"We were skeptical of a newish small restaurant with uniform 5-star reviews. But we were even more surprised to find the reviews completely deserved. We arrived 10 minutes early for our reservation. We were greeted warmly by Vince, one of the owners, who gave us a comfortable chair to wait in, and a glass of ice water to counter the 106 degree outside weather. He took the time to chat for a few minutes, despite the restaurant being completely full. He exuded warmth, generosity, and friendliness. That set the tone for a wonderful evening. Most seats are at booths, with a few at an open kitchen counter. Once seated, the waitstaff continued the friendly welcoming vibe. The menu was not large, but had a wealth of interesting and varied choices. A starter of hummus with fresh light fluffy pita bread and crudités was among the best we have had anywhere, including the Middle East. Sprinkled with pistachios and olive oil, the humus was beautifully textured, had a lovely garlicky spiciness, and citrus tang. A split salad with corn, avocado, black beans, a few thin tortilla chips, and greens was a pleasure to look at, but even better to taste. The dressing made the salad. It was lemony without being too tart, but fresh and vibrant, bringing out out the flavors and textures of the salad components. My wife had the Butter Chicken and Rice, which had a delightful complexity of flavor, without being overwrought. The rice, usually a platform for this chicken dish, was itself fantastic with coconut, cranberry, and middle eastern spices. I had the Thai salmon, which was perhaps the best salmon I have ever had. It was piping hot, glazed in a lovely red miso, but was neither under nor over cooked. the fish had a buttery texture that literally melted in the mouth. The side of cold glass noodles with green papaya with a light Thai dressing was reminiscent of traditional Thai green papaya salad, with just enough heat and flavor to complement, but not overpower the salmon. We were way too full for desert, all of which we were told are home-made. That, itself, is unique in a world in which few upscale restaurants have desert/pastry chefs. We look forward to trying deserts on our next visit. The wine selections were very good and, like the remainder of the items on the menu, reasonably priced. With restaurants becoming more expensive during this inflationary period, going out to eat ordinary food at high prices is unappealing. But eating great creative food, at a regularly approachable price point, in a friendly and welcoming environment, will never grow old. That is Salt Flat."
