Nothing quite says summertime like fresh seafood, and Boston is the perfect place to be for those with high standards for their lobster (all my East Coast people, raise your hand!). Boston is filled with incredible options to get your share of the daily catch, and today we need to talk about Atlantic Fish Company. Located right in the center of the hustle and bustle of the Back Bay/Copley Square neighborhood, you can grab a seat at Atlantic Fish Co. and crack open a lobster tail while doing some prime people-watching. If crowds aren’t your thing, you can take a seat inside and enjoy the charming nautical décor and soak in the Titanic vibe, minus the whole sinking ship part. Either way you are in for a delicious meal…
Seafood is a pretty safe bet for gluten-free dining. At Atlantic Fish Co., they make it simple and safe to be hungry while gluten-free. Our waiter pointed out the raw bar menu, which included 99.9% GF options. For those of you who prefer your food cooked, not to worry! Our waiter went through each section of the menu and broke down exactly what things were GF and suggested substitutions for items that were not. Everything sounded so good so I put my faith in our waiter and let him select a GF feast fit for a queen (that’s me!), because YOLO… people are still saying that right?
You know how restaurants bring you the delicious basket of fresh bread and warm butter to tide you over while your food is being prepared? Well, they do that at Atlantic Fish Co., too but when you tell your waiter NOBREAD, they hook it up for you with a vegetable crudité platter. Nice touch! It’s the small things like this that make dining out with food restrictions enjoyable. Gluten-free brownie points!
After snacking on some veggies, the seafood party started with the Lobster Crab Louie. Think of an avocado and lobster tower topped with fresh tomato. I wouldn’t mind moving into this tower as long as the giant pieces of lobster were there to keep me warm every night! They really did not skimp on the lobster meat, it was so hearty and fresh. Atlantic Fish Co. makes this appetizer extra special by serving it with a circle of endive leaves for you to use as a little shovel to scoop up all of the ingredients. They added a beautiful aesthetic to the plate and have the look and texture of flower petals, which made it feel like the fanciest spoon I have ever used without a doubt!
If Atlantic Fish Co. had to brag about just one thing, it could easily be the size of their scallops! Our waiter put them down on the table and I was in disbelief at how huge they were. They tasted as good as they were big. The scallops are from George’s Bank, just off the coast of Massachusetts and Cape Cod. They sauté them in butter, salt and pepper so you can still taste the flavors of the Atlantic. You could easily make a meal out of these alone, but it was too hard to stop there so I was on to the next one!
The best way to describe the tuna tartare is a deconstructed sushi platter, which made me happy because all of my favorite sushi ingredients were included. Perhaps the most unique element to this dish was the avocado aioli sauce with jalapeño, which gave it a nice kick. Personally, I am a fan of some heat in my food but I definitely suggest having water on standby. The giant pieces of tuna were no surprise, just living up to the Atlantic Fish Co. standard. Let’s also not forget the best part of sushi – the ginger. YUM! On the menu, this dish is served with wonton crisps, but it easily becomes GF by leaving them off. Simple fix for the win.
By this point, I had to loosen a notch in my belt but I happily did so to make room for the San Francisco Cioppino. It was as if the chef went fishing, came back and made this dish just for me. That is a pretty impressive level of freshness! The giant lobster tail on top made for a great obligatory Instagram pic, just make sure you hashtag “lobstah” if you want the full New England vibe (R’s are optional in most cases here, except where they don’t belong). Cioppino is a bowl filled with all of the best seafood staples: scallops, clams, mussels, shrimp, lobster, and a chef’s choice of fish. The broth was rich and flavorful so I was happy to use the clams and mussels to scoop it all up and enjoy it with each bite. If this broth was sold as a soup, I’d order it.
Just when I thought I was done eating, out came the gluten-free chocolate marquise with peppermint ice cream. Oh boy – it was love at first bite. The chocolate marquise was everything you dream of when you think of your favorite moist and rich chocolatey dessert. I have to admit, I probably would not order peppermint ice cream if I saw it on a menu (shoutout to cookie dough) but this pairing was simply perfect. There were bits of peppermint candies in the ice cream which leaves you with this wonderful crunch while still enjoying the sweet creaminess melting in your mouth. I have been craving this dessert since I finished eating it.
If you are looking for some of the freshest, most impressive seafood in town, check out Atlantic Fish Company. Just remember to save room for dessert!