Salt is the new venture from Gaby Alves, the Brazilian ex-owner/manager behind Beijing’s acclaimed Alameda restaurant. Situated in Lido, near the northern Embassy district and the Lufthansa Center, Salt is frequented by foreign businessmen and expat tài tai (i.e. ladies who lunch). It is worth a taxi ride to get a taste of Salt’s creative cuisine that includes carrot-ginger soup with coconut milk crème fraiche and a scallop brochette. The well-priced dinner menu at RMB 178 for two courses or RMB 198 for three courses has a wealth of entrées to choose from such as soy-honey marinated hamachi fillet and beef tenderloin steak with truffle roasted potatoes. For dessert try the incredibly light goat cheese panna cotta or the perfectly brown sugar crusted coffee crème brulée. If you like to watch the chefs at work then pull up a stool at the bar of the open kitchen and sip on their signature SALTgarita while your meal is prepared.