514 North Market Boulevard
Chehalis, WA 98532
On a recent trip to the great Pacific Northwest to visit family, we ate at Sweet Inspirations in Chehalis, WA. Chehalis is a small town and Sweet Inspirations is located in the downtown area. It was raining the day we went – but it rained every day we were there so we were cold and ready for a welcoming lunch. The restaurant is inviting and has a country décor complete with a small gift shop and appealing signs posted all over the walls.
We ordered the Veggie Supreme sandwich, the Reuben, Fried Clams, and the Shrimp Salad.
The Veggie Supreme sandwich looked luscious served on whole grain toast and full of cucumbers, sprouts, tomato, avocado, cheddar and Monterey jack cheese, and was accompanied by the house made potato chips. The menu said the sandwich came with their “signature Greek dressing” and unfortunately it was so drenched in it that I couldn’t pick it up and had to send it back. Everyone was very nice about it but it was disappointing to have to wait for another sandwich while everyone else enjoyed their lunch. When I got the new plate – sans the dressing – the sandwich was delicious. The vegetables were crisp and fresh and the bread was delightfully grainy. The chips were large and crunchy and wonderful dipped in ketchup.
The clam plate was disappointing. The clams were in the fryer too long and were tough and rubbery. They were served with tartar sauce instead of cocktail sauce which seemed odd, but if the clams had been good we could have overlooked that. The fries were limp, soggy, and unappetizing. They were made from fresh potatoes and evidently the idea of twice frying to get a crisp product has not made its way to Chehalis yet. We wouldn’t order this again.
The Reuben was delicious. The bread was toasty warm and crisp, the cheese gooey and the pastrami was savory and delicious. It was served with a house salad that was fresh and crisp with homemade honey mustard dressing that was better than average.
The shrimp salad was fresh with mounds of small shrimp. Every bite had shrimp in it which we loved and the homemade ranch dressing was delicious. The salad was large and certainly enough for a meal.
Sweet Inspirations boasts a bakery on site and the display had large cinnamon rolls, brownies, several types of pie and an interesting looking bar call a Nymo bar. We ordered a cinnamon roll and asked to have it heated and a Nymo bar. The cinnamon roll was good, warm, and gooey and the icing was sweet, but not cloying. The Nymo bar was a disappointment. It had a chocolate coconut base, and a white middle layer that the waitress said was Bavarian cream, but which turned out to be extra sweet buttercream. The whole thing was topped with a hard layer of chocolate so when you tried to bite or cut the bar the top slid off. It was too sweet and after one tiny taste we had had enough.
The restaurant was charming with its old brick walls and quaint country décor but it was cold inside, which was uncomfortable. Overall the vegetable dishes were delicious, the salad and vegetarian sandwich were very fresh and wonderful. But the clam plate overall was awful and the cookie bar not enjoyable. Would we go back? Well, it’s Chehalis, Washington, and frankly there aren’t many options so probably yes.
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