by Steven Doyle
We just heard that chef Randy Morgan, the former Microsoft executive chef who has also had stints locally at Oceanaire (as corporate chef trainer), Dallas Fish Market and Hibiscus, has defected and moved on to Fish City Grill to inject new life into the restaurant.
Says Chef Morgan, “When you taste really honest cooking, it is like an awakening unlike anything else. I prefer to deal with small companies who are passionate about the product they send me. I receive several phone calls every morning at the restaurant from the small boutique purveyors I have worked very closely with for the past six years. I look forward to their call because I know that they have gotten their hands on something really amazing and they want me to try it out. And when they share those special catches with me, I feel like a kid at Christmas time.”
Fish City Grill traces its roots back to a neighborhood coffee shop in University Park that Bill and Lovett Bayne frequented back in 1995. Like any good patrons eating at a coffee shop, they thought, “This place would make a great oyster bar!” And you know what? It did. Half Shells Oyster Bar and Grill was an instant success.
A second Half Shells was opened in 2002 and then the name ‘Fish City Grill’ was chosen for future restaurants. New locations have since opened throughout Texas and expanded into Arkansas, Colorado, Florida and Oklahoma.
Chef Morgan started his new gig running and has changed the menu around a bit. We have some of those changes…
· “The Shindig” – A shareable dish featuring clams, mussels, shrimp, crab legs, Andouille sausage, potatoes, corn and green beans
· Pan Seared Main Lobster Cakes – Bourbon charred corn, leeks, tarragon vanilla cream and old bay seasoning
· Baked Massachusetts Cherry Stone Clams – Andouille sausage, fire roasted red peppers, smoked paprika, parmesan and white truffle
· Tempura Fried Shellfish Fritto Misto – Shrimp, scallops, calamari, green beans, asparagus, zucchini and lemon aioli
· Chargrilled Louisiana Coast Oysters – Melted leeks, smoked bacon and lemon
· New Bedford Massachusetts Jumbo Sea Scallop “Rich Boy” – Po boy bread, tartar sauce, smoked bacon, avocado, tomatoes, shredded lettuce and red onion
· Pacific Island Shrimp and Scallop Ceviche – Charred pineapple, roasted white corn, coconut milk, crispy tortilla chips
· Southern France Cote d’Azur Classic Bouillabaisse – Clams, mussels, shrimp, days catch, tarragon, tomato fennel broth, toasted baguette
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