salt....a gastropub

Thank You for the Feedback!

2011-06-20T02:31:00.002-04:00

I am going to use this as a space to address YOUR comment cards. I will randomly pick cards, write EXACTLY what they say,(so if spelling or grammar is "off", its not on me) and reply. I will pick them randomly and pick good, bad and other. Some will just be your comments which will be posted, and some will be questions I will try to answer....and some may just be posted for shits and giggles....so here we go..

1. "Took an opportunity to experience greatness before it became known to all. Food delivered in servitude to your senses..."
Thank you! but we ask you to help spread the word..though it may lead to longer waits, it will keep us around for you to enjoy..and remember, we always take reservations!

2."The Burger tasted great-love the bun and all the condiments. First time, more to come. Hope David Johansen comes back this July." Thanks..the burger is one of our biggest hits and has been voted in a number of polls as "The Best". As far as David jo coming back anytime soon....probably won't happen. He is on tour right now with Motley Crue and Poison....go figure! i like to think we had a little something to do with his career re-launching!!

3. "Not happy with the change in the spring roll recipe".....sorry, we are trying to mix it up all the time and need to change with the seasons....and also just trying to offer different things.

4. Brad! out-freakin' - standing!! as usual !
Thank you! and say hello when you are in.....I always want to know when people that dig us are in!

5."Great Food. Lets get some real ketchop though!" ....i want to kill you! We make our own "home-made" ketchup, and there is always the Heinz Crap available...next time tell us you want he home-made instead..lol

6. "We had a 7:00pm reservation and we didnt get out of the restaurant until 9:30pm? why?" If you are in a rush or need to be out by a certain time, let us know and we will get you out quick as hell.....otherwise sit back and enjoy. We don't rush anyone, nor do we ignore.......let us know your time frame.....

Salty Wisdom.....

2010-10-22T14:55:00.003-04:00

Ok....so lets say you buy tickets to a show, a show at, I don't know, maybe like a local gastropub. You know, like a place where there is alcohol served, it can tend to be loud, probably pretty crowded, no guarantee that you will get a seat, needs to be quiet during the performance. Picturing it? Ok, so you call this "gastropub" at around 5:30 on the night of the show and want to know if it is ok to bring your infant,(??????) which is a pretty normal question to ask 3 hours before a show is going to start at a place that is loud, crowded, serving alcohol and has a show starting at 8:30pm and probably won't be over until around 11pm. Now the person on the other end of the phone, lets call her "Manager Jen", just for shits and giggles......"Manager Jen" puts you on hold for quite some time, like at least, I don't know, lets just say 6-8 seconds, obviously conferring with someone, like an owner or some other person who thinks they are important and can make decisions. When "Manager Jen" finally gets back on the phone she, and this is what floors me, has the nerve to say "No, its not really an atmosphere for an infant"....so even though you are probably beyond pissed at having someone tell you what is or isn't appropriate for your infant, who is probably a musical prodigy and would really take in the evening, you say "OK, thank you". Now you probably get to thinking, and think it would be a great idea to call back and tell "Manager Jen" that you want your money back on the 4 tix that you bought for the show. Reasonable right? Because you can probably recall that time you had tix for Bruce at the Meadowlands back in '92 and you got a bad case of the runs from partying too hard the night before while watching MTV and playing a wicked game of quarters with your buddies and couldn't make it to the show and you called "Manager Louie" at the Meadowlands, told him you had the runs and wanted your money back, and "Manager Louie" said "of course, no problem, so sorry you couldn't make it". So this "gastropub" which is a tiny little place, and probably has no overhead, and I am sure that the artists that play there play for free since it is so small, and the staff all work for free because this place is probably a blast just being there So when you are told, sorry the tix are non-refundable, but what we can do for you is try to sell them at the door for you, but there is no guarantee" by "Manager Jen" of course the only logical response is to blow a gasket, tell "Manager Jen" in a loud and threatening manner "That is Fucking Bullshit" and that you are going to come there and get your tix and stand outside and sell them, and ask her "what are you going to do then?" Then when she doesn't really know what to say, hit her with the good ole stand-by line of "It doesn't say anywhere on your web-site that infants aren't allowed"...that will get her. As a matter of fact it doesn't even say on the web-site no hand grenades, no terrorists or no crapping in the middle of the floor during shows either, so this gets you thinking......but thats getting off track right now. So anyway, moral of this story is that if you don't do the responsible thing as a parent, and get a babysitter for the evening that you had planned to go out to see a show that starts at 8:30 at night in a place that had the word "PUB" in its name, will probably be loud and crowded and serves lots of alcohol to adults.....don't call me with your pisspoor attitude, yell at my manager over the phone, act like a total tool and just be an all - around douche bag. Chances are that even though I would have to take a hit on the tix I probably would have gone out of my way to try and accomodate you...but you know what now...FUCK YOU! Oh yea, and you missed a really really good show!

Happy Be-lated NEW YEAR!!!!!!!

2009-01-22T19:15:00.004-05:00

Fri Jan 23 09

Well....Happy New Year to all!

Lot's of new stuff going on here at Salt.
We've been doing our weekly "Top Chef" evening, working up towards the big finale' with a supersized episode and a shocking twist that they say will change the face of the game as the field is narrowed from four to three on Wednesday, February 18 at 10pm. The three finalists face an extra special challenge and the winner will be revealed on Wednesday, February 25 at 10pm on the season finale. Come join us!

We had a small but enthusiastic "Inauguration Lunch" party on Tuesday.

We've brought in some new beers, wines, and menu items to tempt your tate buds!

Super bowl Sunday on Feb 01.....with 1$ McSorleys, "Bud Bowl"..(bottle of bud and a bowl of chili) for 4$, 1 Doz (Eagles) wings for 3$...

Plans are in the works for Valentine's Day Feb 14th.....keep in mind this is on a Saturday this year, so make your reservation early!!

St Pats is gonna be HUGE....Starting early on Sunday March 15 with a bagpiper to kick things off, Acoustic Briz all evening, Mcsorleys flowing, lots of give-aways and of course a menu that will please all..fish & chips, corned beef & cabbage, bangers & mash......
then continuing on Tuesday evening the 17th with music, drink and food specials...come get your Irish up!

Today's world holiday:
National Handwriting Day - United States

Today's quote:
Everything we think, everything we say, everything we do, is either health creating or health negating. When we begin to look at health and healing that way, we can enter the realm of health creation from anywhere -- nutrition, exercise, contemplative practice, relationship. -Dr. William B. Stewart

"three men walk into a bar you think one of them would have seen it"

A Couple of Nice Mentions For SALT......

2008-12-27T19:11:00.005-05:00

We are thrilled here at Salt to get mentions by both "The Artful Diner" as well as "The New York Times" in their year-end wrap ups of their restaurants they reviewed in '08. The Artful Diner gave us a nod as one of his favorites for the year 2008, saying......

"The kitchen reins have been completely taken over by Tony Mandeville, the former second in command at Bula, and the results are impressive.......if you are in the market for reasonably priced, first-rate, innovatively prepared casual cuisine served up in an equally casual, pub-like setting..you will be more than satisfied."

David Corcoran at "The New York Times" put us in their "roundup of this year's 10 best". Saying... "commitment to the creative and careful handling of high-quality ingredients"..."the menu is well designed and consistently executed"....

To be put into anyones end of the year top 10 or favorites is always an honor at any level, but by two respected reviewers is even more so.

So needless to say we are proud of our staff..starting with Tony in the kitchen and Jennifer on the floor.....and the entire front and back of the house staff! The entire Salt Family is proud, and should be!

Happy Holiday's To All......

2008-12-24T17:23:00.002-05:00

Happy Holiday's to everyone......Have a Safe and Merry Christmas!!!

To My Anonymous Neighbor....

2008-12-23T13:46:00.004-05:00

We appreciate your business, and we understand with all of the choices to pick from you chose to dine at Salt, and really we do appreciate that. We bust our ass every single day 24/7 to try to make sure that EVERYONE enjoys themselves at Salt and that everything is done right. That being said, when I read your blog I was pretty upset. I spoke with our manager about the situation and was told that everything was fine when she had returned to the table to check on things (after the scallops were sent back). Had there still been a problem we certainly would have rectified it by either giving you something else, or the least to have removed it from the check. I just ask that next time, whether it is at Salt or anywhere else, allow the business the opportunity to made good on whatever the complaint may be. Again, we pride ourselves on people enjoying themselves at Salt, we make our living making people happy. Sorry about your time Friday!

b.

WHO THE HELL IS AFRAID OF A LITTLE SNOW!!!

2008-12-19T15:03:00.004-05:00

Not us...because as EVERYONE knows.....what does everyone need when the snow falls "SALT" right? So don't let a little snow scare you away. The music is still on, the temp is just right, the beers are flowing, Tony is in the back with his crew banging out great food and Salt IS OPEN!! It's Friday night for cryin' out loud, and we'll be here all night, come join us......

cheers,

b.

A Great Review I Had To Share!!

2008-12-18T23:46:00.003-05:00

Top Chef: Christmas In July! Literally!

All of the previous seasons of Top Chef have aired in the spring, so this is the first season in which they've had to put on holiday specials. Well, last year there was a Top Chef holiday special, too, but it was a one-off episode in which contestants from all four seasons went head-to-head for a $20,000 prize. The reason I bring this up is that last night's episode, like the Thanksgiving episode a few weeks ago, was particularly hilarious when you remember that it taped in, like, June. Merry Christmas! Let's hit the beach! Near the end of the episode, when all the chefs are in the stew room getting progressively drunker while the judges deliberate, they start shouting "Merry Christmas," and "I love Christmas!" at each other with irony-laden voices fueled by alcohol and giddy anxiety. Ridiculous.

Anyway.

All of the chefs are nervous after Danny's elimination last week, because if Tom and Padma can send home the most charismatic movie star in the house, then no one is safe. Eugene feels like he needs to really show the judges what he's capable of, because this is important to him, because he didn't go to culinary school. Wait, what? I mean, I can understand a sense of pride in making it onto the show and making it this far in the competition without formal training, but surely it means something to all the contestants. This is not more important to Eugene because he didn't go to culinary school. He needs to go to take a chill pill school and then maybe take some remedial courses in Whoops, That's Your Tattoo. Fabio and Stefan are palling around and talking about hitting each other with "shit sticks" or something. I don't know.

The guest judge for the quickfire challenge this week is, of course, Martha Stewart. Everyone has to make a family-style holiday dish in 45 minutes using only one pot. Most people make stew, although Fabio makes polenta with seared duck breast because of how he was evil when he was six? Europetown. And Hosea makes paella. Actually, a lot of people don't make stew. Never mind. Martha tells some riddle about how she thinks people should keep it simple, but not keep it too simple. Sure. But then the winner is Ariane, who made cauliflower puree and beef. What? Just the perfect amount of simple? Ariane's dishes are so boring it's like eating paint dry. Don't get it twisted, I'm sure Ariane's meat is something you want to put in your mouth all the time (?) but her food has consistently lacked in imagination. Martha Stewart awards Ariane with an autographed copy of her new book. Holy shit, did you say autographed? How thoughtful. Also she hated Fabio's polenta.

For the elimination challenge, each chef will prepare a dish to be served at the amfAR (the American Foundation for AIDS Research) Christmas Party (in June). In what has to be one of the weirdest moments on any season of Top Chef, Padma brings in the Harlem Gospel Choir to sing-inform the chefs of their individual themes based on the classic 12 Days of Christmas carol.

Nope. Too weird. Harlem Gospel Choir Cameo FAIL.

Some of the chefs have it easier with themes like "Three French Hens," and others have it a little more difficult with themes like "10 Lords a Leaping." And then there's Ariane, who makes deviled eggs. Huh? She should make herself a taxi and take it home. Everyone has three hours to prepare the night before, and then one hour on location. But OH NO, during the night, one of the refrigerators breaks down and both Hosea and Radhika's proteins are ruined. Right. The refrigerator breaks down on the carefully maintained television-ready kitchen studio. Sure. So everyone stops what they're doing to help Hosea and Radhika recreate their dishes. Radhika happened to have a ton of duck left! Hosea was lucky enough to find enough pork tenderloin to feed 250 people just lying around in one of the working refrigerators! It's a Christmas Miracle! How convenient!

At the fundraising Christmas party (in July) for amfAR, Tom and Padma are joined by two guest judges actress, Natasha Richardson, star of such films as Blow Dry, and The White Countess, and celebrity chef Michelle Bernstein. But the chefs will also be judged by the party guests, who will vote for their favorite dishes by PINNING AIDS RIBBONS TO THEM. What. The. FUUUUUUUUUCK? That is the weirdest, saddest thing ever. Hosea has so many AIDS ribbons! But Jeff also has a lot of AIDS ribbons. You know what they say, every AIDS ribbon counts. Oh wait, they don't say that, because that would be awful.

The judges hate almost every dish except for Stefan's pot pie, and Jeff's grilled halumi salad. Oh, and they also love Radhika's and Hosea's dishes, you know, the ones that everyone helped make. It's like the old saying, "when life gives you a broken refrigerator, have 12 chefs help you win the challenge." Hosea takes the top prize, which is, wait for it, a copy of guest judge Michelle Bernstein's book. And because it's the holidays (it was not the holidays), she has a copy for all the chefs. Oh, how thoughtful.

The bottom three include Jamie, who refuses to cook anything other than scallops, Melissa, who is kind of just bad at this, and Eugene, who insists on making every dish look like a plate that Heathcliffe pulled out of the garbage.

But the judges were unhappy with most of the chefs. So Tom goes back into the stew room and tells them all to STEP YO GAME UP. Leah has already stepped her getting drunk up.

Haha. WharyousayinTomdonyoooowannakissmee? Drunk. Tom calls Ariane out on her deviled eggs and tells her that you can't win this competition on deviled eggs. True. Ariane can't win this competition on deviled eggs. I bet Wylie Dufresne could, though. "Please enjoy my trio of deviled-egg scented dry ice vaporizers." Wylie Dufresne joke, you guys. The sous-chefs get it.

In the spirit of Christmas (in July), Tom decides to relay the producers' decision that no one is getting eliminated this week. Which probably means two people get eliminated next week. I've seen this shell game before. Don't mess with me, Top Chef. Not on Christmas.

did anyone watch?

2008-12-18T23:27:00.002-05:00

Did anyone watch Top Chef this week?

Top Chef Night Tonite!!!! 10pm stay tuned

2008-12-17T19:18:00.003-05:00

Stay tuned for Salt's opinion of Top Chef and its winners and losers...coming later this evening!

Happy Birthday Sir Erion Adams!!

2008-12-17T09:46:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday To You
Happy Birthday To You
Happy Birthday Dear Erion
Happy Birthday To You!!

Feels Like I Never Missed A Beat.....

2008-12-15T23:12:00.002-05:00

Tonight was our inaugural Monday night at Salt, and my first night back behind the stoves in a while. Gotta say, I loved being back in my comfort zone, and looking forward to my Monday nights. Tony and I have lots of fun stuff planned for the new year. Tony is right now working on a menu for a Belgian Beer Dinner planned for January, which should be lots of fun. I am also putting together our new "Meet Your Maker" nights for Jan, Feb, and March....Stay tuned for all kinds of fun stuff coming in 09'.

b.

A Movie Star In Our Salt........

2008-12-15T12:22:00.003-05:00

We were privileged to be host to Jill Livick and her beau "Mo" passing through our neck of the woods through the holiday's! Jill and Mo were fans of ours from the Bula days and have now moved with us to Salt! Thanks for the support guys!

b.

NY Times review..

2008-12-13T20:42:00.004-05:00

Dining | Byram
Successor to Favorite Finds Hard Act to Follow

By DAVID CORCORAN
Published: December 5, 2008
FOR six years, Bradley Boyle and his band of merry renegades ran Bula, a bring-your-own restaurant in a dim, narrow storefront in downtown Newton. Its name was Tahitian for “life,” its menu was all over the map, and its vibe was delightfully, defiantly, unforgettably eccentric. It seemed to have no model other than its talented chef and owner’s imagination.

As good as Bula was, it can be hard for an upscale restaurant to make a go of it in a rural county seat with little nighttime foot traffic. Mr. Boyle says he longed for a liquor license and a better location.

So last year he sold Bula (it has since closed) and bought a Prohibition-era roadhouse 10 miles down Route 206, in Byram, not far from Interstate 80 and Waterloo Village. He and his team — including his wife, Laurie, and his longtime sous-chef, Tony Mandeville — gutted the place and fitted it out with the contents of a hundred attics and garages. Out front, they installed a sign with the new restaurant’s name — Salt — and hung a discarded bicycle from it. They opened for business last April.

That’s Salt as in salt of the earth, and the vibe here, in sharp contrast to Bula’s, is populist. Thirty of its 95 seats are around a handmade oak bar that serves 60 kinds of beer. Alongside the bric-a-brac adorning the walls are a couple of big flat-screen TVs tuned to games. On Fridays and Saturdays there is live music: one recent evening a gray ponytailed singer named Briz happily channeled Billy Joel and Elton John.

Again in contrast to Bula, Salt has an explicit model: the Spotted Pig, the wildly popular “gastropub” in Greenwich Village. The term is British, a mashup of gastronomy and public house, and the idea is that the food that goes with the drinks will be serious, custom-designed and cooked to order.

One would expect nothing less from Mr. Boyle, a 41-year-old graduate of the Culinary Institute of America who apprenticed with Daniel Boulud at Le Cirque before returning to his home turf in Sussex County to open Bula. He has turned the kitchen over to Mr. Mandeville, 26, and their menu is well designed and consistently executed.

What it lacks is the innovation and flair that seemed to flow from the electrical outlets at Bula. Salt’s dishes are fun, comforting and safe. A delicious special appetizer called swordfish cake — the fish blended with cracked mustard seeds and sour cream, crusted with horseradish and bread crumbs, pan-sautéed and served with a lively Asian slaw — is about as inventive as it gets.

Not that there is anything wrong with comforting. I loved Salt’s chicken paprikash, which Mr. Boyle calls an “à la minute” adaptation of his Hungarian grandmother’s all-day recipe — chunks of white meat marinated with onions and paprika, sautéed and then submerged in a thick orange bath of paprika-infused sour cream, with homemade dumplings.

We also enjoyed Salt’s less conventional take on hanger steak, the meat heavily marinated in garlic, then sliced into tender, bite-size morsels and draped over a little hill of jasmine rice; citrus-and-garlic-marinated shrimp, skewered and served with a vibrant mango salsa; and seared sea scallops with an autumnal garnish of bacon and chopped sweet potato.

Even on its own terms, though, the menu can disappoint. The Salt burger had way too much of the namesake ingredient, though the accompanying hand-cut fries were terrific; a seafood risotto appetizer was watery and bland. Fortunately the desserts were all first-rate, especially a creamy, chocolate-layered peanut-butter pie and an elemental, calorific apple-cranberry cobbler with a scoop of oatmeal stout ice cream.

I miss Bula, and to judge by the comments on food Web sites, so do many diners. Nothing can replace it, and Salt doesn’t really try. But it’s to Bradley Boyle’s credit that he has found a way to stay true to his local roots and make plenty of people happy. He deserves a long stay at his new address.

Salt

109 Route 206

Byram

(973) 347-7258

www.saltgastropub.com

GOOD

THE SPACE An endearingly ramshackle roadhouse, decorated with care and wit. Everything is on one level; one restroom is wheelchair-accessible.

THE CROWD Local families and couples.

THE STAFF Young and spirited, if sometimes rushed.

THE BAR Integral to the restaurant’s “gastropub” ethic. Sixty beers are offered, some of them quite exotic, along with a short but savvy list of inexpensive wines.

THE BILL Lunch entrees, $5 to $8. Dinner entrees, $9 to $22. All major credit cards accepted.

WHAT WE LIKE Olive salad, Bloody Mary shrimp, swordfish cake; shrimp grill, hanger steak, fall scallops, chicken paprikash; peanut-butter pie, apple-cranberry cobbler.

IF YOU GO Open daily. Lunch: Monday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dinner: Monday to Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, 5 to 11 p.m.; Saturday, 2 to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 2 to 9 p.m. Reservations recommended on weekends.

Reviewed Dec. 7, 2008

More Articles in New York Region » A version of this article appeared in print on December 7, 2008, on page NJ15 of the New York edition.

This Weeks Special Beers are....

2008-12-13T20:32:00.003-05:00

Oskar Blues Brewery Old Chub

is a Scottish strong ale brewed with hearty amounts of seven different malts, including crystal and chocolate malts, and a smidge of US and UK hops. Old Chub also gets a dash of beechwood-smoked grains imported from Bamburg, Germany, home of the world's greatest smoked beers. Old Chub is 8% alcohol by volume.

While Dale's satisfies our hop addiction, Old Chub takes care of our deep affections for malt.

The cola-colored beer (almost black) features a tan head, a creamy, skim-milk mouthfeel, and rich, semi-sweet flavors of caramel and chocolate throughout. The addition of smoked grains gives Old Chub a delicate kiss of smoke on the finish.

Old Chub is the beer equivalent of a lightly smoked single malt scotch, or your favorite dark chocolate. We call it Rocky Mountain Mutha's Milk. People who tell us defiantly, "I don't drink dark beer," often fall deeply in love with Old Chub. We can't blame them.

Here are some of the mighty honors for Old Chub Scottish Style Ale:

Top-Rated Scottish Ale -- Beeradvocate.com
World’s Second-Best Canned Beer -- Details Magazine
Gold Medal – 2008 World Beer Championships
Highly Recommended -- Celebrator Beer News
“The panel pretty much swooned”-- Wall Street Journal
“So much malt in a little can!” -- Alestreet News
“I can’t believe this came out of a can” -- Countless craft beer lovers

Founders
Breakfast Stout

You�ve got to love coffee to truly appreciate this phenomenal brew. Brewed with an abundance of flaked oats, bitter and sweetened imported chocolates, Sumatra and Kona coffee. Breakfast Stout has an intense fresh roasted coffee nose toped with a cinnamon colored frothy head that seems to never fade and makes you wish breakfast could last forever.

Specs:
8.3% ABV
25 IBU�s
Color: Black Unfiltered
Cellar: 1 year
Availability: Quarterly (limited production, pre-order only)
Serving temperature: 42 f
Glassware: Bubble glass

cheers.
b.

I'm Baaaacckk!!

2008-12-13T19:17:00.003-05:00

Ok, after a short hiatus I am back at it here. It's been a fun filled month since I have last posted anything....

We were reviewed by the NY Times
Rangers are off to one of the best starts they have seen in some time..(Potvin Sucks)
We have had a dozen or so special beers in the house
We did a benefit dinner to help out with the Mark Fischer scholarship fund
We were voted "Best Gastropub in NJ" and received 4 stars from David O'Conner
We were closed for Thanksgiving
We have celebrated a number of birthdays
Laurie got kidney stones
We were reviewed by THE NY Times
Ralph has made a number of appearances
Tony has introduced a few new menu items
We are now open "7" days
Britney has staged a comeback
We now have live music on Sundays in addition to Fri & Sat
Notre Dame has shown the entire country just how bad they SUCK....(Go Irish)
Bettie Page passed away
We now serve hummus and pita chips at the table in place of the ever popular pickles
We have a new addition to our staff...Lindsey, wave to her behind the bar
Erion changed his underwear (we think)
Justice was finally served upon OJ "The Juice" Simpson
Guns N Roses released the long awaited "Chinese Democracy" (17 years in the making)
We had Abita "purple haze" on draft
Gas prices have hit the "buck fifty" mark
Top chef season 5 has started

And those are just a few of the things!

This will hopefully now be a daily habit for me, so keep coming back and find out all the absurd goings on around here at "chez salt"!

Wayne Burkart...you'll be missed!

2008-11-04T15:51:00.005-05:00

A member of the extended Salt Family has passed on.
On Monday morning, Nov. 3, Wayne Burkart passed away unexpectedly. Wayne will always be remembered by those who knew him and will be sorely missed.
Services will be in Manteo NC on Wed Nov 5.

The Burkart Family and friends will be having a "Celebration" of Waynes life at Salt on Monday Nov 10 from 2:30 - 5:30. All are welcome to help us celebrate a life well lived!

THIS WEEKS FEATURED BEERS..

2008-10-17T14:50:00.003-04:00

Mercury Brewing Companys Ipswich "Harvest Ale"Ipswich Harvest

- Highly regarded among hop-lovers, our Harvest Ale is a balanced and flavorful autumnal offering, to be enjoyed during the cool, crisp days of fall. We use a darker Caramunich malt and just a touch of chocolate malt along with a blend of Warrior, Ahtanum, and Columbus hops.

6.9% ABV
IBU's 40
Availability: Fall

Riverhorse Brewery Belgian Freeze "Winter Ale"

Seasonal
As the days grow shorter and frost becomes snow, our BELGIAN fREEZE WINTER ALE is the perfect remedy to loosen the spirits. This deep amber tonic is brewed with lots of roasted caramel malt for body and warmth to bring in the holidays and see you through the spring.

8% A.B.V
Available from September thru March. Deep Amber Belgian Style Ale Fermented with Authentic Belgian Ale Yeast. Moderately Hopped and Lower Sweetness Than Most Belgian Ales.

Two great seasonal beers!

cheers
b.

GASHOUSE GORILLAS TONIGHT!!!!

2008-10-10T14:13:00.003-04:00

Come get your swing on tonight at 10pm. Live on the Salt Stage. The hottest time in the tristate area! Really!!

check out the youtube clip, to the right, of their last Salt show.....>>>>>>

THIS WEEKS FEATURED BEERS....

2008-10-10T11:09:00.004-04:00

Tyskie Brewery, Krakow Poland
Tyskie is Kompania Piwowarska’s flagship brand. It has been an unrivalled leader on the Polish
beer market with respect to sales volume and the related revenues. Tyskie has won numerous
prestigious awards of the beer industry all over the Word; in 2005 it was a Gold Medal and a Grand
Prix at the Brewing Industry International Awards organized since 1886. Tyskie repeated its success
from 2002 when it also scooped both extraordinary awards.

Leinenkugel Brewery, Oktoberfest brew
First brewed in 2001 to celebrate the fall season in true German fasion. Available August thru October each year, their traditional Marzen-style bier is brewed with Munich, Caramel, and a blend of Pale malts. Hallerton, Tettnang, Perle, and Cluster hops provide the aroma for this well-balanced, smooth, festive lager.

Happy Birthday David!! The BIG "21"

2008-10-07T14:37:00.001-04:00

Here's to ya!

cheers.

Brad

THANK YOU...

2008-10-05T16:48:00.006-04:00

Thank you to ALL of you who dined with us this past Thursday. Because of you we were able to make a substantial donation to Sussex County DASI. We pledged 35% of all of our proceeds for the day to the "Dining with DASI". So from Us at Salt to all of You....thanks for making it a successful evening and really helping a great cause that provides our county with a much needed service!

Bradley & Laurie, and the entire Salt family.

TEAM SALT HAS BEGUN....

2008-10-03T22:04:00.007-04:00

The "Salt Shakers" had their inaugural race this past Sat. Set 27th at the ITC Triathlon, raising funds for the "Special Olympics". Jim and I ran as a team in the ITC Tri this year and really had a good time. Jim did the 8.5 mile Mountain Biking leg of the race, then we both jumped in a canoe and paddled 2.5 miles around Budd Lake. I did the running part which was a 5k back from Budd Lake to the ITC. We really did have a great time and raised some money for a great cause. I think Jim kind of got the short end of the stick in this one since the mountain biking course was a greuling trail from hell. I know this because I saw lots of blood, mud, and faces that looked like they had been to hell and back, and quite a bit of moaning and groaning from the guys and gals coming off the course. Anyway...the Team Salt is HERE...so BEWARE, we're taking NO prisoners!

NEXT FOR TEAM SALT:

Nov 2 08 NYC Marathon, NYC, for cancer support "Team Continuum"
Nov 9 08 OBX Marathon, Kill Devil Hills NC, for torture, and fun
Nov 16 08 Race To Deliver, NYC, "Meals on Wheels"
Dec 7 08 Joe Kleinerman 10K, NYC, "Bernies REDEMPTION Run"
Dec 13 08 NYRR Holiday 4 miler, NYC
Dec 20 08 NYRR Hot Chocolate 15K, NYC

I AM ASKING ALL FOR A LITTLE "HELP" NOW..

2008-10-01T19:12:00.009-04:00

It is now officially 31 days, 11 hours, and 29 minutes until the NYC Marathon and I am asking one and all to help me this year again to raise monies for the team I am running with this year. "Team Continuum" raises monies for those most affected by cancer directly or indirectly. These are monies that go directly to families that are seriously financially put out by the disease. Be it a Mother or Father not being able to work, or a family having to relocate to be closer to treatment, any number of reasons can put a hardship on a family. I have for the second year in a row decided to run with "Team Continuum" because it is something that has touched me closely over the past couple of years and something I am very proud to be connected with. I am asking anyone who reads this, if you could make any donation from just a dollar to as much as you would like, it really does go to such a great cause. It is as simple as going to the site www.teamcontinuum.net (or click on it in my links to the right on this page) and typing in boyle under the athletes name. You can choose to be recognized on the site or to be anonymous..its as simple as that.

As I said, this is my second year doing the marathon (actually only my second year running period)last year I was able to raise over 2500.00 thanks to all of you and I hope to be able to raise even more this year with your help once again. I know right now times are tough for everyone, imagine how tough it is for someone in this position, any monies donated that could help even just a little to lift the money burden off of someone who has enough things to worry about would be a huge help. Thanks So Much.....and if you could pass this along to anyone you may know who would like to help out it would be appreciated!

I would also like to thank all of you who have already donated...Thank You Very Very Much!!

Last year was a 4:46 marathon..this year....
Shooting for a 4hr marathon!!

thanks all

b.

SPECIAL BEERS THIS WEEK..

2008-10-01T19:01:00.005-04:00

******BEER GEEKS******

Schneider-Weisse Brewery
Aventinus wheat doppelbock. Bavaria from its strongest side.
Dark-ruby, almost black-colored and streaked with fine top-fermenting yeast, this beer has a compact and persistent head. This is a very intense wheat doppelbock with a complex spicy chocolate-like arome with a hint of banana and raisins. On the palate, you experience a soft touch and on the tongue it is very rich and complex, though fresh with a hint of caramel. It finishes in a rich soft and lightly bitter impression.

Dark-ruby colored, wheat doppelbock
Complex spicy chocolate arome
Pure top-fermenting yeast
Original bottle fermentation
Created in 1907
Creator: Mathilde Schneider
Wheat doppelbock 8.2 % vol. alc.
Original gravity 18.5%

A "100" ON RATEBEER.COM

Abita Brewing

PECAN HARVEST ALE
Pecan Harvest Ale is made with real Louisiana pecans that have been toasted to perfection. That makes it something really special, because most beers with a nutty flavor or aroma aren’t made with real nuts. The natural oils from the Louisiana pecans give the ale a light pecan finish and aroma.

This ale is excellent served with both red meat and seafood, and no surprise here, it’s also great with nuts!

These are two that will knock your socks off this week!!

cheers!

b.

OK, INTERNET IS UP AND RUNNING.....Funny shit

2008-09-30T19:38:00.006-04:00

And "John", you are right I will have to share some of the fun stuff that has been going on. Been a little busy, but I will get on and try to share. And YES there has been some really funny shit going on...so here is something that happened a couple of weeks ago that had me, and the rest of the staff just about peeing our pants, throwing up, and feeling sorry, all at the same time.

Our "Salty Dog" hot dog eating Champ found himself in a bit of a pickle the other night. We'll just call him Dave for the stories sake (and because it is his real name). Dave was a little bored one evening after service and was just hanging in the waiter station in the dining room. I kind of just wandered in to see what was up with him and he was sweating profusely, white as a sheet, and didn't look right. So I ask him what the hell is up.....this is when it gets good...... Well he shows me this corkscrew apparatus we have hanging around that was given to us by a distributor for the bar, but this huge medieval contraption just didn't work quite right for us, on top of its inherent dangers. It really is like some sort of torture device that has like a hammer lever that you press down (you can see where this is going) to remove the cork from the wine bottle. Well, in David's tired, bored, end of night mind, somehow he put his finger in the end of the contraption and leaned in on the handle. Needless to say what happened, he shot the corkscrew through his finger, I mean "THROUGH" his finger. By the time I got to him he had already had Erion come back and help him lift the handle and remove the screw from his finger. He had some sort of cock-eyed bandage made of what looked like tissue and duct tape wrapped around his finger and felt too stupid and scared to tell anyone what the hell was going on. When I was able to process what he was telling me I wasn't sure if I was going to laugh, try and do something for him or what. So after quickly assessing the situation and realizing he was ok, bandaged, and going to live I burst out laughing and had to share this with everyone. When David got home he made a trip to the emergency room, got himself a nice tetanus shot to go along with the pain in his finger and was sent home with his tail between his legs. So, there is my story for the day!

BEER CORRECTION !!!!!

2008-09-19T11:02:00.002-04:00

This weeks special beer has been changed...in addition to the "ABITA PURPLE HAZE" we have

North Coast Brewing Co. "Old #38 Stout"Old No.38 Stout

Named for a retired California Western Railroad steam engine on the Fort Bragg to Willits run through the Redwoods, Old No. 38 Stout is a smooth, firm-bodied stout with the toasted character and coffee notes of dark malts and roasted barley.

Vital Statistics

Style: Dublin Dry Stout
Color: Onyx
ABV: 5.5%
Bitterness: 53 IBU's

Old No.38 Stout MEDALS And Awards

2003 World Beer Championships, Chicago
2006 World Beer Championships, Chicago
2004 World Beer Championships, Chicago
1992 Great American Beer Fest. Dry Stout

85 Points Rated
"Highly-
Recommended"
Beverage Tasting Institute, Chicago

Founders Brewing is having a problem this week getting out it's product. As soon as that is cleared up we will be featuring the "Breakfast Stout"...sorry about that!

THIS WEEKS SPECIAL BEERS....

2008-09-18T12:06:00.003-04:00

Abita Brwing "PURPLE HAZE"
Purple Haze is a crisp, American style wheat beer with raspberry puree added after filtration. Therefore, you may see raspberry pulp in the beer. The raspberries provide the lager with a subtle purple coloration and haze, a fruity aroma, and a tartly sweet taste.
For something different and completely "mind blowing" come on over to "purple Haze"!

Founders Brewing "BREAKFAST STOUT"

Breakfast Stout

You've got to love coffee to truly appreciate this phenomenal brew. Brewed with an abundance of flaked oats, bitter and sweetened imported chocolates, Sumatra and Kona coffee. Breakfast Stout has an intense fresh roasted coffee nose topped with a cinnamon colored frothy head that seems to never fade and makes you wish breakfast could last forever.

Rate beer gave this a whopping "100" overall and Beer Advocate an "A+"

Congrats!

2008-09-14T14:36:00.003-04:00

Congratulations on a job well done to Laurie, Bobbi, Courtney, Nancy and the Risley Women for raising awareness as well as funds for breast cancer research! Good job guys! When "everyone" does just a "little" a "whole lot" gets done!

b.

THIS WEEKS FEATURED BEERS...

2008-09-11T20:58:00.004-04:00

McSorleys Black and Tan

Seriously, this is a pretty good B&T, but I am under the impression that as long as the stout and lager are good, you really can't screw up a B&T. It had a good, porter-like taste, color, and a bitter-sweet smell. I liked it. What else is there to say?
......one beer drinkers opinion, but we know what they say about opinions! Taste one for yourself!

Presidente

Presidente Beer in the Dominican Republic
Among the most distinctive cultural symbols in the Dominican Republic, Presidente Beer has become an iconic brand that represents Dominicans both in the country and abroad. The Presidente brand of beer has become a symbol of national pride, and in its 71-year history has become the beer of choice for Dominicans.

‘Una fria,” or a cold one, has become a patriotic symbol, something intrinsically Dominican. An entire Island can't be wrong!

cheers

b.

RIDE OUT THE STORM AT SALT.......

2008-09-05T11:43:00.002-04:00

**Tropical Storm Warning**

Stay out of the rain and come join us here at Salt tomorrow. We start the day off with THE FIGHTING IRISH taking on the San Diego State Aztecs at 3:30.

then at 7:00 its the US OPEN Womens Finals

then at 10:00 its Pie Boys Flat...a great NYC band bringing their "Sublime" influenced reggae/ska....other influences are Jack Johnson, Bob Marley...you get the idea....come check em out. No Cover!

And Tony has nailed it with the new "Blazin' Berry Barbecue Wings" at the bar. With our test run last night, the feedback was....Best Wings Ever!!!!

And have one of Jim's "Tropical Storm" cocktail.....Black cherry rum, OJ, and Sprite.

Bring it on!

cheers,
b.

THIS WEEKS BEERS.....

2008-09-04T21:44:00.007-04:00

Petes Wicked "Strawberry Blonde" Lager
WINNER!
GOLD MEDAL

2002 Brewing Industry International Awards

International Specialty Beers Competition, Class 2.

Pete's Wicked is truly a unique beer experience. Reward yourself with our golden lager made of the finest pale and wheat malts and Cluster Hops, with a kiss of natural strawberry flavor.

Lion Brewing "Pocono Lager"
Pocono Lager is brewed with a blend of the finest American malts to create a brew with an inviting color and drinkability. Super creamy head, the way a really great lager should be. Take a sip and savor the rich flavor and exquisite body!

cheers,

b.

BIG SPORTS WEEK AT SALT......

2008-09-02T21:14:00.006-04:00

Starting Thursday Night at 7:00pm...Its the opening night of the NFL and featuring the World Champion NJ Giants vs. Washington Redskins. Cmon in and cheer or jeer, drink some 2.50 draft McSorley's eat some of Tony's home-made "hot-as-hell" wings for 3.00 a dozen and just enjoy the game!

Saturday 3:30pm is the opening game for the "NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH" v SanDiego State Aztecs, in the stadium that God built....come watch the Irish start off a 1-0 season......SD State, cmon give me a break!!

Saturday 7:00pm is the Women's US OPEN Finals from Arthur Ashe Stadium!

Sunday @ 12:00pm is the Mens US OPEN Finals, come see if Roger Federer can make history by winning 5 in a row!!!

Sunday @ 1:00pm come and see that "Whiner From The West" Brett Favre and the rest of the lowly Jets take on the Miami Dolphins and the "Comeback Kid" Chad Pennington (who will take last years 0-11 dolphins to sweet victory) down in sunny Miami.

Thats quite a line-up for the week!

cheers

b.

THIS SATURDAY'S MUSIC........CHECK IT OUT!!

2008-09-02T17:54:00.004-04:00

Saturday-September 06- 10pm

NYC'S PIE BOYS FLAT
www.pieboysflat.com

Pie Boys Flat hit the NYC music scene in 2003 with their unique blend of Reggae, Blues, and Funk. Their writing shows influences ranging from Bob Marley to Jack Johnson to Sublime to Paul Simon and has melded into a form of ethnic Rhythm and Blues that sits firmly in the pocket of a style all its own. Laced with soaring three-part harmonies, their music is the manifestation of a many year friendship and collective musical intuition. Patrick Hambrick (Guitar/Vocals), Fitz Harris (Percussion/Vocals), and Jason Liles (Bass/Vocals) met in the late 1990’s at Shenandoah Conservatory in Virginia, where the trio formed a bond that is now apparent in both their writing and performing.

Pie Boys Flat started out playing arrangements of their 5-hour cover-tune repertoire on the subway platforms of NYC. They have gone on to book regular dates at Mo Pitkens, CBs Gallery, The Bitter End, The Cutting Room, Suite 16, Lounge 32, Tailors Hall, Gibneys, The Pig ‘n’ Whistle, and build a dedicated following throughout the five boroughs. In addition, PBF has been hired for reoccurring, guest-artist appearances at venues up and down the east coast including their alma mater, Shenandoah Conservatory.

In 2004, Pie Boys Flat was commissioned by Globe Entertainment for a four-month tour through the Greek Isles with an extended stay on the isle of Kos. Playing 3 hours a night, 7 nights a week for the full duration of their tour, PBF sold over 800 copies of their first LP, Come Taste the Pie, to tourists from all over Western Europe, Scandinavia, Australia, and many Middle-Eastern countries.

Upon their return to the states, PBF once again teamed up with their friend and Grammy-nominated producer, Tommy Faragher, to produce their second LP, Post No Bills. Through NYC club/internet promotion, the all-original, twelve-song CD sold by the hundreds across the U.S. and Europe.

In 2005, PBF joined NACA and launched their first college/club tour of the eastern United States, taking them as far north as Canandaigua, NY and as far south as Laurinburg, NC. Over the course of their 4 1/2 months on the road, the Pie Boys found two weeks to team up with friend and new producer Sean Moffitt to record their first full-lenth, full-scale album Uproot The Island. The album was released June 3, 2006 at ULYSSES in downtown, Manhattan and is currently on sale at pieboysflat.com, CDbaby.com, or at any live PBF show.

With the release of their new album, Pie Boys Flat is gearing up for a very busy and exciting 2006/07. They have once again joined NACA, been selected to showcase live at 3 regional conferences (Mid-Atlantic - Lancaster, PA, Northeast - Marlborough, MA, Mid-America - Peoria, IL), and have already begun booking dates for what is shaping up to be a packed U.S. tour beginning in September 2006.

As always, Pie Boys Flat remains steeped in rootsy, southern grooves and rich, soaring vocals so, whether a seasoned veteran or a new-found fan, make sure to catch PBF in 2006/07 because this explosively high-energy trio has only begun to flourish.

cheers

b.

WE HAVE A CHAMPION!!!!!

2008-08-31T14:46:00.004-04:00

Phelps did "Good" but David O'Conner is THE MAN!! First of all look at that trophy compared to that puny medal. And let's also remember, David has to defend his title EVERY YEAR, Phelps only has to every 4 years. David trained hard, and it showed on game day, downing 8 hot dogs and buns in 7 mins in the "1st Annual Salty Dawg Labor Day Weekend Hot Dog Eating Contest". Here he is proudly displaying his trophy after the contest, walking it around Salt with his chest all puffed out, showing it off to the kitchen staff and rubbing it in the faces of all of the other "Scarfers". We thank everyone who came out to participate as well as those that came just to watch and cheer them all on...A fun time was had by all! Also thanks to Local Radio Station 91.9 WNTI for coming out and MCing for us. Mark your calenders for next year...Labor Day Weekend!!!

We also want to thank the Mayor and Council and other members of the Byram Township Municipal Offices for coming out and joining us for our "Grand Opening"....This really is a great town not just to live in, but to do business in....So thanks to them for welcoming us to the town!!

cheers

b.

YOU ASKED FOR EM...WE GOT EM! SALTY T'S ARE HERE!!!

2008-08-31T14:33:00.004-04:00

You guy's (well maybe not ALL of you guys, but alot) have been asking when we will be getting T-Shirts made.....Well here they are! A huge shout out to Mr. Eric Hornung who is behind the bulldog logo, and designing the backs of our shirts. (Eric can be checked out at www.tatooedangler.blogspot.com ) we love it! Ralph will forever be on the backs of our staff and many friends! Shirts can be purchased in all sizes here at Salt anytime for 16.00. Right now we have a "Heathered Gray" and "Light Blue". Wear them proudly, and with a little bit of attitude!

cheers

b.

THIS WEEKS SPECIAL BEERS....

2008-08-28T17:03:00.003-04:00

FLYING DOG TIRE BITE

The young pup of the pack... Tire Bite Golden Ale is a refreshing, light, warm weather slammer with a flavorful hop edge. Brewed using exclusive imported German hops, this beer draws craft beer drinkers back from the "dark" side of the cooler.

ABV: 5%
Plato: 11.5
IBU's: 16.5
Specialty Malts: Malted White Wheat, Munich Malt
Hops: German Perle, Hallertau

Process: Brewed with a unique proprietary yeast

Nutritional Information: Carbs/7.1g Calories/124

1998 Silver Medal Winner - Great American Beer Festival (Kölsch category)

SMUTTYNOSE ROBUST PORTER

GOLD MEDAL WINNER - Porter , 2001 Great American Beer Festival

JUDGED GRAND CHAMPION - Best Porter in the USA - 10th Annual US Beer Tasting Championship

This hearty, mahogany colored ale is brewed to evoke the dark, full-bodied ales that were a favorite of dockworkers and warehousemen (hence the name "Porter") in 19th century London. It is a good bet that when Dickens' Mr. Pickwick sat down for a pint, we would have been drinking an ale much like our Robust Porter.This is a smooth and very drinkable beer, characterized by its well-balanced malt and hops, plus subtle notes of coffee and chocolate.

"Full-bodied and malty with undertones of coffee and chocolate and a bright, hoppy finish, in style it's like Cary Grant's accent: the best of British and American." - The Boston Globe, November, 2005

VITAL STATISTICS
OG: 1064 TG: 1018
Grain Bill: pale 2-row, carastan, dark crystal, special "b," chocolate
Hops: Cascade
IBU's: 15, ABV: 5.7%
Color/Number: Dark chocolate brown

cheers

b.

MEET YOUR MAKER NIGHT #2

2008-08-27T19:20:00.002-04:00

River Horse Brewery will be here at Salt. They're bringing lots of goodies to give away and giving all the opportunity to taste some awesome bber brewed right here in our own NJ!!! Come on dawn, say "HI" have a couple of cold drafts, get some cool give-aways....and MEET YOUR MAKER!!!
THURS AUGUST 28, 6:30 pm

Brewer’s Reserve Limited Edition Series will be available. This latest Batch is an Imperial Cherry Amber. Unlike its hoppy counterparts, this Double Amber is moderately hopped with cascade hops, and is brewed with a natural tart cherry to balance it’s malty base with just a mild cherry accent. We are proud of this one and hope you enjoy it.

First to feature:
The draft only Oktoberfest release from RH. This Dunkel Lager (keenly named “Dunkel Fester” by Chris Walsh) will have more toffee and chocolate flavors while retaining the superb drinkability of a traditional Dunkel.

IT'S BEEN A WHILE...BUT HOWDY!!

2008-08-22T16:35:00.005-04:00

Back up and blogging here after a busy week at Salt. Laurie had the little ones on a little vacation and I was left behind to muck through myself...but things are back to normal now and here's some of what is going on!

To answer your question chefra...sure bring the whole damn band!

That was a question geared toward "Talent Night"...which in reality is an "Open Mic" night for anyone who feels like having a stage and a mic for a bit to share their talents!! We started this 2 weeks ago and it was a blast for those of you who were here. It starts at AROUND 9-ish every other Tues night (aug 26, sept 9), depending upon dinner service, and can go until it's done! We welcome any talents, for example, last week we had a "Batman" skit, we also had Gary "A story-teller" telling of his life's experiences. The night is em-ceed by our own "Big Man Jim" who brings his own very "raw" sense of humor to the mic and makes the night flow nicely. There will be a time limit on acts so everyone who would like to go gets a chance.

Hope to see you all there!!

cheers
b.

THIS WEEKS BEERS.....

2008-08-22T16:23:00.003-04:00

Saranac Brewing "Special Edition Pumpkin Ale"

Saranac Pumpkin Ale is brewed with Pumpkin, Cinnamon, Allspice, Cloves, Ginger and Vanilla. Look for a full-body and amber color. We're sure you'll enjoy this special brew!

Beer Style: Spiced Fruit Ale
Malt Selections: Maris Otter, Wheat
Hop Selections: Cascade Hops
Color: Medium Brown
Mouthfeel / Body: Medium
Food Companions: Fowl and Game Birds
Alcohol By Volume: 5.4%
Original Gravity: 13.0
Availability: Seasonal
A great brew for hiolding onto to these warm summer day's yet welcoming in these cool fall nights!!! Enjoy this one while it's here!

Australia's Barons Brewing Co. "Black Wattle Original Ale"

5.8% ABV

Barons Black Wattle Original Ale was the first in this new class of beer - flavoured by native Australian roasted wattle seed. This multi award-winning ale has a rich amber colour and a base malt flavour of toffee and caramel. The roasted wattle seed rounds out the offering with a unique taste that hints of hazelnut, chocolate and mocha. It is a full bodied, full flavoured beer that is surprisingly smooth with an amazingly silky finish.

“With a long summer of BBQs approaching, this’ll be my BBQ beer. Brilliant with a butterflied leg of lamb or even something a little more gamey like roo.” says Head Brewer and Brewing Baron, Richard Adamson.

In crafting the Barons Native Range, Scott and Rich have delivered a new style of natural and preservative free beers where the flavour is driven by native Australian spices rather than hops. It feels as Australian in the mouth as “pass the snag, mate!”

cheers
b.

OPEN MIC / TALENT NIGHT......

2008-08-13T17:17:00.001-04:00

What a piss we had last night!! We had a "true to life" Batman skit which was awesome as well as a "The Life Of Gary" which you had to hear to believe...Gary walked home with the "Golden Crown", a ribbon, and a beer on the house...as well as now being the king of the mic hear at Salt! Open mic will be held again in 2 weeks on Tuesday, August 26...so bring your talent, your friends, your thirst, your hunger, your NEED to be heard and lay it all out hear on the Salt Stage...walk home with the crown and the pride of knowing you kicked ass on the Salt Stage!!

cheer!

b.

OLYMPICS...

2008-08-12T18:36:00.004-04:00

Come join us here at Salt watching history being made in Beijing! We've got it covered here at Salt, watching Michael Phelps make history, and going for 2 more GOLD tomorrow night!!
"Go Michael"...."Go USA"!!

cheers!

b.

TV FILMING AT SALT, SUNDAY AUG. 10........

2008-08-09T17:23:00.002-04:00

"My 9 TV" will be filming sunday August 10th at Salt for an upcoming feature. My 9 contacted us after paying us a visit about doing a story on "gastropubs" in the tri-state area. We're pretty excited to have them pay us a visit. So hopefully in our little way we can HELP just a little bit to put our great town of Byram on the map. (It would also help if we had our own post office, but that's another issue all to itself.) So if anyone wants to come in and check out what is going on or to try and help us get the word out and maybe get a shot a being a small part in Salt history on tv....come on in. We're told they will be in around 6 or so, so come on in, watch the U.S. Olympians on TV, have a cold beer or a glass of wine, have a great meal, and enjoy the hub-bub.....Hope to see you here!

cheers!

b.

HOT DOG EATING CONTEST..COMING SOON

2008-08-08T22:26:00.003-04:00

DO YOU THINK YOU COULD CRAM 7 - 10 OF THESE THINGS DOWN YOUR THROAT IN 7 MINUTES?? ARE YOU MAN OR WOMAN ENOUGH TO?? Don't forget the first annual "Salty Dawg" hot dog eating contest is coming soon..Sat Aug 30th.... Take home a handsome trophy and brag to all of your friends for an entire year!

Sign ups are at Salt, so tell your friends and come on down!

cheers

b.

SALT STAGE SAT NIGHT....

2008-08-08T22:20:00.002-04:00

Come on down to the Salt Stage and check out "Briz". He'll be with us every Sat night @ 8:30pm. Briz is a captivating performer with a wonderful musical sense. many have compared him to another new jersey artist, and like bruce springsteen, briz is comfortable with both traditional rootsy folk music and contemporary new acoustic. Whether scathing political satire or sensitive ballads, his songs are always memorable. find out for yourself what the buzz is all about.

Come on in,bring a few friends, have a few beers off of our list of 60 some odd, sing along, and just have a great time!!

cheers.
b.

THIS WEEKS SPECIAL BEERS.....

2008-08-08T21:38:00.003-04:00

Railbender Ale

BA OVERALL
B
good
w/ 111 Reviews THE BROS
N/A
no reviews; yet!
send 'em beer » rAvg: 3.55
High: A+ / 4.75
Low: D+ / 2.35
pDev: 12.68%

Displayed for educational use only; do not reuse.
Review This Beer | Report an Update | Ratings [?]

Brewed by:
Erie Brewing Co.
Pennsylvania, United States

Style / ABV:
Scottish Ale / 6.80% ABV

Cricket Hills "Jersey Summer Breakfast Ale"
We believe that New Jersey is starting to learn what the rest of the country already knows; that local microbrews are some of the best beers in the world! Finally, curious beer drinkers are stepping out from under the mind-numbing barrage of large brewery advertising and deciding for themselves what they like. Our beers are designed for those curious drinkers.

The large breweries use fillers in their beer; Corn or Rice are the most frequently used. Most good beer should be all Barley, in the same way that good hamburgers are all beef. Barley is expensive and the more fillers that are used, the better the profits! Cricket Hill Beers are 100% Barley as are most great beers.

We are currently brewing 4 year-round beers and bottling 3. Our East Coast Lager, our American Ale, our HOPNOTIC IPA and Colonel Blide's. We also brew a true Cask Ale with limited availability.

The East Coast Lager is an easy drinking “golden” lager with a wonderful balance of crisp malt flavors and flowery hop finish. Built specifically with very low bitter aftertaste, the aroma is as clean as the taste. A difficult beer to brew because of the gentleness… this beer is magnificent!

Our American Ale is a favorite everywhere - an amber ale with a wonderful balance of caramel sweetness and hop flavor. The aroma has a slight note of citrus and rock candy. There is not an imported Ale on the market that tastes this fresh!

No mere beverage could satisfy the thirst of the courageous and gallant soldiers who stood guard over the colonies of the British Empire. Their thirst could only be quenched by a full-bodied hearty Ale; an Ale balanced with rich flavorful hops. We are proud to offer our interpretation of this English style India Pale Ale for those who loong for the time when once your duty was complete, the taste of a fine Ale was reward enough for a job well done.

Please take the time to taste different local beers. I am certain that those who decide not to let television dictate what they drink are ready for a wonderful adventure into the world of Beer!

visit the official blog site
crickethillbrewery.blogspot.com

Erie Brewing.....

RAILBENDER ALE
Erie, Pennsylvania was an important railroad hub in the mid–nineteenth century, the city being the site where three sets of track gauges met. Railbender Ale, Erie Brewing Co.’s flagship ale, named after the laborers who laid the railroad tracks is brewed with pride, strength and purity symbolic of Erie’s historic railroad’s and railroad workers. Railbender, a strong Scottish style ale smooth malt flavor and astonishing drinkability will have you “Hopping on the train and riding off the rails.” All Aboard!

A NEW ADDITION TO SALT......

2008-08-08T14:59:00.003-04:00

Say "HI" to Ralph.....Ralph is the newest addition to the "Salt Family". Ralph is a 8 year old pure bred English Bulldog, a "Bully" and was a rescue from the City of Poughkeepsie Animal Shelter. He quite spry for his 8 years and full of snot and charm. Ralph will be hanging at Salt most days keeping me and the staff company as well as making his rounds downstairs once in a while. Ralph likes to keep the exercise down to a bare minimum, so you may not see him "running" the property, but perhaps on one of his leisurely strolls.

CUPCAKE ORDERS....

2008-07-30T20:39:00.004-04:00

After an overwhelming initial response to our new cupcakes we have decided to start taking orders on them. We will be selling them by the dozen at $20.00 dollars a dozen. Right now we are only doing vanilla cupcakes with assorted colored butter creams. These cupcakes as well as the icings are all made from scratch right here at Salt daily. Orders just need to be put in 24 hrs in advance. So think birthdays,summer barbeque's, holidays, Monday's, Thursday's....whatever the occassion, every day is a good cupcake day!! Enjoy!

You can call us at 973-347-SALT (7258).

b.

BOYS WILL BE BOYS....

2008-07-29T19:20:00.005-04:00

Here is just something that happened a few weeks ago and thought I'd share because it really made all of us here almost pee our pants!

Well, let me start by saying we get quite a few salmon delivered here at Salt almost daily. That being said, we are left with quite a few salmon "heads" when we are done butchering them in the kitchen, and we're always looking for fun things to do with them. These fun things might include like finding a waiters keys and hiding one in one's car, or strategically placing one above a cracked door, or maybe putting one in the bottom of a dish-dawgs sink. Well, on said night, one of the kitchen staff thought it might be funny to tie one of the heads to the bumper of one of the waiters, whom will remain anonymous, (Erions)car. So after securely tieing the head with butchers twine to the car, with about 20' of extra length, the plan was hatched. So on a Sat night after work, said waiter pulled out of the parking lot and proceeded to drive about 20 mins home north on 206. Could you just imagine being behind this guy with a string attached to his car and dragging home a fish head?
Apparently he made it all the way home before realizing he had something attached to his car, and it was still intact.....Just one of those funny restaurant things....You're a good sport Mr. Erion!
I love this business.

b.

THIS WEEKS FEATURED BEER!

2008-07-29T17:22:00.004-04:00

Rogue "Dead Guy Ale".......Gratefully dedicated to the Rogue in each of us. In the early 1990s Dead Guy Ale was created as a private tap sticker to celebrate the Mayan Day of the Dead (November 1st, All Souls Day) for Casa U Betcha in Portland, Oregon. The Dead Guy design proved popular and was incorporated into a bottled product a few years later with Maierbock as the elixir. Strangely, the association with the Grateful Dead is pure coincidence.

Dead Guy is a German-style Maibock made with Rogues proprietary "PacMan" ale yeast. It is deep honey in color with a malty aroma, rich hearty flavor and a well balanced finish. Dead Guy is created from Northwest Harrington, Klages, Maier Munich and Carastan malts, along with Perle and Saaz Hops. Dead Guy Ale is available in 22-ounce bottles, 12-ounce 6-pack, and on draft.
BEER ADVOCATE RATES THIS BEER A: B+ VERY GOOD

Avery Brewing "White Rascal Belgian White"......

Measurements: 16 degrees Plato, IBU 40, Apparent Attenuation 78, Lovibond 16
No Chemicals, Additives, or Preservatives

Beer Style: Belgian White Ale
Hop Variety: Czech Saaz
Malt Variety: Two-row barley, Belgian wheat
OG: 1.050 Alcohol By Volume: 5.6% IBU's: 10
Color: White

A truly authentic Belgian style wheat or "white" ale, this Rascal is unfiltered (yup, that's yeast on the bottom) and cleverly spiced with coriander and Curacao orange peel producing a refreshingly fruity thirst quencher. BEER ADVOCATE RATES THIS AN OVERALL: B GOOD

cheers

b.

NEW....CUPCAKES...FRESH DAILY!

2008-07-26T18:13:00.001-04:00

New to Salt....CUPCAKES....

We will be baking cupcakes fresh every morning, 2 dozen a day, so when they are gone, they are gone.

Best thing is that we are using "Magnolia Bakery" recipes for the cupcakes as well as the buttercream icing!! YUM YUM!!!!!!

b.

NEW TO THE BEER MENU....

2008-07-24T18:13:00.007-04:00

Our "RETRO" section on the beer menu....
Now I know this is not for you "Beer People" this is more for those hardcore retro guys and gals out there

look next week for a special section featuring these classics.....This will be a summer run, and we will be working on another fall run of retro's in Oct-Nov. Enjoy!

Genesee
Piels
Colt 45
Schmidts
Black Label
Ballantine

We are forever expanding and trying to please all palates!
Not to worry all of your hard core beer people, we will still be running the same great beers as always, and featuring our weekly beers as well....

cheers

b.

OK...BACK NOW.

2008-07-24T17:40:00.004-04:00

I'm back in full force now after a stint back in the Salt kitchen. Chef Tony was away on a mini vacation "researching" for a few days and I was covering for him at the stoves. I have to say it was alot of fun being back on the line again, but line work is definitely a "young" mans game...I was tired. But now I am back here, getting things together for fun here at Salt. Here are some of the things we have lined up....

MUSIC: This Friday we have Mr BD Lenz again who has just been smokin' here at Salt...It really has been great. He'll also be with us on Fri Aug 1. Then on Sat Aug 2nd, and Sat Aug 9th we have "Briz" ( www.brizsongs.com ) A man and his guitar..should be awesome!
Fri Aug 15th we have the Gashouse Gorillas ( www.gashousegorillas.org ) who will bring their "Swing" to the Salt floor...again, should be an awesome show.

SPORTS: We will have the NFL Ticket this fall, so come in and catch all you favorites...Watch the NFL Champ Giants, or check out "BIG CRYBABY" Brett Favre and see where he'll be playing (my guess is Tampa Bay) or you can even come in and watch the Jets lose week after week if thats your thing.
We will also have Notre Dame Gameday every Saturday. Come on in for bar menu specials, $2.00 McSorley Pints, and give-aways...Even if you despise The Irish, you can't beat the cheap beer and great food!!

FUN: We will be hosting "Talent Nights" here at Salt as well every other Tuesday starting Aug. 12th at around 9:00pm. Bring your guitar, your dancing shoes, your ventriloquist dummy, your 35 goldfish, or whatever your talent may be, and have an opportunity to call yourself "Byram's Best" (at least for those 2 weeks) and have a chance to win a very handsome ribbon and prizes! Bring your friends for what should be a great night of fun!

Aug 30th will be Salts "Grand Opening" party with music, give-aways, BEER, food, and fun. But the highlight will be "THE FIRST ANNUAL SALTY DOG LABOR DAY HOT DOG EATING CONTEST". This will give the winner bragging rights for an entire year as well as a very handsome trophy to keep forever. Slots will be limited to 50 for the contest, all details and sign ups are available at Salt. All proceeds from the contest are being donated to the Lakeland Emergency Squad. Sign up early, slots will fill fast!

Oh, and that's just the beginning. There is alot more planned for the rest of summer and this fall...keep checking here and on the web-site www.saltgastropub.com

cheers
b

THIS WEEKS FEATURED BEERS.....

2008-07-24T00:44:00.003-04:00

Red Stripe "Jamaican Lager" Someone Says:Red Stripe Jamaican lager is brewed and bottled by Desnoes & Geddes Limited, Kingston, Jamaica, and has been since 1928. In 1993, Guinness Bass acquired the company and manages the importation to the United States.

What can I say? Red Stripe is liquid gold. It comes in stout 12 ounce bottles of dark glass. The beer itself is very light and very smooth with just a hint of bitterness in the light aftertaste. It can create quite a bit of foam, so be careful when pouring it, though I must say it is best drank straight from the bottle.

Red Stripe typically costs about three dollars more per six pack than American beers such as Budweiser and Coors. The notable difference is that Red Stripe has a better balance of malt and hops which give it a cleaner, smoother taste with less aftertaste. It is a bit sweet and is definitely worth the extra three dollars when you want a crisp, light-bodied beer.

I was introduced to Red Stripe originally by reading The Firm by John Grisham. The protagonist, Mitch McDeere, travels to the Cayman Islands for work related business and has several Red Stripe beers for a fair share of money at a bar on the beach. I was intrigued, but it wasn't until five years later while at a friend's home that I was offered a Red Stripe. The name immediately rang a bell and I took the opportunity happily. Since then, I've drank only Red Stripe and Corona: Red Stripe when I can afford it and Corona when I can't.

Lagunitas "Censored".....

Sold As:
Six 12 ounce bottles
Net contents:
22 fluid ounces of Malt, Hops, Yeast, and water.

The Censored
Rich Copper Ale
This ale contains no actual copper but we're pretty literal... It looked coppery, so we lamely called it a copper ale. Lots'a nice caramel malt though...

Alcohol 5.9% by volume

Unlimited Release

Anyway, we were going out to, uh,the ,uh, you know, thing, and all, and when we got there, well, uh, the dude was, like- "whoa man!" I mean, and we were all, uh, you know - "whoa!" and stuff, and when I said to him, like, you know, "hey man", and all they, I mean he, was all "what?" and stuff- and I just told him what you said and all and they were all man- "not cool dude", but whatever- so, uh, we split and went back to my lair and just hung out and whatever, but the whole thing was, like, just SUCH a bummer and all but, you know, it was cool and stuff, but you just gotta, you know, about the dude and all, like, it's cool and all you know, but what's up with that "blah blah blah"? Whatzit got to do with beer and all? I mean, really, dude, whatever...but, it's cool and all...

Say "LAH-GOO-KNEE-TUSS" What can I say...Just try it!!

Cheers
b.

MORE REPLIES TO COMMENT CARDS.....

2008-07-13T16:54:00.004-04:00

comments:

1. We came two nights in a row and thoroughly enjoyed the food!

reply: Thank you very much, we appreciate the patronage as well as the comment!

2. Thanks for putting up with all of our shit! See you soon!!

reply: Again, thank you! And when you are in the "service" industry you learn to put up with alot of shit, it's what keeps our job here fun! So, Thank You!

3. Eel Porter is a gem. Best Fish & Chips I've ever had. Seltzer is a little pricey.

reply: Glad you liked the Eel Porter (see beer snob....people DO like the beer!), as well as the Fish & Chips...As far as the Seltzer, I'll look at that and make a change.

4. Just OK - Nothing Special. Sorry - you will not get your bula following with this menu.

reply: Sorry you felt it was "just ok"...we try to make each meal a little more than ok. As far as the menu, and getting the "bula crowd", that is not our aim or intention..never was and never will be. We want to get our "Salt crowd"! We let bula go 4 months ago, and by no means were we trying to just replicate what we did there here. We took Salt in a whole NEW direction, and honestly are very happy with what we are doing and the product we put out. Now don't get me wrong, we had a great following at bula, and we loved and appreciated everyone that dined with us and we would love to see them come to salt and enjoy what we are doing here...and I must say, alot of you have, and understand us.... but that being said, we want Salt to be Salt, not bula or any other place for that matter. So enjoy us for what we are, not comparing us to what you think we should be or thought we might be. As I've said a million times, we are NO LONGER BULA!

cheers.

b.

FRIDAY NIGHT MUSIC....

2008-07-10T19:30:00.003-04:00

Friday July 11 is the start of live music at Salt. Starting at around 10pm we will be featuring BD Lenz. BD is a local great...Here's a little bio:

After graduating from Musician's Institute in Hollywood, CA., B.D. continued his studies at the College of New Jersey, where he graduated with honors.

He has played in bands ranging from pit orchestras to rock bands, big bands to jazz combos and even an Elvis impersonator!

B.D. has released 4 recordings of his melodic jazz/funk (Tell The World, Lost and Found, Simple Life, and Tomorrow's Too Late) and has recorded or performed with such artists as Randy Brecker, Mark Egan, Richie Cannata, Mark Ledford, Ada Rovatti, Greg Federico, Jeff Callahan, John Virag, MAOR, Blue Number Nine, Kathy Phillips, and Ron Velosky among many others.
We look forward to BD kicking off our music on Friday nights. BD and the guys will be with us through July as well as on Aug 1st. You can check the website or keep coming back here to find out our line-up for then on out.

Keep in mind, these are 21 and over shows and will be strictly enforced at the door.
There is no cover charge for these shows and the bar menu will be served until 12:00.

Some come on in and enjoy some great live music, sample some tasty beers, nibble on some incredible bar food and enjoy!

b.

BACK FROM RESEARCHING...

2008-07-10T14:55:00.010-04:00

Boy was that tough! And am I ever glad to be back. Geez, with the beautiful weather, the incredible beaches, having to watch dolphins frolic in the waves, all of those beautiful bodies covered in oil and scantily clad, that whole laid back attitude, the leaving all your troubles on the mainland and enjoying "Island-life"...Oh, and don't even get me going about the people, all smiling and nice and friendly acting like they have found some sort of paradise...It's enough to make a guy SICK. I couldn't get back to Jerzee fast enough.

So now I'm back, and with all of that being said, as you can imagine, I didn't get much research done, or run into the guy who wants to take Salt international (sorry Frank, but believe me, when I run into that guy you'll be the first one I call to jet around with and help me out!)So right now the private jets, the personal assistants, the fashion consultants, the hanging out with rock stars, well its kind of on hold, but only for now...so if anyone knows anyone..

It's a good thing I love what I do...

b.

THIS WEEKS FEATURED BEER!

2008-07-10T14:46:00.005-04:00

Flying Dog "Old Scratch Amber Lager"

This dog enjoys his days in the sun... Old Scratch Amber Lager is a malty, mellow beer that is fermented at medium temperatures to develop both ale and lager characteristics. "Gold Scratch" raises the standard in the amber lager category.

ABV: 5.5%
Plato: 13.5
IBU's: 19.5
Specialty Malts: 120L Crystal Malt, Malted White Wheat, Munich Malt
Hops: German Perle, Hallertau

Process: Fermented at medium temperatures to develop both ale and lager characteristics

Nutritional Information: Carbs/9.6g Calories/150

2004 Gold Medal Winner - Great American Beer Festival (Amber Lager Category)
2005 Gold Medal Winner - Great American Beer Festival (Amber Lager Category)
2006 Silver Medal Winner - World Beer Cup (Amber Lager Category)
2007 Bronze Medal Winner - Great American Beer Festival (Amber Lager Category)
2008 Silver Medal Winner - World Beer Cup (American-Style Amber Lager Category)

cheers

b.

MORE TIRING RESEARCH....

2008-07-04T21:01:00.004-04:00

Heading down to the dreaded beaches of the Outer Banks of North Carolina tomorrow for more restaurant "research". Like my previous "research" trip into Manhattan, I am going to assume that this will also be very taxing and arduous. But I will try to keep my chin up and keep in mind that "I am doing this for the restaurant". I hope to bring back new ideas, some secret ingredients, perhaps a new insight into the business, maybe some creative presentations, or some new fangled cocktails for the bar, maybe some new flavor combinations, or new sources for fresh seafood. Maybe I will have some epiphany and figure everything out and will come back home set to be the next Food Network "Thing" with Salt branded knives and pots, and come up with some "BAM" like catch-phrase like "Ka-Pow" or "Raz-a-ma-taz" and have legions of Mom's hanging on my every word for how to feed their families and friends. Perhaps I'll run into the guy who wants to take Salt national, or international and brand me and this restaurant world-wide, hooking me up with fashion consultants, and hair dressers, stylists and personal assistants. I would have to jet all over the world just to keep tabs on "Seoul Salt" and "Amsterdam Salt", and Bali Salt" and perhaps a "Dublin Salt", actually I will tell "Him", that Dublin is to be first, I like Dublin. So, this could be a BIG trip for me, and for Salt, and for all of us here at Salt...I have always held close the philosophy that those that help me will also reap the benefits of success. So I like to think that in doing these research trips I am kind of taking one for the team, and as stressful and grinding these things are that someday we may ALL benefit from these "Hellish" research trips, and I will continue to do them, always thinking in the back of my mind that as much as I hate them, that someday we may ALL benefit from these!

Or I may just get a little sun, relax for 2 days, and enjoy my family!
Stay Tuned!

b.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY...

2008-07-04T12:33:00.004-04:00

Have a SAFE holiday!

b.

THIS WEEK'S BEER....

2008-07-03T15:25:00.004-04:00

WARSTEINER Premium Verum is the #1 selling beer in Germany. It is also one of the fastest growing imports in the US. Currently there are over 33,000 draft accounts worldwide.

WARSTEINER Premium Verum is a pilsner beer with a smooth, full-bodied taste and a refreshing hop finish and no aftertaste. There are no chemicals, additives, or preservatives in any WARSTEINER products.

Brewed according to the German Purity Law of 1516
4.8% alcohol by volume
All WARSTEINER products are non-pasteurized
this a one of a kind beer. Subtle malt notes start this beer off and it finishes with just the right amount of hops to balance it off.

St. John's Brewers "Tropical Mango Pale Ale"
I know, I know, for all of you hard-core beer fanatics this is a bit of a stretch, but if you're looking for just a cool refreshing fresh beer on a warm summer day...this is it!

This a one of a kind beer. Subtle malt notes start this beer off and it finishes with just the right amount of hops to balance it off.

Tropical Mango Pale Ale is a light pale ale with a mango fruit essence that no matter where you are enjoying one it will bring you to a Caribbean state of mind.

We also still have the Rogue "American Pale Ale", and the Long Trail "Belgian White".

cheers!
b.

SOME PEOPLE ARE JUST "GRUMPY".....

2008-06-29T11:55:00.004-04:00

So, how was everything Sir? Everything was great except I had to walk all the way across the God-damned dining room just to use the bathroom!

sorry. and we are working on moving the bathrooms into the center of the dining room, please bear with us.

b

(I can't make this shit up..)

EURO SOCCER AT THE PUB....

2008-06-29T00:25:00.002-04:00

Come on in and join us tomorrow for the FINAL of the Euro Cup 2008. This year Vienna is hosting the final, GERMANY vs. SPAIN. Come in and share the fun with Mr. Kaspar behind the bar pouring your favorite beers. The game starts at 2:30 and we'll be showing it both in the dining room, as well as at the bar...see you there!

cheers.
b.

TONIGHT AT THE BAR....

2008-06-27T13:14:00.005-04:00

Come on in for the games....game 2 and three of the "Subway series" at the bar....come watch the "lowly" Met's (whom I am a fan of, so don't beat me up, just admit they SUCK!)take on the Yankees. Tonight's game is at 8:10pm and tomm afternoon at 3:55pm...
cheers.

b.

MEET YOUR MAKER NIGHT.....

2008-06-27T12:23:00.003-04:00

Another new thing going on here at Salt. We're calling it "Meet Your Maker Night".
This will be a night when we bring in reps or brewers from different breweries to talk about their beers. This will be on Thursday, July 17th - 6:30 til close. We will be offering discounts on Troegs pints and of course the bar and dinner menus will also be available all night

So come out and drink some of Harrisburg's finest brews. Two Troegs beers on tap - Hopback Amber and Dream Weaver Wheat on draft as well as Rugged Trail in bottles.
Meet the guy's from Troegs Brewing and be there for a raffle of Troegs t shirts and wall tins. Also, free pint glass giveaway if you buy a pint of Troegs.

This should be a fun night for all!!

HAPPY HOUR IS ON ITS WAY...

2008-06-27T00:07:00.002-04:00

Starting on Tuesday July 1st at 5:00pm Salt will be starting it's HAPPY HOUR.....What exactly does this mean?.....well, it means $2.00 McSorley's Drafts (Did you say $2.00 McSorley's drafts?) Yes, $2.00 pints of THE McSorley's Ale. Is that all you ask? HELL NO, we will also be doing "Buy one thing off the bar menu and get another one (of equal or lesser value) for free." That means you can bring that pretty little girl at the office, or that cute guy you've been eyeing up at work, buy them something off the bar menu, and get your own item for free....what a deal!
There will also be daily wine and drink specials!!

So come check it out, meet some friends, get your Irish up with a pint of McSorley's, get some great eats and just enjoy!!! That's what Salt is all about!

This is every tue-sun from 5:00pm - 7:00pm at the bar.

THIS WEEKS SPECIAL BEERS....

2008-06-26T20:02:00.003-04:00

Vermont's "Long Trail Brewing's" Belgian White....Belgian-style beers are the fastest growing segment of American beer imports. In line with Long Trail's mission to create 'locally brewed alternatives to imported beer' Long Trail feels very strongly that Belgian White's unique flavor profile will be we well accepted among Northeast beer connoisseurs as they search for locally brewed taste experiences.

Long Trail Belgian White is available March through August.

Rogue Brewing from Ashland Oregon, their "American Amber Ale". Tawny amber in color with a coffee aroma and tight head. A delicate roasted malt accent, generous use of hops and a smooth finish. American Amber, originally known as Ashland Amber (created at Rogues original brewpub in Ashland, Oregon which was destroyed by flooding several years ago), is created from Northwest Harrington and Klages, 95-115 and 135-165 Crystal Malts. Kent Golding and Cascade Hops. American Amber is available in a 22-ounce bottle, 12-ounce 6-pack (new for 2005), and on draft.

Measurements: 13 degrees Plato, IBU 53, Apparent Attenuation 73, Lovibond 33.
No Chemicals, Additives, or Preservatives

CHEERS...
b.

ON A SERIOUS NOTE....

2008-06-25T10:22:00.002-04:00

We will be bringing to Salt something we had started at bula, and something Laurie and I feet strongly about....Project "Welcome Home".

We are offering a night out on us to anyone returning from being deployed overseas fighting for our country. If there is anyone who deserves a nice meal, a hand-shake, a BIG THANK YOU, and a night out with his/her loved one its these guys/gals. We offer complimentary dinner for two, and it's our way of saying Thank You.

We will be working with local police dept's and VFW halls, and just ask any of YOU, if you are, or know of anyone returning home from service to contact us or just stop in. This is in no-way a "Hand-Out"...this is a "Thank You".

So as we are enjoying our summer here in beautiful Sussex County and enjoying spending time with OUR family and friends, let's just all remember these Men and Women who are overseas putting there asses on the line for us day-to-day.

Welcome Home!

b.

REPLY TO COMMENT CARD...

2008-06-25T00:52:00.004-04:00

Anonymous Comment...

"Erion is very stupid & not as smart as Zach.
Zach is a better human being & Erion will burn in Hell."

Hmmm, I am not sure how to respond to this except to say, I think I disagree with you Zach. I think Erion is a fine human being.

b.

(This is a true story, and the names have not been changed to protect anyone.)

PERILLA NYC...

2008-06-25T00:15:00.002-04:00

Excellent...as usual. On what would be I think our 4th of 5th time at Perilla it is always just a perfect night. Starting with the company we had of course, to the food, to the service, to the last cup of coffee...We have yet to be even slightly disappointed. I will only speak for my meal which was started with

"Raw Kona Kampachi" The freshest of tuna with yellow garlic chives, toasted rice pearls, and smoked ponzu...top rate.
on to
"Romesco Oil Poached Halibut" with black olive gnocchi, oyster mushrooms, & young garlic sauce. Perfectly cooked, gnocchi was a bit dense but awesome.

a side of "Faro Risotto"....again, just awesome...with artichoke confit, Parmesan, & Chili-grape salad

for dessert

"Red Velvet Cake"..I actually have to say this was the only slight let down, though there was nothing wrong with it, and it was actually REALLY good, it wasn't "Red Velvet Cake". It was very thin layers of cake with a super-dense cream cheese in between..like I said, it was awesome but not what I had expected...more of a cheesecake than anything else.

and being the coffee "junkie" that I am, I have to say the coffee was one of the best cups I have had in quite a while...I don't know what beans they use, but it was the perfect black coffee. And there is no better way to end an evening than with a perfect cup of coffee.

All in All..excellent....
If you ever get a chance I highly recommend this place! 9 Jones Street

b.

SOME PICS AT SALT....

2008-06-23T15:07:00.004-04:00

From a couple of pirates, to some old friends, contest winners, professional photographer, dining cousins, and just some little ladies getting together for a birthday lunch.....This is what Salt is about!!

PERILLA TONIGHT..

2008-06-23T13:34:00.004-04:00

Back into the city tonight to dine once again at Perilla restaurant. Perilla is Chef Harold Dieterle's (Top Chef winner season 1)restaurant down in the West Village on Great Jones....Have been a few times and always enjoy, I'll post tommorrow how everything was!
b.

CONGRATS TO ALL GRAD'S...

2008-06-23T13:11:00.005-04:00

Congratulations to all of the 08 grads out there, be it graduating from kindergarten to 1st, or out of a Doctorate program, and everyone in between...we tip our hats to you.

But a SPECIAL congrats to Mr. Corry Ellis Boyle!!!
Corry graduated with his Byram Class of '08 and is off to Lenape Valley next year. Good luck next year you guys!

b.(Dad)

THIS WEEKS FEATURED BEER!

2008-06-22T14:48:00.004-04:00

This week we bring out...

Lancaster Brewing's "Milk Stout"..A traditional English style sweet stout. A bold, dark ale, bursting with roasted barley dryness and mellowed by hints of chocolate and coffee.

River Horse Brewing "Tripel Horse"...A unique nose with a hint of vanilla esters, which comes from the Belgian ale yeast. Tripel Horse has a big body and rich mouth feel and finishes mostly dry with a touch of sweetness. If you shy from some of the sweeter Belgian ales, we think you will enjoy this one. This is a small batch release.

A new one added to our Beer List this week...
TURBODOG
Abita Turbodog is a dark brown ale brewed with Willamette hops and a combination of British pale, crystal and chocolate malts.

This combination gives Turbodog its rich body and color and a sweet chocolate-toffee like flavor. Turbodog began as a specialty ale but has gained a huge loyal following and has become one of our three flagship brews.

Just a bit stronger than our other brews, so . . .beware of the dog!

MUSIC....MUSIC....MUSIC

2008-06-18T13:45:00.004-04:00

Music at Salt is on it's way.....Starting Friday July 11th at 10pm Salt will be featuring the music of BD Lenz.
Since picking up a guitar at the age of 14, B.D. has studied with such jazz luminaries as guitarists Mike Stern, and Vic Juris, as well as pianist Charlie Banacos.
After graduating from Musician's Institute in Hollywood, CA., B.D. continued his studies at the College of New Jersey, where he graduated with honors.

He has played in bands ranging from pit orchestras to rock bands, big bands to jazz combos and even an Elvis impersonator!

B.D. has released 4 recordings of his melodic jazz/funk (Tell The World, Lost and Found, Simple Life, and Tomorrow's Too Late) and has recorded or performed with such artists as Randy Brecker, Mark Egan, Richie Cannata, Mark Ledford, Ada Rovatti, Greg Federico, Jeff Callahan, John Virag, MAOR, Blue Number Nine, Kathy Phillips, and Ron Velosky among many others.
Hailed as one of the top 20 "up and coming" NJ jazz artists by the Newark Star-Ledger and featured in the New York Times, guitarist B.D. Lenz leads a band that is very funky, highly melodic, and supremely groovin'. Lenz and crew have released five CD's of their original contemporary jazz, which fuses virtuoso musicianship with expert songwriting. Joining B.D. will be bass wiz James Rosocha, and groovemeister Tom Cottone on drums.

Featuring keyboardist/singer Scott Monetti on the 11th and 25th.

B.D. will be bringing his spin on classic Motown and Funky Blues to Salt for 4 evenings starting July 11 and followed by the 18th, 25th, and August 1.

Shows all start around 10pm and are 21 and over!

UNTIL NEXT SEASON...TOP CHEF...

2008-06-12T00:14:00.004-04:00

That shit was just WAYYYY to close.....wow! Could you have imagined? And who would have thought that Richard would have blown it so bad when it really counted? I have to hand it to Lisa though, she showed them both up tonight, but when you add up week after week....well, she just did'nt even belong in the finale'. Well, another season down, and we had fun here at Salt watching it each week, even when it did suck or the judging was uneven, or they crucified SOME people for dipping their fingers in food to taste and not others, or called out people that did'nt stay true to the challenge and let others skate around that small fact...or even just the simple fact that they actually let a hammer-head like Eric through the screening process. We enjoyed the company here, and it really was fun...So what's next you might ask?...hmmmmm.

b.

DAD'S & GRADS

2008-06-11T23:56:00.003-04:00

It's that time of year again! Time to show Dad how much you love and appreciate him all year, and to show that you want to take him to the NEW place in town and get him some great food and let him choose his favorite beer or two to enjoy....

Also it's that time of year to celebrate that special milestone in juniors life. The time where he or she is moving on to a new phase in life...be that from nursery school up to the big "K", the big "K" up to first grade....Or that huge jump in life from 8th up to the big High School.... Maybe it's leaving those memorable high school years for bigger things, or perhaps it's crossing that threshold in life from college into the "real world" (with which you may want to drown your sorrows and try not to think about that, we can help there too!) In any case, come celebrate that special day with us here at Salt and the grad's dinner is on us!

Give us a call at 973.347.SALT

For these special day's we are accepting reservations of any size
Sunday is Father's Day...and we'll celebrate grads through June 25th!!

3 NEW BEERS TO TRY THIS WEEK!!!!!

2008-06-10T22:06:00.004-04:00

Ok, to kind of mix it up a bit, here are three new ones to try...

On Draft we now have Victory Brewing "Golden Monkey". Strong and sensual, this golden, Belgian-style ale glows with goodness. The richness of German malts and Belgian yeast are tempered by a sparkling approach and overall light body. Considerable depth of character with abundant herbal, fruity notes make this one to savor.

We also have on Draft one that I just had to get on for myself. McSorley's Ale. Yes THE McSorley's Ale, the same one flowing through the veins of the McSorley's Ale House in NYC....When John McSorley arrived in America in 1854, authentic Irish pubs were scarce. So he started his own and the rest is history. This timeless beer has quenched the thirst of thousands of New Englanders since 1854. No other domestic beer or ale can claim as old of an Irish-American heritage as McSorley's

And lastly is Founder's Brewing Co. "Centennial IPA". Selected as a benchmark for the Beer Judge Certification Program used in all American based beer judgings. Centennial IPA has quickly become the IPA of choice. Pour yourself a pint of this complex flavorful ale and bask in the frothy head?s floral bouquet. Relish the immense citrus accents, achieved by the abundance of dry hopping. This ale?s sweet, malty undertones balance the hop character with a finish that never turns too bitter.
Cheers!!!

b.

AIR CONDITIONING!

2008-06-08T14:30:00.003-04:00

It's on it's way....We thank all of you who put up with us trying to cool you down with the little A/C we had and ton's of fan's! The Central A/c is on it's way though and should be up and running this week...This weather took us, just like everyone else, completely off guard. Even the bears were too hot to come rummaging through this weekend. Speaking of the bears, for those of you who don't know, we have an entire bear family living with us here behind Salt, so just use caution and common sense when out by our dumpsters, and feel free to take a pic!
b.

YOUR COMMENTS.....MY REPLIES......

2008-06-04T20:02:00.005-04:00

This is certainly not done to offend anyone, so if you think it is directed at you ..it's not...It's just poking fun at: some of the comments we get, sometimes at myself, and sometimes just at how "funny" we can all be sometimes.

Let me start this by saying that if I took EVERYONES advice on how I should do things here...from the food, to the beer, to the wine, the decor, the side dishes, the outside, the lighting, the bears (yes, how to handle the BEARS), the glasses, the soda, the silverware, the tables, the music, the noise, the television and which channels should be on, the staff, the hours, our marketing, bread (or lack of), pickles,entertainment, the temp in the restaurant, the windows opened or closed, the parking, where we should advertise, what would help us, who we should buy from, .....well obviously I couldn't do that, now could I? So things I feel that we can, want to, and might help, well, we do.
I think I will pick one each time I come on here and address it, and since the last comment to me on here was about beer, and that is only one of many about the beer, I will tackle that one first. This is one that seems to baffle me. Now granted, we may not have every beer under the sun, and to some of you it is unfathomable that we don't have your favorites, but we can't. There is no doubt we have one of the best selections around, we offer 50 some odd bottled and 5 draft. Of the draft, none of them are your "budmillercoorslight" beers. I know, I know..Yeungling? Stella? But these are beers that people want, and a happy middle ground for the average person...the other three, Blue Star, Blue Moon, and Red Seal are solid beers. The bottle selection you can't touch around here. I know it may not have the depth that some of you may want and we don't have obscure beers (maybe not to you, but to the average human being) that only you and your friends may have heard of from all over this planet, but I think we have a pretty good list touching on most styles people are looking for. We can only offer so many, and they have to fall into a certain price point or I eat them. We are now bringing in a beer of the week, something to just mix up the selection a little..I know, I know, it's not the 35.00 a bottle aged chimay blue label or that beer from that obscure brewery on the outskirts of that obscure town in Austria...but it's fun, and it's different to be able to try affordable beers that you may not get anywhere else...and that's it. You may be saying, "well it's not hard, you just should bring in this or that and from here and there and this size and that size and this style and that style and this season and that season", and what not...we just aim to be a place that people can enjoy..period. We can't be everything to everyone...we just want to be a place that people can enjoy. Did I say that already....a place where neighbors can meet, eat, and drink...and enjoy. Don't take this the wrong way. We appreciate every last one of you, but like said, we can't be everything to everyone...so just enjoy!

And now on to the next one...... lol

b.

THIS WEEKS FEATURED BEER!

2008-06-04T18:19:00.003-04:00

River Horse - Hop Hazard Lambertville, NJ

Hop Hazard is hand crafted with a rich malt base that counterbalances a combustible five-hop blend and still leaves your taste buds with enough room to enjoy a unique, dry-hopped finish. 5.5% abv

INTERESTING TOP CHEF RANT....

2008-05-30T12:16:00.002-04:00

If Lisa Is Right, then the World Is Wrong and the World is Wrongo.

For a number of reasons this week, it occurs to me that maybe Earth is a crummy planet, or at least crummy to the extent it is inhabited by man. Our reign at the top of the food chain is near its end (Three fine examples of why may be found here and here and here) Last night's episode of Top Chef did little to reinvigorate my faith in man, mankind and man's kindness.

Lisa stays. Any creature with a heart and soul must agree that for Lisa, a human being riven with maggoty and fetid misery, to remain on the show for yet another episode does not bode well for our fate as a species. And yet, though it pains me to write it, Lisa stays. If Lisa is right side up, the world is upside down. Admittedly, in fairness, her food didn't seem that bad. (I lay the blame for this whole situation on last week's guest judge Tony Bourdain who axed Dale instead of Lisa in a fit of pique. Had the even-keeled Tom been there, this situation never would have arisen. Goddammit, TC! What charity was so important he had to miss his scheduled appearance on reality TV anyway?!!?!) Spike went home instead. He was always a bit of an idiot but really?. Lisa stays!?!? Ai!

Critics you might say that I only hear what I want to, that I don't listen hard. You might even say I don't understand if you really care, I'm only hearing negative. But no. No. No. There is hope yet. And it comes from the past, what was, and the future, what yet shall be. On this episode, former winners Harold, Ilan and Hung were guest judges. My optimism comes not in the form of Ilan who is still an unctuous twat nor Harold who is nice but boring but in the form of the once-vilified Hung. Shown outside the competition setting, Hung is elegant and smart and kind and charming. All the things that, in competition, he wasn't made out to be. This means two things: Maybe Lisa isn't actually as miserable a wench as she seems. Ah fuck it. She is. But it also means, that good can still win in this world. Indeed, it seems inevitable which is a good thing.

Think about it: Lisa is out next week. She has to be. She took Spike's job at the Manhattan restaurant, Mai House so you know girlfriend didn't win. That leaves Richard, Antonia and Stephanie as possible winners. All three are fundamentally solid people, good people. Sure Stephanie might be boringish; Antonia might be too much like an emo Helena Bonham Carter and Richard is called Blais (and not like Cendrars) and has a faux-hawk. But all three of them seem genuinely kind, enthusiastic, smart and talented chefs. They are mensches (menchiz?). Clinging to the assumption that Lisa is gone next week—an assumption that makes living possible—we can afford to be charitable and magnanimous in victory.Lisa's greatest or rather only contribution to the season is to cast the menschlekeit of her competitors into warmer contrast. That's why we need villains, to make heroes. But now that she's served her purpose, it's time for Lisa to pack her knives, her scowl and her hideous haircut and leave.

funny stuff....
b.

THIS WEEKS FEATURED BEER!

2008-05-30T11:07:00.002-04:00

WALT WIT

The American poet Walt Whitman once portrayed a sunset over Philadelphia as, "...a broad tumble of clouds, with much golden haze and profusion of beaming shaft and dazzle." Pour yourself a bottle of Walt Wit Belgian-Style White Ale and see what he was talking about. A pinch of spice and a whisper of citrus lend complexity to this fragrant, satisfying ale.

Walt Wit - it's transcendentally delicious.

~5% abv.
Let us know what you think!
b.

PEOPLE SHARING THOUGHTS...

2008-05-30T10:51:00.003-04:00

Here are just two thoughts shared with us this past week.

"This place will never make it without bread and butter".
"If you want this place to be busy you have to get Miller Genuine Draft bottles".

No disrespect to anyone at all....but I think we are going to roll the dice on these.

b.

REVIEW THE REVIEWER....

2008-05-25T11:28:00.005-04:00

This is not meant in any way to slam Cody Kendall, nor is it meant to try to excuse any of the review she did on Salt this week....But, I have to share my thoughts about the review here. I know if I were a reader of this I would be sitting back saying "Yikes, I wish I were a fly on the wall in his house this morning".
First let me say that I didn't find the review that bad, 2 stars, not what I wanted or expected, but fair enough and we can fix what she thought might be broken. That being said...."WHAT THE FUCK CODY???" (and I mean no offense by that), but c'mon after 2 weeks of being open you do a review??? Any reviewer worth anything would give a place more time than that to get up and running, to find what is working and what isn't quite hitting the mark. That's my initial reply.....now for addressing the review itself.
I think in her first 2 or 3 paragraphs about English Pubs I saw where this was going. We are not an English Pub...nor English Gastropub for that matter. We are an American Gastropub. Claiming we are really a NJ Roadhouse Bar, she is kind of right...We are a NJ Gastropub, where we take food seriously a use ingredients that people are comfortable with and try to prepare them in an upscale way through technique, presentation, quality of ingredients and service. I think part of the problem was that we were not what she wanted us to be.
I am not going to knock at all the 2 stars nor her problems with the food,like I said, we can fix those things, and prior to this review even coming out most of the "problems" have been fixed. But to spend most of the review describing what we "are not" and not of what "we are" seems wrong. No "why is the bike outside?" "where did the name Salt come from?" "why the domestic wine list?" "why Byram?" "where did the 5ft painting of a salt shaker in the foyer come from?" "what's with the tutu on the wall?" "why classic movies on the two 42" tv's in the dining room?" "are the dessert's made in-house?" "are they hand-cut fries?" "are you supporting local farms and orchards?" (something gastropubs are known to do..keeping local) "what's with the staff uniforms?" Or how about more description of the foods? Did she only try 4 entrees? which would leave me to believe it was just one visit...And a review based on one visit? Is it not typical to come back at least twice if not numerous times to compare visits for consistency, good or bad...
As you can tell I feel we got a bad shake on this one,and it's not sour grapes, or even disappointment in her critique...It just seems we were a "phoned in" review which was a slap in the face to all of the staff who work hard and take alot of pride in their jobs, and that's disappointing. Just as she would expect good things from us because of our reputation at bula, I have come to expect good things from Cody Kendall, and the QUALITY of this review sucked. She should know better than to knock a place for not being what she wanted it to be, or what she thought it should be.....When you come to Salt we want people to enjoy what we ARE, not what we ARENT....And I think if people do, they will "get" us and love us, because speaking for myself, as well as all of our staff, we're proud of what we are doing here!
That's all. Anyone?
b.

OUCH....

2008-05-25T10:31:00.002-04:00

OK, so the Star Ledger did their review of Salt this weekend....Was it what I would have wanted? No..but....
As far as reviews, you have to kind of take the good with the bad. You have to take what can be changed or needs to be changed and change it. You smile about the things that they liked, and you say "fuck it" to the things that you feel are what you are just not going to change.
By no means are we going to whine or make excuses for short-comings, like I said, those can be fixed....but as I have been doing all along here on the blog, I will give my take on the review, minus sour grapes, later today.
b.

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND...

2008-05-24T11:26:00.001-04:00

Let's just remember why we celebrate!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JENN!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-05-24T11:13:00.002-04:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR JENNIFER
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

Everyone wish Jenn a Happy Birthday when you see her this weekend!
Here she is at Salt with her "birthday flourless chocolate cake" being serenaded by the staff!

THANKS FOR THE RESPONSES...

2008-05-24T10:44:00.003-04:00

Boy this restaurant has aged me!! LOL
Thanks to all of you Salt fans out there....Boy, I asked for some feedback and you guys gave it to me. Thanks for the support and the re-affirmation that we are doing it right. We are constantly trying to get better and to offer a great experience, something you just can't get at those other places. We have a "waitstaff training" scheduled for today, and boy are they all excited, so Laurie and Jenn, as well as our friend Nick Cutrone will be running that. Tony is working on "specials" that we will be starting to run next week. I am trying to put together some fun "happenings" that we'll be doing at Salt. We are getting a huge amount of requests for a volleyball court out back...who knows, "Industry Nights" are still in the workings, culinary book group, Beer Club, running/riding club, building birdhouses, (not really)...speaking of birdhouses, if anyone knows where you can get "bat-houses please let me know, we could use a couple around the property!!
Again, thanks for all of the support, and we look forward to seeing ALL of you at Salt.
b.

LOOKING FOR SOME FEEDBACK HERE.....

2008-05-22T12:12:00.003-04:00

I just read a post on Salt and had some questions for you that have been here.....

This is the post...

Wine list was sketchy, presentation wonderful, service good, appetizers tiny, entrees OK in size. Salmon smallish, chicken decent size. Odd combinations: if you are a meat and potato guy go somewhere else. Pricey

Here are my thoughts on it, and I would love feedback from anyone reading, maybe I don't see it...

First...wine list is sketchy..not sure what that is supposed to mean. We tried to touch on all of the major styles. We kept them in a reasonable price range. Have a great variety "by the glass". Tried to keep it mostly domestic to keep it more "local". And went with fairly big houses to keep it familiar but not mass produced crap.

Appetizers are tiny... any input?

Entrees OK in size... The entrees are all weighed out and are appropriate sizes, and what I think is a good value. We are definitely not Applebees with the bottomless bowl of food, nor do we want to be. We want people to be comfortable and satisfied and do so at a fair price, which I think we do.

Odd combinations.... Again not sure here.... Strip steak with fries and snap peas, grilled chicken with sweet potato, fish and chips, bowtie pasta with chicken and olives, hanger steak with mashed potato and slaw, these don't seem too far out to me...I understand its not chicken parmigiana, chicken marsala, penne' bolognese, and mounds of fried calamari or mozzarella sticks....but odd?

pricey? This one seems odd to me.....by no means are we the 36oz steak for 9.99 place, or again, the all you can eat pasta with a salad bar. We can't nor do we want to compete with "value meals". You don't get a toy or and kind of frequent eater points here. No super-sized meals. No all you can eat shrimp. I think like I said before that we want people to leave comfortable and satisfied and do so at a reasonable price...This is how small businesses stay in business, and why we are being taken over by the box places......We appreciate all of you who support us and understand that....I would love any feedback on this. Like I said, maybe I just don't see it through your eyes. If things need to be tweaked I will certainly do so. Thanks all!
b.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KIRK....

2008-05-21T12:34:00.002-04:00

Another local restaurant celeb......Kirk Avondoglio celebrated his 30th birthday with us last night here at Salt....Here he is with his beautiful wife Mary and friend George Giller.

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SO, YOU WANT TO OWN A RESTAURANT...

2008-05-20T14:09:00.005-04:00

These are just some thought that ran through my head when I spoke with someone in the not so distant past about the restaurant biz. Their comment was, in summary, I am going to buy a restaurant because I want to have fun. (And this person did just that, buy a restaurant that is). First and foremost, don't get into, at least not the ownership end, the restaurant business "TO Have Fun"...It's not! Don't get me wrong, there are fun days, and fun moments. You get to meet alot of interesting people, you get to share with people some of their happiest moments, you are thrust into a spotlight at times. Now, that being said.....you will give up basically every holiday, you will work long hours, usually 7 day's a week, you will work every weekend, you will miss important family times. There are NO sick days. You will be relentlessly abused by the public telling you everything you did wrong, why should they wait, why do you do things THAT way, you should do it THIS way. It was too cold in the dining room and I think you should comp our dinner. This is not risotto, I belong to a cooking club and I know risotto, this is not risotto. It was too warm in the dining room and I think you should comp our dinner. I don't like peanut butter but I will try the peanut butter pie for dessert.....I didn't like it and don't want to pay for it. People will steal every and anything they can from the restaurant. They will do un-mentionable things to the bathrooms, drink too much and throw up at their table (this HAS happened),in corners, in foyers, or anywhere else. The music sucks. There are parents who allow their children free range of the restaurant, screaming, running around, throwing food. You will literally be attacked by the local PTA's, the Tricky Tray people, every local, state, regional, national, international, and universal charity and be expected to donate to each and every one and if you don't, it is promised that they will bad mouth you as loud as they possibly can to anyone that will listen. Anyway, I could probably go on for day's about this kind of stuff.....but getting back to my point, DON"T get into the restaurant business to have fun. Be in it because in spite of all of that stuff you love it. And in some sick and twisted way you actually love all of that stuff as well..I didn't get into this business to have fun, but man do I have fun! So "Thank You" to all of you crazy people that make my life fun, that have kept me in this biz for the past 28 years......SO, YOU WANT TO OWN A RESTAURANT? "LOL"

b.

JUST IN...TOP CHEF....

2008-05-20T13:35:00.002-04:00

Just to add some juice to the Top Chef stuff...I just read that Drew Nieporent, the man behind Tribeca Grill, Montrachet, Nobu..just to name a few, had hired "TOP CHEF" Spike Mendelsohn to man the stoves at the place he opened in Nov called Mai House. No sooner was Spike in that he was out and replaced by......none other then Lisa Fernandes...YES, THAT Lisa....just makes for interesting conversation.

A HAPPY CUSTOMER...

2008-05-17T01:28:00.002-04:00

After a long night out with Mom & Dad ! Thanks guys for joining us tonight! And may there be visions of Salt Shakers dancing in her head....

REQUESTS...

2008-05-16T11:25:00.002-04:00

"local beer"
"more menu items"
"bread"
"larger servings"
"more vegetarian choices"
"peanut butter pie"
"more choices for people with allergies"
"particular beers"
"different chairs"
"louder music"
"different hours"
"reservations"
"no foul language on the blog"
"more lighting"
"less lighting"
"different fish in the fish and chips"
"more "gluten free" choices"
"live music"

These are just the requests I can remember off the top of my head...
and though we do try to listen to what people want and we certainly welcome suggestions, we have come to realize that there is no way we can please "everyone".
We certainly want "everyone" to enjoy themselves, and we try to accommodate "everyone", but if we try to please one we will undoubtedly offend someone else. That being said we have decided to stick with just being "US", and we hope that everyone understands that. So if you have made a request, it's not that we didn't care, it's merely that we are just going to be "US" and hope that people like "US" as "US". Not to say that we don't want suggestions, if there is any way we can make "everyones" experience better we would love to do it, and we are more than open to listening, we just don't want to offend anyone that didn't see the change that "they" wanted. Cheers!
b.

GREAT NIGHT..

2008-05-15T22:06:00.003-04:00

Another fantastic night here at "chez Salt". Thank you to all who are supporting us and showing us love! Tonight we were host to a book group dinner, some young culinary students, local teachers, and just alot of happy people. We also had the NJ Star Ledger in taking photos for something upcoming. We were also contacted by NJ Magazine for something for them in the future. There has also been alot of interest in forming a bike club, which with combining forces with Cycle Works up the street will hopefully come about real soon. They're doing real cool stuff over there and were hoping to put something together with them, so if you're interested drop us a line and I'll keep you updated.

TOP CHEF...

2008-05-15T13:28:00.002-04:00

I'm on top of things this week!

Soooo....it's about time that crackhead Andrew finally met his demise.
One thing of note, as we were all watching at the bar last night, we all commented on the total lack of respect of the panel this season. From season 1, where it was basically "yes chef" "no chef", to this kind of arrogance and talking back. If they don't get a grip on that right away I think the show is down the shitter. I have to say, I love the show, but the inconsistency in judging and the attitude and arrogance of the "chef's" is spiraling downward. To add to that, what the fuck is Sam doing as a guest judge...what has Sam done that they would put him in with the likes of Daniel Boulud, Rocco (though his talent is questionable, he has been successful), Bourdain, amongst others top in the field. Correct me if I am wrong but Sam cam to the show as a "cook", didn't make it into the top 3 of his show, as far as I know has not done anything worth mentioning since the show and is brought back as a JUDGE!?!? So if you are "sexy" you get to judge I guess? Hmmmmm, there goes that spiraling motion I was talking about....If I were one of the contestant's I would have been like "what the fuck?" this guy is only one step away from where they are, and as far as a couple of them maybe even a few steps behind!! Oh well, it's only tv, right?

So I was happy to see Andrew go this week, and was glad to see the judges finally stuck to the rules "they" layed out, that if you don't follow the rules, you don't move on, no matter how good or bad, or how bad anyone else sucked...they have seemed to have a problem with that rule in the past.
As far as next week, I think we will be saying good bye to Lisa. But if you have been going by my picks, forget about it, I've sucked this season!
b.

TOP CHEF.....

2008-05-13T13:18:00.003-04:00

Alright, I know I am almost a week late on this...but after watching it again on TIVO here is my take on last weeks Top Chef.

The quickfire challenge this week was a fav...the relay race really kind of shows what these guys are about..if you can't do these basic skills, and do them well, as Dale said about Nikki "why are you still here?" And that ended up ringing true.
Antonia...cmon, how long does it take to peel and supreme (section) 5 oranges....you suck! Now the fish on the other hand..damn, Dale and Richard I have to say really kicked ass...that was pretty impressive.

Wedding Wars....It was a good challenge, but it seemed that the bride and groom were pretty lame in their wants....damn, if I was getting married and was going to have the Top Chef tv show cater it I would call them out, I would want to challenge these guys to put out the best, to really impress. Pizza? filet? seemed more like high school prom food....but thats just me.
And what is with Andrew....with this challenge "I have a culinary boner"..You are a culinary boner Andrew! C'mon Spike...what is rapini? ? (rapini is just another name for broccoli rabe)
It also seemed very obvious that Nikki was "in Charge" whether she liked it or not, and she should have stepped up...you know she would have taken credit if everything had turned out well. Dale whined about doing almost "everything" but almost "everything" sucked.
All of that said, I wasn't sad to see Nikki go, but if they were being consistent and this wasn't for TV, I think it probably should have been Dale last week, just based on the challenge at hand, but Dale makes good TV and he is overall one of the stronger ones....but.

One last thing...Is it just me or does it seem Padma has packed on some serious pounds this season. Not in a bad way. It looks like she has been seriously hitting the gym....huge guns on her, and slightly larger in other areas as well. She actually looks human now as opposed to anorexic. Just my opinion!
b.

RANDOM THINGS..

2008-05-12T18:27:00.003-04:00

-Answer to question on application "Desired Salary" - 1,000,000 ! (for real)
there is something to be said about honesty, unfortunately that is not "you're hired".
-That picture does not go with the theme of the decor. (The semi-nude girl at the bar)
-"If you put Smithwicks on tap I will get a cot and live here"
-"Just because you don't drink anymore doesn't mean you can't taste"
-"what exactly is potato puree'?"
-We had a visit from the "3 bears" this week. Apparently they really like fryer oil. We left three 5 gallon tubs of the stuff by the dumpster for the garbage pick-up, next day there was 1. I followed the grease trail into the woods and up a rock, and sure enough there were the empty containers. Man, the belly aches those guys must have had the next day....and the mess they must have been making in the woods. Watch where you step.
-Top chef this Wed nite at the bar..10:00.... I will actually post my comments on last weeks episode later tonight when I watch it again on TIVO. Things have just been so hectic these past few Weeks that I haven't been able to gather many thoughts, or find the time to get them down on here......but From here out I will be trying to come on each night after service just to put down something, just for my own journal of this craziness...and if you want to read it, comment on it, ignore it, or whatever it will be here!

Just to all reading, keep in mind that this is no reflection on or advertising for the restaurant, it is merely my ramblings and comments on life in and out of the restaurant. If you are easily offended or don't find slightly off color things, foul language, references to drugs or alcohol or sex or anything else that could make this an NC17 blog..then be warned....
b

HIGH SCHOOL BUDDIES...

2008-05-12T18:14:00.002-04:00

Little did I know just how "buddy" these two were. Tommy and Eddie were inseparable and still are after all those years. I love these guys and I'm just glad to see them happy, and thanks for "coming out" to Salt!

Ok...just kidding. Tommy is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Healy of Lovey's fame and Eddie is their un-adopted son, needless to say I spent some time with these guys growing up, working, and getting into trouble, so it was great to see them in Salt (with their beautiful WIVES!)