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Photo by Doug Trattner
Fish and chips ($26)
I’ll always credit Salmon Dave’s with opening my eyes to one of spring’s most fleeting pleasures: Copper River king salmon. Before that meal – nearly 20 years ago – I assumed that all salmon was the same, namely mild in flavor, pale in color, and utterly underwhelming. That Copper River king, in contrast, was remarkably rich, buttery, gamey and meaty. The experience set off a years-long obsession with wild salmon while also kindling an appreciation for eating seasonally.
By the time I dined there, Salmon Dave's was already a decade into its run, which has now passed the 30-year mark. My recent return was motivated by a floor-to-ceiling, inside-and-out renovation that the owners undertook this past winter. The Pacific Northwest-style fish house in Rocky River has never looked better thanks to a makeover that freshened up this cosmopolitan gem. The moose mount and mahogany back bar are still there, but diners will observe a shiny new marble bar top, updated lighting, mosaic tiled floors and chrome accents. Those interior tweaks join exterior improvements in the form of a freshly painted façade, new exterior lighting, awnings and sidewalks.
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Courtesy Salmon Dave's
Fresh looks, fresh fish.
When George Schindler opened Salmon Dave's, he and his partners already had Cabin Club in their budding restaurant portfolio. Under the name Hospitality Restaurants, they would go on to open Blue Point Grille, Delmonico’s Steakhouse, Kingfish and multiple Rosewood Grill locations. It’s an impressive track record that points more to nuts-and-bolts restaurant operation than it does to cutting-edge cuisine. If you offer great service, attractive dining rooms, consistent food and reasonable prices, guests will continue to reward you with their patronage.
My latest meal at Salmon Dave’s was not nearly as revelatory as that one a few decades back, but it was enjoyable. The restaurant deserves kudos for presenting seafood in a hip, casual, golf course-chic environment as opposed to the stuffy white tablecloth places that existed at the time. Over the years, the chefs have dialed back the Asian-influenced Pacific Rim touches to focus more on American-style seafood classics ripped from the coasts, including those on the Gulf and Great Lakes.
Meals start with baskets of warm sliced bread and plenty of whipped honey butter. Salmon Dave’s – and Blue Point Grille, for that matter – serves one of the best bowls of lobster bisque ($12) in the city. The soup is crimson and creamy, nutty and well-seasoned, and redolent of deep shellfish flavor. It contains more than a few morsels of lobster and gets finished with a drizzle of crème fraiche and sprinkle of chopped chives. We tried both the oysters Rockefeller ($16) and the grilled oysters ($15). Neither landed on the table piping-hot and bubbly like they do in New Orleans, but they were buttery, savory and crispy from the breadcrumb topping. A delicate batter and gentle frying leaves the calamari ($16) super tender. It’s served on a bed of mildly spiced marinara.
To pair with the physical changes, the kitchen debuted some fresh takes in the form of an East Coast bouillabaisse, “knife and fork” fried chicken with pepper gravy, fish and chips and others. Starring Lake Erie walleye, the fish and chips ($26) were exceptional thanks to a crunchy dark amber crust and mild, silky meat within. The plate was piled high with chunky, perfectly fried potato quarters and chip-chopped slaw. A wide-rimmed bowl of jambalaya ($24) was loaded with Gulf shrimp, andouille sausage and tender rice, but would have benefited greatly from a few more dashes of spice and seasoning.
Living up to its name, Salmon Dave’s offers a trio of entrees starring that fish, though none plucked from the icy waters of the Pacific Northwest. Diners can enjoy their salmon grilled, pan-roasted or cooked and served atop a cedar plank ($29). The last one comes with a side of lemon dill butter, roasted fingerlings and broccolini. Briny in-shell clams topped a bowl of linguini and clams ($28), which contained even more shellfish in the herby sauce.
From the start, Hospitality Restaurants has always featured excellent wine programs at all of its properties. The list at Salmon Dave’s is loaded with fish and seafood friendly labels from California, Washington State, France, Italy and Germany. Better still is the bottle of dry reisling ($32) from Forge Cellars in the Finger Lakes region of New York. If you’re feeling particularly celebratory, start – or end – the night with a chilled seafood tower stocked with oysters, poached shrimp and crab cocktail, paired with any number of new cocktails from that handsome mahogany bar.
Salmon Dave’s
19015 Old Lake Rd., Rocky River
440-331-2739
salmondaves.com
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