Flying Fish a.k.a. Fish Heaven

On this brisk, crisp winter evening Julie and I sped quickly to this warm corner bistro on First Ave.
Upon entering, I was a bit skeptical about the menu, so much so that I held the door open to leave.
But, with an array of vintage wine bottles lining the ledges of the booths and the people-filled bar, it proved to be more alluring than originally planned. So, we stayed.

When we did decide to sit down, my skeptical side was still skeptical - not being a fanatic of fish, I wasn't terribly excited about the selection. After a few minutes of reviewing the "safer" items on the menu, we decided on the Crispy Calamari with honey jalepeno mayonaise and cilantro oil, a Thai Crab Cake with citrus salad and lemongrass mayonaise, and Grilled Cod Fish Tacos with charred tomato salsa and pickled onions.

My skeptical side was joyfully swallowed down with this redeeming meal and a glass of Routas Rose. Half way through the fish tacos, we were given a "mistake from the kitchen" that was far from a mistake. One bite of the Mustard Greens sauteed with brandy and sesame seed oil was enough to hold my tastebuds in instant applause. The tart, sour greens were an instant drip of caffeine to my palate. Then, the Seared Blackened Albacore Tuna Steak - tender enough to break with a fork, juicy enough to savor for insanely long moments and tasty enough to excite your tastebuds and yet, calm them down a bit after the mustard greens. Finally, the risotto cake - so smooth, creamy and milky. The three on one plate complemented each other so well - tart and sour, peppery and juicy and sweet and creamy.
This "mistake" will have me coming back again very soon.

This skeptic has been converted and is now a fanatic.