By THÉRÈSE MARGOLIS
Just in case La Pesquería Sunset’s name (the literal translation to English is The Sunset Fishery) is not a dead giveaway as to what patrons can expect in the way of cuisine when they dine there, the décor of the newly opened restaurant in Mexico City’s upscale Colonia Lomas de Chapultepec sends the message out loud and clear.
The rustic wood furnishings, the nautical-themed images on the walls and the giant oyster bar with freshly chucked kumamotos, clams and crab on ice in the main dining room leave little doubt that La Pesquería is all about seafood.
And that is exactly the point chef Ismael Olivar Avalos is trying to get across.
La Pesquería Sunset, which occupies the former location of Les Moustaches Bistro on Avenida Prado Norte, is the closest thing to a casual beachside fish joint as you can find inside the Federal District.
Practically every item on the restaurant’s bill of fare – with the sole exception of the wine and dessert menus – comes straight from Neptune’s bounty.
From grilled salmon steaks to fried tuna tacos and two types of ceviche (both Sinaloa-style and Peruvian-style), La Pesquería is a seafood lovers paradise, plain and simple.
There are even seafood-themed pizzas and a selection of Japanese sushi dishes to choose from.
And while there are no shortage of ceviche-and-beer-focused seafood eateries in Mexico City, the big difference at La Pesquería is that the food is prepared with care and mastery, adopting some of the best-known recipes from Mexico and around the world, such as Jalisco-style baked zarandeado whitefish in a zesty marinade of achiote, orange juice and guajillo chillies and grilled baby squid in a wine-based mushroom sauce.
La Pesquería Sunset is aimed at a specific market of young executives and businesspeople in the Lomas de Chapultepec area who want fresh seafood at an affordable price.
Affordability is one of the chief draws of the restaurant, which despite having been opened less than two months, is packed on both weekdays and weekends.
In the daytime, the atmosphere at La Pesquería is lively and fast-paced, with two giant television screens beaming images of soccer games while upbeat rock music booms in the background.
But at night, the place really gets jiving with the addition of a DJ and even louder music for a more social-minded crowd of young up-and-comers.
(This is not the place to come for a quite lunch or intimate dinner.)
La Pesquería Sunset is located at Prado Norte 125 in Lomas de Chapultepec (tel: 5925-7263).
It is open daily from noon to midnight, and sometimes even later, depending on the crowd.