TERRA Firma: SALT Unveils New Restaurant

The new restaurant from the people behind SALT will be called - and in similar block capitals - TERRA. If you know your Latin, you'll recognize the name as meaning "earth," but in fact SALT's press release tells us the new restaurant, on the former site of the Rickshaw, will have a strong seafood flavor. Half of the menu will be ceviche dishes - seafood flavored with citrus fruits. The 70-seater restaurant will have a ceviche bar on the ground level, with the main restaurant and bar area upstairs. Here's what they're telling us:

"TERRA’s open Cevicheria presents a delectable array of the ages-old South American culinary style that involves lightening-fast preparation of fresh seafood, ingredients of the earth and sea splashes of citrus, the combination of which demands an exacting balance of acidity, full-flavours and super-fresh ingredients."

With award-winning Ana Esteves remaining firmly in the SALT kitchen, TERRA's culinary operation will be led by Australian chef Andrew Vile, who has previously cooked at Beijing's Park Hyatt. The press release goes on to promise us an all-day a la carte menu served on the ground level, with "boutique" beers, healthy cocktails and plenty of wines. Passing by the site last night, it looks as if dramatic changes are being made to the building's layout, which on the whole should be a good thing.

So when will it open? SALT tell us that they hope to have TERRA open by no later than two weeks from now. My guess would be that we might be waiting just a little bit longer, but these things can be turned around surprisingly quickly. At least we know what to call the place now. Watch this space for more.