1. Rich flavor of grilled mackerel
Priscilla Casey - a private chef and caterer recommends customers order grilled mackerel when dining at a seafood restaurant.
“Because it is an oily fish, when properly marinated, mackerel can become a delicacy,” says Casey.
Priscilla suggests serving the mackerel with side dishes like potatoes, celery and a slice of lemon to cut the richness and enhance the aroma of the fish.
2. Pan-fried sea bass that melts in your mouth
Any guest will likely be pleased with the perfect blend of golden brown skin and rich flavor of pan-seared sea bass.
“I love pan-fried sea bass because the contrast between the crispy skin and the succulent meat makes the dish more unique and lingering on the taste buds,” says Casey.
Casey says sea bass is naturally bland, so marinating or adding a sauce is essential. To spice up the meal, add a squeeze of lemon, vinegar or garlic oil.
3. Don't underestimate flounder
“Hallounder is one of my favorite dishes to order at any reputable restaurant,” said Matt Ginn, a former contestant on the cooking competition show “Chopped” and now a head chef. “Every time I order, I get excited when I see halibut on their seafood menu.”
Because of its light and delicate flavor, flounder is a perfect dish for guests who are not used to strong fish flavors and want to experience a refined meal.
4. Choose local seafood to ensure freshness
Whenever in doubt, ask your server which menu item is a fresh, locally sourced specialty.
Ginn recommends that foodies try some of the seafood that is popular in the area. “Always order freshly caught fish from a nearby area, which increases the chances that the food will be fresh,” Ginn says.
5. Pay attention to the plates of the diners around you
One way to know which dishes are most popular and unique at a restaurant is to look at the dishes of the surrounding customers.
“Once you see a dish being served plate after plate from the kitchen, it's definitely worth trying,” Ginn shares.
Some unpopular dishes may be because they include ingredients that are not regularly stocked, and that could mean that the specialty fish you ordered is actually a piece of fish that has been in the freezer for a while.
6. Cod is a delicious premium choice
William Euch, head chef and owner of Matsu restaurant in California, encourages diners to choose cod if they want to satisfy their appetite.
“Cod is always a safe bet because it's a firm, salty fish that's great topped with miso sauce, which is often found in Japanese restaurants,” says Eick.
6. Spotted shrimp can be a bit pricey, but they're worth it.
Spotted prawns are a sweet shrimp species that resemble lobsters but are smaller and the shell of the spotted prawns becomes crispy when cooked properly and served with the prawn roe.
Additionally, Eick shares that if a restaurant's menu has spotted shrimp, it could be a sign that the chef is using high-quality food.
7. Skip the restaurant's “specials”
“For many mainstream bars, pubs and restaurants, offering customers a taste of the bar's special is often a ploy to sell fish long before it's past its best before date,” says Cameron.
Sous chef Devan Cameron says he often skips the 'specials' when dining out because they're often not the freshest items on the menu.
5 star restaurants are not usually involved in such sales practices, however if you want to be more clear about the origin of the fish, the best way is to ask the waiter if the ingredients used for the dish are fresh or not.
8. Flounder may not be prepared properly.
Halibut is a firm white fish with a mild flavor. It may appear on seafood menus, but this saltwater fish is often overcooked and underseasoned.
Eick recommends diners opt for something a little more exotic. Alternatively, if you’re still in the mood for a light, delicate fish dish, switching to cod or sea bass is not a bad choice.
9. Tilapia is a bland fish, which comes with some food safety risks.
According to statistics from the American Association of Food and Agriculture, China is one of the largest suppliers of tilapia in the world.
“Tilapia is a popular dish often found on seafood menus, but it is bland and often raised on fish farms without any standards,” says Cameron.
According to The Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch, tilapia is on the list of fish that consumers should be wary of buying, especially those raised in China, due to some evidence that these farms use unregulated pesticides.
10. It is very possible that the seafood cream noodles used poor quality fish.
Cream sauces are often mixed with pasta to make the dish richer and more aromatic, and this may be intentional in some cases.
“Restaurants often tend to use thick sauces to hide poor quality food or leftover seafood,” Casey shares.
Casey encourages customers to ask about the preparation process for any dish that features thick sauces to avoid the risk of paying for a dish that isn't worth it.
11. Fried squid with breading... no taste at all
Squid feed on crabs, plankton, and smaller marine creatures such as shrimp and orange bream. Because squid have such a varied palate, their meat has such a rich and distinctive flavor.
"However, when fried, the flavor on the squid's outer shell will be lost. In addition, most of the squid used in restaurants is frozen instead of fresh," Casey shared.
So instead of ordering bland breaded fried squid, you can switch to some more flavorful squid dishes like fresh squid coated in tempura or breadcrumbs.
