The Write Ingredients

Go Directly to Sea Salt



Yep, it's still only April, but we hit our favorite summer restaurant, Sea Salt. It's located in the Minnehaha Park Pavilion, and while hot dogs and popcorn is what's expected, you'll be surprised with the amazing selection of seafood these guys offer.

The story I've heard and/or read is that they guys that started this little gem were a part of Coastal Seafoods in a past life. Because of this relationship, they are able to get the freshest seafood available in our little landlocked town.

We walk over there with the In-Laws. The restaurant opened on April 1, so it's been hard to wait this long, but we made it. The thermometer hits 80 degrees today, so we are worried the lines will be long and the wait will be unbearable, but, even though the park was full, the line to order is short.

Sea Salt is not a sit down restaurant. And that's part of its charm. The menu is written on a large chalkboard behind the counter. It features fresh oysters, a variety of fish tacos, huge, satisfying Po'Boys, and specialties like crab sakes and a soft shell crab sandwich. They offer wine, beer and a variety of soft drinks. The ordering line moves slowly, but the wait for the food is short.

The atmosphere is definitely relaxed. The restaurant is in a park pavilion, and sits above one of the Twin Cities favorite landmarks, Minnahaha Falls. Bikers can wear their spandex. Dogs can sit between your feet at your table. And anything more than casual shorts and tank tops would be considered unnecessary. The servers exit the pavilion calling out names, looking for tables to set down their trays full of food. We chat over a decent bottle of South African chardonnay, while we wait for her to call our name. When we hear it, we wave her over and make room for the platters of food.

Three of us order the shrimp po'boy, while Husband orders the shrimp tacos. We also have an order of calamari and the crab cakes to share (although one of the gigantic crab cakes makes the journey back to our house to be served for dinner). The calamari is succulent and lightly fried, nothing like the thick-coated chewy bites we're used to from local bars. The crab cakes are mostly crab, and not full of the other stuff other restaurants use to give their cakes substance. The shrimp po'boy barely fits in the basket in which it's served. The bun is long and soft, the fried shrimp scattered with a hot sauce. I look around and realize we are all struggling with the contents of the sandwich, and are grateful there’s a fork to scoop up the slipping contents. The Husband's shrimp tacos were loaded with cilantro, grilled shrimp, onions and tomatoes with a touch of spice, wrapped in two layers of flour tortillas.










We push ourselves from the table, and try to finish the last of the wine. Husband finishes my plastic cup of chardonnay and I run inside to get a box to bring home the remaining crab cake. Around us there are families enjoying fish baskets and young couples sharing platters of oysters. Bikes and dogs walk by the courtyard gazing at the baskets of food. A group of teenagers walks out of the pavilion with ice cream cones dripping from the mid-afternoon heat. We're all a bit shocked by our good fortune. Days like this are plentiful in the middle of July, but in April, we're used to dodging rain and staying warm. It's a freebie day, is what I say. So get outside and enjoy it. There could be snow next week, and temperatures in the 90's two weeks after that. A sunny day in the low 80's is hard to come by. So, really nothing better to do then enjoy some great food, outside at a beautiful park with some of your favorite people.