Seafood Restaurant Suggestions

My husband and I recently had to meet friends at Mitchell's Fish Market. We had never been to Mitchell's before but were very impressed with the menu and the prices. We know it's a chain and would much rather support locals but we can't think of one place that would be comparable. It seems as though one would have to go a step higher to Z's or a step lower to the Fishery, Carolina Shrimp, etc.... Does anyone have any suggestions on a comparable local place?

[Robin Garr]

My husband and I recently had to meet friends at Mitchell's Fish Market. We had never been to Mitchell's before but were very impressed with the menu and the prices. We know it's a chain and would much rather support locals but we can't think of one place that would be comparable. It seems as though one would have to go a step higher to Z's or a step lower to the Fishery, Carolina Shrimp, etc.... Does anyone have any suggestions on a comparable local place?

Elizabeth, when this question comes up, I have a standard answer: So many of Louisville's excellent restaurants do so well with seafood and fish as PART of their bill of fare, it hardly seems necessary for us to have a restaurant whose entire shtick is seafood. Think of the amazing seafood and fish dishes at Seviche, Havana Rumba, L&N Wine Bar, Corbett's, Proof on Main, Varanese ... the list goes on and on. I'm hard-pressed to think of a local restaurant where you can't satisfy your fish craving in the highest of style, as long as you don't insist on a seafood-only spot.

Robin,
I agree with you 100% regarding the fine seafood dishes at the locals restaurants. We both were addicted to the Seared Ahi Tuna at L&N. However, although many places will have seafood dishes that are excellent, I was looking for a place with greater depth in their seafood selection. My husband is from the Northeast and he gets massive cravings for oysters on the half shell, clams, etc... Before we went to Mitchell's, he was resigned to the fact that we could only enjoy those things in more of an upscale setting at Z's. In any case, from your response, I guess we are out of luck as to local joints.

I've heard the saying, "eat it where it lives." Seafood served in Louisville will never be as good as that served along the coast.

I've heard the saying, "eat it where it lives." Seafood served in Louisville will never be as good as that served along the coast.

Not so sure about that. With UPS having a major hub here and Blue Fin Seafood bringing it in. It is as fresh as anywhere.

I agree. Most fish get better after "resting" for a while. The 1 or 2 day lag from the water can be good.

While Produce Lane doesn't look like Maine, the lobstah is just as fresh at Clearwater Fine Foods.

[Robin Garr]

I've heard the saying, "eat it where it lives." Seafood served in Louisville will never be as good as that served along the coast.

As others say, that really doesn't play here in the age of fast transportation. Never has, really. Louisville has been hustling seafood up on ice via rail since the 1860s when Mazzoni's was new in town.

According to the latest TV commercials we all should be eating at Captain D's .... flame away !

GG.

[Robin Garr]

According to the latest TV commercials we all should be eating at Captain D's .... flame away !

I can't speak for Captain D's, but I was surprised and pleased with the consistent high quality of Moby Dick when I was working on a fish-for-Lent story last spring, and wrote a favorable review. Never got much flak over it, either.

It's a whale of a sandwich ! Or a social disease

According to the latest TV commercials we all should be eating at Captain D's .... flame away !
GG.

Actually Captain D's isn't terrible and you can't beat it for bang for the buck! Obviously, it's not in the same class as Mitchell's or others of that caliber but it certainly holds its own when compared to Red Lobster, Moby Dick, etc.

Two dishes outside of the traditional seafood restaurant setting suddenly spring to mind: Blackstone Grille in Prospect has an excellent appetizer called Chimichurri Shrimp Scampi and a fried atlantic cod sandwich with onion rings that is equal to all our local greats.

I've heard the saying, "eat it where it lives." Seafood served in Louisville will never be as good as that served along the coast.

As others say, that really doesn't play here in the age of fast transportation. Never has, really. Louisville has been hustling seafood up on ice via rail since the 1860s when Mazzoni's was new in town.

If you're interested in eating local food, especially in terms of environmentalism, "the age of fast transportation" really doesn't do much for seafood. I agree that a number of Louisville restaurants and distributors do a great job with what they have shipped in, but the carbon emissions from UPS planes (not to mention the noise for me since I live under one of the SDF's flight paths) aren't very cool.

[Robin Garr]

If you're interested in eating local food, especially in terms of environmentalism, "the age of fast transportation" really doesn't do much for seafood. I agree that a number of Louisville restaurants and distributors do a great job with what they have shipped in, but the carbon emissions from UPS planes (not to mention the noise for me since I live under one of the SDF's flight paths) aren't very cool.

Okay, that's fair, Joel. Modern life is complicated, and it requires balancing priorities - and sometimes compromising among them.

I'm a locavore, and I also love excellent food. We now buy ALL our meats, poultry and eggs from local producers, and a good part of our produce in season. I think this pays my locavore dues; but I'm not such a fundamentalist that I won't take advantage of the fact that my town happens to have a cultural and ethnic history that has always made us willing to use whatever is the most recent technology to bring good seafood and fish inland. Having it both ways, maybe ... but I sort of like to think of it as a form of "pollution credit." I'm such a good locavore so much of the time that I can have my swimps if I want 'em.