Death Takes a Crab Cake

Here's where I met a client for lunch yesterday:

Note the Xed-out eye. Yes, that fish is pining for the fjords.

 

By most criteria, "The Dead Fish" would be considered a very bad name indeed for a restaurant, or almost anything else. But every so often a contrary approach works, thanks to chutzpah, charm, and storytelling skill.

Here, from the menu, is Chef Andrea Froncillo's "Dead Fish Story":

When I was a boy growing up in Italy, I loved to watch my Nonna (grandma) work in the kitchen. The catch of the day—be it calamari, crab or a variety of fresh fish—was magic in Nonna's able hands.

Now my Nonna was a little Italian grandma with a big Italian heart. Friends, neighbors, even the local fishermen all knew, if you made your way to Nonna's when you smelled that wonderful fish cooking, you'd be welcome to a plate.

With so many people clamoring for her cooking, Nonna couldn't be bothered with small details. She never followed a recipe—she just stirred and sampled. And she never remembered the names of the fish she used!!

Whenever I would ask, "Nonna, what kind of fish is this?" she would shrug her shoulders and smile—"IT'S A DEAD FISH!!" Everyone laughed and had a great time.

The menu doesn't stop with a good story. It carries out the theme with category names: Drink-Like-A-Fish Cocktails (which include Crabby Mood Martini and Fish Breath Mint Julep), Recently Demised Fish of the Day, and Other Dead Things (prime rib, short rib, lamb, and filet mignon; the illustration here is of a dead cow, hooves in the air).

The restaurant's phone number is 510-787-DEAD.

Did I mention this is a waterfront restaurant, in the tiny San Pablo Bay town of Crockett?*

The view, needless to say, is killer.

And if you don't want a cocktail, I can suggest the perfect wine pairing.

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* Crockett is that increasingly rare thing, especially in California: a company town. For more than a century, the company has been C&H Sugar, which happens to be my client. The refinery is still active, and still a major landmark. Once upon a time, C&H used to advertise on TV; here are 10 of those old commercials. I love that jingle!

Comments

[Jed Waverly]

Great story. Thanks. I'll add Crockett to my Bucket List. Just for kicks.

[Karen]

Remember "With a name like Smuckers, it's got to be good"? Your post made me think of the SNL take-off, which ended up with things like "With a name like Mangled Baby Ducks, it's got to be good!"

[Nancy Friedman]

Karen: We've been talking about good products with bad names over at VERB, a LinkedIn discussion group for branding folks. My contribution was . . . Smucker's.

[Nick]

I'm wondering if California and Californians may be more accepting of the word dead than other localities? Next to Hells Angels, Thriller's zombies and The Grateful Dead the name,"The Dead Fish"for a restaurant seems almost cute.

[Vivienne Drimmer]

Nancy,
Thank you for a great trip down memory lane. I always had trouble with "the Dead Fish" as a name, even knowing the story! Thank you for linking the C&H commercials, the early ones really were special. I really loved working at C&H. It was a great team. I miss you all.

Keep up the great work with Fritinancy. I really enjoy your posts and links.

Warmly,
Vivienne

[tanita]

*homesick sigh*
Thanks for this. I grew up in Martinez so I knew about The Dead Fish, and it's always cracked me up. It's a fun place to take people just to shock them, but the idea that the name actually works for it -- well, I think it only works because of the story. Probably other places should take note: if you're going for a really odd name, at least have a reason for it!