Sweeney’s Seafood Bar & Grill continues to offer fresh fish and seafood during the pandemic
Even though many of us are staying closer to home this winter thanks to COVID-19, award-winning Sweeney’s Seafood Bar & Grill in downtown Centerville is prepared to take diners around the world with its varied menu featuring “fresh catch” from across the globe.
“Our fish and seafood are sourced throughout the world. Our menus showcase items which previously called the Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic or Caribbean oceans; Faroe Islands; Canadian Great Lakes; Scandinavian North Sea; and U.S. river and stream waters home,” says Holley Thompson, a partner and owner of Sweeney’s. Depending on the season, diners can enjoy Prince Edward Island mussels, jumbo scallops farm raised off Massachusetts, organically farm-raised Faroe Islands Atlantic salmon, Idaho rainbow trout, Chesapeake Bay raw oysters, Nova Scotia cold-water lobster tails, Chesapeake Bay live middle neck clams and day-boat cod caught off Cape Cod, all fresh for your dining experience.
To guarantee the freshness and quality of its catch, Thompson says the restaurant works with local, state, regional and U.S. purveyors to procure the best possible options. Most is flown into Columbus or Dayton and then delivered to the restaurant. Special features change weekly based on what is fresh and available.
“We use whatever purveyor can deliver the freshest seafood and fish possible. Of course, cost is also a factor so we can prepare our features at a reasonable price for our guests,” adds Thompson.
Sourcing the best “fresh catch” is already difficult for a landlocked, locally owned restaurant, but this has become even more challenging during the pandemic. Just as supply lines of everyday products like toilet paper and beef have slowed down during required shutdowns, so have the supply lines of “fresh catch.” Thompson explains, “Extensive resourcing, conversations, energy and effort is required to ensure our diners continue to be delighted by Sweeney’s robust menu options.”
These obstacles have not stopped Sweeney’s from serving up tasty meals to diners both in and out of the restaurant. As changing dining regulations permit, the restaurant offers dine-in service (which includes a small patio when weather cooperates) and curbside carryout service.
While the restaurant’s menu is packed with many traditional and beloved classics like Maryland Crab Cakes and Coconut Shrimp, it also has an extensive offering of freshly prepared steaks, chicken, pastas and flatbreads. And do not forget about the amazing house-made desserts, the prefect end to any meal. It is happy to serve meals prepared “your way” with substitutions and preparations and is also ready to give adventurous diners a taste of something new.
“On our special features menu one may find fresh halibut served with fresh basil and grape tomatoes over wild rice then drizzled with Balsamic vinaigrette or North Atlantic sword fish steak loin over black beans and rice with smoked pulled pork and salsa verde,” says Thompson.
And while “fresh catch” makes a delicious meal, it also makes a healthy one. According to the Mayo Clinic, eating at least two servings of fish a week, particularly those rich in omega-3 fatty acids, appears to reduce the risk of heart disease. It has also been linked to healthier brain functions in older people and reduced risk of type 1 diabetes.
“During this time when diners are more health conscious, Sweeney’s Seafood Bar & Grill is pleased to provide a menu with extensive and delicious options,” Thompson says.
