On Monday night, my family and I decided to have dinner along the Oak Bluffs harbor. Sitting down at Fishbones Bar & Grille around 6:30, we watched the sun set over the boats as the Hy-Line ferry pulled in, releasing a wave of August visitors.
We started, as most family gatherings do, with a round of drinks: one Fiddlehead, two frozen mojitos, a classic margarita, and a blood orange margarita. With our beverages in hand and the warm breeze off the water, we ordered appetizers for the table: calamari and buffalo cauliflower.
The calamari was light and crispy, with the banana peppers giving it a fun pop of flavor. The buffalo cauliflower, although usually not my speed, was delicious; the sauce was hot but not overwhelmingly so.
After spreading out the appetizers between the six of us and quickly polishing them off, we cleared our plates and prepared for dinner. Before our meals came, I reminded my family that in order to write this article with journalistic integrity, it was 100 percent necessary that I take a bite out of everyone’s dinner.
My older sister Maeve got the Tuna Poke Bowl, a colorful blend of sushi rice, pickled vegetables, seaweed salad, sesame seeds, chopped tuna, and sriracha aioli. The fish was fresh, and the flavors blended nicely with the vegetables and hint of spice from the sriracha.
My younger brother Michael got the Fish Tacos, and I wasn’t able to get my bite before he devoured them, but based on the speed with which he ate his dinner I can only assume they were delicious. They came with fried haddock served with cabbage, roasted corn and black bean salsa, and a poblano aioli.
Lucky for me, the insatiable appetite of a 20-year-old gave me a second chance at tasting a different menu item. After finishing his tacos, Michael ordered Jerk Chicken Wings for dessert, and I was able to steal a flat (or two). The jerk sauce itself had a nice kick to it, and the chicken was perfectly done.
For my dinner, I decided on the Popcorn Shrimp, which is baby shrimp battered, fried, and served with tartar sauce. The batter was crispy but not heavy, and the tartar sauce was perfect to pair.
My dad Mike ordered the Fried Fish Sandwich, which included Washashore beer–battered haddock served with lemon and a side of tartar sauce, a well-executed classic.
My mom Aimee landed on the Cold Lobster Roll, filled with claw-and-knuckle lobster meat served with a touch of mayo, on a buttered and grilled brioche roll. It was fresh, buttery, and exactly what you want on a summer night on the harbor.
The highlight of the evening was my Grandma Mikie’s first-ever lobster roll. After considering each of our recommendations, she went with a sauteed roll, warm with butter and packed with sweet lobster meat. “They really stuffed this,” she said as they placed it in front of her. Hesitant at first, she went after the roll with a fork, but after a few bites she was completely on board.
“It was excellent, as a first timer I definitely recommend,” she said after finishing her dinner.
As the last of the sunlight faded and the boats gently rocked in the harbor, we boxed up a few fries and a couple of jerk wings, and took a slow walk along the waterfront. Although none of us were still hungry, conversation immediately began deciding which was the better dessert option: Ben & Bill’s Ice Cream, Carousel, or Back Door Donuts.