Drum fish. Wrasse. Tautog. Wahoo. Chef Rick Moonen knows the dangers that overfishing poses to popular seafood such as salmon and tuna, so his menu makes use of sustainable aquatic treats many consumers have never even heard of. Thanks to his fluency in the ocean's hidden delights, Moonen⎯who, in 1978, graduated from the Culinary Institute of America first in his class⎯brings a unique breadth of knowledge to the creation of each dish.

The waiters at RM Seafood's multilevel dining rooms, like the butler at M.C. Escher's single-floor apartment, serve different menus upstairs and downstairs. Below, an ever-rotating menu of fresh fish complements a sushi bar, and the upstairs kitchen features elegant tasting menus featuring dishes such as charred Spanish baby octopus or Peruvian lantern scallops atop a bed of polenta.