Page 18 - Boca Exposure - November '21

Page 18, Boca Exposure
Dining Out:

This Is One Fish You Don’t Want To Release!

By Alan Serinsky of Bocaire First Impressions: How many times does a restaurant by him in record time. The standout here was the technical
Country Club. Hungry Al’s love location have to recycle itself to become successful? For skills of the chef to lay a masterful sear on the outside of
for food started very young. Lionfish, three times is a charm. Lionfish is number two for the salmon. The crispness of the outside was balanced
Never satisfied with his Mom’s these restaurateurs, with the first located at a hotspot in San with the perfect translucent medium inside, and was
dishes, he started to cook his Diego. The restaurant décor has never looked better. Plenty then finished with shaved fennel, a slice of orange, and
way through her “Betty Crocker of booths along the inner wall, lots of high-tops for the young cauliflower. The Tahini (toasted ground-hulled seed paste)
Cookbook.” During the years and restless, and a beautiful long bar for you stool sitters. sauce helped round out the dish.
to follow he spent many hours There are a few outside tables if you prefer to hear what your Hungry Al had selected the Grilled Swordfish ($38)
working in restaurants, both as server and cook, attending company has to say, or simply glance at the distraction of for his main entrée. Here again, Lionfish scored a winner.
cooking classes and traveling the world in an effort to expand Delray sights. Delivered at the requested medium temperature with
his palette. As a professional writer, Hungry Al offers his Prime Your Taste Buds: There’s plenty of fish in the sea shiitake mushrooms, baby turnips and then elegantly
perspective on current food trends and guides you through for your starters. Here at the Lionfish they are dropping their perched in a Dashi broth (liquid created from rehydrating
your local restaurant options. lines in all the oceans of the sea. You can choose from cold dried shiitake mushrooms in water). Yum!
water lobster, rock shrimp, grilled octopus, Japanese sushi/ From The Dessert Cart: I won’t claim there is a dedicated
Lionfish Delray sashimi, and specialty rolls. pastry chef here at the Lionfish. The choices are limited and
307 E. Atlantic Ave Hungry D., originating from the New England states, seemed to be carefully selected to be plated easily without
Delray Beach, FL 33483 trapped a dish of the Lobster Carpaccio ($28). These half- the baking oven always set at 350 degrees. You have four
(561) 639-8700 dollar shaped slivers of perfectly cooked crustaceans were selections: Key Lime Pie Bombe ($15) with a basic graham
floating in a sherry ponzu broth and simply melted in your crack crust; a Churro Ice Cream Sandwich ($12); Banana
Food For Thought: I always wonder why it’s so hard mouth. The table also shared the Spicy Tuna Handroll ($23) Coconut Cream Pie ($12), and a “Proper” Ice Cream Sundae
to find a good restaurant when we live in the epic center of that gave us all the thought of returning for just the sushi side for a whopping $15. I have to confess not one of these moved
seafood. Sure, you can easily find a slab of snapper anywhere, of the menu. The tasteful tuna was wrapped in a crepe and anyone at our table … and certainly not the price.
but in most cases it’s simply grilled, blackened or baked, then embraced cucumbers and Kaiware (Daikon radish sprouts). Check Please: Now you’re probably wondering why had
netted onto your plate without any imagination or creativity. We concluded our starters with two Caesar Salads no one selected the Lionfish entree?
So, when I read rave reviews about a seafood restaurant, I’m ($14) that were good but not excellent. For Hungry Al, a First, it’s not offered all the time at the Lionfish. Secondly,
the first to raise the anchor and see if my spotters are reading good Caesar has to have anchovies and Parmesan cheese I have seen these guys close up and personal when scuba
their depth finders correctly. rather than the Manchego they offered. The only minor diving and thought they only look great in an aquarium. I
When I first heard about Lionfish, I was initially hesitant disappointment of the evening was the request and long wait would never have imagined ever eating them until I tasted one
to sail into downtown Delray. After working in this part of for the salt and pepper shakers for my salad. several years ago. They are a white flaky fish, a bit firmer than
town for over 15 years, the thought of returning always seems Straight From the Kitchen: Hungry E., a newbie to our halibut, and register in profile between a thin grouper and
redundant. Now that Delray has morphed itself into the new Hungry squad, was elated to see the Mini Maine Lobster mahi-mahi, with a buttery aftertaste. So rather than fishing
South Beach, it’s not surprising that I’m getting annoyed with Rolls ($32) on the menu. There’s something about these these out of your friend’s aquarium, go to Lionfish and give
parking, crowds, and techno music blaring from every open Northeast delicacies that have folks clawing their way to them a try. You wouldn’t be disappointed.
bar establishment. Okay … go ahead and call me old! get them. I was happily surprised to see four tiny Brioche So, in all I have to admit that the chef here at Lionfish
So, to exercise control of my patience I reluctantly buns sitting on her plate stuffed with an optimal amount of is scoring the winning fishing trophy for the Avenue. If he
succumbed to joining the early bird patrons for this one lobster pieces (especially at this price). The chef was clever continues to elevate his dishes and remains consistent in his
destination. Wow…I was amazed by how easily I found a to keep the seasoning mix to a minimum, to let the lobster preparations, he’s going to reel in
parking spot, navigated the streets without a bump or push, have its day in the bun. many accolades and be honored
and enjoyed my dinner conversation without being lost in Hungry M. went for the Fresh Catch part of the menu with the four golden hooks we
the pounding bass notes from 20 sound speakers. with a Roasted Ora King Salmon ($41) that was devoured saved for him.

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