Feasting On Seafood Restaurant Dishes
Going to a seafood restaurant is always an enthusiastically anticipated outing for families and friends. Seafood by itself is already deliciously tasty and many seafood restaurant dishes will serve lobster, crab and shrimp almost plain to preserve the integrity of the main feature of their fare. It is interesting to observe how different dining places will treat seafood and invariably come up unique dishes that still somehow manage not to drown the flavors that come from the sea.
Beloved Clambakes
A few restaurants specialize in serving clambakes although usually they cook the more common version which is more appropriately referred to as clam boil. The dish starts with seaweed to keep the pot moist without diluting the taste of the sea. This dish is prepared for at least three to five persons although the best clambakes seem to be those that are prepared for a bigger number of diners. The pot will yield a cornucopia of flavors from mussels, shrimp, lobsters, crayfish and crab which are steamed in layers alternated with seaweed. On the side sausages, corn, potatoes, carrots and onions are served. The fun part in a clambake is that the entire pile of seafood is served en masse – ready for everyone to just dig in! Clambakes are not formal occasions – they are enthusiastic and unceremonious dining experiences for people who simply love to get together and have the greatest fun with seafood in their fingers.
Seafood with a Creole Twist
Dining on seafood restaurant dishes is always a mind blowing experience when the kitchen gives your crab or shrimp or crawfish a Creole twist. The thing about Creole spice is that you know it is definitely there- hot and spicy and flavorful – but it somehow does not overwhelm the flavor of the seafood. There are some Creole fine dining restaurants that serve seafood but because crab and shrimp are always a challenge to eat without soiling your hands, the most popular dining places are noisy, relaxed places where they give you a bib and put the seafood in bags or large family style bowls in front of you.
The basic spices in Creole seasoning are paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, bay leaf and oregano but each chef will add his or her special touch. Most restaurants will ask you how hot you want your seafood to be and if you ask they do serve it with the same flavor but without the heat. The seafood in Creole style restaurants usually comes with rice and corn. A real treat is when the restaurant serves gumbo – a vegetable casserole chock full of shrimp and crabmeat – or when crawfish is in the menu.
Asian Versions of Seafood Dishes
Asian presentations of seafood will vary according to region but trying all the versions possible is truly an epicurean indulgence. Thai restaurants have seafood dishes served with a fiery curry; Japanese restaurants are famous for putting it in sushi while Malaysian or Singaporean restaurants will serve it with a lovely chili paste.
There are many popular Chinese seafood restaurant dishes. One such dish is garlic fried crab which is served with a separate spicy, sweet sour sauce. Another well-loved dish is walnut shrimp which is served with a light dressing of mayonnaise and caramelized walnuts. The crunch of the walnuts and the creamy taste of the mayonnaise complement the delicate flavor of the shrimp without overpowering it.
Chowder Away
One of the best loved seafood dishes of all time is probably the chowder. This dish is so popular some restaurants have built their reputation and their financial well-being solely on their clam or seafood chowder. This is understandable because there is nothing as comforting and satisfying as warm and creamy chowder – preferably served in a generous bowl made of crusty bread.
Truly, there is nothing quite like seafood and the distinct tastes that you get from each kind. Perhaps that is why seafood places remain a favorite place to gather when you want good food, a casual ambience and the down-to-earth company of family and friends.
