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Sarasota Herald-Tribune
June 1999
Reader's Choice '99
Finalist Awarded to Madfish Grill
Category - Best New Restaurant Word
of Mouth - Madfish Grill by
Kristine Nickel
Motivation is a strange thing. Take opening second restaurants, for instance. The usual pattern is that a second restaurant immediately follows on the heels of a first success. The owners are motivated to cash in on the success of the first.
But this is certainly not the case with the Madfish Grill, the casually chic seafood house in the burgeoning Bee Ridge and Cattlemen retail corridor. The restaurant of origin is the very successful Hillview Grill, which has been a fixture in Sarasota for more than a decade. Whatever motivated the owners to take the plunge on Cattlemen Road, those living on the east side of Sarasota should be very pleased.
This second offering has the same easy style and charm of the Hillview. The décor is agreeable, a stylish take on the West Indies with high ceilings, breezy fans and wide, open shutters. The booths are comfortable. It's an ambience that encourages relaxation.
The food, too, bears pome resemblance to the Hillview.Madfish, however, has focused on those foods that sing with spices, that layer flavor and heat in intriguing fashion. Take for instance, the Mangospacho ($2.95 and $3.95), a modification of the Hillview's popular gazpacho. This version replaces the tomato with the tropical mango, a flavor that is surprisingly compatible with the cilantro, garlic and other juxtaposed spices. Yellow rice is served with the fish and seafood is another lovely dish; a delightful, fiery note intersects with the natural sweetness of the starch in an unexpectedly pleasant fashion.
Appetizers offer an array of attractive choices. Cakes are king; the Black Bean Cakes ($5.59) are old favorites and never disappoint, the black beans creating a neutral zone for the spices that engage the palate. Lump Crab Cakes ($6.25) are equally satisfying. The chunks of crab are sweet and filler is kept to a minimum. The citrus-infused sauce is a pleasant partner.
Jamaican Jerk Satay ($5.75) is hot stuff. Skewers of jerked pork and chicken display the island's ability to stimulate the senses. A wonderful plum ketchup squirted around the rim of the plate kept the dish in balance.
With a plethora of Caesar salads found in almost every restaurant, this version—Yucatan Caesar—was difficult to resist. The salad ($4.25) start with the basic romaine and then adds strips of tortilla and pepitas (crunchy Mexican pumpkin seeds), tossed in a lively cilantro-seasoned dressing. Yummy.
Madfish Grill has several signature items in addition to a cadre of fresh fish prepared to order. The Spice Island Salmon ($15.95) is quite good. The spices rubbed into the skin impart a different flavor and marry well with the meaty salmon texture. The sauce, and avocado coulis, is too heavy for the fish, however. A less interesting dish is the Herb Encrusted Snapper ($16.95). The crust keeps the fish extremely moist, but adds little to the flavor.
Flavor abounds in the Andaloo ($12.25). This stew is very Creole in character, combining shrimp, andouille sausage and chicken in a sweet wine sauce spiked with onions and peppers. Served over rice, this is a satisfying dish and enough to share.
Chicken Bequia ($11.95) is less spicy, but no less intriguing. This dish speaks of Mediterranean influence with lemon, black olives and feta cheese. Chicken breast sauteed in white wine completed the picture. If an entrée of beef beckons, there is a filet or strip available. Both are seasoned with chile paste, so be forewarned.
Desserts are excellent. One evening, the special dessert was a Blueberry Crème Brulee ($5.95). The fat blueberries literally exploded in the mouth in a creamy goodness. The Key Lime Pie ($5.95) is wonderfully tart. It's a tough choice between the two, so if you're in conflict, go with a third, the bread pudding ($5.95), a sumptuous creation laced with cream and bourbon
sauce.
There's a full bar, a small, but serviceable wine list and several interesting wines by the glass and beer.
Madfish Grill also serves lunch, a scaled -down version of the dinner menu.
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