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Ocean of possibilities
Every dish is a nice catch at Dallas Fish Market
Special to the Star-Telegram
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Land-locked Dallas has been flush with good seafood dining for a couple of decades, thanks to all the restaurants that take delivery of the fresh fish flown in daily to D/FW Airport.
But rarely, if ever, has there been a place to find a depth of ocean and river bounty like that at the new Dallas Fish Market. That's because chef Randy Morgan -- whose extensive background includes cooking at Oceanaire in North Dallas -- only buys from smaller seafood purveyors bringing in "really amazing fish," such as sturgeon or Hawaii's monchong.
Although these special daily picks are constantly changing, choices from the permanent menu are sure to dazzle. Most selections are familiar, but with a flair -- witness the grilled wild salmon ($28), served with Spanish chorizo (made on-site), roasted garlic risotto and crisped leeks. My favorite to date has been the grilled calamari steak ($11), smooth slices that are far more tender than you can imagine, adorned with braised fennel, a bit of preserved lemon and delicately cured olives, then lightly swept with a rustic, juicy tomato sauce.
If you're ready for mussels in an offbeat treatment, go for the Prince Edward Island babies here ($12), piled in a Thai bath of coconut milk with mild red curry, lemongrass and kaffir lime. (Beware that the banana chutney sweetens things up a bit.)
Skate wing ($24) has already become the hit dish. A delicacy from the fin of an ocean ray, this feather-light ribbed flat fish is sauteed, swabbed with a Meyer lemon beurre blanc and decorated with capers, spinach and a spoonful of Italian white bean ragout.
For my palate, there's not a better winter dish than the seared diver scallops ($29), large, silken white disks accompanied by a modest pillow of herbed polenta cake made creamy with goat cheese. A clean poblano coulis and tart ruby red grapefruit bring balance to the plate.
The landlubber at my table was more than mollified by the exquisite, tender bone-in pork chop ($24), a richly flavored meat that was matched perfectly by a side of Yukon gold potatoes mashed with caramelized onion.
Dallas Fish Market occupies the ground floor of the magnificent old Kirby Building downtown; an extensive remodeling that delivered an ultra-modern space that in no way resembles the former tenant, Jeroboam. On two visits, I've found dining room service to be polished and professional, but bar service has been on the slow side. But with fabulous fish keeping you occupied, you won't notice any glitches.
Dallas Fish Market
1501 Main St.
Dallas
214-744-3474
Hours: Open 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday, 5-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 5-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Cuisine: Seafood, sushi, steaks
Essentials: Major credit cards; full bar; smoke-free; wheelchair-accessible.
Entree cost: At lunch, $11-$16; dinner, $24-$40
Signature dishes: skate wing, grilled calamari steak
Good to know: Good non-fish dishes offered, valet parking on side street
