MAR 9 / 2003

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Thomas' Fishermen's Grotto - Best Seafood in Town Jana and I went to Thomas' Fishermen's Grotto, located 9624 - 76 Avenue, for a Valentine's Day treat. It has long been among my favorite dining establishments, although I had not been there in over a year. The establishment is reasonably small and quite intimate. Service is always personal and the food is exceptional. This time proved to be no exception. Once again, it was a real treat. Jana ordered a Shrimp Cocktail for an appetizer, while I selected Thomas' suggestion of Squid, sautéed in mango curry sauce. Jana's shrimp cocktail featured a homemade dipping sauce that was quite pleasurable. She quite enjoyed the healthy-sized shrimp, which she hadn't tasted in some time. The squid was quite outstanding; however be warned that if you don't like the texture of squid, you might not fully appreciate this dish. The combination of fruit and spice flavors and the delicate savor of squid made for a harmonious and exotic taste I will not forget. Jana's entrée was Fettuccine a la Vangole. This selection comes with an array of mussels, prawns, scallops and fish fillets in a herbed garlic-clam sauce, and baked with Parmesan cheese. Jana asked for the dish without the mussels and clams. She received a copious amount of delicious fettuccine with abundant fillets and prawns. There was so much that, even after I picked at it for a fair while, we still asked for a doggie bag. The only shame is that our dog never got near it! I went for the Prawns and Scallops Newburg in a mushroom-brandy cream sauce. The sauce was very rich, but not as sweet as most Newburg sauces I've tasted. That's fine with me, as sometimes they can be too sweet. It was most delicious. My only regret was that there wasn't just a little bit more. A couple of more bites would have been perfect. If you have room for dessert, be sure to ask if they are serving their peanut butter chocolate cheesecake. Wow. It's a killer. I usually don't like peanut butter desserts, but this was extraordinary. I will be back to bother Thomas and his fine wife for the recipe. Again, Wow! A complete meal, complete with a bottle of wine will run you somewhere around $85.00 for two. That is one of the better prices in town for food of that quality. I've had far worse and paid over $100.00 So the value is still there. I have only one suggestion. The restaurant was expanded some time back. The second part is not as warm and cozy and mellow as the original space. The new section, although quite fine, just isn't as intimate. It doesn't have to be the same. It could be a theme room, perhaps. But hey, I'm not an interior decorator. BEST POINTS: Almost anything they serve, decent prices, fantastic desert. AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT: I was served a different wine than I asked for, but just let it go. Ironically, a very good friend had the same happen to him the next day. RATING CATEGORY: 9 out of 10. Thomas' Fishermen's Grotto is still among Edmonton's very best.