Fifi's Seafood Restaurant

Owners Nelson Sanchez and his wife Mayneth (the cook, better known as Fifi) have brought a warm neighborhood seafood eatery to North Beach, and residents have responded by packing the joint nightly. They come mostly for fresh selections of the day, such as hogfish and mutton snapper. Customers choose whether they want their fish served whole or filleted and then decide either grilled, steamed, or fried. We tried grilled whole hogfish. It wasn't so much grilled as griddled, but the texture was delicate and the taste pristine. Bites of the fried version boasted more flavor. Fussier treatments are offered as well, such as paella — reputable if not riveting. Prices aren't as low as one might expect at such a humble establishment, but affordable items include shrimp in garlic sauce or over yellow rice, and a fillet of grilled or fried Pacific swai. Fifi's welcoming spirit, relaxed environment, and unquestionably fresh fish make this spot worth catching.