My recent visit to SALT, the restaurant located inside of Shreveport Aquarium at 601 Clyde Fant Parkway, was so different from my first few visits—which all took place during the restaurant’s first year —that I felt like I was visiting an entirely different business. Though a great deal seems to have improved at SALT over the past year or so, the food is especially deserving of praise. Chef Libby Patterson Smith and her team are serving up some of the most surprising food in Shreveport-Bossier, especially for anyone seeking hearty vegan and vegetarian options.

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At SALT, Chef Libby Patterson Smith’s seasonal veggie tacos are out of this world.

Smith is known by many for her work as Go Greenly, a long-running vegan meal prep and catering service in Shreveport. She also cooked for Healthy Chef Meals for a year and had a six-year career with the Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana. For whatever reason, I wouldn’t have told you that Smith’s expertise as a vegan chef would have been put to much use at SALT, but that would have been a huge mistake on my part. At the late-2019 version of SALT, plant-forward eaters can get a veggie burger, vegan loaded fries, outstanding veggie tacos, a mushroom melt, or a seasonal grain bowl, among other options. See for yourself: here’s the Fall 2019 menu.

No malt vinegar? No problem. The outstanding fish and chips at Salt.

The best thing I’ve eaten at SALT 2.0 would be the fish and chips (thanks to 20×49.com reader Alex Richardson for the tip). On the day of my November 2019 visit, this dish consisted of a single, giant filet of perfectly fried Mississippi catfish served atop hearty, hand-cut fries with a side of slaw. While there’s no malt vinegar for dunking, the fish is battered and fried in a really unique way that bridges the gap between a classic British fish and chips and a Louisiana fish fry. I loved it.

I asked Smith what she saw in SALT that made her want to join the team.

“I could see such hopefulness and potential,” Smith said. “The whole thing here is about the team, it’s not about any one person. Every single day, I think we’re getting better and better.”

I agree. If you haven’t been to SALT recently, it is worth revisiting. If you’ve never visited, consider moving it to the top of your list.

Please note SALT’s hours of operation are: Wednesdays through Sundays (except for Thursdays), 11 a.m.-5 p.m., and Thursdays, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. A brunch menu is served on Sundays. A full bar is available. The phone number is (318) 383-0602.

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