Point Loma Seafoods- a relaxing lunch on the waterfront

mmm-yoso!!! is never on vacation.  Today, Cathy is blogging.  Kirk is busy with work and doesn't feel like it.  Ed is in Yuma, ideally also busy with work.  Why am I not busy now? Oh well.

Hi.  The Mister and I were in one of those depressed moods on Saturday, again (please do not mention the words "state", "Appalachian" or "Oregon" together in any one sentence, for a while).  We wanted seafood, and what better place to go than Point Loma Seafood for a nice lunch? It was after 4 p.m. and not crowded.  We parked and enjoyed the view first. 

We could see the downtown business buildings as well as some of North Island Naval Air Station.  We also saw a cruise ship leaving.  Most of the fishing boats had not returned from their long day of work yet.

We walked to the front door and saw the Specials Board out front. Fresh raw soft shell crabs were being sold for $5 each, but I know I could not fry them up at home the same way I could get them done here.

Whoo Hoo! Soft shell crabs are in season again.  I was going to get my 'usual' the fish and chips platter, but, oh no.   Having them cook it properly is worth the $12.02 price.

You walk in; it is a fish market.  I did not take photos inside, but the menu is up on the wall in back, as well as here and on the website.  (where there are some good photos inside the store). The men behind the counter will take your order, give you a number and you wait.  When they call your number, you go to get your food and pay.

While waiting, I asked a nice Young Man for 'about a pound' of assorted smoked fish ($4.99/lb- in the corner of the refrigerator). I got this beautiful selection :

There was smoked shark, salmon, swordfish, wahoo, bonita and  two pieces of salmon candy (belly).  The total price for this was $6.74 and it was a snack with our late lunch, as well as being our lunch on Sunday.

Soon, our number was called, we paid and walked next door to the seating area, found and empty table and got ready to eat.

The ceviche cocktail ($4.16) is made with fish only ( no scallops and no shrimp)

along with an excellent 'salsa' of fresh, tasty tomatoes, sweet light flavored onions and cilantro, all marinated in fresh citrus juice.  You can buy a pint in the counter for $10.90, but this was just the right size for us.  (Our beverage here is always the iced coffee, by the way).  They have a good selection of beers on tap and bottled as well as wines you can buy by the glass or by the bottle in the store.

The Mister had a craving for the squid sandwich ($7.38) that is made with strips of squid steak and served with tartar sauce on fresh sourdough bread.  It is kind of sweet and fried to a proper crispness.  I don't care for sourdough in general and thought the bread flavor took a bit away from the squid flavor and ate a piece of squid with just the (in house made) tartar sauce.

My soft shell crab sandwich.  One crab, breaded, fried, plump, flavorful, cut in half and served with the wonderful simple in house made cole slaw on a fresh soft white bread roll.  Oh, it was perfectly fried; juicy and crispy and so fresh.

As I said, I usually either get the fish and chips plate, made with whatever fish is in abundance that day and served with skinny crispy fried potatoes and the fresh cole slaw for $9.23, or I will get the tuna salad sandwich ($7.38), made with fresh baked tuna steak and very simply/light dressed with mayonnaise and celery.  Always fresh and wonderful.

We went walking around on the waterfront and saw they were getting ready for the fishing boats to come in with fish for processing and took note of the new charges they had for the Fishermen.

We have always enjoyed the simplicity and freshness of the food here and if you haven't tried it, you should. 

Point Loma Seafoods "The freshest thing in town" 2805 Emerson Street San Diego 92106 (619) 223-1109

Mon-Sat 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Sun 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Link to website

Comments

[ed (from Yuma)]

Nice post. That crab sandwich looks tasty.

I have been busy - this was a tough grading weekend. I was barely able to watch a little of the alma mater's football game in a place called Ann Arbor. Ever heard of it?

Sorry, I have been trying to restrain myself for a couple of days now. I know you must be feeling BLUE.

Hope everything else is great and you keep eating well.

[Cathy]

Hi, ed - Congratulations. Excellent team. Great game. Really.

Sorry I didn't answer sooner. Have been going through some interventions regarding denial/anger/bargaining and then this depression... Soon (like by next Saturday afternoon) I am sure I will be finally in that 'acceptance' phase and back to eating and give up the numbing effects of alcohol.

[Dan]

Hi

I'm an East Coast guy but could swear I was there 23 years ago and got some very memorable smoked fish. Is there any other place like that near the downtown of San Diego? If not then I'm sure I was at Point Loma Seafood.

Is Anthony's still in business? Thanks

[Cathy]

Hi Dan- Welcome and thanks for commenting. You could have been to both places 23 years ago. Point Loma Seafoods has been there since 1963. Anthony's is closer to downtown, on the water and has great smoked fish. Back then Anthony's Star of the Sea was the "fancy" (i.e. men had to wear a suitcoat) branch and the less formal Grotto was next door. Both still are there, and the dress code has relaxed. I blogged both Anthony's Grotto and Seagrille-look in the left column under "seafood"-click then scroll down. 1st and 3rd entry (Jan 9 and April 4 2007). Smoked fish in both of those meals, too. :)

[Dan]

Thanks Cathy

I remember well that Anthony's was right on a touristy part of the downtown waterfront. While the fish place I went to was not downtown but not suburban either. It must have been your Point Loma Seafood. Yeah Anthony's was more formal back then! I will check out your Anthony's Grotto post. You should review Alioto's if you get up to San Francisco

I read mmmyoso all the time. I am interested in the same mix of restaurants that you are. I especially like the Asian restaurants you visit. You have so many to choose from.

Dan

[thess]

Hi Cathy! I hope you're feeling a lot better today ..and the coming days =)

The ceviche looked nice! (tomatoes, cilantro and onion are my favorite mixture, ever)
Your soft shell crab sandwich looked yummy as well =)

[Cathy]

Hi again, Dan- I am so glad Kirk, ed and I can bring back some good memories for you...and that you can vicariously share a meal with us. It is why we blog. I have never been to San Francisco, but it really isn't that far away...and I will always blog whatever I eat, wherever I am. It's a totally different hobby and way of thinking for me. Alioto's is written in my moleskine.
Hello Thess! We haven't "talked" in almost a year! The fish at PLSF is so fresh and simple and The Mister and I eat here when we are in the area. Along with fresh fish and being on the water and able to enjoy the scenic San Diego Bay, it is also a little cooler on the coast rather than 20 miles inland, where we live.
I know you are in Holland and my not quite understand, but the whole 'depression' thing is just an American college football thing and two very unexpected losses in a row. The most recent loss was to ed's alma mater...so it is a little more frustrating. At least my school won't be playing Kirk's school this year.

[Roger]

Ah glad you guys had a good experience there. I had the clam and various fish sandwiches last time I went. Clam was amazing, but the fish was really really dry. I could have done better at home!

Cya around town, Kirk n Cathy. Keep the good eats coming :D

[Cathy]

Hello and welcome, Roger! Sorry about the fish. I hsve never had dry fried fish from PLSF and almost always get the fish and chips platter, even though I look at the entire menu when I walk in. Thanks for the nice words about our blog. You have some excellent food photos on yours.

[sandy]

the fried fishes look and sound really delicious. I am officially planning a trip to San Diego now and am going to dig through your blog for good stuff (of which there is a ton)! I can't believe you haven't ever been up here to SF, but then I haven't been to San Diego in about 20 years...

[Cathy]

Hi Sandy- Welcome to our little blog as well as to San Diego! Feel free to ask questions. We try to update old posts (if a restaurant closes or changes hours-not the food info; we'll make a new post if any of us eats there again) so things should be pretty informative and up to date for you. Thanks for readin us. (Oh, in addition to blogging, I can do magic editing comments) :)

[Vaughn]

Hi,
Loved your review and finally have found a good seafood place in town --thanks.

If you ever visit Seattle, try "The Spud" on Alki Point for great fish and chips they always use fresh cod. Seattle also has an Anthony's but a wholly difficult level of quisine absolutely 5-star ***** plus+ unlike the San Diego Anthony's.

[Cathy]

Hi, Vaughn- and you're welcome. I love PLSF.I think I need to go back soon. Someday I'll go to Seattle..