Our server was stumped when we asked, “How come they’re called Bang Bang Shrimp?” He went in search of an answer. In the meantime, we contemplated our meal.
It was still early in the evening, but Bonefish Grill was already packed. Couples and families filled booths and tables in a spacious, comfortable room. We hung out for a few moments in the attached bar, which serves a generous range of mixed drinks, such as a Lemon Drop Martini and a cucumber margarita made with Patron Silver.
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Seafood’s at the heart of the matter, though. A golden puddle of corn chowder with shreds of fresh crab and a touch of bacon makes a splendid starter. A spicy pink remoulade sauce enlivens crab cakes. One nonfishy appetizer that’s a must: the flatbread, topped with roasted mushrooms, aioli, and truffle oil.
There’s no bonefish on the menu, but the restaurant has the “grill” part down when it comes to seafood. Both the shrimp and scallops were perfect—plump, juicy, and fragrant, with a smoky tang. The mahi-mahi, salmon, and tuna are grilled, and all can be topped with five different sauces, including herb pesto and mango salsa.
The same grill produces superior meat dishes. Consider the surf-and-turf route: a center-cut sirloin and crab cakes. Or try the boneless pork chop, smothered with roasted garlic, prosciutto, mushrooms, a glistening Marsala sauce, and pungent Fontina cheese. Yet nothing we ate at Bonefish Grill—and we ate a lot—was better than a presentation of trout, baked in a fine crust of powdered pecans laced with Parmesan.
For dessert, macadamia nut brownies with raspberry sauce make a fine finish, but we went with the Key lime pie—this being a Florida-inspired restaurant. It was puckery-sweet, and we quickly reduced it to crumbs. That’s when the server returned to explain about the Bang Bang Shrimp. Bonefish Grill’s most famous offering is a starter that you must share. It’s too rich for one diner, though you might try. The shrimp are fried crispy with a light batter and drizzled with a cream of Thai chili sauce and Sriracha that is spicy, buttery, and sweet.
And why are they called Bang Bang Shrimp? “The manager doesn’t know,” our server confessed. It was only his second flaw: The pacing was hurried, with courses arriving atop one another, and we were offered a dessert menu after barely tucking into our entrées. That aside, Bonefish Grill is a friendly, lively place, with superior presentations and one of the better appetizers around—even if it is mysteriously named.
The Bottom Line: Grilled seafood and a wide assortment of mixed drinks are served at a comfortable upscale chain.
Bonefish Grill
8780 Eager, 314-918-1649, bonefishgrill.com
Average Main Course: $30
