Lunch at Salty’s on Alki Beach West Seattle, August 2, 2016

At Salty’s you will have the best waterfront view, (voted Best View Waterfront Seafood Restaurants 2016 in Seattle Magazine), while enjoying the best seafood as well. Really this is the best of the best for me, no comparison to any other seafood I have ever tasted.

I have to say that all of the food I tasted was excellent and the highest quality of seafood I have ever had. The presentation of every dish is simply remarkable. A true feast for your eyes and your palate. They buy their fish every day, it’s just that fresh.

Paolo DiGregorio is the new Executive Chef at Salty’s, he says I’m not really “new” since I’ve been working side-by-side with Chef Jeremy as sous chef, and I’m proud to now be in his shoes. Chef Jeremy isn’t going anywhere, he’ll be around and about as Salty’s corporate chef.” Chef Paolo DiGregorio has a new blog, Chef Talk, for the home cook.

Salty’s sommelier also has had an amazing year as well; Tim O’Brien voted Washington Sommelier of the Year 2016. The 11th Annual Washington Wine Awards were announced by Seattle Magazine at their Red White & Brew event, and Tim O’Brien won Sommelier of the Year 2016. He’s now an extraordinary two-time winner having previously won in 2006. Here’s what Seattle Magazine authors Paul Zitarelli and Jessica Yadegaran had to say about him: “It’s a point of pride for Salty’s Waterfront Seafood Grills that they offer a come-as-you-are vibe that makes diners feel as comfortable ordering a cheeseburger and beer as they are ordering lobster tail and Champagne. That ethos carries over to Salty’s wine program, capably run by its corporate director of beverage and our Sommelier of the Year, Tim O’Brien. ‘At Salty’s we have a very wide demographic of guests, from locals to international travelers,’ notes O’Brien. ‘I want our wine program to be accessible to everyone who picks it up, yet still impress the most knowledgeable wine geek.’ O’Brien began his career by getting a bartending job in Pioneer Square while attending Seattle University, and then spent a decade with Red Robin (finishing as its corporate beverage director) before joining Salty’s, where he has been since 1994. He is known in the trade not just for the excellence of his wine programs, but also for his role as a mentor to young talent who worked for him. Notable examples include Brian Grasso—who went on to launch Seattle-based Structure Cellars—and Chris Horn, this magazine’s 2015 Sommelier of the Year, who went on to fulfill roles at Wild Ginger and Heavy Restaurant Group.” (seattlemag.com.)

Here’s what I tried:

Cocktails:

Pear- Ginger Martini: Absolut pear vodka, Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur, fresh lemon juice. A very nice starting cocktail, very refreshing.

Huckleberry Lemon Drop: 360-degree mt huckleberry vodka, triple sec, fresh lemon juice, sugared rim. A little on the girly side, but it is very drinkable.

Lunch Starters:

Fried Alaskan Razor Clams: Buttermilk soaked, wicked tartar, Spiced Orange Marmalade. Delicious large clams cooked with a nice lively buttermilk crust.

Coconut: Crusted Prawns, pineapple chutney, sweet and sour Thai chili sauce. The presentation of this dish is just so spectacular; it’s like you’re eating a sculpture.

Oysters on the half shell: Horseradish cocktail, citrus preserves, raspberry mignonette. They served me 2 different kinds of oysters, and each was succulent and so fresh.

World famous Seafood Chowder: Surf clams, Oregon bay clams, scallops, Washington potatoes, Applewood- smoked bacon. What a chowder, yum!

Salads:

Warm Seafood salad: Salmon, Alaskan cod, black tiger prawns, artichoke hearts, castelvetrano olives, tomatoes, lil’s peppers, pecorino Romano cheese, and grilled romaine – gf. I just loved this salad, it is very large and the fish is very tender. The dressing is kind of like Caesar but really great. You can split this 3 ways, it is just that big.

Entrees:

Alder – Smoked Sockeye: Roasted Russian yellow fingerlings, pickled blueberries, watercress, lemon, and olio verde. They serve this on a round piece of alder wood; it is so lovely to look at. The blueberries are drizzled on top of the fish and it adds a nice sweetness to this unbelievable fish.

Rock Shrimp Roll: Lemon aioli, dill, celery seed, and toasted brioche, like a lobster roll but with rock shrimp. A great sandwich.

Whole Dungeness Crab, this is the star of this show, huge crab, and super fresh and very sweet, wow.

A La Carte Sides:

Truffle Frites: Served with house- made Ketchup. The ketchup is like no ketchup I have ever tasted, and the truffle is out of this world.

Dessert:

Winegars Vanilla Ice cream: served with brown sugar shortbread. The best vanilla ice cream on the planet!

Three Vanilla Bean Crème Brulee, so creamy and the sesame wafers along side of it are equally delicious.

gf = gluten free

Wines:

Chardonnay, Hogue, Columbia Valley 2014 Washington, I have had this wine many times, it’s just ok.

Chardonnay, Gorman, 2015, Columbia Valley, Washington, this is what I am talking about, perhaps the best Chardonnay I have had in a long time, and went great with every dish!

Syrah, Columbia Crest Reserve, 2012, Washington, I liked this wine with the salmon, kind of a no brainer.

Merlot, DrumHeller, 2013, Columbia Valley Washington, there was so much seafood, so I would only recommend this wine to drink with the ketchup and truffle fries.

The music they play is great and very fitting, blues by Bonnie Raitt and rock & roll. It makes the whole experience seem hip and cool. Salty’s has a great vibe, with lively people during lunchtime, its very fun. The interior is festive with many paper mache fish hung from the ceiling, and fresh orange gladiolas are everywhere. There was a Heron Sculpture right next to my banquette. The outdoor decks are the perfect setting for a warm sunny day. Good for Birthday parties and special occasions. They always top your food off with fresh ground pepper from a big huge pepper mill. A new addition is their digital tablets with wine list on the table, showed photos of all the wine bottles, prices, different groupings, a very visual handy tool.

Salty’s is on the very picturesque Alki Beach. The modern pronunciation of “Alki”, this is a Chinook word meaning “by-and-by, soon, in the future. Part of the name of the original settlement of what became Seattle “New York Alki”, “someday we hope to approximate New York, largest City in America”, and “Alki” is the state motto of Washington. Every person visiting Seattle, must see Alki Beach, it is just beautiful.

Here’s what the food critics are saying: “Salty’s is one of the world’s great view restaurants. Salty’s on Alki Beach is truly in a class by itself. They bend over backwards to please you with our award-winning fresh Northwest seafood cuisine and attentive friendly service.” A local food critic. Where Magazine’s Stacy Booth says, “For incredible views of downtown Seattle, head to Salty’s on Alki Beach in West Seattle. The restaurant’s extensive dinner menu has favorite hot and cold seafood and shellfish options as well as steaks and vegetable sides. It’s Saturday and Sunday brunch, however, that’s the star. The massive brunch buffet includes eggs benedict, hash browns, herb-crusted catfish, sausages, biscuits, salads, fruit and bread spreads, desserts, omelets, waffles and plenty of seafood: fresh oysters, crab legs, salmon, clams and mussels … and that’s not even half of the available food choices.” (Read more at WhereTraveler.com.) “The view is not only the best in Seattle, this is One of the World’s Great View Restaurants … the best salmon preparation I’ve encountered,” says local critic John Owen of the Seattle Post Intelligencer.

The Bar-Café features a Happy Hour Menu that the locals love. Although Salty’s on Alki Beach is a first choice restaurant at any time of the year, when spring and summer arrive it is a particular treasure. Salty’s is just ten minutes from downtown Seattle, and depending on availability they will provide free transportation via a luxury Mercedes van from most downtown hotels. The sweeping views of Elliott Bay and the Seattle city skyline, like no other restaurant in Seattle. Always award-winning Northwest seafood and steak cuisine and five-star diamond award friendly service. Voted Best Waterfront Restaurant in Seattle and Best Sunday Brunch in Seattle year after year.

If you feel that I am just gushing about this restaurant it is because I really loved it!!

Salty’s
1936 Harbor Avenue
S.W Seattle, WA 98126
206-937-1600
http://saltys.com/seattle
*Note some content was taken off of Salty’s website.

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