RESTAURANT REVIEW

The Whale Raw Bar & Fish House

Fine dining aside, what I find myself wanting most often, is simply a consistently casual place where hubby and I can run in impromptu after a hard day, or for a planned bite after shopping or a movie or where a friend or colleague and I can unwind, share a few appetizer and a quick drink.

For me, Parkland’s Whale Raw Bar and Fish House does it. When dieting, their simple, fresh salads, raw bar selections and willingness to simply broil a piece of fish (and now an 8oz filet mignon) makes LIFE easy. I get to eat out, enjoy my meal and not have to run to Vancouver to work it off.

When letting loose, their generous drinks (FULL BAR!!), plentiful appetizer choices, and now with their new menu, lots of entrée selections prepared your way, make it a place I just find myself always suggesting, and ending up at. No matter how picky your dining companions, there are choices to satisfy anyone.

Clams Linguine

It’s not fine dining, so anyone going there expecting owner Danielle Williams’ other landmark restaurant Oceans 234 fare, will not find it. “This is a great neighborhood place,” said Williams who just finished re-doing the interior and the menu. “We now have lots of TVs on the walls to watch the games; all our servers show the dishes and specials on an iPad when you have questions. It’s casual, easy, no stress food and drink.” And I think people who haven’t been in a while might agree. Going into the cooler weather, there are few places in Parkland with a bigger or better open-dining patio. They welcome pups, too and have even put “Fido-friendly Bites” on their new menu. Cheese ($2), sliced roast beef ($5) and a non-bun burger with or without cheese ($4) makes any pooch feel pampered. And for pet-lovers like us, we so appreciate a place we can go where our dogs can, too.

Their new “Drink Like a Fish” wine and specialty drink menu is cute. Ample whites and reds, beer and martinis all add the ah-ha moment to any hectic day. Food now can be found on an easy-to-read 2-page menu. “We kept all the favorites regulars told us they loved,” said Williams, “but we added the things people said they’d like to see.” New is the “Choose Your Poison” a three-pronged approach to ordering some great fresh fish for your meal. STEP 1: Pick the fish. From Mahi Mahi to Salmon, they also now feature Grouper, Jumbo Scallops (the HUGE ones), Yellow Fin, Tilapia and whatever else is fresh at the market (From $15.95 to $21.95). STEP 2: Choose the way YOU want it prepared. They have a sense of humor here that’s refreshing. You pick from Grilled, Cajun or Fried, that comes WITH your choice of side and seasonal veggie. You can pick New England Bake (wine, butter, breadcrumbs baked) with garlic mashed potatoes and a vegetable. Almond crust style is pan sautéed with a baked potato, a vegetable and is served with a lemon butter sauce. OR what they call “Killer Whale style.” (Shrimp and corn crusted, it’s then baked and served over garlic mashed potatoes with seasonal vegetables and a lemon Buerre blanc. And for about $5 more you can add things like Conch fritters, 2 Scallops, Shrimp or an 8oz skirt steak ($9.95).

And that steak was fabulous. I had it for lunch coiled around fresh salad greens with gorgonzola crumbles. It was topped with feather-light onion rings ($16.95). We’re also hooked on their Cobb Salad ($9.95). I order it at least once a week. It’s so fresh and so filled with wonderful things like egg, avocado, cheese, bacon bits that with the addition of double grilled chicken ($3x2), it usually makes a second lunch for me and the pups. Their Iceberg wedge ($7.95) is divine. Topped with chopped tomatoes, bacon and blue cheese, it’s a perfect combo. The Jumbo Scallops (U-10s) are to die for and so is the Clams Linguine ($16.95) with fire-roasted tomatoes, fresh arugula and middleneck clams. Add 16 sandwich and wrap selections from $8.95 to their signature Pastrami Reuben ($12.95) everyone in the party can find something that just hits the spot. The new tuna melt ($8.95) is awesome too. Or make a meal out of the appetizers; order a bunch and share. From wonderful wings ($8.95), Fried calamari ($10.95) an amazing SW Chicken Quesadilla oozing with cheese ($7.95) or a basket of their famous Whale Fries ($4.95).

And now they added “Out of the Water” choices including the Filet and a 12oz. Ribeye ($19.95), a wonderful Chicken Milanese ($15.95), the Skirt Steak ($16.95) and three kinds of Fajitas. And lest you forgot, the raw bar part. You can get peel-and-eat shrimp, a bucket of steamers, oysters, clams, crab or combos.

Their Lunch is amazing. Mon-Fri 11am-3pm there’s a “Deal of the Day,” one special at $6.95 per day or their pick a pair at $8.95 let’s you pick one of their soups and salads and pair it with 5 choices like the Chicken Quesadilla, Tuna salad sandwich, Shrimp Scampi Pizza, 2 slider burgers or 2 fish tacos.

Perry Spivey and Jilly Lopada add in a new enthusiasm and energy and there you have it. A simple, uncomplicated place where you can just get a nice, affordable meal and they’re happy to see you! Happy Hour, Mon.-Fri. 3-7. Open 7 days 11:30am-10pm, (11pm weekends). V, MC, AMEX. 1 block north of Hillsboro in the Waterway Shoppes, 7619 N. State Rd. 7 (west side), Parkland. 954.345.9190, www.thewhalerawbar.com.