Adam Erace was excited to try Benny Lai’s Grill Fish Cafe in West Philadelphia but he found the whole experience to be just too tame.

The Lais have always been Western-friendly, but never as timidly as Grill Fish. Thrumming chords of lemongrass and garlic, a wicked chicken/sake broth (served with both sweet steamed clams and the mussels with chewy chow fun noodles) showed promise, but even that could have used ballsier doses of fish sauce, chili and lime. And while I loved the tender grilled lamb leg marinated in hoisin, honey, lemongrass and soy, I am still trying to figure out why it’s served with lemon aioli and oily grilled zucchini, squash, peppers and onions.

Pass the Fish [City Paper]
Grill Fish Cafe [Official Site]