RE: SALUM SALUTE

Wow. Didn’t I say on Friday that I would turn in a report about my visit to Salum? Didn’t I say I would do this on Monday? And isn’t it Tuesday? Say it together, kids: slacker. So here’s my report. I won’t get into chef/owner Abraham Salum’s vittles too much. Suffice it to say, they were deliciously inventive without being cloying. (The brie-and-asparagus tart for an appetizer and cinnamon-and-honey creme brulee as a sweet ending were showstoppers.) What really had us glowing was the restaurant’s look. Or rather, designer Julio Quinones‘ deft touch with lighting and neutrals. The space is sensuous without trying to hard: creamy tones, caramel colors, and capiz-shell chandeliers draped in what looked like raw silk. The setting was sexy, and you couldn’t help but feel sexy yourself. (Great lighting will do that.) The room is small, which means you can see everyone and everything: the bar, the open kitchen, the entrance, and, of course, the A-list foodies that populated my visit. Salum’s vibe is celebratory on the downlow, a suave party that you don’t want to leave. I bumped into Julio yesterday here at D Home’s world headquarters. He said he’s going to change out the material around the chandeliers in time for spring, a tealish-green I believe he said. Sigh. Guess I’ll have to visit again. Save me a creme brulee, Mr. Salum.