The Dish: Cameron's Seafood serves up hot, delicious food to go

Seafood where I come from is usually either a luxury or a gamble. In the middle of Texas, you have the white tablecloths of high-end establishments and the questionable quality of a fast food drive-through. Quality mid-range options are few and far between.

Finding an affordable, casual seafood option in the Frederick location of Cameron's Seafood was a treat for my wife and me. That it's a carryout place is even better.

As a physical space, Cameron's offers a clean counter and waiting area with a large glass display case full of fresh fish and shellfish. But the food is all made for takeout to enjoy at home, or at least somewhere else. There's no noisy dining room, no wait to be seated, no tables at all.

Cameron's menu is straightforward but expansive without being intimidating. They've got fish and shellfish, with options for broiled or fried. The latter can be ordered on a sandwich. Platters and sandwiches come with classic sides like french fries, hush puppies and mac and cheese.

That's where the choices stop being easy. Cameron's fish and shellfish selections rival most seafood markets. On the broiled side of the menu, customers can pick between rainbow trout, swordfish, mahi mahi, flounder, stuffed flounder and Chilean Sea Bass, in addition to standards like tuna, shrimp and salmon. For fried options, Cameron's also has croaker, whiting, ocean perch, black bass, softshell crab, haddock and others.

Platters range in price from $9.99 to $19.99, depending on which fish you choose, and include rice and steamed vegetables. I opted for the high-end of the range and took home the Broiled Ultimate Platter, which includes three pieces of tilapia, and a crab cake along with broiled shrimp and scallops, all atop a large serving of rice and vegetables. In an enjoyable albeit excessive addition, I ordered a cup of crab gumbo as well.

The fish preparation is pretty straightforward: broiled with garlic and Old Bay seasoning.

Cameron's was appreciably able to accommodate my wife's celiac disease and hyper-sensitivity to gluten, dairy and many spices. She ordered the broiled Chilean Sea Bass and was pleased with the large piece of fish flakey and buttery enough to taste good without any seasoning.