BAY BRIDGE RESTAURANT & BAR
29 Bridge Street, Salem
978-745-8881
(Directions)

Restaurant reviewed 11/26/98 by Bob McDonald

BAY BRIDGE RESTAURANT & BAR Type: Mixed Hours: Daily 11 a.m.-midnight. Good choices: Crab cakes with Creole mayonnaise, scallops wrapped in bacon, deluxe potato skins, veal Mediterranean, marinated steak tips, prime rib, and broiled halibut. Credit cards: All credit cards. Access: Fully accessible.

Long before KFC or Popeye's came along, Salem had its own establishment specializing in fried chicken. Dixie's, like Colonel Sanders, had a secret recipe and drew customers from miles around. During World War II when chicken became scarce and expensive, Dixie's, located near the mouth of the Danvers River and Beverly Harbor, had to switch to cheaper fare -- lobster(!) -- but went back to chicken after the war.

Since Dixie's demise, a variety of restaurants have occupied this location, including Bridgeside Restaurant and Pub, reviewed in this space in 1990. The new kid on this block is Bay Bridge Restaurant & Bar, still in its shakedown period, doing a number of things well and just a couple not so well. It's a big, sprawling place with a bar and three dining sections. Plenty of big-screen TVs make it possible to watch a football game from any seat in the house.

Bay Bridge has one of those appetizer sections you can get lost in, one where you can put together several items to make a meal.

Crab cakes with Creole mayonnaise ($4.25) were crisp on the outside while moist and sufficiently crabby on the inside.

Deluxe potato skins ($4.25) took the concept to an enjoyable extreme. Round chunks of skin with a good portion of potato left on were stuffed with diced tomatoes, onions, bacon, and topped with cheddar and Monterey jack cheeses, looking like small stuffed quahogs and tasting like a potato pizza.

Pot stickers (a.k.a. Peking dumplings) are no longer the exclusive province of Chinese restaurants. But the Bay Bridge version ($7.75) was one of those things that needed further development. While spicy and savory inside, the doughy part was too thick and leaden. An excellent soy-and-hoisin-based dipping sauce almost made up for it.

Scallops wrapped in bacon ($4.25) are as simple as it gets, but is there a better way to eat scallops? And Bay Bridge got bacon evenly cooked.

Veal Mediterranean ($11.95) featured tender meat that was sauteed in white wine, subtly flavored by capers, and served on a bed of pasta with sun-dried tomatoes and moist artichoke hearts. A scallion brush adorning the center was a nice touch.

Seafood casserole ($7.95) was a generous portion of fish, scallops, shrimp, and even lobster at this low price, but it was unevenly cooked, with some sections being overdone, and it contained a piece of lobster shell. The casserole was accompanied by instant mashed potatoes, which, when properly prepared, can fool the most discerning palate. These would not have, although on a later visit they came closer.

Marinated steak tips ($8.95) were tender, nicely blackened without being dry, and glazed with a sweet, teriyaki-like substance. Baked potato survived the foil it was cooked in.

Roast pork ($6.95) featured another large serving -- lean tender meat -- also with baked potato and perfectly cooked and crunchy broccoli.

We accidentally strayed over budget on prime rib, somehow not noticing the price ($13.95) on the specials list. The transgression was well worth it though. It was thick, tender, and juicy with just enough fat for flavor.

Broiled halibut ($11.95) was thick, flaky, cooked just enough, and complemented by a fruit compote containing strawberries, blueberries, and pineapple. Spicy fries were crispy and not overly seasoned.

Strawberry shortcake ($3.50) distinguished itself with a homemade-style baking powdered biscuit. And speaking of baking, entrees were accompanied by fresh and light snowflake rolls.

Bay Bridge has acquired Dixie's old fried-chicken recipe, but, being in the shakedown phase, they want to test and perfect it before offering it on the menu.