City Fish Market / Boca Raton
Important: This article was last updated on February 27, 2009. Please call ahead to confirm hours, prices, dates and other information.
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7940 Glades Road, Boca Raton
561-487-1600
buckheadrestaurants.com/cfm.html
Cuisine: seafood
Cost: expensive
Hours: lunch, dinner daily (retail fish counter open 10-6 Mon.-Sat.)
Reservations: yes
Credit cards: AE, DC, D, MC, V
Bar: full service
Sound level: moderate
Outside smoking: no
For kids: high chairs, menu
Wheelchair accessible: yes
First impression: I've liked this spot since it was Pete's of Boca with its port cochere and windowed location on an artificial lake. Inside, the bustle of white-coated waiters and an open kitchen give the place the feel of a much older restaurant.
Ambience: The old Pete's decor is gone — thank goodness — and replaced with white tile, dark wood and glass that makes you feel you're on a cruise ship. With seating for close to 500, it's huge. A retail fish counter when you walk in displays fresh fish to take home or have cooked for take-out. City Fish Market is owned by Buckhead Life Restaurant Group, which also owns Chops Lobster Bar in Boca's Royal Palm Plaza.
Starters: Yellow fin tuna tartar ($12.95) was under-seasoned for our tastes, even with the accompanying wasabi creme fraiche. Crispy, Sweet & Spicy Thai Chili Calamari ($10.50) was all of those things and served at just the right temperature. Morsels of lobster tail ($42) lightly battered and then flash fried, weren't served hot enough and had an oddly chewy texture, but were much improved with drawn butter. A bowl of clam and cod chowder ($6.95) satisfied to the end.
Entree excellence: Simple fish and chips ($19.50), made with meaty beer-battered Chatham Bay cod, and served with crispy thin fries and creamy cole slaw, were a treat. They're included among the Entree Specialties, along with Jumbo lump crab cakes ($29.95), which had a bit too much filler and not enough crab. The fresh catch of the day might include as many as 16 different species. Guests choose their preparation. I had outstanding halibut ($26.95) sauteed Hong Kong-style with sherry soy, scallions, ginger, spinach and ginger rice. Alaskan red king crab legs, center cut section, ($42.95) were disappointing because their texture seemed stringy as if they'd been frozen. Look too for stone crab claws (market price), steaks ($27.50 for a 12-ounce rib eye) and lobster (market price).
Side issues: Many dishes are served with creamy whipped potatoes and thin green beans.
Sweet!: Who'd have thought that a warm fudge malted brownie sundae with vanilla bean ice cream ($7.50) could be ordinary, but it was. Granny Smith apple pie ($7.50) looked perfect, but was wasn't quite sweet enough to satisfy. Key lime pie ($7.50) was creamy, but lacked the tartness of the classic preparation.
Liquid assets: Consider a martini of the day ($10) made with house-infused season fruit.
Service: Professional and attentive. Clearly, City Fish Market looked for the best they could find.
— John Tanasychuk