Grill of the Sea
Fish Grill delivers fine quality, wood-smoked seafood
By Don Waller
Forget about décor, forget about service. When I'm paying for a meal, I wanna see my hard-earned money on my plate, says the little devil on my right shoulder. The angel on my left whispers a few choice words about romance, professionalism, and the pure joy of eating something you couldn't - or wouldn't - cook at home. Well, the one on my left is closer to my heart ...
Same goes for grilled fish. Because I can do it myself, I rarely go out for it. But when I do, I want a fairly priced 'n' proportioned piece of fine-quality, fresh fish, cooked to order. And on a recent weekday night at the Fish Grill on Beverly Boulevard, that's exactly what I - and the rest of my dining party - got.
As the name implies, most of the menu is grilled over mesquite charcoal. Which is all the better, 'cause it burns hotter, and the faster the cooking time, the less likelihood of the fish losing all its moisture in the process. Plus, if you don't have that authentic wood-smoked flavor, you might as well be ordering it ... broiled.
The Fish Grill's menu is also kosher - all the fish must have scales and fins. No shellfish. No crustaceans. No swordfish, shark, catfish, squid, octopus, eel, etc.
No problem. We scan the menu hanging over the counter, learn that entrees come with a choice of any two sides - baked potato, French fries, cole slaw, rice pilaf, or green salad (basically chopped cucumber and tomato).
Foregoing the red snapper, trout, whitefish, or salmon filet as well as the "Cajun seasoning" options, three of us order the ahi (yellowfin) tuna, the seabass ($11.95 each), and the salmon steak ($9.95), respectively. Our companion opts for fish-and-chips ($7.75) and a medium-sized bowl of Manhattan-style chowder ($3.50 for 12 ounces). There's no alcohol, so we throw in a trio of iced teas and a bottled water ($1.55 each), pay at the register, take a number, and we're all set.
The place is hopping, but it's too cold outside to sit on the adjacent patio, so we get our beverages from the nearby refrigerator and countertop dispenser, grab the first four seats we can find, and survey the scene. Looks like any other classic seafood shack - all nautical-but-nice bric-a-brac, with paper plates, plastic utensils, small metal buckets bearing bottles of malt vinegar, hot sauces, and salt 'n' pepper shakers on the wooden tables - if half the customers were Orthodox Jews.
Within minutes, our number's up. We pick up our orders (small cups of catsup and the house's sour cream-based tartar sauce included; sour cream and butter for the baked potatoes available upon request) at the counter, note that half-inch thick fish portions blanket half the plates, and start trading bites among us.
The tuna's moist 'n' meaty, the salmon's silky, and the seabass is almost sweet. The fried fish isn't battered, but features a crispy, fine-ground coating, and - like the heaping helpings of thinly cut French fries - sports not a dollop of grease. The chowder's hearty, but rather bland, as are the cole slaw and salad. While the baked potatoes are strictly standard fare and the fries are first-rate, we came for the grilled fish, not the sides.
But if that's not your wont, the Fish Grill offers fish tacos, fish sandwiches (fried or grilled), fish-topped salads or pastas, deep-fried trout, and a children's menu. An obvious case study in how to manage your inventory properly, this particular Fish Grill has been doing the business since 1986. (Owner Aharon Klein has subsequently opened outlets in Brentwood and West L.A.; the latter boast free parking, the original is street-parking only, although there's no need to feed the meters after 6 p.m.)
After all, when it comes to grilled fish, you, me, and the devil wanna see our money on our plates.
Published: 10/18/2007
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