Takeout-only seafood boil? New N.J. restaurant casts a sinking feeling: review

A seafood boil is typically a messy summertime nosh, ideally enjoyed on newspaper-covered picnic tables somewhere along the Shore.

But what about grabbing the whole shebang to-go, barely beyond smell-shot of Linden's looming power plants? Beggars can't be choosers, especially in October.

The news of Captain Cooks Seafood Boil's opening in Rahway initially gave me pause, but the novelty of gearing up in full, disposable PPE to get down and dirty with boil-in-a-bag, aggressively seasoned shellfish had me intrigued enough to set a course for Route 1 North.

Dashawn Cook, a Rahway native, owner and former diamond salesman, is no stranger to the boil business. A self-taught chef who got into the food industry by accident, Cook recently transformed a former White Castle, adding a takeout only outlet to his restaurant repertoire.

Captain Cooks Seafood Boil, his third eatery, opened last month, and was born as a product of the pandemic. Cook kept his smaller spots open in 2020 when others closed up shop, realizing that offering reasonably priced seafood drew a crowd, to the point where he couldn't meet the overwhelming demand for his famous $5.99 Crab Leg Clusters. They can now be enjoyed by the masses at Captain Cooks Seafood Boil, where on Sundays you can take advantage of that very same Cluster special. Just be prepared to wait, he warned. The line for said Clusters during the soft opening period already wrapped around the building.

Upon my arrival, my plan was to bring my boil bounty home to enjoy — I assumed I had no other choice — despite my dread surrounding the subsequent cleanup. Luckily, there were a few picnic tables tucked between the take out lane and the highway shoulder.

This seemed like a fine place to feast. Seafood set to a deafening soundtrack of screeching breaks and honking horns? I was all in.

The vibe

Captain Cook's is takeout only, but the takeout window wasn't in operation (yet). That meant I had to go inside, place my order, be issued a numbered card, and wait for my neatly packed food to be brought out to my table. I'm happy I had the chance to enter the sparkling clean establishment because it definitely enhanced the overall experience. To the left, giant television screens boasting menu items and aquatic graphics immediately made me feel like I had accidentally wandered into SpongeBob's local Best Buy.

Captain Cooks Seafood Boil, a new takeout-only restaurant in Rahway.

I continued past the hand sanitizers and decorative lifesavers to the counter that an extremely eager and friendly gentleman nearly leapt over to walk me through an all-over-the-map menu. I asked if they had any specialty items or favorites and ordered as many as I assumed my cholesterol could handle. Skipping the Fried Fish Baskets, Po Boys and three French fry varieties, I went straight for the hottest sellers.

The good

Ten minutes elapsed before my neatly packed order was delivered to the table, which like the menu, pulled me in every direction. I suited up in the plastic bib and oversized gloves provided, with a stack of wet naps at the ready. The most visually enticing and delicious of everything I sampled, the Lobster Grilled Cheese ($14.99) is one of the few reasons worth visiting. Massive chunks of pure claw meat were sandwiched between two well-buttered pieces of brioche. A thick layer of almost-neon, nicely melted cheese held it all together well enough. I found myself going back for another indulgent bite, content with this offering and all of its fatty goodness.

Another high point was the Cheddar Biscuit ($1.50). Mentally pit against Red Lobster's addictive Cheddar Bay Biscuit, it had a lot to live up to. Fluffy, warm, and well seasoned, it could've benefited from a little more cheese and leaned doughy. It would've tasted even better if it wasn't left out of my order, but I immediately dropped that qualm the second it was delivered to me by a profusely apologetic employee.

I would be remiss if I failed to emphasize the greatness of the lemonades. I still think about the Strawberry Pine ($2.50 for a small) which was chock full of strawberry pulp and subtle pineapple flavor. The Watermelon Lemonade was equally pleasing, finished with a slice of lemon to cut through the sweetness. I'd come back just for these exceptional beverages. Things took a sharp nosedive from there.

The bad

It was time to bust into the boil. As a headliner menu item, I was expecting excellence. I went with the Small Ship (price based on fish selections), which required a selection of at least two fish from a list of about ten and included one $5.99 Crab Leg Cluster, corn on the cob, potatoes and Andouille sausage. Next, I chose my seasoning. Jeffrey talked me into the Cajun — their most popular of the bunch and hot without blowing your head off. My heat tolerance caps at medium salsa, so this tested my limits, almost overpowering the delicate flavors of boil bag's contents.

I was excited to add Large Snow Crab Legs to my boil, only to discover that they were out of them. I made the ill decision to sub for an undercooked, un-deveined and thoroughly disappointing Lobster Tail ($17.50). Taking a break from the fish, I went for a potato wedge, which could've been confused for an apple, just a whisper away from being completely raw. The Shell Off Shrimp ($11), my second boil seafood selection, were sizable, clean and tasted fresh. The infamous Crab Leg Cluster was par at best.

The Lobster roll section was expansive and enticing, since I generally adore a meaty, butter-bathed New England style when done right. Topped with a warm, house-made aioli, Cooks' Mini Connecticut Roll ($14.99) came highly recommended, but ended up being a disappointment due to a miscommunication and poor execution. Made from mostly knuckle meat scattered atop a sad, singular and unappealingly warm leaf of lettuce, its' garlic-butter soaked bun nearly fell apart as I bit into it. There were also no signs of the promised aioli, which I learned afterward was actually a component of the Original Roll, making it an overall flavorless pass.

I ended on a low, wishing I had been given tools to help me crack the crab claws and access the little bits of meat that are never really worth the work but are satisfying nonetheless. (I later discovered that cracking tools were available for purchase online, but there were no mention of them at the ordering counter).

The bottom line

You should be extremely comfortable with whoever is joining you at Captain Cooks Seafood Boil. This is not a first, second or even third date spot. I recommend two years at minimum, and both parties should be prepared to potentially have crabmeat flung at them. The PPE is cute and will keep you somewhat clean, but no amount of wet naps will cut through the staying power of the Cajun seasoning.

Order The Lobster Grilled Cheese a lemonade or two and bring breath mints, then maybe hit the AMC down the road. In all, a fun and decent option for seafood that won't break the bank as long as you order strategically and don't mind dining highway-side.

Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust.

Stephanie Rizzolo may be reached at stephanienjdotcom@gmail.com. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Adblock test (Why?)

Search This Blog

Acuarium