Seafood Meals at Whole Foods Market

If you asked me where I had my memorable meal during my US last November was? My answer is Whole Foods Market.

Sure I’ve had wonderful meals at Ruth Chris, Rasika and Zaytinya among many others but our discovery of the seafood restaurant inside Whole Foods Market was the most memorable and enjoyable.

I’ve been to Whole Foods Market at Fair Lakes in Virginia countless of times. I’ve eaten at their super healthy buffet as well as their barbecues and many other food. But I’ve never tried the seafood bar and the sushi place.

One night with La’s kids at home with a sitter we decided to have a quick no fuss dinner at Whole Foods. We decided to try the seafood bar which we never thought of trying before.

It was a very casual set-up with a small kitchen in the middle of circular bar counter.

There were a few small tables too.

The menu was simple and straightforward. There were six kinds of fishes and four ways of cooking it. There were sandwiches and salads too.

Today’s Catch menu (click to enlarge)

I ordered the bouillabaisse and was surprised to find a large bowl filled with mussels, tuna, cod, scallops and shrimp for only $12. The tomato saffron broth was unbelievably rich and flavorful. We learned that the stock was cooked for 15 hours. The fresh seafood was added to the broth upon order. It was magnificent. I don’t know why I don’t see anything like this in Manila’s restaurants. Well nothing this bountiful, cheap and delicious anyway.

bouillabaisse $12

La ordered the crab cake which she said was just ok since she could taste some fillers. Their entrees come with a side salad and a choice of parslied potatoes,  rice or English chips. We both agreed that the bouillabaisse was superior.

jumbo lump crab cake $14

We enjoyed our meal so much we went back the next day for lunch to try something new. We found out we can buy fresh seafood and have them cook it for us for a minimal fee. La bought 1 Chilean sea bass fillet.

We ordered a Caesar salad which came with an option of grilled salmon, fried calamari or fried oysters. I chose the fried oysters since that was quite an unusual option for me. Restaurants usually offer shrimp or chicken and I’ve never had fried oysters before.

OMG!!!! Another slam dunk. The oysters were so fresh I could still taste the briny flavor. The flour breading was barely there and the oysters were fried to a perfect crisp without any oily aftertaste. The romaine lettuce was also lightly dressed with a light and tangy Caesar dressing. It was the perfect combination!!!

Caesar salad with fried oysters $10

This big piece of Chilean sea bass good for two cost $12.96 ($25.99/lb). They charge $3 to cook it anyway you want or pay $6 which included cooking and the sides. The chef suggested simply searing the fish in a pan and baking it in the oven til done. Instead of potatoes or rice we chose a double serving of salad instead.

The Chilean sea bass was one of the best fish I’ve eaten in quite a while. It was perfectly cooked and the texture was very milky and buttery. Just a squeeze of lemon and it was divine.

Chilean Sea Bass $18.96

Just look at that and weep.

Oh, did I mention that there is no tipping? Yes a restaurant that doesn’t accept tips!! And a glass of wine filled to the top costs only $5. What’s not to love about this place?

La asked me what I wanted for my last meal in Virginia before I left for Los Angeles? Without batting an eyelash I immediately replied, “seafood at Whole Foods!” We recruited our friends and neighbor Audrey and Chris to join us since they’ve never eaten there yet.

I wanted them to try my favorites – the Caesar salad with fried oysters and bouillabaisse. Well I wanted to eat them one last time too. Fresh oysters were sold at $1 each at the seafood counter. Our salad contained 12 fried oysters and it costs $10 for the whole dish. What a deal!!!

Caesar salad with fried oysters $10

The presentation of the bouillabaisse wasn’t as pretty as when I first had it since the cook was a different guy. Nevertheless it was still as good. Chris and Audrey were equally enthralled.

bouillabaisse $12

La ordered the cod with lemon caper sauce sans carbs. Another winner!!!

Atlantic Cod with lemon caper sauce $14

Chris was our resident gourmand. He bought 12 snails and had it cooked with wine, butter and herbs and it became escargot. It was a bit tough but the flavors were delicious. The sauce was perfect for dipping bread in.

escargot

Audrey ordered the yellowfin tuna glazed in miso-sake marinade and rolled in black and yellow sesame seeds and seared. It was served with wasabi mayo on the side.

yellowfin tuna with sesame miso $15

I wouldn’t have ordered this myself but once I tried a piece of the well seasoned raw tuna in the middle and cooked on the outside with a crisp sesame crust I was sold on it.

Whole Foods Market
4501 Market Commons Dr, Fairfax, VA 22033 USA
telephone (703) 222-2058