Brian Lavin, chef-owner of the coastal Mediterranean restaurant Costiera, has never had to work Christmas Eve — none of the kitchens he’s worked in were open. So his family was able to begin taking part in an old tradition: the Feast of the Seven Fishes.
The Italian American festivity involves indulging upon at least seven types of seafood on Christmas Eve. The dishes can range from great, whole branzini to mollusks waiting to be plucked from their shells.
Lavin’s family isn’t Italian, but, “We love cooking, and we love eating. I love the tradition,” he said. This year, Costiera is hosting its own Seven Fishes dinner, serving up pearls such as monkfish liver crostini and sea urchin service on three nights this month.
Baltimore possesses such a bounty of seafood that you could probably order up a glorious fish feast at most of its restaurants. In honor of the occasion, here are seven of our favorite seafood dishes that the region has to offer.
Squid: The Black Olive
Basically whenever it’s available, my father likes to order calamari as an appetizer. But when the small plate appeared at our table at The Black Olive in Fells Point, he was surprised to find, instead of crispy rings, a bulging grilled squid upon a light salad. But even he, a Midwesterner who shies away from the ocean’s squishier textures, had to acknowledge its tastiness. The calamari is stuffed with manouri and feta cheeses, then grilled to have golden marks, becoming “a supreme juxtaposition of taste and texture,” as the menu reads. But for those who are intimidated by piercing the squid tube, The Black Olive has a bevy of fish entrees ranging from local rockfish filet to whole Dover sole. 814 S. Bond St., 410-276-7141, theblackolive.com
Swordfish: Costiera
Lavin selected the perfect fish when developing a seafood meatball inspired by those in Southern Italy: fatty North Carolina swordfish with a distinctive, fish-forward flavor. The rest of the meatball recipe is fairly traditional — breadcrumbs, garlic, fennel, onion — but the dish is balanced by uber-creamy house-milled polenta and puttanesca sauce with “a nice, briny flavor to round out the whole dish,” Lavin said. Plus, toasted and ground pistachios punctuate the meatball bites with a crunch. 415 S. Central Ave., 443-438-4363, costierabaltimore.com
Flounder: NiHao
Judging by the menu at the NiHao in Canton, chef Peter Chang appears to have a favorite fish. Flounder pops up in multiple forms: as the spicy, fried bamboo fish; the numbing green peppercorn flounder; the chile-oil braised. But I was especially partial to the sweet and sour, though it initially sounded less exciting than the others. That assumption proved incorrect when the plate arrived: A golden-fried, whole flounder basked on its belly in a vibrant red pool of sauce, looking more like a mythical creature than a simple flatfish. The fleshy, fishy pieces were easy to pull away from the skeleton, and the sauce had more depth and less sugar than a typical sweet and sour. 2322 Boston St., 443-835-2036, nihaobaltimore.com
Kingfish: Palance Trinidadian Restaurant and Bar
The humble, flavorful kingfish isn’t always prized in the U.S., but at the new Palance Trinidadian Restaurant and Bar in Butchers Hill, the warm-water fish is treated with as much care as a fine steak. The 6-to-7-ounce filet is marinated in Trinidadian herbs and spices and fried lightly, enough to get the skin crispy but not overwhelm.
And like with a steak, part of the fun is the sides. Fried plantains are darkly sweet, and callaloo is comparable to stewed spinach. Dip into it the buss up shut bread — envision your favorite buttery dinner roll, but it tears into strips like paper.
With Latin and pop music playing and a host of rum drinks, the atmosphere is right to relax and chat. On the night I visited, the bar was occupied by patrons with Caribbean accents and the air of never having met a stranger. 2031 E. Fairmount Ave., 202-509-4815
Cod: Peerce’s
In the merrily decorated Peerce’s, or in the Indian restaurant’s outdoor space aglow with white Christmas lights, it’s difficult to imagine not enjoying any meal. But the black cod is good enough to stand apart from its environs. The coconut curry that covers it is both rich and acidic, the sort of flavors you can taste all the way to the back of your throat, with ample ginger to feel like you won’t get sick for a while. Other worthy fishes are the tandoori wild salmon tikka with roasted heirloom tomato and basil coulis, and the whole goa rockfish, of which my dining partner said, “It’s the kind of dish that’s just fun to eat.” 12460 Dulaney Valley Road, Phoenix, 410-252-6150, peerces.com
Mojarra: El Puerto Jarocho Mexican & Seafood Restaurant
Going in for the first bite of mojarra at El Puerto Jarocho Mexican & Seafood Restaurant in Brewers Hill, the fork made the most delightful little crisping sound as it pierced the fried flesh of the whole fish. A puff of steam vented out of the skin, smelling wonderful, and the meat flaked like a dream. I love the process of tearing into a whole fish dish, bending back bones, chewing on fins like potato chips, maybe even daring to try an eyeball. The mojarra is a tropical fish similar to tilapia, though the two are sometimes named interchangeably. This one was a huge portion with its bed of yellow rice, salad and wedges of avocado and lime. I encourage you to get every morsel. 3713 Eastern Ave., 410-303-2289, elpuertojarochomd.com
Eel: Yama Sushi Bar
I ate New Year’s Eve dinner at Yama Sushi Bar in Hoes Heights last year, and the combination of kind staff, fresh sushi and plum wine made the restaurant in a strip mall feel like the most festive place I could be. The same seems true for Feast of the Seven Fishes, with the eel sashimi dinner being a standout. At some eateries, the meat in unagi don can get lost in the eel sauce; in this iteration, you can fully taste the fatty, sweet filets, with just enough sauce to seep into the rice.
For especially jolly options this season, the Christmas Tree roll slightly resembles its namesake with green seaweed and red tuna, and the Candy Cane features a mix of pink and white seafood. 1030 W. 41st St. Ste. F1, 410-235-6888, yamasushibarmaryland.com
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