Lure Fish House Ventura

Lure Fish House in Ventura is one of those places that make me want to live in Ventura. They have 5 other locations, but I have only been to their Ventura restaurant, so for now, this is the fish house I would chose to make my home away from home by the sea :)

Their Bloody Mary is superbly spicy and served with a gigantic succulent shrimp! 

Their crab cakes for $24 were enough to make it a meal for 1 or appetizers for 3, with plenty of crab meat and flavor, not requiring the remoulade side.

I loved having the option of adding anchovies to the Caesar salad for a total of $13.50, but I found the dressing a bit light on the garlic, heavy on the cheese, and anchovies were only placed on top not incorporated into the dressing.

The crispy calamari for $16 was lightly battered with slices of fried jalapeno peppers and 2 sauces (I preferred the marinara).

The Baja chopped salad for $15 was enough for a meal, especially if you added a protein. As a salad it was enough to share with at least 1 if not 2 other people.

Their wild caught sand dabs for $26 were marvelously done with lemon butter caper sauce and very generously served with 3 pieces that all had crispy edges and tender flesh. The organic green vegetable side upgrade for $2 was worth it, and the pineapple slaw is good for those wanting a sweet treat with your meal.

The white wild caught Pacific Sea Bass for $32 was deftly cooked just to the point of perfect flakiness and the organic greens upgrade on this plate had more greens than broccoli, which was appreciated. The roasted butternut squash was the perfect sweet dessert.

First Taste of Tangaroa

Tangaroa is an ocean god in Polynesian and Maori mythology, so the name of this fish market and restaurant is a well chosen one if you revere fresh fish and seafood.

I stopped by for lunch and found their service, space, and food all impeccable. I have never been to New Zealand, but I know several kiwis. I appreciate their very honest, clean, and sustainable ethos, which also comes through in the bounty from the sea; there is a reason that New Zealand Red Snapper is one of the preferred fish for sushi and good restaurants. 

The beet salad for $19 could have been a meal for a vegetarian, and it is ample enough to share if you want to split it an an entrée.

Their calamari for $17 was tender and flour battered. I would have preferred a different crunchier batter, but it included tentacles (my favorite) and was done with a light hand.

Crab cakes for $19 served with salad could have been a small meal with two good sized cakes. There was a bit of heat from the mustard in the crab mix, but the crab meat still shone through.

Grilled octopus salad for $29 was my favorite dish (so far). Perfectly cooked octopus was tender on the inside and crisp on the outside, served with a generous panzanella salad, this was a hearty plate!

Red snapper filet for $31 with carrot purée and sautéed squash featured perfectly crisp skin and tender red snapper, served with a medley of sautéed squash. If you order this dish as a solo eater, I would bet you will leave with delicious leftovers!

I can't wait to come back for their lobster special on Wednesday and a happy hour oyster fest!

Salt Creek Grille-El Segundo

There are several Salt Creek Grille locations, but the one I frequent is in El Segundo, at the end of a small shopping center on PCH. It's a perfect stop with easy parking, calm outdoor patio with artificial grass, and a pond full of happy fat koi. They offer several meat options even though I only ordered the fish dishes.

The House salad for $8 could be a small light meal in and of itself with blue cheese, walnuts, apple, and greens that provide a contrast of textures and flavors.

The ahi tuna stack for $19 is a very generous serving of ahi, but I found it difficult to eat with the provided chopsticks since the slices of both ahi and avocado were so thick. 

I was glad to find the grilled shrimp skewer had a nice char and the shrimp weren't overcooked, so if you want something light this fits the bill.

The fried calamari appetizer was crisp and fragrant with rosemary, needing only the juice of the grilled lemon. I was disappointed by the lack of tentacles (my favorite part) but I understand they cater to the prevailing American preferences.

The Chilean Sea Bass priced at the market price of $42 was deftly cooked and served with a very buttery side of mashed potatoes, broccoli and carrots.

The stuffed king salmon at $32, served with the same sides as the sea bass, was a very generous serving, easily enough to share if your appetite is as small as mine!

Salt Creek Grille can be your reward after a long day of shopping, conveniently located in the same shopping center :)

Lure Fish

After finding out that I needed to drive my car more to pass my smog inspection, I looked at my Instagram feed to see what places I wanted to try that were more than 30 miles away...Lure Fish Bar has several locations, and Ventura was far enough away but also not so far that my hips and knees would scream from the road trip. Since I had no idea when I would actually arrive, I waited until I was parked in front of the restaurant before calling in the curbside pick up order. They were very nice when I said I was already parked, but I think they forgot about me once the order was done because I saw several tables get served after I was parked and when I called back, they immediately brought the food out to me. Everything was still warm, but it had definitely been sitting there for awhile.

The miso maple bass skewers for $15 were so sweet that they did not need any  extra sauce. I had to take bites of the grapefruit and arugula in between bites of fish to cut the sweetness. The fish was not overcooked and fresh, so as long as you like your fish sweet, you would enjoy this appetizer.

The calamari for $14 would have been fabulous if it had been hot. A very generous portion, with fried peppers, and a nice roasted tomato sauce. Well seasoned, with lots of tentacles (my favorite), I would definitely order this if dining in the restaurant.

The spicy avocado wild shrimp salad for $15 with added grilled wild gulf shrimp for $6 traveled well all the way back to Los Angeles. With romaine, quinoa, red cabbage, grilled corn, tomatoes, queso fresco and a cilantro vinaigrette, this hearty salad would be a great choice for take away any day.

The Seafood Louie for $18 with added grilled wild gulf shrimp for $6 more, was my favorite, with Dungeness crab, pacific white shrimp, avocado, asparagus, 7 minute egg, and tomato, this salad hit all the right notes, textures, and flavors. There was so much seafood that I added more lettuce to make it more of a salad instead of a seafood plate!

Definitely a nice drive out of town and a good stop on the way to Santa Barbara or points further north if you are in the mood for some fresh seafood.

Fish For Days

Finding places that serve fresh properly prepared fish is like catching a prize; the light touch required to preserve the best flavors and textures must match with seasonings that compliment without overpowering the freshness of the fish. Thankfully there are a few places around Los Angeles that do a good job. 

Today's post focuses on three, Sonny's Bistro in San Pedro, Coni Seafood in Mar Vista, and Smitty's Fish in Culver City. 

Sonny's Bistro offers an incredible crunchy ahi salad for lunch for $14 using organic greens and topped with a generous serving of seared Ahi. 

One of my favorite fish is sand dabs, and they have them on their dinner menu for $24 with vegetables done in the old school style of capers and butter sauce.

Old school fish place Smitty's Fish and Chicken fries everything. All you have to do is choose what fish you prefer and if you want french fries, greens, and if you want to use one of the bottles of hot sauce on your meal. I chose the red snapper which came with tartar sauce (which I did not use), and

my friend got the mix of fried shrimp and fish, also served with tartar sauce and some more greens. Thankfully they did not overcook with the fry, but I found everything under seasoned. You get a good meal for under $20 in a fast food clean brightly lit atmosphere and brusque service if you can eat in, but if you live close by, I would recommend you take it home to enjoy in a more relaxed setting, perhaps with a nice glass of wine.

I've driven by Coni Seafood more times than I can count, but I'd never stopped by for their food until recently. Their service is fantastic, and their portions are so copious, I suggest you bring friends or be prepared to take some food home. Their ceviche may be ordered with raw or cooked seafood, so up to you how your prefer it. Their ceviche marinero has the addition of mango to the usual cucumber, tomato and onion. The serving is easily enough for four to share as an appetizer or 2 to share as a meal, so order accordingly! 

The smoked marlin tacos can be a hearty meal for one or an appetizer for three. If you have never eaten marlin before (I had not) this is a very hearty smoked fish, like smoked trout or smoked tuna. As you can see their tortillas are grilled flour and absolutely fresh!

If you only order one thing here, order the snook. It takes 30 minutes, and usually weighs around 2 lbs, so plenty to share or take home. It is insanely delicious with just a few bones, so be careful when eating it! It's served with some very salty caramelized onions, fresh flour tortillas, and fresh cucumbers. 

It's the priciest thing on the menu at around $35, but as you can see, it is great value and flavor for the price, so don't hesitate to go for it! For those who have never eaten snook, do not try to eat the skin of the fish, just scoop out the flesh and you can make your own fabulous fish tacos with the tortillas.

It's great to have several good options for fish besides the ubiquitous farmed salmon as the only fish option on so many menus!

Ali'i Fish Co

Thanks to Yelp for the Elite invitation to try one of the poke bowls at Ali'i Fish Co in El Segundo gratis. Once I went in and tasted their poke, I went back with friends to taste some of their other choices. Their blackboard shows the extensive choices you have whether you stick to Hawaiian classics or want something a bit more Californian. If you prefer chicken to fish, they have options for that as well, and they have vegan options using tofu, so you may eat here with your non pescatarian friends. 

They will give you samples if you are undecided about which poke flavor you want, but for me the classic onion lomi was an easy choice. I added seaweed for an extra $1, and was pleased with the flavors and freshness. 

A non poke lover ordered the Huli Chicken for $11 that came with a choice of brown or white rice, as well as a salad. The char on the chicken was perfect, and it was so flavorful and moist that I stole a few bites.

For a return trip I ordered the blackened ahi salad for $15 that came with sides of soy and ponzu, but the fish was great with just a squeeze of lemon, and was such a large portion that I could have easily saved half for another meal, but I ate the whole thing :)

Whether you opt for the patio or inside, the service is friendly, the food is fresh and well prepared, and the prices are reasonable, so if you are passing by on your way to or from LAX, this is a great place to grab non airport food. They have a tiny lot that gets filled quickly, so park in the large lot across the street or on the street if you are going during popular meal times; for a new spot they are already on the local radar.