At the bar: Legal Seafood

[dbrociner]

Tuesday night and I work late. No point in going home and no one to go have a meal with. I've been going out and sitting at the bar at different places and having a late dinner. Tonight it was Legal Seafood in the Short Hills Mall.

I know this is a chain restaurant but I think it is great example of what other chains could aspire to be. The place is beautifully run, the servers well trained, and because of the huge turnover, the fish is always fresh. I walked in thinking Kumamoto oysters and a couple of Bloody Mary's with the NIT semifinals on the flat screen above the bar. The only problem was they had only East Coast oysters, not a bad thing but not what I had in mind. I still ordered the Bloody Mary, they make a good one here: all the spices are pre mixed but then added to the tomato juice and vodka at the last minute. Keeps the juice fresher. I really like the combination of Bloody Mary's and raw seafood. The fact that the drink comes with vegies to chomp on while you survey the menu is a big plus for me.

I end up ordering the Blackened Tuna sashimi with wasabi and chili oil. The tuna is very good, the wasabi barely there but the chili oil makes a big statement, maybe too big. I've finished the Bloody Mary at this point and have asked the bartender for a wine pairing for the tuna. I've actually asked two bartenders, the first has already let slip that he likes Michelob Ultra, this came up when someone comes in looking for the new Henieken Light, and I'm shying away from taking his advice. The other bartender, someone I've ordered from before, is reccomending a Pinot Noir and I take her up on it. The wine is delicious but a bad match for the tuna. Lots of fruit but not enough acid to stand up to the richness of the fish or the spiceness of the chili oil. I understand how someone could feel safe reccomending a red with tuna but it didn't work here.

Not done yet I order another appetizer, a "venitian" style Calamari. Those of you familiar with the 'firecracker" calamari at An American Grill will recognize the basic concept here, fried calamari with kalamata olives, garlic, tomatoes and some hot red pepper flakes. Not exactly the same but close. It would have been better too if it had been hot enough. Huge portion, big enough to justify the $15.95 price and bigger than I was looking for but the Sam Adams I had with it was cold and bitter and perfect and before you knew it the bowl was empty. I thought about another beer, I thought about Rick Pitino trying to keep his team motivated against an undersized South Carolina team that had no business staying in the game but somehow did anyway, I thought about dessert. I paid the bill and drove home.

More next Tuesday. Any suggestions? Has to be within a half hour of East Hanover and has to have sports on TV, hey baseball starts next Sunday night.

[Lreda]

MY Mets and " The ORIGINAL firecracker calamari at the bar with Lou & Lisa and other strange folks.

[dbrociner]

MY Mets and " The ORIGINAL firecracker calamari at the bar with Lou & Lisa and other strange folks.

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Strange folk indeed. No Met game next Tuesday. I may show anyway, we'll see. Welcome home.

[tommy]

i've always been a huge proponent of Legal. glad you guys had a good time.

my first experience with Heineken (sp?) Light was at the Front Street Smokehouse. it's a tasty light beer i suppose, but at the end of the day, like Beck's Light (of which i drank perhaps 100 cases last summer), it's just watered down Heineken. and, with the lower alcohol content, you might find yourself drinking a lot more bottles than you would with regular. i'm almost convinced that regular full-calorie full-flavor full-carb beer is the way to go if you want to cut back on anything.

chili oil? i'd go for a white. probably a somewhat sweet white.

[hitmanoo]

i've always been a huge proponent of Legal.  glad you guys had a good time.

my first experience with Heineken (sp?) Light was at the Front Street Smokehouse.  it's a tasty light beer i suppose, but at the end of the day, like Beck's Light (of which i drank perhaps 100 cases last summer), it's just watered down Heineken.  and, with the lower alcohol content, you might find yourself drinking a lot more bottles than you would with regular.  i'm almost convinced that regular full-calorie full-flavor full-carb beer is the way to go if you want to cut back on anything. 

chili oil? i'd go for a white.  probably a somewhat sweet white. 

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I thought that Amstel Light was in fact Heinekin light... From what I heard, Heinekin didn't want to discredit their name by producing a light beer under the label "Heinekin" so they made it under Amstel instead... Of course, I hear so very many things that turn out to be untrue...

As for Legal Seafood, I'm a big fan of their clam chowder. I find it to be consistant, and as good as any version I've found...

[Chris Amirault]

Over in New England, we've been having discussion about Legal Seafoods for a while.

[tommy]

I thought that Amstel Light was in fact Heinekin light... From what I heard, Heinekin didn't want to discredit their name by producing a light beer under the label "Heinekin" so they made it under Amstel instead...  Of course, I hear so very many things that turn out to be untrue...

As for Legal Seafood, I'm a big fan of their clam chowder.  I find it to be consistant, and as good as any version I've found...

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i would imagine that amstel light (and the other amstels as well) is made by the same people who make heineken. as far as their new product, heiny light, it tastes like watered down heineken, rather than like amstel light.

edited to add that i'd think the "light beer" category is more popular, and, more important than ever. back when amstel was released (must have been before the mid eighties, because i remember being in college and drinking it, underage at that) i can see where there might have been a stigma. but, if you want to stay competitive these days, you'll release a lower-calorie option. no surprises there.

however, i don't think i'll necessarily see guinness light any time soon.

back to the bar at legal, it's always a pleasant place to eat. it's been non-smoking since i can remember, which is appealing to some. the wine selection by-the-glass is not as horrible as you might think, and you can orchestrate a very satisfying meal if you know how to order.

Edited March 29, 2006 by tommy (log)

[hitmanoo]

back to the bar at legal, it's always a pleasant place to eat.  it's been non-smoking since i can remember, which is appealing to some.  the wine selection by-the-glass is not as horrible as you might think, and you can orchestrate a very satisfying meal if you know how to order.

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I've seen you mention this in a couple of posts. In your opinion, what constitutes a good or a bad order at Legal Seafood?

I so rarely go, but I am curious. I usually go if I find myself at the Short Hills Mall for some reason, but I find it tough to wait 45 minutes to eat at a restaurant.

(edited for vulgarity) don't say the "C" word around tommy!

Edited March 30, 2006 by hitmanoo (log)

[tommy]

back to the bar at legal, it's always a pleasant place to eat.  it's been non-smoking since i can remember, which is appealing to some.  the wine selection by-the-glass is not as horrible as you might think, and you can orchestrate a very satisfying meal if you know how to order.

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I've seen you mention this in a couple of posts. In your opinion, what constitutes a good or a bad order at Legal Seafood?

I so rarely go, but I am curious. I usually go if I find myself at the Short Hills Mall for some reason, but I find it tough to wait 45 minutes to eat chain seafood.

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i don't wait in line for food. which i suppose is why i rarely end up at Legal. however, i have no problem with their spicy fried calamari, some oysters, and maybe some fried seafood if i'm in the mood. i do believe they have prosecco (i like bubbles) and sancerre and other oyster-appropriate-to-my-mind whites. so yeah, some fried seafood, some oysters, and some bubbles, and i'm pretty happy. but no, i wouldn't wait in line for it. i wouldn't wait in line for Per Se, much less, LS.

"chain" is meaningless to me. a restaurant either has good food and provides a good experience, or it doesn't. Per Se and The French Laundry might be a chain. Smith and Wollensky's most certianly is. i'm not saying either is good or bad, but i don't give it too much thought if i'm going to either one.

as an aside, i think if you happen to find yourself spending some time at the mall, you can put your name in and they'll either give you a beeper thing or take your cell number in order to contact you as you stroll around when your table is ready. conversly, they don't take reservations (at least at the paramus location), but if you call ahead and give your name, they'll quite possibly hold the table for you.

again, as with most things, it comes to how you handle it. where there's a will, there's a way.

Edited March 30, 2006 by tommy (log)

[hitmanoo]

as an aside, i think if you happen to find yourself spending some time at the mall, you can put your name in and they'll either give you a beeper thing or take your cell number in order to contact you as you stroll around when your table is ready. conversly, they don't take reservations (at least at the paramus location), but if you call ahead and give your name, they'll quite possibly hold the table for you.

again, as with most things, it comes to how you handle it. where there's a will, there's a way. smile.gif

Yeah... that never works out for me. It's just one of those things in life I deal with. I didn't know they'd call your cell phone, so I may give that a try. Whenever I get the buzzer, unless I'm waiting at the restaurant (which defeats the purpose) I seem to wander out of range.

After that happens a couple of times, you find yourself less willing to wander away, and you find yourself popping back into the restaurant to see if you've missed your page (which defeats the purpose). The cell phone idea is pretty great though. I wonder how that works out around the holidays when things are out of control...

[dbrociner]

I'm pretty sure they take reservations at the Short Hills location. I go in late on a weeknight and sit at the bar so the crowd isn't really an issue. They were still full when I got there on Tuesday at 9:15 but the place was almost empty when I left an hour or so later.

I agree with Tommy on the "chain" issue. We've hashed this out on other threads but this isn't TGIF or Chili's or the Olive Garden we're talking about here. I don't wait on line for food either and I can't think of many other places of any sort in northern NJ that do as good a job with the raw bar.

As for Heineken Light, I wouldn't order it the same way I wouldn't order sugar free chocolate cake. How many calories do you really save? If the calories are that important maybe you shouldn't be drinking beer at all.

[tommy]

don't quote on the cell phone part. all i know is that there's some sort of call-ahead consideration at the paramus LS.

as far as light beer, 80 calories savings per beer x 5 beers = 400 calories. that's a savings no matter how you slice it. once you start hitting the 12 beer category though...

[Anonymouze]

Hubby and I both like Legal Seafoods feeling that Red Lobster has de-evolved down to being an equal to the seafood version of McD's.

Most of the patrons are loud and obnoxious or they have children who are loud and obnoxious each and every time we go.

Legal Seafoods in the Palisades Mall in W. Nyack and the one in the Paramus NJ location are the ones we frequent. We've even had a "star sighting" at the Palisades Mall - some famous baseball player - and the crowd went crazy and we continued eating our delicious supper. We like to share the lump crab dip and then get an entree each. My favorite among many is: something grilled or the lobster/crabmeat ravioli with the tomato vodka sauce... MMmmMMmm good!

http://www.legalseafoods.com

P.S. I read your Blog Tommy it was quite interesting to read as well!

[tommy]

We've even had a "star sighting" at the Palisades Mall - some famous baseball player - and the crowd went crazy and we continued eating our delicious supper.

last night at the Paramus outpost i spotted the singer from AKP, although i'm sure i'm the only one who recognized him.

needles to say, i was a little surprised to see him there. although, we've had common friends for years and i've seen him at quite a few places over the past decade and a half. normally, though, those places aren't pouring sancerre and serving lobster rolls. no, not at all like that.

[Jason Perlow]

They make solid fried clams, at least the Paramus and Palisades Center Mall locations do. There really isn't any seafood restaurant in the area that's a good choice for Ipswitch belly clams, everyone else has the cherrystones and they really aren't good for frying. Having just gotten back from New Orleans, you really can't compare fried clams to fried oysters, but still, the fried clams at Legal are really excellent.

I like the fact they have a lot of half bottles and the wines are quite food friendly to begin with, a lot of stuff which matches with my taste.

[jim07044]

I've been to Legal @ Short Hills several times since it opened. Legal is to seafood what Palm is to steak or PF Changs is to chinese. Upscale chain food. My favorite item is the tuna burger and they make good mojitos (or as good as one can expect from outside Miami). I know a guy who likes to order a three-variety calimari plate off-the-menu, and that was good too.

[tommy]

I've been to Legal @ Short Hills several times since it opened. Legal is to seafood what Palm is to steak or PF Changs is to chinese. Upscale chain food.

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steakhouse: you can get away with not buying the top of the Prime realm, and not dry-aging, and people will still flock. BUT, anyone who knows steak can tell the difference.

chinese: highly dependant on how you cook it, and what you're trying to produce. what is "chinese" anyway? shanghai? sichuan? banquet-style? hong kong style?

legal sea food: great oysters and great fried seafood. great wine list. great service. nothing upscale (in a negative way) about it, to my mind.

i can't disagree more. legal does a fantastic job. i'd love some other options in north jersey. ya got any?

Edited April 19, 2006 by tommy (log)

[menton1]

As far as PF Changs is concerned, they also do a very good job. Sad to say, they are probably better than 99% of the Chinese food available in New Jersey. Too bad they don't have one in Bergen County...

[tommy]

As far as PF Changs is concerned, they also do a very good job.  Sad to say, they are probably better than 99% of the Chinese food available in New Jersey.  Too bad they don't have one in Bergen County...

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i'm with you, menton1, and i don't often say that. describing a place as "upscale chain chinese food" isn't exactly a negative, given the percentage of shit chinese restaurants to actual decent chinese restaurants. hell, Ruby Foo's can put out some decent food in a lively atmosphere with a decent wine list. moreso than whatever is in your town i'm guessing. "your" being general.

regardless, it's easy to say that PF Changs is producing cookie-cutter slightly too-sweet slighty too-salty food for the masses. and it's easy to say that Ruth's Chris is serving less-than-stellar beef with butter to make it tasty for the masses. it's a lot harder to convince me that Legal Sea Food is doing to something their oysters and fried seafood that makes the masses like them better. if anything, the masses don't even appreciate Legal Sea Foods. but Legal is trying to change that, with great product and a great wine list, one naysayer at a time. if they don't get 'em all, well, who cares.

[adegiulio]

As far as PF Changs is concerned, they also do a very good job.  Sad to say, they are probably better than 99% of the Chinese food available in New Jersey.  Too bad they don't have one in Bergen County...

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if anything, the masses don't even appreciate Legal Sea Foods. but Legal is trying to change that, with great product and a great wine list, one naysayer at a time. if they don't get 'em all, well, who cares.

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Well, someone likes them.

Excellent points on chains not equating to lousy food. There are definately some chains that execute much better than others, in my opinion. I would rather Smith and Wollensky anyday over Ruth's Chris (why can't Ruth learn how to cook vegetable sides?) And one of the nice, if not under-rated aspects of Legal Seafoods, and other quality chains, is that I don't need to get dressed up to go. I can just pop in with shorts and not feel out of place. I like that...

[zhelder]

As far as PF Changs is concerned, they also do a very good job.  Sad to say, they are probably better than 99% of the Chinese food available in New Jersey.  Too bad they don't have one in Bergen County...

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I got to go to a P.F. Chang's once in Jacksonville, FL about eight months ago. I didn't think I would be impressed, but I was. Very good food, large portions, and reasonable prices. It was insanely busy, and that was the only part I didn't like. (But what can you do?) They would make a killing if they opened a place in Bergen County, and I think it's only a matter of time. They have a location in West New York, and I thought about going there, but I hate driving in that area.

I have been to Legal Sea Food twice. Although they are a bit expensive, the food and service are both excellent at the Garden State Plaza location.

One place I was not impressed with was Varka. Although the food (grilled shrimp) was excellent, the portion was miniscule and insanely expensive. I could have eaten four of the plates they served. I want to try Oceano's in Fair Lawn, but I'm afraid it will be the same thing. This is one case where I think the chain (Legal) beats the local joints.

[Jason Perlow]

As far as PF Changs is concerned, they also do a very good job.  Sad to say, they are probably better than 99% of the Chinese food available in New Jersey.  Too bad they don't have one in Bergen County...

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Yeah they do. Edgewater. That might be Hudson though, although thats totally unimportant, proximity wise.

[zhelder]

As far as PF Changs is concerned, they also do a very good job.  Sad to say, they are probably better than 99% of the Chinese food available in New Jersey.  Too bad they don't have one in Bergen County...

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Yeah they do. Edgewater. That might be Hudson though, although thats totally unimportant, proximity wise.

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Wow, I didn't know that, they don't have an Edgewater location listed on their web site. Edgewater is Bergen County, but it is still a distance from Fair Lawn, and it's still a pain in the butt driving over there. It may be a bit easier to get there than to West New York though. It may be worth a shot going now!

Update: Just looked around a few web sites, and it looks like we're talking about the same location: some people refer to it as the Edgewater location, but it's actually in West New York. Bummer!

Edited April 20, 2006 by zhelder (log)

[whitetrufflechick]

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Update: Just looked around a few web sites, and it looks like we're talking about the same location: some people refer to it as the Edgewater location, but it's actually in West New York. Bummer!

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Just thought I'd jump in and say that I've been to PF Changs in Edgewater/West New York. Food was exactly what PF Changs should be and the crowd/scene can be overwhelmingly irritating (loud, boisterous, long wait, packed in elbow-to-elbow in the bar/waiting area, etc). On the plus side, when you DO get your table the staff is well-trained, efficient and well-versed about menu items.

[tommy]

One place I was not impressed with was Varka. Although the food (grilled shrimp) was excellent, the portion was miniscule and insanely expensive. I could have eaten four of the plates they served. I want to try Oceano's in Fair Lawn, but I'm afraid it will be the same thing. This is one case where I think the chain (Legal) beats the local joints.

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i have eaten at Oceanos, Varka, and LS several times, and find the price point very very similar.

the shrimp dish you reference at Varka, was that an app? i know that the grilled octopus, at about 16 dollars, is sizable enough to split for an app. they have a couple of greek whites at about 32 dollars a bottle. and the fish will run you anywhere btwn 16 and 28 for an entree.

add it all up and it's not cheap, but it's not far off of LS. additionally, it's tough to compare the 2, as they are totally different restaurants, albeit both are serving things from the sea.

on an unrelated note, west new york is hudson county, and it's certainly not convenient for many people from bergen to get to. either is edgewater for that matter.

Edited April 20, 2006 by tommy (log)