Two Top: Fathom Seafood House

Andrea and I stopped by Fishtown’s newest eatery, Fathom Seafood House, over the weekend to try their self-proclaimed “damn good seafood,” and I’m sooooooo glad we did.

See all the photos and read Andrea’s review, CLICK—>

First things first, Fathom is a very good looking restaurant. Their logo is exciting, bar is attractive, menu is simple and modern. The one thing we couldn’t get past were the tables, oh the tables! Chunky, marble tables are squeezed into an already tight walkway. To be fair, the staff was more than accommodating when we turned our two top into a five top as stragglers made their way in. In fact, it was some of the best service I’ve had in a long time. Our server managed the delicate balance of attentive without being intrusive, occasionally including himself in our conversation to get us another beer and add a welcomed quip.

As we worked over the well-priced beer list, an order of Fathom Fries made its way to the table. The namesake shellfish-poutine, covered with crab, spiced gravy, and cheese curd, caused debate at the table. Was the crab too sweet? (Popular opinion) Was the crab so fresh that it held its own amongst it’s savory companions? (My obviously correct opinion.) In any case, the fries disappeared quickly.

Conrad, being the little kid he is, ordered a grilled cheese. Turns out, this is one grown up grilled cheese, with slices of sourdough filled with melty fontina and lobster. The portion might have been a bit small, but the lobster to cheese ratio was not. All in all it made for a very sophisticated comfort food; all the crunchy, buttery goodness you’d expect, dressed up with melt in your mouth lobster.

I, myself, haven’t met a pierogie I didn’t like, so I couldn’t pass up their cod pierogies. These were no exception to my rule, cooked in brown butter and smothered in thick hunks of bacon and caramelized onion. The texture of the filling was perfectly smooth and creamy, and the subtle flavor of cod was never overwhelmed.

The hands down table favorite was found on the easily overlooked “Sides” menu. Cauliflower tempura with chile mayo was the only veggie consumed that evening and it was a crowd pleaser. I think we can all learn a valuable lesson from this: sides can be appetizers, appetizers can be meals, and when a restaurant is as good as Fathom, you might want to order a second helping of cauliflower tempura for dessert.