Americans are eating more and more fish–upwards of ten pounds of seafood per person per year since 1987, compared with less than seven pounds in the early 70s and five to six pounds per person the rest of the century. We also ingest another five pounds of canned fish–salmon, tuna, and sardines–every year.
Best of Chicago voting is live now. Vote for your favorites »
Modern refrigeration and shipping methods make super-fresh fish available in Chicago and other inland places, which boosts cost and consumption. But we tend to eat it in restaurants rather than at home. People are still nervous about cooking fish, according to Sheila Ewing of the trade magazine Seafood Business, since it’s easy to ruin.
Chicago has never had the abundance of fine seafood restaurants found in coastal regions, but its plethora of restaurants offers an array of choices ranging from straightforward American creations, simply grilled, broiled, or sauteed, to elaborate ethnic ones.
The best Greektown restaurants do wonders with whole snapper and sea bass–simply grilling them with healthy applications of lemon, olive oil, and a sprinkling of good oregano. You can find exemplary renditions nightly at Santorini (138 S. Halsted, 829-8880), where the market price typically runs $14 to $18 depending on size. This handsome white stucco house, modeled after those on the Aegean island after which it’s named, also introduced one of my all-time favorite dishes: grilled octopus, splashed with lemon and oil ($7.95 appetizer portion that easily serves two).
Art accompanying story in printed newspaper (not available in this archive): photo/Jim Alexander Newberry.
