Aligned with the gorgeous shores of Narigama lies Sea Salt Society – a chilled out space that would treat you to some of THE BEST beachside dining experiences in the area. If your dream vacay involves a breath of sea breeze and sand between your toes as you bask in the glory of seafood-y goodness while sipping a glass of a bubbly or merlot on the side, this is just where you should go.
Food & Drinks
The menu at Sea Salt Society mainly revolves around seafood and booze, but they have a few meat-based dishes, and a range of super interesting desserts too. Portion-wise, they're quite decent and unbelievably friendly on the wallet in comparison to most beach-side establishments in the neighbourhood.
The Catch of the Day (Rs. 1800) is Sea Salt Society's take on fried fish, which arrived with a helping of garlic fried rice.
Encrusted with a layer of golden-fried batter, the "catch of the day" was one giant paraw (Trevallies) fish, easily enough to fill two grown adults to the brim. Decorated with chopped up tri-coloured bell pepper, tomato, onions and greens, and served on a thick, beautifully maroon sauce, it was a sight to behold.
The batter coating here is incredibly thin, and surprisingly not oily, which is always a plus point. Biting into it gives off a satisfactory crisp, followed by the delicately soft, absolutely moist, and succulent flesh of the fish.
The sauce that lies beneath it was delightfully tangy and complemented the overall flavour rather than shielding it.
Fluffy, slightly sticky, and garlicky as promised, the fried rice had a sprinkle of parsley and was the perfect side to the fish. Featuring six plumpy Tiger prawns alongside a serving of salsa, veggies, coconut chips and a few slices of lime, this plate of Island Prawns (Rs. 2600) was a sublime treat. Blushed with pepper, the prawns were brilliantly grilled and we enjoyed pairing them up with the sweet and spicy salsa.
And ain't nothing better than a dash of freshly squeezed, zesty lime to bring the best out of this one!
The Garden Salad (Rs. 350) we ordered on the side was comprised of lettuce, tomato, purple cabbage, beetroot and cucumber lightly dressed in a tangy sauce. Crunchy to the bite, it was simple, yet delicious as the veggies were quite fresh.
Our dessert was the Passion fruit Pavlova (Rs. 650). A massive meringue drizzled with passion fruit flesh, and a passion fruit half arrived in this one. Light, airy and slightly crunchy, the shell here was on point, and in the middle, you'd find an unsweetened, marshmallow-y surprise! It's like a sugar-coated cloud, coupled with sweet, sour, and fruity kicks.
Out of their range of cocktails, we tried the Sunset Skies (Rs. 900), a medley of cranberry, grapefruit and vodka. Refreshing on the palate, it's the perfect marriage between strong sipper and fruity kick – we highly recommend.
Ambience & Service
With cosy cushy and wooden chairs, bean bags, and sunbathing chairs that spill out onto the beach, the ambience at Sea Salty Society provides every bit of relaxation that you're looking for – as you vacation in Hikka.
The view from here is, of course, spectacular – from turquoise waters that adorn the palm-dotted beach of Narigama, to the rays of orangey glaze that runs through the clouds when the fiery sun is about to touch the horizon.
We received some excellent service at the Sea Salt Society. The staff was friendly, welcoming and accommodating. They treat foreigners and locals alike, and super-efficient. Our food and drinks took no more than 15 minutes to arrive, and they didn't forget to check back with us for any feedback we may have.
Conclusion
With delicious seafood, superb cocktails, outstanding service, and the sheer beauty of Narigama beach, Sea Salt Society gets full points from us. Definitely one of the places that you should swing by if you ever find yourself in Hikkaduwa. And from what we gathered, they have accommodation of their own too.