Salt

CLOSED! Tried coming here last night, and the place was vacated with a note on the door. It appears the restaurant was unable to secure a renewed lease after ten years in the same spot.
The letter hinted at a possible re-​surfacing somewhere else in the city… and to keep checking their website for updates.

CLOSING SOON~! go visit NOW!
Salt was designed to be a simple and homey restaurant with exposed brick, white-​painted wooden tables, floral printed cushions, fresh cut flowers, and faded, rustic cabinets which serve as service stations. I particularly loved the alabaster candles that emit a soft, comforting glow. The restaurant is tiny but it manages to stay cozy without feeling too cramped. There is a small bar counter which reveals an open kitchen probably no more than 70 sq ft, and out of this shoebox of a kitchen, the chefs serve up seasonal, contemporary American fare to the 50~ patrons that manage to fit inside this quaint restaurant.
The original Soho spot just lost their lease sadly after 10yrs, but the main chef will be moving to the LES offshoot. The entire spot is served by some 70sq ft galley kitchen which is quite impressive. They have $ 1 oysters specials every evenings and the small bites menu is fantastic (honey glazed bacon wrapped dates, potato purée, goat cheese brulee was intriguing, brasied greens yum). The entrees have been decent but the apps and sides are just really well done.

OFFICIALLY CLOSED. So sad. Hope to see a new location from them soon… or convert that lackluster Saltbar please! Good luck all.

Cozy, Friendly, warm.
Good food, good wine.
:)
Come here for a no fuss meal.

We came on a Friday night around 9:30PM and it wasn’t too busy. We decided to sit at the bar, though plenty of seats were available on the communal tables. We just didn’t want to get sandwiched in between two tables.
We started with the bacon wrapped dates and for two people, we got 6, more than what I got at The Spotted Pig, 3? The dates were warm and the bacon cooked perfectly without being burnt or too crispy. I thought I tasted a maple syrup like sauce on top. It was excellent, always a good app.
My chicken with a pea purée and green beans was very good — juicy chicken and crunchy veggies.
The star was the cod fish. It was in a beautiful green sauce and cooked perfectly — seared, juicy inside and seasoned just right.
We ordered a bottle of a natural white wine from Jenny & Francois importers. It was light, dry and not too sweet. Perfect for our dishes and only $ 40 for the bottle.
To finish, we had the lemon tart with Earl Grey ice cream, very lemony and loved the ice cream. The dessert was comped, so thank you very much Salt.
Service is excellent, décor is comfortable and food is very good. Will return to try more dishes, like the lamb shank next time.

After 3 days in New York, I was beginning to be afraid that all the tales I’d heard of great eats in this city might have been fabricated by wishful thinkers (or that no one I know from NY is as particular about food as I am).
Thankfully, after my dinner at SALT, I have renewed hope for the possibility of what Manhattan may have to offer.
Spent the first 2 days in Brooklyn staying with a friend. Found some good food, nothing horrid, but nothing to write home about either. Then my friend and I transferred to a rental apartment in SoHo.
After hauling our luggage on the subway all the way from Park Slope, we were tired, hungry and at a loss for where to go. Neither of us has spent significant time here, and we were tired of eating food that was just ‘good.’ After trying to cross reference Unilocal and google maps for about 20 minutes my friend finally said, «I give up. Let’s just go walk around outside.»
Oh! I’m SOOOOOO glad we did.
Enter SALT. A quaint, unassuming store front, exactly one block down from our rental space. We walked past several places in the neighborhood, browsing the menus as we went and ultimately ended up back at SALT. It should be noted that one of the main reasons we went in is that one of the regulars from the neighborhood was lounging by the front door and invited us in. He said something along the lines of, «You should come in and eat here. What do you like? Yes, that sounds like a good choice. I live around the corner and I keep meaning to try other places around here, but somehow I always end up in here. And no, I don’t work here, I just like it!»
He might have been a little tipsy from his wine, but in a friendly way, not obnoxious drunk guy way. Well played sir. My palette thanks you!
We started out with some lovely, fresh, artisan style bread. Firm outside but still chewy and soft in the middle. Great butter and a small assorted tray of salts of different grain size to sprinkle on top.
Next we had the creamed cauliflower soup with truffle oil. Supremely decadent but not over the top. My friend and I shared a bowl and it was just the perfect amount to split. Nice for bread dipping too.
We did have to wait a bit for our food, but in the mean time our waitress brought us each a complimentary appetizer, honey soaked dates wrapped in bacon. Rich? You BET! Delish!
For the entrée, we both had the whole wheat fettuccine with home made sausage, roasted garlic and a touch of ricotta. Superb! I was a little nervous when I read that it was whole wheat pasta because the last time I tried cooking it at home it was chewy and grainy – not good. This pasta on the other hand was perfectly al dente. Tender and flavorful! And the ricotta was just a dip, spread along the bottom and center of the bowl. Nice amount for taste and also added to the visual presentation of the dish.
I hemmed and hawed about dessert for a while and finally asked the waitress (who was SUPER knowledgeable) if I ought to have the lemon tart or crème brûlée.
She said the crème brûlée was good, but just normal crème brûlée — but that the lemon tart was excellent. So I took her word for it and ordered the lemon tart. OH MY WORD. SO good.
There’s nothing worse than a tart that’s mostly crust. Thankfully this crust was thin (a pat in crust, not a roll out one) and had the perfect hint of lavender. Now lavender is one of those things that I’m always on the fence about. Most people tend to use too much which makes the dish taste soapy. This is only the second dish on record that I’ve ever had where the lavender added to the taste of the dish instead of repelling me away from it! It was a perfect compliment to the lemon filling which was creamy with the crisp balance of tart and sweet. Scoop up a spoonful and pair it with the earl grey tea ice cream (yes, I KNOW – my brain exploded too!) and it tastes like heaven!
The waitress actually comped us the crème brûlée as well. It was meh. I make a mean crème brûlée myself, so I’m pretty harsh on that one. It wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t very special. So needless to say, I ate the whole lemon tart (and ice cream) myself.
A lovely evening, lovely ambiance and knowledgeable and courteous wait staff. If I lived in SoHo, I think this might become my neighborhood go-​to spot too.
Until then, this California girl will just have to keep looking at this picture of her dessert.

I went for a private function last Friday night, so I can’t comment on value or speed of service, but the service was very nice and it was a small comfortable space.
The food was all very good, and while I ordered lamb chops, I tried my sister’s pork chops and I can say with confidence they were the best I’ve ever had. She would never order that but she read the Unilocal and gave it a shot. Can’t believe I didn’t do that; I feel like a disgrace to my Elite badge.
Normally I wouldn’t even bother with a restaurant review after a closed event since there’s so much you can’t judge, but seriously, the pork chops were really THAT good.

Hands down, this was the best brunch I’ve had all year.
To start, it was a gorgeous day: 72 degrees, sunny and breezy with a crystal blue sky. A friend and I stumbled upon Salt around 11:15AM on a Saturday.
For $ 6, you get a mimosa and either coffee or tea. We indulged.
What I ate:
— French toast with banana sauce, blueberries & strawberries. It was a HUGE portion (two very thick slices of bread, cut into halves) and I couldn’t finish it all. The berries were fresh and delicious. It came with a little cup of syrup, which was just enough without overwhelming the flavor of the toast.
— A homemade biscuit on the side ($ 3) was absolutely, 100% worth it. I can’t even describe to you how happy this biscuit made me. I feel ridiculous lusting so passionately after a baked good, but I guess it was just the perfect thing at the perfect moment. I wanted a biscuit, I got a biscuit and the biscuit was off-​the-​charts delicious. It came with a butter pad and a little jar of strawberry preserves. Perfection.
The waitress was attentive without being obnoxious and friendly without seeming fake. The crowd was thin, allowing for easy conversation for over 2 hours. The window, thrown wide open, let in a welcome breeze throughout our meal. It was my idea of brunch bliss and I’m eager to return.

I’m partial to cozier restaurants where the food tastes like it’s been made with love, and Salt fit the bill perfectly. When the roomies proposed a birthday dinner on a Sunday night, I opted for Salt after hearing good things from another friend. To describe this place as «cute» would be true, but not completely accurate. The space is small and unassuming with a few windowseats and two long communal tables. I loved that you could easily see into the kitchen behind the bar; it made the dining experience less productionalized, which I also like.
The menu provides enough options to suit most tastes without overwhelming you with too many options. The girls and I decided to share everything so went for dishes that could be easily shared. We started with honey-​glazed dates wrapped in bacon, chicken liver mouse and a roasted eggplant with beet purée and goat cheese. For our main, we had whole wheat fettucine with homemade sweet Italian sausage (mouth-​watering) and a rack of lamb (the meat practically melted off the bone). The mains were definitely on the heartier side, but given the cold weather, we didn’t mind. For dessert, we had the crème brûlée; we were curious about the rosemary ice cream that was included with another dessert option, and my roommate convinced our waitress to add a scoop of it to our crème brûlée. Speaking of, the service was great, and the waitress made good recommendations without sounding rehearsed.
If I lived in the area, I’d consider making Salt my go-​to neighborhood restaurant. Otherwise this place is great for dates or a small group of friends.

This place is absolutely one of those «hole-​in-​wall» places. Once you get inside. it’s this tiny, cozy little brick place. The space is very small, but it gives you a very intimate feeling. The food isn’t bad, I had I think the hand-​made pasta and it was delicious. I thought the bread was a little too hard though. My friend liked his food, but wasn’t in love with it. I think what made the place was the ambiance. The food is decent, but not amazing. It is a bit cramped and the tables are really close together.
I enjoyed my meal and I might be back again, but it’s mostly because of how cute the place is! I think I’ll bring one of my really good friends there because they do have glutten-​free pasta.

Cozy, sexy, cool describes this place.
Location is great and the overall interior space is awesome. I had dinner at the bar and the service was impeccable.
The menu is unique, oysters are a DEAL at the bar and the noise is a light hum of fun conversation.
If you have a party, rent the place out, if your on a date, great place to go!
The food is a spotlight here, but the service is a great highlight.

I was here a while ago and sat by the window. The place is tiny, but beautifully put together. The tables are cramped, but being close to the window added a plus. Not sure how comfortable the other diners were, though…
I had the dates (notoriously great) and the lamb, which was very tasty, but too little… barely any meat. I wish they had given me more food, but maybe I was just unlucky. I got up still hungry for more.
Nevertheless, a cool place to mingle if you don’t eat much or if you are not hungry.

Little cozy place… cute and fun!
We ate at the bar… prefer to see the kitchen and get to mingle with the server behind the bar.
Cons: no A/​C so don’t go during hot summer nites
Pros: food is good expect the lemon tart which was disappointing. The ice cream didn’t match with the citrus… they were out of the lavender ice cream.
Would go again with a decent weather to try it out.

I really enjoyed my meal here, I guess it’s because I really love SALT and literally there are 3 different kinds on the table, score. I ordered the goat cheese and spinach omelet. YUM. It came with potatoes and a small section of house salad. The omelet was light and fluffy and tasted great. I also liked the inside of this place it was cozy and very country-​like.
The only –1 was for no skim milk for our coffee and tea. I mean come on, I feel like the only places that don’t have skim milk are old-​school diners outside of Manhattan that serve cream and sugar etc. Our waitress also was a bit forgetful and not the friendliest but whatev.

I love quaint little places like Salt for a nice Saturday night dinner, but sadly can’t always justify the price. But this place was perfect when a friend’s parents came into town and wanted to go out for a meal.
I can’t say I agree with other reviews that describe the place as cramped because frankly, that’s kind of what should be expected of a restaurant whose appeal is its smallness. With six of us at a table, I was perfectly content; the big windows looking out to the street really make the place seem larger.
Yet, even if small isn’t your style, I’d say the taste of the food makes up for it. While the menu had a lot that looked fantastic, I went with one of the specials– a bouillabaisse with all sorts of seafood galore in a coconut broth. It was fantastic and my only complaint would be that I was so content that I didn’t think of going near the dessert, which turned out to be just as terrific as the entrees themselves (I had a bite of a plum dessert that I would never order myself but it was delicious!).
I would say this place is perfect for a romantic dinner for two– or a small dinner party when you’re trying to escape from your apartment and are willing to spend some money on a great meal.

Wanting to get a quick bite at any of the surrounding bars and restaurants during the World Cup resulted in popping into Salt on a Saturday at about 5:00.
They only serve «small plates» between their lunch and dinner hours… but at least they were open at all. The empty restaurant gave me my pick of places to sit: either one of their long, communal tables or a window seat (all of which offer a seat on the uncomfortably high window sill). Not many great seating options. I wouldn’t want to be here when the place is full for dinner. There wouldn’t be anywhere that I’d want to sit while enjoying a meal.
The food was good. I opted for the Pea and Asparagus Risotto and the Guacamole with freshly made chips. One order of lemonade/​tea later the bill was at $ 33…then there was the tip. This isn’t the most cost appropriate place to go for, as they call it, «small bites.»
The service was friendly and the food was good… but they could attempt to make the small bites a smaller price.

I bought a
coupon and booked a table for two on a Thursday night. The restaurant is intimate and has a tiny menu but you should not overlook it. They have some absolutely amazing dishes.
I got the daily special, King Salmon pan-​seared with two sides, egg plant and artichoke purée. My boyfriend on the other hand, tried their Lamb shank with beans.
Wow, my salmon has a crispy skin and yet the meat is so tender and juicy. The egg plant is cooked to tender and purée was simply amazing. They were all served on the same plate but they surprisingly compliment one another’s flavor. My boyfriend’s lamb just fell apart from the bone and the flavor is exploding. It tastes like lamb stew.
We also got the Lemon Tart with Earl Grey Ice Cream as other Unilocalers suggested. It is light, lemony and yet refreshing. I feel satisfied but not overstuffed.
Our waitress was super friendly and attentive. The only thing is this place is not cheap. Our bill came to $ 52 although I have a $ 25 off coupon.

Came here for dinner last night and was underwhelmed with my meal.
I almost feel bad giving this place two stars because the service was nice and the place is cute and cozy, but when you have a small menu you should really be able to impress the diners with the dishes you specialize in. Honestly, the best part of the meal was the free bread that comes with the table, which was fresh and delicious.
I had the fish of the day which was flounder with roasted eggplant and roasted autumn root vegetables which were mostly potatoes. The fish was over seasoned and the potatoes were undercooked. The boyfriend had the steak and said it was chewy and had tendons. Basically, not the steak he thought he’d get for $ 30.
The one redeemable part of the dinner was the dessert. The bittersweet chocolate cake was delicious. But it didn’t make up for the so-​so food at the ridiculous prices. With bottles of wine starting at $ 40 and entrees at around $ 30, I don’t think I’ll be coming back.

Salt is my kind of restaurant. Small, unpretentious, limited menu, everything made fresh from the finest ingredients available. What more can you ask for?
Oh wait, maybe it’s the bacon-​wrapped-​dates appetizer. It was a delicious, me-​size bite, bursting with sweetness. Lord have mercy, I need to make some of those myself right now!
Almost all of the entrees sounded fabulous, and I ended up opting for the skate entrée, which on the night I visited was subtituted with escolar (a more steak-​y whitefish, but still delicious). All my friends were ecstatic about their entrees — the cavatapi pasta, the hangar steak, and the flounder. I tried them all and each one was stellar. The yukon gold potatoes were amazing — creaming and light.
They’re on
, so if you know you’re headed there, it’s worthwhile to get yourself one of the certificates and save a few bucks on your amazing meal!

Salt’s been in my bookmarks for quite some time now for no other reason than that I enjoy restaurants with monosyllabic names (really I wish there were a better reason, but it is what it is). When I presented my dining companion with three choices from my bookmarks he chose this one because it seemed to have the healthiest options. It was an excellent choice.
The restaurant itself is cozy, rustic, and warm — feels more like it should be on Jane Street (or some equally cozy West Village street) rather than in Soho, but its sense of style makes it feel at home south of Houston.
The menu is simple and clever — although I did not partake, I’m a big fan of the «protein +2» option which allows you to basically design your own main course. I went with the grouper — one of my favorite fishes (I’m a Floridian after all) which was grilled to perfection and smothered in a delicious green cilantro-​ey sauce. I paired it with a nice Chilean Savignon Blanc
Minus half a star for slightly strange service that vacillated between indifference and overzealousness (we also had several different waiters which always bothers me slightly), and another half for being just a hair overpriced. But as I said, I’m being nitpicky these days. A solid and charming option for classic, delcious food.