Honey Salt

Fresh off the all-you-can-eat $40.00 Dim Sum at 1886, we returned the day after for brunch at Honey Salt.  We decided to do a low-key brunch for Father's Day after the extravagance and pricey brunch at H2 in the Westin for Mother's Day.  Besides, my mom cares way more than my dad about where to eat in general.  For those unfamiliar with Honey Salt, the original location hails from Las Vegas (or more accurately Summerlin).  Their country-style theme meshes well with their farm-to-table concept.  Upon entering the dining space, I would say they have succeeded in executing their vision with an inviting and airy decor.

We ended up ordering a few dishes for the table including the Honey Salt Market that was mostly a glorified crudites.  It was whimsically plated with charcoaled beets, asparagus, heirloom tomatoes & carrots, crispy kale, pickled veggies, sweet potato chips, charcoal salt, cauliflower hummus and goddess dip.  Although it wasn't a very complex concoction, the appealingly plated veggies were fresh and crunchy.  I wanted to like the dips, but they were not impactful.  Firm and almost crunchy, the outer layers of the citrus brioche Monkey Bread were caramelized and smoky.  Yes, it was pretty sweet, but it worked in this case as the interior of the bread was spiked with cinnamon and little sugar.  For those who wanted to up the sweetness, there was a side of honey bourbon sauce.  As much as I enjoyed the flavours, I would've preferred a softer bread (on the inside).

For my main, I went for the Fish & Chips with smashed peas, tartar sauce, malt aioli and fries.  In terms of execution, the fish (I believe it was cod) was perfectly flaky and almost buttery.  As for the batter, it was crunchy on the edges, but not-so-much near the centre.  This is illustrated by the lighter colour too.  I found the tartar to be thick, creamy and tangy while the malt aioli was a nice compliment to the crunchy, yet airy fries.  Viv had the Biloxi Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich with creamy slaw, durkee's dressing and pickles on brioche.  We liked how they included 2 thick pieces of fried chicken since it made the sandwich hearty and filling.  Tangy and acidic, the slaw and crunchy pickles brought the heaviness down a notch.  The little salad on the side was not an afterthought as it was bright, sweet and tart.

My dad ended up with the Dungeness Crab Roll which was served as a trio of mini-rolls.  It was supposed to come with salt & vinegar chips, but he opted for a salad instead.  Although the description on the menu stated celery salad, there was little in the way of filler.  Rather, there seemed to be only fluffy crab throughout with a light mayo dressing.  It was a nice little bite with the buttery toasted roll.  Our only complaint was the bits of shell we found with the crab.  As per usual, my mom went for the Steak & Eggs consisting of RR Ranch strip loin, 2 eggs, latkes and house-made tomato jam.  This was a nicely composed dish with a beautifully charred medium-rare steak and equally well-executed sunny side eggs.  Nutty and crunchy, the latkes were nicely textured inside and out.

The kiddies decided to share 2 dishes in the BC Smoked Salmon Board and Eggs Benedict.  Again, the smoked salmon board wasn't particularly complex, but the plating was appetizing.  They didn't skimp on the big slices of buttery salmon and there was a side of potted salmon as well.  Completing the spread was onions, capers (he omitted these), tomatoes and soft yolk egg.  The benny featured peameal back bacon, soft poached eggs, spinach and Hollandaise.  Runny, but with completely cooked whites, the poached egg was perfect.  Silky and buttery, the Hollandaise was good, but could've used a touch more lemon.  In terms of atmosphere and service, Honey Salted nailed it.  As for the food, it was mostly good with some issues here and there.  But it wasn't enough to prevent us from going back.

The Good:
- Comfortable dining space with appealing decor
- Attentive service
- Brunch was above-average

The Bad:
- Some minor issues with a few dishes
- No validated parking