Mezza Platter
Opus

Opus

87 Washington St (at Essex St), Salem, Massachusetts, USA, 01970, United States

Wine • French • Seafood • American


"Some great Japanese fusion and Japanese inspired food! One of the best meals my entire group had during our long weekend in the Boston area. Breakdown below: Service, 3.5/5 The hostess was very helpful and even though we were told there was going to be a 30+ minute wait, we were called in after just 10 minutes and promptly seated. Our server was really nice and let us know the water cups were being washed so that would be delayed, which was no problem, but she never ended up bringing us water the entire meal and only got glasses as we were paying. After the first few minutes, we also weren't able to find her to flag her down about the water, but I understand it must be particularly busy during Halloween season in Salem. Decor and cleanliness, 5/5 Although the restaurant seemed crowded, we were able to stay socially distanced from other patrons in a booth and the interior was decorated in a really rustic and fun way. The bar lights up so all the drinks look like they glow in the dark, and there's a lower level with a bar area as well. The patio was really cute under string lights too when we passed by on our way out. Presentation of the food, 5/5 All very well put together, especially the salmon bowl I got. It just looked fantastic! Price and portion, 4.5/5 The price is just a taaaad high, but the portions are perfectly sized so overall reasonable for the area. Taste of the food, 5/5 Everything we ordered was delicious!! Such a satisfying meal after all the window shopping and touring we did. Here's a detailed breakdown: Cold noodles, 5/5: Made with avocado and chilled noodles, the dish was somehow both creamy but still refreshing. A great vegetarian option that my friend ordered as an entree! Salmon bowl, 4.5/5: The beautiful presentation, generous portion of fresh fish (perfect fish to rice ratio), and perfect size made this one of my favorite meals in the Boston area. I only wish I got water during the meal to help cut the spice from the chili mayo on the rice. Also! Be aware that they season the rice already at the bottom of the bowl which you can't see at first, so there's probably no need to add soy sauce to your fish. It ended up being a little too salty but that's my own fault because I should have mixed up the bowl first. A bit more cucumber and orange would've also made it a perfect 5/5 to cut the spice and saltiness, but again I think it was a byproduct of not having water and adding soy sauce when the rice was actually already seasoned. Coconut curry, 5/5: My friend ordered this and really enjoyed it! I also tried some and the sauce is savory and sweet, a really nice combo and also a great vegan option. Overall, lovely experience!"

Cafe Landwer Beacon Street

Cafe Landwer Beacon Street

900 Beacon StMA 02215, Boston, United States

Juice • Coffee • Western • Breakfast


"A charming little cafe with plenty of plant-based (vegan) options but plenty for carnivores too. They were a little bit understaffed and the hosts seemed stressed, despite it not being terribly busy yet (lots of tables filled, but no wait). However, everyone was kind and accommodating. I met a friend of mine here and our seating was cozy but gave us sufficient space. One of my pet peeves is cafes and restaurants that squeeze the tables so close together that you end up bumping into your neighbour as you cut your food! This was cozy, but only cozy ... no elbow contact here. The atmosphere is pleasant. It reminds me a lot of the cool little cafes you'll find in millennial-heavy areas of London. Brightly-lit, plants, mirrors, and some vintage-inspired decor. The outdoor seating is limited but very nice. The noise level isn't too bad at all, especially considering that by the time we left it was early afternoon on a weekend and getting much busier. One major disappointment for me was that the hemp/oat milk has been removed from the menu, but it's still listed there. This seems a little odd to me, since there are some really well-considered plant-based options as far as food goes. The exclusion here means that the only plant milks are soy and almond--the two worst options for vegans. Almond often burns and has that acrid taste, and soy is ... soy. Coconut, oat, rice, hemp, or pea milks would all be much appreciated. Oat is popular in cafes which are much less vegan-friendly, and the vast majority of places now at least have coconut milk. My friend had the turkey bacon benedict and I had the vegan breakfast--both excellent. The vegan breakfast came in lots of little pots on a tray--very cute and very satisfying to have a small taste of everything! There was a lot of food. We both said how much we enjoyed it, and I will definitely want to return to try the vegan shakshuka as well as some of the lunch and dinner options."

Jerusalem Grill

Jerusalem Grill

203 N Loop 1604 W, San Antonio, United States

Greek • Grill • Lebanese • Middle Eastern


"The sizes of the appetizers—tzatziki, hummus, and a cucumber salad—were decent, but the main dish for "two" seemed more suitable for one person. The flavors were impressive, and the bread was excellent! Our server was great at getting us refills. As the restaurant grew busier, it was clear they only had three servers on duty for a full house, which is understandable, so we tried to be patient. However, it was a bit strange that most of the servers appeared to lack customer interaction and friendliness; it felt very transactional—just come in, sit down, eat, and leave. After our meal, we tried to flag down our server to order baklava, but he was called away by a larger table, so we waited patiently. Eventually, another server came by to check if we wanted our bill. We mentioned we’d ordered two baklava, and he got them for us, but then handed us our check along with the to-go baklava. It felt odd since we wanted to enjoy our dessert as part of our date night. It seemed like they wanted us to pay and leave as soon as possible. Overall, the food and flavors were good! Next time, we plan to order individual meals and try other dishes because everything we saw being served to other tables looked delicious. I’m definitely interested in returning to sample more items. Just a heads-up: it’s a busy spot, so arrive early, and don't take the service too personally. I've noticed this pattern in other reviews as well."