The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current, August 30, 2018, Page 14, Image 25

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    14 // COASTWEEKEND.COM
Coast Weekend’s local
restaurant review
SALMONBERRY
SALOON
Salmonberry Saloon
breathes new life
into revered space
Review and photos by
THE MOUTH OF THE COLUMBIA
MOUTH@COASTWEEKEND.COM
FACEBOOK.COM/MOUTHOFTHECOLUMBIA
O
utside of Astoria, restaurants
with waterfront views are
surprisingly hard to come by
on the North Coast. Which makes
Wheeler’s Salmonberry Saloon,
planted on the banks of the Nehalem
Bay, a gem from the get-go.
But the Salmonberry is much
more than a sweet deck for burgers
and beer.
New owners Chantelle Hylton
and Patrick Rock have seen to that,
not only with extensive interior reno-
vations but a devotion to local foods
cultivated by a team of passionate
crafters.
When Hylton and Rock bought
the place last year (longtime resi-
dents may recall it as the Tsunami
Grill property), they recognized
the sweet spot that is the Nehalem
River Valley: the crossroads of coast
and country, where fishermen and
farmers meet.
Hylton and Rock assembled a
team psyched on the potential of
that abundance. Based on what local
farms and ranchers can offer, chef
Mike Aldridge is writing menus
weekly. On them the purveyors are
listed, including produce from North
Fork 53, seafood from Communi-
ty-Supported Fishery and beef from
Lance’s Farm Vittles. Even the tor-
tillas, from Three Sisters Nixtamal,
are made locally.
The specialists at the Salmonber-
ry continue. They have their own
baker (who’s selling loaves to go),
coffee expert and so on.
If this all sounds a bit too hipster-y,
fear not: The Salmonberry is far from
pretentious, responsive to its blue-col-
lar surroundings. Locals who enjoyed
the place in the past ought to have
every reason to love it now.
That’s partly because the filling
portions remain, and the prices are
mostly reasonable. All day long you
can get Hamm’s beer, on tap, for just
$2.50. A happy hour special once in-
cluded a pint with six chicken wings
for $6. Who can beat that?
Indeed, a significant chunk of
the menu remains familiar and
approachable bar food: No plate
is being assembled with tweezers.
Burgers, fries, steaks and hefty fried
things abound.
But there are more refined choic-
es, too, where thoughtful and vivid
flavors unfurl.
These are often the daily specials,
which have, at least on my visits,
tended toward the elemental and
exciting. They often reflect seafood
that’s in season — clams, mussels,
lingcod, halibut collar and others —
but there’s been quail, steaks, pork
loin and more.
From the specials, I had the Chi-
nook Salmon ($26). It had a terrific
thin crust and flaky, buttery, melty
insides. It was sourced and cooked
as well as, if not better than, you’ll
find at most fine-dining establish-
ments in the region. The accoutre-
ments — braised fennel, gremolata,
asparagus and grapes sliced thin
as dimes — were well paired and
similarly delectable.
Another special, the Elote ($5)
— Mexican-style grilled corn on
the cob — was gleefully messy. An
endearingly messy swirl of avocado
crema, Cotija cheese, cilantro and
chili spices, it took me to a backyard
BBQ.
I dabbled in the regular menu,
too, though deciding what to sample
at the Salmonberry was tougher than
usual: I wanted so much to try the
poke, the cioppino, the kale Caesar
Rating: 
380 S. Marine Drive
Wheeler, Ore. 97147
503-714-1423
Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday,
Wednesday and Thursday; 11
a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Satur-
day. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
Price: $-$$ — Deals to be had
alongside refined local offerings
Service: Engaged and inspired
Drinks: Full bar
Grilled Chicken Sandwich
KEY TO STAR RATING SYSTEM
 Poor
 Below average
 Worth returning
 Very good
 Excellent, best in region
Elote
and more. I’ll get to them eventually,
time and waistline willing.
As an especially food-focused
friend raved about the Grilled Chick-
en Sandwich ($14) and its vibrant
chimichurri, I had to try it. He was
right to do so. The chicken breast in
this stout fire hydrant of a sandwich
was perfectly grilled, the bun terrific,
the slaw bright and the quick pickles
delightful.
I had a side salad with housemade
avocado Dijon vinaigrette dressing.
(All of the dressings are house-
made.) It had the kind of freshness
you don’t find at most restaurants,
and an earthiness you normally find
only at the farmers market.
This is the taste of the North
Coast.
I found it, too, in the Rockfish Ta-
cos ($18), and the Charcuterie Board
($16), which featured a parade of
pickled local produce and cheese
from Nestucca Bay Creamery. It
isn’t usually the case with such a
dish that you find yourself wanting
for more bread, but the hearty, rustic
wheat of Phil’s Wild Bread was
actually in short supply. It’s good
freakin’ bread!
You’ll find similar dedication
at the bar. A daily special Smoked
Blackberry Margarita ($10) was
the most permeating, lingering
smoke I’ve ever drank. It got that
way because someone took the
time to smoke local blackberries at
the height of the season. (And by
“height of season” I mean both the
blackberries and the tourist influx.)
How the Salmonberry’s dove-
tailing with local produce and meats
shifts throughout the leaner winter
months remains to be seen. But
given their ingenuity heretofore, I’ve
no reason to doubt. During the dark
time of year, when traffic is down
but locals need outlets, not only of
community but creativity, the Salm-
onberry’s crafting could flourish.
Speaking of expansion, I’d be
remiss not to mention the stage
upstairs. Or at least there used to be
a stage, back in the Tsunami Grill
days. I’ve heard it was one of the
more compelling concert venues on
the North Coast. And knowing the
history of co-owner Hylton, I can’t
help but wonder — or, rather, hope
— if more music is in the Salmon-
berry’s future.
You see, Hylton had a successful
career as a concert booker. She was
a trendsetter in Portland before mov-
ing to New York City, working at the
top of the industry.
In the lead-up to the Salmonber-
ry’s opening, Hylton booked a con-
cert to promote of the restaurant’s
coming. It was a good get: Chris
Thomas King, known for his role
in the film “O Brother, Where Art
Thou?” A sign of things to come? A
second phase? Time will tell.
But first and foremost, Salmon-
berry is a restaurant. Food comes
first, and it’s thoughtful and excel-
lent. Into this revered space, the
Salmonberry team’s bubbling enthu-
siasm and know-how have breathed
new life. CW