McCormick & Schmick’s
11 Dorrance Street
Providence
by Bob Mariani
Providence’s venerable old Biltmore Hotel is undergoing yet another rejuvenation and a big part of it is the dazzling new seafood restaurant, McCormick & Schmick’s on the ground floor across from City Hall. This is the 51st opening of this national seafood chain. They’ve got locations all over the country including two in Boston and seven in California. But although it’s a large franchise, don’t expect the usual formula food here.
The physical make-over is quite handsome with dark woods and mission style stained glass lighting fixtures creating a 1920’s, upscale speakeasy atmosphere. There are even a few curtained "snugs" where a foursome can dine in cozy privacy like they do in Dublin or London.
M&M’s bills themselves as "the fresh seafood authority," and make it a point to buy as much local seafood as possible. Our ebullient wait person was eager to point out that the massive menu is printed twice a day, demonstrating that the in-take changes almost literally with the tides. On the Tuesday night we went, I counted 31 different choices for "catch-of-the-day" items. The list ranged from Ahi Tuna from the Penguin Banks of Hawaii to Louisiana blue crab, to Barnstable, MA littlenecks and Point Judith, bluefish.
I began with a tasting platter of a half dozen oysters— Blue Points, Moonstone, Permaquid, Malpeque, Tatamgouche and Wellfleet. My favorites were the Blue Points and the Wellfleets, the two plumpest and most flavorful of the group.
My companion had the Barnstable Littlenecks on the half-shell and declared them extremely fresh and refreshing.
We shared a third appetizer called the "smoked seafood Martini." Served on a bed of lettuce in a classic martini glass, this consisted of some delicately smoked mussels, strips of smoked white fish and smoked salmon. To play off the wonderful smoky flavors, there were sides of finely chopped egg, strips of pickled red onions and capers. For smoked fish lovers, this is a real delicacy.
My main dish was the Catfish from Ayden, North Carolina. The catfish, which is one of my favorite seafood textures, was dredged in a tangy bourbon crust, topped with tiny Gulf shrimp, and accented with a deliciously flavorful Achiote butter. It had a definite Cajun heat to it, but not overpowering.
My friend ordered the bluefish. We both agreed that this is perhaps one of the trickier fish dishes to pull off because it can have such a strong, oily flavor. This bluefish must have been in the waters off Point Judith that very afternoon. Simply grilled and seasoned with garlic, rosemary and lemon, the clean, pure flavor of the fish prevailed and satisfied like a great piece of NY sirloin.
Other entrée’s at McCormick & Schmick’s include Block Island Monkfish with savory Indian pudding and local root vegetables; Wasabi-crusted Albacore tuna with a soy, orange and Madeira sauce; poached halibut from Sitka, Alaska; and cashew crusted Tilapia from Ecuador.
There’s also a variety from the grill— rainbow trout with cranberry chutney; jumbo sea scallops with a sweet pea risotto and lobster sauce; and striped bass with Maryland crab butter.
In the "traditional seafood" department, you’ll find grey sole from Nahant Bay, MA, crusted with parmesan cheese; Maryland lump crab cakes; lobster and shrimp Newburg and Atlantic salmon from the Bay of Fundi in Maine, as well as Maine lobsters in as many different ways as there are to prepare them.
The desserts at M&M’s are made there. My friend had a very authentic tasting key lime pie, and I sampled the creamy bread pudding (not your traditional version); a beautifully crusted blueberry cobbler; and a classic crème brulee. I’d find it hard to recommend one over the other here. All were first rate.
They’ve also got a $1.95 menu served at the bar only, with a list of options that sound absolutely irresistible.
Prices for appetizers go from about $6 to $13. Entrée prices range more widely from $12 for fish and chips to $30 for their New England clam bake. There are soups, salads, pastas, sandwiches, meat and poultry, as well.
With valet parking right in front of the hotel, McCormick & Schmick’s promises to be another classy addition to Providence’s ever burgeoning fine dining scene. They’re open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Call 351- 4500 for reservations. For more information visit their website.
Bob Mariani is a Southeastern New England freelance author. Besides his "Table for Two" restaurant reviews found here, he also writes jazz articles on allaboutjazz.com.
