Lovers Seafood and Market, the brainchild of Tracy Rathburn and Lynae Fearing, is a small, elegant restaurant located on Lovers Lane in Dallas, TX.
The interior is classy and reminiscent of a beach house, with mixed woods and teal accents. Immediately after walking through the door, there is a large, open dining area with a seafood bar to the right of the room. Make sure to bring a sweater— it’s cold inside, probably to keep the seafood fresh.
The menu features a variety of dishes with influence from countries all around the world. With some recommendations from our waiter, I ordered the avocado toast, tuna poke and crab cake. The service is extremely fast and I waited for no more than 15 minutes before the food arrived.
First, the dishes were small; small enough that you could share two or three with another person and be comfortably full at the end of your meal. The portions are controlled, so if you enjoy large, rich meals, this restaurant is not for you.
The actual dishes seemed to be focused more on taste than aesthetic. The avocado toast was generously seasoned with grilled corn, roasted poblano and pickled onions, and artfully seasoned with crumbles of cheese. I found the textures of this dish to be very satisfying, and I was left wanting more.
The crab cake was by far the richest dish that I ordered. It comes with Cajun tartar sauce and fresh coleslaw. Now, I’m usually not the biggest fan of coleslaw. But this slaw was crunchy and fresh, which complimented the crispy yet soft crab cake. The tartar sauce was an amazing additive—it provided a little zing that I felt was necessary to tie the dish together.
The tuna poke was my favorite dish that I ordered. It came with three chips to pile the poke on, and the actual poke was very fresh and came mixed with sesame, wakame, cucumber and togarashi. To eat it, you had two options— to use a chip to scoop up the poke, or to just use your fork and eat it alone. I would say to use the chips they provide, but make sure to pile on more poke than chip. I am a big fan of sashimi and raw fish in general, so if you don’t like that or you’re used to it being complemented with rice, then you might not enjoy this dish. It was very simple and delicate in its flavors.
Overall, the atmosphere and food at this restaurant was elegant and clean. The food, while not being the fanciest, was definitely well-prepared and the seafood was very fresh. However, it is a bit pricey—the three dishes we ordered were considered “Share It” items, and they averaged around $16 per dish. But the next time you’re looking for a light meal, definitely stop by to have your fill.
Lovers Seafood and Market
5200 W. Lovers Ln., Dallas, TX 75209
Ponette Kim – Asst. News Editor
