A Taste of Seafood

Fried fish served with a heaping side of soul

Why it’s nominated: DMV-like lines, tacky nautical décor, and thick wafts of burbling fryer oil—all of which are worth it for the crunch of the ultimate fried whiting sandwich. It’s local people eating local food, without pretentiousness. This is what they mean by soul food.

What they make: This is a straight-up southern style fish joint, which means anything that swims, be it catfish, porgy, or whiting, takes a bath in a fryer before it hits the wax paper. They offer steamed clams and crab legs here, too, but if you’re looking for options on the lighter side, it’s best you stick to the frou frou fare down in the East Village. This is Harlem, buddy, and in Harlem you order a white fish sandwich. That’s a fillet of white fish, breaded, fried skin-on for extra crispness, barely contained between two pieces of white bread, doused liberally with hot sauce and slathered in tartar sauce. Skip the chips and order a side of fried okra instead. Chase it with an iced tea and a hunk of red velvet cake and there will be few things better all day—maybe all week.

The scene: The dining room has all the allure of submarine cabin and any potential ambiance is commandeered by the giant fryers in the restaurant’s open kitchen, which fire like depth charges every time a basket of fillets hits the oil. The charm of A Taste of Seafood—the real character—comes from the clientele, the majority seasoned Harlem denizens with an occasional hipster trying to satisfy a whitefish jones. The customers pump loose change into a nicked-up jukebox filled with Mississippi rhythm and blues.

The take home: Ketchup doesn’t belong on a fried fish sandwich. To taste the true flavors of the fish, instead of drowning them in sugar, use a vinegar-based hot sauce like Tabasco or Louisiana brand.

59 E 125th Street
New York, NY 10035

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