September 8, 2006
Taste Bites
Salt Tasting Room-From the
moment it softly opened its doors on
July 18th Wine Diva heard
rave reviews! Obviously, not one to pass up the opportunity for a cheese plate
WD hiked up her skirt and wobbled down the cobblestone alley in search of Salt!
It was still early (about 5:30) so the path was well lit (so were the, er
colorful characters that inhabit Blood Alley).
Stop here.
A word of advice ladies, find a cab that will take you to the door.
But once inside the simple brilliance of the room and the concept is well,
simply brilliant. No kitchen. A cheese fridge with a glass door, prep area and a
sexy, shiny meat slicer. It feels a bit like a deli with each days offerings
chalked onto the
blackboards around the industrial-minimalist room. Salt's decor is concrete and metal
with communal
tables as well as the hot seats at the bar where, through the glass
divider you can watch your food being shaved, cut and plated.
On the day we visited-after the mandatory kiss and greet from proud assistant manager Jay Jones-we slid
onto the sleek bar stools beside a fellow wine-peep. With such a warm welcome,
I knew I liked the place even before I looked at the menu!
What's not to like when you have Jay Jones (formerly of Nu and West) picking the
wines, Chris Sterns (lumiere) managing and concept artist Sean Heather ( Irish Heather, Shebeen) at the helm?
The wine list changes constantly but when we were there, bubbles-Sumac Brut and
Batasiolo Moscato d'Asti, Sherry, Dr. Loosen Riesling, a Gruner Veltliner, as
well as some more obscure BC wines from Herder, Winchester and Tantalus were
some of the btg options.
Wine geek alert-All wine (some beer)...no cocktails!
The blackboard mocked me with its selections (it knew I was famished). For $15
you can choose 3 cheeses from the selection of 10 and 3 condiments (you
are the chef here) or choose 3 meats from the selection of 10 and 3
condiments.
If you want to mix and match-go ahead. 2 cheeses 1 meat, or 2 meats and 1 cheese
either way you get to choose your accoutrements.
On our visit the cheeses were: Oka, Poplar Grove Naramata Blue, Manchego,
Lincolnshire and St.Andre. The meats: corned beef, salami, hot sopressata and
kohlbasa. The condiments were apricots, Similkameen honeycomb, Marcona almonds,
mixed olives and cornichons.
Within an hour the place was hopping! We were having a blast, sampling sips and
nibbles from the simple menus-best of all it was cheap!
Vancouver...we have a winner!
Salt Tasting Room
Blood Alley
604-633-1912
Open daily from 4:30
www.salttastingroom.com
How Cheesy
Tomme Corsu Vecchio-Sheep's milk Tomme from Corsica Italy. The aromas are
of wild herbs, earth and an interesting sweet milky nuance. The texture smooth
and creamy with amazing sweet, nutty flavour and a dusty, mottled but edible
rind. Try this next time in place of your regular Tomme de Savoie or Tomme
Piedmontese.
$6.50 per 100g
Stink Factor: Low
Wine Diva tasted- August 2006
Pecorini de Fosse-Sheep's milk cheese from Romagna Italy. This hard Pecorino
style cheese is aged in underground caves for 4-6 mos. giving an deep earthy
aroma with flavours of roasted nuts and herbs. Rich, earthy and smoky!
$5.50 per 100g
Stink Factor: Med-Low
Wine Diva tasted- August 2006
Smoked Gouda- You can get smoked gouda (cow's milk) in the grocery store in
processed rounds (a slightly rubbery texture) that would do in a pinch if you
were melting it. Or you can get the good stuff from your cheesemonger.
WD has never been a smoked cheese lover but the gouda has such a
smooth creamy texture and is the perfect accompaniment to wines with any smoked,
toasted or oaky flavour to them (ie: Chardonnay, aged Champagne or a numerous
red wines).
$ Prices vary
Stink Factor: Low
Wine Diva tasted- August 2006
Cheeses are available at Les Amis du Fromage-Park Royal
and w. 2nd avenue in Kitsilano
www.buycheese.com
New Noshes
Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co. comes in all its organic and healthy glory
to us from Alberta. Newly renovated and now open in the old Bread Garden
digs on West 1st Avenue. Rumor on the street is people in the hood are happy to
have a place to lunch. They specialize in Flatbread Pizza's and Flatbread
Sandwiches with a lovely assortment of big salads. The best part is that
although you may enjoy dining in the warm wood surroundings you can call ahead
for take home when you are too bushed to socialize.
Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co.-1876 West 1st Ave.
(604) 730-0321
The Noodle Box-Kitsilano is getting all the goods these days. This one
hails from Victoria and is a perfect addition to the healthy Vancouver fast food
scene. WD loved the room, industrial and
simplistic with vaulted ceilings and large wall menu board. The food is fresh
made-to-order (I know this as my better half has a serious allergy to mushrooms)
and is scrump-dilly-icious. Menu items include Tom Yum Soup, Singapore Cashew
Curry, Fried Dumplings and Spicy Peanut Noodle Box. Best of all, N'Yawk style
you can take out in those stylin' Chinese boxes.
The Noodle Box-1867 West 4th Ave.
(604) 734-1310 (7days)
Cover Story
(Wine Diva has PMS, Wine Diva asks...)
BC Wine Reviews
(Tantalize me with Tantalus)
International Sips
(All the pretty packages)
Taste Bites
(Salt, How Cheesy, New Noshes)
Wine Diva-isms
(Return of the Automat-BAMN!)