jleblanc05 wrote:Looks great, thanks for the beautiful pics. We're heading there today!

Does anyone know how/why they ended up calling themselves Boston Fish Market? When I first saw this, I was really excited. My husband is a transplanted Bostonian and on our yearly family visit I gorge myself on steamers and fried clams. I was seriously hoping for a New England Seafood Company sprouting up in the burbs!

I asked about that this morning while placing my order for the LTH North Lunch Group. Louie arrived in the US and lived/cooked in various cities along the east coast. The last city he lived/worked in before heading to Des Plaines - Boston.

Now you know.

Thanks to Dave148 (fixed - got the wrong Dave first time) for organizing, Cathy2 for the table settings, and all the crew from the LTH North Lunch Group. While a little breezy at Lake Park, we got quite a spread, for less than I've ever shelled out for an LTH event.

lth north lunch from Boston fish market

Bottom to top, left to right
Crab Salad, Potato Salad
(limp) Fries, Great Lakes Platter (fried whitefish, smelt, perch and fries)
Asparagus, Grilled Platter (grilled scallops, shrimp, perch and some other fish)
Rice, Another Great Lakes Platter
Another Grilled Platter, Lemons, the last Grilled Platter
(Bagged) Tartar and Cocktail Sauces
While Grilled Snapper
Bread (great for the juices in the grilled platter)
Coleslaw, Olive Salad, Pasta Salad

JoelF wrote:Thanks to D4v3 for organizing

Ahem!

JoelF,

A little breezy? I should have worn my red ruby shoes, because they might have come in handy when we arrived in Kansas!

Mom and I had a great time trying out everything we have hoped to try at Boston Fish Market.

It was yet another terrific event, thanks Dave148!

Regards,

A last minute trip over to Boston Fish this afternoon, so no time to invite others for a feast. I ordered soft shell crabs, sauteed. They offer a dinner version, but for about $12 gave me a lunch portion - 2 really meaty crabs sauteed (and lemon, spinach, a little garlic), rice and asparagus and of course toasted sesame seed bread. Really a bargain in my opinion.

The crabs were beautifully sauteed and very flavorful, yet way too salty. But to make up for the over-salting, I simply made sure to eat it with the slightly under-salted asparagus and rice (which benefited from the crab pan sauce). Still a little salty, but really delicious. I just can't get enough of this place - might eat there every day if I could.



Sauteed soft shell crabs

Salty is probably due to using salted butter and/or also salting during cooking/prep.
Soft shells require no additional salt for my taste and I use unsalted butter.-Dick

Saw a big pile of greens pass by, asked if they were horta/dandelion greens.

"Yes, want some?"

Yes, yes please!

Horta/dandelion greens

Boston Fish Market 7.1.13

SueF is going to be away for the long weekend, and doesn't eat fish, so this seemed like a great opportunity to get some fish for my Bachelor Chow Honors Class series.

So I'm heading south, trying to decide what to do for lunch and fish:
a) Assi plaza: not the most eye-pleasing environment to buy fish, but cheap. Lunch opportunities are large, including those on-site, Pita Inn, Los Comales and others.
b) Stop at Rand Red Hots on the way to (a) or (c) -- those fries and good old-fashioned tamales were calling, but
c) Boston Fish Market

And, as previously, the fried perch called my name. Sweet little fish, delightfully crisp breading. Out of the park, as usual. If anything, less greasy than previous (not that there's anything wrong with that). I asked for the fries extra-crisp, and they did not disappoint, being texturally as good as those from RRH, although perhaps less flavorful... and I noticed around the shop that all the fries look crisper than I'd seen them before; perhaps they've solved the fry-cooking issues they started with. I just don't have the appetite to add the various salads etc. that others visiting here have had, although I notice that the menu now lets you substitute sides for $2.95.

I ended up with a bag of wild gulf shrimp for $9.99/lb -- more than I would have paid for similar-size crustaceans at Assi, but not by much. I nearly got some smoked trout, but I'll leave that for another trip.
Now to figure out how to cook them: tikka? steamed with Thai seasonings? Sichuan hot pot? N'awlins barbecue? Something with eggplant adapted from "Jerusalem?" Stay tuned.

JoelF wrote:I nearly got some smoked trout...

I've been getting the smoked trout & making a smoked fish dip for a number of summer parties we've been to, dip always gets polished off.

For the first time a couple nights ago, I tried some of Boston Fish Market's octopus. I marinated it then grilled it at home, then cut up & put over a arugula salad, octopus was so delicious & tender, I see this meal becoming a regular summer fixture for us. I had asked Louie if he tenderizes the octopus, he said yes they put it through a machine to do so. He was busy so I didn't have time to ask him what the machine actually does.

Bumped into Gary & friend while doing my shopping!

Had the day off and had to run an errand in Des Plaines so I stopped in for lunch.

Wow.

Had the char grilled Fishermans' platter; grouper, perch, shrimp, scallops with "steamed vegetables and rice". A word on the veg. This is no mere peas n' carrots on Minute rice. We're talking incredible roasted then sauteed zucchini, potatoes, peppers, onion, fennel, cauliflower, and tomato next to a mix of wild and regular rice. Anywhere else this would have stole the show but my GOD the fish.

This might be the best fish I've ever had in Chicago. Perfectly cooked, with actual char grilling which adds that little bitter taste that makes the sweet fish pop even more. All that for under $20 is literally a steal, it would cost me more to buy the fish and ingredients and make it at home.

Already planning my next trip back.

BR wrote:A last minute trip over to Boston Fish this afternoon, so no time to invite others for a feast. I ordered soft shell crabs, sauteed.

beautiful pic. I've been getting the smaller 'hotel' size soft shell crabs & making soft shell crab sandwiches at home. Per budrichard's comment, no need to add salt.

The Jumbo's for $5 a piece are insanely big. Hotel size have been $3.50 per.

Just testing out the new picture posting function...

Fifille and I are going for lunch. I am torn over what to order, thinking octopus and grouper with horta. Literally cannot wait for noon to get here!

Had lunch here Saturday around noon, no problem getting a table. Had a small greek salad, that was enormous, could have used a little bit more acid for my taste, chowder (not a good rendition, too buttery, and just not enough clams). The fried clams to me were fried nicely, but in reading this thread everyone says they had a funky taste which describes it well to me. The problem was I couldn't tell if it was the clams or the oil. I wasn't a fan and the half pound order was at least a pound.. Secondly, we had the fish and chips, this was also kind of strange. The fish pieces were just too ginormous to fry in my opinion. The breading was falling off, and could it be that the fish was so fresh there was absolutely no flavor? Again, the half pound was almost two pounds... The tartar sauce as mentioned in this thread overpowering in onion flavor.
My other quibble was the Cholula instead of Louisiana hot sauce. C'mon, you serve po boys...

The absolute star of the show for us were the dozen raw oysters. Absolutely pristine in every way. We should have skipped the chowder and had more of these for sure!

I am definitely going to give this place another try, but I think the grilled items seem to be the way to go.

True story - I had to pick up my dad at ORD last night. Timed my commute to give myself enough time to swing by BFM for dinner before picking him up.

Good news/bad news - there was a bit of a line waiting to order. That wasn't what I was expecting at 5pm. Salmon kabobs were on the specials board. Right up my alley. Two huge freaking kabobs with grilled veggies and rice delivered by Louie. As expected - they were outstanding.

About 3/4 of the way through my dinner - my dad called from baggage claim looking for me. I told him I was stuck in traffic and he'd have to wait a bit. I have my priorities.

BR wrote:A last minute trip over to Boston Fish this afternoon, so no time to invite others for a feast. I ordered soft shell crabs, sauteed. They offer a dinner version, but for about $12 gave me a lunch portion - 2 really meaty crabs sauteed (and lemon, spinach, a little garlic), rice and asparagus and of course toasted sesame seed bread. Really a bargain in my opinion.

The crabs were beautifully sauteed and very flavorful, yet way too salty. But to make up for the over-salting, I simply made sure to eat it with the slightly under-salted asparagus and rice (which benefited from the crab pan sauce). Still a little salty, but really delicious. I just can't get enough of this place - might eat there every day if I could.

I had the soft shell crab sandwich on Friday. The crabs were large, served on a pretzel bun with tomatoes, lettuce, and onions. I would like to say that I enjoyed the experience. However, the crabs were so salty that it was hard to eat the sandwich. Also, I wish that they had been willing to sub the french fries for rice without a $2.75 substitution fee.

Your meal sounded better than mine.

Boston Fish Market continues to do what they do, but now, in answer to what I am sure have been hundreds of inquiries, they are staying open until 7:00 every night (except Sunday, when they are still closed). It's now possible to run over for an early after work dinner, or stop on the way home to pick up some fish for the grill. This is great news!

Fantastic news!!

Epic lunch this week at Boston Fish Market included a "half-pound" crispy fish and chips which was two pounds if it was an ounce, and a small Greek salad the size and mass of a Doric column pedestal. The lemon-drenched fries were winners, and I might have them do me a Cross-Rhodes next time over salad. I took the haul to the same windswept pavilion pictured above, and shared with a family who returned some chicken en mojo criollo they were grilling. The hearts of palm, beets, and artichokes in the salad added layers beyond color, but were secondary to the beautifully mild, ultra-fresh feta and good olives. There was enough food for about six in the $16 order. Makes me wonder if these guys catered this thing.

My last experience was OK but not great.

Today, I ordered a half pound catfish dinner. I asked for it broiled, not fried.

I received a half-pound catfish filet, Greek rice, and grilled vegetables. teh meal was quite excellent and worth the 40 minute drive.

I wish that they had recommended a beverage as I completely forgot one.

I took advantage of Boston Fish Market's extended hours to have dinner there Saturday night. I noticed a new special on the whiteboard (new to me, anyway), zuppa di pesci. It was described as a medley of shrimp, mussels, clams and calamari in a white wine broth. For $22.95, the price seemed a little high for Boston Fish Market, but I've already tried basically everything else on the menu, so I decided to give it a go.

Based on the name, I was expecting a bowl of soup. What I got instead:



Oh my. Easily one of the best sea food dinners I have ever had in the Midwest. In addition to the items listed above, this came with some sort of white fish (maybe grouper?). The broth was absolutely delicious, and was perfect for dipping the toasted bread that Boston serves. The mussels, clam and shrimp were all spot on. If I had one minor quibble, the squid was just slightly overcooked, resulting in a more rubbery texture than I would have liked. But that is picking around the edges - from top to bottom, this meal was spectacular.

If it isn't obvious from the picture, the portion was huge. I definitely could have split this with two other people. The price that seemed a tad high before ordering seemed like a pittance by the time I finished. I should have known Boston Fish Market would't serve anything that wasn't a great value.

The restaurant itself was packed. There wasn't an open seat in the house the entire time we were there. Dinner hours are obviously working out well for them.

I try to hit Boston Fish Market every Saturday for lunch. Now I might have to start coming for dinner instead. I'm going to be craving that plate again soon.

Any idea if these guys would allow BYOB wine, or is it strictly soft drinks only?

I've never asked them about their specific policy, but I have seen people drinking wine at the tables, so I assume it is BYOB.

DJH wrote:I've never asked them about their specific policy, but I have seen people drinking wine at the tables, so I assume it is BYOB.

That's great that you've seen it in action, so it should be no worries. Can't wait to try BFM. I'm a big fan of NESC, so I'm looking forward to trying BFM as a comparison.

Met the bride for lunch at Boston Fish Market, spectacular grilled octopus salad. Only thing I would change, aside from better tomatoes, would be grilling the lemon half.

Grilled Octopus Salad



Brought home a couple of dozen fresh as a daisy clams, made linguini with clams for dinner.

Today I had what was definitely my favorite meal of 2014 so far -- lunch at Boston Fish Market. This place continues to be wonderful and remarkably consistent. They have superior quality fish and seafood that's deftly/minimally prepared and very reasonably priced . . .


Greek Salad
I almost always get this salad. This version for 4 did not disappoint. It's fun to see what ingredients will be in the salad. Regardless of the exact combination, it's always a great mix.



Bread
Light and toasty, drizzled with rich olive oil and aromatic herbs.



Zuppa di Pesce aka Show-Stopper
Stevez had mentioned this remarkable rendition to Jazzfood (with whom I was lunching with today), so it was at the top of our list of items to try. It wasn't exactly a soup. More so, it was a varied trove of perfectly cooked water-faring treasures that rode gently atop a pool of delicate and delectable broth that had a very light tomato element. All the fish and seafood -- shrimp, scallops, squid, mussels, clams, at least 2 kinds of fish and more -- was tender and supple, without a hint of overcooking. This gigantic platter was so large, they had to bring over a second table to hold it. I'm guessing, but don't know for certain, that smaller versions can be ordered.



Sides
A typically great assortment. The rice and cauliflower were my favorites.



Grilled Scallops
Tasty, with an absolutely beautiful sear. I loved these but had I known that the zuppa was so large, I may have waited until my next trip to order them. Still, we managed to finish them off.



Lake Perch
They do such a great job with the fried fish and seafood at BFM that it's almost impossible to not order at least one fried item when I eat there. Jazzfood was in the mood for the lake perch and it's one of my favorites, too. So, we ordered these crispy and moist filets. They were great. Even the tartar sauce, which is very remoulade-like, is noteworthy at BFM. It's very distinctive and has a nice zip.

I'm already looking forward to my next visit.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:


Lake Perch
They do such a great job with the fried fish and seafood at BFM that it's almost impossible to not order at least one fried item when I eat there. Even the tartar sauce, which is very remoulade-like, is noteworthy at BFM. It's very distinctive and has a nice zip.

Been wanting to try BFM, Pics like that of a mound of lake perch will get me in sooner vs later.

In the spirit of research and having the geographic opportunity, I've managed to hit Boston Fish Market twice in the last two weeks. Des Plaines is not in my normal traffic pattern. First time, I had the lake perch sandwich. The perch is as delicious as pictured above. I thought the fries were quite good as well. Too bad it was just me eating this lunch as there were enough fries for a party. It probably didn't help that I chowed down a piece or two of the excellent toasted bread before my food was delivered. I agree with PIGMON that the tarter sauce is delicious as well. Yesterday afternoon, I dragged Mr. X and a couple of friends over for a late lunch. We shared a Greek salad to start. I went for grilled red snapper with rice and vegetables. Mr. X had the Louisiana-style shrimp. Friend #1 had the salmon burger and Friend #2 had Chef Louis salad with real crab meat and shrimp. Everything was expertly prepared and just fantastic. The portion size is borderline ridiculous, but I won't complain when I'm enjoying my leftovers later.

I wasn't surprised at how busy it was at 3:30 on a Saturday afternoon, but the place was 2/3 full at that time on a Wednesday afternoon. These guys are clearly doing something right.

"Hallelujah," as it says in the title of this thread, is right. This place is great. Just a hearty-- and mostly healthy -- lunch at Boston Fish Market. I had the Greek salad, which was fresh as can be. Loved the anchovies on top. You can see right into the grill/kitchen area, and so I asked if my Greek salad came with anchovies (which I hoped it did), the gentleman at the grill (who might also be the owner), said, "It better... and you let me know if it doesn't." Everyone who worked there was incredibly helpful and hospitable, and the place was spotless. I also had some of the (sauteed?) dandelions, which I will confess I didn't care for (that was the only thing that was a miss in my view), and then I had a portion of my husband's Fisherman's Platter, which had scallops, grouper, perch, and shrimp in a very clean, very Mediterranean mix of what seemed like olive oil and spices. The scallops were delectable, perfectly cooked, and the grouper was absolutely delicious. I'd go back for either of those items. I didn't taste the perch, but my husband said it was great, and we didn't get to the shrimp because I'm allergic and he was stuffed. We also loved the grilled bread that they bring to the table ahead of time. The kids had the fried Atlantic cod with french fries. My husband also partook of this dish and said the batter on the cod was really nice and light but with a lot of flavor, and the fries, I'm told, were just really yummy. We left with a ton of leftovers and a promise to return.

spoke with Louis today, he has plans to expand the restaurant area as it is really needed.

He was confident that the restaurant would do well, just not as much volume as it is.