Pretty Good Sailing

McCormick & Schmick's redfish (Photo By John Anderson)

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McCormick & Schmick's

The Austin outlet of the Portland, Ore.-based seafood chain McCormick & Schmick's sailed into town earlier this year, docking at street level in the swanky new Frost Bank Tower. Seafood lovers familiar with the chain's restaurants in other cities were eager to see them arrive due to a reputation for daily changing menus featuring a "fresh list" of seafood items flown in from all over the globe. Another hallmark of this successful outfit is to customize each restaurant to the particular city rather than stamping out "cookie-cutter" designs. The local eatery has a clubby feel, with plenty of dark wood paneling, soaring ceilings with pressed tin insets, a stained-glass window depicting local scenes, and truly Austintatious stained glass armadillo sconces on the dining room walls. The attractive bar provides a people-watching view of the Avenue and offers a great bargain menu (several items at $1.95 each) every day during happy hour.

An Independence Day weekend promotion of lobster dinners for $17.76 prompted our first visit to McCormick & Schmick's, and it was packed with holiday diners. The lobsters themselves were just fine, but some of the accompaniments needed work. While my companion was thoroughly delighted with the Small Sampler ($10.95) of six oysters on the half shell, describing the subtle differences with each slurp, my Coconut Fried Shrimp ($8.90) with horseradish marmalade and tropical fruit salsa was simply boring, with too many sweet flavors and no contrasts. The crab salads that were part of the lobster dinner special were a total waste, paired with some limp fruit slices and so chock-full of crab shell they were inedible. We steered clear of the blueberries and cream set to follow the lobsters and instead ordered off the regular dessert menu, rewarding ourselves with a huge, warm slice of Upside Down Apple Pie ($5.25), topped with a melting orb of Amy's cinnamon ice cream. The marvelous pie, with crisp apple slices and a crunchy walnut topping, was actually the only item of that first meal I'd have gone back for without an assignment.

Our second visit was more successful all the way around. Service was impeccable, and each item we ordered was totally satisfying. Our server suggested the Lobster and Shrimp Spring Rolls ($9.90) for starters, and each member of our party enjoyed one delicately crisp section stuffed with shellfish and fresh veggies dipped in a tasty coconut plum sauce. The fresh list that evening tempted us with everything from Hawaiian ahi tuna to Ecuadorian tilapia, Idaho rainbow trout to Boston haddock, and everything in between. We chose what turned out to be four distinct winners. The Atlantic Salmon ($20.90) stuffed with crab, bay shrimp, and brie offered firm fish cooked medium rare with an elegant, buttery filling. Massachusetts Sea Scallops ($21.80) were perfectly pan seared and placed atop a bed of toothsome sauteed spinach and creamy risotto with a tangle of dainty chile onions for flavor contrast. Black Drum ($22.70) from the Texas coast was lightly blackened with savory spices and topped with sweet lump crabmeat in a zippy chipotle butter sauce. Grilled Texas Redfish ($20.80) in a chile rub arrived lounging against a mass of excellent poblano mashed potatoes. We shared small bites around the table and found each entrée and its accompaniments well prepared, with the salmon filling and the scallop/spinach risotto combo generating the most oohs and aahs. Sated though we were, I insisted on a slice of the apple pie for the table, and it more than lived up to my memory from the first visit.

McCormick & Schmick's offers a comfortable atmosphere highlighted by attentive, knowledgeable service. Based on the success of my second visit, I'd return and encourage seafood lovers to give it a try. No matter what you order from the fresh list, be sure to save room for apple pie.