First Bite: Boathouse Seafood & Grill
This week has been an especially hard one for our family, but I didn't want Father's Day to slip past us with out celebrating my wonderful husband and what an incredible dad he has been to Joey, Amanda and both our furbabies. Darryl suggested a movie. Truthfully, the idea of getting lost in a fantasy world for a few hours felt like it would be a nice reprieve, so that's what we did. Following our movie, and with little more than soda and popcorn on our tummies, we treated ourselves to an early dinner out. That's how we arrived this afternoon at the new Boathouse Seafood & Grill.
The restaurant is, admittedly, still in its infancy. They've been open barely three months, and as one might expect, the owners appear to be working out a few remaining culinary kinks. Inside, the dining spaces feel cozy and intimate. Everything is immaculate. Our server, though cheerful and attentive--continually checked on us and chirping funny little anecdotes--seemed oblivious to our subdued mood.
Menuwise, there is a heavy emphasis on Calabash-style seafood. That phrase gets bandied about quite a bit here, but ultimately it just means very fresh seafood, generous portions, served lightly battered and then deep fried. The term owes it's name to a tiny, coastal North Carolina town.
We began our meal with the Fried Calamari ($7.99). It was indeed a huge serving, easily twice as much as you would come to expect in other restaurants for the same price. It was good, if a touch overcooked. There was a laughably small thimble full of marinara with it, but the waiter was quick to provide us with another. It should be noted that with the exception of a few salad dressings, everything is said to be made in-house.
Darryl chose a Fried Flounder and Oyster Combination Platter for his entree ($11.99). It came with fries, dense hushpuppies and a creamy, sweet coleslaw. His meal was good, if not especially exciting. I opted for a Crab Cake Sandwich with tartar sauce ($8.99) that could've benefitted from an extra minute or two on the flattop. It was large, but again, innocuous and forgettable. At the risk of sounding like Gordon Ramsay, it was bland, bland, bland. The chefs might do well to pick up a seasoning every now and again.
To be fair, we'll visit again one or two more times before making a final assessment. Maybe this was just an off day for the kitchen....
The Boathouse Seafood & Grill
275 N Equity Dr
Smithfield, NC
(located between Smithfield Cinemas and the Outlets)
_________________________________
Related posts:
* Skippers Fish Fry and Market, Apex
* Holt Lake Barbecue and Seafood, Four Oaks
* Doug Sauls' BBQ and Seafood, Nashville
The restaurant is, admittedly, still in its infancy. They've been open barely three months, and as one might expect, the owners appear to be working out a few remaining culinary kinks. Inside, the dining spaces feel cozy and intimate. Everything is immaculate. Our server, though cheerful and attentive--continually checked on us and chirping funny little anecdotes--seemed oblivious to our subdued mood.
Menuwise, there is a heavy emphasis on Calabash-style seafood. That phrase gets bandied about quite a bit here, but ultimately it just means very fresh seafood, generous portions, served lightly battered and then deep fried. The term owes it's name to a tiny, coastal North Carolina town.
We began our meal with the Fried Calamari ($7.99). It was indeed a huge serving, easily twice as much as you would come to expect in other restaurants for the same price. It was good, if a touch overcooked. There was a laughably small thimble full of marinara with it, but the waiter was quick to provide us with another. It should be noted that with the exception of a few salad dressings, everything is said to be made in-house.
Darryl chose a Fried Flounder and Oyster Combination Platter for his entree ($11.99). It came with fries, dense hushpuppies and a creamy, sweet coleslaw. His meal was good, if not especially exciting. I opted for a Crab Cake Sandwich with tartar sauce ($8.99) that could've benefitted from an extra minute or two on the flattop. It was large, but again, innocuous and forgettable. At the risk of sounding like Gordon Ramsay, it was bland, bland, bland. The chefs might do well to pick up a seasoning every now and again.
To be fair, we'll visit again one or two more times before making a final assessment. Maybe this was just an off day for the kitchen....
The Boathouse Seafood & Grill
275 N Equity Dr
Smithfield, NC
(located between Smithfield Cinemas and the Outlets)
_________________________________
Related posts:
* Skippers Fish Fry and Market, Apex
* Holt Lake Barbecue and Seafood, Four Oaks
* Doug Sauls' BBQ and Seafood, Nashville