Mussels: Local 188

One of the cooler dining experiences I've had recently was sitting at the counter at Local 188. On a busy Saturday night and without a reservation the wife and I had the choice of hunching over a little table in the lounge or the very cool counter overlooking the kitchen. I'm far too much of a slob to eat over my lap so we happily chose the counter which provided a great view of the well oiled machine that is the kitchen at 188.

Appetizer - Mussels $12.00 - Although not quite as great as the mussel gold standard found at Street and Co. this app at Local 188 is mighty tasty and certainly a must order. The mussels were cooked perfectly, in a clear broth that tasted strongly of garlic and apple. Everything was well balanced and the apple was a surprisingly effective counter to the richness of the butter in the dish. We had our bread refilled twice to sop up the broth and for $12 this was a satisfying start to the meal.

Main Course #1 - House Paella $21.00 - Looking for something that had a high calorie to dollar ratio, I opted for the house paella. Without a doubt this was the best paellas I have ever had. Normally with a one pot dish like this one or two of the proteins will end up being over cooked. Not so at Local 188, the saffron rice was stuffed with little neck clams, chorizo and deliciously tender chicken; this dish really hit the spot. Everything was well seasoned and the portion was very generous, worth every penny of the $21.

Main Course #2 - White Fish with Little Neck Clams $20.00 - The wife's entree was an expertly cooked piece of white fish atop a bed of bed of bitter greens, adorned with crumbled hard boiled egg, thick cut bacon and dressed in a creamy tomato-y sauce. Although I was allowed only a few cursory bites I cannot stress enough how perfectly the fish was cooked. The fillet had a light crust from the pan searing and was well seasoned.

Add on a flour-less chocolate torte for $7 and we were out the door at about $75 including tip. Although the food was great a large part of the entertainment was provided by our counter seat. A party of three or more might find the counter arrangement disruptive to the conversation flow but it is highly recommended for two. Plus you can make sure that no one is itching their balls or picking their nose while cooking your grub.