Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/113109
The down-to-earth food at Honey Salt is inspired by home cooking. W ith steady hands, Honey Salt co-owner Chef Kim Canteenwalla zests a plump orange���a citrus garnish for his grilled free-range chicken with fresh quinoa. He stands at a marble countertop, with its base of distressed wood and chipped cobalt paint. Beside this expediter���s station, Honey Salt co-owner and renowned restaurateur Elizabeth Blau hugs her young son Cole and speaks to nearby staff members. Canteenwalla gives his wife and son a smile, then wipes the rectangular plate���s edges with a pristine checkered cloth. As a family-owned restaurant in Las Vegas, Nevada���s familyfocused Summerlin region, Honey Salt is inspired by the home kitchen of Canteenwalla and Blau, a husband-and-wife team of culinary acclaim. Blau delivered revolutionary restaurant development for Steve Wynn���s Las Vegas casinos, and Canteenwalla served as executive chef in hotels in Bali, Bangkok and Dubai. As Las Vegas residents, Canteenwalla and Blau chose this city as the place for their recent restaurant endeavor, Honey Salt. ���It���s an extension of our home . . . comfortable and approachable,��� Canteenwalla says of Honey Salt. Blau agrees. ���Every little touch���the mismatched chairs, the artwork���are all things that are inspired by us at home,��� she says. Even Honey Salt���s menu features sophisticated spins on family favorites, including Canteenwalla���s mother���s curry recipe and his twist on Blau���s grandmother���s Hungarian-German meatball dish. The beverage program is also personal. Cocktails include ���Sweeter than Honey��� selections inspired by Blau and a ���Salt of the Earth��� section with Canteenwalla���s favorites, like The Midnight Rambler. ���It���s Bulleit Bourbon, orange bitters, lamed orange peel and a touch of honey and candied ginger,��� Canteenwalla describes. ���Then it all comes on a special ice sphere [that] doesn���t water down your drink.��� With Honey Salt���s hospitable atmosphere, Canteenwalla and Blau have created a new neighborhood restaurant for their city. ���It���s about combining savory and sweet,��� Canteenwalla relects on the restaurant���s name with a smile at his wife. Blau laughs and smoothes a stitched Honey Salt napkin on a wooden table. ���And,��� she says, ���it was just meant to be fun!��� Elizabeth Blau tries to make Honey Salt a neighborhood restaurant in a town not known for neighborhood restaurants. march 2013 / the tasting panel / 139