Kasra Khorramnejad and Afton Joy Rentz have a passion for the finer things in life, and they dreamed of sharing it with their community. So they’ve opened Salt & Sand, a Yorkville restaurant that spotlights fine wine, caviar and gourmet foods.
“The focus of our concept is on truffle and caviar,” Khorramnejad says, explaining the name. “Sandy soils make for great truffles, and salt because of the sea and what makes caviar what it is.”
The caviar at Salt & Sand is sourced from the historic Caspian Sea, the birthplace of the caviar trade, alongside hotspots for the delicacy like China, which Khorramnejad says has become the best place for production of caviar in the past 20 years, alongside the Drama region of Greece, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Georgia and Romania. And it’ll be complemented by a rotating selection of imported goods and staples like burrata and anchovies. “Whatever we import that week, we will serve,” Khorramnejad says.
And the ability to be flexible comes from a deep knowledge of the industry, which allows them to work in this sort of concept. “This all we know,” Khorramnejad says. “We’ve worked in hospitality throughout our careers and want to share the story of these fishermen, wine makers, hunters with our guests.”
When the doors open, there will also be a hybrid retail space and a dedicated area for beverage tastings. It’s part of an entire concept that allows people to literally taste the foods at the restaurant that they can then bring home with a unique bottle of wine.
As for the beverage program, Salt & Sand will focus on wines from smaller regions in places like Spain and France and smaller producers who Khorramnejad says “focus on expressing their region and themselves while respecting the land.” They’ll also offer handcrafted cocktails and a selection of Amaro that serves as a perfect balance to the gourmet cuisine.
Salt & Sand is located on the 2nd and 3rd floors at 92 Yorkville Avenue.