Prima in the East Village - Restaurant Review Prima in the East Village. 58 East First Street (First Avenue); (646) 559-4823; primanyc.net. The art of cooking fish is underappreciated in this city of culinary fads, where classic French technique can feel unimaginative, even bland. Pan-sear fish in butter on the cooktop, finish it in the oven. What's the big deal? When done right, it's a showstopper. Order the arctic char ($18) at Prima, a small East Village restaurant that opened last November in the old Elephant space, and you'll receive a generous serving of fish cooked so that the skin is as crispy as crackling, the flesh flaky and succulent. It's flawless, a master class in fish. There is a master in the kitchen: David Malbequi, formerly of Daniel and BLT Market. To find his best work, you have to go to the bottom of the last page of the menu. Instead, the raw bar gets a starring role. It's an overpriced distraction (bay scallops the size of hazelnuts smothered with a mustard-kumquat sauce are $3 each), as are the wines. Does New York need another list of forgettable $10 and $12 pours? Raw bar, wine bar: Prima desperately wants to be a bar, any kind of bar. In the morning it's a coffee bar, staffed by baristas trained at Ninth Street Espresso. There's an informality to the room (shared tables, loud music) that works during the day, but becomes uncomfortable at night (blasting "Heartache Tonight" isn't going to start the party). It is best to order one of the excellent cocktails and flip to the entrees: skate ($15), red snapper ($22), daurade ($21) and sea scallops ($18). Each comes with a choice of sauce (pesto, vierge, tartar, béarnaise or "green condiment" - a kind of chimichurri with red peppers), but they're unnecessary. Seafood this gorgeous doesn't need an escort. The exception is the tempura hake ($16), which also comes as a fried hake sandwich ($18): two large pieces of battered fish on a bun with tarragon tartar sauce and Old Bay fries. It's a glorious mess. Even with all those colliding flavors, you still taste the delicate hake - a fish sandwich for sophisticated palates. Which could be New York's next fad.