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Salem Top Recommendations:
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7/13/08 GJ: Family owned and run restaurant. The food is excellent and the prices are reasonable. You will most likely be taking food home. They make their food fresh, so if you have special requests they are able to make the adjustments. The crab wonton is excellent: light and crispy. All of their dishes can be ordered to the heat level that you like. My favorites: Curry Beef and Garlic Chicken. They also have vegetarian choices. Because of it being a family restaurant, the children have a study area. You may be entertained with lessons, or sibling squabbles. I have been eating at this restaurant for over 12 years. I hope to continue for many more years of happy eating.
10/17/08 IS: J Bella's Ristorante - A very good italian/american restaurant comparable in pri ce and quality to Ragin' River. They serve a lot of pasta and italian-style dis hes and I've never had a bad one. They serve a great lunch for the price ($8-$12). They opened a couple years ago in another historic building downtown - corner of Main and B Streets. Nice light, open setting with a good wine selection. Apparently they have a bloody mary bar on saturday mornings. This was my favorite restaurant out of Albany, Corvallis, Independence before Ragin River opened.
10/16/08 IS: Ragin' River opened over the July 4th weekend this year (2008) in a historic building on Main Street. Really nice exposed brick, open floor plan with a wine shop attached. Big, tall windows give a great view of the amphitheater and willamette river across the street - apparently you can easily see the fire works from inside the restaurant. I think the food here is as good as anything I've had - including several places in Albany/Corvallis that cost more. Average per plate cost is $10-$15 although the steaks get expensive in a hurry. It's steakhouse and seafood dishes with some twists like salmon fish and chips (great) and an awesome pesto ravioli. I only had the steak once, but thought it was very well done. There's a few standard dishes and the rest changes. I've loved what I ordered all of the 4 or 5 times I've eaten there. The service can be a bit slow, but they're working on that and they have great waitstaff. I always think the portions look small when they arrive, but I always seem to be full by the time I'm done. Nice little martini bar in the back and a great patio. Great desserts too - the fried cheesecake is an artery clogger, but you will die happy. I don't know what the address is, but it's on Main Street between C and B Streets.