You know when you've been away from home for a few months, and when you go back, your mom force feeds you an absurd portion of your favorite dish? That's Salem's. An unassuming community center-like set up attached to a market with massive portions of Middle Eastern food at a reasonable price. As an Indian person who appreciates similar flavors, I was thoroughly impressed and plan to go back at some point.
Food:
Think Pittsburgh portions. Multiply by 2. That's what you get for around $10. I went for the rice and goat curry. Not a big goat fan but that dish made me one. The meat was soft and peeled off the bone. Since they made it bone in, the flavors were excellent. I would highly recommend it. My friend had the palak paneer which was equally as good. Definitely not for the weight watchers crowd and I wouldn't say it's the best middle eastern food I've had, but for the price and portions, it was well worth it.
Service:
Arguably the best part of the experience here. Everyone is a "brother (or sister)" there, or so that's how you're addressed by the staff. I kind of appreciated that- it made it feel more homely.
Ambiance:
I was on the fence about how the place is dressed up. Much like other reviewers said, it's kind of like a cafeteria or community dining hall- uncomfortable and worn black cushioned chairs, rickety tables, scruffy tiled floors and no fancy decor. They could probably do a better job keeping the place clean but the feel of it definitely fit the atmosphere as a whole. It would almost be weird to see it suddenly turn into an upscale or modern place...