All the dish: how to eat swimmingly in Manhattan

Interview, Nov, 2004 by Brad Goldfarb

Perhaps it's the weekly Friday-night fish ritual once endured by countless Catholics or the longstanding association between fish and "sensible eating," but the prospect of a seafood dinner has tended to fall well short of the reward we envision for ourselves at the end of a long, hard day. Even the most resolute red-meat eater, however, must acknowledge the seismic shift in seafood that's been occurring recently in restaurants across the city. As the following surf-centric establishments prove, when it comes to seafood in New York City, it's a whole new kettle of fish.

LURE FISHBAR

142 Mercer Street, 212-431-7676

As the man behind such past and present hotspots as MercBar, Lever House, and Canteen, John McDonald clearly knows how to pick up on the shifting winds of the zeitgeist--a reputation borne out once more by Lure Fishbar, his latest venture, in SoHo. Along with Lever House partner Josh Pickard, he has literally and figuratively refashioned Canteen, and anyone familiar with that restaurant's former retro-futuristic decor will be surprised to discover in its place arched ceilings, porthole windows, and miles of teak--in short, a masterful, if somewhat hokey, interpretation of such icons of luxury cruising as Riva and Chris-Craft. Under the guidance of executive chef Josh Capon, it's a fantasy journey that's well served by the restaurant's cooking. Offering an eclectic menu of seafood options, the kitchen avoids drawing too heavily from any one tradition, opting instead for a "wide net" approach ranging from American to Asian influences. Some superlative starters are a thinly sliced raw black sea bass nicely offset with jicama and ginger, and a terrific shrimp tempura perfectly paired with lime and a black-bean mayonnaise. Entrees include a wonderful whole dourade piled with fresh herbs, an impressively moist grilled swordfish, and a fine sauteed halibut in a pink-peppercorn vinaigrette. Dessert presents a variety of all-American options, but in my book, it's the key-lime tart that's the catch of the day.

MASA

Time Warner Center, 10 Columbus Circle, 212-823-9800

Anyone searching for proof of the heightened value placed on fish in this country need look no further than a tiny, windowless room on the fourth floor of the recently unveiled Time Warner Center. Here, behind a heavy cedar door, lies a spare, Zen-like chamber known as Masa, the city's preeminent sushi destination and, at $300 to $500 a person, its most expensive restaurant. The creation of master sushi chef Masa Takayama, whose now-shuttered Ginza Sushiko in Los Angeles became a kind of mecca for sushi lovers, Masa is a reminder that a big-ticket meal can sometimes spell something other than lavish surroundings and complex creations. In fact, the overriding impression at Masa is one of extreme simplicity, albeit a type that comes only with a great deal of effort and expense. Just consider the items that appear from behind the sushi bar, Masa's dominant feature and the best place from which to fully savor the experience of a meal here. Masa has no menu, so these vary according to what's fresh and what Takayama feels like preparing. One recent visit entailed a small salad of eel and cucumber held together with a splash of miso, followed by a tiny scoop of toro tartar topped with caviar. The meal then proceeded to a small portion of thinly sliced flounder, an uni risotto with shitake mushrooms, and a clear smoky broth studded with mushrooms. All of it was delicate and sublime, but nothing to compare with the quality of the sushi courses that followed: From toro and sea bream to mackerel and squid, each had the buttery texture and natural sweetness that can make a diner swoon. So, too, can the bill, but then as Masa Takayama no doubt knows, you can't put a price on nirvana.

PAMPANO

209 E. 49th Street, 212-751-4545

The past several years have been good ones for New York City fans of Mexican cooking, and no restaurant better exemplifies this trend than the year-and-a-half-old Pampano. On his third attempt to find a successful formula for his midtown enterprise, Placido Domingo finally hit the high note by settling on a score delivered by chef Richard Sandoval: a seafood restaurant that makes liberal and inventive use of contemporary Mexican flavors and cooking techniques. Paddle fans, shell-encrusted walls, and a white-on-sand color scheme all lend the restaurant a breezy, summery vibe that somehow makes the Pacific feel closer than the hulking office towers just across the street. It's an impression enhanced by the clarity of Pampano's bright, flavorful cooking. For starters there's a terrific puree of smoked swordfish, flavor-packed lobster tacos, and empanadas brimming with shrimp and manchego cheese. Entree standouts include a whole baby red snapper stuffed with a cactus-tomato salad, pan-fried black bass offset by plantains and black-bean puree, and baked shrimp in a spicy tomato-and-bell pepper broth. There's plenty to choose from for dessert, but it was the cajeta custard with its lid of candied bananas that proved to be my personal siren song.