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An Insider's Guide to Seafood
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On occasion, we have dined at heavily advertised seafood restaurants that drown their seafood in butter and use too much breading.
By and large, however, most New England seafood restaurants adhere to high standards, tapping into fresh, local resources.
With that in mind, I have narrowed the myriad great New England seafood restaurants to my top 10 favorites:
The Docksider, Northeast Harbor, Maine (Acadia National Park)
The ultimate seafood shack. This unpretentious, small restaurant with nautical decor offers some of the best lobster and clam chowder in the region at reasonable prices. Finish your meal with a Maine blueberry pie, and you know you’ve officially arrived in Maine. Friendly service with a Down East accent, and a casual atmosphere round out a wonderful seafood dining experience, located in one of Maine’s most quaint and scenic coastal communities. Docksider, 14 Sea St., Northeast Harbor,Maine. Tel. 207-276-3965
Ogunquit Lobster Pound, Ogunquit, Maine
Although the Ogunquit Lobster Pound offers year-round dining, the real treasure happens during the summer when customers can pick out their own lobsters from a salt water tank, watch it cook in the outdoor steaming pots, and dine at picnic tables. The experience feels like the height of a quintessential coastal, summer vacationexperience with the fresh Maine air, the wonderful seafood aromas and ultimate lobster pound presence. The lobster is perhaps the most tender and flavorful we’ve sampled. The Ogunquit Lobster Pound has a diverse menu, including steaks, chicken and pasta, but the lobster (and clam chowder, and mussels) is the reason most people come to this bustling Ogunquit landmark. Ogunquit Lobster Pound, 504 Main St, Ogunquit, Maine, Tel. 207-646-2516
Markey's Lobster Pool, Seabrook, N.H.
Order at the counter, navigate through the crowds to indoor or outdoor picnic tables (with water views), and wait for the best lobster roll imaginable -- perfectly formed and packed into a grilled frank roll at a rock bottom price. Be sure to also trythe steamers, clam chowder and lobsters that come in about every size. Markey's Lobster Pool (Route 286, Seabrook, N.H. Tel. 603-474-2851
North Shore of Massachusetts
The North Shore section of Massachusetts offers two renowned clam shacks -- the Clam Box (246 High St., Ipswich, Mass. Tel. 978-356-9707) and Woodman's (Route 133, Main St., Essex, Mass. Tel. 978-768-6057). Woodman's is, most likely, the first clam shack in the country, and keeps it reputation intact by serving wonderfully greasy fried clams. The Clam Box is perhaps even better -- the clams have less grease, yet retain a full-bodied taste.
The Dolphin, Natick, Massachusetts
The Dolphin’s western suburban Boston location belies the amazing and sometimes innovative seafood dishes offered in a large, pleasantly informal dining room. We love the creamy, substantial lobster bisque, tender Chatham sea scallops, and perfectlybroiled North Atlantic salmon. Check out some of the wonderful specials. I once had a bluefish with mustard marinade that was perhaps the best seafood dish I’ve ever had. The Dolphin, 12Washington St., Natick, Mass. Tel. 508-655-0669
The Daily Catch, Boston, Massachusetts
This small North End storefront with limited seating specializes in Sicilian-style seafood. Tapping into long-time local fish distributors, you won’t go wrong with any of the seafood/pasta dishes, as well as the clam chowder and fried, grilled or broiled seafood plates.
We look forward to returning to sample each style of expertly and passionately created seafood dishes. Daily Catch, 323 Hanover St. Boston, Mass. Tel. 617-523-8567
Legal Sea Foods, Various Locations
A famous New England landmark, Legal Sea Foods can be crowded and expensive, but we recommend bypassing those two potential obstacles to dine on what may be the best, most consistent high quality seafood in New England. Starting out as a fish market in Inman Square, Cambridge, Mass., Legal Sea Foods is now a household name that has restaurants predominantly in the Boston area, but now in various eastern United States locations.
No matter what kind of seafood you order here, there’s no denying the taste is much fresher than most other restaurants in the area.
Particularly noteworthy, given this region’s high standards for seafood. We like the Chestnut Hill, Mass., location (43 Boylston St., Chestnut Hill, Mass., Tel. (617) 277-7300), a few minutes west of Boston.
Mill Wharf Tavern, Scituate, Massachusetts
If you’re looking for a spectacular view to go along with fresh seafood, try the Mill Wharf Restaurant at Scituate Harbor, Mass. About 40 minutes south of Boston, the Mill Wharf looks particularly good at sundown. The seafood might be a notch below the best of New England, but it’s still excellent. When combined with the eleganthardwood, high ceiling surroundings and water views from every angle, the Mill Wharf is the perfect choice for a romantic night out. The Mill Wharf Restaurant, 150 Front St., Scituate,Mass. Tel. 781-545-3999
George's of Galilee, Narragansett, R.I.
Located in the live fishing village of Galilee, you know the fish comes right off the boat. While the service can be a bit dopey, that can be excused by the delicious, classic fish and chips, fried clams, clam chowder, lobsters, seafood pot pie and the highly recommended seafood marinara. Add outdoor waterfront dining and George’s (ocean)Beach right outside the restaurant and you have a very pleasant coastal experience. George's of Galilee, 250 Sand Hill Cove Rd., Narragansett R.I, Tel. 401-783-2306
Eric J. Hurwitz is the owner of VisitingNewEngland.com (http://www.visitingnewengland.com), a locally-owned, regional Web Site that celebrates the spirit of New England through vacation and travel planning essays, colorful photographs, tips, reviews, resources, and an online hotel reservation center.
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