Manhattan Fish Market (MFM) made the right move to apply for Halal certification. Although their food were mainly seafood but Muslims were apprehensive to dine there anyway.
Ever since they got their halal certification, I've been bugging my mum about dinning there but she just doesn't seem that eager. Unlike her curiousity about Botak's Favourites ever since she read about them in the Malay paper.
My bro was in a generous mood and he somehow managed to convince my mum to dine here. And since he want to buy them Crocs footwear and something for my baby, I suggest that we head to Marina Square where there are MFM, Kiddy Palace/Mothercare & Crocs; all under 1 roof.
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Came at around 4+pm and it was quite the lull period. Thankfully, the staff were attentive and accommodating.
My dad kept reminding us to order 'salad'.
There were quite a number of options for veggie dishes. They even have a promotion for this platter of boiled veggies but I guess a decent bowl of salad won't harm; although $8+ for some greens with tomato, boiled egg and croutons seemed a tad pricey.
I don't know why this one here came off as a tad sourish. Taste a lot like a diluted version from out-of-the-can. I only got clams on occasional spoonfuls.
I suddenly miss the creamier (and more tasty!) clam chowder from Long John Silver. Something must be wrong when one starts hankering for a soup from a fast food outlet while dining in a renowned seafood restaurant.
Chopped garlic, vinegar-chilli sauce & mayo. To cut through any 'fishy' essence of the seafood. But that garlic will bring forth some 'dragon-breath' instead.
The batter was pretty tasty and gives a nice crunch with every bite. Goes really well with the given mayo.
Really like that mayo, somehow. Told my bro to set it aside so that the staff won't clear it together with the empty bowl but my bro took my suggestion lightly; so it was not surprising that the little bowl disappeared when the staff served the next dish. Pfft!
The server said, "Fried Country Mushrooms," as he served this and got us all confused. I thought we just had that?!
Somehow, I noticed that the accompanying sauce was different so I guess the server must have gotten it wrong since both looked kinda similar anyway.
The batter's similar to the mushrooms. The creamy sauce tasted pretty savoury and right then I wish I still had that bowl of mayo from the mushroom dish. The oysters were quite plump and juicy. Wish there were more than just 1/2 dozen...
Mussels poached in creamy garlic-butter sauce. Served with baguette slices.
Everyone loved this dish. Especially my bro. He, who love mussels AND creamy sauces.
I just pick up the mussel with the rounded shell towards me and slurp the meat together with the pool of sauce inside it. Mmmm...! I use the sauce with everything. With the baguette slice, garlic rice, fries and the crispy fried fish fillet.
...Delish!
Manhattan Seafood Platter for 2
My bro, in his generousity, had wanted everyone to get a main course each, on top of the seafood platter.
The platter with it's huge piece of fried fish fillet, half-a-pan of garlic rice, handful of fried calamari, chips, couple of fried oysters and 4 flaming prawns.
Thankfully, I managed to convince my mum that the platter should more than suffice for us both since my bro & dad both ordered something for themselves.
The fried fish fillet (similar to the one for fish & chips) with the garlic-butter sauce was nicely crisp but it's a tad too greasy to be eaten whole so be nice and share, will you? The fried calamari tasted okay. If only those rings are much thicker & bigger. More like squids than calamari, if you ask me.
The chips were alright and everyone loved the garlic rice. Especially when eaten with a bit of the garlic-butter sauce.
And the flaming prawns were da bomb! That sauce on top could be sweetened mayo for all that matter. It's just sooo delish! They 'flamed' the sauce with a blowtorch prior to serving the platter. Kinda gimmicky but I wish they could have flamed them a tad longer. Like the crème brûlée effect, you know?
My mum was remarking, "So that's where the burnt prawn smell comes from!" She had smelled something similar upon entering the restaurant earlier and she thought they had accidentally burnt some prawns in the kitchen.
My bro's personal order. Fettuccine with grilled fish & squids; tossed in garlic-butter sauce. He has a weakness for pasta with creamy sauce.
My bro had wanted penne but I told him that this ain't Pastamania, where he can choose his pasta variety.
My dad had the Baked Pacific Dory (sorry no pic) - Traditional baked fish fillet in sweet plum sauce. The fish was placed on a piece of banana leaf and wrapped in foil before being baked. Despite the fish looking limp and soggy (looks almost like it's steamed); it tasted really good, especially after a squeeze of the lemon wedge.
The fusion of juice that oozed out of the fish & the plum sauce that collected at the bottom of the foil wrap goes really well with the garlic rice, too.
Note: Despite the various types of food variety, whenever they specify, "Garlic-butter sauce," it's one and the same. It's prevalent in almost every dish.
We have the same 'garlic-butter sauce' for the poached mussels, the creamy pasta and on the crispy fish fillet. So look out for the term, 'garlic-butter sauce' as you make your order or you might end up with the same sauce in every dish and that creamy sauce does get pretty cloying after a while.
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A good place to come to when you want western-style seafood. A bit of warning, though. It's a tad pricey!
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