All Fired Up

One possible definition of confidence could be installing fire pits at a restaurant that spent seven months rebuilding after major fire and water damage. This would be the downtown waterfront’s Top of the Market, the deluxe seafood room above the always-buzzing The Fish Market. The outdoor fire pit area is comfy and cozy, but the real beneficiary of the fire (strange way to put it, but accurate) is the interior room, a gracious space with a warm, contemporary look entirely different from before. New Chef Stafford Mather salts his mostly seagoing menus with small plates like pears and Burrata with Marcona almonds, honeycomb, saba and extra virgin olive oil. Equally good, an appetizer of crispy Brussels sprouts and artichokes sounds a bit clichéd until you taste the accents of Meyer lemon yogurt and sumac. Local swordfish, rarely encountered these days, is mesquite grilled, finely garnished and sauced, and as luxurious as the setting. There’s so much to like among the dishes that the sweeping view becomes more bonus than focus.

Read Full Article