21 Fresh Fish Dishes to Try

by Natasha Wolff | May 20, 2016 2:00 pm

Whether you fancy a whole fish brushed with olive oil, sashimi delivered with just a dash of wasabi or a ceviche sprinkled with lime juice, one thing’s for sure, a deliciously prepared catch makes for a great warm-weather meal. Here are 21 fish dishes to try ASAP:

1. DAILY WHOLE FISH – ROW 34 (Boston)

Proving the wonder of a simply prepared fresh catch, Boston’s Row 34 serves a moist, crackly, oil-brushed Daily Whole Fish to complement its foundational raw bar selections.

Photo provided by Row 34.

2. TUNA TRUFFLE – SUSHI DOKKU (Chicago)

Radiant and reddish-pink in color, the Tuna Truffle Nigiri at Sushi Dokku in Chicago is as delicious as it looks, topped with truffle sauce and thinly sliced avocado.

Photo provided by Sushi Dokku.

3. CRUDO – COPITA (Sausalito, CA)

Located just outside of San Francisco, Copita dishes out a Sea Bass Citrus Crudo as a beautiful as it is tasty, with blood and Cara Cara orange segments, jicama, chile de arbol and rosemary oil.

Photo provided by Copita.

4. FRESH CEVICHE SELECTIONS – MOCHICA (San Francisco)

A bustling Peruvian eatery in San Francisco, Mochica serves up several tasty ceviche combinations including mixed seafood with mussels, clams and shrimp tossed in lime juice, and ahi tuna with toasted nori (edible seaweed).

Photo provided by Mochica.

5. OMAKASE – SUSHI AZABU (New York)

Sourcing its fish four times a week directly from Japan, New York’s Sushi Azabu offers four different omakase (chef’s choice) options, as well as other sushi, sashimi (thinly sliced pieces of raw fish) and Japanese small plates.

Photo provided by Sushi Azabu.

6. TUNA TARTARE – THE LUCKY BEE (New York)

A staple at many restaurants across the country, tuna tartare — prepared with roast chili, shallot, lime and popped wild rice at The Lucky Bee in New York — is a cooling, light dish that displays the smooth, firm texture of the raw fish.

Photo provided by The Lucky Bee.

7. CHARRED OCTOPUS – KAPNOS (Washington D.C.)

One of Kapnos’ many crisp Greek share plates from Chef Mike Isabella is the Charred Octopus, creatively adorned with light-as-air lentils, slow roasted tomato and heirloom carrots.

Photo provided by Kapnos. Photo by Greg Powers.

8. OMAKASE NIGIRI – WAKO (San Francisco)

In San Francisco, Wako seamlessly melds Japanese and California flavors, combining locally sourced seafood and produce in its omakase nigiri, which includes 12 pieces of nigiri (raw fish over rice) and other fresh small plates.

Photo provided by Wako.

9. MARKET CATCH – SOUTHWARK (Philadelphia)

Southwark offers a Fish of the Day, depending on the market catch, to pair with its classic cocktails and other farm-to-table fare.

Photo provided by Southwark.

10. TARTARA DI TONNO – BARRIQUE (Los Angeles)

Offering plentiful fresh fish to pair with its antipasti and homemade pastas, Barrique in Los Angeles delivers a Tartara di Tonno — ahi tuna tartare served with avocado, capers and balsamic essence (thickened balsamic vinegar).

Photo provided by Barrique.

11. ALBACORE PONZU – YANAKO (Philadelphia)

Yanako in Philadelphia uses traditional techniques and fresh ingredients to deliver light, flavorful dishes including Albacore Ponzu — white tuna made with soy-citrus vinaigrette, grated white radish, ginger and scallions.

Photo provided by Yanako.

12. MONKFISH LIVER TORCHON – SINK SWIM (Chicago)

Known as the foie gras of the sea, Monkfish Liver, a Japanese delicacy, is prepared at Sink Swim in Chicago in a classic French way, served cold with salted pear, chartreuse fennel, smoked celery root, brioche and pistachio.

Photo provided by Sink Swim.

13. SUSHI BAR COMBINATION PLATES – LURE FISHBAR (New York)

As its name suggests, Lure Fishbar in New York delivers best-in-class seafood, including sushi bar combination plates with sashimi, sushi or both, as well as raw bar options and whole fish.

Photo provided by Lure Fishbar.

14. SHRIMP SAIGON – TIGER MAMA (Boston)

Putting a Southeast Asian spin on the classic shrimp cocktail, the Shrimp Saigon at Tiger Mama is served with ripe tomatoes and fish sauce vinaigrette, making for a cold, fresh appetizer to kick off your meal.

Photo provided by Tiger Mama.

15. TUNA CEVICHE – PEPITA CANTINA (Washington D.C.)

One of a few antojitos (traditional Mexican snacks) offered at Pepita Cantina, the Tuna Ceviche is a flavorful, refreshing delight with coconut, lime and avocado.

Photo provided by Pepita Cantina. Photo by Greg Powers.

16. SEARED LOBSTER – SUSHIKO (Chevy Chase, MD)

Located just outside of Washington D.C., Sushiko offers a stunning seared lobster dish atop a bed of sautéed spinach, enoki mushroom and creamy ponzu (a citrus-based sauce).

Photo provided by Sushiko.

17. OMAKASE SELECTION – SUSHI TSUJITA (Los Angeles)

Part of the growing Tsujita empire in Tokyo, Sushi Tsujita in Los Angeles offers an omakase-style menu, including unexpected choices like Madai (seabream), Hirame (fluke), Anago (saltwater eel), Sayori (halfbeak) and many more, using old-school techniques to preserve the flavors of the seafood.

Photo provided by Sushi Tsujita.

18. SASHIMI OF ITOYORI – FIOLA MARE (Washington D.C.)

At the sophisticated Italian restaurant Fiola Mare in Washington D.C., the Sashimi Of Itoyori is a light, refreshing way to start your meal, made with hearts of palm, radish, sea beans, ginger, fennel and lime vinaigrette.

Photo provided by Fiola Mare.

19. AHI TUNA TARTARE – THE CHURCH KEY (Los Angeles)

In The Church Key’s tuna tartare, ahi tuna comes with compressed pineapple, Greek yogurt, pistachios, pickled avocado, serrano chili and pappadam (paper-thin, crisp wafers).

Photo provided by The Church Key.

20. MOROMI MAGURO – CAFE SUSHI (Boston)

Spotlighting seasonal seafood on a dynamic sushi menu, Cafe Sushi offers Moromi Maguro, a cut of tuna with wasabi oil, smoked salt, shiso (an Asian herb in the mint family) and tofu.

Photo provided by Cafe Sushi.

21. SHRIMP TOAST – BISq (Boston)

Topped with fresh spring scallions, the N’Awlins Barbecue Shrimp Toast at BISq in Boston — along with a cold bear or a nice glass of vino — makes for a light, crisp starter to share.

Photo provided by BISq.