Chicagoans continue to gobble up all the fish they can find, but somehow specialized seafood houses have a tough time surviving. Though seafood scarfing has increased exponentially since the early 80s, and the mainstays–the Cape Cod Room, Shaw’s Crab House, and Nick’s Fishmarket–have all enjoyed long life spans, many other fine fish houses have sunk without a trace.
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None of this fazed intrepid restaurateur Roger Greenfield, who opened the Bluepoint Oyster Bar in the Randolph Market area a little more than a year ago. “We follow trends,” says Greenfield. His Restaurant Development Group now has ten eateries ranging from the Saloon steak house to Bar Louie–and has either closed or sold off another half dozen in recent years. “Randolph Street is a hot new area, but there seemed to be a void in the market. Seafood was a great fit and the timing was perfect.”
Longfellow brushed off the recent closings as “only a piece of the puzzle.”
A fine comfort dish was the huge shrimp stuffed with crabmeat in a thick, savory white sauce, all playing well against the roasted-garlic mashed potatoes ($22.95). The most interesting concoction was peppercorn-seared swordfish bedded on a crusty potato cake and topped with an unusual salsa based on avocado and cognac–a fascinating meld of flavors and textures ($21.95). Another piece of exotica, halibut done with a scallion crust and a soy-chili glaze, was a bit overwrought. The flavorings overpowered the simplicity of the fish ($19.95).
