801 Fish
In the shadow of the Ritz-Carlton stands a memorial befitting King Neptune himself. The folks at 801 Fish have created a lively, spacious décor in which to enjoy the catch of the day. If you change your mind and prefer something meaty, you can always walk across the street to their kindred restaurant, 801 Chophouse.
Open kitchen overlooking raw oyster bar
This week I lunched at the fish house, that opened in Clayton just three months ago. It was a brisk afternoon, so I went with the New England Clam Chowder ($12), that turned out to be flavorful, robust, and ample. My friend and I split a bowl, which our server was happy to do. I ordered the Crab Cake platter ($18), that included house fries, apple/fennel slaw, and a chunky crab cake with a garlic remoulade.
801 Fish New England Clam Chowder (half bowl)
My friend had the Lobster Roll (Market Price). The Maine lobster was served on a buttered brioche bun, with Old Bay-dusted fries, and apple/fennel Slaw. Both plates had large amounts of well-seasoned seafood without the extra filler that too often creeps into such dishes.
Maine Lobster on buttered brioche bun, Old Bay-dusted fries, and apple/fennel slaw
Crab Cake with garlic remoulade, house fries and apple and fennel slaw.
The Main Dining Room of the 210-seat restaurant at 801 Fish.
The blue tuna chandelier at 801 Fish
The atmosphere and service were top-notch and the food fresh and well-prepared. I felt like I was at a high end restaurant on Chesapeake Bay, my old stomping grounds for good seafood. My only regret was that 801 Fish didn’t have a lunch menu, which made for a rather pricey mid-day meal.
801 Fish, 172 Carondolet Plaza, Clayton. Open: Mon-Thu 11:30a-2:30p; 5p-10p; Fri. 11:30a-2:30p; 5p-11p; Sat 5p-11p. Happy Hour: Mon-Fri 4-6. Menu here.
