I have visited Wharfside a few times over the years when I am in Point Pleasant, New Jersey. If you like fresh seafood, this is a great place to visit.
It was a beautiful day, so we got a seat outside. This allowed for great entertainment as boats kept floating by.
While we were looking over the menu, the waitress brought over some fritters. These were like hush puppies. They were sweet and sprinkled with powered sugar. It was more like a dessert based on the taste, but I loved them, nonetheless.
We also got a small bowl of their homemade coleslaw. The cabbage was chopped up into nice small pieces. They used a lot of dressing that was slightly sweet. I like a wetter coleslaw.
I love Manhattan clam chowder and Wharfside is one of those restaurants in the area that serves it. It is a great vegetable broth that is seasoned perfectly with a hint of Old Bay. It is full of vegetables and fresh clams. The clams are very tender. The chowder had a wonderful savory flavor.
I also made sure to try some of the New England clam chowder. The chowder was super creamy. It was also loaded with fresh, tender clams. There was a comforting feeling to this chowder.
For my main dish I ordered the Baja Shrimp Bowl. This was like a salad on steroids. The fresh, grilled shrimp were placed on top of basmati rice, avocado, pico de gallo, shredded lettuce, black beans, and cheddar & pepper jack cheese. Then a chipotle aioli sauce was drizzled on top. I could not decide if I should mix all the ingredients together or eat it by each of the layers.
I started off eating all the shrimp. They had a great seasoning on them. There was no need for any other type of sauce. I could not place the seasoning, but it was almost like a mesquite, paprika type flavor. After all the shrimp were gone, I mixed all the ingredients together. The chipotle aioli really pulled everything together. The beans added a nice texture, and the avocado added a creaminess. The rice helped bind it all together and make it filling.
The meal was great. I really wanted more of those fritters as a dessert, however I was too embarrassed to ask for more. They would have been a perfect ending.
You cannot go wrong with the food and the view at Wharfside. I would still recommend visiting them if you are in the area. Check out their menu at www.wharfsidenj.com
Enjoy!
T
