Next stop!!

Hey ya'll!!! (a little Paula Dean for everyone.)

I'm thrilled to announce my next location: Caruso's Italian Café & Catering. I'm excited to have the opportunity to visit this exclusive eatery located in Keizer, Oregon. The date of the review will be the 29th. I'll be getting that review over to my editor to follow that and have the blog uploaded in February---I'm shooting for no later than the 15th.

I'm still in the process of choosing the person who will go with me; that'll be fun too. Can't wait to have you folks check this out. Post at ya soon!


Nick

Jonathan’s Breaks Even

Lemon Squeeze (Summary)

Name: Jonathan’s

Location: 136 High St. Salem, Oregon 97301

Phone Number: 503-689-1051

Type: Seafood

Reservations required? No

Site: www.myjonathansrestaurant.com

Overall Rating: Two Lemon Twists (See rating scale at the end of the blog)

Summary: A great place to go to get amazing, fresh seafood if you’re not in a hurry

Full Review

This location is the best place to start a blog like this. It didn’t disappoint, but it didn’t rise to meet my expectations either. Below are some specifics on how I reached “two out of three” Lemon Twists. To be upfront, the restaurant only redeemed itself in the Service section based on our initial seating and first encounter with the staff. Take a look at what I mean:

When you first come into the elegant and upscale (for Salem anyway) location in downtown you’re already excited. It has a classy “waterfront-esque” décor with attractive low-lit dining rooms. Jonathan’s  is a good place to have a meal with a close friend, significant other, or even a small intimate group of friends or family members. While reservations are not required, it would be best for a weekend visit or for larger groups as it can be busy.

The good news is because of our reservations, we were immediately seated. That started us off on the right foot. The table was clean, presentable and ready for some fun! My guest, who I’ll call “SB,” and I looked over the regular menu and also the requested vegetarian menu. We were greeted at our table by one of the hostess staff who got our drinks. I was hopeful the evening would meet all my expectations since the initial service was both efficient and friendly.

But that’s where the service diminished. Once we were “passed” to our server, the excellent client service I was expecting and already used to based on how outstanding the hostess was, never really arrived at the table. Our server came to talk with us eight minutes after being seated, a far cry from the fast service you’d expect at most eateries.

We ordered our meals and received the bread and salads quickly and the meals followed with ideal timing. This fast service with order to table, combined with the excellent service from check-in were the only two aspects that saved Jonathan’s from getting zero Lemon Twists for the Service section of the evaluation.

Our waiter did not check back with us even once as soon as the food had been served until we were ready for dessert (which I asked about rather than being offered). He also forgot the ketchup earlier that he had offered to bring until I asked for it. The food helped alleviate most of the stress I had from the lack of being checked on throughout the meal. SB got the wild halibut, grilled with rice pilaf and salad. She stated that the house dressing was “light and refreshing” and I tried a little of her fish and rice pilaf. We both loved the halibut as it wasn’t heavy but rather moist, not burned like so often happens with fish. The rice pilaf was enjoyable too, but I would stay away from it if you have a sensitive stomach, as it has an unexpected burst of onions in it. This entrée is in the $20=$25 price range

I ordered the fish and chips, for what better way to try a seafood restaurant than to have the traditional dish? While they did have halibut available, I ordered the cod fish and chips, which was served with their fresh French fries. Both the fish and the fries were served straight from the fryer and tasted better than most I’ve had---even along the coast in Oregon and Washington. The portions were smaller than expected for an American eatery, but as SB reminded me “Americans are used to larger portions than they need,” which of course is so very true. The fish & chips meal is in the $10-$15 range.

We both enjoyed our salads and bread, which were clearly made fresh and had a hint of garlic. The food met our expectations and in SB’s case, almost exceeded her expectations. If you’re looking for great seafood in the Salem area Jonathan’s is your place. We also ordered carrot cake for dessert. While a staple for many dessert menus, it tasted fresh and I couldn’t get enough of it. It’s a great choice for any sweet tooth. For the Food section, Jonathan’s passes because it has  met or exceeded my expectations when it comes to food quality and presentation. The restaurant earns the one Lemon Twist for the Food section.

Remember that headline though? “Jonathan’s Breaks Even” --- How did it fare overall? Well, we’ve seen how excellent their customer service was from the reservation being followed through with (very easy to do on their site too by the way) to the quick meal service. But wait! Why does Jonathan’s only get one Lemon Twist versus two in the Service section? In addition to the server forgetting my ketchup and not checking back, there were significant delays in check out along with not offering once to refill my watered-down next-to-empty soda. The last half of the dining experience left a lot to be desired when it comes to efficient and friendly service. They were redeemed only by their earlier successes so Jonathan’s rates one Lemon Twist in the Service section for a total of two overall. My only suggestion to you as the reader is that while it’s an excellent choice for appetizing seafood in the Salem area, I would not plan anything afterwards; you might be late.

Your Customer Service Expert,

Nick

Do you have questions or comments? Feel free to leave a comment below or email me at the email address in the profile section of the site.

Evaluation Scale/Rating:

0 Lemon Twists: Avoid the location
1 Lemon Twists: Go whilst drunk as you won’t want to remember your visit there
2 Lemon Twists: The location would be great to visit overall.
3 Lemon Twists: AMAZING location; highly recommended.