By Abigael T. Sidi
When I think of Mexican cuisine, seafood doesn’t exactly come to mind. El Fish Marisqueria, inspired by chef Julian Medina’s explorations of the Mexican fishing capital of Ensenada, had therefore intrigued me for a while.
Mouth-watering pictures of his ceviches, tuna tartare tacos, grilled fish skewers, and a show-stopping dish called lobster aguachile, had been showing up on my Instagram feed. Finally, I got a chance to visit.
What I came for, the lobster aguachile was, indeed, a visual stunner. The dish is served in an immaculate white soup bowl with a wide rim, in which four beautiful, pinkish lobster claws (plus a few tail-meat cubes) rest over a pale-orange beauty of a sauce, which I was guessing was a bisque or consommé made from the same crustacean. Purple and yellow edible flowers, along with thin shreds of carrot and crispy wontons, are delicately arranged on top, altogether perfecting what might be one the most magnificent dishes I’d ever seen.
The first spoon immediately broke the spell: The sauce was not the lobster bisque I’d expected. Instead, the main ingredient tasted like peanut butter, and the sauce had been seasoned with a hefty dose of lime juice. I re-checked the menu and, indeed, peanut butter was a top ingredient, and the limey pop was provided by yuzu, a distinctive Japanese lemon born from a cross of grapefruit and mandarin. The dish had a lot of energy and playfulness; it was bursting with flavor, but the acidity took away from the delicate lobster. It felt like the main protagonist had been somewhat lost in the shuffle.
I grabbed a fork to seize the lobster, minus the sauce. It was cooked to – and I mean it-perfection, with total respect for the ingredient. In French, you might say the lobster was “mi-cuit”: Cooked, but barely, when the flesh espouses this light pink, pre-orange color. The flavor feels subtly crudo, and the texture is so delicate it immediately melts in your mouth. Delicious.
So, I’m left with this question: why pair that wonderful subtlety with so much acidity?
Other dishes tasted during my visit, which included the crab salad and salmon skewers, confirmed we were dealing with a masterful seafood chef. The crab’s meatiness and freshness; the lightly charred, flaky salmon kebabs: These seafood preparations were outright sensational. I am guessing El Fish received its Michelin accolade (not a star, but a notable mention) thanks in large part to the chef’s remarkable
technique.
But as with the lobster aguachile, a peanut sauce dominated the salmon (the dish is called Brochetas de Salmon Kung Pao), though in this case the acidity was more toned down. It’s interesting, fun, maybe even a little transgressive, and that’s all good. But I can’t help but feel that the Thai fusion direction is a little forced.
Regardless, El Fish’s food displays a mastery of seafood techniques, delivered at not-unreasonable prices, at least when compared with some of the city’s other seafood specialty restaurants.
You will find El Fish right next door to Old John’s Luncheonette. In fact, Louis Skibar, the Bolivian native who had helped revive Old John’s, is in the mix at El Fish as well, co-operating the spot alongside chef Medina. El Fish has an intimate, semi-upscale décor, with dim lights and acceptable noise levels for a romantic night out or dinner with close friends. The restaurant opens at 5 p.m. on weekdays and closes at 10 p.m. (Mondays), 10:30 p.m. (Tuesdays-Thursdays), or 11 p.m. (Fridays).
On weekends, the restaurant is open for brunch (noon – 2:45 p.m.) and dinner (4:30 to 11 p.m. on Saturdays and 10 p.m. on Sundays). Pick-up and delivery available, reservations recommended but the raw bar is available for walk-ins.
The Dish: Lobster Aguachile ($30)
The Restaurant: El Fish Marisqueria, 155 Amsterdam Avenue (corner of West 67th Street)
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I live down the street from el fish and am sad to say we’ve been disappointed after many years of looking forward to it. We were first told it would be a Toloache which felt fun for the nabe. It is a beautiful space, but we have yet to have a meal that is not confusing and every dish would be better if it were just a little different. The bar is good.
So, basically, order the lobster with sauce on the side?
I can only imagine your disappointment when you realized it was peanut butter!!
Peanut butter has long been used with lobster. It is actually a very old an normal compliment to the cookery of it. Peoples are surprised and do not understand how the flavors of things meld together, and it is a shame as people miss out on some great dishes if it has something in it they do not like because they will not try it.
John : That’s not what I implied. What I meant was, if she was expecting lobster bisque, then she must have been disappointed getting peanut butter instead.
Been to El Fish several times and love just about everything on the menu. Very creative combinations of flavors, textures, and spice. While they’ve changed their menu items a bit since opening, we would love to see some more healthful options as many of the dishes are fried or highly sauced. But have no doubt, this is a spot to be tried as the creations are noteworthy and quite delicious!! And pretty good margaritas!! 🎉👍🏻
I don’t know about the peanut butter, but an aguachile is traditionally acidic (lime, rather than yuzu) and spicy. So, not “Thai fusion.” But usually made with a cheaper, uncooked shellfish rather than an elegant lobster.
The most iconic dish on the Upper West Side to me is a Burger Deluxe, served at a diner such as the WestSider at 69th and Broadway. Affordable and filling, satisfying and nourishing.
Try the burger at Malachy’s, okay when the kitchen is fully functioning again. They’re waiting on an inspection for new gas lines.
More affordable than that diner.
sometimes you gotta wonder whether restaurants purposefully create a couple of items on their menu just to get onto insta feeds. But this is worse, as anyone who sees this would want to try it thinking it’s an entirely lobster creation, from flesh to sauce (aguachile or not, they could have zested up a bisque and not some lousy peanut butter sauce). Glad to hear the lobster is cooked well, but to me this borders on fraud
I was so looking forward to this fish restaurant during the many months (years?) it was under construction. Then it opened as a very high end and expensive (in my mind) restaurant and I lost interest.
Right? It was billed as El Fish Shack. I thought fish tacos and margaritas and would have been there every week.
No thanks👎