Salt Brings Bright Coastal Vibes & Fresh Flavors To Carmel
Writer & Photographer / Abbie Willans
The dreary days of winter are fast approaching, and while many Hoosiers dread them, the owners of Salt are offering a much-needed escape with a bright, coastal-chic restaurant serving up fresh seafood and handcrafted cocktails.
Salt, which officially opened in September, has two other Indiana locations: one on Mass Ave and one in Geist. The Carmel location, within walking distance of the Palladium, replaces Matt the Miller’s Tavern, which closed last year.
“We found that being right next to a venue really drove that event traffic and got us the customers we were wanting to have, and it was our perfect match in terms of our client base,” says co-owner Caroline Smith. “When we expanded to our second location, it was more of a neighborhood feel in Geist. While that location is thriving, I think this one is a perfect meld of both: Carmel is very neighborhood-friendly, very family-oriented, but we have that partnership with the Palladium. People can come for an event and have dinner before or a cocktail after the show.”
They sponsored the season, and the Palladium promoted Salt on its website and on all of this year’s tickets. In addition to that partnership, the owners wanted to work with other small businesses wherever possible. A local florist designed their centerpieces, and a local artist created the paintings and logo wall in the restaurant.
“We want to stick with our commitment to the community and highlight the local partners that we have, as a small business ourselves,” Smith says.
“Carmel has an elevated standard, and we’ve got to meet that standard. Their expectations are high, they’re well-traveled, and they know good-quality food and service,” says co-owner John Bales. “The previous restaurant was very dark, but we have an open concept and we’re inspired by the 1 Hotel in South Beach, Florida. Our goal was to have a coastal feel in Indiana. We want you to feel like you’re on vacation.”
A former Florida resident who grew up in Carmel, Bales says he’s excited to be back. He designed Salt with his prior seaside home in mind.
“In those dark, gray Indiana days, I wanted something bright,” he says. “I want to feel like I’m on a beach, and I want fresh seafood. All of the fish is flown in daily or weekly, and it’s fresh — never frozen. We don’t have a freezer. It’s cheaper and more efficient to do it that way. We know what sells and what doesn’t sell.”
Bales and Smith have been in business together for 24 years, and they love to go after unique opportunities. Together with co-owner Johny Janusiewicz, they’re excited to tackle another restaurant.
“The restaurant business can be very challenging,” Bales says. “It’s dynamic, almost like a living being. Every day is different.”
“A lot of other restaurants were hamstrung by freezers and refrigerators,” Smith adds. “They wanted to make sure they had product all the time and didn’t worry about the freshness. We’re going to do it a little differently and give people an experience they really can’t find around here.
“We have an ‘off the dock’ section of all our menus that features fish not commonly served at restaurants, like Hawaiian kampachi, pink grouper, and monkfish,” she says. “That gives our chef an opportunity to shine. That’s his choice and how he wants to prepare that fish, depending on where it’s from, the flavor profile it has, what best pairs with it, or what’s seasonal.”
Their chef, Marcello Gallegos, has traveled the world and speaks four languages.
“He cut his teeth at some Michelin-star restaurants in Italy,” Smith says. “He has a really good appreciation for fresh seafood, and he was working in a coastal region.”
One of her favorite parts of the restaurant business is the people she works with. Salt has kept most of its original staff from when the first location opened nine years ago. Instead of moving staff from the other locations to Carmel, the owners hired an all-new crew.
“We’ve had our more seasoned servers come here to train our staff, and we’ve had the new people go to the other locations to get a feel for the place and what Salt is, what we do, and what we stand for,” Smith says. “We remind everyone that we’re a family.”
Bales adds that each of their locations morphs into its own restaurant based on the culture.
“It’s great having really competent people that surround us, who’ve been in the industry for decades and know it inside out,” Smith says. “The best thing about this is that once John and I deliver a functional space for them to work in, we step back and let our team shine. We don’t want to be involved in the day-to-day. We want to let our team be the faces that the customers know.”
She adds that building this new location has been a labor of love, and it’s one they’re continuing to expand upon. Later this year or early next year, they’ll begin construction of a three-season patio and pergola with outdoor seating so that even more people can take advantage of the atmosphere and fresh seafood.
“We’re here to give everyone a great experience, from the moment they check their car into the valet to the moment they walk out that door,” Smith says. “We want them to feel like they had a break, were well taken care of, and that they’re appreciated.”
Salt is located at 11 City Center Drive in Carmel. For more information, visit saltdining.com or call 317-983-7690.
