Monterey Bay Fish Grotto

Here is my first review, the Monterey Bay Fish Grotto in Mt Washington.

To begin, I took Sarah here for Valentines Day. Looking at the list for Pittsburgh's most romantic restaurants, I thought this would be a good choice for something "different" then the standard Italian / Vday like meal. Because the Fish Grotto was rated 4th in the 2009 Most Romantic List, I was very excited to have a romantic evening. Much to my dismay, this restaurant is not all what it is cracked up to be.

AMBIANCE

The Fish Grotto has beautiful views of the city. The full length windows make for a very intimate atmosphere. However, the layout of the tables and the overall decor reminded me of eating in a run of the mill Casino restaurant. Granted, it was Valentines day and pretty crowded but still.

Ambiance Rating - 6 /10

SERVICE

The service was good. However, I felt like the waiter was breathing down our throat. I understand the need to be attentive as a waiter, but this was over the top. Every time Sarah and I would strike up a good conversation, the waiter would interrupt and ask if we needed anything. I felt like the waiter had only one table to wait and that table was ours.

Service Rating - 4/10

FOOD

Here is the list of food we ordered:

Appetizer: Ichiban. This was the most delicious item we ordered. The mix of fish they served that night: Salmon, Tuna, and Swordfish complemented each other perfectly. The fish was very flaky but the end pieces of Swordfish was seared until the point that they were uneatable. The dipping sauce was delicious and one of the best I have ever tasted. They should use this dipping sauce on more items of the menu.

Appetizer Rating - 7/10

Salad: We were served the standard house salad that night. Theres not much to say about a house salad, the dressing was good but the salad was smothered in dressing. This made the lettuce extremely soggy.

Salad Rating: 6/10

Basil - Garlic Yellow Tail Snapper: This fish was a perfect filet. The sauce was excellent and didn't overwhelm the taste of the fish. Very flakey and the fish would melt in your mouth. My date wanted something that wasnt too "fishy" and this is exactly what she got with this entree.

Snapper Rating: 8/10

Mako Shark: Let me first say that I am a huge fan of Shark. However, this shark was very dry. Because the shark was only cooked in "Cajun Spices", the shark felt extremely dry and not that tender (no shark is really that tender though). The mango sauce was very gritty and too "sweet" for the cajun flavor. That being said, the cajun spices were still good. The yellow tail snapper had a lot more flavor and I was disappointed with my choice of meal :( Maybe next time I will listen to my date more :)

Shark Rating: 6/10

WINE SELECTION

The wine selection and list is extensive. I forgot what bottle of wine we ordered of course, but it was in the middle of their price selection. This wine complimented most of our fish nicely. If you go here, purchase a bottle of wine. They have a good selection of exotic wines that most liquor stores don't carry and I came away very impressed with the list.

Wine: 10/10

LAST THOUGHTS

I like how you can order fish "your way". Still doesnt make up for the pitfalls of this restaurant though.

OVERALL RATING: 12/20