date: 10/25/05
location: wayzata
grade: a-

the best clam chowder i've had- close to the stuff you get in coastal places like boston. best calamari too, it wasn't rubbery, greasy, chewy or anything like that, just silky mellow goodness with a crisp crust, served with a flavored aioli. i chose well, even though i didn't go with an entree. kind of glad i stuck to my plan, though there were many tempting choices (including the wahoo). i do wish i had sampled a few oysters from the changing selection at the raw bar.

the duck confit with scallops and mashed potatoes with fried onions on top was also good- the duck the best of the lot, which given that this is mostly a seafood place, seems a bit odd. but hey, the people next to us ordered steak. the scallops were above average, the potatoes averageish. the nut-encrusted fish (i think it was pistachio encrusted, so those of you who know the details let me know, as i can't recall the type of fish either) was above average, too. it was served with a sweet potato puree.

the menu as a whole had many good fall choices even in the salads, including a roasted pear and greens salad served with a bit too much dressing, and a heirloom tomato, red onion and i think feta cheese salad... caprese, only different. heirloom tomatoes were all over the menu for some reason. prices on said menu for entrees and appetizers seem a bit high for your surroundings, though i suppose when you're dealing with seafood it's bound to be so rather than the more reliable supply of chicken or beef.

desserts. we went with a key lime pie, and it was of the light and fluffy rather than the cheesecake-type density variety. apple crepes were very homey, and the chai ice cream that came with them... loved it. i could eat vast quantities of it. one of the best ice creams i've had. i wonder if they make that on site, as they do the sorbets and other desserts.

they make their food scratch, which is reflected in the quality of what you get... even if it means a bay leaf or two pops up in the chowder. that makes it stand out from the vast majority of the seafood places. it's worth a trip out to wayzata if you want some quality seafood at a place you can wear jeans to, though call for directions first. if you're not familiar with the area, it's hard to find, even with directions you print out.

the room is kind of plain, with nautical themed decor here and there. i am glad we weren't in the room of the monster swordfish, that's just creepy. i did like the smaller dining areas here and there but on the whole it needs updating. especially in the restrooms, which were on the bad side of the spectrum. if the prices were lower, i would expect less of the decor but if you're pricing your entrees in the $20-30 range for the most part, you could get new toilets now and then.

service was a bit above ok. it seemed somewhat odd in a way that i can't put my finger on. slowish, but not slow. sometimes water was filled at a decent clip, sometimes i waited ages. sometimes fresh beverages were brought soon after ordering, sometimes it took longer. that kind of thing.