Rockfish

Went to Rockfish with the entire family tonight. We generally don't go out in public as an entire family -- our particular brand of Polish craziness is better left at home. But it was Mom's birthday and she wanted to go out, and if you know anything about my mother you know you do what she wants, so out we went.

Rockfish is actually a favorite of the fam. It's reasonably priced and, for a chain, the quality is pretty good. I got a lecture from my nephew about how I should not be drinking such a big beer. I'll admit the glass they gave me was HUGE but it sure was tasty.

Appetizers - There were 11 of us (parentals, me, sis ##1-3, the 2 bro in laws, niece, nephew and my great aunt Z - like I said, crazy), so we ordered a few. The parentals (and I) love the shrimp martini, which is basically a cooked shrimp ceviche. It's a bit spicy and quite good. Sis #1 ordered the spinach dip which was just ok (although you'd think it was poison the way the nephew turned his nose up at it). Sis #2 ordered the jalepeno hush puppies. I have no idea how the hush puppies tasted because she wouldn't share. Typical little sister.

I think we had a pretty good sampling of the menu. Dad ordered the stuffed trout, bday girl the tilapia special, Z ordered the fried shrimp, Sis #1 the steak (she doesn't like seafood -- she's the weird one), #2 (the pescatarian) the fish tacos, #3(the picky baby who until last Christmas never ate fish) the grilled tilapia(!) (dont remember what the bro in law had and the kids ate kids meal crap). I had the snow crab steamer special. I actually like crab better than lobster (I think it has a better flavor) and since I don't get it very often, I was happy to see it on the board. Based on the empty shells littering my plate I must have liked it. Added bonus -- sausage, corn and potatoes. The corn and potatoes were kind of bland but the sausage was quite spicy and taty.

A gooey brownie ala mode with a birthday song was the end of a great meal. Happy to say no one was harmed in our family outing, can't say the same for the snow crab . . . :)

Cheers!