Michael Chernow has brought his magical entreprenuerial touch from the Meatball Shop to his new NoLita restaurant, Seamore’s. The new seafood venture has become so popular since its early-summer opening that diners arriving past 7 p.m. can expect both a wait and a cacophonous dining room. Despite these drawbacks, I can’t help myself from coming back. I’ve been waiting for a seafood restaurant like this in New York for a long time. The menu packs all the right components, from raw-bar selections including ceviche and poke to tacos and sandwiches. With daily specials of both fish and sides, the selection is varied enough that each time I return, there’s something I want more of and something I want to try. I always crave the spicy squid taco with squid grilled on the plancha, cut and served over a bed of corn purée, kale, apple, cotija cheese and crushed corn nuts. An adobo-like sweet-and-spicy sauce gives it both structure and a kick. The blackened fish sandwich is another favorite, and then there’s the Reel Deal, comprising your choice of fish from the daily specials, a choice of sauce (I highly recommend the miso brown butter), three daily sides and greens.

I love the Reel Deal because it’s as close as I can get to fish and rice (a Hawaiian staple), and it’s even healthier given the abundance of included vegetables. For dessert, soft-serve from OddFellows completes the meal. Executive chef Gregg Drusinsky told us to look out for a new shrimp-and-brisket taco on the fall menu.