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Salt Tasting Room
Categories: Nightlife Bars Wine Bars Restaurants Tapas/Small Plates Wine Bars, Tapas/Small Plates [Edit]
45 Blood AlleyVancouver, BC V6B 1A4
(604) 633-1912
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 12 pm - 12 am
- Delivery:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Music Videos
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Wed, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
222 reviews for Salt Tasting Room
Review Highlights
"The meats & cheeses are high quality and DELICIOUS."
(in 22 reviews)
"Quicke's Cheddar with Guinness Mustard."
(in 12 reviews)
"I give 4 stars for fabulous pairings (or."
(in 40 reviews)
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222 reviews in English
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Review from Erica S.
1/16/2012
This was my favorite place in Vancouver. Amazing selection and wonderful pairings. Don't miss it!
Try: Meyer Chardonnay, Pentage Gamey Rose, Orofino Pinot Noir, Ash Camembert (BC), Colsten Bassett Stilton (UK), Isle of Mull Cheddar (UK), fig/walnut bread, Similkameen honeycomb, and Basque olives. -
Review from Dee A.
Vancouver, BC
1/29/2012
I've been to Salt when I first moved to Vancouver and thought it was a pretty good establishment back then but then that all changed when some girlfriends and I decided to check out Salt for Dine Out Vancouver and wow was that a experience (*cue the sarcasm)
For an 830pm reservation we were sitting there till almost midnight and it wasn't because we were enjoying the "amazing" menu it was because the service was taking so long without any explanation or apology from our waiter. For almost an hour we sat there waiting for the tasting platters to come out. Not to mention that when we did bring up our comments to the manager that evening all we were given was a look of annoyance and him saying "So, what do you want from this then girls?" Are you kidding me?!
Dine Out is an opportunity for restaurants in the city to show their best efforts and attract people who have never tried out their place and have future returning customers. Salt Tasting Room did the exact opposite for us that night, we for sure will never go back to that place again or recommend them to any of our friends either. -
Review from Jason G.
1/29/2012
This place was right solid in the middle of the road, maybe 3 1/2 stars, but Yelp doesn't allow that. I respect Yelp too much to rate you higher than you deserve Salt, so you're down to a 3...
It was a nice experience that I'm glad I didn't miss, though I do think that it is over priced considering the view you get and what exactly you receive. The food and wine isn't anything that is going to knock your socks off, but that's to be expected. You're getting apps, and the claim to fame of the restaurant is that they can pair meats, cheeses and wines and give you a taste experience. Out of the three pairings we tried, one was dead on and the other two were just meh.
We had three different people help us on arrival and as we sat for 20 minutes it was hard for us to know who our actual waiter was. *rant* I'm not sure if the multi waiter thing is a Vancouver feature but it has seemed to be commonplace in most places I've been to. Maybe I'd get used to it over time, but I'd really rather just have the person I'm going to deal with and maybe someone else who brings water.*/ rant*
They have a cute little place inside, and they reserved our tables next to the window with little pigs, I liked that. I think it would be a fun first date place, or an OK start to the night sometimes. You could probably just find a wine bar somewhere though, and get a charcuterie cheaper and better quality. Also then your view wouldn't be the back of a depressing set of buildings, behind the walls of which you know something really sad is happening. -
Review from Scott M.
Surrey, BC
1/25/2012
It's expensive for what it is, don't get me wrong, it's good, the ambience and service are ok and I get it. But the truth is, for the price of a meal for Two + wine you could
stop by your local deli buy twice the amount of meat & cheese and a couple of bottles of wine (at least). A good drop-in for a glass of wine and a snack but if you come here expecting too leave full, your wallet probably won't be... -
Review from Megan S.
Vancouver, BC
1/15/2012
If I had the choice I would actually give this place a 3.5 (damn the no half stars!) but considering Salt's super high overall rating, I figure it can handle eating some humble pie. Frankly, it needs to.
I wasn't planning on having an official birthday party this year, as my husband and I were heading to Mexico to celebrate, but about a week before we left I decided to make a reservation at Salt with my closest girls and their guys for the night before we flew out. Wine + charcuterie = me in a nutshell, so I was pretty pumped.
8 of us squeezed into our reserved section at the long communal table and I instantly loved the vibe of the place. Our server was super friendly and knowledgable, though it took a bit of convincing on my part to get her to agree to do individual tasting plates for us all - she just wanted to put out a few pre-matched platters for us to share and call it a day. It was a busy Friday so I get where she's coming from, but this wasn't communicated to me when I made the reservation so I was a bit annoyed...and furthermore, we were a group of 8, not 20.
Super glad I pushed for it - the tasting plates were exceptional and she did take the time to find out what we liked. Mine was perfection:
Viognier + olives + fennel salami
Pinot Noir + cornichons + fig salami
Syrah + onions + smoked pork
My husband also loved his (except the Kettle Valley Cab/Merlot):
Syrah + apples + brie
Cab/Merlot + peppers + spicy Argentinian salami
Vermentino + onions + smoked pork
There were a few misses among the group, but on the whole, my friends and I were really pleased with the euphoric flavour parties happening in our mouths.
BUT (and this is a big but)...the portions were laughable. I actually only got 3 paper thin slices of the smoked pork, which should be considered criminal. We tried our best to make things last as long as possible, but the nibbles and the 2 oz pours were gone in minutes, leaving us all extremely vulnerable to the dreaded "up-sell". We all ended up ordering a couple of $12 - $15 GLASSES of wine afterward...totally absurd, but what can I say - we were vulnerable and desperately trying to repeat the magic that had ended too quickly.
They brought us more bread to munch on with our way way way overpriced glasses of wine, and I also ordered a golden beet salad - they ended up comping the salad and gave us a large portion to share. This was a nice gesture and very much appreciated, but to be honest, we're talking about maybe $0.96 worth of beets here.
As the party wore down, we tried to get our bill. And tried, and tried and tried. IT TOOK ONE HOUR, with no exaggeration. Even if I wasn't about to get up at the crack of dawn for a 6 hour flight, this would have been unacceptable. By the time we finally paid and left, we were all exhausted, hungry and kind of over the whole place.
So in summary - come here at your own risk. If you eat first, stick with the tasting plates and flights, avoid the single glass up-sell, get your bill and get the hell out of there, you'll probably have a great night.
Or, you could buy some nice charcuterie, olives, cheeses, crackers and a selection of $15-$20 bottles of wine, invite your friends over and have the same happy mouth explosions for a fraction of the price.
Your call. -
Review from Dee C.
Vancouver, BC
12/31/2011
What's better than wine pairing with friends? Nothing!
I love coming to Salt Tasting Room because of their meat/cheese and condiments with flight of wine pairing. Not to worry if you don't know what wine to order, just pick your meat/cheese and they will do the pairing for you!
It's a cool and fun place. I like the layout :) -
Review from Emily H.
12/26/2011
Cheese lovers, your life ain't complete til you go here. Foodies who love a customized dining experience, this place is for you. Vinoheads, you too.
Saw this place on Yelp Vancouver just before coming back for the holidays and I knew it'd be the #1 thing on my list of restos. Went with 3 lovely dining companions on a Friday night and it was just the perfect experience. If you can manage to find the place on Blood Alley (hint: look for a upside down salt-shaker), you are in for a unique experience!
We ordered 3 tasting plates between us four. Our server spent a long time customizing everything with us. By the end, I wasn't even sure if he was really describing the items or just exercising his really vast vocabulary of confirmatory adjectives (like splendid, magnificent, amazing....) but he sure was convincing that we were choosing the most superb cheeses & meats. We left the condiment pairings with him and he did a good job on the most part. Favourites: shropshire blue cheese (not usually a blue fan, but this was excellent), toscana fig salami paired with castel olives, and tartufo salami. The pickled relish was also a huge hit on its own. We each had a glass of wine or a wine flight, came up to about $30 after tax and tip per person.
Obviously not a filling dinner joint, but a really excellent nibbling experience. Loved it.
Atmosphere - 5/5
Service - 5/5
Food - 5/5
Price - 4/5Listed in: West Coast... the Best Coast!
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Review from Bianca T.
12/5/2011
What a great experience. I did my Yelp research before arriving in Vancouver and Salt showed up on my radar. Didn't know quite what to expect after reading that it was located in some dark dingy alley. But fear not. All was well.
We three ladies settled up at the bar and were served by the nicest guy. He took our drink orders, then came back for food selection. We opted for the tasting; 3 meats, cheeses, condiments. Thank god he was there to help make the parings. We knew what meats we liked, but obviously had no clue as to what would work well for each. If you have the same dillemna definintely leave it up to the pros.
I don't know if Seattle has the same type of atmospheric joint as Salt (maybe Stink in Tacoma?) but I'll do my darndest to find out. Loved it! -
Review from Sin-Yaw W.
12/19/2011
Interesting place. I dare to say unique and never had the same experience before.
The location is a great deterrent to this place. Blood Alley is enough to make normal people doubt and most single girls run away. There is an entrance from the Water Street, but it is hard to spot.
Never mind the entrees. This place let you order three from the cheese/meat selection and three wines, in flight portion. They then bring all up in a nicely aligned fashion, with cheat notes on the side, for you to taste and enjoy each pairing. All cheeses and cure meats are wonderful. Obviously better with the wines. The dessert are decadent and coffee strong and intensely flavorful. I left a happy person and not really over-stuffed.
Be brave. Find the passage to Blood Alley from Water Street. You won't regret this. -
Review from Jason H.
1/7/2012 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
These guys have a great business model - serve appetizers (that don't require cooking) and a glass of wine (3 2oz pours) and separate you from $30 a person at least in a sparsely furnished dining room. The meats and cheeses were tasty and the wine good but I can't give more than 3 stars as there isn't a lot of culinary prowess needed to do what they do and I think the value for money just is not there.
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Review from Renato L.
Toronto, ON
12/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Here in Vancouver for a short break from Toronto, I arrived only with a plane ticket. I'm relying only on Yelp, Urban Spoon and Air bnb.
Once again, web prove me that you can plan a great vacation at the last minute diving into adventure by not having any plans whatsoever on the plate.
This place is soo welcoming and offer an awesome menu. Not too big (so you can make up your mind fairly quickly without getting lost in it) but rich in flavor and suitable for every palate.
All the ingredients/food provided are healthy and not processed or from a tin can.
Had the Irish breakfast (2 eggs, bacon, home fries, irish bacon, sausages, black pudding and salad) plus a home brewed coffee.
Judging by the look of the food people near me were having, I definitely want to recommend you this place.
I only wish I could have more appetite so that I could have some more.
Just go and enjoy. -
Review from Sonia G.
Vancouver, BC
1/17/2012
Love Salt Tasting Room. Great place to go for when you want to catch up with a friend. Let the staff know what you like for food and drink and they will sort it out for you - great way to try out their pairings and I'm always impressed with the impeccable taste in pairing the flavours. LOVE the concept! Go back often!
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Review from Katie F.
11/12/2011
I love Salt! It's a great Gastown staple and I'm willing to brave parking in the sketchy streets nearby for the charcuterie here!
It's not a place to go if you're starving, but it's a great way to spend an evening with a flight of wine paired with meats and cheese. Great for ideas to take home... Who knew that honey goes so well with blue cheese and spicy salamis?
Great service although they can be a bit slow with water. One of the original Vancouver charcuteries and still one of the beat! -
Review from J N.
Vancouver, BC
9/17/2011
I've been coming to this place since it first opened, and every now and then I return. At first, they had the "Blood Alley" grungy-cool-vibe thing covered, but with so many areas (Hastings Sunrise perhaps) becoming gentrified, it's not really a big deal these days, even in Vancouver.
The place is cute, and the wine is lovely, and I could see how it would appeal to tourists and locals alike who want to pretend that they're somewhere like SF or NY. The waiters have a bit of an attitude, but that's because they are working at Salt!
The meat and cheese etc (because that's really what it is) are fresh, tasty and well-presented but overpriced for what you get, which, yes, is a Vancouver theme. Don't even think about asking for extra mustard, jam or maybe a pistachio. These things cost money, and if you do, they will let you know it on your bill! So choose carefully on your charcuterie board where you only get three picks!
If you're actually looking for a satisfying meal, go to Boneta around the corner and come here afterwards for a drink and a snack, but don't go out of your way to come here for victuals. Otherwise, you will leave quite hungry and with empty pockets! -
Review from Bobbin W.
9/17/2011
The Salt Tasting Room is the kind of place you take your future father-in-law to, to subtly impress him with woodsy and earthen flavors; it is the kind of restaurant where you can ingratiate yourself with any kewl male; it is the kind of eatery where you can enjoy yourself without an agenda.
Despite his culinary prowess, our waiter spent a lot of time explaining Salt's concept to my boyfriend and me, and helping us figure out an appropriate plan of gastronomic action. We both chose the Best of BC Plate, although the waiter invested even more minutes in asking my picky beau about his likes and dislikes pertaining to meat and cheese, so the chef could customize a plate that would fit his palate. A hog, I am not picky and said the chef could throw whatever he thought tasty on my plate.
Do you know what Ash Camembaert is? Not to be insulting, but I didn't think so; I didn't either. For your edification, it is a delicious, firm cheese that tastes heavenly with hazelnuts.
What about Salmon Arm BC Chevre? Imagine me pronouncing that "Shevree" with a hillbilly northwest Georgia accent. Shevree tastes good with soft local peaches.
Finally, envision a heap of shaved corn beef paired with Cultus Lake Guinness mustard.
After moaning over our equally delicious Best of BC Plates, we moaned louder over our chocolate terrine dessert, topped with cherries and their thick, sugary sauce. GOD.
I have so much inspiration for a finger food party now! I'll invite my...future father-in-law. -
Review from Jennifer Y.
11/15/2011 2 photos
Salt Tasting Room is one of my must go places when I visit Vancouver.
It took me 3 visits to Vancouver before I finally found this place. The first two visits, I came with my girlfriends, none of us being familiar with the area, walking down Blood Alley is EXTREMELY intimidating. Especially it is dark, only trash bins lined up on the side, and questionable people doing questionable things down there. Finally on my third visit, I came with my boyfriend. I really wanted to turn back half way down the alley, but my boyfriend won't let me, and I am glad he didn't or I wouldn't have found this place! However as of my recent visit, Blood Alley has gotten a lot busier, I saw one additional restaurant/bar that opened up other than the two bars that were there when I first visited. There were groups of people walking down this alley now, so it definitely feels much safer.
Salt Tasting Room is a wine bar, not really a restaurant... so don't come here hungry! So let's start off first with their "Wine Flight", their selling point. It is 2 oz pour of 3 different wines of your choice or you can consult the waiters (they are all VERY knowledgeable). Then you can choose a plate that will match with your Wine Flight, a plate involves three choices of meat & cheeses, each coming with a condiment that compliments it. You can even ask the waiter to pair the wine and your plate for you! The meat & cheese are always rotating, which is why they're not written on the menu but on the chalk board wall. Wines also rotate but not as often. They also serve desert if you're feeling sweet. The meats & cheeses are high quality and DELICIOUS. The wines are even better! You don't have to get the Wine Flight, you can order wine by the glass or by the bottle.
The atmosphere is like a lounge, dimly lit, and festive. They have two dining areas; the first dining area is the area you walk into when you first enter. The second dining area is in the basement, through the door that leads to the restrooms and down to the "Salt Cellar". The cellars are pretty cool, neatly organized, and there is a long community table set up besides it. Service here is impeccable! The waiters are great, friendly, and knowledgeable. They explain to you how things works there, what's on the menu, and when dishes/glasses finally arrive, they go through each one with you and telling you which one compliments which dish the best. My waiter never disappears, always comes back to check on us, and never had an empty glass of water.
It is a great place to come after dinner! -
Review from Adam O.
10/23/2011
My new favorite restaurant. Too bad its 3,000 miles from me now.
Make it your goal to get the corned beef. We also did the tasting tray and the waiters won't steer you wrong. In no time I was try guiness mustard, apricot honey, and truffle tremor.
This is a must visit for foodies in Van City! -
Review from Amy T.
7/9/2011 ROTD 11/28/2011
Wow, 179 reviews and counting! First of all, the entrance of Salt Tasting Room is located in a dark, dingy, smelly alley. Going to this restaurant is an adventure in itself.
As you approach the restaurant, there's a sign above with a cartoon picture of a salt shaker. Clean, modern and adorable.
Inside, they've kept the decor to a minimum with concrete floors and simple tables throughout. There's a chalkboard with the specials on one side and a brick wall, -very Gastown.
For $15, there's a choice of 3 cheeses, 3 meats or mix and match. There's also a 3 course menu for $28, which comes with salad, the butcher or cheese plate and a dessert.
This is a great place to take a date, relax with friends and have some snacks. Keep in mind not to come too hungry. The whole point of the Salt Tasting Room is to taste the different types of wine and food. You'll love it! -
Review from Jason W.
12/15/2011
The only thing that could have made this better would have been house-made charcuterie. Amazing food, luscious wine, delicious service. Go.
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Review from Rebecca P.
York, ON
8/4/2011 3 photos
When a foodie friend takes you to a restaurant down "Blood Alley", you know that either you're in for a treat, or you've unknowingly insulted your friend and this is your last meal....
Fortunately for me, I was in for a great lunch.
My review really has to be quiet simple: I enjoyed a smoked Jarlesberg & caramelized onion grilled cheese sandwich with two side salads (an arugula salad, and a beet salad), and a pot of jasmine green tea. Simple, delicious food in an airy, lovely restaurant with a good friend.
As the other reviewers will tell you, there more to this place than a good lunch. Since I didn't get to experience the joys of mixing and matching meats, cheeses, condiments, and wines, I don't have much to say on the matter except that it's a fantastic idea, and I'll give it a try the next time I'm in Vancouver. -
Review from mrLou C.
10/11/2011
This is a great place!! We had the three course dinner paired with
the wine flight. It was fantastic!! -
Review from Alex W.
8/31/2011
How does this not exist in Los Angeles?? Essentially they assemble a meat, cheese and condiment flight for you. We also did the wine flight. They pair the different categories and then as they're serving they explain the pairings and how they complement each other. My boyfriend and I were copiously taking notes so we could do this for parties back home.
We were there in the middle of the afternoon between lunch and dinner so I don't know how crowded it gets. The restaurant is in the heart of Gastown so be sure to walk around the area. The entrance is in the alley and easy to miss. -
Review from Michael P.
Burnaby, BC
9/6/2011
Been to Salt Tasting Room once; absolutely fell in love with it.
If you're a fan of artisan cheeses and appropriate wine pairings, introduce yourself to this establishment. Everyday there are different varieties of cheeses, meats and condiments. As advertised on their website, you'll never encounter the same combination!
My experience began with an order of their daily exclusive - the duck confit with fois gras terrine. It was $10 for a decent portion and the flavours were extraordinary - "danced on my tongue", if you will. Two thumbs up.
If you're a vegetarian, try the arugula & sunchoke salad (mixed with pickled shallots & lemon vinaigrette). For such simplicity, the texture and flavours of this salad made an astonishing combination. Loved it.
Also ordered were two tasting plates (combination of 3 cheeses and/or meat selections and 3 condiments). I won't list the names of the cheese and meats we ordered (admittedly, I can't remember their complete names), but just do what I did and randomize your choices or select what you've never tried before. Be adventurous!
As for the condiments, the staff offered superb pairings that complimented both cheese and meat. Speaking of the staff, they are very welcoming, professional and know the food they serve in-and-out. Most impressive!
Prices can be a little steep and Blood Alley could use some cleaning up, but the venue, food and staff make the perilous journey a memorable one. I'm definitely going back soon.Listed in: Places You Must Try!
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Review from Rohan S.
New Westminster, BC
8/28/2011
An interesting little restaurant down a dark alley.
The service here is excellent. The wait staff are very knowledgeable about the menu. We ordered meat and cheese tasting selection that's determined by Salt. We also got the "Wine Flight" (a wine tasting selection) to complement that meat and cheese plates. The pairing of wines with the meats, cheeses and condiments was very well done. I suggest sitting back and little the staff make all the decisions.
Their wine list is extensive and there is a limited selection of beer and other spirits.
However, I wouldn't go there if you've got a big appetite. After all it is just a tasting menu, so the portions aren't large. I'd suggest having something small to eat prior so when you're there you can linger over your food and drink and enjoy the company of your dining companion(s). -
Review from Robin M.
5/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
Oh Salt, you savoury sodium centre, you. I adore your cured meats and cheesy goodness. Your wine pairings make my toes wiggle with delight, and I find your handwritten chalkboard menus irresistibly charming.
I think you may have even had me in mind when you chose your brick walled, concrete floored, communal tabled space.
We're meant for one another, Salt... now if I could only afford to see you every night :) -
Review from Andy W.
7/5/2011 5 photos
Super fun concept!
For $15 you can pick 3 cheeses or meats or mix-n-match. We had no idea what most of the items written on the wall was so we asked the server to recommend a few things to us. We also order the toasted sandwich special ($12), it comes with soup and salad. We had no idea what we were going to get, it's based on what they have that day. It came out to be a tomato soup, an arugula salad that was super fresh and a corned beef sandwich. It all turned out delicious.
We also had the Salt's Specialty Fizz ($3.5). It was blood orange that day. The first glass didn't taste like it had enough syrup so when I ordered another glass, I asked for more syrup. It came out perfect.
Dessert was good, not spectacular. It was a chocolate torte with olive oil shortbread.
Service was great, food was great. Definitely will be back! -
Review from Sarah A.
8/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Well, now I know where all the hipsters in Vancouver go on Friday night (I have never seen so many people wearing fedoras in one place before). That being said, this place is great! Service was excellent. We ordered a cheese and a meat plate, as well as a wine tasting selection. We let them choose for us, since it was our first time, and they did an excellent job at pairing the meat and cheese with condiments and wines. Very tasty. They have a very impressive wine list, and even serve Stumptown Coffee.
One warning - the portion sizes were definitely a "tasting". I was absolutely famished when I showed up and quickly learned that I probably should have eaten something small beforehand. This is the kind of food that you are meant to eat slowly and enjoy (hence the "Tasting Room" title), and if you are very hungry you may have a hard time doing that.
This place has character and is great for both large groups and couples. -
Review from Tim A.
8/31/2011
The good: service, food quality, decor.
The bad: location, location, location and price.
Wanted to love this place based on the reviews, but walking through an alley and worrying about the people you pass along the way, just isn't worth it. As my friend says, "I'm getting too old for this!" -
Review from Nikki W.
Vancouver, BC
6/17/2011
Came here for the first time and loved it! It was quite busy at 8:30pm and only bar seats were available, so we took them. My friend and I both got a tasting plate each (mix of meats and cheeses) and a flight of wines.
We let our friendly server decide on all our pairings, and was THAT ever a good decision! We had some truly delicious discoveries, in particular, I'm now a mega huge fan of Beemster XO thanks to our server's good taste. It's really delicious when paired simply with apple slices.
Cute restaurant, very "Gastown-y" with exposed brick walls and communal tables (seems to be becoming quite popular in trendy Gastown restaurants: Meat & Bread, Irish Heather...)
Be warned that it can be quite noisy and crowded (duh: communal tables means your bum is probably touching a stranger) so definitely not the place for a romantic dinner, despite the very romantic fare of wine and cheese.
Also, this is a place for pre- or post-dinner nibbles, so gluttons and all-you-can-eat fans, this is not for you. -
Review from Ruobin W.
9/13/2011
The only real problem that I have with this restaurant is the location. It is located down a very shady alley and the sign is not very prominent.
Nearly everything else about the restaurant was at least decent if not great. The service was fine considering the small size of the restaurant. The interior design was nice and modern but the tables near the window were spaced really far from the counter, the other tables which meant the waiters would be less likely to service you.
The food itself was amazing. Salt's menu of cheeses, meats and condiments has a lot of variety and the pairings one can make with all of them really astounds me. The wait staff really helps you decide which pairings are the best and recommend wine flights for the meal. Menu options change daily so I think that the help they give you is really necessary for a good dining experience.
Try any of the meats and cheeses and make sure you ask which condiments go well with each. You will not be sorry. I suggest getting the wines too but it does cost a bit extra. -
Review from Wendy M.
5/11/2011 4 photos
Walking down the creepy "Bloody Alley" made me a little nervous but I wasn't going to let that keep me away.
As soon I step in, Amazing! Very small and intimate, reservations are highly recommended BUT silly me, I hadn't called ahead. My fiance' and I were so sad assuming we wouldn't be able to get a table but luckily a table opened up! YAY! :)
Being cheese fanatics we felt like kids in a candy store! The menu is written on a huge chalk board where you can select between quality meats, cheese and sides. When we finally made up our mind, we decided on sampling three very different kinds of cheese and asked our server to pair it with sides that she felt would compliment our choices. Genius! The parings were perfect, honey, peppers and chutney along side our salty, milky and nutty cheese. The honey alone was delicious!
Excellent for the wine connoisseurs and cheese lovers.
I am a Salt fan and plan to return on my next trip back to Vancouver! -
Review from Erin U.
11/2/2011
After living in gastown and never making it here I knew it was time. Finallyyyy after 4 years of being in Vancouver I got to the salt tasting room and what a treat it was!! I will absolutely be back again and I went on a date and it is a oh so perfect spot for a cozy date(with wine) The waiter was awesome and got us sorted as we didnt know what to try. I dont eat alot of meat but I did that night haha The portions werent massive but really food isnt made to be gorged by the pounds anyways, I thought it was a perfect amount of food and a great setting. The alley entrance is a bit funny but I used to live in gastown so it didnt phase me at all! A bit on the pricey side but worth it. I had an amazing night here!! ...the company I kept might have had something to do with that ;-) I will def be revisiting when I can afford to again
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Review from T T.
6/17/2011
Blown away. It's not the place to go eat if you are starving, but that's why it is called a "tasting room." Our server was a wiz with wines and I had the best glass of wine I've ever enjoyed there. Staff also took the time to talk us through the tastes and helped put together two amazing tasting plates to share. Golden beet and basil salad was amazing. It was upscale food, but Vancouver style - jeans are fine, everyone is nice, relaxed and the large community table is fun. Go and go often.
And, as a side note - how cool is it to go to a restaurant on Blood Alley. -
Review from Mike S.
Vancouver, BC
10/22/2011
Yeah, I'm on the bandwagon... Super great space with a cool vibe and tasty treats... Only reason I'm not delving out a 5 is b/c I left hungry; portions are small as in tasting room small - yep...
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Review from Elle G.
Vancouver, BC
7/15/2011
My friend recommended Salt but warned that we had to enter through a dark alley. Since she's from a small town and unfamiliar with Gastown, or "Gas Park" as she liked to call it, I thought perhaps we had different views as to what constitutes an alley. Lo' and behold, I found myself walking down a dingy alley (Blood alley, to be exact) with dumpsters and a few homeless people sitting about. Safe to say, I would have never walked down there otherwise.
The seating by the window is not entirely practical with tables so small you can barely fit more than a drink. We ended up at a long communal table which I was surprisingly content with. Perhaps it was a slow night, but I didn't feel like I was sitting on my neighbour's lap and it still felt like a private dinner with my friend.
The wine and tasting plates are as good as it gets. We dined like Queens that night sharing recommended platters of meats, cheeses and condiments all paired with delicious wines. I would definitely go again. -
Review from Cody S.
Surrey, BC
9/22/2011
I've been wanting to go here for while since I'm a bit on a wine-o. I finally got around to it. The prices are what you would expect for a wine bar with food tasting plates. A bit pricey. I recommend allowing the staff choose your pairings as they know what they are doing. Everything is fresh and delicious. And the wine... It's always good! They have a large selection of local and international wines. From average to very hi price wine. Great for a low key night with a few friends or just you and someone special.
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Review from rosylen m.
6/6/2011
I hope I tipped her enough. I paid my bill with US and Canadian money.
Whoever she was, she was f'n awesome!!! She was super patient with me as I am not an oenophile or a charcuterie expert. I wound up with the wine flight (she chose my wines) and the three course meal (she chose my meats and cheese) and I was nothing BUT pleased with her selections. I chose my own dessert (something chocolate, of course; and it was delicious though I did not lick my plate clean). I take that back. The fig bread thing was a bit sweet, but I did enjoy eating that condiment by itself.
I didn't have a reservation, but was probably early enough to get seated. Word on the street (according to folks I overheard), you may want to make reservations if you are planning on coming on the usual busy nights (Thursday through Saturday).
Great place for little bites. -
Review from Timothy d.
1/22/2011 6 photos
It's the holy trinity of bliss; fromage, charcuterie and wine!
Once you find this unassuming trendy hip communal establishment, be ready to devour on some truly artesian local meats, international cheeses, creative accoutrements, carefully selected wines and fresh baked baguettes.
As most have mentioned; pick some meat, pick some cheese and pick a wine... simple as that. If you don't know what you're craving, ask... the friendly staff is there to make your culinary experience there enjoyable.
They say their meats, cheeses and wines change often, which is wicked convenient. They serve their plates with the soft bread and some "bread chips" of sort... next time I know to ask for just soft bread.
I do appreciate that they offer several sizes in wine pours, allowing for some "wine tasting".
If they still have it on their shelf, I highly recommend the 2007 Moulin de Gassac 'Guilhem'. This wine is what it's all about... not a overly heavy deep spicy full body red blend...
Finally, I noticed they also have several whiskies, beers and other libations on hand to enhance the evening. At the end of the day, great place to start the evening and a end the evening.Listed in: it's fromages, it…, Vancouver BC... so many…
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Review from roger c.
4/26/2011 1 photo
At first, I was a little skeptical walking into this place. It looked a little too high class for me, but stayed anyways. The staff were really polite and knowledgeable of what wine went with what meat and with what side and what not (thats a lot of "what's") My fave was their Head Cheese. SOOOOOOO good! A great way to sample a lot of unique combinations. That in itself will make you want to come back.
They also have a downstairs cellar with seating. I would have much rather been seated downstairs because it seemed like a lot less posh of a crowd and seemed more comfortable. -
Review from Samantha I.
4/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was SO excited to try this place on our trip to Vancouver. And I was SO disappointed :(
As I skipped up to the door through the cobblestone Blood Alley, I couldn't wait to see what was in store. Unfortunately, what waited for us inside was awful service and so-so ambiance.
After waiting a while, a server came to take our order. We told him we had never been before, that we were visiting from out of town and excited to be there, and asked what he would recommend. We simply got a "I'll give you a minute to look over the menu and I'll be back".
We decided to each try a wine flight and a cheese and meat plate. My friend isn't a big fan of wine, so we asked the server (a different guy from before) to create her flight. He didn't ask any questions, didn't talk to us at all, just went on his merry way to pick her wines. When yet another server brought the wine over, no one EVER came back to ask how anything was. The least he could do was see if his picks were liked by the wine-skeptic or not. We finally had to wave someone down to get the check.
Sad day in vacationland. I was most looking forward to Salt, and it was one of our worst experiences. The dive bar across from the hotel was sadly a better time.
