Every so often a restaurant invite comes along that we simply are ecstatic over. When we were invited to Seafood Lover’s Market, we found ourselves counting down the days to try the restaurant we had heard so many great things about. By the time our meal ended, we could confirm that the reviews were true: the place is amazing.
To get started, we each choose a cocktail from the extensive drink menu, The Bluffview Mule and The Needleman. The Bluffview Mule had Belvedere vodka, Shinsei ginger beer, and fresh lime. A classic mule, perfected. The Needleman is made with Azunia Blanco Tequila, fresh lime juice, Lover’s Habanero Elixir, and Fresh Jalapeños. A smooth tequila cocktail with a spicy kick, which paired nicely with our appetizers.
We started off with a sampler of the crudos and ceviches. We tried the Faroe Island Salmon, Japanese Hamachi, the Ceviche of the Day, and Ahi Tuna. The Faro Island Salmon was served with a dynamite sauce, fried garlic, cilantro, and lime. The Japanese Hamachi was served with Yuzu, togarashi, hickory salt, and jalapeños. The Ahi Tuna came with Greek olives, sweet drops, and smoked almonds. The Ceviche of the Day varies. Chef Aaron Staudenmaier explained that they purchase from local fisherman and they also take the “extra” or “miscaught” fish. Rather than let the fish go to waste, they create an ever-changing ceviche of fresh, local fish. Today, it was wild white fish with just the right amount of citrus, complemented by red bell peppers, and finishes with just a minute amount of spice from the jalapeños.
As we finish up with our appetizers and cocktails, out comes a glass of 2016 Malene Rose. A delicious rose from the central coasts, it has hints of strawberry. This is paired with our next dish, Washington State Oysters.
The Washington State Oysters were served not only with traditional horseradish sauce, but with two house sauces. The Habenero Cocktail Sauce was outstanding. We were surprised by how mild the sauce was, but full of flavor. The Thai Pepper Mingnonette was also fantastic. It was sweet and peppery, a perfect topping for the oysters. Both were equally impressive and delicious.
Next out was the Mohua 2015 sauvignon blanc from New Zealand. Rich and fruity with hints of herbs, this wine was paired up with our next dish, the Marinated Beet Salad.
The Marinated Beet Salad a delectable surprise. It had both red and golden beats, walnuts, chèvre, cabbage, brussel sprouts, and topped with a crunchy potato topping and lemon ranch dressing. The flavors in this salad blend and compliment each other very well. The wine and salad paired famously, and we were both very impressed.
Poema Brut Cava from Spain was the next wine we sampled. The Cava had semi-fruity hints, but I wouldn’t label it as a sweet sparkling wine. A great pairing for another great appetizer, calamari.
The Crispy Calamari is lightly breaded with sweety drop peppers, sweet chili sauce, and a little bit of jalapeño pistachios. Fresh and crisp, they were delicious when slathered in the sweet chili sauce and eaten with a sweety drop pepper. The sweety drop peppers have a sugar-like sweetness to them as well as a little bit of sourness, a very unique pepper from Peru.
The next wine out was a Katherine Goldschmidt 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon. Rich and robust aromas of blackberry, black cherry, spice, and creamy vanilla. This smooth cab was to be paired with mussels and clams.
Thai Style Mussels and Clams were out next, with curry, ginger, tomato broth, a crispy rice cake in middle, and topped with fresh garlic flakes. The curry sauce was a wonderful surprise, a good curry taste without being too strong or spicy. The rice cake was especially good when it was soaked in the tomato broth and curry sauce.
Not only did we get the mussels and clams, we also had Ty’s Warm Terracotta Pot Bread. Injected with garlic, butter and herbs, this bread was warm and very heavy in flavor. Great for soaking up that curry and tomato broth in the clams.
Next drink out was a glass of 2014 Fall Creek Chardonnay. Crisp and simple, this unoaked Chardonnay has faint hints of citrus, lemon, and floral aromas. This wine was paired with a Maine-style lobster roll.
The Lobster Roll is tuna fish salad base with lobster, mayonnaise, and butter, served on a housemade roll. It is a Maine-style lobster roll, with giant chunks of fresh lobster. It also comes with truffle fries. This dish was very savory without feeling too heavy.
The next wine out was the Trefethen Riesling 2015, a nice, sweet, dessert wine. It is a dry, aromatic Riesling with crisp apple, citrus, and mineral flavors. A classic Napa Valley quality drink. This was paired with two different desserts.
The number one selling dessert dish, to no surprise, is their Key Lime Pie. It comes with a graham cracker crust, whipping cream on top, raspberry sauce. We both really enjoyed the pie, as it was a refreshing end to our meal.
The second dessert they brought out was the Chocolate S’more Pie. Think of fudge pie on a graham cracker crust, and then topped with seared marsh mellows and caramel. A gooey, chocoately, sweet tooth’s delight. If you love chocolate, this is sure to impress.
Overall this was an absolutely amazing meal. The staff was extremely knowledgeable, giving us vivid descriptions of not only the meals but of the cocktails and wisely chosen wine pairings. We were lucky enough that Chef Aaron was able to steal a few moments from the kitchen and personally described some of the dishes he expertly crafted. This is the kind of restaurant you take that special someone to, the kind of place where you know that the food will be breathtaking, the wines will be paired perfectly, and you’ll leave feeling like a king or queen. Check it out for your next date night out!
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