Malibu Fish Grill makes fish tasty and affordable

The only problem with eating fish every day is the price and that is what prohibits me from doing so.

It has always been one of my favorite foods, though when I select it when dining out it is thought of as a treat.

That may not have to happen with my discovery of Malibu Fish Grill. The eatery has managed to make fish tasty and affordable.

Usually, any fish that is under $10 comes fried and served with chips, defeating the purpose of eating the healthy food.

Fish is a tricky dish, a culinary gamble in many ways. I have often had $25 fish that I wouldn’t feed to my dog in restaurants that claimed it was their specialty.

A fresh, well-prepared fish should be expected at those places, but sadly I have often walked away disappointed.

At the Malibu Fish Grill, they have not condemned the fish to the fryer and prepare it in unusual ways.

The place is patterned after a Rubio’s or Baja Fresh in décor and in front of the soda machine is a counter with fresh salsa.

It isn’t needed for most of the dishes Malibu serves. The nine grilled fish plates are prepared three different ways: Cajun-style, garlic butter and lemon/oregano. Any of the three are well done and the flavors don’t get lost in the grilling of the fish. The price of the fish is surprising. The halibut is the most expensive at $11.95 and I defy you to find salmon this good for less than the $9.49 they charge.

While those plates are good, what I found more intriguing were the wraps. Some of the same selections were put into a flour tortilla and were a steal at around $6. The most expensive of the 10 wraps was the salmon wrap at $7.49.

The mahi-mahi wrap I had was grilled Cajun style and then accompanied in the flour tortilla with rice, chopped lettuce, tomatoes and an Italian house dressing.

The wrap was about double the size of my fist and more than enough for lunch. If I was having it for dinner, I might get a bowl of clam chowder or crab cakes also, which the restaurant offers.

The wrap’s older brother, the sandwich, is also available here. I found the sesame seed bun a bit clunky; the taste tends to get lost.

The salsa at the counter would come in handy for the fish tacos Malibu serves. There is a grilled fish taco, a mahi-mahi Cajun-grilled taco and a crispy fish taco. Each comes with shredded cabbage and cheese.

The crispy plates are something to satisfy those who like breaded and deep-fried fish, but otherwise should be avoided, though I might be tempted to try the catfish, which is not deep fried but lightly breaded.

I never understood the concept of fish in a salad, but could be won over by Malibu.

In addition to traditional salads, such as an oriental and Caesar salad, the restaurant serves mixed greens with a choice of 10 fish to put on top. Halibut, salmon, trout, white roughy and tilapia are some of the options.

The service is good and informal and the dishes done quickly. It is a great stop for lunch for those who have time constraints. It is a place I will be visiting often.