Wholesale fish market prepares delicious seafood dishes in Des Plaines
DES PLAINES, Ill. (WLS) -- A wholesale fish market in Des Plaines not only sells raw seafood, but also prepares just about anything you could imagine, much of it family-style.
For the last 22 years, the boxes of lobsters, octopus and swordfish have been a constant at the Boston Fish Market. But the owners moved the East Coast business close to O'Hare International Airport and kept the name.
"We wanted to bring the Mediterranean hospitality back to Chicago. The fresh fish," said owner Louis Psihogios.
No question. It's a 24-hour operation, shipping all over the country. But this warehouse connects to a kitchen, where you can have just about anything prepared for lunch or dinner.
"Red snapper, grouper, branzini, borata, halibut, Chilean sea bass, swordfish, salmon, wild salmon, sometimes farm-raised salmon too," he said.
A massive platter of cioppino - or fisherman's stew - is enough to feed a family, loaded with crab, mussels and clams; branzino is prepared a multitude of ways, including salt-baked or grilled; the sides are typically rice, potatoes and peppers, and the garnishes, not much more than a squeeze of lemon or a drizzle of olive oil.
A Great Lakes Platter is a fried fish lover's fantasy, featuring walleye, whitefish and smelt. Even a simple salad (topped with anchovies, of course) is a study in generous portions with the intention to be shared among several diners.
"You gonna get a lot of portions. All our portions over a pound, pound-and-a-half," he said.
They do sell Italian, Spanish and Greek wines here; you can bring your own but it's a $10 corkage fee.
And while they certainly have individual items like sandwiches and salads, bringing a few friends is recommended because the portions sizes are pretty massive.
BOSTON FISH MARKET
1225 Forest Ave., Des Plaines
(847) 803-2100
