Sunday dinner plans for #TheBaldOne included a properly cooked Steak. Ledger Restaurant was the spot and they did it right.

This was time to check out the Specials instead of the regular menu items.

First up was the house-made Hot Italian Sausage with peppers, onions, and mushrooms. Our guy should have paid better attention as to what the sauce was called. Despite that oversight rest assured that both the sausage and the sauce would be a hit in any league. When all was said and done the plate was clean.

As for the Sirloin, it was indeed cooked properly and every bite was simply a delight. The kitchen team knows how to char to add flavor, and char they did indeed. Even the delicious vegetable medley featured a bit of beautiful, palate pleasing singe.

The Pinot Noir Rosé by was delightful.

One if these day #TheBaldOne is going to try to make a withdrawal from the small saving account he had at Salem Savings Bank back in in his early elementary school years.

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A Glass of Pinot Noir Rosé at Ledger Restaurant.

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Another snack stop on Saturday evening was Ledger Restaurant, with a patio table being requested. It was too sweet a night to be stuck indoors. We were fortunate enough to be seated at at table where #AmiableAmy was on duty.

Popovers were ordered and eaten too quickly for a proper photo except for one quick shot as a bite was dipped into the savory beef drippings. They also come with an excellent house lemon-thyme butter that was put to very good use.

Then it was time for Oysters. These fresh, delightfully briny dollops on the half-shell were a refreshing touch on a summer’s evening.

A confession is made here. There may have been a Rittenhouse Bottled-in-Bond Rye Whiskey in the mix somewhere.

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Brunch last Sunday at Ledger Restaurant exceeded expectations.

Their 22-Ounce Bloody Mary was a great start. The bartenders here are not afraid of expressing themselves with horseradish. It’s been said that horseradish, a cruciferous vegetable, alongside mustard, wasabi, cabbage, broccoli, and kale, contains multiple compounds that may provide health benefits, including antibacterial and anticancer effects. #TheBaldOne appreciates that, but likes it for the pungent spiciness it delivers.

Nowadays the Ledger team offers both a Donut of the Day and a Pastry of the Day. the Pastry was requested without asking for any details, and he was pleasantly surprised to see a Cinnamon Roll topped with blueberry frosting, and stuffed to the point of bursting with blueberry jelly. This was a sinful treat and every bite brought with it delicious pangs of luscious, delightful guilt. Sister Alice Rose of St. Mary’s Elementary School no doubt looked down from her heavenly perch with a scolding look and a watering mouth.

The Croque Madame was selected. North Country ham, gruyere, béchamel, farm greens, sunny side egg. You could call this a breakfast sandwich stuffed with ham, topped with an egg, and bathed in a béchamel sauce. Every bite was savored, and all of the sauce sopped up to fortify those bites.

The Greens that dress the plate are always fresh, crisp, and citrusy.

Ledger continues to be the Brunch trendsetter in Salem.

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In a town with many a good spot for Sunday Brunch, and even more good spots for a proper Burger, Ledger Restaurant continues to stand out.

Let’s start with the beverage. Bissell Brothers of Portland, Maine is a favorite brewery of #TheBaldOne. They know what a Pilsner is, and they surely how to brew one. Their Precept Pilsner is “approachable, snappy, and refreshing, a faithful take on a German-style pilsner. 100% Maine pilsner malt base, hopped with German-grown Mittelfrüh and Saphir, and horizontally lagered for over a month.” This is an excellent quaff.

How about the Burger. Well, a double-patty always catches the eye and appetite of our follically destitute hero. While these are smashed patties, they are thick enough the menu offers them “pink or not pink.” This Burger was obviously pink. The difference in the Ledger burgers and other burgers in town is their use of Brandt Beef. Brandt raises only one breed, Holsteins.
They grow their own grasses, alfalfa, Bermuda, and Sudan, rotate the crops, and use natural pest control. The cattle are fed a 100% vegetarian diet and are never given any hormones, anti-antagonists, or anti-biotics. In the opinion of #TheBaldOne this makes for a fresher, better textured, better tasting Burger. This one hit all of the high points.

Oh, and the Breakfast Potatoes are our man’s favorite breakfast side in town.

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Up until this past Sunday #TheBaldOne had only ever eaten a Popover at The Continental. There’s no particular reason for this. It’s just the way it worked out.

This Popover at Ledger Restaurant was a light snack with #TerribleTee as they roamed about and caused great trouble in downtown Salem. As you can see taking a photo was the secondary consideration at the time. Grabbing a piece of that Popover was priority one.

Oh, and the Hot Cross Bun didn’t last a minute either.

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It may not be too late to make an Easter reservation at Ledger Restaurant.

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The Ledger Restaurant Daily Donuts just may be calling your name today.

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These Breakfast Potatoes are served every Sunday at the Ledger Restaurant Brunch.

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Ledger Restaurant

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Two Patty Burger at Ledger Restaurant.

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Ledger Restaurant and Sunday Brunch await you tomorrow.

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Ledger Restaurant

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Despite the claims of downtown Salem being packed this weekend, #TheBaldOne easily found a seat at Ledger Restaurant quickly last Sunday for Brunch. No line. No waiting. Usually by 10:30 the place is packed, and you have to wait. But there were very few locals despite there being parking available, and seats unoccupied.

Yes Saturday was very busy, but not even close to how busy the six previous Saturdays had been. It’s time for locals to reclaim our downtown.

Now on to the late Sunday morning meal.

First up was a black coffee and a Daily Donut. There were two donuts, one sweet and one savory. Savory was the call. Filled with a cream that featured a slight but wonderful near sour tang, maybe from buttermilk or sour cream, a subtlebut savory taste in the dough, and topped with a variety of seeds, this donut did it’s job well.

Chosen from the entrees was the Brussels Sprout Hash. Diced potatoes, Brussels sprouts, farm greens, cilantro, and parmesan topped with an outstanding chili lime aioli with proper sunny eggs. The Gem Salad comes that with it is a fresh, crispy delight lightly bathed with citrus dressing. Our BaldGuy would eat a big bucket of this salad. The Hash was very tasty with the aioli putting it over the top.

Get up, get out there, your favorite local restaurants and retailers have missed you.

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#SonOfAnExpletive found a seat at the Ledger Restaurant bar this morning. There are two house-made Doughnuts today. A sweet and a savory. This is the savory Doughnut.

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This was a Sunday Brunch at Ledger Restaurant.

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Ledger Restaurant Breakfast Burger.

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The kitchen team at Ledger Restaurant knows the way to #TheBaldOne’s burger heart. A double-patty is the key.

Marsala Chicken Liver Mousse was ordered first. It just jumped off the menu, and piqued the interest and curiosity. Built on Pain de Mie toast (a soft, sweet sourdough), covered in pickled mustard seeds, mushrooms, and fresh herbs it served well to stimulate the appetite and please the palate.

The Ledger Burger? You could call it a smash style, but they will cook the thin patty pink if that’s your desire. What puts this Burger over the top is that it’s cooked over an open flame, which gives it that classic char in texture and taste. This Burger stand as one of our Burger living bald guy’s top three burgers in Salem.

A Trillium Brewing Company “Fort Point” American Pale Ale was part of the experience. It was tasty enough. But it was a surprise to see that it is hazy like a N. E. IPA. The lines that define beer styles these days are blurring every day as brewers explore and push boundaries. Some things are better left alone.

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Where’s your dinner on this Saturday night? Ledger Restaurant.

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Brunch at Ledger Restaurant is served every Sunday starting at 10 A. M. It is truly a small weekly event that draws very well. #TheBaldOne is happy that summer is here because the front patio is open, which opens up the bar seating inside.

A tall Bloody Mary was procured and gently sipped while the menu options were considered. Ledger doesn’t go overboard with the garnish. They keep it simple with a fresh, crisp celery stalk, pepperocini, olive, and a half-sour gerken. They respect the horseradish enough to add a nice pungent note without bringing overwhelming bitterness to the drink. Nicely done.

Grits are what brought our hungry hero to Ledger. They’ve served them from the day their doors opened. This time they were a little different in presentation which caused a small amount of confusion. Sometimes the visual senses can have an effect in both taste and texture, if it looks different, it must be different. This may have been the case here, but maybe not as questions were asked and answered. However, it didn’t really matter as the Chef Gursha’s Grits are great and are still #BaldOneApproved.

A Ledger Double Burger was next. Two beautiful patties made with the freshest beef, cooked “pink” as requested with two slices of melted cheese on a good, seeded bun. This is a Burger of Distinction that all lovers of ground beef patties should try. The Breakfast Potatoes served in a style unique to Salem are seasoned perfectly and offer a slight crisp to the bite, with a soft interior.

Ledger, Ledger, Ledger. We love what you do.

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