BLOG: Silversea’s S.A.L.T. Program Provides True Destination F&B Immersion - David YeskelBLOG: Silversea’s S.A.L.T. Program Provides True Destination F&B Immersion - David Yeskel

In Silversea’s case, that differentiator is the line’s S.A.L.T. (Sea and Land Taste) program, which takes a laser-like, hyper focus on each ship’s current destination by designing and delivering F&B products that not only reflect that particular cultural environment, but serve to immerse guests deeply into it.  The program is extremely comprehensive, managing to creatively and seamlessly weave varied destinations’ F&B highlights into the line’s onboard and shoreside programs with an impressive level of detail and authenticity.  Silversea’s marketing tagline - which is not just hype - boasts that “S.A.L.T. is a unique travel and food experience where we bring the flavors of your destination right to your table.” 

On a recent Southern Mediterranean itinerary aboard the line’s newest ship, Silver Ray, there were multiple stimulating F&B experiences to be had.  And while S.A.L.T. is undoubtedly the jewel in the crown of Silversea’s onboard program, other venues were also suitably impressive.

Atlantide

In the elegantly-lit and attractively-furnished main dining room, Atlantide, classics and new favorites reign supreme alongside dishes that also pay homage to the destination.  Creamy pistachio risotto and a perfectly tangy lemon meringue tart reflect Sicily’s culinary heritage, while the Honey-Glazed Cauliflower Bon Bon complements a nice selection of steak, chops and fish.  An excellent lobster bisque and a generously-sized, cold-water lobster tail were ubiquitous on menus here, with nightly specials and always-available options bookending an expansive 3-day menu rotation.  And the locally-produced wines that accompanied the fare - in all venues aboard - were a perfect complement.

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Kaiseki

While not authentic - but never pretending to be - Kaiseki’s menus take Japanese fare to new heights by adding gourmet touches from other ethnic and regional cuisines. An atypical-but-tasty beef brisket bao pairs nicely with the ramen, sushi and sashimi selections during the complimentary lunch service, while the Omakase dinner menu ($80) ratchets up the experience with lobster, wagyu beef, delicious Takoyaki (octopus pancake balls) and a surprisingly-delicate steamed shrimp appetizer.

La Terrazza

As one of the most popular restaurants aboard, La Terrazza does double duty as the ship’s primary, casual breakfast and lunch buffet venue before transitioning to an Italian ristorante in the evening.  The breakfast and lunch buffets, augmented by action stations featuring carved meats, freshly-prepared smoothies and other made-to-order items, are expansive and feature quality provisions displayed in attractive presentations.  At breakfast, multiple varieties of smoked fish and freshly-squeezed juices are on display here, while lunchtime brings cold seafood, hot dishes and a different, authentically-sauced, made-to-order pasta dish each day.

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But after dark is when La Terrazza’s Italian heritage lights up with multiple menu rotations featuring homemade pastas (standouts include perfectly al dente and authentically-sauced Penne all’Amatriciana and Pasta alla Norma), Osso Buco and Ribollita alla Toscana soup.  To complement the secondi, interesting contorni include a delicious - and unusual - whipped celeriac puree. 

Silver Note

Dark, intimate and moody, Silver Note gives off mid-century supper club vibes, aided by soft jazz melodies wafting through the sophisticated environment. The menu here takes its cues from musical styles, with artistically-plated dishes grouped under tempo headings like Adagio, Allegro and Accelerando.

In the middle of the intimate room, a talented duo performs jazz standards from the Great American songbook at a comfortable volume that complements dinner conversation, rather than overwhelming it.  Ultimately, Silver Note - which only accommodates 65 diners per evening - is the complete package of cuisine, ambiance, music, beverages and presentation that many shoreside supper clubs aspire to, yet rarely achieve.

The Marquee

On a handsome new ship with beautiful public spaces, the open-air Marquee, high up on deck 10, is the ultimate stunner.  By day, the sun-splashed venue offers healthy breakfast options and a varied lunch menu featuring casual foods and an extensive pizza selection from Spaccanapoli.  But as day turns to night, the venue transforms into The Grill, where the inviting patio is draped in purple-hues and warmed via ceiling-flush heat lamps. Guests can cook their own proteins at their table via the Hot Rocks setup, but amateurs doing their own cooking on unfamiliar equipment is an inexact science at best.  That's why I let The Grill’s chefs handle my well-prepared ribeye during evening service, instead of fumbling through the Hot Rocks grill-at-the-table option.

Spaccanapoli, despite boasting an impressive-looking menu of more than a dozen signature pizzas and a name that evokes the famous Naples culinary district, unfortunately fails to deliver on its promise of authentic Neapolitan pies.  While the dough creates the perfect crust and the toppings are first-rate, it’s the highly-touted San Marzano tomato sauce that is mostly missing in action here, or applied so thinly as to be devoid of flavor.

La Dame - Multi-course, intimate French fine dining ($160); was not experienced on this voyage.

Ultimately, the F&B program all comes back around to S.A.L.T., a deep dive - encompassing three venues and shore-ex experiences -  into regional F&B that only appears on the line’s four newest vessels.  The S.A.L.T. experience is comprised of:

S.A.L.T. Lab

A bright, open space that hosts twice-daily cooking demos and classes featuring foods native to the current cruising region, S.A.L.T. Lab is also the venue for the nightly Chef’s Table experience ($180), where the chefs prepare, plate and serve 11 ambitiously-creative courses (with paired wines) to a small group of diners.  We enjoyed a delicious Veal Tartare with Tonnato Sauce; Mushroom Croquette over Parmesan Sabayon with Shaved Truffle; and Daube Tortelli in Bone Broth, among others.

S.A.L.T. Bar

With a custom-created cocktail menu that varies by region, S.A.L.T. bar’s guests can - and do - enjoy working their way through the innovative beverage list, which is more easily enjoyed since premium alcohol is included in the fare.  On my Southern Med voyage, the Bronte Alexander - a twist on the classic Brandy Alexander - seemed to be the most popular offering here. This version, featuring Sicilian pistachio liqueur and Luigi Francoli 70-year-old Grappa, is a nutty, rich and indulgent dessert drink.  And the lead bartender here on Silver Ray, Aldo, is also a master at creating off-the-menu custom cocktails that reflect guests' whims and desires.

S.A.L.T. Kitchen

Perhaps the most impressive venue in the product quartet is S.A.L.T. kitchen, a full-sized restaurant with a menu that drills down - within a region - to take a hyper focus on destination-specific dishes.  While docked overnight in Naples, starters included Cuoppo Napolitano, a Naples street-food treat consisting of fried zucchini and fried fish stuffed in a paper cone.  A highlight of the mains that night was Polipetti Affogati Alla Luciana, a rich octopus and tomato stew, served with crusty bread.  A few days later, in Malta, the completely revised Terrain menu featured Maltese specialties, including Stuffat Tal-Fenek, braised quail meat in a rich, red wine and tomato sauce.  The menu turned over several times on our 11-night voyage, with similar destination-specific themes.

S.A.L.T. Experiences

Expertly-guided, small-group shore excursions complete the S.A.L.T. experience and complement the overall theme.  In Palma de Mallorca, our group toured a centuries-old manor house and winery - led by the current, 20th-generation owner - then sat down to a chef-prepared lunch of Mallorcan specialties along with the house-produced wines.  The intimacy of being in the owner’s home, along with the genuine welcome we received, was a rare opportunity to experience an insider’s view of the local culture, food and wine.    

In essence, while other lines may sprinkle their products with destination-specific food and beverage, Silversea goes further by talking the talk and, most impressively, by walking the walk with S.A.L.T.