Saltier Days Ahead (and the best Reuben around!)

Today is St. Patrick’s Day so, we have to kick this off by mentioning that Salty Days (Cohasset, MA) has the BEST Reuben Sandwich on the South Shore. I have loved Salty Days for years, ever since the early days at the fish market in Hingham, MA, and I always order my go-to favorites from the sushi menu and the seafood options. But, did you know that the Smashburger at Salty Days is one of the most popular items? Add the new Reuben Sandwich (a new permanent fixture on the menu), Chicken Milanese, Seafood Bucatini and SD House Fried Rice and now the conundrum gets worse…choosing a favorite on this menu is a lot like choosing your favorite child (of course, you can’t!). I appreciate every unique item on the menu for it’s own special flavor profile and “personality” and for curing any craving on any given day. Owner, Sean McDaniel, and his team truly make you feel like a part of the family and the SD dining room is just an extension of your own kitchen. Salty Days is about to make the South Shore even happier with the news that they will be opening a SECOND LOCATION here on the South Shore this fall, coming back to their OG roots (cue the fireworks because we are all so excited for this announcement)!

We, at Clandestine Kitchen, have partnered with Salty Days, many times creating unique home delivery collaborations. Working with the team at Salty Days is always a fun, professional, and delicious experience. We look forward to future collabs, sharing in their excitement, and are literally voting for them every day in the Best of the South Shore Awards , too (voting ends tomorrow, March 18th, so take a moment to vote for your favorites before the polls close!).

Hingham, MA resident, Allie Hagerty (Seasoned & Salted) is the content creator and photographer for Salty Days so, I thought it would be perfect to sample our collective favorite dishes (stay tuned for an upcoming N&F post all about Seasoned & Salted later this week!) over the new SD Aperol Spritz (zero-proof Aperol and Prosecco) and chat with Sean about customer favs, new menu items, and the buzz surrounding their planned expansion.

The Chicken Milanese is a very generous, perfectly fried chicken cutlet served over homemade risotto (with spinach, tomato, parmesan and lemon beurre blanc) and the Seafood Bucatini features fresh homemade pasta in a white wine garlic sauce with the most gorgeous fresh assortment of seafood. It’s not easy to perfect the cook on scallops, shrimp, mussels and and clams in one dish simultaneously but, the team at Salty Days does it effortlessly. This is a new favorite for me.

I had no idea that the Smashburger at Salty Days is one of their most popular items on the menu. Many South Shore residents have labeled it “the best smashburger on the South Shore” and, after finally trying it last week, I concur. I am always so focused on the amazing sushi menu that I forget about the sandwiches and entrees and this Smashburger is not to be missed. A lot of great restaurants offer a Smashburger but this one, with the spicy mayo, caramelized onions, lots of melty cheese and brioche bun, is definitely something special.

The SD House Fried Rice (chicken or shrimp) is also fantastic. The baby bok choy, fresh snow peas, edamame and fresh ginger make something that can be really heavy feel light, healthy and fresh.

Today, March 17th, is the perfect day to try the new Reuben Sandwich but, you will be ordering this item every other day of the year as well (luckily, it is a new fixure on the menu so, you actually can order this every day if you want to). It literally melts in your mouth and the housemade sauce is SO good. Add truffle fries and ask for a side of that sauce for dipping. This is not a light dish as the sandwich is packed with the perfect ratio of ingredients – and, you will add a beer (a Guinness perhaps?) so, wear your stretchy pants.

I am a huge fan of Salty Days sushi and sashimi. Everything is hand-rolled, super fresh, and there is a great mix of  both classic, and creative, options. The black-pepper seared Sunset Sashimi is perfection and the Mack Attack Chef’s Specialty Roll (snow crab, avocado, spicy salmon) topped with spicy mayo, sushi sauce & tempura crunch is amazing. I also love the Mango Dragon Roll and their vegetarian sushi options are also at the top of my list. Many people I know have their go-to Salty Days sushi favorite and I love that the combinations are so creative that there truly is something for everyone.

One of Allie’s favorite items on the Salty Days menu is the Crispy Rice Tuna Tartare. She pointed out that this is a beautiful play on the iconic dish made famous at Nobu (multiple locations nationwide) featuring crispy rice topped with tuna, avocado and a dollop of housemade sauce, and her family orders this dish weekly. The Old Bay Deviled Eggs and the Tuna Nachos are great starters to add to the Crispy Rice Tuna Tartare to share with a group. I love a menu that offers the opportunity to sample multiple small plates and the Snacks & Small Plates menu at Salty Days is terrific.

So, go get the Reuben Sandwich today and celebrate all things St. Patrick’s Day. Then, go back for the sushi, Milanese, Seafood Bucatini, Crispy Rice Tuna Tartare, the Smashburger (and everything else on the menu) at the Cohasset location and stay tuned for when you can dive even deeper into this gorgeous menu at their forthcoming new location on the South Shore this Fall. The OG Salty Days fish market was a hidden gem and I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to be a loyal Salty Days customer through the evolution to full-service restaurant in Cohasset. I know I speak for us all when I share in the excitement of Salty Days opening a second restaurant and offering us all the opportunity to visit Sean and Team Salty Days in multiple towns (every college kid is rejoicing right now because they all want to work for Sean when home on breaks!). Salty Days are the best days … let’s get ready to get even saltier.

Photo credit: Allie Hagerty of Seasoned & Salted