The Origins of 25 Classic American Seafood Dishes

Poke
> What it is: Raw tuna or other fish, usually in a bowl, with various vegetables, condiments, and spices
> Where it originated Hawaii
> Where to try it: Tamashiro Market, Honolulu (Oahu), Hawaii

Lobster roll
> What it is: Lobster meat mixed with mayonnaise and served cold in a split-top bun (New England style) or served warm with butter (Connecticut style)
> Where it originated Possibly Perry’s in Milford, Connecticut (1927)
> Where to try it: New England style: McLoon’s Lobster Shack, South Thomaston, Maine (seasonal); Connecticut style: Abbott’s Lobster in the Rough, Noank, Connecticut (seasonal)

Clam chowder
> What it is: Dense soup of clams, potatoes, and salt pork (New England style) or clams in a soup with a tomato base (Manhattan style)
> Where it originated New England or French Canada
> Where to try it: New England style: Captain Parker’s Pub, West Yarmouth, Massachusetts; Manhattan style: Grand Central Oyster Bar, New York City, New York

Oysters Rockefeller
> What it is: Oysters on the half-shell baked with butter, spinach and/or green herbs, and bread crumbs
> Where it originated Antoine’s in New Orleans (1889)
> Where to try it: Antoine’s, New Orleans, Louisiana

Fried catfish
> What it is: Catfish filets typically soaked in buttermilk then dredged in cornmeal before frying
> Where it originated Unknown
> Where to try it: Taylor Grocery, Taylor, Mississippi

Lobster Fra Diavolo
> What it is: Italian-American dish of lobster pieces in spicy tomato sauce, served over pasta
> Where it originated Probably Little Italy in New York City (1940s)
> Where to try it: Nico Ristorante, Boston, Massachusetts

Stuffies
> What it is: Large clams, usually quahogs, removed from the shell, chopped, and mixed with breadcrumbs and other ingredients, then gratinéed
> Where it originated Portuguese or Italian immigrants in Rhode Island
> Where to try it: Iggy’s Doughboys and Chowderhouse, Warwick and Narragansett, Rhode Island

Lobster Newberg
> What it is: Lobster meat in a sauce of butter, cream, cognac, sherry, and eggs
> Where it originated Probably Delmonico’s Restaurant, New York City (1876)
> Where to try it: Delmonico’s, New York City, New York

Shrimp DeJonghe
> What it is: Whole shrimp with garlicky, sherry-moistened bread crumbs
> Where it originated DeJonghe’s Hotel, Chicago (early 20th century)
> Where to try it: Gene & Georgetti’s, Chicago, Illinois

Trout amandine (or almondine)
> What it is: Pan-fried trout in a sauce of brown butter and slivered almonds
> Where it originated New Orleans
> Where to try it: Lavendou, Dallas, Texas

Crab Louie
> What it is: Crab meat with hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes, and asparagus with a Thousand Island-style dressing
> Where it originated Probably San Francisco (early 20th century)
> Where to try it: Tadich Grill, San Francisco, California

Crab cake
> What it is: Crab meat usually bound with bread crumbs and/or egg and sautéed or baked
> Where it originated Probably Native American cooking, but in the modern form, producer Crosby Gaige in “New York World’s Fair Cook Book” (1930)
> Where to try it: G&M Restaurant, Linthicum Heights, Maryland

Cracked blue crab with Old Bay seasoning
> What it is: Whole crabs steamed with Old Bay, traditionally served with mallets for cracking shells on tables covered with butcher paper
> Where it originated Baltimore
> Where to try it: Schultz’s Crab House, Essex, Maryland

Tuna tartare
> What it is: Diced raw sushi-grade tuna with various condiments, often Asian-inspired
> Where it originated Le Duc, Paris (1975); introduced to America by chef Shigefume Tachibe, Chaya Brasserie, Los Angeles, California (1983)
> Where to try it: Olivetta, West Hollywood, California

Fried clams
> What it is: Deep-fried breaded whole-belly clams
> Where it originated Probably Woodman’s Restaurant, Essex, Massachusetts (1916)
> Where to try it: The Weatherdeck, West Chatham, Massachusetts (seasonal)

Shrimp Creole
> What it is: Shrimp in a spicy sauce including celery, bell pepper, and scallion or onion
> Where it originated Louisiana
> Where to try it: Darwell’s Cafe, Long Beach, Mississippi

Crab Rangoon
> What it is: Crab meat and cream cheese deep-fried in wonton wrappers
> Where it originated Trader Vic’s, San Francisco (circa 1956)
> Where to try it: Trader Vic’s, Emeryville, California

Cioppino
> What it is: Italian-American seafood stew with wine and tomatoes, traditionally including Dungeness crab
> Where it originated San Francisco (late 19th century)
> Where to try it: Sotto Mare, San Francisco

Baja fish tacos
> What it is: Deep-fried pieces of white-fleshed fish in soft corn tortillas typically with shredded cabbage, avocado sauce, and white or hot sauce
> Where it originated Ensenada or San Felipe, Mexico (1950s); popularized in U.S.: Mission Beach, California (from 1983)
> Where to try it: Rubio’s Coastal Grill, more than 150 locations in California, Arizona, Nevada, and New York

Hangtown fry
> What it is: Omelette with oysters and bacon
> Where it originated Placerville, California (1850s)
> Where to try it: Brenda’s French Soul Food, San Francisco, California (brunch only)

Baked scrod
> What it is: Filets of small cod or haddock baked in butter
> Where it originated Boston (1850s)
> Where to try it: Wimpy’s Restaurant & Market, Osterville, Massachusetts

Cedar-plank salmon
> What it is: Salmon filets or a whole side of salmon grilled or roasted on a cedar plank
> Where it originated Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest (possibly thousands of years ago)
> Where to try it: The Cedars Floating Restaurant, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

Fried calamari
> What it is: Rings of squid and their tentacles, battered and deep-fried (often served with marinara sauce for dipping)
> Where it originated Mediterranean countries (centuries ago); popularized in U.S., location unknown (circa 1975)
> Where to try it: Campiello, Naples, Florida, and Eden Prairie, Minnesota

Salmon burger
> What it is: Salmon fishcake, bound with eggs, flour, and/or bread crumbs and formed into a patty, usually served on a bun with lettuce and tomato
> Where it originated Alaska (?); variation on fish croquettes invented in France (mid-19th century)
> Where to try it: Blue Star Café and Pub, Seattle, Washington

Blackened redfish
> What it is: Redfish filet coated in spices and blackened in butter in a searing-hot skillet
> Where it originated Paul Prudhomme, K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen, New Orleans (1980s)
> Where to try it: Nina P’s Café, Lake Charles, Louisiana