As members of Norumbega Lodge 3-506 can tell you, Boston has many strong ties to Norway. From a focus on education and culture to a love of the sea, Boston and Norway do have a good deal in common. So perhaps it is no surprise, then, that one of Boston’s best seafood restaurants – Atlantic Fish Co. (www.atlanticfishco.com) – recently strengthened this relationship by bringing in a native son of Oslo to helm its already excellent kitchen.
Having last headed the kitchen at The Living Room, Andreas Edlbauer has also studied and served in such vaunted venues as Thomas Keller’s Per Se, Chris Flint’s 11 Madison Park and The James Beard House in New York City, and Ritz Carlton properties in Orlando and St. Louis. Though he may be many years and miles from his native Norway, the sense of creative quality shines through in every dish
With the help of his own team of trusted fishermen, Chef Edlbauer is able to bring in varieties and cuts that no other restaurants offer, including the popular swordfish shoulder which has recently returned to rave reviews. As Atlantic Fish Co. is part of the Tavistock Restaurant Collection family (which also runs Abe & Louie’s and Joe’s American Bar & Grill), they are also able to offer exclusive wines and other treats that are not available elsewhere.
Even if exclusivity is not your thing, a meal at Atlantic Fish Co. is surely a treat for all senses. From the warm woods and deep leathers that comfortably surround you from gleaming floor to arched ceiling to the sounds of Jazz and happy diners (as well as the two flatscreens over the mirror-backed bar with its wooded wine cases and glistening etched glassware) to the mouth-watering aromas emanating from the glassed-in kitchen (which also lets you look at your meal being expertly prepared as Chef Edlbauer moves adroitly from the line to the fresh bread oven and then out to greet and enjoy the company of his guests), there are pleasures everywhere. And that is even before you get to the menu!
Starting at the top, the expansive but manageable single-page menu offers whatever is freshest that day. Whatever you order from this list can be prepared in multiple ways, but will always guarantee a meal that may be no more than a few hours old and that will always be delicious! If you want to let Chef Edlbauer amaze you with his ideas, the seafood menu offers such options as crab-crusted haddock, seared sesame tuna, San Fran ciopinno and other delights, each of which is as appealing to the eye as it is to the palate. There is also a complete compliment of locally-sourced (as in a few nautical miles away) raw bar favorites that can be enjoyed by the half-dozen or in a tower of tastiness that includes lobster, crab, littlenecks, and shrimp. Among the appetizing appetizers are steamed mussels, lobster crab Louie, oysters Rockefeller, Jonah crab cake, a winning clams casino, and a firm and fabulous tuna tartare. Chowdah fans can get clam, fish or sea bass, or a lobster bisque, and veggie fans can get fresh-from-the-farm greens with milked-that-day goat cheese, grilled scallops or chilled lobster. Speaking of lobster, it is available as a feature in a variety of preparations, including as a roll, ravioli, with crabmeat stuffing and corn on the cob, or as part of a 2lb. lobster feast with all the fixin’s. There is also Atlantic Fish Co.’s famed surf and turf with a 10 oz. filet and lobster tail, scallops, or grilled shrimp. Carnivores will also enjoy the “Carpetbagger” NY strip with friend oysters and the chicken Piccata with white wine and lemon caper sauce. No matter what you order, enjoy the fresh-baked bread and be sure to order one of the many succulent sides, like the sautéed exotic mushrooms or the dessert-like corn pudding.
Speaking of dessert, the creativity runs through your entire meal, as exemplified by the long slices of Key Lime pie, the gluten-free chocolate Marquis, the healthful sour cherry cobbler, and the ridiculous peppermint ice cream pie. Be sure to splurge for chocolate and/or caramel sauce!
To wash it all down, Atlantic Fish Co. offers the aforementioned Tavistock Reserve Collection wines, as well as a book-full of other choices that range from domestic whites to European bubblies (including authentic Champagne and Proseco), Canadian ice and dessert wines, and Australian reds, many of which are served in six or nine ounce pours or by the half- or full-bottle. Speaking of bottles, there is also a respectable raft of beers in glass or in glasses, as well as hand-crafted sodas (YUM!), IBC and Coke products, and Atlantic Fish Co.’s famed flavored lemonades and teas. Among the signature cocktails are seasonal sangrias (including the Back Bay version with Stoli Razberi), the Ketel One House Martini, the anti-oxidant-packed blackberry mojito, and the coconut brownie, which combines hot chocolate with two kinds of rum.
While the Atlantic Fish Co. menu is extensive, it is very difficult to go wrong and the variety invites and encourages multiple visits. No matter when you come, however, you are sure to enjoy delicious food and encounter courteous, friendly staff (including the Chef) who do all they can to make your meal memorable.