Ingredients Seafood Fish Extra-Crispy Fried Fish 4.0 (4) 4 Reviews Adam Evans, of Automatic Seafood and Oysters in Birmingham, Alabama, serves up this perfectly tender and delightfully crispy fried fish that never seems to lose its crunch, even in takeaway containers. His secret is in the dredge. Gluten-free tapioca flour and rice flour team up with effervescent club soda in this light batter that becomes exceptionally crispy-and stays that way up to an hour after cooking. Delicious on its own, this fish also makes great sandwiches and tacos. By Adam Evans Adam Evans Restaurant: The Optimist (Read a review) Location: Atlanta Why He's Amazing: Because his upscale fish-shack dishes addictively combine simple yet bold flavors, often with a Southern accent. Culinary School: Self-taught background: JCT. Kitchen & Bar, Craftbar (/sites/default/files/tlanta); Craft (New York City); La Petite Grocery, Ralph's on the Park New Orleans) Quintessential Dish: Frothy she-crab soup with shrimp toast On Choosing to Work at a Fish-Focused Restaurant: "I wanted to take a break from that whole pork thing," he says, referring to America's obsession with all things pig. (However, he's not averse to using smoky bits of the meat to flavor gumbo, butter beans and other regionally inspired dishes.) Southern Roots: In the 1960s, long before Evans was born, his hometown was an epicenter for rock and roll and blues. "I'm from Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Everybody recorded there," he says. "Bob Dylan, Etta James, the Rolling Stones." What Has Surprised Him at the Optimist: "The amount of oysters that Atlanta has eaten here has been mind boggling." Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on June 18, 2021 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell Active Time: 20 mins Total Time: 25 mins Yield: 2 to 4 Ingredients Dredge ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon white rice flour (about 1 3/8 ounces) ¼ cup tapioca flour (about 1 1/8 ounces) 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon black pepper Batter ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons white rice flour (about 2 5/8 ounces) ½ cup tapioca flour (about 2 1/8 ounces) 1 ¼ teaspoons onion powder 1 ¼ teaspoons garlic powder ¾ teaspoon gochugaru or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper ¾ teaspoon baking powder ¾ teaspoon ground turmeric ¾ teaspoon black pepper ½ teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon granulated sugar 1 cup cold club soda Additional Ingredients 8 cups peanut oil 1 pound (1- to 1 1/2-inch-thick) skinless mahi-mahi or flounder fillets, or skin-on brown trout fillets (4 fillets) 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided ¾ teaspoon black pepper, divided French fries and tartar sauce, for serving Directions Make the dredge Whisk together rice flour, tapioca flour, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl until well combined. Make the batter Whisk together rice flour, tapioca flour, onion powder, garlic powder, gochugaru, baking powder, turmeric, black pepper, salt, and sugar in a large, shallow bowl until well combined. Just before frying fish, whisk in club soda until well combined. Heat oil in a 10-inch straight-sided skillet or Dutch oven to 375°F. Season fillets evenly with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Place 2 fillets in dredge mixture, pressing mixture onto fillets; gently shake off excess. Dip fillets in batter, allowing any excess batter to drip off. Place battered fillets in hot oil, and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer fillets to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet; season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Repeat frying process with remaining fillets, salt, and pepper. Serve with fries and tartar sauce. Note Look for gochugaru at Korean grocery stores, or find it online at spicejungle.com. Suggested Pairing Lime-scented dry Riesling: Penfolds Bin 51 Rate it Print