On a hot, sunny day, I visited The Captain's Boil with friends for some seafood, and I have to say,…read moreI had a great time.
From the outside, the familiar black-and-white sign was clean but showed signs of age, with faint white streaks suggesting that the exterior could use a refresh. Inside, we were greeted by a wall of colourful sticky notes, adding a fun touch to the dark, brick-lined interior. I also appreciated the nearby sink, making it easy to wash our hands without heading to the bathroom. It was definitely convenient.
After being seated, the menu left much to be desired. It showed its age, with white scratches that made it hard to read the items. The ordering system was not intuitive for a first-time visitor, so we had to rely on our server for guidance. Also, the drinks menu looked like a printout from Excel, which was small, hard to read and, unfortunately, overpriced.
We ordered the Matey's Feast along with another order of seafood, which was a generous meal for three people.
Matey's Feast is one of their set meals that allowed us to choose two types of seafood, along with a variety of sides. Each boil also came with two regular sides, which was a nice touch. We went with Captain's Boil seasoning at medium spice, which was just right for enjoying the seafood. The boils arrived in clear bags, and we had to take them out of the bag and eat by hand.
Shrimp Basket: A hot and crispy appetizer served on a bed of Cajun fries, which really whetted my appetite. The tartar sauce and ketchup on the side complemented the crunch.
Captain's Fried Rice with Seafood: A simple but tasty plate of rice with shrimp. We added some of the sauce from the seafood boils for extra flavour. It was filling.
Seafood Boils: Each bag of seafood was packed with seasoning and came with disposable gloves so we could dig in with our hands. The clams were cooked perfectly, with just the right amount of spices. The shrimp required a bit more work, with the heads and shells needing to be removed, but they were large and fresh, making it worth the effort. The extra sauce in each bag was perfect for drenching our sides or adding more flavour to the fried rice.
Sides: We chose corn for the regular sides and sausage for the premium side. Corns were quarter-length cobs of corn and the sausages were served sliced. We tossed both into the seafood boil bags to soak up the spicy sauce, making them even more enjoyable.
The service was adequate, with staff checking in occasionally to ensure we had everything we needed. The washroom, located downstairs, was not spotless but still serviceable.
In terms of value, I found the pricing to be on the higher side. The drinks, at $4 each, were refillable but expensive considering I only had two cups. Given that it's a seafood restaurant, higher prices were expected, but I appreciated that sides like fries and fried rice helped fill us up.
Overall, I had a good time. My rating of 3 reflects the tricky ordering process and steep prices, but the food was definitely enjoyable, and I left feeling full. I'd return if I was in the mood for seafood boil and ready to splurge a little.