Oceanfront Delicacies Abound at Sally's Seafood on the Water

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Perhaps it's the refreshing tropical flavoring of the fusion cuisine. Or the sheets of crystal clear glass that surround the room, offering a glimpse of one of the most breathtaking oceanfront views in downtown San Diego. Maybe it's the sushi.

Whatever the reason, despite the half hidden downtown location of Sally's Seafood on the Water, obscured behind the grandiose Manchester Grant Hyatt Hotel, the restaurant does not seem to be suffering for want of patronage on any given day, or night.

The spacious interior is dimly lit and ultra modern without losing a touch of character. Obsidian polish slithers across the finish of the slick black floor tiles and marble tables. Hanging over the bar, thick paint drips down the cheeks of a sleeping face imprinted on an enormous canopy of stiff canvas.

The ambiance is dark and mysterious. More pieces by the same artist carefully adorn the wall. Another girl with serenely closed eyes and a slight smile across her silver-gold burnished skin. A fierce burst of red and yellow rising above bright blue waves. The décor is contemporary and unique, classic, mature.

Raised and trained in Western Europe, Executive Chef Sarah Linkenheil is as Bohemian and unpedestrian in her cuisine as her restaurant's image suggests. The appetizers are mostly seafood selections. The usual Maryland Blue Crab Cakes and Lobster Bisque are available, but so are the more interesting Asian inspired pairings of Hunan Duck Quesadilla and Shiitake Chicken Spring Rolls served with a cilantro dip.

The most memorable item in the first round, however, was not a seafood dish, but the one red meat appetizer on the menu: the melt-in-your-mouth braised 5-spice short rib. The mini steak, served with a fried gorgonzola croquette, is so tender that the meat seems to disintegrate the moment it hits the tongue. Appetizers do not end with the choices on the regular menu, but include sushi nigiri and specialty rolls created by Sally's own in house sushi Chef, Kaz. His signature, the Kazoo roll is a delightful ball of salmon, mango, and rice wrapped in a soy skin and sprinkled with crushed pistachio pieces. The hot roll is another original creation, covered with the finely ground, spicy Japanese powder, shichimi.

Entrée time. Sally's is known for its coveted waterfront view, but the sight of the Chef's main course is distracting enough to forget swimming with fishes in the ocean and focus on devouring them. Try the scallops. Pearly, round steaks of crustacean flesh quiver under a buttery lime glaze and a pretty garnish of yellow flower petals. The consistency is creamy but simultaneously weightless. Another regular favorite is the seafood cioppino, a tasty stew of sautéed shrimp, crab, snapper, sea bass, and croissant croutons swimming in a smoked tomato broth. Mysterious and inexplicable, the deep flavor of the broth, steeped in shellfish and then smoked, captures the essence of the ingredients without being too salty.

The sweets are a lighthearted affair, reminiscent of vacations and palm trees. A ginger crème brulee is served in crisp, white china; the smooth egg custard ever so delicately infused with a touch of spicy ginger. Or imagine warm banana lumpia, a fried triangle stuffed with banana cheesecake and drizzled with syrupy fruit coulis. The fanciful desserts leave an appropriate last touch to a night of ocean-side culinary adventure.

Spring and summer are the ideal seasons to enjoy the molten San Diego sunset, complemented by Pacific inspired cuisine under the careful direction of Chef Sarah Linkenheil. Bite down on a crunchy chicken spring roll and take a swig of sake to savor the freshest flavors the ocean has to offer at Sally On the Water.

For a luxurious downtown lunch break, happy hour appetizers, or romantic dinner, leave the hustle and bustle for summertime tourists and discover a true local's secret: Sally's Seafood on the Water, next to the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel.