Little Fish - BYOB II in Philly

We wanted to take advantage of another well-reviewed BYOB restaurant while we were in Philly and so we  made reservations at Little Fish. The restaurant is the smaller outpost of Fish, another popular (but non-BYOB) seafood restaurant in Philadelphia.

We brought along our last bottle of the 2007 Conundrum from Caymus (that thankfully survived the trek from NYC to Philly).  This wine is a blend that usually combines sauvignon blanc, muscat canelli, chardonnay and viognier and possibly other varietals (the actual blend changes year to year, hence the name Conundrum). This was a great match, as the wine still had good acidity, ripe melon and the weight to match the rich seafood dishes. 

The Java Stout (photo, above right) is from Bell's, one of the best craft brewers in the U.S.  Knowing that we would likely order a chocolate dessert, we thought that this would go well with it.

Our table was right beside the open kitchen.  So after ordering, we just watched the action.  Ooh - that sashimi on the pretty pink salt rock looked really good...

Tomahawk Oysters (left, $2/each):  These East coast oysters were creamy and mild.

Shibumi Oysters (right, $2.50/each ):  Briny and salty, these West coast oysters tasted like the ocean.

Skate Wing with Wild Boar Ragout, Fried Egg and Broccoli Rabe ($26):  We were pleasantly surprised by the serving size of the skate. Usually you only get one wing (but we got both!); however, this along with the ragout and broccoli, was tough to finish.  The ragout was so rich but the egg yolk and slightly bitter greens were a good balance to the skate and sauce.

 

Suzuki with Leeks, Bacon, Littleneck clams, and Potato hash ($29):  The Suzuki is a Japanese bass fish with a light flaky texture and mild flavor.  It was perfectly seared (love the crispy skin!) while the fish meat was soft and tender.

 

With the fish came the most delicious medley of flavors.  Potatoes and leeks are a classic taste combination - and add in clams plus bacon, it tasted like an elegant clam chowder (without the fatty cream).

Chocolate Truffle Torte with Pistachio Ice Cream ($7):  How can you go wrong with chocolate?  As expected, the torte was rich and went seamlessly with our Java Stout beer.  We really enjoyed the pistachio ice cream - nutty and not unnaturally colored green.

Little Fish is located at 600 Catherine St. in Philadelphia, PA.