Laid-back dining in the great outdoors
Chef Matt Greco’s brand-new Salt Craft in downtown Pleasanton is an al fresco restaurant
After a long renovation project in downtown Pleasanton, chef Matt Greco has unveiled his first solo venture, Salt Craft. A Texas native, he cut his culinary teeth in Manhattan and Brooklyn before moving to the Bay Area. Here, he served as executive chef of The Restaurant at Wente Vineyards in Livermore for four years before deciding he wanted to create a place of his own.
THE VIBE » Laid-back with lots of fresh air. That’s because this is an al fresco restaurant — all al fresco, all the time. In that regard, this may very well be the most unusual opening of the year. You see, the 1930s bungalow-turned-restaurant houses the kitchen, a massive bread oven, the prep areas, an order counter, a coffee bar and restrooms, but there’s no indoor seating.
Instead, diners sit on the expansive patios on the corner of St. Mary Street and Peters Avenue under dark blue umbrellas and shaded pergolas. That was perfect for our sunny lunchtime meal. But at 5 p.m. Sunday, the Salt Craft staff was alerting folks with reservations that the weather had turned very windy and rain was on the way. A thoughtful, and perhaps necessary, gesture.
THE FOOD » All three meals are served, and most everything is available for takeout. Greco’s signature lamb pastrami has been a big hit with diners — no surprise there — during the restaurant’s opening days. Available as an appetizer or a sandwich ($13), the tender, thinly shaved slices are served with Melissa Duesler’s house-baked crusty rye, pickled onions, cilantro and a “secret sauce.” We wanted to try the French toast with bourbon brown butter and turkey kale sausage ($16), but it had sold out by the
time we arrived. Other brunch offerings include brisket with polenta and poached eggs ($16) and a baking dish of four mini cinnamon rolls ($13).
Two or three salads are offered at lunch, brunch and dinner.
Weekday menus feature a couple of appealing deals: breakfast sandwiches (including a smoked salmon version and one with egg, mushroom, pistachio pesto and Camembert) run $6, and the sandwiches are available in 4-inch ($7) or 8-inch ($13) versions.
On the inaugural dinner menu are five entrees ($27): Mom’s apricot chicken bake, roasted duck breast, slow-roasted pork loin, cauliflower curry and potato gnocchi with sausage ragu. Dessert might be blueberry-lemon galette or ginger-molasses cake (each $5).
NEED TO KNOW » On our visit opening weekend, we found the ultra-polite employees already performing lots of extras, but Greco wisely listening to his customers. Although he launched two weeks ago as a self-serve, notipping restaurant, he quickly discovered that Pleasanton diners — who came out in droves — may be happier receiving more service, and presumably tipping for it. So
Salt Craft took a short break, he wrote on Facebook, “to re-evaluate and re-tool our entire service
model so we can not only meet, but exceed your expectations.” In a post Sunday, Greco said the
restaurant would reopen for dinner only April 22-29 and “All additional meals — breakfast, lunch, brunch — will resume as soon as possible.”
PERFECT FOR … » Brunch before or after Pleasanton’s terrific farmers market (9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays). Or a meal with friends on one of those warm summer evenings coming up.
DETAILS » Salt Craft’s hours prior to its retooling were 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekends at 377 St. Mary St., Pleasanton; www.saltcraftpleasanton.com. Note: It’s a good idea to make reservations for these outside tables, especially during peak weekend hours. Also, street parking can be tight, so allow extra time.