Review: Ironside Fish & Oyster Seafood
San Diego is a place known for fresh seafood. Ironside Fish & Oysters is one of the best in town. If you like seafood, then it is the place for you. However, the menu is actually only seafood, so if you have allergies to seafood, this is not the restaurant for you, but if you like fresh seafood, then Ironside Fish & Oyster should be one of the top restaurants to go to in town.
The restaurant is known for its fresh seafood, especially its oysters. There is an excellent raw bar that serves up a number of delicious fresh dishes. The oysters are new, and the selection changes to what is fresh each day. The oysters may be from the East Coast or West Coast. They also have their select oysters that are hand-farmed throughout the growing process to produce an oyster with a mild, sweet flavor, a smooth finish, and a touch of brine. The other oysters are some of the best and are brought in from around the states. You can order them on the half shell by the individual, 6 to an order, or 12 to an order. They are also part of the Ironside Platters that come in sizes Big, Bigger, Biggest and Holy Shit!
The Big comes with 6 oysters, 6 shrimp, rockfish ceviche and shrimp aguachile. The Bigger comes with 12 oysters, 81 shrimp, the ceviche, aguachile, and .5 lb chilled Maine lobster. The Biggest has 18 oysters, 10 shrimp, ceviche and aguachile, and 1 lb chilled lobster. And finally, the Holy Shit! has 24 oysters, 12 shrimp, the ceviche and aguachile, 2 lb chilled lobster, and 2 oz sustainable White Sturgeon caviar.
There are other selections from the raw bar that include the rockfish ceviche and aguachile, but other choices that you can order are the chef’s choice crudo, shrimp and octopus coctel, chilled Jonah Crab Claws, and peel and eat shrimp with old bay seasoning at like the oysters individual, 6 and 12. Finally, there are three types of caviar: smoked trout Roe, White Sturgeon, and Siberian Sturgeon. You can also order the caviar tasting to sample all three caviars. All of the caviars come with nori butter and a sourdough waffle.
The main courses are an excellent selection of seafood at its finest and freshest. Some favorites include the lobster roll, the fish and chips and the Octopus a la plancha. The lobster roll is chunks of lobster, brown butter mayo, crispy shallots, and chives, all served on a housemade pillowy soft bun. The fish and chips are crisp tempura battered rockfish, old bay fries, and housemade tartar sauce, and the octopus is cooked al la plancha with chorizo, olives, sherry, and spicy aioli. There are also unique dishes like the crab and artichoke dip, the chowder fries and a bone marrow dish made with tuna tartar, salsa verde, and sesame. The fresh oyster can also be ordered as oyster Rockefeller with spinach, parmesan, and bread crumbs.
There is also the fresh catch of the day with an assorted variety of vegetables. Also, there are a choice of Maine and Spiny lobster that you can get a la plancha or grilled.
This restaurant has everything for a seafood lover. The selection from the raw bar is fantastic, and the appetizers and entrees are delicious. The only drawback to the restaurant is that you really need a reservation to sit in the dining room. There may be seats at the raw bar, but that is not a guarantee.
