Several months ago, a friend of mine called me up late one evening for a dinner suggestion. Salt was at the top of my list of recommendations because it’s suitable for so many different occasions. Salt is the perfect restaurant for a date night, dinner when the family is visiting, or just for a nice evening with friends.

Since then, I have gone back to Salt twice, each time bringing a different set of friends. Salt is the type of restaurant that you want to share with friends because you want them to know how good it is.

Recently, Salt was nominated for the James Beard Foundation Award for Best New Restaurant, the only restaurant in St. Louis to be nominated (several other restaurants were nominated for Best Chef: Midwest). The award is no doubt due to the restaurant’s ability to serve classic dishes with an inspired twist and their attention to every detail on the plate.

On a banner outside the restaurant, Salt describes itself as simple and essential. I’m not sure if simple describes the meal I had at Salt. Some of the best things about the dishes I had at Salt were the combinations of flavors—the pork cheek with pomegranate, apple and celery root; the apple tart with salted caramel ice cream.

But Salt is essential—it’s essential that you visit Salt at least once during your 4-year extended stay at Wash. U.