First Taste: Boat House Restaurant

This tastes as good as it looks. (Credit: File photo)

Ah, the sounds of summer at the Shore: the lap of the ocean against a dock, the carefree caw of a seagull, the crisp snap of a lobster claw. The Boat House in Beach Haven combines all these with gorgeous views, fresh air and some seriously succulent seafood that captures the very essence of summer.

"We pay attention to really bring the Jersey Shore experience to the restaurant," said Tony Baldino, who has owned the restaurant and seafood market with his wife, Patti, for 14 years. "We wanted to keep it open on both sides and accentuate the waterfront so that people can feel the wind and really be part of the Jersey Shore."

The restaurant is aptly named -- it looks like the interior of a giant boat, with wood paneling and nautical accents and it remains open to reveal a stunning view of the bay.

Baldino started off designing computer chips but decided he wanted to work with his wife, who knew the restaurant business in and out. Baldino's MBA in business administration complemented his wife's strengths to make them a complete package. They knew if they did a restaurant together they wanted it to be on Long Beach Island and so they bought The Boat House in 1995.

"It's been a labor of love for us," Baldino explained. "We're family-owned and operated; my wife and I are here every day and we have her sister onboard full-time. Our chef, Glen, is essentially family to us and my 10-year-old daughter loves to come in and hang out with him."

Baldino's close family ties also allow him to provide customers with the freshest seafood available: His brother-in-law owns scallop boats and brings the scallops directly from the boat to the kitchen.

The Boat House also offers a takeout menu, featuring enormous buckets of seafood, which could have the whole Island neglecting their home kitchens. But, thanks to the array of fresh seafood offered at their market, customers can cook with Boat House-quality seafood anytime. The same seafood offered at the market is served in the restaurant at night, so it's guaranteed to be fresh.

The best time to visit The Boat House is between 8 and 9 p.m., when the sunset casts golden rays on your meal, making it look almost celestially good.

I was there with my father at such a time, a table away from the water and the boats moored at the dock.

We meant business and ordered the Clams Casino appetizer ($9.50) right away -- the sooner it got to our stomachs the better. Our waiter didn't disappoint and we were soon presented with fresh shucked top necks on the half shell, perched on top of rock salt and surrounded with lemon slices. The clams were perfectly tender while the bacon and peppers added a smoky crispness. The baked Parmesan on top rounded off the jam-packed flavor of each bite.

The clams casino whet my appetite while still leaving me hungry enough to tackle the seafood trio ($23.99). This large plate allows the seafood lover to get a taste of three different classics: grilled salmon, jumbo lump crab cake and fried shrimp. The fish and crustaceans are set in a pool of chive lobster sauce and, as with most of the seafood entrees, served with a steamed vegetable of the day and a choice of roasted garlic mashed potatoes, french fries or rice. That day the vegetable was asparagus and the tender spears were a great complement to the puffy cloud of mashed potatoes I ordered.

The salmon had the natural taste and color that only fresh salmon can have and its moist, almost scarlet inside was surrounded by a crispy grilled crust. The jumbo lump crab cake offered a similar contrast -- it was perfectly crusty on the outside but moist and fluffy on the inside. It was big on crab, with hardly any filler, and therefore one of the most perfectly executed crab cakes I've ever eaten. The shrimp upheld this triad of titans. They were huge, fried up golden-brown and paired well with the creamy lobster chive sauce.

My father ordered the tequila lime mahi-mahi ($21.99), which was an exotic contrast to my classic trio. Mahi-mahi is a Hawaiian fish most commonly found in tropical waters and the tangy tequila lime spices fit seamlessly with the Island feel of this dish. The theme is continued in the roasted corn and black bean salsa that's heaped generously on the fish, as well as in the cilantro mashed potatoes, which are also piled high. It essentially was a fiesta on a plate and any diner would find it worth his or her while to attend.

The Boat House has the great appeal of offering solidly American, long perfected classics alongside ethnic and adventurous options. If you're looking for comfort food you can opt for the fish and chips ($18.99), which is fried breaded flounder with french fries, or a New York strip steak ($26.99), which comes in a mushroom demi-glaze. But if you're looking for a new experience, you can easily find it in The Boat House paella ($20.99), a traditionally Spanish dish that features Andouille sausage and saffron rice, or the shrimp and chicken teriyaki ($19.99), which comes with an Asian vegetable stir fry rice.

Chef Glen Ronchetti recommends the sesame crusted tuna with wasabi mashed potatoes or the Chilean sea bass with mango risotto and a tropical salsa, both of which can be found on the specials menu. The specials menu changes daily to feature the catches brought in that morning.

The restaurant is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, but on the off-season the Baldinos keep busy catering for local yacht clubs and weddings. Their famous live lobsters are worthy of the greatest special occasion as well as a typical beach day.

The casual elegance of The Boat House means you'll feel at home yet spoiled, while the delicious and fresh seafood will remind you just how close to the Atlantic you are. If that doesn't, the sun setting on the water and the bobbing boats nearby will.

The Boat House is at 116 West Ave. in Beach Haven. Call 609-492-1066.

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