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Sebastian's Seafood Restaurant

Randi

By Randi
in New Jersey: Dining

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Randi

Randi

Posted
Posted (edited)

I read about Sebastian's Seafood Restaurant in the "Dick's Dock" thread last month and tonite I decided to check them out. It's Thursday and we got there at about 7:30.

I was a little nervous that there was only one person sitting at a table, having dinner. While I don't love crowded places, this was a little sparse for my comfort level.

I will say, however that we were very happy with every aspect of our meal. I wish I'd thought to bring my camera, especially when I saw the size of the fried oyster appetizer. The oysters are coated with a homemade batter and prepared to order. Delish! Six huge pieces. ($7.95)

My friend got the blackened tuna, served with a garlic butter sauce, and he chose sides of tomato basil salad and very fresh broccoli and carrots (14.95). I got the crabmeat stuffed shrimp with (I hate to admit it) garlic mashed potatoes and onion rings. I know, I know...a carb fest! ($17.95) The portions were very generous.

I tasted his tuna and it was wonderful. I think I might order it next time. I loved the peppery coating. I liked my shrimp but I was full by the time I got it...! I foolishly filled up on the warm bread and butter and the oysters.

We talked to Anthony (the owner) and learned that the place has been open about 6 months, and several reviewers have been in touch. He said he is having a "grand opening" in 2 weeks - I may have to stop back for that. I think they need to get the word out a little better. He did say they are usually quite crowded on Friday and Saturday nights.

The service was great (true, there was no competition for our waitress' attention) but besides that - she was chatty, upbeat, fun and friendly. And not in a bad way!

This place blows "The Chowder Pot" away from what I can see. Although they both feel to me like comfortable local spots, friendly places where the locals stop in for a meal. It still doesn't fulfill my longing for a local place with great shellfish - live lobster and/or crabs. I want a place with newspapers for tablecloths and a roll of paper towels on each table! Sigh...

Even so, I am looking forward to going back soon. Thanks to Cornus for bringing this place to my attention!

Sebastian's Seafood Restaurant

956 St. Georges Ave.

Rahway

732.381.4477

Open Tues-Friday 11 AM - 10 PM

Sat. & Sun. 3-10 PM

Edited by Randi (log)

"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best --" and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called. - A.A. Milne

Randi

Randi

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
BYO??

I don't drink so didn't think to ask - but Cornus mentioned in his post that it is BYO.

"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best --" and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called. - A.A. Milne

Cornus

Cornus

Posted
Posted
BYO??

I don't drink so didn't think to ask - but Cornus mentioned in his post that it is BYO.

It is a BYO. So glad you enjoyed it. I was there a couple of weeks ago and we were the only ones in the restaurant also. Had the same feeling you did, but it was quite good. Hope they start attracting a mid-week crowd.

Randi

Randi

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
So glad you enjoyed it.  I was there a couple of weeks ago and we were the only ones in the restaurant also.  Had the same feeling you did, but it was quite good.  Hope they start attracting a mid-week crowd.

So what dishes have you tried? Do any of them really shine? Some of the things I was tempted to try were the clams oreganato or clams casino, the fried scallops, the broiled lobster tails, and the mussels in wine & garlic. Anything to report on those?

I know I will be going back - it's so close to home and a comfortable place. Don't like that parking lot in the back with the huge potholes, tho' :wacko:

"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best --" and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called. - A.A. Milne

Randi

Randi

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

Cornus,

Have you heard of or tried Nemo's Seafood in Linden (on Stiles Street)?

It appears to be a takeout place but looks like they have a good variety of fresh shellfish. Well, they call it fresh (fresh frozen? maybe...)

I will report once I go. But was hoping you might have been there since you seem to be in my same general locale.

Randi

"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best --" and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called. - A.A. Milne

Cornus

Cornus

Posted
Posted

I read about Nemo's and thought I'd give it a try, thinking it was a *restaurant*. However, the night I planned on going (a few weeks ago) I saw that it was obviously a take-out place, so I passed and went elsewhere.

Have you tried Cafe Abbraci in Metuchen? I was there the other night and one in our party had a combo of clams, shrimp, calamari, etc....on a bed of risotto and raved about it. We hadn't been there in quite a while and were very favorably impressed...will be going back soon.

Randi

Randi

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
I read about Nemo's and thought I'd give it a try, thinking it was a *restaurant*.  However, the night I planned on going (a few weeks ago) I saw that it was obviously a take-out place, so I passed and went elsewhere.

Have you tried Cafe Abbraci in Metuchen?  I was there the other night and one in our party had a combo of clams, shrimp, calamari, etc....on a bed of risotto and raved about it.  We hadn't been there in quite a while and were very favorably impressed...will be going back soon.

Hey Cornus,

No, I've not tried Cafe Abbraci, tho it is on my list of places to get to soon. I've only heard good things about it!

I made it to Nemo's yesterday, and while it is a takeout place, they do have about 18 tables...I will post about them in a new thread.

Randi

"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best --" and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called. - A.A. Milne

Randi

Randi

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

Went back to Sebastian's on Wednesday night. Got there around 6:30 and there were 3 other tables occupied. One with a family, the others with couples. So they are getting a *little* busier during the week.

I got the crab bisque which was pretty good. A few nice bits of crab. My dining companion got the crab cake appetizer (2 smallish cakes) which I LOVED. It was really delicious, with a bit of a peppery kick to it.

He got the special of herb crusted chilean sea bass topped with a puttanesca sauce (which was not tomato based - it had capers, onions, lemon and was very light) and a tasty rice accompaniment and it was all served over fresh asparagus. A great meal. ($19.95) He didn't finish it all, and I took home the leftovers and had a nice dinner the following night.

I was in a more casual mood and got fried scallops (5 or 6 very large sea scallops - $13.95) with fries and cole slaw. All quite decent. I liked that the cole slaw had some very large pieces, it wasn't too finely shredded.

We were too full for dessert. I do need to try their desserts sometime. The nightly specials menu listed 2 - a chocolate mousse ice cream cake and a cannoli cake.

I am liking this place!

Randi

"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best --" and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called. - A.A. Milne

  • 2 weeks later...
Randi

Randi

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted (edited)

Went back to Sebastian's last night...

It was Saturday night around 7 PM and the place was about 1/2 full. We shared an appetizer of steamed clams with drawn butter. Must have been steamed in salt water because they were very salty, but otherwise good.

I got the crab cakes because of my great experience with them last week. My dining companion got the fried scallops (same as I got last week). He enjoyed them.

However, I was disappointed with the crab cakes this time. They did not taste the same as last week. They were salty and had much more breading, altho the crab in them was very good quality jumbo lump crab meat. And there was no peppery kick to it like last week.

I did ask the waitress if there was a different recipe for the dinner than the appetizer, and of course there wasn't. She mentioned that they were probably breaking in a new chef.

After our meal, Heather, the owner of the restaurant (with her husband, Anthony, who I met the first time I was there), came over to see how our dinner was. I mentioned that the crab cakes were just okay, but that everything else I've had there has been great. She apologized and said that next time her husband would make them for me (he is also the main chef) and I said, that's ok, I would probably just order something else. :rolleyes:

A few minutes later, while we were looking over the dessert menu, she returned...with the CHEF...who had with him a plate with 4 uncooked crab cakes. She said he wanted to talk to me. I was kind of embarrassed, so was smiling nervously and she said "see that smile? that's how we want all our patrons to feel" (but I was smiling because I was mortified! :laugh: )

Anyhow, the chef proceeded to tell me that there is no "filler" in the crab cakes, only the jumbo lump crab meat. (By filler he meant some other fish, or inferior crab. When I mentioned filler, I meant the breading, which there *was* lots of.) The examples he brought out to me still had quite a bit of breading but did seem to have more crab meat than the 2 I'd gotten.

He said only he and Anthony make the crab cakes, and I was feeling very uncomfortable. Maybe Heather told him I thought they were breaking in a new chef (which was what our waitress told us)? I know she was trying to make it right, but I felt like I was being challenged...so I was pretty uncomfortable.

She did say we could choose any desserts we wanted from the menu, on the house. So we did - and only mine was comped. We just paid for the other, it wasn't a big deal, but we thought she meant we could both order dessert. (She did look at my friend as she was offering the dessert, and he also had the impression that we could both order one.)

Anyhow...it was an adventure, but I would still go back, as I like the place, like the food, and I understand that she was trying hard to make sure I was happy, even though it pretty much had the wrong effect on me.

So, basically, I am writing this to take back my recommendation of the crab cakes. :laugh: Oh, and I am wondering if anyone else has ever been confronted by the chef when they were disappointed in a dish?? Maybe I should take that question to General Food Topics...

Randi

Edited by Randi (log)

"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best --" and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called. - A.A. Milne

  • 1 year later...
Randi

Randi

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
... It still doesn't fulfill my longing for a local place with great shellfish - live lobster and/or crabs.  I want a place with newspapers for tablecloths and a roll of paper towels on each table!  Sigh...

Good news! (at least for me :raz: ) Sebastian's is going to be having all-you-can-eat crabs on Tuesdays and Wednesdays all summer.

I drove past after work yesterday and saw a sign that said "all-you-can-eat crabs today!" so I called and ordered a dozen and picked them up to bring home. They are medium Maryland blue claws, prepared old bay style.

They were good (albeit small, and lots of work, but that's to be expected) and quite a bargain! They charged me $18.95 for a dozen. (The all you can eat dinner was $19.95.) That's about half the price of the medium crabs at Loupy's Crabs down in Marlton (which is also over an hour away.)

My only complaint is that they weren't cleaned, which made them that much harder to eat. (Loupy's offers them "down and dirty" or "cleaned").

When I called to order them the gal didn't know if they would have them again, but when I picked them up, I asked someone else, and was told that they plan to have them every Tuesday and Wednesday.

Yay!

"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best --" and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called. - A.A. Milne

lmkennedy53

lmkennedy53

Posted
Posted
... It still doesn't fulfill my longing for a local place with great shellfish - live lobster and/or crabs.  I want a place with newspapers for tablecloths and a roll of paper towels on each table!  Sigh...

Good news! (at least for me :raz: ) Sebastian's is going to be having all-you-can-eat crabs on Tuesdays and Wednesdays all summer.

I drove past after work yesterday and saw a sign that said "all-you-can-eat crabs today!" so I called and ordered a dozen and picked them up to bring home. They are medium Maryland blue claws, prepared old bay style.

They were good (albeit small, and lots of work, but that's to be expected) and quite a bargain! They charged me $18.95 for a dozen. (The all you can eat dinner was $19.95.) That's about half the price of the medium crabs at Loupy's Crabs down in Marlton (which is also over an hour away.)

My only complaint is that they weren't cleaned, which made them that much harder to eat. (Loupy's offers them "down and dirty" or "cleaned").

When I called to order them the gal didn't know if they would have them again, but when I picked them up, I asked someone else, and was told that they plan to have them every Tuesday and Wednesday.

Yay!

It's so funny.... I was just outside talking to my nephew who is a busboy at Sebastian's asking him about when they have the crabs because I have been craving them!!! He told me about Tues. and told me the price but he said sometimes they sell them cleaned. If they don't , I'm not really sure how to clean them!! I know I must sound stupid :hmmm: but I've never gotten them not cleaned before. I'm planning to get them on Wed.!!

Lori

Randi

Randi

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
It's so funny.... I was just outside talking to my nephew who is a busboy at Sebastian's asking him about when they have the crabs because I have been craving them!!!  He told me about Tues. and told me the price but he said sometimes they sell them cleaned.  If they don't , I'm not really sure how to clean them!!  I know I must sound stupid  :hmmm:  but I've never gotten them not cleaned before.  I'm planning to get them on Wed.!!

So tonight's the night? I'm going back to the Skylark Diner tonight - taking a week off from those crabs. They were too much work for too little reward. Would definitely help if they are cleaned.

Let us know if you were able to get them cleaned.

Hope you enjoy! (Are you a seafood-in-the-rough person? I know I am!)

"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best --" and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called. - A.A. Milne

lmkennedy53

lmkennedy53

Posted
Posted
It's so funny.... I was just outside talking to my nephew who is a busboy at Sebastian's asking him about when they have the crabs because I have been craving them!!!   He told me about Tues. and told me the price but he said sometimes they sell them cleaned.  If they don't , I'm not really sure how to clean them!!  I know I must sound stupid  :hmmm:  but I've never gotten them not cleaned before.  I'm planning to get them on Wed.!!

So tonight's the night? I'm going back to the Skylark Diner tonight - taking a week off from those crabs. They were too much work for too little reward. Would definitely help if they are cleaned.

Let us know if you were able to get them cleaned.

Hope you enjoy! (Are you a seafood-in-the-rough person? I know I am!)

We had them and they were cleaned for an extra charge and they were wonderful!!! The old bay seasoning made them so tasty! We spread out newspapers and paper plates and had ice cold Coronas and thought.. life doesn't get much better than this!!!! :biggrin: Crab night is definitely going to become a regular at our house thanks to you!!!

Lori

Randi

Randi

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
We had them and they were cleaned for an extra charge and they were wonderful!!!  The old bay seasoning made them so tasty!  We spread out newspapers and paper plates and had ice cold Coronas and thought.. life doesn't get much better than this!!!!  :biggrin:  Crab night is definitely going to become a regular at our house thanks to you!!!

Yay! I would definitely pay a bit more to have them cleaned - and for bigger ones! Did they have a choice of sizes? And how much more for cleaned...do you remember?

Glad you enjoyed.

"Well," said Pooh, "what I like best --" and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called. - A.A. Milne

lmkennedy53

lmkennedy53

Posted
Posted
We had them and they were cleaned for an extra charge and they were wonderful!!!  The old bay seasoning made them so tasty!  We spread out newspapers and paper plates and had ice cold Coronas and thought.. life doesn't get much better than this!!!!  :biggrin:  Crab night is definitely going to become a regular at our house thanks to you!!!

Yay! I would definitely pay a bit more to have them cleaned - and for bigger ones! Did they have a choice of sizes? And how much more for cleaned...do you remember?

Glad you enjoyed.

They didn't have a choice of sizes but we ordered 3 dozen and our bill came to about $65. It was plenty to eat and delicious!! Definitely get them cleaned!!

Lori

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