Brooklyn Fish Camp

I've always been intimidated by the line at Mary's Fish Camp, so I was excited to hear about the opening of their new sister restaurant, Brooklyn Fish Camp. This weekend, I scurried over to Park Slope. Fortunately, I was able to score a table at lunchtime, but the waitress informed me that the dinner scene is much more competitive.

The blue-walled space is quite inviting; there's a long, narrow bar at the entrance and an outdoor dining area in the back. The menu is almost identical to Mary's... you'll find the same lobster knuckles, Canadian steamers, etc. On the day I went, there were four fish specials: black tilapia, Costa Rican red snapper, dourade and black sea bass.

At the table next to me, a man had made short work of an obviously gargantuan fish, leaving a pile of bones and tail on a small dish. I wondered what had been so delicious. "He had the tilapia," said my waitress. "Of all the fish we have today, I recommend that one if you want fried fish. It comes with grilled vegetables." I decided to add a side of Old Bay-seasoned matchstick fries to my order.

I really shouldn't have; the pile of fries must have measured half a foot in height. And the fish would have been a meal for Moby Dick! A giant batter-fried tilapia overwhelmed the plate, crushing a timid assortment of sliced vegetables. The man next to me chuckled. "You should've asked them to fillet it for you."

Thus challenged, I made an effort to consume the entire tilapia. I relished the tasty, crunchy batter and tore away at the moist, sweet fish underneath. But after eating only half, I was already full. There was no way I could scale that mountain of fries. Still, the man was impressed. "Great job!"

The waitress, also impressed, asked if I would like to finish with a steamed lemon pudding, a fresh strawberry shortcake, or a hot fudge sundae with gelato from Il Laboratorio del Gelato. I had to decline. (But I couldn't help noticing later that the nearby Chocolate Room has a new summer menu, which features white chocolate lemon mousse, chocolate strawberry shortcake and frozen hot chocolate.)

Brooklyn Fish Camp: 162 Fifth Ave., Brooklyn, (718) 783-3264.