The Ledger, restaurant Review
One of the things I’m learning as I find myself traveling more, is that flexibility is a requirement. Any rigidity is going to lead to a worse experience. I’m not saying to never plan, I’m just saying that should a plan change, there’s no value in panicking. There’s almost always a solution.
Tonight I had a reservation for 6pm at The Front Room in Portland, ME. I left my house about 2 hours later than I planned. I hit Friday Afternoon traffic much earlier than I expected. I stopped at a rest area to stretch my legs about 2.5 hours into my drive, and while I was there I made the call to get myself a 5:15pm reservation to dine in Salem, MA. I was hungry. I wasn’t sure how much more traffic I’d encounter. I can try The Front Room another time.
I found a restaurant that topped a Top 10 list. It was ranked as the “Best fun restaurant in Salem,” so I decided to give it a go.
Regretfully I arrived at The Ledger severely under-dressed. I wore rainbow bike shorts and a Borgin and Burke’s (Harry Potter) shirt. They are decidedly a hip, upscale joint. Upon entry, when I checked in for my reservation, a stylishly dressed cheerful human greeted me with a, “I’m glad you’re here!”
I was given my choice of tables but chose to sit where it was most convenient for the restaurant. I was seated at a table where I had a full view of the delightful chandelier in the center of the room. I also noticed the exposed brick on the far wall & the vintage-style art on the walls.
The cocktail menu looked divine. However, I decided on a Blueberry Lemon bar beer from a New Hampshire (New England) Brewery. It’s from Smuttynose, for those of you who enjoy microbrews. I like my sours to be jaw-clenchingly-sour, and while this beer didn’t quite provide that level of bite, it was so pleasant for sipping while I wrote.
For my appetizer I ordered the Popover with Herb butter and it’s likely one of the best choices I’ve ever made.
My server (Marina) took special care with my food allergies, giving me double-butter when she realized there’s Dill in the Beef Tallow that comes with the Popovers.
It’s regrettable that I’m working with a limited appetite these days, as this bread deserves one’s full appreciation. She noticed that I was saving a Popover to bring home with me. She offered a container. She also provided reheating instructions so it’d be just like new at home.
For my main course I ordered a braised beef ragu. The smell of the piping hot ragu was intoxicating and I fear that it will leave me wanting the next time I try to make pasta at home. Despite my hunger, I took my time savoring the incredible pasta dish, this is not a meal to rush through. The refreshing creamy/cheesy part cuts through the heavy umami flavor of the sauce. It invites you to continue enjoying bite after bite.
I did save a little of my Popover to dip in the sauce, which was a tasty choice, but I believe both items shine far more when they stand alone.
I wasn’t planning on getting dessert at The Ledger when I arrived, and that thought was doubled, because I was full after eating 1/3 of my pasta, but I don’t have the willpower to refuse trying Key Lime Creme Brûlée. Each menu item called my name, but there’s something so satisfying about cracking open the top of a creme brûlée, and so fun about adding Key Lime pie ingredients, I couldn’t resist. If the restaurant wasn’t already beckoning me to return with Brian, the dessert menu alone would serve as a siren’s song, pulling me back to Salem.
I ordered the creme brûlée as well as a container, as there’s no way I could finish a decadent dessert right now. The key lime is more sweet than tart, especially following a sour beer, but the dessert is excellent. Decorated with adorable edible spring flower blossoms the treat reminded me of the Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot in a delightful way.
While this is an excellent spot for a working dinner for me, I firmly believe that this would be the perfect date spot for both locals and vacationers alike. On first impressions alone, I would also go so far as to say that a trip to Salem isn’t complete without a meal at The Ledger.
I wouldn’t call myself a real food or restaurant critic by any means, but as a Travel Agent and self-proclaimed foodie, I feel as though it’s my duty to discuss the food when I visit a new and/or popular destination. I’m glad to have stopped in Salem during the “off season” as I cannot fathom the Disney-World-level crowds that haunt this spooky city from August-November.
Based on this experience alone I’m planning to come spend an entire weekend in Salem so Brian and I can explore the charming New England city and all of the witchy history contained within. I noticed that The Ledger has a weekend Brunch Menu, so I’ll be returning to try that as well.
This endearing city has made a surprisingly strong positive first impression on me, could this be witchcraft?
AnimalKingdom BarCrawl cruise dak DCL disneyband disneyband+ Disney Cruise Disney Cruise Line DisneyDining DisneySprings DisneyWorld Dolphin Resort EPCOT Epic Universe fashion Festival Florida Flower and Garden Food food review Harry Potter HollywoodStudios Jeff Galloway magicband magicband+ Magic Kingdom MagicKingdom memory maker photopass plussize plussized pooh sized review Rope Drop skyliner solo travel texas The Fountain TravelAgent Universal Orlando Universal Studios vacation WaltDisneyWorld WDW
Leave a Reply