Legal Sea Foods Review: Sea Change

We’re a city that loves seafood, with a proud tradition of no-frills oyster bars, neighborhood crab joints and white-tablecloth lobster houses. (We’re also the birthplace of Mrs. Paul’s Fish Sticks.) More recently, we’ve become infatuated with short-season swimmers and exotics from far away. And we’re willing to spend plenty on them — as much as $50 for a serving of much-hyped wild king salmon from Alaska’s Copper River.

Chain restaurants like Boston-based Legal Sea Foods, Minneapolis-based Oceanaire and Maryland-based Phillips Seafood are stoking our craving for something new by making Australian barramundi, Costa Rican corvina and Hawaiian butterfish available nearly every night of the week. And to think we used to be contented with spaghetti and hard-shell crabs at the corner taproom.

I never thought I’d go to the mall for swordfish. But here I am at Legal Sea Foods in King of Prussia, marveling at the moistness of a meaty 10-ounce cut of swordfish spread with red onion jam. It’s one of the best pieces of fish I have ever eaten.

A week later, over lunch, a seductive aroma rises from the lobster roll’s toasted brioche bun, which can barely contain the bounty of sweet, chunky tail and claw meat tossed with celery mayonnaise. This sandwich, the equal of any served in Maine, is worth every penny of its $22 market price.

Legal has made itself at home in the old Houlihan’s space on the mall’s upper level, next to Macy’s. Natural materials like stone, wood and marble in the contemporary dining room create the aura of an upscale free-standing restaurant, rather than one that’s across the corridor from a Victoria’s Secret boutique. Reservations are accepted, which makes dining at Legal more civilized than at the inexplicably popular Cheesecake Factory. For shoppers who need to hurry home, Legal has a takeout counter that sells nearly everything available to sit-down diners.

This restaurant is the best of our new seafood chains, but it isn’t finely tuned yet. Tasty but ­tepid soups, weak coffee, some less-than-stellar side dishes and a so-so Caesar salad were among the flaws during my meals. Servers need to learn more about the wines, and about key menu details, such as what type of wild salmon is available.