May 14, 2011
Avalon, Santa Catalina Island, California – It was lunchtime in Avalon and today there was only one place on my mind: Armstrong’s.
Armstrong’s Seafood was opened 28 years ago by Russ Armstrong and it is truly a family business. I have dined at Armstrong’s several times. When you find something good you stick with it. Their trump card is fresh seafood, in some cases caught locally.
As soon as you walk in, you’ll notice the mesquite-fired grill. Most of the time it will have an anxious customer’s meal cooking on it. The aroma from the grill is enough to let you know that you are in for a delicious meal. Be forewarned that before you even reach the door, there will likely be a line waiting to get in. This restaurant is very popular among locals and tourists alike.
This may sound odd but Armstrong’s serves some of the best broccoli I have ever had. I can’t identify what they used to spice it. Maybe they steam it over the mesquite grill but I’ve only ever seen meat cooking on it. Moving on…
Once inside you’ll find trophy fish mounted on the wall along with photos of anglers (including some movie stars from the golden age of film) and their catch. The wooden tables have rope-wrapped posts. There is a mix of wood paneling and brick along the walls. Dining areas include the patio, inside with views of the harbor, and a larger main area.
I chose to be seated inside with a view of the harbor because it was heavily overcast outdoors and drizzled off and on. My server came to take my order. With the mesquite grill in mind, I ordered the swordfish. To go with the fish, I decided to have a glass of white wine and a glass of iced tea.
It took a while for my meal to arrive even though there were not that many people dining at this time. Since I was seated across from the window, I couldn’t really see much of what was going on outside. I looked at all of the photos on the wall but got bored waiting after that.
At last, my meal arrived. The iced tea ($2.50) was served in a plastic cup with a lemon wedge. It tasted like your basic iced tea. Nothing really special about it.
To change things up wine-wise, I decided on a sauvignon blanc ($7.50/glass). I’m still learning my way around white wines. I have not tried very many sauvignon blancs. This one was not quite as light as I was expecting. It paired just ok with the swordfish.
The swordfish lunch ($20.95) comes with steamed vegetables and rice pilaf. The vegetables were broccoli and cauliflower, more broccoli than cauliflower. A lemon wedge and tartar sauce joined in to accent the fish. I went for the broccoli first, hoping to again taste that wonderful flavor. It was steamed properly and tasted pretty good. But today it didn’t taste the same as I remembered it. It lacked the spice. The rice pilaf tasted like your typical restaurant-style rice pilaf. It was cooked just about right. Aside from that, nothing to write home about.
Now for the star of the show. The swordfish was grilled perfectly with nice sear marks. Inside it was moist, firm, and flaky. And that mesquite flavor came through very nicely. Even after drizzling on some lemon and dabbing on some tartar sauce, the taste of the swordfish itself was still present. Yes! This is exactly why I come back to Armstrong’s so often. (To the swordboat captains and crew out there: Thank you!)
When my check came, I noticed I was charged for an entire bottle of wine when I only had one glass. Unbelievably, it took a bit of effort to get it straightened out. Sadly, the service today – not just with the check – cast a pall over my whole dining experience as I was really looking forward to this meal.
If you’re in the mood for seafood, Armstrong’s makes the perfect place to dine with friends. If you are looking for romance, Armstrong’s makes the perfect place to dine with your significant other, too.
With that said, it pains me that things appear to be changing here at Armstrong’s. I would have given them the 5-fork rating they earned in each of my previous visits but the service seems to have gone downhill. Therefore, the lower rating. Had this been my first time here I would have rated Armstrong’s even lower based on the service today. I will come back and I hope that things will have improved.
Armstrong’s Seafood – 4 forks. Recommended. Fresh, perfectly cooked seafood. What else can you ask for?
Update: June 16, 2013. Armstrong’s has shut its doors. When we visited today, another restaurant was in the process of being built. According to The Avalon Bay News, “the Santa Catalina Island Company decided it would be better to have a chain restaurant at that location.” Owner Russ Armstrong told The Log, “[W]ith this new regime (Santa Catalina Island Resort Services (SCIRS)), they are trying to get rid of folks who have been here for a long time, and bring in new people.” So after 29 years serving Avalon, exit family-owned Armstrong’s, enter the Bluewater Grill chain. The Catalina Chamber of Commerce reports that the neighboring Busy Bee restaurant will also be renovated to make room for the new restaurant.
I, for one, will miss Armstrong’s. They were one of the places that made Catalina such a unique and special place for me. I really hate to see it replaced by a chain restaurant. If I wanted to dine at a chain restaurant, I would’ve stayed on the mainland.
Kanale Eats 