Atlantic Fish Company

Walking into Atlantic Fish Company was like walking into a grand, elegant ship with its lustrously polished wood and rounded high ceilings that look like the base of a large vessel. It was a special place for a special day. My sister took the family out for a lovely lunch for our father’s birthday. We’re so lucky… she always spoils us.

The decor couldn’t have been more fitting with the cuisine. The menu proudly boasts incredibly fresh seafood dishes; plump and juicy scallops, sweet, flavorful shrimp and delicate crab meat risotto, and daily specials like the Chilean Sea Bass. It was a polished place for polished meals.

Bread basket with mini blueberry muffins

Clam Chowder - $5

Steamed Mussels - $12

Fried Ipswich Whole-Bellied Clams - $16

For starters, we had the award winning clam chowder. I’m sure it received an award for its thick and creamy consistency full of clam flavor with a subtle spicy kick at the end. The cup of soup was flawless. For $5, this is a keeper. For $7, this is a keeper with a bread bowl. Yum. If one restaurant’s chowda was to represent Beantown, this would be it. As for the mussels, they were nicely plump and meaty. Surprisingly, the large amount of sofrito did not overwhelm the dish at all. Lastly for apps, the fried clams were good as well, but $16 for a small brown bag of clams hurts- even if it is a fine dining restaurant.

Chilean Sea Bass - $26

Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes - $27

New Bedford Giant Sea Scallops - $22

Everything was cooked to perfection. Our waiter suggested that the Chilean Sea Bass be pan seared. Good call. The sear on the filet had great color, texture and provided a wonderfully crispy contrast to the tender and moist flaky meat inside. Although it was a petite piece of fish, the plate as a whole left you feeling satisfied. On the other hand, the Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes were massive. They were generous with the amount of crab meat where the cakes practically fell apart when set on the table. Served with coleslaw and delicious corn pudding, this was a dish I would order again. I really appreciate how Atlantic Fish Company doesn’t overdo their crab cakes with bread crumbs and seasoning like most restaurants. It was au naturel seafood at its best. Another highlight of the dish was the corn pudding. It was like a pan seared sweet custard with crunchy little kernels that popped when you bit in. This was a refreshing and creative side dish aside from traditional mashed potatoes and rice pilaf. And lastly, the scallops. I did not try it, but I was told it was a bit under-seasoned but cooked just as perfect as the other dishes. All of the entrees could’ve used more salt and pepper, but the issue was minor because everyone at the table thoroughly enjoyed their meal.

As I mentioned in before, the service was friendly, inviting and most importantly, they made my dad’s birthday special. At the end of the lunch, they surprised our table with three complimentary desserts on a tray with “Happy Birthday” in chocolate syrup. There was creme brulee, key lime pie, and peppermint ice cream pie- all with a candle on top. Now that’s good service!

Thanks for the lovely lunch, Lily, and I hope you had a very happy birthday, Dad!

And thank you too, Atlantic Fish Company!
Total Meal: ~$250
Servings: 7 people

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Red Lentil: Brunch

Is it just me or has brunch in Boston been on a roll lately? I used to be jealous of New York’s lively brunch scene with bottomless Bloody Mary’s and Mimosas, but now I’m just jealous of the Bloody Mary and Mimosa part.

There is just something so uniquely satisfying about this meal, specifically on Sundays. Fridays and Saturdays speed by so quickly and leave you feeling exhausted by the time you wake up Sunday morning- the same exact time where the feeling of dread slowly starts to creep up on you because the hectic work week will begin soon. Is there no winning? You reach your ultimate high of happiness during the end of the week, but all of sudden, you realize you have to wait another whole week for the same feeling again? No. You’ve never been more wrong in your life. There IS a way to kick start your week and transition to the highs and lows of Sundays to Mondays. The answer is brunch. The answer will always be brunch.

Take the Red Lentil for example. This place has some serious brunch options on Saturdays and Sundays. Although I shy away from vegetarian and vegan restaurants, I’ve never had better hash in my life- and I didn’t even miss the corned beef! Loaded with diced potatoes, artichokes, chickpeas, caramelized onions, roasted red peppers, crunchy kernels of corn and a sprinkle of tangy goat cheese, this flavorful dish only cost me $6.50. Rarely do I ever not see the bottom of my plate, but it was extremely filling and justified as a great breakfast the next day. The best part about it was that you leave feeling full without being disgustingly sluggish.

Hash - $6.50

Although I’m sure one order of hash was enough for 1-2 people, there is nothing better than a variety of food. We also ordered a “side” of sweet potato fries (enormous) and guacamole and salsa with chips. To wash these down, I ordered the Starter Juice (carrot, apple and ginger juice) and my friend ordered an organic iced black tea.

Chips with Salsa & Guacamole - $5

Belgian Sweet Potato Fries - $4

Each and every dish was unbelievably fresh! You can almost even see it through the pictures. The sweet potato fries were served with BBQ sauce and were baked instead of fried. There were also other minute details that I really appreciated. On the other side of the menu displayed a glossary of food terms many people have a hard time recognizing; seitan, tempeh and others.

The service was great as well. Our waitress gave me the yummy juice recommendation and I have a feeling she can offer helpful guidance to indecisive diners as well. It should be noted that there is a ~15-20 minute wait for brunch during Sunday mornings though, so I would recommend avoiding peak times (noon). Even if you decide to wait it out, there is a chocolate shop nearby, coffee shops and Armenian markets you can browse through as well.

Overall, I am anticipating my next visit to the Red Lentil. As an avid lover of restaurants that carry meat, this one is definitely an exception. Who knows, maybe I’ll get the seitan next time or soy chicken? Wheat-based meat sounds slightly intriguing, doesn’t it?

You’ve genuinely altered my view of Vegetarians and Vegans, Red Lentil. You rock.
Total Meal: ~$34.00
Servings: 2-3 people

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