Salt Yard — Restaurant in London

"WE HAVE TO ASK THE MICHELIN INSPECTOR: WAS THIS REALLY THE RESTAURANT?"

We’d love to know if the Michelin inspector who recommended Salt Yard actually dined at the same restaurant we visited because, frankly, we’re struggling to understand how this experience was deserving of any accolades.

A ROCKY START: THE WRONG MENU

The experience began on shaky ground. We were handed a menu upon being seated, only to be informed after ordering that it was the wrong one. It was taken away and replaced with another menu, in which the wine pairing included in the tasting menu of the first was notably absent.

THE TASTING MENU: A BROKEN PROMISE

We specifically chose Salt Yard for its tasting menu and made our booking with this in mind. Sadly, it wasn’t available, as several of the listed dishes had run out. No comment.

When we asked if the kitchen could offer an alternative tasting experience, the waiter insisted that we pick dishes ourselves from the à la carte menu. Isn’t the whole point of a tasting menu to be guided through a curated selection? Where was the professionalism one might expect from a Michelin recommendation?

HURRIED AND INTRUSIVE SERVICE

The service was rushed from the start. The restaurant closed at 10:00 pm, yet our online booking was accepted at 8:45 pm. Why accept late reservations if there isn’t enough time to provide a relaxed dining experience?

It felt more like we were in a high-end fast food outlet: dishes were introduced at lightning speed, with the waiter’s finger hovering uncomfortably close to the food as they were described, and the table was cleared in less than an hour. The unspoken message was clear: "Eat quickly and leave."

It also begs the question: who hired the staff? With all due respect, our waiter lacked the professionalism one expects in a Michelin-recommended establishment.

THE FOOD: HIGHS AND LOWS

There were some bright spots. A few dishes had a pleasant balance of flavours, and the ingredient combinations were well-considered. However, don’t expect anything groundbreaking — the creativity felt fairly standard.

Then came the fillet of lamb: tough, chewy, and entirely unfit to be served. We mentioned it to the waiter, but no effort was made to remedy the situation.

THE WINE

We ordered a 500ml carafe of Malbec blend priced at £35. Was it worth it? I’ll let you decide. When the waiter poured it, some of the wine spilled onto the table. Instead of cleaning it up, they simply placed a plate over the spill...

CONCLUSION: AN EXPERIENCE BEST FORGOTTEN

We came with high expectations and left with this review....

Easily one of the most enjoyable dining experiences I've had in a long time! Everything was stellar, from the food and drinks to the service. Lovely atmosphere inside with tables and bar seats, as well as some tables outside. Service was friendly and everything arrived in good time. The food was absolutely delicious, but also just really good fun to eat. The plates all had bold colours and flavours and smells; it was a proper feast for the senses! I find that fine dining can sometimes feel quite repressed and restrained, even if the food itself is exquisite. But Saltyard have managed to create a casual dining experience that still delivers exceptional food. We tired about 10 different things and every single plate was excellent, but if we had to pick our favourites they would probably be the burrata, the courgette flowers, the pork belly and the honey ice cream. The drinks too were all very good, but the Sgroppino was on another level. Without a shadow of a doubt the most delicious drink I've had in recent memory. The perfect balance of sweetness and acidity in the lemon sorbet that gives way to a wonderful mellow floral aroma from the chamomile and the prosecco. It was just brilliant! With regard to pricing, I have to admit that my initial reaction upon seeing the bill was one of shock, but when we actually broke it down we were pleasantly surprised. Excluding service it came out to about £50 per person, which is pretty good considering the central London location and the quality of the food. Bear in mind that we splurged and had a lot to eat and drink, so it is absolutely possible to have a meal here for quite a bit less than that. Overall I genuinely don't think I can find fault with any aspect of our meal, which is something I don't often get to say. If you're looking for a fun, flavour-filled dinner and drinks then I cannot recommend this place enough!

Edit: I'm still thinking about that f**king drink on the train home; I already want...

Salt yard does have a lovely ambience and the decor of the venue is top tier. We were greeted warmly upon entry by Julia, She provided amazing service and was tremendously lovely.

However, besides this the restaurant left a lot to be desired. I might have ordered the wrong dishes, but the food was far from perfect. The highlight of my meal was the bratatas, for those who do not know these are potatoes essentially. The croquettes were horrible more crumbs and batter than filling, the calamari also in the same boat, more batter than squid itself. Duck breasts were overcooked and the iberico pork was so so.

For those reading, the croquettes and calamari I would definitely avoid. The disappointment mostly stems from the price point and the food not matching the prices listed.

The wine list is extensive and offers something for everyone’s pallets, so there is one saving grace. If the food is not living up to expectations, have a glass or ten.

It could have just been a bad day in the office, so do try and make your own informed decisions.

Update: Thank you for getting back to me. The visit was a while back, but I do like to contribute and offer my opinion to other diners. As you can imagine, leaving a review is not the highest on my list of priorities. Nevertheless, that is the beauty of reviews, it is my opinion on my dining experience and something for you and your establishment to learn from. Regardless of the...