Seven Fish restaurant a culinary delight

Seven Fish restaurant a culinary delight - A bowl of salad on a plate - Greek salad

Defining Key West cuisine

In 2003, a little restaurant named after a simple painting of seven fish opened, tucked away on Olivia Street in Old Town. Off the beaten path, with no parking, just 40 seats and the most intimate setting, with only 900 square feet, owner Bob Pollman of Seven Fish Restaurant managed to do the impossible. He won the hearts of every food critic from locals, to tourists to the New York Times. How? By creating Key West cuisine that defines the heart of local culinary talent.

Now in its brand-new building on Truman Avenue, with 150 seats and 4,500 square feet, the restaurant has a modernized atmosphere but the same great menu. Judging by the packed house, diners have welcomed the space with open hearts.

“We wanted to achieve a calm, light, casual bistro atmosphere,” said Pollman, who worked with Debra Butler Designs on Fleming Street. Now with ample room for servers and tables, the atmosphere feels clean and intimate but still reflects the Seven Fish style.

“The menu has not changed; everything is exactly as it was at the Olivia Street restaurant. In fact our entire kitchen staff has been with us since day one,” said Pollman.

Key West loves its signature cocktails and Seven Fish offers up a brimming Mile Zero mango martini or a clever Snipes Point jalapeño margarita to jumpstart the night. Worthy of the starter course is the seafood ceviche, a seafood-laden fresh salad or the crab cake filled with fish, crab and crawfish drizzled in a delectable garlic sauce topped with roasted garlic and chives. Fresh fish is always on the menu, but the sautéed yellowtail snapper in a kicky yellow curry served over sticky rice is any local fish lover’s dream. Or go bold and different with gnocchi and fish in a rich bleu cheese sauce. While the menu is seafood heavy, there are the carnivorous classics such as meatloaf or New York strip. Finish the meal with a timeless banana flambé, served with Flamingo Crossing’s Tahitian vanilla and rum, rum, and some more rum.

Seven Fish’s menu is creative and full of variety, reflecting the essence of Keys cuisine: fresh, appetizing and excellent.

SEVEN FISH RESTAURANT

921 Truman Ave.

305 296 2777 or 7fish.com

Open 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Closed Tuesdays.

 We are going to be adding several new dishes in the near future to expand and diversify the menu.”     Bob Pullman ,of Seven Fish Restaurant.

Hays Blinckmann is an oil painter, author of the novel “In The Salt,” lover of all things German including husband, children and Bundesliga. She spends her free time developing a font for sarcasm, testing foreign wines and failing miserably at home cooking.