Don't Judge a Book By Its Cover - Dolphin Seafood

I have lived in Cambridge for many years and must have walked by the restaurant Dolphin Seafood about 1,000 times. It’s located between Central and Harvard Square in sort of a strip mall environment. I always thought it looked a little cheesy and if I’m going to go out for seafood, I want it to be a nice place where I can trust the quality of the fish. So I always bypassed Dolphin even though I had heard it was very good.

Last Saturday, I took a walk to The Games People Play, a great store that has board games, chess sets, cards – anything to do with games that aren’t of the video nature. I purchased Cranium (a really fun game) for the evening’s game extravaganza. It was lunchtime and I was starving. Not many options right in that neighborhood. For some reason, I decided to put my skepticism aside and finally try Dolphin Seafood.

While the exterior signage for the restaurant is cheesy and dated, after one step inside the restaurant, I realized that the exterior was doing a disservice to the interiors which were bright, modern, and welcoming, making me feel instantly at ease eating seafood here.

The menu at Dolphin Seafood is extensive and provides both healthy (steamed, broiled) and indulgent (fried) preparations of their fish, clams, oysters. They offer a New England clambake (lobster, steamers, chowder) which is not something easily found in Cambridge. Specials such as blackened catfish are also a nice surprise.

While we were trying to be good, my boyfriend Kemal couldn’t resist ordering the fried oysters for an appetizer. And I have to say I’m glad he did. They were just how I like them. Crispy and salty on the outside and still gooey on the inside. For an entrée, he ordered kabobs of grilled seafood: marinated swordfish, shrimp and scallops, server over a Caesar salad. Everything was cooked to perfection. This was Kemal’s first time eating swordfish and he instantly became a huge fan. I ordered the Almond Crusted Salmon Fillet. The salmon was baked perfectly so it had a nice crispy outside and flaky inside. It came with rice and broccoli which was simple but good — the broccoli was not overcooked or rubbery which can sometimes happen with vegetable sides.

So if you’re ever hungry and in that sort of no man’s land between Harvard and Central Square (near the Crate and Barrel Furniture Store), definitely don’t judge Dolphin Seafood by the outside. Take a walk in without thinking twice about it and order some delicious, fresh, well-prepared seafood.

Dolphin Seafood, 1105 Mass Ave., Cambridge, 617.661.2937
www.dolphinseafood.com

Also, check out the The Games People Play for the best in board games.
1100 Mass. Ave., Cambridge, MA, 617.492.0711