Mitchell's Fish Market - The Epitome of Mediocre (Chicago Area Restaurant Review No. 87)

On a very cold and wintry Sunday, we had cabin fever so we decided to go out to the suburbs, partially to go to a Container Store so Lisa could have her closets organized (which she did and is happy with), and partly so we could go to a nearby Half-Price Bookstore to unload some of the many books both of us tend to collect. Since we have vowed to eat more fish this year, we picked a fish house in the same area, called Mitchell's Fish Market. Unfortunately, this was not one of our better choices.

The restaurant itself is unremarkable, with a large bar area and then tables and booths in the room with the kitchen. The best part of the decor was that it was warm even by the window on a frigid night.

We started with wine by the glass. Steve's Ravenswood Zinfandel was good, as this brand always is. Lisa's Kim Crawford Pinot Noir was a bit too tart for her liking. For an appetizer we split the shrimp cocktail. We did not care for this dish, as we found the shrimp tasted fishy, always a killer. The service was uneven, as the next course came out right on top of the appetizer. Steve had the wedge salad, which he found acceptable, but not great because the dressing was weak. Lisa had the lobster bisque, which she found too salty.

For entrees, Lisa had the salmon, which she again found tasted fishy, although she has had worse. Steve actually liked his salmon, and also liked the asparagus (amazingly) that it came with.

For dessert, Lisa had the chocolate java lava mocha cake, with vanilla ice cream, and Steve had the creme brulee. Both the desserts were pretty good, but nothing special.

The bathrooms were clean and warm, although not particularly fancy.

There was nothing really wrong with Mitchell's Fish Market, but that's not exactly a ringing endorsement either. It was basically mediocre and not worth a special trip. Dinner for two with wine by the glass was $120, which is less than our usual tab, but actually is pricey for the quality here.

Our ratings for Mitchell's Fish Market, 2601 Navy Blvd., Glenview

5 of 10 Fish Hooks; 2 of 3 Bathroom Brushes