c8w wrote:The restaurant is open until December 21. Then, it will close December 22nd for 10 days, for Christmas break. It will reopen in early January - the break is just that, a Christmas break.

FYI, Cafe Salamera is open again. I was there last night with a friend...our order was for a Salamera steak sandwich, a Chicharron con Camotes (Pork Belly w Sweet Potatoes) sandwich, and the Salchipapas...and everything was delicious. And just like usual, we were the only customers there...

So glad to see other people
talking about this place!

I live around the corner, and
when i first set foot in here...
i knew i would be back.

Nory is great, and always bringing
new stuff to try out.

I've been telling all my friends
about the place and everyone
that goes with me loves it.

I'll reiterate what someone else
said in the thread... how can
a Subway do booming business
while this place hangs on by a
thread?

Personal fave= the Jibbarito
and the beef empanadas.

I've stuck mostly to the sandwiches
but am looking forward to trying
out some of the other entrees.

...


/edit oh! the sign on the door
has open/close tues- sat 11-8
sun 10-6 i think.

Thanks for posting the hours, FuR. I've not been there since before Xmas, but was worried when I went past there last Saturday night and it was closed. Guess it was just too late (about 11). I'm there for an early dinner soon.

We tried Salamera for the first time on Sunday around 1 or 2. There were several other customers, in contrast to the emptiness many in this thread have reported. They were (sadly) out of empanadas, but we tried a tamale, the fish ceviche, and the salamera steak sandwich.

The tamale was fabulous. So much so that I wondered if it was really a proper tamale. Are tamales supposed to taste like kishke? The juice from the marinated onion topping was a perfect condiment.

The fish ceviche was OK. There was certainly plenty of it, but not thrilling.

The steak sandwich was perfectly seasoned, very tasty. Nice crusty bread.

Look forward to visiting again when they're not out of empanadas, if they stay in business.

Looks like they're closing again.

:/

Does anyone here have any
websites or books or ... any
helpful insight about
sustaining a neighborhood
restaurant? I'm really
interested in pursuing this.

There has to be something...

...

FuR wrote:Does anyone here have any
websites or books or ... any
helpful insight about
sustaining a neighborhood
restaurant? I'm really
interested in pursuing this.

The Holiday 2005 issue of Santé magazine, a trade pub, has an interesting article about restaurant financing options, including details of the financing arrangements behind Spare Time restaurants (Southport Lanes, Lucky Strike, Corner Pocket and Firehouse Grill, among others), Spring and Green Zebra, and KDK group (including Gioco, Opera, Red Light and Marché). The numbers for Norka might be smaller by a factor of ten or so, but the principles in the article would still apply.

HI,

My comments are made with great reluctance. I would prefer a better outcome though sometimes you have to work with what is.

Salamera is a source of frustration for me. The food is unique and great tasting. It has broad interest and support money cannot buy.

The problems at Salamera are not limited to lack of financing. Norka is a sweet woman who generates sympathy. She is the up front person largely, I believe, because of her command of English. She does not know how to cook most of the food served and is resistent to learning; which is fundamental to her business. She relies on her Mother and visiting relatives to cook. When she opened the business, she supposed her sister would cook but didn't have this nailed down. She thinks to learn how to cook, she needs to go to Peru. I suggested she needed to walk into the kitchen and do it.

Norka had no experience in the restaurant business beyond being a consumer. Perhaps if she worked in a restaurant before opening her shop, then she would have some experience to rely on during this bumpy period. She spent a lot of money on plasticized menus, when photocopies would have done well until she was stable. When people asked for take-out menus, she handed them the expensive ones because she was embarrassed not to have take out menus. With some nudging, she finally photocopied the menus to use in-house and distribute.

I was interested in getting a mentor to help until I realized there was no interest to learn how to cook the food her business serves.

I continue to enjoy it while it lasts, though I am not optimistic about its future. It's really sad.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:HI,
I continue to enjoy it while it lasts, though I am not optimistic about its future. It's really sad.
Regards,

So does anyone know if Cafe Salamera is still open? Was planning on
doing dinner there tonight - but on calling right now am getting only
a phone message (saying they are closed at the moment - thus the
phone message obviously - but they are open Tuesday to Saturday
from 10 to 8 or whatever).

If anyone knows for sure one way or the other, please do post - had
convinced a friend to come with for their first taste of Peruvian
food, and it would be really sad if a place of this quality is already
closed.

c8w

I've tried twice to go there during the day and found them closed. However, one time someone was cleaning up inside, though that could be for showing the business. Anyway, it may still be open at night. Hard to say, the hours were erratic before the holidays too.

I've now made four passes by it including on the weekend and at night when you'd really expect it to be open. Given its erratic hours in the past, I was hesitant to declare it dead, but now it seems like it must be.

I was planning to go to Salamera couple of weeks back but when I called they mentioned that they were going to Spain for couple of weeks. Maybe they will open after they get back from Spain.

we went up the street for Dona Lolis (mainly cause Mike G's question of what the blacked out taco offerings were was in my head - answer: suadero) and Monarca paletas.

Happened to drive past Dona Lolis today and the blacking-out stuff is off the sign again. Not sure if that means they're serving suadero again (though I don't remember what that is, anyway) or just that the blacking-out stuff fell off.

As for Salamera, whether or not they went to Spain, like a certain ex-ruler of Spain, they're still dead.

Drove past the old Cafe Salamera last night on the way home. It looked as if something has opened in its spot, however, they kept the awning with the name in place. Does anyone know what is going in there? I was kicking myself for never walking over there and trying it before it closed.

Yeah, I saw that too, although it didn't look open yet to me. The words painted on the glass that I managed to read seemed to be about fresh juices. My guess is the awning will change in the next few days.

Today I happened by Fantastic #1, the 3 week-old business in the former Salamera location on Clark Street. The proprietors are a young couple originally from Mexico who seem very enthusiastic about their fruit-centered menu. The room is essentially the same as when Salamera was there, but they have added a number of fruit decorations that impart a certain lightness to the formerly serious-feeling space. I had a truly delicious (and huge) cocktel de frutas made with papaya, mango, cantaloupe, strawberries, apples, yoghurt and honey. They also had a nice-looking assortment of gelatinas and strawberries and cream in cups, as well as flan and pastel tres leches. They were making tortas to go when I arrived, and I got a good look at the salads in the refirgerator case, which looked promising. The hours of opening are 7AM-10PM, 7 days, which potentially makes Fantastic #1 a light breakfast option (they serve coffee) as well as a dessert destination after Las Islas Marias on Clark. As much as I would have liked to see Salamera stay and prosper, I think Fantastic #1 will be a good addition to the neighborhood, and I wish the new owners well.

Josephine wrote:Today I happened by Fantastic #1, the 3 week-old business in the former Salamera location on Clark Street. The proprietors are a young couple originally from Mexico who seem very enthusiastic about their fruit-centered menu.
...
As much as I would have liked to see Salamera stay and prosper, I think Fantastic #1 will be a good addition to the neighborhood, and I wish the new owners well.

Alas, Fantastic #1 seems to be closed down. I was interested from your description, and noticed the place with writing in the windows and such a few weeks ago, but recently when driving by, the windows were completely cleaned off and it looked empty inside.

Salamera fans, take heart!

I recognized Norka and her mother in the checkout line at Home Depot today. She says that Salamera is going to reopen in a few weeks in the same Clark Street location, with her mother again doing the cooking. Norka seemed delighted that people on the forum were still wondering about her plans, and promised to call Cathy2 for the re-opening.

Josephine wrote:Salamera fans, take heart!

After lunch at Big Buns and Pita yesterday we took a peek in Cafe Salamera's window only to see Norka behind the counter chatting with her mother and another person. Norka seemed happy to see our small group, especially Josephine.

Josephine (L) Norka (R)


Norka said that they have a tentative reopening date of mid December with her mother doing the cooking.

Enjoy,
Gary

Salamera is open. Same sandwiches. Cancha. Go.

cilantro wrote:Salamera is open. Same sandwiches. Cancha. Go.

I went to the recently re-opened Cafe Salamera with a friend today. We had a great time visting with Nory and her family. What nice people. As Cilantro said, the sandwiches are mostly the same (but with cute names). They have added some Lavazza coffee drinks and smoothies and also plan to install free wifi access. For now, they are only open from 10am-6pm, but will extend the hours to 9 pm, when they get more settled. Nory seemed very open to suggestions for new menu items. Anyhow, I had the famous Pork Belly sandwich (now known as Norky's Porky), which was very good.

My friend had the Jibarito.

We also enjoyed some complimentary Chicha Morada, a drink made from purple corn and fruit.

BTW If anybody is familiar with the Lavazza coffee making equipment and processes, Norka could use some lessons. I am sure she would make sure you are well fed in return for sharing your expertise.
Ps. Norka told me they sell Cuy at La Unica in cryovac packages. I didn't know that.

Has Norka added cable TV by any chance? We are looking for an Iron Chef viewing location for Sunday. Blasphemy, I know, wishing for a TV on this forum.

Josephine wrote:Has Norka added cable TV by any chance? We are looking for an Iron Chef viewing location for Sunday. Blasphemy, I know, wishing for a TV on this forum.

Funny you should mention that. She said she was planning on getting a TV for the place, but they didn't have one yet. I told her I didn't like the idea much. Candlelite has a zillion TVs. I don't know if they can be tuned separately.
edit: oops I just looked at that other thread and realized that Candlelite is already being considered.

Thanks for the heads up, everyone. I had written Cafe Salamera off as a lost opportunity after it had closed.

As most have noted, the pork belly (Norky's Porky) and steak (Salamery) sandwiches are very good, though the pork belly's exterior was not as crisp as I would have liked (a minor quibble). I look forward to trying the Jibarito, which our server identified as his favorite.

I enjoyed the fries/hot dog combo, but I wouldn't consider it much more than the sum of its parts.

They still seem to be in the process of getting their bearings, as they had only enough pork belly for one sandwich and no empanadas at 11am. Also, they are not taking credit cards at the moment.

cilantro wrote:Salamera is open. Same sandwiches. Cancha. Go.

The imperative mode in the above post moved me to try Cafe Salamera for the first time yesterday. I was not disappointed. I had the jibarito and a complimentary taste of the Norky Porky. Really outstanding sandwiches--juicy, flavorful, made-to-order. I also sampled the "inferno" hot sauce on the side, which encroached the boundary of my tolerance for spiciness (in a good way).

So, yes, go! It's a special place. An early contender for my annual list of favorite places I've discovered through LTH.

Glad you realized that my post was NOT a request and even more glad that you enjoyed the food.

To give credit where it's due, like most everyone else here I found out about this place from Chef Bowles's original post. Watching them struggle, periodically close down, and then finally shut their doors for good last year was beyond disappointing. Norka says they're going to give it a go for another six months and see what happens. I really hope they can make it this time.

I went to Salamera for the first time Saturday and gobbled up a juicy, garlick-y jibarito. Nory is about the nicest proprietor I've ever met. As soon as I walked in and took a seat, she walked over with a gift from her mom: an espresso cup of hot, liquid-y oatmeal drink. It was sweet, creamy and mostly liquid with a tablespoon or so of oat-y bits...a bit like drinking a warm oatmeal flan/creme caramel. I asked for a name, but she said her mom just calls it 'hot oatmeal', and it's a common Peruvian breakfast. Tasty.

The jibarito didn't disappoint. Very fresh, from the plantain to the lettuce (?not a normal ingredient, but it was a nice contrast). The meat was more like some kind of thinly shaved beef than roast pork, but it worked. Honestly, it looked like that faux cheese steak steak you find in the freezer section that comes in blocks of meat sheets, but fortunately it didn't taste like that stuff.

I'm looking forward to a return trip for the pork belly sandwich and ceviche.

Thanks for letting us know she re-opened! I've had my eye on this thread waiting for the announcement.

Can somebody give me the physical address and phone number? I am not too sure where the new current location is.

HI,

They never moved. While this is the address, I cannot advise whether the phone number or hours of operation are still true:

Cafe Salamera
6653 N. Clark St
Chicago, IL
773-764-7210
M-Sat 11am to 9pm
Sunday 11am -8:30
Monday closed

Regards,

Open 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

I think a previous poster mentioned that she would extend hours once they're more established?

I forgot to "second" the recommendation for getting someone to show Nory the ins and outs of working the Lavazza equipment. My cafe au lait was a weak-ish cup of coffee with a side of steamed milk. Totally forgivable given the newness.