Hidden away in plain sight on Deal Place is Colombo’s newest sensation, The Manhattan Fish Market. The international franchise which recently debuted in Colombo to a full house is a specialty seafood diner which draws inspiration from the Fulton Fish Market in New York and has gone on to be a premiere destination for premium seafood.
Anyone who’s been on a visit to Singapore, Thailand or specially Malaysia will already be familiar with the franchise and its cuisine but for those of us who haven’t had the chance to do that, The Manhattan Fish Market is a must try. The first thing anyone who walks through the double glass doors will notice is how relaxed things are.
None of the courteous awkwardness nor the silent heads-down attitude seems to be on offer with the very casually clad staff beaming warm smiles at any and all. It’s commonplace to find loud chatters between not only the guests but also the staff and management. In fact the staff seems to be noisier than the somewhat bewildered patrons of the establishment who seem not to know what to expect.
Everything seemed to be going so well up until the point when the menu was handed in. Now to say this was a comprehensive menu is an understatement, this was the mother of all confusions. Sure I’ve seen menus which offer more items than offered at the MFM but never have I had to stare at full colour images of the said items while trying to navigate through a tricky menu which seems to have so many must-try dishes. If not for the very friendly (and patient) restaurant manager, ever ready to take anyone through the menu, most of us will spend an eternity trying to figure out what to order.
At MFM the food is prepared in one of five ways and the preparations in addition to the trans-fat free oil are health conscious. The choices vary greatly throughout the menu, which seems to bring the ocean to life. From scallops, mussels, dory to tiger prawns and lobster, MFM has it all.
Manhattan Flaming Seafood Platter (Rs.3000/- for 2 persons) This dish is considered somewhat a signature dish although they insist that the fish and chips is what really defines MFM.
The mix is a diverse one with calamari, prawns, dory and oyster served with french-fries and garlic herb rice. The initial surprise comes in the form of the on-spot flaming which is the preparation method for the prawns, followed shortly by the dory.
Dory fish is something that is rarely if ever found around this part of town and to put it simply the dory is nothing like any fish you’ve ever tasted. The texture and succulence of the fish exceeds expectations even when I was told that the fish melts in your mouth.
The prawns are next on the impression list, with a sweet texture that is unheard of for prawns. These tiger prawns are also quite soft and have an unusually sweet taste which is quite unbecoming in a country where prawns are prepared either chillie marinated or batter fried.
Oysters are a delicacy whatever form it’s served in and this was no exception with the thin batter that really compliments it all. The calamari in relation was the least impressive but that’s not to say there was anything lacking, only that it didn’t quite match up to the zest of the rest of the dish. The garlic herb rice, another MFM specialty is a whole new taste for rice even for us, who consume rice on a daily basis.
In addition to the dish itself, the sauces that are served are also unique and have their own texture to go with the flow of things. Personal recommendation is the tartar which is simply divine and creamy to an extent that is not heard of.
Quality is of critical importance to the MFM ethos as it appears to be with the staff regularly being told how to improve their service to the customer by the management and a claimed one-day freshness guarantee. All the food items at MFM are made on the day including the sauces and thrown away at the end of the day.
In addition to its rather eclectic mix of seafood preparations, MFM also offers a range of beverages and desserts including the famed mud pie which is commented on as a must try. Prices are very reasonable to the value of the meals and with a wide price range on offer, there’s something for everyone. In all honesty MFM is a unique addition to what is available to Colombo and is simply a must visit venue for any foodie.
By Raj Lewis
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0 Comments
asanka says:
Aug 01, 2013 at 12:00 amit's nice plece to enjoy come and see......... you will have casual westran seafood dinning expariance....for ever...