Food: ****1/2
Staff: ****1/2
Ambiance: *****
Experience: ****1/2
Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Address: 101 S Market St, Wilmington, DE 19801
Website: http://www.harryshospitalitygroup.com/harrys-seafood-grill/
Phone #: (302) 777-1500
To celebrate my mother-in-laws birthday and my in-laws wedding anniversary, Faye, her parents, and I visited Harry's Seafood Grill in Wilmington, De. I have been to Harry's Savoy Grill before, but it was the Seafood Grill that I have been longing to try. I had extremely high hopes for this place, and as you can tell from my rating above, I was not disappointed (nor was my family!).
When we arrived at the restaurant, the first thing that we saw was their famous raw bar, and while raw seafood is not my cup of tea, Faye and her father's mouths were watering. It looked amazing! You'll find everything from clams to oysters to crab legs and beyond there. The hostess spoke with us immediately, and we were seated in a matter of minutes on a very busy Saturday night.
The waiter was one of the best that I have had in a while. He was very pleasant, made some great recommendations (like telling Faye's dad about the filet mignon that they have every night), and was checking on us regularly without being overly present (a pet peeve of mine). The most intriguing moment of the night was when he handed us the menu and explained that the menu changes daily. If you're looking for the freshest seafood you can find in Delaware prepared in some of the most creative ways that you could imagine, then this is the restaurant for you. The decor is also interesting, blending the feel of a fine dining restaurant with an upscale bar.
As far as the fare is concerned, you will find a great beverage selection and great variety on the menu. We started off with some appetizers, as is customary when dining out with my in-laws. I started with the Crispy Fried Calamari, and it was one of the best I have ever had. The batter was light and crispy, the peppers were just spicy enough, and while I'm not a huge fan of avocado, the sauce was the perfect pairing for the calamari. It was cool and refreshing with a slight heat to it that brightened up your palate. Faye didn't surprise me one bit when she ordered the Scallop and Poblano Ceviche. It looked a bit small, like most fine dining portions, but Faye was very content with it. It was a bit spicy, but it was also cool and refreshing. Mrs. Reardon had the Bermuda Fish Chowder. Our waiter told us the story that goes along with this chowder, which as a foodie, was fascinating. Apparently, years ago fishermen would season their seafood soups and chowders as they would season their beef. Since they could not take beef out with them on long fishing trips, they wanted to replicate the taste as best they could to remind them of home. I loved the story, and when I was offered a bite, I gladly tried it. I have to say, it really did taste like beef and seafood all at the same time.... I loved it, as did Mrs. Reardon. Lastly, Mr. Reardon went after the Oysters on the Half Shell, the Blue Points more specifically. Faye had one as well, and they loved them so much that they ordered another half dozen. Apparently they were the freshest, cleanest, and smoothest Oysters either of them had eaten in as long as they could remember.
And that was only the appetizers! Now for the main courses. I ordered the Cajun Seared Rainbow Trout, a fish that I have never ordered or prepared before, although I have had a bite of it here and there when Faye has ordered it. I liked the idea that it was Cajun-seasoned, and I was excited to try Haricots Verts (a type of green bean). The meal was a good size, seasoned well, and had a lot of different flavors that all worked well together. My only gripe with it was the Louisiana pepper sauce. To me and Mrs. Reardon, it tasted more like a chicken wing sauce than one that would go with the fish. If you check out the second picture of the dish, you will see the crawfish/ham sauté, which was incredible: the perfect mix of fat and texture to go with the lightness of the fish. The serving was a deboned trout with the sauté sandwiched between the filets. The pecans in the rice was a great textural addition, and the Haricots Verts were crisp and fresh, which was a great palate cleanser for the cajun seasoning. Faye had the Grand Seafood Plateau, which is made up of chilled Oysters, Clams, Mussels, Shrimp, and Crab. She even ate the roe out of the Lobster head that they served on the platter. The seafood was fresh and there was plenty of it. Faye and I have seen quite a few platters like this on TV from time to time, but this was the first time that we have ever seen the chance to get one on the East coast. I'm still not sure if this dish is meant to be an appetizer or an entrée, but Faye was very happy with it! Even Faye's mom and I were jealous, and we don't eat raw seafood! Speaking of Mrs. Reardon, she had the Pan Seared Sea Scallops, which for my taste was a true fine dining portion. While there were only 4 scallops, they were prepared perfectly with a nice caramelization on the top and bottom and smooth and buttery throughout. They cut with a fork, and as my mother-in-law is a true salad lover of almost any variety, she was in love with the side salad. The Carrot Cream under the scallops was smooth and refreshing, and she was truly pleased with her birthday/anniversary meal. Lastly, as previously mentioned, Mr. Reardon went with one of the few items that is consistently on the menu (although not clearly...): the 10 oz. Filet Mignon with choice of two vegetables. There is a surf and turf on the menu, but apparently, as our waiter explained, you can always order the Filet. He ordered the Filet cooked to a medium, but it came out mid-rare. The cut of meat was so incredible though that it didn't really matter. I got to have a few bites of it, which was actually a really nice size, and it was one of the top 5 steaks that I have ever eaten (and I would never order a steak mid-rare)! The potatoes were creamy and light, and the spinach was quickly dispatched. The entirety of the meal was nothing short of immaculate!
At the end of the evening, we were all too stuffed for dessert, but I'm sure that they are excellent as well. I cannot recommend this restaurant enough. The icing on the cake was when I asked the waiter for a menu to take with me for this blog since the menu changes every day. He gladly grabbed one for me, and I am extremely grateful for his kindness. If you get the chance, you HAVE to check this place out. It is a must for all seafood (and steak) lovers!
Staff: ****1/2
Ambiance: *****
Experience: ****1/2
Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Address: 101 S Market St, Wilmington, DE 19801
Website: http://www.harryshospitalitygroup.com/harrys-seafood-grill/
Phone #: (302) 777-1500
To celebrate my mother-in-laws birthday and my in-laws wedding anniversary, Faye, her parents, and I visited Harry's Seafood Grill in Wilmington, De. I have been to Harry's Savoy Grill before, but it was the Seafood Grill that I have been longing to try. I had extremely high hopes for this place, and as you can tell from my rating above, I was not disappointed (nor was my family!).
When we arrived at the restaurant, the first thing that we saw was their famous raw bar, and while raw seafood is not my cup of tea, Faye and her father's mouths were watering. It looked amazing! You'll find everything from clams to oysters to crab legs and beyond there. The hostess spoke with us immediately, and we were seated in a matter of minutes on a very busy Saturday night.
The waiter was one of the best that I have had in a while. He was very pleasant, made some great recommendations (like telling Faye's dad about the filet mignon that they have every night), and was checking on us regularly without being overly present (a pet peeve of mine). The most intriguing moment of the night was when he handed us the menu and explained that the menu changes daily. If you're looking for the freshest seafood you can find in Delaware prepared in some of the most creative ways that you could imagine, then this is the restaurant for you. The decor is also interesting, blending the feel of a fine dining restaurant with an upscale bar.
As far as the fare is concerned, you will find a great beverage selection and great variety on the menu. We started off with some appetizers, as is customary when dining out with my in-laws. I started with the Crispy Fried Calamari, and it was one of the best I have ever had. The batter was light and crispy, the peppers were just spicy enough, and while I'm not a huge fan of avocado, the sauce was the perfect pairing for the calamari. It was cool and refreshing with a slight heat to it that brightened up your palate. Faye didn't surprise me one bit when she ordered the Scallop and Poblano Ceviche. It looked a bit small, like most fine dining portions, but Faye was very content with it. It was a bit spicy, but it was also cool and refreshing. Mrs. Reardon had the Bermuda Fish Chowder. Our waiter told us the story that goes along with this chowder, which as a foodie, was fascinating. Apparently, years ago fishermen would season their seafood soups and chowders as they would season their beef. Since they could not take beef out with them on long fishing trips, they wanted to replicate the taste as best they could to remind them of home. I loved the story, and when I was offered a bite, I gladly tried it. I have to say, it really did taste like beef and seafood all at the same time.... I loved it, as did Mrs. Reardon. Lastly, Mr. Reardon went after the Oysters on the Half Shell, the Blue Points more specifically. Faye had one as well, and they loved them so much that they ordered another half dozen. Apparently they were the freshest, cleanest, and smoothest Oysters either of them had eaten in as long as they could remember.
And that was only the appetizers! Now for the main courses. I ordered the Cajun Seared Rainbow Trout, a fish that I have never ordered or prepared before, although I have had a bite of it here and there when Faye has ordered it. I liked the idea that it was Cajun-seasoned, and I was excited to try Haricots Verts (a type of green bean). The meal was a good size, seasoned well, and had a lot of different flavors that all worked well together. My only gripe with it was the Louisiana pepper sauce. To me and Mrs. Reardon, it tasted more like a chicken wing sauce than one that would go with the fish. If you check out the second picture of the dish, you will see the crawfish/ham sauté, which was incredible: the perfect mix of fat and texture to go with the lightness of the fish. The serving was a deboned trout with the sauté sandwiched between the filets. The pecans in the rice was a great textural addition, and the Haricots Verts were crisp and fresh, which was a great palate cleanser for the cajun seasoning. Faye had the Grand Seafood Plateau, which is made up of chilled Oysters, Clams, Mussels, Shrimp, and Crab. She even ate the roe out of the Lobster head that they served on the platter. The seafood was fresh and there was plenty of it. Faye and I have seen quite a few platters like this on TV from time to time, but this was the first time that we have ever seen the chance to get one on the East coast. I'm still not sure if this dish is meant to be an appetizer or an entrée, but Faye was very happy with it! Even Faye's mom and I were jealous, and we don't eat raw seafood! Speaking of Mrs. Reardon, she had the Pan Seared Sea Scallops, which for my taste was a true fine dining portion. While there were only 4 scallops, they were prepared perfectly with a nice caramelization on the top and bottom and smooth and buttery throughout. They cut with a fork, and as my mother-in-law is a true salad lover of almost any variety, she was in love with the side salad. The Carrot Cream under the scallops was smooth and refreshing, and she was truly pleased with her birthday/anniversary meal. Lastly, as previously mentioned, Mr. Reardon went with one of the few items that is consistently on the menu (although not clearly...): the 10 oz. Filet Mignon with choice of two vegetables. There is a surf and turf on the menu, but apparently, as our waiter explained, you can always order the Filet. He ordered the Filet cooked to a medium, but it came out mid-rare. The cut of meat was so incredible though that it didn't really matter. I got to have a few bites of it, which was actually a really nice size, and it was one of the top 5 steaks that I have ever eaten (and I would never order a steak mid-rare)! The potatoes were creamy and light, and the spinach was quickly dispatched. The entirety of the meal was nothing short of immaculate!
At the end of the evening, we were all too stuffed for dessert, but I'm sure that they are excellent as well. I cannot recommend this restaurant enough. The icing on the cake was when I asked the waiter for a menu to take with me for this blog since the menu changes every day. He gladly grabbed one for me, and I am extremely grateful for his kindness. If you get the chance, you HAVE to check this place out. It is a must for all seafood (and steak) lovers!