Have you ever had perfectly cooked, fall off the bone fish? The kind that melts in your mouth because it was cooked with an exact science? Some of you are thinking, “Don’t be bougie, Tillie. We all have.” You haven’t. Fish shouldn’t leave you parched, soaking up every bit of moisture your mouth has produced, nor should it be chewy. Too many places pride themselves on knowing nothing but seafood, yet seem to fail at their own specialty.
Current Fish & Oyster has the most delicious everything, and it was hard to choose favorites from the dishes tried. The THAI FISHERMAN’S STEW was definitely number one on my list though, as during winter I could eat soup every single day. The soup, or stew as it’s referred, reminded of a Thai bouillabaisse replacing the tomato base with a coconut lemongrass broth but filled with the similar scallops, prawns, mussels, fish, and root vegetables.
The BRANZINO wasn’t too far behind either. This whole Mediterranean Sea bass was served on a bed of sauteed greens and marcona almonds, with lemon, sea salt, and olive oil for taste. As simple as it sounds, it was basically perfection. Deboned at the table by the waiter (who was actually getting married later that evening…so cute!) the spine was removed in one immaculate piece, leaving a white, fluffy pillow of meat. [Just an aside – we were told one detector of under cooked fish is how the vertebrae comes out. If it sticks or breaks multiple times along the way, it’s most likely not done. The meat needs to separate from the bone for it to slide out easily.]
And for dessert, this scientific, gastronomic creation YUZU POSSET sounds like the name of beautiful little girl from an indigenous tribe but, in fact is rosemary gelée, olive oil powder, and burnt citrus tuile. I recommend you tasting the flavors separately, then as a trio, then mixing two flavors and noting how the different patterns form. The flavors along with textures play a game with the mind that for a first-timer, you need to pay close attention to. As you become a repeat diner, how it’s ingested is totally up to you.
Their menu contains a core selection of wine, craft beer and spirits selected by Beverage Director, Jim Santangelo. He actually goes in depth about it in the interview we posted earlier this linked here, so click for a read. I told him I prefer “tequila, sweet and strong,” and he returned with this mystical goodness CIRCA SAN JUAN. Comprised of tequila blanco, aged rum, lemongrass, lemon, lime, and egg white, it provided the flush expected from a stiff cocktail and the slight puckering of citrus to balance out the sweetness. To nail ones palate with preciseness without disturbing the flavors of the food, is pretty amazing…not to toot his horn or anything.
Current Fish & Oyster is a joint venture between two culinary parties – Trio Restaurant Group and LaSalle Restaurant Group – to bring the best fish dishes, oysters, and other innovative plates to Utah. Housed in one of the original Ford dealerships in downtown Utah off 300 South, this prime locale is part of Salt Lake City’s multi-million dollar renovation of the 300 South Corridor project, consequently creating an ambiance of mixed personalities from all over the world.