Salt Tasting Room | Vancouver, BC

Here’s how you put someone’s courage and faith to the test. Tell them you know of this really great place where you can get a fantastic sampling of meats and cheeses paired with wonderful local and international wines. Tell them it’s a place with great cozy atmosphere and tell them to get to it you just have to take a short stroll through the start of Vancouver’s lower east side and down Blood Alley past a couple interesting characters. In recent years Vancouver’s trendy restaurants are slowly breaking away from the boundaries of posh Gastown and locating themselves in more ‘interesting’ areas like neighbouring East Hastings bringing a whole new meaning to Hobo Chic. Going to Salt Tasting Room is like finding Narnia. Just when you thought you’re really in the wrong place, go a couple steps further and you’ll see this great little eatery.

The concept of Salt is quite simple. Look at the giant chalk board at the back of the restaurant that has the lists of the daily selection of meats, cheeses, and condiments. You can let the knowledgeable staff pick a meat and cheese selection for you along with a wine pairing or you can pick a selection of three yourself. So for example the tasting plate ($16), choose 3 meats and/or cheeses (2 meats and 1 cheese, or 3 cheeses, or 3 meats you get the idea) then choose three condiments from the condiments column. The staff will then do their best to pair your selection with each of your chosen condiments. You can also opt to have a wine flight ($15) with you tasting plate where by the staff pair each of your selections with a 2oz taster of wine. I usually find that one tasting plate plus wine flight is enough to share between two people. If you’re a little more on the hungry side then by all means it’s great for one person too. Oh yes and bread is included.

The concept is very simple here I don’t even think they have a kitchen, but the idea is a great one. It’s a nice way to end off the evening after a dinner at a nearby restaurant or perhaps to have before a dinner. I think the prices are a buck or two too high for what you get but that’s not going to stop me from coming back again.