Salt & Brick — Restaurant in Kelowna

I'm not sure why people love this place. My husband and I came here at the beginning of August because our Airbnb host told us that foodies always rave about Salt and Brick. At an average of $20-25 for each small plate, we weren't wow-ed by any of the 5 dishes we ordered:

(1) The brussel sprouts weren't exactly "to die for" as most people say it is since ours came with stale popcorn and lacked flavour/needed more salt.

(2) We also ordered the po' boy, which said it would have Alaskan pollock. This led us to believe that it would come as a filet, but instead we got what seemed like boiled surimi (the imitation crab meat you get in cheap sushi). It was difficult to finish this dish since it was soggy and tasted like the fake deep fried scallop in mayo you'd get at an AYCE sushi shop (although this was not deep fried and does not resemble the nice kind of fried scallop you're imagining).

(3) The chili dog came with a bacon wrapped leek which was really awkward to bite off. It also didn't come with chili at first, so it was a plain hot dog with a bacon wrapped leek. We asked for the chili after our first bite and the expo was kind enough to bring us a mason jar of it, which made up for the "oomf" of this dish's flavour.

(4) We ordered a pizza, which was also missing the peppers on it. We had to ask for that too. It definitely needed it to elevate the dish with its sweetness/acidity.

(5) The kimchi prawns were disappointing since they only gave us 3 of them for $25+ and it just tasted like fried shrimp with kimchi sauce around it. This may still sound exotic to some people, but it was quite plain.

Service was only okay since our server didn't pay much attention to us until it was time to get the bill. We didn't want to be "that guy" but we definitely became "that guy". Maybe we just have really high standards or perhaps the kitchen was having an off day. It didn't help that we had our expectations set very high from reading people's reviews and hearing good things about it...

Ate here tonight, honestly was not impressed with the quality or taste of the food and even less impressed with the quality of the service.

The food was vey slow to come out, we waited at least 1.5 hours for at least 3 of the dishes that we ordered to come, counting from the time that the order went in.

Additionally, they forgot one of our dishes which happened to be the only thing I was eating tonight, because nothing else on the menu looked appetizing.

After asking our waitress for our missing dish at least 3 times, and then walking into the bar to ask someone else about it, our server just stopped coming by our table.

Much later after asking yet again where our food was I was told that "it's on the way, it's being plated right now". Then the manager came out, very disinterested in our issue he asked me when i told him it was taking a long time "how long is a long time" (1.25 hours at this point) he reminded us that dishes take a long time to prepare with the way that they make them. Later on after finally looking into it told us that our dish "got lost in the mail" and that it would be even more delayed to for them to make but also it would comped, and it was.

I definitely did not appreciate the sarcastic and disinterested attitude we got from management in response to us inquiring about our missing dish.

I appreciate even less being lied to by our server about my food being on the way when I specifically ask her about it for the 3rd time. Showing that she didn't even check on it. I was told specifically that my missing dish was being plated before the manager had to come out and sheepishly admit finally that they had messed our order up and that they had to start making it then.

I highly encourage anyone thinking about dining here to consider the next best choice on your list of options. The food and service here just is not good enough to justify the prices...

The first sign of trouble was the lackluster presentation. Now, I'm not one to judge a book by its cover, but when a dish arrives looking as if it was hastily assembled in a blindfolded frenzy, it's hard to muster any enthusiasm. It seemed as though the kitchen staff had simply gathered a medley of ingredients from a run-of-the-mill grocery store and slapped them together without any regard for artistry or finesse.

And oh, the flavors—or lack thereof. It pains me to admit that I've tasted more nuance in a cup of stale coffee on a Monday morning. Each bite was a symphony of mediocrity, with ingredients that failed to harmonize and left my palate longing for something, anything, to excite the senses. It was as if the chef had taken a masterclass in how to drain all the life out of a dish, leaving me with a lingering sense of regret and a burning desire to seek solace elsewhere.

Now, dear readers, let us discuss the price. The audacity of charging such exorbitant amounts for a culinary experience that would be outshone by a casual visit to Earls is beyond comprehension. I found myself yearning for the familiar comforts of quality food at a reasonable price, but alas, it was not meant to be.

In conclusion, my visit to Salt & Brick was a venture that fell painfully short of expectations. If you seek an unforgettable dining experience, one that will titillate your taste buds and leave you with a lasting impression, I implore you to look elsewhere. As for me, I shall retreat to the comforts of establishments that truly understand the art of crafting a remarkable meal. After all, life is too short for subpar cuisine.

Rating: ⭐☆☆☆☆ But the service was good so I'll...