Fishmonger cuts fish to order, and even provides suggestions on seasoning and cooking methods. Whole, fresh-caught fish and shrimp for sale chill on ice next to bundles of oysters, mussels, and clams at the counter. A sourdough bagel from Evergreen bakery in Kirkwood comes topped with beet- and gin-cured salmon, pickled and fried onions, herbs, and tobiko (flying fish roe). It’s satisfying even on a warm day with a cold beer. The savory fish chowder is brimming with whole shrimp, scallops, chunks of flaky fish, and tender cubes of Yukon gold potatoes. There’s a big flavor difference between something that’s literally come out of the ocean within hours, or even a day, compared to fish that’s been frozen and shipped and been out of the water for two or three months.” The blackened grouper sandwich.įorsblom’s menu doesn’t feature fried fish, but rather delicate filets of blackened grouper topped with zesty Florida sauce, herb salad, and pickled peppers served on a buttery toasted bun smeared with nori butter. I get that,” he says of opening the seafood market. “If you’ve never eaten fresh fish before or all you’ve had is fried fish or old, pungent fish, you’re likely going to turn your nose up. Fish likely wasn’t regularly part of the weekly meal plan. Despite Atlanta boasting one of the country’s most transient populations, many residents didn’t grow up on or near the coast. With the closest beach to Atlanta over 250 miles away, it’s not unusual for people to walk in to Fishmonger claiming not to really like seafood or asking questions about how to prepare fish at home, Engelbrecht says. We had snappers we received in the afternoon that were caught that morning.” We’re getting seafood fresh out of the water. “I’ve got guys bringing me fish twice a week, driving up from Florida. “I turned to Nhan and was like, ‘let’s do a fish market in Atlanta, it would be great,’” says Engelbrecht. Donning a work apron, he frequently steps out from behind the seafood counter to greet people seated at tables or standing in line to purchase fish, shrimp, and oysters.Įngelbrecht, who hails from Florida, says the idea for Fishmonger came while he and Le were visiting his father there and touring fisheries in the state. The longtime business partners and friends arrive early in the morning to help Forsblom prep, cut, and serve the seafood arriving at Fishmonger from around the Gulf. Le and Engelbrecht are excited about this latest venture together. For now, it’s BYOB at the North Highland seafood market. It’s how Engelbrecht and Nhan Le ( 8ARM, Octopus Bar) and their chef and partner Bradford Forsblom knew they were on to something special after opening Fishmonger in Poncey-Highland at the end of April.Īs the third week in business gets underway, and the flow of service stabilizes, Engelbrecht, Le, and Forsblom are expanding hours into the evening, transforming Fishmonger into a raw bar serving oysters, shrimp cocktail, fruit de mer, and a selection of dishes from the lunch menu, including the shrimp Louie salad and steamed mussels paired with an Evergreen Butcher and Baker baguette.įishmonger will eventually serve beer and natural wine by the glass, bottle, and can when the business receives its liquor license. “We’re selling equal parts lunch menu items and fish, surpassing what we thought it was going to do when we first opened, which has felt so good,” co-owner Skip Engelbrecht says. People post photos of home-cooked fish dinners with fish purchased from the market and tables at Fishmonger crowded with plates of scallop crudo, Gulf shrimp salad sandwiches, and oysters topped with creme fraiche, beads of bright red fish roe, and kiwi. The hype surrounding Fishmonger is electric, validated by the stories piling up on the market’s Instagram feed. Close to 60 grouper sandwiches are served each day, possibly the most popular lunch item on the menu. In its first week, Fishmonger sold nearly 700 pounds of fresh fish from the cold cases.
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