Golden Spoons review: Lobster Pot

CNS Editor | 15/10/2017

(CNS Foodie): Along the George Town waterfront and boasting a million-dollar view, the Lobster Pot has been serving customers for more than 30 years. Newly refurbished, in a classically elegant setting, the restaurant, known for its fresh seafood, may be rooted in nostalgia but is filling a niche to secure its future. To get to the restaurant, you must walk up narrow stairs to the first floor. This made me wonder if it was handicapped accessible, which, unfortunately, the staff confirmed it was not.

Once upstairs, we were greeted warmly and given the choice of sitting at the outdoor wood patio or in the air-conditioned room inside; either way, the view was glorious, with a phenomenal sunset the pièce de résistance. The indoor ambience was cozy and welcoming, so we chose to sit inside.

We were promptly provided menus and ordered some refreshments. I chose the “cocktail of the day” featuring local mango and rum ($10.50) and my husband ordered a Chianti classic ($8.50). I must commend the service because for the most part it was quite expeditious. Our server was quick and took our beverage orders promptly. However, the drinks were significantly delayed, arriving after the fresh jumbo shrimp cocktail ($12.25) and the turtle sampler appetizer ($11). It would have been nice to enjoy a drink while nibbling on the two dishes. Our beverages ended up arriving with our entrée, which did keep us to a responsible two-drink dinner.

Luckily, we were provided with fresh warm bread, but that was unfortunately paired with cold, hard butter; softened pats would have been a very nice touch. The appetizers were well done, especially the bits of fried turtle in the sampler which were crispy and zesty. The shrimp were plump, fresh and deveined, but the homemade sauce lacked some pizzazz.

I ordered the Escovitch fish ($30.25), which was seasoned and fried to perfection, covered with spicy pickled onions and peppers over rice and beans, and served with steamed broccoli and carrots with salt and butter. While I have no complaints about the quality or flavour of the dish, for a $30 price tag I felt it needed to show me something innovative; it could have easily been picked up from some little place on Eastern Avenue for half the price. If I’m paying $30 for Escovitch, I want it to be worth the mark-up; I was hoping for a bold take on the dish and it fell short.

My husband ordered the catch of the day, which was mahi-mahi ($29.25), describing it as good, a solid dish, with flavour on point, but nothing to write home about. He wondered if the cream sauce that covered the fish had a tinned soup base, which was definitely not a good sign. We also shared the seafood penne ($27.50) which was delicious. The pasta was cooked al dente, with tender chunks of lobster, scallops and tiger shrimp in a balanced creamy tomato sauce.

We still had room for dessert, though, which was lucky for us. We ordered the coconut cream pie ($9.75) and the brownie ($9.50), and both were quickly devoured. The pie was light and fluffy and the brownie rich and decadent, and each was served with ample whipped cream.

I do feel it is important to preserve some classic restaurants in town that can provide tourists with authentic Cayman flavour without too much “foolishness”, but the price should not scare people away. Consistently good food is not to be under-rated, and while not every restaurant has to be innovative, I think a few little twists here and there would inspire me to return before my next relative comes for a visit. Still, the Lobster Pot can hang its hat on a “guaranteed good meal”, which is more than for most restaurants.