A spacious well-designed interior greets customers at the new Fisher’s (Alternative Strategies)
Seafood, Little Italy

Little Italy’s Big, New Seafood Experience

By Frank Sabatini Jr.

Urbanites have been waiting patiently since last year for the opening of the first U.S.-based Fisher’s, a global seafood chain specializing in fresh-caught seafood prepared in a variety of “avante-garde styles.” After a string of unexpected delays over the past several months, the 8,700-square-foot restaurant is up and running to the tune of spicy tuna tostadas, roasted octopus in diabla sauce, and “fish loins” prepared in a variety of regional-Mexican and Mediterranean ways.

The business launched in 1989 as a small dining room south of the border. Since then, it has grown to include more than 30 locations worldwide. Its American debut in San Diego splashed into the former Roma Urban Market in the heart of Little Italy, showing off a clean, stylish design with warm industrial touches.

The company sources, processes and transports all of its seafood. For the San Diego operation, most catches originate from local and Baja waters. With a lengthy menu in place, and the promise of breakfast service on the horizon, we’ve so far become smitten with the ginger-stuffed “rock spicy” shrimp and Fisher’s designer version of oysters Rockefeller, which are oven-baked and jazzed up with Bechamel sauce, bacon and Gruyere cheese.