text: Salt of the Earth opened back in September and like many other foodies in town I had been waiting and waiting for the great day of revelation but for various reasons I did not make ituntil now nnA friend of mine and I had been talking about getting to Salt for the better part of the past yearto celebrate a number of milestones that had passed but finally we made it in midDecember in honor of our December birthdays and all that other stuff nnI knew well what to expect and we chose to not make a reservation so that we could experience the communal tables on the first floor The noise level was not terrible but definitely would not be great for anyone with hearing troubles The large menu was not that difficult to read but I did like that they also had the URL up so you could choose to read it on your smartphone should you be so equipped I found the prices to be pretty reasonable for the level of dining entrees ranged from Add starters and desserts and you can spend a pretty penny or a small fortune if you also imbibe a few of their cocktails but we found ourselves quite pleased with our meals and the bill did not break the bank we shared a salad and dessert and did not order any alcohol nnI agree with other reviewers who note that you should be prepared for the experience and be in the mood for the atmosphere I think that it would be best to have a small group if you are going to sit at the communal table as I did feel a bit surrounded as a party of two smack in the middle of the table but we were not too crowded and it was not too loud nnThe service was functional and the wait staff were knowledgeable about the menu We shared a beet frisee and egg salad drizzled with truffle oil that was fabulous and the portion was sufficient for two as a starter The beets were chopped into small cubes and tossed with the truffle oil Sweet frisee was piled on top with an egg laid on top of that The runny yolk added to the richness of the dressing and it was truly divine nnThere was a long wait between the salad and our entrees We had been sitting for at least a half an hour with nothing on the table save a bottle of fizzy water for which they get points for not charging some outrageous price and I remarked that the wait was getting a bit ridiculous even for a place that makes fabulous creations that should not be rushed Our entrees thankfully showed up a few moments after that point and they were fabulous nnI ordered the seitan a steal at It was served with broccoli kim chi wild rice porridge which was poured along side the seitan and ginger Each bite had a slightly different combination of savory tart sweet and bright It was delicious creative nourishing and filling everything I want in a meal and bonus points to Chef Souza for coming up with wellbalanced and delicious veggie options My dining companion had the scallops with mussels that were served with a sunchokepotato puree artichokes and olives She also was very pleased with her mealnnWe finished with the Smore dessert which was an insane in all the good ways combination of crumbled golden graham crackers chunks of chocolate ganache and heavenly elderflowerinfused fluff lightly torched for the melted over a campfire effect nnOverall I would give the food a the service a servers were helpful but the time between courses was long and we finally had to ask for our check after again sitting for a while after finishing our dessert and the atmosphere a It is a shwank looking placebeautiful but a bit hard and lacking intimacy I cannot speak for the upstairs space I will definitely be back but I think you have to be in the mood for the experience If you are in the least tired or looking for a comfortable relaxed experience long group tables and backless chairs in a cavernous room with a ft chalkboard on one side and the open kitchen on the other will not deliver If however you are up for a wonderful food adventure with a couple of energetic friends NACL is just the place for the perfect evening