Most pleasant dining surprise...
 

We were in Cairns, Australia going diving the next day and ate at a beachfront grille. Mrs. Redbeard ordered fish and chips, and the fish was the best we ever had. Light batter, wonderfully seasoned.

Among the very best:
Boston, at Fanuiel Hall Market, the whole clams. A shock, never expected anything that good. Greasy, but who cared? Sublime. :cool:

In contrast, fried baby squid a few years later on the banks of the Guadalquivir in Seville. Was told this was very exotic and gourmet. :rolleyes: A basket of what looked like fried wrhite larvae but with hundreds of black specks. Someone pointed out all those black specks were eyes. The only saving grace was that there was no taste. If those tiny things had had any taste whatsoever, I couldn't have stood it.

I could not help recall, but I believe one of the best Fish & Chips experience I've ever had was in Cairns as well. ^ Now only if I could exactly remember the name of the place. :(

Best (deep) fried seafood has been Tempura as part of a menu at some specialized Japanese and Korean establishments. On the home chef sector, the mackerel fish cakes with dill and mashed potatos we fried today came out too bland. The next batch might include chopped red chili peppers and maybe flavored cream cheese.

Btw,all spicy fish cake recipes welcome. :)

This one's a restaraunt.

10 years ago passing through Dubois, WY on the way back from a camping trip. Since we didn't want BBQ we chose the only non-BBQ restaraunt in town, a place called "The Old Yellowstone Garage". No more than 10 tables, a 1 hour wait, but one of the best dinners I've ever had with the most attentive service. They've since moved to a bigger place Jackson Hole, and wider acclaim, but one of the best experiences.

Bar and grille style, pick up your own food, tables on the sidewalk, across the street from the pools?

Just Googled it...Rattle & Hum?

ah, Cairns
 

There's something about Cairns. I had the world's best chocolate shake there. I do recall having excellent chips there but not as strong a memory for me as that shake. :cool:

Dining on the Eastern Orient Express - train ride from Singapore to Bangkok. Best food ever.

M8

maybe slightly OT, but..
 

R and I decided to plunk down for a snack at one of the admittedly rather usual restaurants on Yonge street in T'ronna-eh? Our table was window-side, so close to the sidewalk we could actually *touch* passersby. I don't recall what we actually ordered, but I won't forget the huge bouquet of mixed flowers R bought me from a passing vender. Waiters came by to admire and compliment... ;) (too bad there isn't a blushing smiley!)

Not really a dining surprise, but a fortnight after having my appendix removed in a BNE hospital [BNE being my home town], I was sitting in a KUL hotel dining room when the surgeon who took my appendix out tapped me on the shoulder to say hello. He was on his way to Switzerland skiing!