There's a new seafood joint on the North end of Andersonville (well, Edgewater, if you want to be technical), rounding out the wide variety of cuisines available in one of Chicago's favorite "gayborhoods."
Kingfisher opened earlier this year in the space formerly occupied by Arkadash Café. Kingfisher owners Peter McCarthy and Jeff Shane were the folks behind Pier 5736 on the city's Northwest Sideso these guys know what's what when it comes to crab cakes, Prince Edward Island mussels and lobster tails.
McCarthy and Shane gutted the former Arkadash space, and the result is a casual and welcoming dining room with hardwood floors, exposed brick and crisp white linens. Landlocked though we may be, Chicagoans can get their fresh seafood fix at Kingfisher because they're having the stuff shipped in daily. Crab, lobster, shrimp, oysters, even grilled marlinyou name it, and Kingfisher's probably got it on the menu.
You can start your meal with one of about a dozen appetizers. The crab cakes are flavorful, fried golden brown and served with a Cajun remoulade that has just enough spice. The grilled calamari was a bit chewy on the night I visited, but flavorful nonetheless. Don't forget to make a stop at In Fine Spirits or another A-ville liquor store to pick up a bottle of crisp white wine to accompany your meal because Kingfisher is BYOB for now.
You'll find all of the usual suspects in the entrée section of the menu. Fresh fish options include salmon, catfish and perch. There is also shrimp in just about every imaginable preparationfrom fried coconut to grilled barbeque. I highly recommend the tequila lime shrimp, which are plump as can be and marinated to perfection (and come with a decadent creamy dipping sauce). You can get a pound of Alaskan King crab legs for $32 or two six-ounce Maine lobster tails for $38both excellent values if you ask me.
All of the entrees are served with simple iceberg lettuce salads and your choice of potato (baked, mashed, French fries, what have you). Kingfisher kind of reminded me of an urban, non-chain version of Red Lobsterand that's not an insult in my book. Maybe it's those cheese biscuits or childhood memories of "shrimp fests" at Red Lobster with my late grandmother, but it's one of the only chains that doesn't repulse me. Like Red Lobster, Kingfisher is a friendly, reliable and simply comfortable fish joint. The only difference is that Kingfisher is right here in the city and serves fresher fish than you'll get at any chain.
Resist the temptation to overstuff yourself on fish and potatoes because Kingfisher has some desserts that are worth the calories. I, for one, cannot stop thinking about its "ice cream sandwich," which is a creamy shmear of rich butter-pecan ice cream stuffed between two slices of toasted banana nut bread and drizzled with caramel and chocolate sauce. I eat a lot of desserts in my quest to inform you of the best dining options in Chicago (you're welcome), and I can honestly say this ice-cream sandwich is one of the most creative and delicious I've tasted in a long time.
Kingfisher is located at 5721 N. Clark; call 773-506-7014 or visit www.kingfisheronclark.com .
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