San Marino Seafood Market
During my last visit Vinh suggested going out for lunch at a local seafood joint. This time, he did the research and we ended up at the San Marino Seafood Market for lunch on a calm weekday afternoon. I was a little bit skeptical about such a land-locked location for seafood but it seems like inland seafood markets that double as restaurants are the new rage. I say new because I have encountered a spate of them recently, but I'm sure this particular restaurant is not the new kid on the block.
We were quickly seated and perused the menu. Our waitress was super nice and cheery as she informed us of the specials. I decided to go with the fish tacos since it was "Taco Tuesday." These particular ones were blackened battered bass with a cabbage and guacamole. Vinh ordered the salmon grilled with rice pilaf. He also got a cup of clam chowder.
He enjoys his clam chowder in this obviously posed picture.
When our waitress heard it was our first time there, she offered up samples of their chowders. They have a red and a white. Both samples for me and a red sample for Vinh because he ordered a full cup of the white. I was surprised when they came out because I was expecting a small plastic cup full. These were substantial samples, about 1/3 of a cup. We debated which we liked better, but they both had their merits. The red was broth based, with a bit of spiciness and a lot of flavor that Vinh preferred. The white was the more traditional cream-based that I happened to like better.
My fish tacos came out laden with goodness in the form of guacamole that is made by hand onsite. They were crunchy with the smoky creaminess from the combination of the batter and the guacamole. The only problem I had was that they were so filled that it was hard to eat. By the end I was eating my second taco with a knife and fork.
Vinh's meal started out the the chowders and progressed to a side salad with their signature sesame dressing. Apparently they also hand make all of their dressings. It was a classic Asian-style dressing that went well with the greens.
I think he liked his salmon. He pretty much finished it within ten to fifteen minutes of receiving it. The fish looked like it was cooked well without being too dry. I think the benefit of eating fish at a restaurant doubling as a market is that they don't try to add too much to the fish itself. They let the flavor of the fish be the main star because they know it's the freshest it can be.
I would definitely go back again because the quality fo the fish was excellent and the service was outstanding. It's a neighborhood place that's easy to miss while driving along the expanse of Huntington Drive. The next time you're in the area I highly recommend a stop at this landlocked seafood market.
San Marino Seafood Market
2150 Huntington Drive,
San Marino, CA 91108
(626) 943-8862
We were quickly seated and perused the menu. Our waitress was super nice and cheery as she informed us of the specials. I decided to go with the fish tacos since it was "Taco Tuesday." These particular ones were blackened battered bass with a cabbage and guacamole. Vinh ordered the salmon grilled with rice pilaf. He also got a cup of clam chowder.
He enjoys his clam chowder in this obviously posed picture.When our waitress heard it was our first time there, she offered up samples of their chowders. They have a red and a white. Both samples for me and a red sample for Vinh because he ordered a full cup of the white. I was surprised when they came out because I was expecting a small plastic cup full. These were substantial samples, about 1/3 of a cup. We debated which we liked better, but they both had their merits. The red was broth based, with a bit of spiciness and a lot of flavor that Vinh preferred. The white was the more traditional cream-based that I happened to like better.
My fish tacos came out laden with goodness in the form of guacamole that is made by hand onsite. They were crunchy with the smoky creaminess from the combination of the batter and the guacamole. The only problem I had was that they were so filled that it was hard to eat. By the end I was eating my second taco with a knife and fork.
Vinh's meal started out the the chowders and progressed to a side salad with their signature sesame dressing. Apparently they also hand make all of their dressings. It was a classic Asian-style dressing that went well with the greens.
I think he liked his salmon. He pretty much finished it within ten to fifteen minutes of receiving it. The fish looked like it was cooked well without being too dry. I think the benefit of eating fish at a restaurant doubling as a market is that they don't try to add too much to the fish itself. They let the flavor of the fish be the main star because they know it's the freshest it can be.
I would definitely go back again because the quality fo the fish was excellent and the service was outstanding. It's a neighborhood place that's easy to miss while driving along the expanse of Huntington Drive. The next time you're in the area I highly recommend a stop at this landlocked seafood market.
San Marino Seafood Market
2150 Huntington Drive,
San Marino, CA 91108
(626) 943-8862
Labels: $$$, San Marino, seafood
