Restaurant Review

October 22nd, 2009

Pelly’s Sea Food
by lyle e davis

Okay, here’s the plan. We rent a boat, we get our fishing gear ready, buy our bait, head out to sea . . .

But, wait! There’s a better idea! Just head for Pelly’s Fish Market in Carlsbad, in the Poinsettia Village, 7710 Avenida Encinas, Suite 101. Phone: 760.431.8454.

They’ve been serving up the finest of fish for over 20 years and they have it down to a fine art. We checked it out ourselves over the weekend and fell in love with the absolutely great seafood.

It’s not a huge, fancy restaurant. It’s a fish market with adjacent dining room as well as outdoor seating. The fresh fish are displayed in the display case and everything is designed to prepare your food quickly and with the maximum amount of efficiency in retaining the fresh flavor. They’ve developed a marinade that is amazingly efficient at bringing out the flavors.

Evelyn and I had Black Sea Bass, our friend Randy, had the swordfish special. We also had a key lime pie for dessert. The Black Sea Bass was firm, tasty, absolute perfection! We opted for outdoor seating and enjoyed the fresh evening air and the strolling shoppers that passed through the area.

Pelly’s Fish Market has developed a marinade that is out of this world. Among its ingredients: garlic, white wine, fresh cilantro, dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, oregano, and a few other spices, all blended together to make a perfect match with firm fish such as sea bass. Tasty dishes have, for 20 years, developed a regular cadre of customers, many of whom come in 3, 4, and 5 times a week. Having dined there, I can’t blame them. It’s not fancy, by any means, but it’s mighty fine eating!

Give them a try. Pelly’s Fish Market, in the Poinsettia Village: open Monday through Thursday, 10am to 8pm Friday and Saturday 10am to 8:30pm. Cll 760.431.8454.