Get cracking at Fish City Grill

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By Amanda Rogers

Mansfield Record

The Food: Seafood, salads, Cajun, sandwiches, kids’ menu, full bar

The Story: For years, Mansfield has been lacking a nice seafood place. When Fish City Grill came to town several years ago, it filled a niche – and people have been swarming it ever since.

We started with Lump Crab Cake with Arugula Salad ($12.49) to split between three of us. I was kind of disappointed to see only one crab cake, but it was pretty large. Turns out, it was plenty as an appetizer and was delicious. The tender crab fell apart on our forks and was moist and sitting in a light lemon aioli sauce that made it taste even better. The salad on the side was a pile of arugula leaves and a few shaved nuts. If there was a dressing on the salad, I couldn’t find it.

The Shrimp Po Boy ($10.99) consisted of a pair of lightly toasted hoagie rolls, stuffed with lettuce, tomatoes, onions and fried shrimp that kept falling out the sides. We were offered the shrimp fried, grilled or blackened, and the fried were crispy and delicious. The waffle fries on the side were lightly dusted with Cajun spices.

The Shrimp Andouille Mac & Cheese ($14.99) was one of the specials for the night, and a good choice! The elbow macaroni, shrimp and bits of sausage were swimming in a sweet, creamy cheese sauce. The nice-sized portion tasted amazing and was more than enough to bring home leftovers.

Since they’re in season, I had to try the boiled crawfish ($8.99 per pound). They arrived steaming in a pile with an ear of corn and boiled red potato on top. The crawfish had a nice seasoning that crept up on me. About halfway through the pile, my lips started to burn and by the time I reached the bottom of the bowl, my nose and eyes were running. But they were good!

The Atmosphere: On the busy Friday night that we visited, Fish City Grill was hopping! Couples, after-work gatherings, some families and a large group of sports parents had the place buzzing with the noise bouncing off the brick walls and ceiling. Every seat at the bar was taken and the staff was moving fast.

The restaurant has a mural of an old-fashioned deep-sea diver, lots of black and white photos of fish and fishermen and big chalkboards with lists of specials. The open bar with seating and a couple of televisions is at one end of the open room with a separate room for meetings or gatherings at the other end of the restaurant.

Even with the crowd when we arrived at 5:30 p.m. we were seated immediately. Finding an empty parking space was a lot more difficult, but we finally found a spot behind an auto parts store.

The Details: 581 W. Debbie Lane; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday; 817-225-2094; fishcitygrill.com

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