I haven’t written a restaurant review in a long, long time. I feel like I’ve forgotten how! So let’s see, how to describe my experience at Boston Fish Market…
Spurred on by the recently-gorgeous weather and somewhat-newly-developed antibodies, my husband and I met up with some also-vaccinated friends at Boston Fish Market, a fish monger – not in Massachusetts, as you might think, but in a Chicago suburb – with a restaurant on the side. They serve fish that they catch in Lake Michigan and/or fly in from the Atlantic coast. You can read more about it in Chicago Reader. The atmosphere is casual and lively – at times almost chaotic – with the feel of a large, loud, outdoor, seafood party in someone’s backyard. After more than a year of forced solitude, this was fabulous, and well worth the drive to Des Plaines.
The portion are LARGE. It’s obscene. They don’t explain this on the menu, but everything’s served family-style, and each item serves at least two, maybe four or more. Five of us – all full-grown men – could hardly put a dent in the Zuppa di Pesce appetizer. (Mahi Mahi, Manila clam, PEI mussels, calamari, scallops & shrimp.) I took at least half of it home. More on that later. We moved on to Salmon Florentine (stuffed with feta & spinach), which was spectacular, and Halibut Vesuvio (slathered in tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, olives, and asparagus), which was good, but not as impressive as the florentine, imho.
The service is good, but it may not be what you expect. You need a reservation. They seat you, but once you’re ready to order, you get up, go to the fish counter, and make (and pay for) your order, including drinks. They give you a number, and send you back to your table. Until you have a number on your table, you won’t get attentive service, and if you don’t understand that, you may wonder what’s going on. If you tip well, you will get treated particularly well. Everything comes out as it’s ready; don’t expect to be served in courses. (At least some of what we experienced may have been atypical, due to the loosening-but-not-yet-gone COVID restrictions.)
My favorite dish of the evening was the zuppa; it seems like something everyone should try, because it’s not only delicious, but lavish. (And yes, expensive … but its opulence is in keeping with its price.) Now here’s the thing: it’s really not a soup. It’s a whole lotta seafood, served in a shallow pool of sauce, the way mussels are commonly served. Its mountainous. You won’t finish it. Make peace with that. But, here’s what you do:
Once you know you’re finished, shuck any remaining clams and mussels, and set aside the shells. Spoon everything that remains into a to-go container, which of course they’ll supply. Ask for a couple of plastic bags, so that in case it sloshes around, it won’t stain your car’s interior. No one needs that. At home, strain the solids from the liquid, and refrigerate both separately. When you’re ready to enjoy it, coarsely chop the solids. Place the liquid into a sauce pan, and heat it to the boiling point. On lowest heat, stir in 1/4-cup of half-and-half per 2 cups of liquid. Add in the solids, and gently heat through. Delicious!
Boston Fish Market
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In a way, it reminds me of Italian restaurants… the food comes out when it’s ready — they don’t wait for the what we call “ballet service.” It sounds really good — though I probably won’t get there, it’s good to have your thoughts on how to order within reason! Oh, and the chowder looks awesome!
Thanks, David!
You are a man that truly knows what to do with leftovers, the chowder had to be delicious.
Karen (Back Road Journal) recently posted…Fully Vaccinated, Am I Ready To Travel
Don’t tell anyone, but I kind of thought it was better than the dish as-ordered! Maybe.
I am just drooling all over those seafood treats! What a treat！
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Man, that restaurant sounds like a winner. I’m tempted to make the thousand mile drive!
Well, if you were going to do that, I think you should head to Boston proper!
Oh that experience sounds like a lot of fun! You’re really good at describing the dishes you tried – all sound so great! But I think zuppa would have been my favourite one, too. And I don’t think we won’t be able to finish it 🙂
🙂
Well that’s my kind of soup! Or, chowder! Everything really sounds good. I don’t like what I’d call cafeteria style, I like being waited on and wine brought to me every time I make eye contact with the waiter, but that’s just me. Isn’t this a chain restaurant? Huge portions for sure, and great leftover ideas.
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It’s not a chain, although it sounds like the name for one. It was originally a fish market, and they would prepare fish for shoppers as an enticement to get them to buy more fish, and then that became so popular that they started an outright restaurant alongside the market.
Great looking chowder! And what a fun place. I’d want to go with a crowd so I could sample several different things. Fun read — thanks.
John / Kitchen Riffs recently posted…Strawberry Crumble with Chili Crisp
This is the place to go with a crowd, for sure! Thanks, John!
Sound like a good time. I miss the bustle of a crowded room. However, LA is creeping back to open and your experience here inspires me . PS It’s kind of fun learning the ropes at a new restaurant. GREG
Yeah, it was a little weird at first. The lifting of restrictions seemed to come too soon, and too much. But I’m starting to feel like I can see the pandemic in the rear view mirror.
If i am correct, Massachusset’s fishery markets are most famous throughout the U.S.A. maybe world. We have not eaten fish there. But when we stayed in RI Bristol our American friends advised that the Boston’s famous fish restaurants. We went there and spent a weekend there. We ate grilled sommon fish in fish restaurants, also ate roasted tuna fish many times (like snacking). They were amazing.
I am under the same impression.
Una gustosa zuppa molto invitante, bravo!!!!
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What an experience! We’ve just began to open up, patios only at 25% capacity. I hear the restaurants are having a difficult time finding staff, our government subsidies out perform a good night with 25% capacity, so sadly the servers would rather stay home and do nothing.
I love reinventing a leftover restaurant dish, your recipe looks perfect! The meal looks wonderful, I hope to see the salmon florentine on your blog soon, it’s sounds incredible.
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Hmm, I hadn’t considered reverse engineering the salmon, but maybe I should. We’ve had the same situation here in the states, hearing stories of people not wanting to go back to work. But they always seem to involve jobs I’d never want to do, at wages that I can’t imagine surviving on. Chicago, by the way, is fully open now. It feels very weird.
Interesting name for that restaurant – it certainly threw me for a loop! But names aside, it sounds quite tasty…especially that zuppa and the Salmon Florentine. We just got back from a week down in Charleston, SC, and I think I ate my weight in fresh seafood. So good!! It’s nice to (sorta) feel like a normal human being again, right??
David @ Spiced recently posted…Bacon & Cheese Grilled Chicken Sandwiches
Oh, so nice.
that is definitely a mountainous bowl of zuppa! looks so delish! you mention tipping – I saw a doco the other day about the Savoy hotel in london and they said we aussies are the worst tippers. i had to laugh. we just don’t do tipping, and get offended when anyone suggests it … we had lunch in a cafe in philadelphia one time years ago and forgot to leave a tip. just as well we got out of there fast.
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I wish we’d abolish the practice.
We’re in Chicago frequently, but I have never eaten here. While I am not a seafood eater, my husband would go nuts for a dinner here. I’ll have to remember it when his birthday rolls around and make us a reservation. Thanks for the tips on how to get good and prompt service!
Ah, well, there are so many great restaurants in Chicago! This one would be decidedly off the beaten path.
I love fish ! I have to do some fish soon !! looks delicious !!
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Love the Octopus salad it’s great!
Dear Jeff, what a nice read – I haven’t read a restaurant review in such a long time, it almost all feels surreal. We have only been able to enjoy the pleasure of a restaurant visit for a week now. But this place sounds like a wonderful restaurant to visit! Come to think of it, I most certainly do not eat fish nearly as often as I should – might have something to do with the fact that we do not live close to the sea.
Take care!
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Thank you so much, Andrea. We don’t live close to the sea, either – which made me curious about this restaurant. It interested me to know that the catch a lot of their fish in Lake Michigan – which is the size of a small sea – but apparently they fly the rest of it in from the Atlantic. I hope you’re able to enjoy some more restaurant meals soon!
It is currently a hard time to be a fish eater. Sure, wild Alaskan salmon is one of the best fish around; its flavor is like none other. Yet, with all of the recent talk about overfishing in the oceans and the haunting statistic that fish https://wildfishingman.com/ could start going extinct within 20 years, many feel that now may not be the best time to enjoy a wild salmon fillet. It may be better to let the ocean populations recover by choosing farm raised. It is better a choice for the environment, right?
Good point.
Thank you, Ashique!
Fisherman’s Platter is so soft looking and any one will thought it as a steak dish. I am just curious how tasty it was.
Very!
Love these dishes Jeff! seafood is the best especially the octopus with salad
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Liked reading it. Your bowl with the leftovers looks enticing. When we visit your country, I do cook our style fish curry with the fish fillets available. End of the day, my favourite is fish & chips if I am not getting our kind of fish curries.
Thank you, Soma!