A restaurant chain that takes inspiration from the Futton Fish Market located underneath the iconic Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Fish Market has become popular, serving up fresh seafood as its main draw.
Words Tharika Fuhrer | Photographs Menaka Aravinda
The Manhattan Fish Market is a cool contemporary restaurant offering a fine dining experience of a different flavour. The restaurant chain remains unique as rarely do you see an upscale franchise with a seafood theme, however this is exactly what you get at Manhattan Fish Market. Succulent and steaming, made to order seafood served with showmanship flair.
Having opened its doors only three years earlier. The Manhattan Fish Market quickly made a name for itself by developing a faithful fan base, a mixture of local and expatriate customers. Initially the franchise opened its first restaurant in Malaysia and quickly spread through South East Asia, eventually coming to South Asia and the Middle East. Currently the restaurant franchise has under its management 89 restaurants in sixteen countries including Thailand, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Dubai.
The concept is straightforward. Freshly prepared seafood cooked skillfully in a variety of methods; Fried, poached, steamed, grilled and flamed. The latter is prepared tableside by trained staff, adding an element of fun and whimsy that is in itself a most refreshing sight.
The Manhattan Fish Market does not shy away from variety. From local barramundi and cherry snapper to imported cod and salmon, Manhattan offers guests a cornucopia of fish options not to mention mussels, calamari, prawns and oysters as well.
Adopting a modern American cooking approach, the restaurant serves up familiar items like Fish and Chips but with their own special twist. Dishes like crunchy battered onion strips as well as mussels poached in their signature herb sauce served with hot crusty baguette to soak up the sauce are designed to satisfy comfort food cravings and make for some seriously tasty appetizers. For pure sea food lovers, there is The Curry Hill Seafood, tiger prawns, mussels and fish soaked in a spicy curry flavoured broth.
For those who prefer a little meat with their fish, there is the surf and turf style offering of Fishy Chicky Bang Bang. Fillet of both chicken and dory, served with a sunny side egg nestled on a bed of fried spaghetti. And for the extremely adventurous, Manhattan Fish Market presents the tasty Manhattan Star Platter; which offers all five cooking methods in one meal. The dish also features fish, prawns, calamari, mussels and oysters.
With two private rooms upstairs and the ability to sit approximately 150 people, The Manhattan Fish Market has already taken on hosting duties for birthdays and other private functions. Their staff are particulary friendly, serving with a smile and enthusiatically shouting greetings to you as you enter and exit the restaurant. It’s for this reason that The Manhattan Fish Market is universally adored by all age groups and is especially welcoming of large families who will find that there is a little bit of everything to keep everyone satisfied. When you consider it, the restaurant really has it all. A fun, up beat atmosphere, a simple yet unique interior and delicious food that you can enjoy with friends and family. What more could you ask for?
31, Deal Place (on Duplication road),
Colombo 3
Tel (+9411) 230 190
manhattanfishmarket.com/srilanka
