My first impression of Saltie Girl was what one would expect, quality seafood and classic New England flavors. On my first visit, I went with the most extravagant dinner choice of the 1.5lb Lobster Frites and loved every bite of it. The lobster drenched in salty butter gave the name Saltie Girl legs to stand on. As a table, we also shared the Lobster Bisque and Hot French Bread. Passing around the sizable soup bowl for each person to take a slurp likely looked odd to the staff, however, the bisque was too good not to share. I left Saltie Girl with a great impression and a desire to go back.
Unfortunately with hard-to-get reservations and a busy schedule, my next visit wasn’t for another 8 months. As I sat down for dinner, I had a bit of an internal struggle of wanting to try something new but also knowing how much I enjoyed the Lobster Frites the last time. A notably bad habit of mine that also isn’t favorable to being a food blogger is once I find something I enjoy, it’s the only thing I will ever order. In my mind, if I know I like something and I order a new thing that I enjoy less, I will be upset. Yet for some odd reason that day the LA Green Salad was speaking to me, but who orders a salad at a seafood restaurant? As the waitress came back ready to take our order, I still hadn’t made my decision. Of course, I get asked for my order first and after a few awkward blank stares from me, I blurt out the LA Green Salad. After the waitress left, I wondered if I had made the right decision but didn’t have the confidence to ask for a change, so salad would be my dinner.
The food was delivered and at first glance, I definitely did not feel certain about my split-second decision. It was a bed of leafy greens sprinkled with some other random green components topped with a brown crumble. I thought to myself, who orders an entirely green salad at a seafood restaurant? Apparently, I do.
Assembling my first bite meant getting every element, so I picked around until my fork was full. The greens, asparagus, edamame, snap and regular peas, avocado, and pistachios were loaded onto it, dripping with the spicy green goddess dressing. I shoved the packed fork into my mouth and took my first bite. As I began to chew my feelings of disappointment changed into ones of excitement. Although I eat a salad almost every day, most are average, so finding one I love is always fun. The more I ate my salad, the more I fell in love. Each green element added something unique. For instance, the snap peas were the crunch missing in an otherwise limp salad or the avocado that added some creaminess to an otherwise stark salad. By my last bite, I was actually sad about it ending.
In the end, my hasty decision allowed me to find, what I now consider to be the best salad in Boston. Yes, Saltie Girl has fantastic seafood that you shouldn’t pass up, but it also gives enticing options for the days when seafood isn’t what you crave.