Getting My Fish Fix at Bob’s Seafood in University City

Having visited both the East and the West coast in the past year, my husband and I have been spoiled with good, fresh seafood. Though we like to go out for sushi occasionally while here in St. Louis, we don’t frequently make seafood at home. When we do, it’s typically frozen shrimp or tilapia.

I’d heard of  in University City and passed it regularly on (8660) Olive Blvd., but have never stepped inside. With a major travel itch lately, I’m craving not only the sights, but also the eats of places far away from St. Louis. With no vacation to either coast on the agenda right now, I knew I’d have to get my fix elsewhere.

Bob’s is open Monday through Saturday from 9:30 am to 6:00 pm. When my husband and I stopped in on a Friday afternoon, there were a few customers and a wide array of seafood for us to choose from. We spent several minutes just taking in the sights (and smells! Seafood is never scentless!), trying to decide between the many options available. With everything from tuna steaks to crawfish to live lobsters and in between, we had a tough time choosing.

We ended up with a pound and a half of Farmed Scottish Salmon. At $13.50/lb, we found it surprisingly affordable, as most everything in the store seemed to be. The employees were more than willing to help, offering us advice regarding the different types of salmon on hand and then patiently answering my questions about how to store the salmon prior to eating it the next day.

Just over 24 hours later, I was in the kitchen whipping up a peach tomato salsa to accompany the salmon my husband was outside grilling. Though it looked picture perfect on our plates, I was hesitant about the final product. We were, after all, still in the heart of the Midwest! As it turns out, there was no need to worry. The salmon melted like butter in our mouths. With a little imagination, I almost believed I was sitting Oceanside enjoying my dinner…not basking in the air conditioning of my dining room!

Bob’s Seafood gets an A+ for quality, prices, and service. Next time I find myself wishing I were on vacation, I’ll pop in to Bob’s and once again recreate my favorite meals from the coasts!

Grilled Salmon with Tomato-Peach Salsa

from Cooking Light July 2011

Ingredients:

-1 cup chopped peeled peach

-3/4 cup quartered cherry tomatoes

-1/4 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion

-3 tbsp small fresh mint leaves

-3 tbsp small fresh basil leaves

-2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

-1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

-1 tbsp honey

-1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced

-1 tsp kosher salt, divided

-4 (6 oz)  salmon fillets

-1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

-cooking spray

Directions:

1. Preheat grill to high heat.

2. Combine the first 9 ingredients in a bowl. Sprinkle mixture with 1/4 tsp salt and toss gently. Sprinkle fillets evenly with remaining 3/4 tsp salt and black pepper. Place fillets on a grill rack coated with cooking spray and grill for 10 minutes (or desired degree of doneness), turning after 5 minutes. Serve topped with salsa.