Seafood appetizers at Nick's include seared ahi tuna slices with Cajun seasoning, soy-mustard and wasabi sauces, accompanied by warm vegetable salad.
Ousted from its Loop location a year ago for unpaid rent, Nick's Fishmarket is staging a comeback run in the Merchandise Mart, and from the looks of the midday crowds, it's got legs.
Drawing on the Mart's daytime population—38,000 people work in the building or pass through it each day—Nick's appears to be thumbing its nose at the past with one hand while raking in lunch money with the other.
A fixture for 32 years at 51 S. Clark St., the old location was split between pricey, fine-dining on one level and a casual grill above. The new, 200-seat space, opened last month, is contemporary and casual throughout, but with enough atmosphere and smooth service for business. Indeed, it's a new look but a similar clientele: The seats are occupied by a largely business crowd.
The wide-ranging menu fits most budgets: Fill up with a Southwestern chicken wrap and fries ($11) or ignite the credit card with a three-course lunch that could reach $70 per person or more, with the $37 sea bass entrée and cocktails.
Pure, clean flavors abound. The kitchen believes in a subtle touch for sauces and seasonings and monitors cooking times zealously.
Expect to see plenty of Nick's greatest hits, starting with luxurious sherry-spiked lobster bisque ($9). Tiny shrimp and bits of crab are swirled into richly concentrated broth, thick with cream and nutty flavor.
Seafood dominates the appetizers, which include a flaming spinach and artichoke dip ($11) that turns heads.
Less incendiary choices deserve equal attention, especially the “black and blue” seared tuna slices ($12). These supple morsels are dusted with Cajun seasoning and arrayed beside soy-mustard sauce and wasabi vinagirette, accompanied by warm vegetable salad.
The obligatory crab cake ($12) is more than that. Dip each meaty, crunchy bite into a little sweet mango relish and not-too-fiery sriracha mayo for the full effect.
Most salads, too, will be familiar from the menu at the previous location, including Legendary Larry's ($12), an entertaining play of textures and flavors. A half-dozen tail-on shrimp lounge amid uniform bits of asparagus, hearts of palm, lettuce and tangy feta cheese, with just a shade too much caper pimento vinaigrette.
Syrupy pomegranate vinaigrette overwhelmed an already-sweet chicken salad ($14), tossed with berries, apple, mango and candied walnut. Enough already.
Sandwiches, served with flavorful fries with a bit of skin left on, offer some respite from the sea, notably the ultra-juicy rib-eye steak ($14), a French dip with a better pedigree. Tender, well-marbled beef slices are piled on a wonderfully nutty pretzel roll with melted provolone and a hint of horseradish. Create a poor-man's surf-and-turf by sharing that and a thick ahi tuna melt ($18), with provolone again, roasted tomato and zippy wasabi aioli.
Among the entrees are a half-dozen seafood options with your choice of preparation, served with vegetables and a carb, all impeccably prepared.
Robust grouper ($21) stands up well to black bean corn relish and tomato coulis, with soufflé-like potato croquette and just-blanched, garlicky green beans, while delicate tilapia ($16) is perfect with silky lemon-butter-caper sauce, rice and seasoned roasted vegetables.
Pastries (all $8) are consistently luscious, including Key lime pie or white chocolate cheesecake. Rustic, warm apple pie outshines them all, drizzled with caramel sauce and served with super-premium vanilla ice cream.