As Dallas-Fort Worth restaurants compete for consumer attention during the FIFA World Cup frenzy, a North Texas seafood shack called Flying Fish is offering two unexpected canned food specials.
“You’re going to think I’m kidding here,” said Shannon Wynne, who co-founded the nine Flying Fish restaurants in Dallas, Fort Worth, and five suburbs.
The deal is “surf or turf,” a spoof on the classically pricey surf-and-turf dish that often features lobster tail and a filet mignon at a fine-dining restaurant. Flying Fish is no such place. Each restaurant has a wall of goofy plastic bass, and the menu includes food for as low as $6.95 for kids. Their best dishes are fried and served on cheap, checkered tablecloths.
Flying Fish’s new summertime deal matches the restaurant’s effortless inelegance. Tinned sardines — the surf — cost $15, while canned Vienna sausages — the turf — go for $12. Both come with saltine crackers and what Wynne dryly refers to as a “mélange” of mayo, mustard, Worcestershire, and lemon. The tinned sardines come from Portugal, in case you care.