Fisherman’s Wharf is one of my favorite restaurants in Galveston. They have a wide selection of seafood–including more types of fish than I have ever seen in any one restaurant–as well as a few non-seafood options. They can always be counted on to provide good service, too. And as an added bonus, the tall ship Elissa is moored right behind the restaurant, so the view is lovely.
On our most recent visit to Fisherman’s Wharf, my dining companion and I tried some new dishes. We started with the mini crab cakes, she moved on to the lobster and crab bisque, and then she opted for the crab stuffed shrimp while I chose the cajun stuffed pork chop.
The crab cakes were exactly what I expected; that is to say, they were more like crab fritters, with far too much “filler” as compared to the amount of crab. However, they were topped with lump crab and served with a Dijon cream sauce that was absolutely divine. My dining companion isn’t usually much for condiments or mustard in most of its many forms, but she agreed with me that the Dijon sauce was to die for. The bisque wasn’t anything surprising, but that’s not to say it wasn’t excellent (because it was). It was a standard seafood bisque, creamy and delicious. The few bites I had made me wish I’d ordered my own cup.
Then the entrees appeared. Finally, I was surprised, and pleasantly so. I must confess that I didn’t pay much attention to my companion’s entree. I didn’t try a bite or even ask her how it was; I was too entranced by my own meal to give a thought to anyone else’s.
The cajun stuffed pork chop is described on the menu as “A blackened center-cut chop with crab stuffing, topped with crawfish tails in a Louisiana style BBQ sauce, served with fried new potatoes.” This description does not do it justice. The sauce was unlike any barbecue sauce I’ve ever tasted, bold but not sweet and a perfect complement to both the chop and the potatoes. The chop was stuffed so full of crab stuffing (similar to the crab cake mixture) that I found myself scooping it out to make cutting the chop easier. The flavors melded together perfectly into one of the most surprisingly delightful meals I’ve had recently.
While the restaurant is a Landry’s-owned chain restaurant, it is unique enough in it’s menu and location for me to recommend it to both locals and tourists. The prices are not for the faint of heart or light of wallet, but the quality of food and service makes it a good value (especially in a tourist town).
On the 1-5 scale, Fisherman’s Wharf gets:
Cleanliness – 5
Service – 5
Quality of food – 5
Flavor – 5
Pricing – High moderate (entrees are $16.99 and up)
Overall experience – 5
-LB Clark
thewanderingtexans 