The Salt Exchange is now open for lunch and dinner. Located at 245 Commercial Street in Portland's Old Port, the restaurant has a beautiful interior and is more formal than I had expected. The dining room comprises half the restaurant, while the other half is filled with a long curved bar, a few tables in the lounge, and an open kitchen. White linens grace the tables; exposed brick and an industrial lime green ceiling complete the look.
In stark contrast to the scene at El Rayo during opening week, The Salt Exchange was nearly empty the day we dined for lunch. While I would define the menu as "cosmopolitan tapas," the owners state on their blog
that rather than tapas, they are serving "New American small plates." Either way, the plates are priced between $5 and $15. Our waiter suggested that we order two items each for lunch - if you don't want to leave hungry (as we did), I would suggest at least three plates - possibly four for dinner.
For dinner, the menu features "Amuse" (small bites) such as Pickled Maine Dilly Beans ($3) and Salt Cod Cromesquis ($5), two Soups , Cold Plates including Pork Pate ($8) and Caesar Salad ($7), and Hot Plates featuring 
the likes of Pea Risotto ($9) and Brioche Crusted Fish ($12). The lunch menu has eleven items, most of which are also on the dinner menu, though there are a few variations.
We opted to try the two soups: Spiced Maine Coast Cioppino ($12) and Green Asparagus ($7), the BBQ Duck Sliders ($9) and the Pea Arancini with Wild Mushroom Ragout ($6). The Cioppino was filled with white fish and mussels and topped with grilled sourdough crostini. Crab tempura was served alongside the stew, and should have stayed in the fryer a minute longer so that it was crispy. The "spiced" stew lacked flavor - it seemed like there was an ingredient missing and was deemed rather ordinary by my husband. He actually had to add salt -- and no, the irony wasn't lost on us.
Speaking of salt, our expectations were a bit high walking in, given the name. When we visited Amelia Island, we dined at a restaurant called "Salt" where we were presented 40 different types of salt - a little bit of gimmick, but I loved the focus on this key ingredient. When we sat down at The Salt Exchange and found Morton in a shaker,
and not Maldon in a dish, we realized the name wasn't driving the dining experience.
I fared well with my Asparagus Soup. Topped with a delicate goat cheese mousse, the soup was delicious. The Pea Arancini (deep fried risotto balls) was light and not at all greasy. The Duck Sliders were my husband's favorite; the mustard and vinegar slaw that topped the duck added a nice contrast to the tender fowl. He could have put down about a half dozen of these mini sandwiches for his lunch.
We were still quite hungry when we finished our four small plates and decided to share the Orange Blossom Poached Rhubarb for dessert. Lemon custard was topped with a meringue cookie and surrounded by tart rhubarb and sweet orange sections. The dish was light and the flavor combination worked well together.
It's our own fault that we left the Salt Exchange still hungry - we certainly could have ordered more - but there is only so much I am willing to spend on a weekday lunch. Our bill was nearly $50 (before tip), without alcohol.
Bottom Line: Although the Salt Exchange is an interesting concept, I left with the feeling that dining off a bar menu at one of the better Portland restaurants would be more satisfying and easier on the wallet.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
The Salt Exchange - Portland, Maine
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
28 comments:
Good review. I'm not surprised it was a bit empty, we went down to check it out the other day and found the menu a bit inscrutable from the outside, unable tell what the portion sizes would be given the language and price. Decided to skip it for now because I had some interns with me and didn't want to end up making college kids fork over a ton of money for lunch. Will probably head back with my wife sometime for a light meal to check it out.
This is a terrible trend--needing to buy several smaller courses to make a full meal. I totally "get" that it's supposed to encourage sampling, but it seems to have morphed into a specious excuse for small, overpriced portions and not enough value, especially in this economy.
I'm sorry but this "trend" is nothing more than a reflection of the conditioned American mentality. There is a distinct difference between feeding and eating that seems to have been lost given the public's constant concern with the current economy. Both nutritionally and gastronomically bigger is almost never better. Human's can live on far less than the average American consumes. The "trend" you speak of is an attempt to achieve further appreciation of an item. This is most commonly known as Thomas Keller's philosophy on cooking, to leave the guests wishing they could have just one more bite. I'm sorry if it seems as though I am attacking you, it's just I feel as you might not really "get" what is going on in the current culinary world.
That aside, I too have had my interest somewhat spiked upon walking by. I'm hoping to sometime check things out for myself and make my own decision. I've always been extremely pleased with Hugo's, even if never having left full.
Yes, but the "chef" at the Salt Exchange isn't Thomas Keller. If there was some soul in Jacob Jasinski's cooking, it may be worth it. But the guy has no real experience as a chef, and lacks fundamental technique and raw talent. Idea is great, execution is horrible.
And, NO, Thomas Keller didn't invent this kind of cooking. French chefs have been doing this for decades. Charlie Trotter pre dated Keller by 7 years.
There is a difference between "The Law of Diminishing Returns" and a blatant rip off. The food there is ridiculously small, and doesn't align with Keller's now famous "Law". That is where most americans get confused.
FYI- Chef Jasinski hails from the White Horse Tavern, The Ritz Carleton and the White Barn Inn. I think it is safe to say that he has impressive culinary experience. The portions that we have experienced (other than the amuse) have all been just about right. The food very flavorful and the fact that I can see what the chef and his crew are cooking makes me feel confident about what I am putting into my mouth. I think that is it silly to compare the chef from a restaurant that has been open for 6 days to Thomas Keller.
I believe that it is disgusting what the general american public have decided is a "sensible" degree of meal portioning. We live in an obese, over processed culinary world. I think what they are doing at the Salt Exchange is something that should be examined by the other potential restaurant owners. Lets train ourselves to be more decent to our bodies by caring about what we put into it and how much. Ill be going back to the Salt Exchange, and I won't feel gorged.
We are visiting from out of town and are going there tonight on the recommendation of friends whe were just there and told us that it was fabulous. I will report tomorrow. Personally, I am thrilled with the idea of small plates. We belong to a club that went to small plates recently. The member remarks have all been positive. With our friends' strong recommendation and our own experience with small plates, I have high hopes for our meal.
WOW, what a great evening. We are visiting from Cleveland, Ohio. Most people don't know Cleveland's one hidden asset, we have GREAT restaurants, so we know great dining experiences.
Our friends took us to dinner at the Salt Exchange. The small plate feature is fabulous. Among the 6 of us we had all but 2 items on the menu. Everything was great. The service was impeccable, we weren't rushed and we weren't left waiting. For dessert, try the Chocolate Beignets, its a special.
The size of the portions will suggest that if you are a big eater, you will probably order 3 plates, if not, probably 2.
The Salt Exchange on Commerce, a great restaurant designed for locals, attractive to tourists-Great Food!
Russell O'Rourke, Cleveland, Ohio
Directed towards the anon. who trashed the chef. These people have only been open a little while. It takes time to get your footing and figure out what works. Take it easy. I say congrats! I can't wait to go! You are brave to put yourself out there.
I work near the Salt Exchange and went there for lunch with some one from the office.
I love the idea of small plates and sharing, but these plates are SMALL, and to make sharing worth while, I feel the portions should be a bit bigger. Not a heaping mound on a platter, of course, but just big enough that two people could share one plate.
Maybe have a courses menu, where you order the small plates and they come in sequence. Kind of a tasting menu of sorts. Or maybe a prix fixe-style menu.
It's not a great place to go for lunch if you only have an hour. It would be better to go, I think, as a group (with deep pockets) and just go nuts on the menu for a while.
I had the spinach salad. My friend had the four oysters, and we split the pate. The salad was great, especially the tempura blue cheese that came with it. Can't go wrong with fried cheese.
The oysters were good. I'm not a fan, really, of oysters, but I always will try something I don't like if it's done a different way, and I've never had oysters with the foam and hazelnut on top. The toppings tasted great, still had trouble getting around the texture of the oyster (my own personal obstacle to get over when it comes to oysters, mussels, and clams).
The pate was excellent. I could have eaten about twenty servings of that. Loved the cracklings.
The flavor profiles of the food at the Salt Exchange are incredible. I dined there with a colleague a week ago, a couple days after their opening and wow. This is my new favorite place in Portland and blows places like 555 and Evangeline out of the water. Service was good, but the talent of the chef and his crew are amazing.
TO THE NEGATIVE PEOPLE PUTTING DOWN THE CHEF AND HIS PORTION SIZES: I think the salt ex. has brought something to portland that other places have not touched on. Its a place of community...to go with friends and share. Or go alone and not eat too much. It has a similar concept to hugos, but using vastly different ingredients and a completly seperate astethic touch. You cant bash the place for having small portions... that is the point of a tapas bar. This is an american tapas bar- using authentic eurpoean recipes with chef jasinksi's "new new england curve"... Do not go to the salt exchange expecting a heaping bowl of pasta or a chicken thigh. Its delicate, beautiful food meant to taste. If you cant appreciate that, then you should go to rosies or the great lost bear(which are good...just maybe more up your ally.) PLUS.... i heard there doing public wine tastings with free snacks every wednesday at 5:00..... thats kind of a neat idea.
Bar Lola has been doing that for years...
This Martha Bryon from the Salt Exchange- We want to thank the people who have helped get the word out by sharing their experiences. We highly appreciate the positive words, and the constructive ones. Our concept is not a new one, but one that has not been all that prolific in this area of the country/world. We want to make it clear, that although we have a niche that we are pretty faithful to, we are not in any way trying to compete with the other restaurants in town. In fact, we would quite like to support them in the same way so many other businesses have supported us through our beginnings. We have every ounce of faith in our Chef, our staff and the work that has gone into making our idea come to life.
Again, we appreciate any constructive ideas, suggestions, tweaks or criticism, but we ask that the comments be respectful don't come through as personal attacks on any one staff member, as some postings on various blogs have appeared.
Thank you so much for those of you who have stood by us from day one and those who are just discovering us for the first time. Its been amazing to see the personalities roll through the restaurants.... and the reviews! Please feel free to call us directly or come on in if you have questions, comments or suggestions. We may not be able to utilize all of them, but we appreciate any new information brought to our table, as it were.
Martha and Charlie Bryon
bar lola has only been open for 3 years. their food is definitely different. I found they are a bit more spanish, and the food is different in presentation, flavor and seems altogether different to me. good, but different.
Dined there last night and sampled almost everything on the menu. Our waiter was outstanding and had quite a resume himself as far as cooking and in the dining room. The remodel and location are fantastic and it will be a favorite place to enjoy small portions at the bar as well. The staff and kitchen are experienced it seems and will make the right adjustments. Portland doesn't have a fondue place, and so this is the place where one can leisurely dine and not gorge in a beautiful atmosphere. Thank you Salt Exchange, we'll be back with friends.
This is more of a social commentary than restaurant review. We are going to try it -- Portland needs more quality and less quantity in restaurants. But I am not intrested in peoples' opinions on the condition of the American diet; I am reading this solely for reviews about the restuarant.
I went to the salt exchange with another couple. We left very hungry and poor. The food was so-so, the roasted potatoes were actually french fries, and the bread was one slice cut into four pieces. Our tab came to almost $280.00 with tip. We felt this was ridiculous for a restaraunt in Portland, ME. Who can really afford that nowadays. Theres tons of other places in Portland to eat better food for less money.
Was the $280 with wine because I went with a group of 4 people and our bill was only $110 and we all left very full. If each dish is $10 then that is 4 courses of food each... that should be plenty and by the way if you ever been to a traditional tapas or tasting restaurant no one gives out bread! The point is not to gorge yourself on food, but to get refined food at less of a price then a tasting menu. If you want crab cakes and french fries for $25 each, then you should eat somewhere else in Portland. I have been back to The Salt Exchange twice now and each time was excellent and filling.
What a treat! This restaurant is over the top. From the food to the service my friends and I had a faboulos dinner. My hat off to the Chef. Thank you!
The food at Salt Exchange is tasty enough to return for - overpriced? No, if you believe in the small plates/tapas concept of dining. Yes, if you want a hearty (filling) meal & were not prepared to pay for several 5-$15/plates each.
One thing’s for sure – it’s a beautifully renovated space and the staff is friendly & well trained.
If it does not survive in Portland, it would not be because of the concept, Chef or food, but simply because of the current economy and people generally seeking more bang for their buck (sad but true!). Most people (even working at a successful business downtown) still can’t afford $30 lunches right now. And most tourists seek lobster rolls & seafood by the waterfront.
I have to say the food was very good and appreciate the option of small plates. Expensive? In my opinion no, not for the quality of ingredients and preparation. One has to take into account the quality of ingredients used and there is a premium when committing to fresh local produce, fish, meat, etc.
No matter where we travel to, we always seek out an establishment that commits to this very practice, and we are happy to pay that premium to enjoy the local ingredient(s).
As one who has dined in Portland for 25 plus years it's nice to see all of these options available, and I believe the Salt Exchange is a great addition to our city.
Great food, service, and atmosphere.
We had an incredible experience last night at the salt exchange.
the food was amazing.truly chef jacob who was gracious to say hello provided perfectly prepared and complex dishes...one after another.
the waitstaff (thank you whitney and that nice young man from brunswick) was professional without being stuffy. the manager, corey, was welcoming and warm.
bresca has been our favorite but the ambiance and environment at the salt exchange is so lovely and the food was outstanding!!
we may need to go back next week!
Went for lunch today with my parents. The food is amazing!!! But there just wasn't enough of it. I'm not some obese American looking to stuff my face like I'm at Applebees. But if I'm going to fork over $14 for a 1/2 a sandwich and a salad, I expect to get a 1/2 a sandwich - not a 1/4 of a sandwich and small salad, which is what I got. Don't get me wrong, every bite was delicious and the restaurant itself is very cool. But for the money, we would expect a little more. I'd like to go back for the food but I doubt I will since there wasn't enough of it.
Sadly, I agree with last post. When our waitperson stated that "we specialize in small plates" she really meant it. And upon reflection what kind of specialty is that anyway? Good food, but price/value is just way out of balance. Sorry to say that we will not return.
Wow- I have been many times (and I love that they recognize me as a regular :)) and I feel like for what you get in terms of the quality, this food is worth every penny in its value. I have never had to pick a wilted piece of lettuce out of one of their salads, and I have never seen even the slightest bruised piece of produce on any of the food I have ever ordered there. Small plates are not for everyone, but for those who want quality food, great value for that quality, a nice warm space and unbelieveably nice and knowledgeable staff, this is your place.
To Margaret, and those individuals who have expressed disappointment with the portion sizes. I agree that the 1/2 sandwich and soup or salad combo was misleading as the portion size was really a 1/4 traditionally. This criticism, though not rampant, has led us to reexamine our lunch portions. Many of our regular clients appreciate and prefer the smaller sizes and patron our restaurant specifically for the reasons anonymous stated above, however, an increase in portion size at lunch does not sacrifice quality nor service. Lunch clients have different needs and expectations then dinner guests, and to that end we have increased our lunch portions on many selections and on the business express lunch. I hope you will dine with us again and thank you to everyone for your patronage and support. There are many great restaurants in the Portland landscape and we feel very lucky to be a part of it. Happy new year and best wishes in 2010,
Charlie Bryon
The Salt Exchange
Owner
We enjoyed an evening at Salt Exchange recently because my spouse's company party was held here. I loved the food. The menu was wonderful. Dirrent tastes in each bite and each suriprising. I would very much enjoy dining here. Though, I have stopped later to look at the menu and have found it to be pricey for what is outlined. Regardless of the condition of Americans in general and the obesity running rampant in our nation (a topic for another blog, perhaps), a good restaurant will balance the food and price. From Mr. Byrons comment, it looks as though he is taking that quite seriously. If one feels they pay more than the food value, regardless of what one weighs, they will not return. Havings said that...the service was wonderful ALL evening with the waiters and bartenders showing spunk and having as much fun as the guests were. This is unusual and I was impressed. I will be back as long as there is balance between price and portion. If I were basing my choice on service, I would be there as I type.
Post a Comment