafe in Salem.
The Chicken Italy, Burger: Americano and a pizza sandwich at Emerald Eve Cafe in Salem.
The Chicken Italy sandwich at Emerald Eve Cafe in Salem.
A Burger: Americano at Emerald Eve Cafe in Salem.
Georgia Peach and Cherry Coco Sprite at Emerald Eve in Salem.
Burger: Americano, a traditional cheeseburger at Emerald Eve Cafe in Salem.
It was a dark, blustery Friday night as we made our way to Salem for dinner, dampness still clinging to the world around us, leaving a vivid reminder of the particularly rainy, windy day we’d already endured.
Though we wouldn’t generally make that kind of a trek for dinner so late in the evening, the idea of something, or somewhere, new, regardless of location, far outweighed any desire to cobble together a dinner at home. So out we ventured.
Being from a small town in Idaho, I’m not unfamiliar with living on the outskirts of big city life, but as we left well-lighted roads for some less populous country ones, my past decade or more of living in the hub of Provo left me questioning why anyone would want to live so far away from “civilization.”
In reality, it wasn’t even a 20-minute drive from our home to the Emerald Eve Café in Salem, but the weather, combined with a car full of “hangry” adults and sleep-deprived small children made it feel longer, and seeing the bright green sign from the road came as a blessed relief.
I first heard about Emerald Eve from a coworker pulling together some great local places to grab a waffle, and after perusing the online menu, I knew we had to give it a try. When key offerings include a menu of tasty burgers, seasoned fries, towering shakes and six different kinds of stellar-sounding waffles, it’s not a hard decision to make.
Walking in, we found instant reprieve from the cold and wet, with a downhome country feel accented by tall ceilings, wooden walls and a hodgepodge collection of chairs lined up along a table that ran the majority length of the outer wall. Most of the main dining area’s inner tables were still cluttered, clear evidence of a recent rush, while families and friends filled the remaining tables, laughing at unspoken jokes and just enjoying the environment.
Off to the right of the entrance, a second large room housed more tables, some comfortable couch seating options, large screen televisions, and a row of guests at an all-ages Paint Nite, making me wish I’d had the foresight to combine my foray into the culinary realm with some artistic accents. A quick online search led me to see this might just be a monthly occurrence, so there’s a good chance we’ll be returning to expand our meal sampling and painting abilities.
The ultimate feel of the restaurant was almost the biggest draw, with friendly staff quick to offer suggestions on food and even just stop to chat on a more personal level, reminding me of one of the many reasons I love smaller towns. Not only did I feel instantly welcomed, but a promise of a treasure or treat for well-behaved kids led to one of the most peaceful dining experiences I’ve had in recent months. Thank you, Emerald Eve staff.
After some hemming and hawing, the kids decided to share the Burger: Americano – a traditionally decked cheeseburger complete with a hearty side of fries for just $8. My husband went for the Chicken Tenders (five plus fries for $7), while I decided on the Chicken Italy, a scrumptious sandwich packed with chicken, black olives, mozzarella, provolone, marinara sauce and spinach, and fries included for $8.
Though I knew we’d be amply full with our current order, I couldn’t help but also snag a kids’ portion Pizza Sandwich out of sheer curiosity, knowing we’d get to take home any leftovers.
Within moments of ordering, we were already enjoying some of the restaurant’s specialty drink options, which includes a variety of fun-named flavor combinations that can be added to any soda of your choice. After finding out root beer wasn’t an option, we cast aside the thought of the “Harry Potter” – caramel, butterscotchy goodness with whipped cream on top, instead opting for the sweet flavor of Georgia Peach and Cherry Coco – the latter of which is essentially a coconut cherry limeade, while the kids enjoyed the blue raspberry flavor of the “Skyhawk Blue.”
It was fun to learn that even the flavor-blended drinks were included free with a kids meal, and adult options were surprisingly affordable too, making the venue an easy, meal-equipped alternative to local soda shacks. Plus refills.
Though I’d probably avoid the distinction of “fine dining” as the restaurant’s website describes, we thoroughly enjoyed taste-testing unique fry flavor combinations when our food arrived. Not only were fries included with each meal, they were crisp with a variety of free flavors, including garlic rosemary, ranch and Cajun (cheese could be added for a small fee). Though it was pretty much just a sprinkling of seasoning on top, it was so fun and tasty that all the fries were the first thing to go from our sampling of foods.
The Chicken Tenders were probably the next favorite, with a thick, crisp exterior and a deliciously moist and tender chicken center that made me wish there was a little more chicken to the crisp. I also thoroughly enjoyed my Chicken Italy, with equally moist and flavorful chicken combining with sauces such as marinara and pesto to make it a fun adventure every bite. Though I ordered the full sandwich, I’m now wishing I’d opted for half – I had plenty of leftovers and was full to the brim, wishing I had room to try a waffle or shake.
My snatched bites of the burger made me wish for a bit more tender juiciness, but I loved the toppings on the pizza sandwich, despite the unique texture of the marinara sauce.
One big thing Emerald Eve offers that I want to try more than anything on a return visit is one of the exciting breakfast options – Le Cream Pancake (cream filling, chocolate syrup, caramel ,whipped cream), Strawberry Burst French Toast, Sin & Sugar Waffle (brown sugar, cinnamon, whipped cream), Raspberries & Cream Waffles, Chicken Waffles and an Ice Cream Sunday Waffle.
The only reason I opted for something else on this particular visit was the fear of excessive sugary goodness on an essentially empty stomach. Combine those options with the promise of mint chocolate, strawberry, raspberry, banana, peanut butter, brownie or Oreo shake, and I’m left wondering if I missed out on the best parts of Emerald Eve.
Regardless, the ambiance and at-home feel combined with the pricing and the fun-centric setup are enough to make me want to head back to that little oasis in the proverbial wilderness.
EMERALD EVE RESTAURANT
Where: 192 UT-198, Salem
Hours: Thursday, noon to 8 p.m., Friday-Saturday noon to 9 p.m., closed Sunday-Wednesday
Cost: $3-$10
Info: (801) 210-2787, emeraldeve.club