Take it easy at Malibu Fish Grill

My boys and I traditionally go out to lunch every Wednesday during the school year. Where we go usually depends on what toy comes with the kid’s meal, what restaurant playground they wish to terrorize, or what fast food commercial has most infiltrated their little minds.

After a couple of years, their burger/pizza/ground-beef taco rotation has totally beaten me down. I’ve resigned myself to eating at home before venturing out with them.

That being said, I knew I was taking a calculated risk and might have to quell a revolt when I took the boys, along with my buddy Eric and his son Connor, to the newly opened Malibu Fish Grill (gasp!) near the corner of Beach and Talbert.

As someone who -- theoretically, at least -- likes to eat healthy but has never mastered the art of grilling fish, I’m totally enthralled with the concept of Malibu Fish Grill. They grill a variety of fresh fish (salmon, white roughy, trout, swordfish, catfish) with one of three seasonings (garlic butter, Cajun, lemon-oregano) and serve it as a plate (with salad, pita bread and rice), a sandwich, a wrap or a taco.

So in the midst of all this healthy fare, how did the nutritionally challenged, fish-averse boys get by? Exceptionally well, thanks to some fantastic grilled chicken tacos and the requisite French fries. Proving the grilled chicken wasn’t an anomaly, we also enjoyed an equally tasty chicken skewer that had a nice charred texture, as well as a burrito-like grilled chicken wrap stuffed with rice, lettuce and tomato.

Based on our lunch and two subsequent visits -- and this is not meant to be a slap in the face -- I thought the grilled chicken (be it taco, skewer or wrap) was the standout item.

As for grilled fish plates, I tried the Cajun halibut, which was splendidly moist, albeit smaller than hoped for. The house vinaigrette, even sparsely distributed, had an aftertaste that soured me on the accompanying salad and had me ordering wraps without dressing.

The rice and pita bread were fine, but I really liked the grilled zucchini (thinly sliced lengthwise and grilled with olive oil, lemon and oregano) that can be added to any plate for a dollar more.

I partook in several other grilled fish items, including a Cajun grilled mahi taco topped with chopped (why not shredded?) lettuce and a mild but flavorful salsa. The grilled fish wrap took on a Mediterranean feel when the warm rice steamed what little lettuce and tomato there was.

My grilled ahi tuna sandwich on wheat bun would have been better had I not chosen the garlic butter seasoning, which clashed with the tartar sauce. Cajun seasoning would have contrasted nicely with the soothing tartar sauce.

I fended off the threat of lower cholesterol by mixing in a couple “crispy” items. At Malibu Fish Grill, crispy is code for fried. The crispy crab cakes came with a tangy dipping sauce akin to a creamy salsa. As for the crispy shrimp taco, there were more bad umpiring calls in the Angels-White Sox series than shrimp in my taco (four).

The last thing I tried was a New England clam chowder so thin it should be reclassified as a soup. Proper Bostonians would shudder at this incarnation of chowder.

For parents lucky enough to have seafood-loving children, the restaurant offers a fish and chips kids meal, as well as popcorn shrimp. There are even chocolate chip and sugar cookies for dessert.

Last week, I went to an Eagles concert. They were good, but by no means did they blow me away. I can say the same about Malibu Fish Grill.

* JOHN VOLO is the Independent restaurant critic. If you have comments or suggestions, e-mail [email protected].