Catch the Noble Wave

Southern-style restaurant opens in downtown Salem with brewery to follow

The three owners of Salem’s new Southern-style restaurant Noble Wave have been friends since they were kids. Growing up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Riley Vannoy, Karl Schultz and Raymond Pelas went to the same middle and high schools. Karl and Riley also went on to college at Louisiana State University, LSU, where they would drink Riley’s homebrew and dream of opening a Louisiana brewery “that would solve all the big problems of the world.” Now, each 30, the three childhood friends are back at that dream, but instead of being in Louisiana, they have brought a bit of the South to the Northwest.

The story of how the friends chose Salem as the home of their future brewpub was a very intentional, researched choice. After college, they had each gone their separate ways, but when Riley moved back to Baton Rouge, he and Karl, whom Riley calls a “numbers guy with a good business mind,” got serious about their college dream. They called on Raymond Pelas, who had been making his way in the restaurant industry, and got to work brainstorming. However, Louisiana is not an easy place to open a brewpub. There are a lot of regulations and red tape, Riley said, adding there is only one brewpub in the whole state. So, the trio started looking at states with the most supportive brewery laws, then cities within those states that had fewer breweries per capita. They also looked at cost of living and places they’d want to move — Salem won out. The three moved here a year ago (Karl has since returned to Baton Rouge). After running a food truck for several months last fall at Ratchet Brewery, they opened Noble Wave in downtown Salem in May (2019).

Riley said that Salem is kind of like Baton Rouge, a capital city near the state’s biggest city; Portland in Oregon and New Orleans in Louisiana.

“People are kind of people everywhere,” he said when asked about the differences between the two places. Coming from Riley, a friendly, laid-back guy who could easily fit in any Oregon brewery or coffee shop, the Louisiana native’s point is taken.

The biggest difference, he said, is that in Louisiana there is a whole culture around big social activities that often include food, such as Mardi Gras balls and crawfish boils. Whereas, in the Northwest, there are more outdoor activities, such as trails, that you do by yourself.

The brewery portion of the business isn’t expected to start operations until this fall. Riley said he will begin brewing with a one-barrel system and focus on small batches to supplement their current lineup of mostly local taps. Customers can look forward to a mix of Noble Wave hazy IPAs, light pilsners, milk stouts, French saisons, as well as some experimental beers.

Hush Puppies from Noble Wave. Photo by Ben Mah

In the meantime, they are focusing on the food and having a full list of cocktails along with mostly local beer, ciders and wine. Noble Wave started with dinner service and added lunch in June. In July, it began offering Sunday brunch specials in addition to its regular menu. Brunch specials could include biscuits and gravy, shrimp and grits, biscuit sandwiches and fried chicken with French toast, Riley said. A full brunch menu is expected soon.

On a Thursday afternoon just two weeks after lunch service began, enough tables were taken to give a soft buzz to the atmosphere. Riley said every day has been busier than the last. Located in the former Brown’s Towne Lounge space in the Reed Opera House, the restaurant sports teal accents, a full bar set against a brick wall, a dozen or so tables and three upholstered pods that act as booth seats, giving the room a modern feel.

Yet it’s the menu that really feels new. Salem isn’t exactly known for its Southern food. Search “Southern food” on Yelp, and, for Salem, you’ll get Krewe du Soul and Noble Wave plus some barbecue options and some restaurants that must have a southern menu item or two. Not a whole lot of options for fans of Southern cooking.

The menu at Noble Wave, however, features popular Southern dishes such as fried cheese curds, fried pickles, poutine, po’boys served on Gambino’s French bread shipped in from New Orleans, gumbo, a Hot ‘Bird’ Sandwich and a Deep-Fried Platter with the choice of fried catfish, shrimp or chicken with hushpuppies, fries or coleslaw. Specials such as red beans and rice and shrimp and grits also will rotate in, and there are several vegetarian options as a bit of a nod to the Northwest, including an Avocado Club, Shaved Sprouts salad, fried cauliflower po’boy and a vegan patty option on the burger.

Though the brewery isn’t up and running yet, the bar features 15 brews on tap, the majority from Salem or Oregon, and three Salem-made ciders. Riley said the support they received when they moved to Salem was amazing, especially from other breweries in town.

Po’Boy from Noble Wave. Photo by Ben Mah

Cocktail by Noble Wave. Photo by Ben Mah

Beignets from Noble Wave. Photo by Ben Mah

Fried Cheese Curbs from Noble Wave. Photo by Ben Mah

Brussel Sprout Salad from Noble Wave. Photo by Ben Mah

“People talk about hospitality in the South, but there is a Salem hospitality,” he said. “People were extremely friendly when we got here. They were immediately supportive, opening and welcoming.”

Noble Wave’s drink menu also features Northwest wine on tap and a dozen cocktails, including Bayou Margarita, with Bayou Satsuma Rum liqueur, and Dirty South, with bourbon, lemon, tea and simple syrup.

The name Noble Wave comes from the owners’ desire to follow the business model known as conscious capitalism. Riley said they want to have noble intentions, not just zero in on the bottom line.

“The basic mindset is are we doing right by our employees and the community?” Riley said. “I’ve been in the corporate world. People aren’t just numbers. They should be respected. It’s how we were raised … Profits will follow if we are doing the right stuff.”

For now, the right stuff is developing a good work environment and creating a team approach among the 10 to 15 employees. For example, all employees split tips whether they work in the front or back of the house.

“It makes things more cohesive,” he said. “Bartenders help out with servers. There’s more of a teamwork environment. With that, we hope people love coming to work every day.”

Riley said in the future they hope to get involved with downtown events and perhaps create a few of their own. Can we hope for a Salem Mardi Gras event next February? Maybe. For now, we will enjoy catfish po’boys, fried pickles, and a new place to get drinks and hang out.