"There's the obvious reason to go to Salty's: the panoramic Seattle
Skyline view you're proud to show off to visiting relatives. And, of
course, there's Sunday brunch: $23.95, all you can eat. Then there are
the other reasons."
On Monday and Wednesday nights, local jazz luminaries hold court in
the comfortable cafe. Here, under whimsical, oversized fish lures, you
may order any number of specialty drinks (alcoholic and non), snack
on cheesy crab dip and crunch your way through a serviceable Caesar
salad.
Entertaining a large group? Six guests or 60, Salty's has you covered.
Wine lists scare you? In addition to suggestions for matching specific
foods with specific wines (steamed clams with Eyrie pinot gris, plank-roasted
salmon with Erath pinot noir), this broad list is arranged by grape
type, each starting with the least expensive bottle, ending with the
most.
See the sea
As its name and decor suggests, Salty's holds great appeal for those
who'd rather smell the salt air than dine in the expansive, multi-tiered
indoor space. The wraparound waterfront patio and deck are much beloved
by the Vuarnet and margarita set.
Salty's has a lot going for it. And if the food lacks the "Aha!
Factor," they so proudly tout, that's all right. It is consistently
good enough -- which is more than I can say for a lot of places with
fewer of Salty's fine qualities.
My heartiest endorsement is for the friendliness. Hostesses respond
warmly on the phone ("Is this a special occasion?") and chat
you up as they show you to your table.
Servers all seem to genuinely like their jobs, and go out of their
way to offer balloons to grouchy tikes, an arm to a cane-bearing grandmother,
and quick service to business-lunchers.
On Sundays, you'll find the kitchen crew cheerfully maneuvering through
the brunch bunch -- who fill their plates again and again in the cafe-turned-buffet
before heading back to the dining room. The white coats quickly replenish
galvanized tubfuls of chilled, cracked Dungeness crab and tender peel-and-eat
shrimp (alone worth the price of admission); delicious, hot, pesto-
or dill-kissed salmon; a mountain of fresh oysters, wood oven-backed
pizza; eggs Benedict and mini-bagels with lox (the Benedicts' English
muffin and the bagels needed toasting); and a seemingly unended display
of fresh fruits, grilled marinated vegetables, salads, sweets, baked
goods and (greasy) breakfast meats. Need a game plan? Go for the best
(the fresh seafood, made-while-you-watch pastas, crepes and omelets),
skip the rest: You'll leave bloated--and happy.
Salty's lunch and dinner menu is seafood-centric, heavy on the shellfish,
creative with the finfish--and expensive. As ever, if you want a view,
you pay for it. And, if it's a steak your after, you'll pay dearly
(34.95 for a U.S.D.A. Prime 12 ounce New York strip--ouch!).
Why go ashore?
I say brunch, lunch or dinner, stick with the seafood. I liked the
bracing Discovery Bay oysters on the half-shell; a Japanese-style starter
of nori-wrapped, tempura-fried, rare yellowfin tuna; gently pan-roasted
salt- and pepper-flecked mussels cooked and served on a cast-iron skillet;
and satisfying creamy seafood chowder.
Alaskan king crab legs proved sweet, not soggy, and there was plenty,
but at $34.95, there ought to be. Fresh grilled Alaska halibut,
moist-centered and crowned with a habanero-stoked mango salsa ($19.95
dinner/ 15.25 lunch), was first-rate. As was the applewood-smoked salmon,
whose smoky flavors played well against a gingery peach sauce. Beer-battered-dipped
ling cod made for a fine plate of fish and chips, but the seafood pasta
featuring California sausage-impresario Bruce Aidell's andouille sausage
(spongy city!) needed serious re-tooling (think local:CasCioppo's, Isernio's).
Salty's has a waterfront outpost in Des Moines and another in Portland.
But they don't have Joyce Entus -- the "proprietor emeritus"
who cut a deal with Gerry Kingen when he bought the Beach Broiler from
her in 1985 and turned it into Salty's on Alki: He promised to allow
her to continue schmoozing at the door on weekends. Like the rest of
the staff, she's there to make sure you have fun and Salty's. Worked
for me.
