An undiscovered seafood pearl

Sea Salt Eatery is the other seafood restaurant located inside a Minneapolis park.

Everybody knows about Tin Fish, which operates the concession stand at Lake Calhoun. But to judge by the crowds (or lack thereof) on my recent visits, the casual seafood eatery at Minnehaha Falls is still mostly undiscovered. That's a shame, because Sea Salt offers simple preparations of very tasty fresh fish and seafood at very reasonable prices.

Both restaurants have the same delivery system: you order and pay at the counter, and the food is brought to your table. I'd give Tin Fish the edge for ambience: It overlooks Lake Calhoun, which can be stunning at sunset, or when sailboats are racing. But Sea Salt has a charming venue, as well: a brick patio shaded by big umbrellas, surrounded by a canopy of tall trees. Minnehaha Falls park is a gorgeous urban gem, and you can hear the rushing waters of the nearby falls from the patio, although you have to walk a few steps to actually see the falls.

Sea Salt does have a few amenities that Tin Fish doesn't offer, including a few indoor tables, and a wine and beer list (although Tin Fish is expecting its wine and beer list any day). There is a lot of overlap between menus: both offer a variety of fish and seafood tacos and sandwiches (Sea Salt calls their sandwiches po' boys, and serves them with tomatoes, lettuce, mayo and a little hot sauce); Tin Fish has a bigger selection of fish platters and grilled fish offerings, while more of Sea Salt's offerings are deep-fried.

All the seafood comes from Coastal Seafood, where Sea Salt owner John Blood was a manager and taught cooking classes for many years, so ingredient quality is excellent. The Coastal connection means that Blood can offer such daily specials as Nootka and Calm Cove oysters on the half-shell, and fresh grilled trout and herring.

The menu has a Cajun/Creole accent: the po' boys, plus raw oysters on the half shell, and a daily soup or stew selection that can be shrimp creole, shrimp and crab gumbo, jambalaya, or red beans and rice. The deep-fried dishes tend to be a bit oilier than their counterparts at Tin Fish, but not excessively greasy. I was especially fond of the crisp fried clam strips, and the soft-shell crab, served as a sandwich with coleslaw.

One of the most memorable gastronomic experiences I have had anywhere is slurping broiled oysters in garlic butter, cooked over an open wood fire on a starlit night on an island in Puget Sound. Sea Salt's broiled oysters don't rise quite to that level, but with a little more garlic, they would come pretty close. Other highlights include the crab cakes, and the shrimp cocktail, 10 large peel-your-own shrimp poached in a spicy New Orleans shrimp boil, accompanied by lemon wedges and a lively cocktail sauce.

The oyster po' boy was stuffed with generous quantities of plump batter-fried oysters, crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside, but would have been better (and more authentic) with real grilled French bread. A little grilling would also have improved the shrimp tacos: the shrimp were tasty, but the flour tacos were bland and soft.

Nonfish options are very limited: a veggie burger, a Buffalo chicken sandwich, a brat and a hot dog. For dessert, there's Sebastian Joe's excellent ice cream, in about half a dozen flavors.

A limited selection of wine and beer is available, including Summit Pale Ale on tap, wine coolers, and several inexpensive Spanish wines by the bottle or glass. The oil can special offers good value: 10 shrimp, 10 raw oysters, a large serving of pickled herring and a pitcher of beer for $39.99, or $44.99 with a bottle of wine.

Atmosphere: Park pavilion with outdoor seating in natural setting.

Sound level: Soothing waterfall.

Recommended dishes: Broiled and raw oysters, clam strips, shrimp cocktail.

Price range: $4.95-$14.95.

Jeremy Iggers • 612-673-4524