Visiting Dockside Seafood Restaurant was a unique experience, particularly because there are so many other restaurants found on the Shore Drive seafood strip.
Dockside Seafood restaurant offers fresh catches
Elaine Smith, News Editor|April 1, 2021
Upon entering the building, I was greeted with shelves stocked with merchandise, from sweatshirts and hats to wine bottle displays and shot glasses. Normally, restaurant products are not something too fancy; however, the bright, eye catching display made it almost impossible to walk past without picking out a shirt.
When I passed through the market and entered the restaurant area, the first thing I noticed was the overall atmosphere. There were several older gentlemen sitting at bar tables that were scattered and socially distanced, but the men were still laughing and being joyful. While this did generate an uplifting feel, the older demographic made me, as a younger customer, feel slightly out of place.
The hostess greeted me and I was taken to my table without the anticipated wait. The seating location was perfect. The tables are spread out, again, to a noticeable six feet, proving their awareness and caution during the pandemic. Heaters were set on full blast, which allowed me to stay warm while still sitting outside to witness the eye catching view from the dock over the water.
As I sat staring wistfully at the water below, the scene was interrupted when my waitress greeted me. And, from the time I was seated to the point my drink order was taken was literally no more than three minutes. The drink menu had a wide variety of beverages; however, around 70 percent of those drinks were alcoholic beverages. Still, they had plenty to offer younger customers and even had a few non-alcoholic “virgin” options. Similarly, it took no time for the drinks to be delivered.
While I perused the menu, I noticed that while the prices were somewhat high, they did match the food’s worth and were also an accurate display of the food’s value. This was certainly not the place for one who is planning to eat a cheap meal. Before we ordered, the waitress went through the various fish of the day, as well as that day’s fresh catch. There were so many options I lost track of all of them. I ultimately decided on a simple platter of fried shrimp with a double side of fries and She Crab soup.
It did not take long to receive my food, which was great. The soup was around $6 but it was creamy, hot and delicious; it actually exceeded my expectations. The ratio of soup to crab meat was ideal, each scoop giving me just the right amount of flavor balance. The fried shrimp platter was $21, which I thought was a little pricey for the amount of shrimp given. Yet, So, while the shrimp leaned a bit on the pricey side, they were noticeably fresh, prepared flawlessly and certainly worth money. The bread was perfection as well, not too crunchy or too soft, and the shrimp were noticeably fresh. While the fries were on the average side, there were plenty on my platter, as if the cook gave me an extra scoop.
I skipped out on dessert, although it was tempting. However, the main course offered so much food, it stuffed me. The server checked on me multiple times during my visit, so it took no time for her to bring me my check. The total was around $30, and I quickly realized that the price was fit the dish. I made sure to tip an extra few dollars, as the service was exquisite and I felt cared and well looked after during my visit.
On my way out, almost four different employees said goodbye and thank you. At Dockside, I felt welcomed and I felt that as a customer, I was a priority.
Overall, I would recommend Dockside Seafood restaurant to anyone looking for some amazing, fresh and seafood restaurant. The overall experience was pleasing, and I did decide to grab that shirt I had been eyeing earlier on my way out.
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About the Contributor
Elaine Smith, News Editor
Senior Journalism II Student
Elaine is a member of the CHS Softball team. She is also very involved in Key Club and her multiple honor societies.
