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

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!

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....

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!

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...

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....

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....

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...

Let's just remember why we celebrate!

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

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...

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.....

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....

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.

b.

SO, YOU WANT TO OWN A RESTAURANT...

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....

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...

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...

"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..

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...

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.....

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..

-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