Why we eat fish during Lent and where to find delicious seafood in Nashville

Tis the season for Friday fish fries. The occasion is Lent, which this year runs from Feb 14-March 28, marking a 40-day period of reflection, alms-giving and fasting for many Christians. Some observe Lent by abstaining from a variety of things, whether it be social media or meat, as is Biblical tradition.

According to the Bible, fish does not count as meat, a traditional loophole that leaves plenty of room for delicious food. Nashville, meanwhile, has a surprising array of restaurants with incredible seafood, and we've listed some of our favorites below.

Spicy Boys

This casual New Orleans-inspired restaurant and bar in East Nashville is the place to go for shrimp po' boys and fried catfish platters with Cajun fries and comeback coleslaw. Keep an eye out for specials, including chargrilled oysters on Wednesdays with all of that buttery, garlicky goodness served from 4 p.m. until the restaurant runs out. And since it's now properly mudbug season, keep an eye out for perfectly messy, always delightful crawfish boils on the patio, which should be paired with a drink from a full bar. (924 Mcferrin Ave., spicyboysnashville.com)

Red Perch

We love this casual Charlotte Avenue hot spot for fish and chips, fish sandwiches, poke bowls and absolutely stellar clam chowder. Follow the restaurant's Instagram page to keep abreast of specials, which can include anything from paella to gorgeous bowls of warming shrimp congee. This is one of the few places in town where you can find fresh, head-on shrimp, which you can have Vietnamese style or tossed with garlic butter or lemon, and definitely with a glass of beer from a small but smart selection. Just make sure to check the menu before you go to see what's on the blackboard. (4101 Charlotte Ave G120, redperch.com)

Aloha Fish Company

This excellent seafood market, located just South of the city proper, is the perfect place to buy pristine, straight-from-Hawaii seafood to cook at home. If you'd prefer to go that route, pre-ordering is recommended at www.alohafishcompany.com/order.

Don't want to cook at home? No problem. Aloha Fish Company hosts regular Thursday-Saturday pop-ups from its brick-and-mortar location, where you can get super-premium poke bowls, sashimi platters, sushi, lobster bisque and, on Saturdays, lobster rolls. (370 Herron Dr., suite 5, www.alohafishcompany.com

Henrietta Red

This more upscale, airy but cozy Germantown option is beloved for its local vegetable-forward menu and, while there is meat on the menu, the star of the show is the seafood. The raw bar menu usually includes an extensive selection of East and West Coast oysters and a couple of shrimp cocktail and crudo-type offerings. Looking beyond the raw bar, you'll find a smartly edited menu of small to large plates, including octopus with cranberry beans and dishes of whole trout with olives, pistachios and fennel. The wine list here is excellent. (1200 4th Ave. N., www.henriettared.com)

The Optimist

Also in Germantown, The Optimist is very much seafood central. On the raw bar side, expect around ten types of oysters, plus peel and eats, ceviche and fish dip. You can and should order it all on seafood towers, which always feels celebratory. The regular menu includes classic seafood dishes; think shrimp a la plancha, lobster rolls, whole flounder with brown butter, and seafood chowder. Don't forget the cocktails. They're great, too. (1400 Adams St., www.theoptimistrestaurant.com.

Marsh House

There's an "Oyster Happiest Hour" from 5-6 p.m. Monday-Friday, where you can find $5 bubbles and market choice oysters for $1.50 ― that's a steal in an age where $4-5 oysters are becoming the norm. We could stop there, but it would be a shame to skip the raw bar offerings, which include ceviche, shrimp remoulade, tartare, fish dip and crab. Small plates include mussels, broiled oysters, charred Spanish-style octopus and more. Among the mains are rock shrimp gnocchi and entree-sized fish dishes. There is, in short, plenty of seafood to eat here. (401 11th Avenue S., www.marshhouserestaurant.com.)

Bestia Mare

This bright and gorgeously modern restaurant is in Franklin, but it's worth the trip to enjoy fresh East and West Coast oysters, crudos, ceviche and seafood platters including king crab, shrimp and lobster. The crab agnolotti is exceptional, as is the clam and pancetta linguini. Among the other seafood entrees are Faroe Island salmon with pine nuts and lemon butter sauce and whole branzino with lemon and thyme. Those skipping meat in favor of fish would do well to pay this relatively new restaurant a visit. (99 E Main St suite 190, www.bestiamaretn.com.)

Joe Muer Seafood

If you're looking for a debone-the-Dover-sole-at-the-table seafood experience, this Capitol View restaurant is going to be your vibe. Classic old school American seafood dishes are at the heart of the menu, and here you can dine on Crab Imperial, crack into chilled king crab legs and nibble on Crab Louie. Among the entrees you'll find crab-stuffed Atlantic flounder and spicy shrimp and grits, all served in a rather opulent dining room with service that lives to entertain. (500 11th Ave N., joemuer.com)

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: What to eat during Lent? Find delicious fish at these Nashville spots