New 801 Fish delivers fresh reasons for a power lunch in downtown Minneapolis

Before opening, much of the buzz around 801 Fish's foray into the downtown Minneapolis food scene was the location: another long-shuttered seafood restaurant. But other than the address and a few menu items, nothing else is the same.

The former McCormick & Schmick's has undergone a dramatic remodel. Filled with natural light during the day, blown glass and mosaic tile details, it sets the stage for pre-theater dining or bigwig power lunching.

The restaurant is part of a small chain, which also operates 801 Chophouse nearby, but has plenty of local ties. Executive chef Lawrence Kirkland studied at Le Cordon Bleu and has spent years in the kitchen at the Oceanaire, both in Minneapolis and in Houston. Executive sous chef Richard Harrison also worked at Oceanaire before moving to the Minneapolis 801 Chophouse. Rounding out the kitchen leadership team is pastry chef Jeremy Intille, who has worked all over the world but locally is known for his time at the Lynhall in Minneapolis before it became an event venue. Even the room has some local influence, from design firm Shea.

Unlike its meaty counterpart, 801 Fish is open for lunch Tuesday through Friday in addition to daily dinner — with a weekday happy hour kicking off at 4 p.m. It's an alluring option for downtown workers looking for a new impressive lunch spot.

Location: 800 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., 612-234-6700, 801fish.com; reservations available through Open Table.

Hours: Lunch 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tue.-Fri., happy hour 4-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri., dinner 4-10 p.m. Mon.-Sat., 4-9 p.m. Sun.

The menu: Shocking no one, there's a lot of fish and shellfish. A classic Niçoise salad came highly recommended, topped with a hefty serving of rare tuna ($19). The server also praised a prawn and shishito appetizer ($24) that came with three large shrimp and tempura shishito peppers with a zesty mayo dipping sauce spiced with lemongrass and garlic. Lunch entrees included a mahi mahi sandwich ($19) that came with a side of fries that found their way into the appetizer's spicy dipping sauce to the table's great delight. Lobster bisque ($14) seemed like a perfect holiday lunch option and it arrived thick with tarragon-flavored cream in a shellfish stock, nubs of meat hidden beneath the surface.

Happy hour kicks off with a discounted menu, including fresh oysters shucked at the raw bar (four for $10). The Maryland crabcake ($24) is composed of large hunks of crab with a judicious amount of breading served over a mustard sauce.

An entree of swordfish au poivre ($42) straddled the world of steak and seafood, served with classic beef accompaniments around the dense fish fillet. The most baller dinner entree is the $95 Maine lobster; most entrees are between $40 and $57.

The menu's influences bounce around the globe with the use of Thai, Mexican and French ingredients.

For the no-fish friends: There are a few steaks and a burger available. There are options for those who don't dig seafood, especially if they have a sweet tooth.

Save room for dessert: Seasonal dessert offerings ($10) include a purple sweet potato slab pie with a hint of seasonal warming spices. "I didn't want to do too much sweetness because I think the sweet potatoes have this beautiful floral natural sweetness that I wanted to shine through," Intille said. Chocolate fans will be psyched about the chocolate tart that's topped with a coffee-infused whipped cream; gluten-free desserts include a coconut cake and housemade sorbets.

Hot off-menu tip: The server couldn't resist raving about the chocolate chip cookies, a treat that's apparently become a beloved shift reward for staff members. It makes sense that chef Intille's chocolate chip cookie was one of our favorites in town. This iteration is made with toasty browned butter and walks the balance between salty and sweet. The cookies are available for purchase either baked or take-and-bake by the half-dozen or dozen. But you have to ask.

Getting there: The restaurant is near public parking ramps, including the Target store less than a block away. But there's valet in the evenings, making this a good downtown pre-event dinner option.