We hemmed and hawed for most of the day (we were really dragging our feet), until suddenly we all agreed to try the Island Grill. For the past two years, we've looked at the Island Grill and wanted to go. Both times, however, we encountered issues. Once there was a wedding reception, and another time we called and got an answering machine.
But this year it finally worked out! We made a reservation for 5:30 and walked the couple of blocks (in the stifling heat- boy, was it hot today!) to get there.
Upon entering the restaurant we had the choice of ordering from a pre-fix menu, or choosing something from the regular menu. This presented the problem of choice, as there was a lot to choose from. But, in the end, almost everyone at the table went for the regular menu, skipping the pre-fix this time around.
I was pleased to discover a lot of menu items that appealed to me. It's always a plus to go to a place where you want to try more than one thing. And, lucky for us, thanks to everyone else at the table, we were able to.
My uncle ordered the Coconut Beer-batterd Shrimp for the table. When it arrived, it smelt so good, I could barely wait to try it. It turned out to be very delicious. I didn't get a picture of it, but the crust was wonderfully crunchy and complemented nicely by the tomatoes and mango chunks served with it.
My Nina ordered the Calamari which was coated in graham cracker crumbs, fried, and drizzled with a plum sauce. This was fabulous. We're big calamari eaters in my family. If they're on the menu, we're probably eating them. So, we've had our fair share of them. These stood out for a number of reasons. First, they were not rubbery, which is always a possible issue when you order calamari. Second, the unique flavors of this dish were unlike any other calamari I'd had before. Coating them in graham crackers was such a cool idea, made even more original by drizzling them with plum sauce. I think the sauce worked because it played off of the sweetness of the graham cracker crust. Overall, a great way to start the meal.
My aunt and uncle also got a salad they enjoyed, and a conch soup that was very good as well. Everyone agreed that the appetizers were certainly making a positive first impression. And it wasn't just that we were hungry and this was food. This was actually exciting food to eat.
Most of our entrees looked very similar when they arrived at our table. There were four orders of the Lobster Mac and Cheese, an order of Fish and Chips, and a steak.
I was particularly excited about the Lobster Mac and Cheese. I ADORE macaroni and cheese. I am always up for a fun variation on the classic, and so this dish practically jumped off the page for me when I read it.
This was heavenly. The noodles were perfect for holding both the breadcrumbs and the lobster. The sauce, which was a cream sauce, was very hot when it arrived (and slightly thinner than I am accustomed to), but it cooled and thickened as I ate, making for a perfect coating for the noodles.
The lobster pieces were chopped small, but they were not skimpy on them at all. And the portion was large enough that I ended up only eating half and taking the rest home. It took some serious restraint to not eat all of it. But I wanted to stop while I was ahead.
Since we were feeling pretty good, we decided to order dessert. And here's where we went a little off course.
Mom and I agreed to split the Passion Fruit cake with Champagne sorbet. Sounds awesome, right? We were very excited when it arrived.
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| It looked beautiful! |
Unfortunately, I think we picked the wrong dish for our tastes. My aunt and uncle loved theirs, so I think maybe it was just us. I had really wanted to like it, but Mom and I both left most of it on the plate. A disappointing end to our otherwise fabulous meal.
Nina had a creme brûlée that was good. The sugar on top was a little darker than I would have liked (probably dark enough that I would have sent it back), and left a burnt sugar taste in my mouth, but the custard part itself was awesome. I think next time I would just have to stick with a flavor I know I will enjoy.
The dessert didn't influence my overall opinion of the restaurant, though. Everyone was helpful and accommodating at Island Grill, so much so that we unanimously added it to our yearly rotation. The waitstaff were great. They cleared away dirty plates at a moment's notice, and kept my water glass topped off throughout the meal.
And on top of all of that, our waitress was so sweet and personable, going so far as to bring my cousin's toy train outside for him when she realized he'd left it on the table after we finished the meal.
I would highly recommend Island Grill to everyone who visits Cape May. Be warned: it is a little hot inside the restaurant itself, especially depending on the weather. They do have overhead fans, but the temperature is worth it. All of the food (and we sampled a wide variety) was delicious, and I am already looking forward to a return trip next year. What a great find!
Tonight just proved that a little patience in selecting a restaurant can really pay off.
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