Cuisine type: New England Style Seafood
Atmosphere: bistro style seating, sweeping ocean views
Meal: dinner
Price range: ~$20-$30/entree
Overall grade: 8.8
Ben
A famous place near Half Moon Bay on the road to San Francisco, with a seemingly cult following and constantly packed crowds due to the heavy traffic and perfect beachside location. The restaurant does not disappoint – we found a table in the back of the restaurant next to a window of the coast – a beautiful view including beach, boats, and even a lighthouse. The menu features but does not emphasize chowders –actually only offering a few selections as starters. As we were called by some of the entrees and weren’t looking for a heavy appetizer, we went with raw oysters (served with cocktail, red wine vinaigrette, and garlic white wine sauces) instead – which were fantastic. I ordered the award-winning lobster roll – a generous portion of Maine lobster on fresh roll, which was incredibly soft and buttery, living up to the rolls we had in Portland, Maine. The sides were an afterthought of potato chips and a simple slaw, most of which were left on the plates when the waiter picked them up (every crumb of the lobster roll itself was thoroughly polished by all three people who ordered it). The desert (a chocolate crème brulee) was a great finish to the meal. The atmosphere is very relaxing and fun, everyone’s mood enhanced by the great view and food. The drink menu had a decent selection of beers and wines, and the service was fast and efficient. In our first trip to Half Moon Bay, Sam’s Chowder House lived up to its reputation and has added a couple more loyal fans to its giant base (there is even a well stocked gift shop in the front selling Sam’s Chowder House memorabilia).
Food 9
Drinks 7Atmosphere 10
Service 8
Value 8
Nina
From various announcements in local media, it sounded like the pumpkin festival in Half Moon Bay was a big deal, so we decided to check it out. It was a large street fair with various crafts and pumpkin-centered foods served throughout the downtown area. At the suggestions of some friends, we decided to have dinner with them at a well known place in this coastal area - Sam's Chowder House. From the highway it looked like an unassuming place, pretty modest building placed in a parking lot just off the road. What might have given it away as a special place was the abundance of cars overflowing from the parking lot and onto both sides of the road; what makes it even better is the breathtaking view of the ocean from the window tables inside and the outdoor patio seating. This restaurant is well known for its seafood dishes made with fresh catches both local and flown in from other parts of the country, and of course the chowder, as its name implies.
I opted for a single Oyster from Washington as an appetizer. It was quite possibly the most delicious oyster I've ever eaten - fresh, tender, juicy and light at the same time. A few drops of lemon juice and mignonette sauce really put it over the top.
For my entree, I had wild caught pacific salmon, grilled and served on top of a lentil and chanterelle mushroom stew. This dish did not disappoint - the salmon was perfectly cooked and moist, and the side complemented it very well. I don't often eat lentils, but these were cooked just right, a bit al dente but not undercooked, and paired with just the right amount of chanterelles and bacon to enhance the flavor profile without overwhelming the legumes.
Since the food was so good, I couldn't pass on the dessert, I just had to try what they had to offer. I went for a chocolate creme brulee served with a piece of biscotti and blackberries. It was delicious, of course (it had sugar and chocolate after all, how would I not like it?), though I would dare complain that for a creme brulee it was almost too rich, the flavor of the chocolate overwhelmed the delicate custard and detracted from the light texture that I like to see in this type of dessert.
Even though this place is famous enough on its own, I would still enthusiastically recommend it to anyone looking for fresh, delicious seafood and stunning views of the ocean and sunset in the Half Moon Bay Area.
I opted for a single Oyster from Washington as an appetizer. It was quite possibly the most delicious oyster I've ever eaten - fresh, tender, juicy and light at the same time. A few drops of lemon juice and mignonette sauce really put it over the top.
For my entree, I had wild caught pacific salmon, grilled and served on top of a lentil and chanterelle mushroom stew. This dish did not disappoint - the salmon was perfectly cooked and moist, and the side complemented it very well. I don't often eat lentils, but these were cooked just right, a bit al dente but not undercooked, and paired with just the right amount of chanterelles and bacon to enhance the flavor profile without overwhelming the legumes.
Since the food was so good, I couldn't pass on the dessert, I just had to try what they had to offer. I went for a chocolate creme brulee served with a piece of biscotti and blackberries. It was delicious, of course (it had sugar and chocolate after all, how would I not like it?), though I would dare complain that for a creme brulee it was almost too rich, the flavor of the chocolate overwhelmed the delicate custard and detracted from the light texture that I like to see in this type of dessert.
Even though this place is famous enough on its own, I would still enthusiastically recommend it to anyone looking for fresh, delicious seafood and stunning views of the ocean and sunset in the Half Moon Bay Area.
Food 10
Drinks 9Atmosphere 9
Service 9
Value 8
No comments:
Post a Comment