After doing endless web searches and research we are going to claim to be the FIRST gastropub in the state of NJ. If anyone can come up with anything to dispute this we will surely change our stance on that, but for now we are sticking with it! "Salt is the first gastropub in the state of New Jersey"...so what, big stinking deal you may be saying out loud to your computer, or to the person next to you...well to us it is, not sure why, but it is (a big deal)! Next....
The Town of Byram, we can't say enough about working with the town of Byram! It has truely been such a great experience, I wish I could say the same about working with the state (they suck, as you might expect!) Nothing gets done in real time, everything is in some sort of time warp and everyone has the attitude that they want to be the boss, that they control something, that they are just going to make your life as miserable as theirs must be. Byram really has been super friendly and so easy to work with, they actually seem like they are really glad to have us in town...we only wish we could say that of other towns we have tried doing business in. (we have only done business in one other town, but we don't want to name names, lol) So if anyone from the town offices of Byram reads this..."Thank You"! (This is not kissing ass, merely a simple thanks!)
Work getting done..... bathrooms are almost put back together, floors have been laid, ceilings replaced, and all is looking good. Floors have their first of three coats of poly on them in the dining room and are looking just amazing. Kitchen floor(the pic up there) is now in and ready for our equipment to be put into place. Septic plans have been approved and permits have been received. Yes, a septic still has to be put in. "Holy Shit Brad, a septic still has to be put in?" Yes, but we have been assured it will be done within 3 weeks! Again, we will meditate on that one and visualize it being put in...can't hurt right!
Menu items...here are a few things we are working with right now on our menu. Tony and I have been working hard on the menus this week and brought Jeremiah in today to help add to it. A spin on surf and turf, a marinated Hanger Steak with Potato Wrapped Prawns looks like it will make it onto the menu, as well as a dish of Goat Cheese Croquettes with a Raspberry Balsamic Glaze and Poached Pear. We will have a "Flight"(3 mini) of Sliders served with sides of Roasted Tomato Aioli, Chipotle Aioli, Onion Jam, and Aged Cheddar. Steamed Butterfish atop Braised Fennel, Julienne Root Veg, and Chicory with a Fish Consomme'. We are also working on some beer recipes to go along with the 65 beers we will be offering. Yes, 65 beers. 12 draft, and 50 some odd bottles. So, there are just a few menu items that are on the board right now. We have about 40 or 50 so items that we are working with right now (between lunch, dinner and bar menus). So once they are tweaked, slept on, tasted, and worked over a few times we will be wittleing it down to our final menus.
Laurie and I are into NYC again for more "research" this weekend... we were actually invited into the "Blue Note" jazz club as guests of a friend of ours whom is playing there with Ben E. King this week. So we will be spending sat night down in the West Village checking that out, as well as a few restaurants, only to wake up early Sunday morning to do a race up in Washington Heights, then back downtown to meet some friends for brunch. Lots of research this weekend. Then its back to work Sunday evening at Salt. This weeks goals are the fountain in the front foyer, the septic started, the bars last coat of poly, some finishing painting, bathrooms finished, ceiling in bar area finished, kitchen equipment in place, fire suppression system in place and inspected, menus getting into final stages, beer taps being flushed and any other things that might be thrown at us. Stay tuned!
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