Legal Seafoods - A Second Chance

The last time that I ate at Legal Sea Foods, I did so at the chain in Kendall Square in Cambridge.  Though the management assures me that my horrible experience (fully documented in the forum) was a one-off thing, it took me a while to muster up enough of a craving to return to the Boston-area staple.  This time, however, a couple of things had changed.  First, I was armed with a fifty dollar gift certificate that was granted to me by an ashamed restaurateur at a particular chain seafood restaurant.  Second, I had discovered my affinity for all things oyster while in New Orleans, thanks to the Acme Oyster House.  Finally, I was going to a different location.  Liz and I decided we would rather drive than take public transit to risk the Kendall square location, so we buckled up and drove out to the Burlington Mall.

The Burlington location was nestled on the floor beneath the food court, and when we entered, we were greeted by a group of hosts and waiters preparing for the evening dinner rush.  We had just beat it!  Already off to a good start, we were led to a corner table in a quiet dining room.  Our waitress was very accommodating to Liz’s gluten-free needs, and was sure to help her with her special dietary restrictions.  We started off the dinner with drinks and oysters on the half-shell. 

I had a half bottle of Gunderloch, a sweet German white wine from Rheinhausen, and Liz had a fruity drink with 2 different rums and passion fruit juice.  The wine was sweet and spicy, and was appropriately delicate for the seafood that was on its way.  Liz told me that her drink was ok, though a bit too syrupy.  However, she drank up so I was not overly concerned.  Then, our oysters came out.  I decided on local oysters rather than PEI or west coast oysters because I wanted to taste the freshness of the sea, and I was not disappointed.  The oysters came with lemon, garlic and spices in oil, cocktail sauce and a spicy horseradish.  They were so fresh and tasty, and a great way to start the meal, not to mention the romantic element.

We then moved on to our meals.  I had stuffed jumbo shrimp with jalapeno-cheddar polenta, and Liz had a combination plate of 3 wood-grilled fish (salmon, mahi mahi, and tuna) with shrimp, scallops, a baked potato, and butternut squash.  The shrimp were very tasty and surprisingly filling, and the polenta squares added a spicy note that rounded out the dish.  Liz really enjoyed the scallops out of the entire dish, and had enough food to share much of her plate with me, and still be quite full at the end.  Both plates were fresh and tasty, and what I would expect from Legal.

Liz and I were able to have a nice, romantic dinner together, and we didn’t have to think about the service or the quality, as it was all presented well to us.  I would recommend this particular Legal Sea Foods as it was a very good overall experience.  Good food, good service, and great memories.  Legal Sea Foods redeemed themselves, and I would not hesitate to return, just as long as they are wary of what a bit of bad service can achieve.  It was a close call, but the Burlington location has restored my faith in an old standby.