Salt House
Category: American (New) [Edit]
Neighborhood: SOMA545 Mission St
San Francisco, CA 94104 (415) 543-8900 Reserve Online
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Mon-Thu 5:30 p.m.-11:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat 5:30 p.m.-12:00 a.m.
Sun 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. - Menu: MenuPages
- Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: No
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
579 Reviews for Salt House
One of Salt House's Favorite Reviews
Crowded party. But wait--piles of shrimp. OK, that's good. Oysters galore. Hmmm.
It gets better--appetizers that are real food!
Actual grilled cheese, ham and turkey sandwiches, cooked in real butter. Deliciously rich (yet not greasy!) and among the best grilled sandwiches I've ever had.
Then steak fries with a cheesy bechamel sauce and gravy--an interesting choice for people standing up--but it worked!
Not only was the food serious delicious, the staff was inordinately nice, helpful, and able to somehow magically navigate through a room packed shoulder to shoulder.
And wait--there's more. Lots of parking next door!
(I should mention I was working the party, so I got to see the kitchen and downstairs--all of which were spotlessly clean).
This is a really great place. Really. Great.
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I haven't been there for awhile but I enjoy the wine selection and the food. The salads are good too! After you have dinner you could party at Harlot.
After my fabulous hair cut and highlights I wanted a fabulous meal. My friend who has eaten here several times was raving about their foie gras. (We are foie gras sisters) We ordered 3 plates for 3 people. I know such fat asses!!
She was disappointed when the plates arrived, because the size is half of which it use to be. The terrain was overly salty (no pun intended). A dozen of mixed oysters. They were from 4 different coasts and only the California one was sweet and fresh. (Maybe I'm bias)
The Poutine was so good, I was dreaming about it in my sleep and made it myself the next day.
Peking Duck and Short Ribs for entree. The duck was nice and med rare but the flavor wasn't all there. I don't know why I keep ordering short ribs when my dad's is the best. (and he makes the best Peking duck Chinese style)
We should have passed on dessert. The brownie did not belong here. It tasted and was plated like it belong in a chain restaurant. The panna cotta was smooth but not expectational.
My friend did not enjoy Salthouse like she use to.
P.S. I hate that they share a bathroom with Horlick, it stinks of urine and papers everywhere.
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WOW people, what's up with all the nit-picking?
A date took me here and I enjoyed every second of it!
There's parking RIGHT next door.
The hostess is extremely lovely!
Our server was attentive, friendly, and hot.
The bread was perfect and the butter was delicious!
Calamari was unconventional (not fried) and my date was a little taken back but I LOVED it! The chick peas had a nice bite, it was seasoned just right, and whatever the filling was in the squid thingies was sooooo good!
Our mains:
Alaskan Halibut with shiitake mushrooms and asparagus with shears of something (I forgot).. it may have been a little Asian inspired for I tasted a bit of soy sauce/dashi... it was light but a taaaad too savory (if that makes any sense) for my palate but not bothersome, at all.
Grilled Ahi (medium) with marmalade something and vegetables... not my dish so I forgot... but I was fortunate enough to try some and it was yummy! A very very spring like dish that made me smile =)
Dessert: cheese plate... there was marmalade with a spice i couldn't decipher and some argula with candied nuts.
My only two complaints are:
1. The Asian bus person (Vietnamese man) who is a little hmmm... over eager? He grabbed my plate not once, but twice, without asking if I was finished... then after that he kept coming back too soon to clear plates.
2. Of course the bathroom. ugh. What a disaster
But other than that, I am a fan!
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I liked Salt House, but I didn't love it. The food was good, the service was good, but for the money the portions were small, the food not unique or impressive and the prices were big.
It doesn't surprise me that Yelpers are mixed about their reviews for Salt House because the place could be much better.
I took my sister to dinner here on Friday night since she was in town and staying nearby. I have deducted 2 stars for the following reasons:
1) RESTAURANT VOLUME TOO LOUD
2) Food was good, but not remarkable and for the money the portions are small. I didn't think anything was special or worth coming back for again.
To start we had a beet salad and a calamari dish. For our entrees we had scallops and the halibut. All the dishes were good, but not great.
The best part of the meal was the bottle of Pinot Noir I ordered. It was a Whitethorn Los Carneros Hyde 2001 for $58.00, It was light and perfect. From the research I did I don't think this winery is in business any longer, too bad 'cause it sure was good.
I doubt I will come back to Salt House. It just wasn't worth the money and there are so many other better SF restaurants.
I agree about some previous comment maybe he food do not worth the price here... but compare to other restaurants around SOMA is not that bad. I like the place (**), part of the food (*) but not the ambiance.
Food tend to be spotty as well as the service. I wave at our waiter and can't seem to be bothered. Anyway, I had the meatloaf with chanterelle gravy which I thought is salty. Both meatloaf and the gravy are pretty spiked with sodium. I downed so much water after that...well it's the "salthouse". ooooh the citrus lemonade seltzer drink was closed to $5. After that I was gastronomically impaired....I can't down my $5 lemonade...it feels wrong. I felt pickled after....citrus and sodium like a brine concoction isn't it?
In a way, the ambiance was a little on the sterile side for my taste, however, I really enjoyed my yellow fin tuna. I think it was the marmalade taste that made it worthwhile. Other than that, not a big fan.
Dear Salt House,
Thank you for serving me REAL duck confit and not insulting me with anything less than a delectable duck leg that had been simmered for hours in duck fat and then broiled to falling-off-the bone perfection!
Your blackberry lemonade seemed like a good idea, but it was a little anemic. I confess that it slaked my thirst, but it was also $5... and made me think of how I used to make lemonade from the fruit off the tree in our backyard... and sell it for 5 cents a Dixie cup. Then I started thinking about the rising price of oil/black crack and how much gasoline costs... (should I buy a hybrid, or an EV?) and then I realized I needed to focus more on my beautiful duck confit.
The white polenta with cippolini onions and spring vegetables was phenomenal, and not overwhelming, but perfect, proportion-wise. I actually ate the polenta and accompaniments BEFORE I truly delved into my confit... which is (a) contrary to my devoutly carnivorous nature and (b) speaks volumes about the scrumptiousness of the ENTIRE dish.
I love the loft/industrial decor... although the woman who sat at the 2-top behind me discovered two golf-ball sized holes in the floor, when the leg of her chair took a dive and knocked into my seat. No harm, no foul. But plug the holes!
I promise to return with an empty belly to sample more of your daily offerings when I am not pressed for time on a business lunch. I think that we can really have a long-term relationship. I think I love you!
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Solid, great food -- perfect for a lunch with old friends or colleagues. I went in February with my longtime mentor and a new mentor for some silicon-valley-girl-power-lunching. This was the perfect spot. We sat upstairs (perfect for people watching) and had a nice leisurely lunch. Of course we tried the house specialty: poutine. I didn't quite get the mania - but cheesiness and fries just can't go wrong. Our lunches were great -- perfect in that they were just really good. It was also one of the best lunches I've had from a conversation perspective and so that made the place even better. The staff was also friendly and unphased by our leisurely lunching.
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I can't comment on the food because I just had drinks with coworkers. The management made a big stink about the 6 of us being seated at a table for 4. It just made everyone feel unwanted. I think the problem was that we weren't eating, but we were taking up prime real estate. It's a nice mellow place to go after work, but I don't think I'll go back.
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I want to love Salt House, I really do. I love Town Hall, and this is from the same owners, so you would think it would be easy for Salt House to gain my affection. Alas, only three stars from me.
Designwise, Salt House is great -- an urban feel that you might expect in Soho or Tribeca. But, the restaurant's kind of like Jessica Simpson -- beautiful, but not entirely there...
Good
1) Burger (lunch only)
2) Poutine (highbrow chili cheese fries)
3) Mixed nuts with honey and truffle oil
Not as good
1) Spotty service (and the restaurant wasn't packed)
2) Could have more wines by the glass on the wine list
3) Hanger Steak and the potatoes served with them didn't have much flavor
Exposed bricks, skinny wood communal table,and chalk-board oyster menu give this urban Mission Street spot the touch of farm that warms my heart. That, and eggs. I gathered eggs every morning as a girl, and them being featured in a dish such as Salt House's fantastic "crispy egg" nestles into my Stendahlian memory-prodding sensorial responses, and well, make me one happy citygirl.
The oysters arrive on a bed of salt, which I shameless sucked bits of as if they were rock candy. I heard a PBS radio interview once of Mark Kurlansky, promoting his book _Salt_, describing how American towns are situated on seemingly designless connections of wandering roads, all because of salt. That those roads were widened trails originally cut from animals in their search for it. I read somewhere else that it is the herbivore who needs added salt in the diet, which would explain why it's primarily deer, elk & their ilk who were the trailblazers.
Despite my fascination with the bed of salt beneath the oysters, I'm not a vegetarian, though I do tend to save my meat-eating for special meals. I ordered the steak. Mind you we were just stopping by for "a quick bite" if there was immediate space to be found. There was, and suddenly my senses were overtaken, and like the deer who searched so far and wide for their lick of salt, I gave in to the Salt House experience.
I have a fascination with salt. Not the kind that Sascha's friend has who famously salts everything she eats. Rather, I like to taste different salts -- like the gray sea salt from Cyprus, and the pink salt from Utah, sold at Rainbow.
One more indulgent memory: the salt mines of Salzburg. I have this funny picture of my daughter and me wearing saltminers' clothes, perched on the top of a long slide which took us down deep into the Austrian salt mine. This review is dedicated to Tatjana of Vienna.
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My girlfriends and I had a late dinner here last Friday. I ordered the steak medium rare with potatoes and carrrots. The meat unfortunatley was dry and crunchy on the outside. I not kidding it had a burnt crunch on the outside of the steak. Very chewy. I loved the sauce and the sauteed veggies but the steak I would have sent back.
My friend ordered the shrimp appetizer that looked really good with a greenbean salad. She did not like it saying that there were large chili flakes that was so spicey that she could not enjoy the dish.
I enjoyed a nice lunch here. The table was ready early, in spite of the restaurant being completely packed. I had the shellfish saffron stew which was tasty and fresh. My colleague ordered the petrale sole and she was very happy with the order.
The room is a converted warehouse space which adds a very SoMa-ish feel and yes, it's noisy. I saw a lot of complaints about the noise - but some restaurants are noisy - If you want quiet, go elsewhere. As a native New Yorker, I call it atmosphere and I felt comfortable. Service was good, too.
I will be returning.
While being Review #557 is pointless, as an avid Yelper I gotta throw in my two cents.
LOVE this place. Our server was awesome, the rustic meets industrial decor is super cool, and the food rocked. Don't miss the decadent poutine (steak fries with white cheddar and short rib gravy).
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Three things I like about Salt House:
Ambiance: I'm a big fan of good staff in a well done space. The team at Salt House has it down. The space itself is not only interesting, dynamic, and comfortable, but the staff who inhabit it do so in an entirely professional---yet still casual enough to feel homey---manner. I've sat at the bar, at the communal table, downstairs at table, and now at last upstairs as well, and in each case it was simple, easy, and utterly uncomplicated.
Wine Service: I love not only their well chosen wine list, but in particular their house blends served in a farm bottle. This always makes for a smile.
The Food: Like Town Hall, what Salt House excels at is comfort food done up with a little polish. A perfectly done piece of fish (most recently the striped bass, bursting with moist flavor in every bite), a well-seared hangar steak, and their novel, unctuously delightful, and completely satisfying Crispy Egg starter---this is the sort of food that satisfies easily without being precious. Then again, if you're looking for deeply constructed miniplates of rare ingredients, this won't be your cup of tea. If you look forward to a lovely trifle for dessert, along with a marvelous glass of grappa, then definitely, definitely, grab a seat.
The less than perfect items?
Numero Uno: the noise level can become overwhelming when they are busy---which is basically always. Be aware and forewarned. It's not conversation-killing deafening, but it does get loud.
Numero Duo: It can get cramped: not just at the very narrow communal table, but also at the tightly spaced tables along the banquette. Be ready to be friendly, and take care not to dip your elbow into your neighbor's plate of poutine.
Numero Three-o: With costs rising, and pay & the dollar declining, you may encounter sticker shock. Be prepared to pay for what you get. This ain't no free lunch--but it's worth every inflationary penny.
Hail to thee, House of Salt, with four sodium-laden stars!
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I had a birthday lunch with a girl friend there recently. Good location for both of us, good service no rushing us or our 2 hour catch up time. Good food. We will be back.
Love this place...what a great addition to SOMA dining. It's no surprise that this gem comes from the same people as Town Hall (another fantastic place). The decor is beautiful, the service is good, and the food is delicious. The poutine and crispy shrimp are yummy apps and the striped bass is heaven on a plate. But the best part is the desserts - the cookie platter is a must-have for a group. The only thing I would change about this place is the salt! For a place called Salt House, I would have a cool salt presentation on the table like Hawaiian black salt or a salt block.
casual cali cuisine.
with 8:30 rezzies, we had to wait 25 mins for our table. this place was hoppin' the bar area was small and was very crowded. i sipped an old cubano while i waited to be seated.
the loft setting with exposed brick walls made me think of a cool nyc apt. no peaceful zen state here. the sound was quite deafening. definitely not an intimate date place.
yes, i do admit, i am french canadian so i had to order the poutine. the server did warn me that it was an upscale version with bechamel cheese. i still prefer my hometown's version with cheese curds but salthouse's version was homey and filling.
the pickled veggies and olives were good to nibble on before entrees.
things that could be improved were the wine selections. all about the same price - affordable and not amazing. i would rather have a couple of more expensive choices and pay for better wine.
but i am a pinot noir snob so take that advice with a grain of salt...no pun intended.
i also felt a little rushed with plates being cleared and an unrequested bill set on our table. how tacky. and the place was not hoppin' at this late point in the evening. so i docked them a star.
for entrees: the lamb shank was soft and falling off the bone. the steak was undercooked but i liked it that way.
for dessert: the citrus tarte was ok and the chocolate cake was good. the desserts don't compare to those at aqua but it went with the more casual flair of this place.
overall salthouse had the A16 plating with town hall casual feel in soma.
cool place for drinks and dinner with friends destination.
*though try not to eat at the bar. too crowded to enjoy a meal. i was passing my amex to the bartender between two lovebirds.
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Surprise dinner to celebrate brother Mitchell's new job was a winner, great room, attentive service and above average food.
Small complaint on the shrimp/green bean appetizer, 3 shrimp for $14? Still loved the spicy dressing/mint/parsley/green beans.
Mitchell enjoyed the scallops and my lamb shank was fall off the bone perfect.
All complimented by a perfectly balanced oregon pinot.
And kudo's to anyone who puts an aged rum on the after drinks list. Salt House is a place to celbrate.
Next time I will try that Poutine dish...crazy canadian as it sounds.
+2 foie gras - melt in my mouthgasmic
-1 guilt - gavage method on the ducks
+1 awesome decor/ lofty look/ambiance
+1 friendly waitstaff
+2 cozy spot behind the staircase facing the street!!!!!!!
-1 non-impressive lamb shank (i've had better at half the price)
they gave us three options..
a) wait 45 minutes for a table
b) sit at the bar/shared big table
c) sit behind the stairway
c!!! im so gonna be troll and grab peoples legs as they pass by
I don't know why i realllly love the lofty/steel beams look. If I could live here I would..
I will discuss further.. but i have no time.. scallops were ok.. and i don't really like them in general.. yay for that.
Sorry Donald, Daisy, and Daffy... Seeya! Wouldn't wanna be ya!
As Herbert the creepy old guy from Family Guy would say.. "Get cho fat ass back here"
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another soma establishment with mediocre service and above average food. our server seemed very disappointed that we elected to order just an entree each. my scallops were actually quite flavorful, and my friend's petrale sole was well-prepared but neither dish was exceptional. our server was also not pleased by the fact that my friend didn't order a drink. overall not a stand-out dining experience.
I'm not sure why I can't figure out how to give a place a 1/2 a star. So, my 2 stars really mean 1 1/2 stars (and I am still on the fence about even that).
To start, it's loud....or my table was full of quiet talkers. Don't go here if you are a spy and need to whisper secrets or sweet nothings in someone's ear.
The mixed nuts were mmm-mmm good, and so were the marinated olives. However, the yellow fin tuna melt sandwich was soooo saturated with butter, one little crumb stained my dress as it slid off my lap (as a matter of fact, it was so oily, I just scraped the tuna off the bread, and left hungry).
The service is tremendously slow (although maybe our server was just being coy) except when it was time to pay the check...and then I barely had time to get my credit card out of my wallet.
If you need to go to the restroom take a flashlight or night vision goggles (or wear something less...complicated) because not only are the walls painted black, there seems to be only a jar of fire flies above the sink. (What do you do at night?)
The uneven knotted pine floors make it difficult to maneuver in heels, and ladies, it's a loooong walk to the bathroom (so keep your eyes on the floor or limit yourself to two glasses of wine).
They tried, but...
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Really yummy food. Lots of flavor and taste. Start with a bowl of warm mixed nuts and your dining experience will be off to a good start! Enjoy!
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Picked a top rated city restaurant on Yelp to impress my wife that all the time I spend on Yelp is well spent. Being stuck in suburbia, we don't get out very often. Her experience here was more of a 4 where as mine was more like a 3.5. (If I admit it, maybe she won't be as indulgent of all my Yelping.)
Biggest turn off for me was the hostess had tattoos all over her arms. As luck would have it, we were seated next to a woman who had Yakuza tattoos half way down one arm. So maybe I had tattoos on the brain, but let's just say it didn't make my entree taste more appealing to have her serve us.
Otherwise, it was a good experience. Nice decor. Seated promptly. Waiter extremely knowledgeable and courteous. I guess the overall style of the food is supposed to be around rather straightforward dishes, not especially spiced complexly so that the natural flavors come through. Wine menu by the glass didn't bowl me over, but the waiter suggested good pairings.
My pear, chicory walnuts and ricotta didn't really work for me. Portion of greens too big and I didn't really appreciate the ricotta being warm. My wife's cauliflower soup on the other hand was great. Her short ribs was great. My lamb shank with couscous was rather good but not great.
Definitely quite the scene. Besides the Yakuza tattooed woman to my left, we were later joined to the right by a woman who looked like a Russian mafia mistress with diamonds out the wazoo. We ate on the early side, so we got to see everyone else come in later on in the evening, just as we had to head back to the 'burbs.
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I went here yesterday evening (Sunday) on a balmy evening about 7 PM or so..it was mostly empty, and quiet...what a lovely spot though, exposed beams, very old San Francisco, but also modern in a way...
Started with the Fois Gras, and I thought it was just perfect, and we wiped the plate up like peasants...
Then a Breaded Deep Fried Egg, which was tasty and interesting but a little awkward as an appetizer.
I ordered a steak over Vegetables (gotta watch those Carbs!) and it was just perfect... we had brought a bottle of Papapietro-Perry Russian River Pinot Noir, Peters Vineyard 2000, which was lovely, Corkage was $20..
Dessert (which I didn't touch) was an Orange Tart, which my dinner companion did not like, so we had a couple of 18 yr old scotches to make us warm an sleepy..
The staff was very attentive and non formal (which I like), but there were probably more staff there than patrons!
Then we walked home, to watch the current installment of "John Adams", on HBO (wonderful as usual) , and drifted off into the night..
What a great evening - thanks Blake!
As the wife says . . . "good enough to ride the bus"! Which we did there and the way back, and it didn't tarnish the experience in any way. That's really saying something for those of you unfamiliar with the wonders of SF Muni.
They started us with some really nice bread and a bottle of their least expensive, but very good, sparkling wine. We had the oysters (really spectacular -- extremely fresh), the sole (light and delicious), and the halibut with pork hocks (amazingly complex and each ingredient was perfectly cooked)
We were delighted up to this point, and so ordered a couple of desserts; the English trifle and the pineapple upside-down torte. The trifle was Laura's favorite, but while I found it tasty it didn't knock me out. I loved the torte; falling-apart tender and a great balance of sweetness and spice.
The ambience is really cool; perfect for a really nice dinner where you don't want to get dressed up. Very rustic but charming with an open kitchen. Our service was attentive, but not overly so, and we got attention from everyone when we needed it.
I would give it five stars if the price were lower. We ordered a ton of food and a very good bottle of champagne, and the bill was $160 before tip. It was clearly worth the price, but I wouldn't call it a screaming deal.
I can't wait to check out Anchor and Hope by the same owners when they open on April 22 . . .
Service was friendly and efficient. Food was decent but not outstanding. The one must-try dish was the crispy egg, which was original and delicious. The other dishes were acceptable, but nothing really made a lasting impression. You have to do better than that to stand out in San Francisco.
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What can I say about Salt House other than, can you please clear out all of the tables and kick everyone out so I can move into this restaurant and live? :)
What a fantastically cool looking space. The natural light surrounded by amazing walls and even a little loft area. Oh my, just fabulous! But the awesome decor and space came in second to the delightful lunch the other Yelp Stephanie and I shared here this week.
We started with the featured Orange Cranberry soda with fresh lime drink thingamajig and it was really tasty. We then ordered the Poutine and for those of who have never tried a Poutine. Wow. It's fries smothered in a short rib gravy and bravo farms cheddar. Yum!
We then moved onto the Winter salad with apples, beets, blue cheese and these tasty candied walnuts! Sooo delightful. Finally for our main course we shared a lamb and ricotta gnocchi dish that was really rich and tasty.
I swear, it is lunches of this caliber that drain my bank account week after week, but ya know what, you can't take it with you, so why not enjoy it while you're here :)
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The $19 i spent on the foie appetizer might possibly be the best $19 I've ever spent. They dont skimped either, so you're definitely getting your money's worth of liver. yummmm!! The chelsea gem oysters are amazing as well.
The food was pretty darn good (and both the lamb shank and halibut came with hearty portions), as was the service. My only complaint is that it is a loud ass restaurant. Apparently, the bar is a happening place for after-work drinks so you do feel a bit crowded if you have the unfortunate pleasure of sitting nearby.
I haven't lost my voice yet from having to shout my conversation but if i do, it was a small price to pay for such excellent cuisine.
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Mixed nuts anyone? No, I'm not throwing a cheesy cocktail party or Superbowl gathering - I'm suggesting you order them at the Salt House...now! They're served warm with a fantastic seasoning on them; what a great twist on something so ordinary!
The short ribs were unbelievable - I can't recommend them enough. The meat was so tender and flavorful that I was fighting for the last bite with my date. The wine we ordered, while I can't remember the name, was delightful and really complimented our meal.
My only complaint - we were seated upstairs and it got really toasty up there. All that heat from the ovens were heading straight for the ceiling. At one point I had to excuse myself to make sure I wasn't sweating profusely! Suggestion: ask to be seated downstairs. It's a lot more lively, comfortable and cool.
Staff was very friendly. Older folk (odd for that area except now I think about it Town Hall is kinda like that) but nice. Foie gras comes as two - a pate and seared. They give you toast too which was cool because not all restaurants that serve foie remember to do that. That sounds lame-o enough to get shit from my guy friends, but something about duck fat on toast is so damn delicious it makes butter seem healthy. Not as good as Gary Danko's but it's conveniently in SOMA and not super-crowded.
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Whenever I go to a place like this early in the evening, I always feel a little self-conscious. Are they thinking that I "made a reservation at 6 p.m. because well, no way you'll get in at 8?"
Truth be told, I, like my grandparents, like eating dinner while the sun is still up. Call me crazy, but it also makes for no wait times. Salt House is probably a place where, come night fall, all the super-uber-duper-whatever types end up, sipping $12 house wine and lamenting the sub-prime crisis' "effect on those poor middle-income families."
And for one brief moment, I, too, was a yuppie whilst eating here.
We had a very private and intimate dinner in the upper dining area, giving us a multifarious bird's eye view of cocktail dresses, t-shirt/blazer combos, and exposed brick. My kind of place. Not.
The food was actually great, which I guess this review should be about. The staff was extremely nice and very, very attentive. I swear, if I thought about a crumb on the table, our waiter's ESP picked it up and he was upstairs making sure everything was to our liking. I wonder if this service is mirrored at say, 8pm?
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Went here for lunch with mi jefe and some ninjas from work. We had a pretty badass lunch, I think everyone liked their meals. I had the chicken potpie, which made me feel like crap for knowing that potpies could be this good, while ive been eating frozen ones my entire life. Thanks Salt House, for opening my eyes.
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All I have to say about this place is Lamb shank and bring back the warm nuts. And avoid sitting under the stairs. And there ya have it. Enjoy!
The food at Salt House tastes quite salty (should have guessed as it is the SALT house).
The poutine appetizer is basically salty french fries, like overly salted, and with some sauce on it (gravy on the side.. and honestly, sauce and more sauce is overbearing). The sole was good, but again, too salty for my taste (I don't even salt my scrambled eggs). More sauce on this dish, but honestly, it didn't do much to make the sole tasty. Average food, basically.
It does get loud, and you notice yourself slowly yelling to get your point across, or at least, leaning in to listen to the person not yelling. It's not bad, but hard to have a good conversation with your meal. Service is decent, but not extraordinary where they go out of their way.
And what's up with a lot of pork or bacon being put into every dish? I feel like that just adds to the saltiness. Hm..
The trio behind Town Hall appears to have opened up their 2nd venture to be. The space mixes a similar crowd, like Town Hall, that is just down the street, but I must say the I liked the crowd at Salt House better -- WAYY better. *nods* yesh, a yuppie crowd to be... it's got an interesting set up, with seatings upstairs, and a lower level - for some reason, even though I sat on the lower level, I felt a bit scared even looking at the upper level. Iono why. Drinks were relatively average priced, ranging $5 for beers, and up. Their cocktail, I ferget which one I ordered wasn't all that great either, and of course their wine wasn't something to be impressed about, since I knew what I had wanted.
We first ordered several hama hama's and they were quite tasty ($2.50/oyster). Rather than pigging out, we decided to grab 3 appetizers and enjoy each other's company.
-crispy shrimp (served w/green beans, almonds, and ham) $14 - PASS. Basically, tempura style shrimp but worse. Not worth it.
-Dayboat scallops ($14): sry Salt House, PASS for the 2nd time. Something about it just didn't taste right.
-Foie Gras (cured/sauted) $19. As a foie gras whore, I wasn't thoroughly impressed, it was probably the better of the 3 appetizers we had ordered, but it wasn't all that wonderful. It was good, but not $19 good. You'd expect some hot stuff, but eh...
When I requested for Tabasco, they serve it in this genie type bowl, and lacked a few points there..
iono if i'd return...
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The food was only outshined by the restaurant itself... and my handsome date! I am thinking about going back for happy hour - wine and poutine.
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I ordered the lamb. It was nice and melted off the bone, but was not something spectacular.
The waitress was kind enough to help recommend a great Scotch. I like them peaty (sp?)
Unfortunately , we didn't get to the sea food.
I was hoping for more from this place and tried really hard to like it, but the the food just didn't knock my socks off.
One star for the good service, and one for the good Scotch.
