Until recently, the Salt food truck was but a chimera on the food scene – hard to pin down and avidly hunted on Instagram. Liz Totton finds it parked in Mushrif Central Park.
Salt has been the talk of hungry lunch-goers in the UAE for the past year. But we’re not talking about the stuff you throw over your shoulder for luck; this Salt is a food truck and everything you have heard about it is true.
For those of you who have not been following the vintage Airstream campervan cum roving food truck on Instagram under the handle @findSalt, Salt is a nomadic restaurant that serves gourmet lunch staples on-the-go at various locations throughout the UAE.
Salt launched in May 2014 and was an instant sensation but is something of a ‘gourmet treasure hunt’. Via clever social media posts, Salt announced its whereabouts to loyal customers for the day, and it was incumbent upon the hungry to find salt to satisfy their cravings – and they still do, in droves.
In its first month, the food truck roved about Dubai with infrequent joyrides to the capital city, hastily announced on Instagram. The posts caused frenzied diners to jump in their cars and find that food truck before it headed back north from whence it came.
The Salt truck is now parked at the new Mushrif Central Park. When you visit, expect lots of people queueing; it’s a novelty. You can also expect a community of people dining in the open air around the food truck, which is really half the fun of visiting, the comradery shared amongst diners is contagious.
This is precisely the mood that the Salt’s founders, Amal Al Marri and Deem Al Bassam, hoped to strike. Amal says, ‘We consider Salt a food “destination” rather than a “food truck”. Our locations are now fixed, and our ethos is about building a community of food lovers rather than a being a fad, franchise or an empire.’ Amal adds, ‘We have a tiny kitchen – one we cannot overreach in. In our initial research, we found people did not want a long menu or a fancy sit down café; they wanted friendliness and simplicity. With Salt, Deem and I wanted to get back to the basics: a simple menu with high quality ingredients, a well trained staff and a place where our guests feel appreciated’.
Even the name Salt harkens back to this idea of simplicity. Amal explains, we chose the name Salt because it’s such a natural and unpretentious ingredient: everyone has it in their cabinet, it’s not expensive or fancy, but it brings something special to every dish it’s added to.’
Amal adds, ‘we have a saying in Arabic that translates to “the salt of your life” or that which gives you pleasure. On social media, we asked followers to “find their salt” or to find what matters to them. It had nothing to do with finding the food truck. It was more emotional than that. We challenged them to discuss the places and people that were dear to them, their salt.’
Many diners have found Salt to be their ‘salt’. With its short and sweet menu, deciding what to eat is a breeze. Salt cooks only gourmet burgers, served as sliders, and fries. There are two choices: a Wagyu beef burger, available as either a single or double, and a Cheetos chicken burger.
Their burgers are juicy and flavourful and slid onto a buttery bun. The Cheetos burger has an unusual crispy texture. The cheesy fries are the perfect comfort food when you need a savoury pick me up, and Salt’s fire fries have a spicy kick for those who like their food a bit more piquant.
At peak hours, the queues can be very long. Amal says, ‘Friday evenings when the Ripe Farmer’s Market is on, Salt buzzes with “Salters” [an affectionate term for Salt’s loyal followers] and curiosity-seekers. We have found those who are just curious, quickly become devoted Salters. There is something addictive about finding a simple food, prepared quickly for you by friendly people.’ Amal adds, ‘It is our love for our community that keeps us going. We plan to stay here in Mushrif Central Park as long as they will have us.’ And that is great news to Salt’s legions of fans and burger lovers alike.
Open daily 1pm-2am. Salt. Mushrif Central Park, Al Mushrif. Find Salt on Instagram at @findsalt.
