Tricia’s husband PJ was in Alaska catching king salmon, but Tricia and I were on the hunt for fish of a different kind for our dinner-and-theatre girls’ night.
The Aiken Fish House & Oyster Bar opened in a shopping center along Whiskey Road in spring 2019. It serves up raw, steamed or charbroiled oysters; a variety of seafood baskets or platters, grilled, blackened or fried; specialty entrees such as a fried seafood platter for two, shrimp and grits, or low country boil; handheld items including sandwiches, po’ boys, and tacos; and, of course, appetizers (including gator bites!), soups, salads and desserts.
Or, if you’re not into seafood, the restaurant also offers burgers, a chicken po’ boy, even a 12 oz. New York strip.
Tricia definitely wanted seafood, but didn’t necessarily want salmon—“PJ will be bringing some home,” she said. She’d also been enjoying fresh Georgia shrimp at her beach house, and the restaurant no longer serves her other go-to, softshell crab. So it’s a very good thing the Aiken Fish House otherwise offers a huge supporting cast of fish, including basa, catfish, cod, flounder, grouper, mahi, snapper and trigger.
I kind of wanted it all. But, the last time I’d eaten at the Fish House, I’d made the mistake of ordering too much of everything, and everything fried, which left me feeling like I needed to be tucked into bed right there at the table. So luckily our server stepped in to suggest her favorite, the trigger, which is described as a clean, sweet fish with a delicate flavor. This time, I ordered it grilled—our server said that it would be flavored with a little lemon pepper—and paired it with some fresh fried shrimp. For my side, I paid the difference so I could have a crisp green salad. Meanwhile, Tricia went for her other go-to, crab cakes, with a side of collards, which our server also suggested.
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As we waited for our food, we had some time to look around. The interior of the restaurant is open and fresh, painted in a light blue, with wood accents and fish sculptures adorning its walls. On that Saturday night at 5:45 p.m., it was busy with the sounds of people happily chatting around us and the brisk servers in their black T-shirts dashing to and fro.
I admit I squealed a little when our server set my plate down: It was adorably shaped like a fish, and cradled my two choices, along with a couple of golden-brown hushpuppies. But first, the salad: It was exactly what I wanted on that warm night after a couple of days of heavier meals and fewer vegetables. Served with my choice of ranch dressing, the romaine was deep green and crisp, seasoned with the sweet tomato, zingy red onion, sharp cheddar and crispy croutons.
But the star, of course, is the seafood. I’d had PJ’s shrimp recently in the form of a low-country boil dinner, but I can eat an almost unlimited quantity of shrimp (as PJ and Tricia learned that night!). Aiken Fish House’s was fried and an altogether different thing, but so tender and moist, with their delicate and crisp coats. I appreciated them alone and dipped in my sauce of choice, cocktail.
The triggerfish was a thin filet, beautifully grilled and just a touch on the peppery side from the lemon pepper. I’d never had it before, but I liked it; it was mild and firm, just a little chewy, with a pleasant flavor.
Tricia shared some of her crab cake as well, which had been formed very delicately so they were light, not heavy like hockey pucks. Along with some of the usual crab boil-type seasoning, these cakes also featured red peppers, which I thought was a nice touch. As we chatted, we also nibbled at the crisp and sweet hushpuppies.
We ate everything, but it was the perfect pre-theater meal—tasty, filling, and not too heavy. And as we left, our server waved a cheery goodbye. Our hunt for seafood? Turned out we landed a good one.
Make Your Reservation
Aiken Fish House & Oyster Bar
1376 Whiskey Road, Aiken
Open Monday, 4 to 9 p.m.; Tuesday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Entrée cost: $13 to $39
Danielle Wong Moores is a local freelance writer who’ll never turn down a shrimp cocktail, sushi or cheese dip. Her greatest food influences are her mom and writers MFK Fisher and Amanda Hesser. Her Dine and Dish column runs the second and fourth Fridays in The Augusta Press.
