Salt & The Cellar

Salt & The Cellar by Akira Back feels like an elegant detour from the usual theme-park circuit: a hotel restaurant that behaves like a serious chef’s playground. The room folds from a polished bar into a tranquil courtyard where outdoor tables sit beneath soft lighting; valet drops you at the door and inside every detail is curated — dramatic plating, immaculate sushi, steaks that arrive with a quiet swagger. Akira Back’s fusion voice is loudest in the tuna pizza and wagyu tacos, while the Hot Mess roll and wagyu fried rice read like comfort food rewritten by a faster, sharper pen. Afternoon High Tea here is a proper ritual, complete with Mariage Frères blends and perfect scones. Locals have adopted it as an upscale standby for celebrations and business dinners; visitors often find it by surprise and stay for the service that treats strangers like regulars. It’s cosmopolitan without pretension, a place where inventive Asian-Mediterranean flavors and impeccable hospitality meet in the middle and make you feel like you discovered something worth telling people about.