I LOVE THIS PLACE. First i have to admit that i have been coming to this place for about 20 years of my life so i already knew what to expect. So I packed up the wife, ( Yes, I know that her name is Simone but today we'll just refer to her as "the wife") got in the car, and drove up Route 32 to New Harbor.
Although Labor Day weekend was upon us, the parking lot was only about half full with senior citizens from Massachusetts and Canada. This was a welcomed sign as the lines at Shaws Wharf can be very long sometimes with people who apparently have never seen a fresh lobster during their life. If that happens to you don't be afraid, they put meals out at the speed of light and i have seldom had to wait more then 15-20 minutes for my meal.
The first thing you notice as you are walking to the restaurant is the overwhelming smell coming from the grease dumpster. Its a disgustingly gross mix of fried (mostly seafood) leftovers and old dirty oil. Not exactly the first impression one might want to make. So after a dead sprint past the manure like oder we made our way up to the top of the stairs to the dining area overlooking the harbor. The view here is spectacular. On one side you can overlook the harbor and the lobstermen unloading their traps, and on the other you can look into the Atlantic ocean. If you are afraid of seagulls flying above and crapping on you then they do have an indoor seating area also, but really grow a pair and just go sit outside.
So now to the food. The menu is large and probably 75% fresh seafood from right off the dock. Good food can be hard to find for a non fish eater on a menu like this, but people tell me the Lobster is the best they can find on the Maine coast, so if you enjoy eating these bottom feeders, then by all means go ahead, and enjoy the clams and mussels as well. But for myself i head straight to my old Shaws Wharf stand by, the chicken fingers, Buffalo Style and Original. The wife suggests we bypass the basket style ( with fries, coleslaw and roll), because the coleslaw is nothing to brag about ( to much celery seed) and the rolls come from a bag. So we order a side of Fries to go with our chicken appetizers. The service here is counter service ( no need for a large tip, but don't be a dick, give a tip anyway !) so we grab some drinks and head out to the patio. After about ten minutes our number is called and the wife grabs the food. The fried chicken tenders- both kinds- are crispy and piping hot. At first glance you may think these things are going to be dry, but they are some of the moistest fried chicken I have ever had. And they are consistently this way.
Not a dry breast in the house. While we are talking about the breast I may as well admit that the size of these things are huge. So I grab them quick and shove one into my mouth. One thing I always notice is when chicken is fried in the same oil as fish, these are not. Shaws has separate fryolators for fish , French Fry's, and chicken and you can taste the difference. The Buffalo Style tenders are just the right blend of heat, not a Bathroom emergency kinda burning heat, but smooth and buttery with a little bit of fire, which quickly dissipates with some Blue Cheese Dressing. The Original Style Plain Tender has a nice white pepper southern taste. Both kinds of Tenders are hand breaded when you order with Shaws fish fry batter so they are light but somehow very filling at the same time. The Fries are good, not fresh cut ,but still perfectly crispy and a good addition to the meal. Overall this dish is a winner every time. Shaws also does a great job with Fresh Breaded Onion Rings, Broiled Chicken, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and BLT's so don't be afraid to give those a try also.
To end the meal my wife suggested a Pina Colada. Not exactly dessert, but hell its got pineapple and coconut in it so close enough ! I gotta say, the Pina Colada from the dockside bar under the resturant is one of the best damn Coladas I have ever had. Cold, with just the right amount of everything. And it goes down smooth and fast (especialy fast if you are me). A Great way to end our meal at Shaws and another satisfying trip to my favorite seafood resturaunt. Definitly four out of five diamonds for this one. Until next time- keep it FISH FREE !♦♦♦♦
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