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
