Salt Life Food Shack, Coral Springs

Although it started as a phrase bandied about on spearfishing trips, the “salt life” eventually became the mantra for an entire subculture. The words refer to the casual lifestyle of small beachside towns where diving, surfing, and fishing allow people to connect with the ocean. Salt Life Food Shack celebrates this connection by forging entrees tinged with Hawaiian, Costa Rican, and Bahaman influences.

Located just three blocks from the ocean, Salt Life Food Shack boasts a menu that draws heavily from the sea. Ahi poke, fried soft-shell crabs, and hand-breaded shrimp fill the pages alongside turfier fare, such as st. louis ribs with island-style barbecue sauce and a coastal reimagining of beer-can chicken. Drawing seafood recipes from another hemisphere, the sushi list showcases shrimp and tuna rolls complemented by edamame, which is seasoned with sea salt from the Titanic’s first-class pantry.

The laid-back beach theme extends beyond the sea breeze on the covered patio to invade the dining room’s modern decor, which features surfboards and oceanic artwork along its sky-blue and white walls. An aquarium also inhabits the space, affording diners glimpses of vibrant tropical fish.