An Evening at the Shanty

By Margo Callaghan
Wind Ridge Publishing Food Editor

Not much changes at Shanty on the Shore and not much needs to. In fact, according to owner Al Gobeille, change is not a welcome thing among the restaurant's regular clientele. "We took the crab cakes off the menu a while back, and had an uprising on our hands," Gobeille recalled. The Shanty's crab cakes are now back on the menu.

Last week Matt and I ventured lakeside for dinner. With every ounce of willpower, I told myself I would try something new, at least for me. That meant abandoning the Shanty's plump, luscious, fried oysters in lieu of...well, I would have to decide. The casual, informal atmosphere of the dining room overlooking the lake and all decked out (if you'll pardon the pun) in nautical blue table cloths, has never drawn me to the "landlubber"side of the Shanty's menu. Come on-this is a place for seafood-whether fried, broiled, baked, raw, or sautéed. Yet, sitting at the next table were longtime friends Hildi and her son Will, who sang the praises of their pub steak surf and turf dinners. I took note that the King crab legs played a prominent role on their plates and they did say the steaks were wonderful too.

One thing we noticed that has changed at the 17-year-old establishment is the addition of fresh, local products for side dishes: seasonal vegetables, along with a house made macaroni and cheese option. Hmmm...carrots (the veggie du jour that night) or macaroni and cheese.Is that really a fair question? So, truth be told, I had selected my side dish long before deciding on a main course.

The other thing we noticed were the reasonable prices: most of the main courses on the Shanty menu are in the mid-teens and include your choice of starch and vegetable.

As an appetizer, Matt had the Shanty's clam chowder, which was enhanced with a clever bevy of herbs, tarragon and dill, along with a bit of garlic that really elevated the creamy base. While he was enjoying the "chowda," I had narrowed my main course selection to Shrimp and Scallops au Gratin-a seafood classic and something I had not tried before, at the Shanty or elsewhere. And it was something for mollusk and crustacean lovers to rejoice over: large, yet tender shrimp lay on a bed of sea scallops, all in a rich, but not too cheese-heavy Mornay sauce. I have had this béchamel sauce prepared in a much too thick and overpowering manner, but this version was of perfect consistency and flavor; it was light enough not to overwhelm the subtle sweetness of the seafood. Then there was the macaroni and cheese. If you like yours with a buttery crumb topping (and who doesn't?) and served in a small casserole dish that allows for the cheese to brown a bit around the edges (again, who doesn't?), this is the side dish for you. Except come mid-summer, there will be a broad range of fresh vegetable options coming directly from the Gobeille's own garden. I promised to write an article solely on the topic of his garden, which is a story unto itself.

The other "story unto itself" is the Shanty's dessert menu, from which I typically choose the delightful key lime pie. (I could be wrong, but I don't think you can find this classic anywhere else in Burlington). But, this particular night the lure of "Captain Al's Banana Cream Pie" was too strong. And to put it in modern day vernacular, OMG! A mile-high slice of this sweet, rich, whipped-cream-topped pie was more than I could handle. And Matt was in no place to help me, given that he had the Shanty Pie in front of him (a rich chocolate mousse pie of equally enormous dimensions). Alas, we both left our desserts unfinished, but not forgotten!

Don't forget that the Shanty is open for lunch, with a mighty tasty sounding array of fried seafood baskets (which includes a fried oyster option!), along with classic fish and chips, lobster rolls, salmon stuffed pitas, and other lighter fare.
You'll find all this in a historic circa 1833 wood-framed building, originally a dry goods and grocer site, at 181 Battery Street in Burlington. It's open daily from 11 am til 9 pm and until 10 pm on weekends.