new in town
COASTAL CUISINE
Crab & Mermaid Fish Shop opens in Scottsdale BY ALISON BAILIN BATZ PHOTOS BY TAVIT DANIEL
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n order to ensure the launch of the Crab & Mermaid Fish Shop was a success, parent company Square One Concepts – known for their already established Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers and Wasted Grain brands in the Valley – did just that. They started at square one. “Creating a casual seafood concept for Old Town Scottsdale has long been our goal,” says Alecia Sanchez, Square One Concepts’ marketing director. “And we knew if we wanted to do it right, we had to go straight to the seafood mecca – the Northeast – to find the perfect chef.” And find him – they did. In late 2015, Square One recruited chef Isaac Carter, who culinary icon Todd English nicknamed the “Golden Boy” during their decade-plus working together, to help them conceptualize Crab & Mermaid, from the decor and location to the ingredients and recipes. “Carter – an alumnus of the Culinary
Institute of America in New York – is the real deal,” Sanchez says. “Not only did he work with English on the original Olives in Massachusetts and its eventual second location at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, he also helped open Todd English Pub and Eva Longoria’s Beso, both in Las Vegas.” He also served as sous chef at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, overseeing the nine restaurants in the museum, with an eye for seafood and passion for experimenting with bold flavors from across the globe without losing the flavor of the actual fish in the process. “My vision is to bring a taste of the East Coast and Gulf Coast to Scottsdale while still staying true to the more Bajastyle seafood preparations guests might be used to,” says Carter, noting his menu will go so far as to offer a “choose your own adventure” option wherein visitors can choose a fish, a preparation, a style and various flavor combinations for his team to
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make fresh-to-order and customized to the guest’s palate and personal preferences. Some menu highlights include: Inner Harbor Crab Cakes, with Maryland crab, saltine cracker crust, mustard aioli and a Worcestershire glaze ($14); a New England Lobster Roll of shucked Main lobster with lemon, aioli and housemade slaw on a butter-toasted roll ($20); and The Po’ Boy, featuring New Orleans-style fried oysters (or choose fish or shrimp) with lettuce, tomato, bacon, pickles and Louisiana hot sauce on toasted French bread ($14). The casual seashore-themed venue has a 3,000-square-foot interior with a 940-square-foot patio, which features a full bar. Lunch and dinner are served seven days a week, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Happy hour is Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Crab & Mermaid Fish Shop, 4218 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale; 480-7584994; www.crabandmermaid.com.
| MAY 2016
4/22/16 12:05 PM