Great sandwich at Sea Salt

[The Librarian]

I finally dragged my husband over to Berkeley for lunch at Sea Salt. I've been wanting to go since it opened. He had his usual fish and chips which he pronounced very good, although he wasn't wild about the malt vinegar aioli. I had a sandwich which, according to our very nice waiter, is not on the menu that often. It was a small buttered and lightly toasted roll with Hawaiian blue prawns, celery root remoulade, and watercress. Excellent! It came with housemade potato chips, which seemed pretty ordinary to me, but I don't normally eat chips.Very pleasant place. We sat in front in the window area which was a little tight (we're both tall). We didn't have any wine, but the list looked interesting with many unusual selection (we live in Marin, land of chardonnay - yuck!). All in all, a place we'll go back to. I want to try the sardines to see if they're as good as the ones I had at Fish in Sausalito.

[toofacetious]

We had dinner at Sea Salt last week and though none of the individual dishes "wowed" us, the sum of the whole experience was pleasant enough to make us want to return.

Our dinner consisted of half a dozen raw oysters, fried anchovies, salt cod croquettes, grilled sardines, oyster po'boy sandwich, and a plum ice cream. The items that I liked the best were the croquettes, the fried oysters in the po'boy (not so much the bread and slaw, essentially the rest of the sandwich), and the house made pickles that came with it. However, service was great, the atmosphere wonderful, and the place was warmly casual.

We lucked out and sat at one of the high counter tables near the cook station. I'd try to avoid the row of banquettes on the left side of the dining room as they look pretty squeezed in. We're looking forward to going back to try a whole new set of dishes.

[dontworryaboutit]

I had lunch at SeaSalt last week and have to say... I was completely disappointed. I, too, had been looking forward to trying this hidden Berkeley gem. The service was terrible but really the food was the real bummer here. The heirloom salad was slightly over dressed, although it was helped along greatly by the addition of Cowgirl Creamery cottage cheese. We also had tuna confit with beans and crabcakes, both of which were just okay. Bummer, I had high hopes and walked away disappointed. Perhaps we should have stuck to fish and chips??

[oakjoan]

I totally agree about the sardines. I've only had them twice, but am also a big fan. I also love their clams with linguica and potatoes (a la cata plana?).

I have never sat at that back counter, just across from it once. I was too low to see anything but the cooks moving around.

[santoku45]

If you sit at the counter in the back can you see any interesting cooking? My wife and I have been tempted to ask for a seat back there, but are unsure of what cooking arts we'd be able to see. BTW, our favorite "counter experience" spot is Kuleto's in SF, where you can watch the line cooks do their thing in the heat of battle.

[JasmineG]

You get to see a LOT at the back counter, and some of the cooks can be very friendly and interactive with the people sitting back there. It's pretty fun.

[lisabrownie]

I've had the sardines about 5 times there, and I am a big fan (both of the sardines and the restaurant). Next time you go try sitting at the counter in the back.