Above: White drapery diffuses a soft blue light in the updated dining area of Splash Seafood downtown.
By Wini Moranville
A recent visit to Splash Seafood Bar & Grill made me want to return very soon. Here’s why:
• Refreshed decor: While some diners (including me) originally admired the bold and surreal circa-late-’90s ambiance, there’s no denying that the decor had become dated. Now, the brazen dining room mural has been replaced by a subdued sheen of white curtains, backlit by soft blue lamps. And what a difference that has made! The effect is graceful and refined, while leaving the dreaminess of the giant aquariums intact.
• Oysters: There truly is no better place in town to enjoy raw oysters. Whether from the East Coast or West, the ice-cold bivalves consistently bring the vivid sweet-salty-funky appeal I crave.
• Jet-fresh seafood: I’m never disappointed by the freshness and sparkle of the fish here. Conveniently, two of my favorite entrees on the menu also happen to be two of the least expensive: The miso-marinated salmon with edamame salad ($28) and the swordfish meuniere ($29) make dining here on a weeknight seem like less of a splurge, especially when you consider my next point …
• No corkage fee: There’s never a corkage fee here, and that’s a generous touch for such a high-end place.
• Birthday deal: Sign up for Splash’s newsletters, and you’ll get a free entree (up to $25 off) during the week of your birthday. Sign up here.
Splash Seafood Bar & Grill is at 303 Locust St., 515-244-5686; splash-seafood.com.
Wini Moranville writes about food, wine and dining for dsm magazine and dsmWeekly. Follow her on Facebook at All Things Food–DSM.
