Restaurant Review of The Gulu Gulu Cafe

Live Music, Great Beer, and European Style in Salem, Massachusetts

Sep 2, 2009

The Gulu Gulu Cafe, on Essex Street in Salem, Massachusetts near the Bewitched statue, has some of the best food, atmosphere, and beer in the city.

The Gulu Gulu Cafe is a small restaurant located at 247 Essex Street in Salem Massachusetts, near the Bewitched statue of Elizabeth Montgomery in the center of the city. The space consists of a full-service bar along one wall, a small outdoor seating area in front of the main entrance, and has primarily a coffeehouse theme for the main dining area. There are couches and chairs along the walls and a mix of round and long tables that have either chairs or long benches for seating.

Gulu Gulu's menu consists of light fare such as sandwiches and crepes — both sweet and savory — all washed down with specialty coffees, perhaps the widest selection of beers on the North Shore, or something from their wine list.

The bruschetta ($6), served with fresh cut tomatoes marinated in garlic, basil, and olive oil, is exceptional. Fresh Italian bread toasted crispy and served warm is pleasingly contrasted by the cool tomatoes.

If you're looking for something different, the Cheese and Meat Coalition ($8) gives you a choice of three cheeses served with toasty ciabatta. The JackMax n' Cheese ($6), baked with cheddar, goat cheese and peppers, comes with a side salad for yet another tasty option on Gulu Gulu's menu.

The panini offerings all come on grilled Italian ciabatta bread or in a choice of plain, spinach, tomato, or whole wheat wrap. Particular favorites are the Barcelona ($8), smoked turkey and melted Manchego cheese with arugula, apple butter, and Dijon mustard; the Istanbul ($7.50), smoked turkey with fresh mozzarella, tomato and pesto; and the Munich ($7.50), roast beef with Swiss cheese, dill pickles & Dijon

mustard. Each panini comes with a smattering of potato chips and leafy spring mix with red peppers in a sharp dressing.

If paninis aren't your speed, Gulu Gulu has gourmet wraps as another choice to experience their variety of sandwich styles. Alternately, the paninis can also be ordered as wraps if none of the wrap-specific options tickle your fancy. Mouth-watering wraps include the Dobrá Šunka a Salam ($7.50), ham and Genoa salami with mixed greens, tomato, roasted red pepper and provolone cheese.

The beer list at Gulu Gulu consists of domestic and imported brews from all over, including the Massachusetts-brewed Rapscallion Honey on draft ($5), a delightful honey pale ale that's reminiscent of mead but with hops blended smoothly in; and the always-good Wachusett Blueberry ($5). Gulu Gulu was also awarded the 2009 Reader's Choice Award for Best Beer Selection on the North Shore by Northshore Magazine.

Bottled beers include microbrews from around the country, including Rogue Dead Guy Ale from Oregon and Victory Golden Monkey from Pennsylvania. They also offer a "Recession Beer of the Moment," which is typically the least expensive beer on the menu (right now it's Porkslap Pale Ale).

If beer is too heavy, or you just don't like hops, consider some of the mixed drinks or the admittedly smallish wine list. The Caffetini ($8) is Kamora coffee liqueur, Mozart chocolate liqueur, Three Olives coffee vodka, milk and caramel, for example.

If you try anything on the dessert menu, go for the Lemon Berry Marscapone Cake ($6). Marscapone is a thick and creamy Italian cheese, and this cake is an excellent alteration on the traditional cheesecake. The silky texture and delicious berry and lemon flavor will leave you craving more.

Gulu Gulu also offers carrot cake, chocolate mousse cake, and cheese cake with fresh strawberries.

Live Music, Movies, and Performances ... With Atmosphere!

At first glance, The Gulu Gulu Cafe may strike you as the place where hipsters come to look hip. Contrary to that impression is the events list on one of three giant boards behind the bar, with entertainment ranging from Open Mic Night Wednesdays to Movie Tuesdays, which one month included classic Godzilla movies from the 1960s and 70s. Mondays are game nights, but every other night of the week has some sort of live music or performance happening on the small stage in the dining room.

The dining room can fill up fast when there's live entertainment, and may, in the case of bands, be louder than expected for the space. Coupled with the location smack in the city and the artwork by locals on the walls, however, Gulu Gulu Cafe succeeds in crafting an eclectic place that's good for patrons of practically any age.

The copyright of the article Restaurant Review of The Gulu Gulu Cafe in Massachusetts Travel is owned by Matthew Delman. Permission to republish Restaurant Review of The Gulu Gulu Cafe in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.