The first of many.....

Some might describe me as a foodie, chowhound, collector of cookbooks, serious amateur gourmet but certainly not a critic. Here lies the first of my views on various dining options around Salem.....let me know if you agree or not.... In the short time I've been here, what I considered a culinary wasteland has shown some promise, hopefully this will continue.

One local spot that has generated some buzz not only online but by word of mouth is of course the aptly named Word of Mouth Bistro. Having been there a few times I have appreciated their good service, solid if somewhat uninspired food and reasonable prices. Last night however I was reminded why in the restaurant business you are only as good as your last meal.

Previous dining choices have included their

Bistro Burger- tasty and full flavored, decent portion accompanied by some steak fries which were no better than average.

Veggie Burger- a large homemade burger which was not eager to stay together and was clearly cooked with quite a bit of oil. Seems to me a bit counterproductive to eat what many might plan on being a healthy alternative to meat only to have it arrive drenched in grease.

Spinach Artichoke Dip- warm, gooey, fresh veggies, chips, perfect

Chowder- A bowl of good chowder is one of my favorites but it so often misses the mark (like french onion soup, but that's another story). The menu says amazing, I'd say I've had better and I've had many that are worse.

Turkey Burger- Conjures up thoughts of dust storms and tumble weeds as these tend to be dry. Theirs was moist, the chutney on the bun wasn't to my palate but those with me were approving. Oprah says it's the "best in the world", perhaps.....certainly beats most hands down.

In all good value for money and a place that was becoming the go to spot for a quick bite.

Yesterday, we were thinking of where to go for a casual dinner and while I felt like a Cobb Salad at Bentley's (a rare highlight in an otherwise pretty dismal place) we ended up at Word of Mouth. Business is clearly good as we snagged the last free table on the front porch. The sun was blinding through the windows but once we put down the shades things looked promising. Service friendly, if somewhat amateur. I chose a pork skewer special and my date chose the burger that she had enjoyed in the past. The wait was somewhat long but a salad that came with my meal and some bread passed the time. I should note that the side salads here are worthy of praise, crisp lettuce, a nice selection of fresh veggies, so much better than the usual iceberg lettuce, slice of cucumber, wedge of tomato and stale croutons one most often is given.

When our food does finally arrive, the burger is dry and quite charred....acceptable but barely. To their credit we did not specify how we wanted it, though we weren't asked. The thought of sending it back was tempered by the time it took to get it. My pork skewers were tender and the Asian inspired marinade was well balanced. Portion size was barely adequate for a meal that was 15$. Sides were some plain white (Basmati) rice and mixed veggies which were perfectly cooked and seasoned. Did we have room for dessert? No one asked and our check was promptly delivered to our table. Perhaps they were looking to quickly turn over tables? Simply an oversight?

Word of Mouth, I really wanted to like you. Our first "few dates" gave me hope that we could have a relationship, now I'm not so sure. Will I give you a second chance? Probably.