Open 365 Days A Year | Open 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM (Sun-Thu) | Open 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM (Fri – Sat)
FEBRUARY 2019 MARKETPLACECONTRACOSTA.COM 33
Restaurant Interior
than sausage baked into the dish. The
combination of ingredients was very rich,
and I had to stop eating about half-way
through. Similarly, my guest only also
enjoyed only half of her fluffy pan chocolate
chip pancake with walnuts. Despite our
fullness, when Nicci tempted us with the
“Sweet Delights” dessert menu, we decided
to split the Torta Della Nonna Lemon
Tart Cake. It was scrumptious and light
and had an exceptional lemony taste—the
perfect end to a perfect meal. Our overall
brunch dining experience was pleasant and
enjoyable, and we found the food to be
quite delicious.
Following our meal, we had the
opportunity to visit with Sharin, who has
been the general manager at The Dead
Fish for almost one year. She has a long
career in the food services industry and
has been a restaurant manager for the last
ten years. Sharin informed us that The
Dead Fish is best known for their Crab and
Prime Rib. The restaurant offers several
crab entrees, including Crab Enchiladas,
Crab Alfredo, Crabwich Melt, Crab Louie
salad, and Crab Benedict. They also serve
whole or half Dungeness Crab roasted in
their own secret garlic sauce. We saw many
guests on the day of our visit indulging
in the famous Dead Fish crab, complete
with complimentary bibs provided by the
restaurant. The prime rib is slow-roasted
Omaha packers’ certified angus beef,
cooked medium rare and served with
seasoned mashed potatoes and creamed
spinach. Three different portion sizes are
available—lite cut, large cut, and the slab.
The slab is a 24 ounce thickly cut slab of
meat, suitable for sharing, although Sharin
said she has seen a few customers who have
eaten it solo! Sharin said that The Dead Fish
also gets high kudos for the popular Kettle
Baked Chicken, as well as the house made
Seafood Cioppino.
The restaurant is very popular
with locals and out-of-town guests, and
tends to get very busy, particularly on
weekends and holidays. Reservations are
highly recommended. The restaurant can
accommodate large parties up to 75 guests
Mondays through Thursdays with advance
notice; however, banquets are not offered
on Fridays and Saturdays. Several special
banquet menus are available from which
to choose, all meals are served plated (not
buffet.).
At the end of our visit, Sharin gave
me and my guest the grand tour of The
Dead Fish, which gave us the visibility into
the many different dining areas described
above. Sharon continues to come up with
new ideas to enhance customers’ dining
experiences, and seems to be passionate
about providing the highest quality
customer service, and of course, excellent
food that will keep customers coming back
again and again!
The Dead Fish is one of a group
of restaurants owned by partners Dante
Serafini and Jerry Dal Bozzo. Some of the
other well-known restaurants that are part
of the “family” include The Crab House
at Pier 39; Franciscan Crab Restaurant
in San Francisco; The Stinking Rose in
San Francisco and Beverly Hills; Osso’s
Steakhouse; and Calzone’s Restaurant.
Based on our recent dining experience, I
would highly recommend a visit to The
Dead Fish, particularly for a Saturday
or Sunday Brunch. What better way to
start your weekend with a wonderful
meal, spectacular views, and wonderful
personalized service? Remember to make
reservations ahead of time to ensure that
your table is waiting for you when you
arrive. And if you’re planning to visit The
Dead Fish for an intimate Valentine’s Day
dinner, don’t forget to reserve your private
dining area or cabana ahead of time!