Lien Cuisine: Clink! A New French Restaurant

Seems like we’ve had a spurt of new French restaurants in the Salem area. My latest discovery is Clink! Located on the 2d floor of The Forge, Suite 230, 285 Liberty St. NE. It opened last fall and has taken its rightful place among the finest eateries in Salem. It is open for dinner Wednesday through Saturday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., and on Sunday from 4 p.m. through 7 p.m.  They do a fine brunch on Saturday and Sunday beginning at 9 a.m. through 3 p.m. Reservations are recommended and can be made on Open Table. You can reach the restaurant online at www.clinksalem.com. There is a private dining space available for group dinners, billed as the Champagne Room, which can be booked by emailing hospitality@clinksalem.com.

Unlike many downtown restaurants, parking is easy and free as the Chemeketa Parkade is right next door. This is convenient, especially with the new parking meters downtown.

The environment at Clink! is distinctly French, with flower decorations everywhere. You are greeted next to an old time French style pink phone booth bristling with pink and white flowers. A tree full of blooms seemingly grows out of the middle of the dining room, adding a peaceful calm to the busy space. It is a feminine decor, perfect for a romantic dinner or that girls’ night out.

The menu is luxurious, presenting a celebration of French and American cuisines, with fresh seasonal ingredients and gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options available.

I first tried brunch with my family on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, and was impressed by the variety and quality of dishes on the menu. I am a sucker for a good cinnamon roll, and I very much enjoyed their offering: at $8.00, it was reasonably priced. My daughter had a chocolate croissant for $5.00 and reported it excellent.  My favorite dish was the baked eggs, prepared in a French version of Shakshuka, made with a rich mushroom cream sauce, topped with Gruyere cheese and served with a baguette. The eggs were cooked to perfection, and the sauce was full of mushroom flavor that nicely complemented the eggs. This dish was only $16.00, a steal at that price. Other favorites on the brunch menu were apple pancakes for $11.50, Quiche Lorraine at $15.00, and a Croque Monsieur (Parisian grilled ham and cheese sandwich) at $20.  There are many other delightful dishes on the Brunch menu, together with mimosas of all flavors.

Before Christmas we returned with friends for a Friday night dinner. I had jokes from several of my friends about the Clink! A special hamburger coming in at a whopping $30.00, but after seeing it and tasting it, I was able to debunk those jokes. This burger is the real deal! I simply can not dine at a French place without ordering French Onion soup, and the Clink! version is delightful. It features a ton of caramelized onions smothered in Gruyere cheese. A cup is only $8.00, but get the bowl for $12.00. You won’t be sorry.