Josey's Restaurant 2009

You're right, Jonathon and I are a little nuts--attending the Wednesday Farmer's Market and eating lunch elsewhere. How could we possibly turn down all those food choices? We went to the market early and my oatmeal was still holding steady. Besides we needed to run an errand on the north end of town. So a stop at Josey's for lunch really did make perfect sense. My only regret is not having one of their shakes, but a hamburger and a shake in the afternoon on a warm day would turn me into a lawnchair potato until sundown.

We sat in one of their small booths by the front window across from the bar. The waitress who is always ready with a smile and a welcome, handed us menus. I asked her which burger she'd recommend and she suggested both the Manhattan or Bacon & Swiss. I ordered the Manhattan with tots and an iced tea. Jonathon ordered a club sandwich with fries and a cola.

Our food arrived, looking freshly prepared and inviting. My hamburger sported a soft, fresh, sesame seed bun, with a succulent, flavorful patty--oozing meaty goodness. The lettuce and pickle were crisp, the cheese melted just right and the grilled onions were delicious. I wish the tomato had been a bit riper, but at least it was a healthy slice. The generous serving of tots was crisp and not overly greasy. What a great burger!
~Take it away, Jonathon~

Nothing was life changing about my Club Sandwich, but who can argue with bacon? The bread was nicely toasted and the lettuce was nice and crisp, but it was the bacon and mayo that make this sandwich one of my all time favorites. I know that there was also turkey and ham on the sandwich, but it could have been anything. Seemed like standard deli slices. I suggested to K that it would be better with a good cheese. She said that that phrase is going to go on my tombstone! Overall, I'd say it was about average, nothing special, but satisfying all the same.

My biggest disappointment was the fries, though. While they were plenty in quantity (as you can see), they had very little flavor or texture at all. I prefer crispy fries, which you can only get by frying them twice. They were void of any seasoning at all. I had to add plenty of table salt and steal some of K's really good tots to get my fix.

Josey's Restaurant
2280 Broadway Street Northeast
Salem, OR 97301
503 399-0046
At the intersection of Pine and Broadway
Hours: Monday - Saturday 7AM-2PM, Sunday 8AM-1PM
(I did notice that they're open until 8 PM on Fridays--maybe summer hours?)