Double Daring Dining!

Salmon, ID
Hello Friends,

Things are going very well one this the first week of fall tour 2010. Salmon is a gorgeous small town tucked in the Bitterroot valley (I think) and the hospitality has been wonderful. More on that another time, lets get to our main course (pun intended) a double helping of Daring Dining!

The Coffee Cup Cafe - Hamilton, MT
On Sunday Shawna and I enjoyed our first of many drives. The trip to Salmon was brief and we stopped off in Hamilton for a late lunch. Being Sunday not much was open and main street was fairly quite. Thankfully before we left town we came across The Coffee Cup Cafe. From the exterior it looked very much like a general store and for being close to 2PM it was still quite crowded (always a good sign). The inside had counter service and tables. The walls were lined with hanging metal and woven signs from yesteryear ranging from Disney to pictures you would find in old Saturday Evening Posts. The effect was comforting and a bit creepy at the same time.

The menu offered items for all meals of the day and ran the gambit of typical diner food. We were both craving lunch so I got a Wrangler sandwich and Shawna a Montana Burger. My sandwich was a glorified sub that was grilled. It was OK. I was told it came on a French roll but is was really a white hoagie roll (picky I know). Shawna enjoyed her burger it had lots of stuff on it, the specifics I can't remember. The thing that caught our attention the most were the home made, hand cut French fries. We saw them on other tables and they looked wonderful, ours however were undercooked and soggy.

While lunch failed to please, their breakfast menu looked wonderful and we had a sneaky feeling we ordered from the wrong meal. So final verdict on the CCC, stick with breakfast, it is the most important meal of the day for a reason.

The Junkyard Bistro - Salmon, ID
One of the first questions we ask locals when we get to a new town is "Where is a great unique place to eat in town?" Every resident of Salmon we have asked does not hesitate and says "The Junkyard Bistro." With it's reputation well established Shawna and I knew we had to try it.

Located on the main street of Salmon, The Junkyard Bistro doesn't look like much from the outside, in fact it could easily be mistaken for one of the many bars in town. However if you get close to the open front door the over whelming smells of deliciousness will grab your attention. The Bistro is very small with a few tables and a bar. The main kitchen is smack dab in the middle causing a constant state of mouth watering through out. The walls are lined with metal sculptures made of found objects and are for purchase. Many of them are animals from exotic sea creatures to western flair. We were lucky to grab a table and were greeted with a small yet diverse menu ranging from sandwiches, pastas, wraps, salads, and rice bowls. Shawna opted for a Gyro and I a vegetarian artichoke sandwich (shocking I know). Shawna's gyro was excellent, she enjoyed. My sandwich however... was quite possible the best sandwich I have ever had.

It starts with a hard French roll (not white hoagie) followed was marinated artichokes, provolon cheese, roasted red peppers, and then a olive mix spread on top. The whole thing is given a healthy splash of their homemade balsamic vinigar and olive oil dressing that soaks into the roll nicely. It was amazing. We each had their pasta salad as a side which was simple and clean and off-set our meals nicely.

The price was perfect and service fast and friendly. I myself am even now a fan of their Facebook page now. So where is the best place to eat in Salmon? I may not be a native but I agree with them 100% - The Junkyard Bistro.

The Adventure Continues - ML