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Several years ago, I suffered terrible gastro-intestinal distress after ingesting some less-than-fresh clams at a chain restaurant in Las Vegas. I initially blamed the restaurant for my discomfort, but a friend reminded me that I was the idiot who ordered clams in the middle of a desert.
I nervously recalled that astute observation as we recently made our way to the Four Seasons Boatyard Grill for a seafood-centric dinner some 600 miles from the nearest ocean.
Contrary to what its name implies, the Boatyard Grill is open only from April through November, when the weather is most amenable to boating. After all, it's located in the middle of the busy and picturesque 500-boat Four Seasons Marina on the Ohio River.
On a lazy weekday evening when we visited, the sun was setting and the air was dry and cool. The Pirates Cove — a watering hole with a thatched roof hut and a Jimmy Buffett vibe on the upper deck of a large, stationary barge that houses both restaurants — was packed with casually dressed patrons smoking cigarettes, drinking Coronas and listening to live music. But the more upscale, below-deck Boatyard Grill was completely empty except for a brightly lit tank containing a Central American shovel-nosed catfish that eats several dozen live goldfish per week.
We looked around as our waitress took us to a comfortable wooden booth. Daylight leaks into the dark, wood-paneled room from high, porthole-shaped windows, and nautical decorations are scattered about the room.
Our server assured us that on weekends the Boatyard Grill is much busier and on evenings that are stormy or oppressively hot and muggy most patrons tend to migrate downstairs. In any case, both areas offer many of the same menu items (appetizers, sandwiches, burgers), though full dinners are available only in the Grill.
The appetizers we ordered from the extensive selection were terrific. A pair of Maryland Crab Cakes ($9.95) was stuffed with far more fresh crabmeat than breadcrumb filler. They came with an intriguing Cajun sauce that simultaneously cooled while showing a bit of mild heat. An order of Fried Asiago Olives ($6.95) were golden fried balls of melted cheese studded with chopped black olives. Finally, a steaming bowl of "Famous" Seafood Chowder ($5.50) was delicious: creamy potato stock brimming with clams, fish, shrimp and crab.
The wine list, which might be too limited, is fairly priced. Our bottle of 2006 Brancott Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand was a really good deal ($20/bottle compared to $12 retail). Round and lemony with well-integrated acidity, it's wonderfully refreshing and a perfect match for seafood.
Unfortunately, the seafood entrées themselves were a little uneven. All came with the same side of mixed vegetables that looked and tasted like they came from a frozen bag of veggie medley. On the plus side, my Artichoke Parmesan Grouper ($17.95) was a good-sized fillet, nicely broiled and topped with sautéed tomatoes, artichoke hearts, mixed peppers and Parmesan cheese. Now some Italians will tell you that cheese doesn't belong on seafood, but I thought it tasted great on my fish. I chose black beans and rice as my side, and it came with minced jalapeños that really woke up the dish.
The Seared Salmon ($18.95) was also good. A mandarin orange ginger sauce paired nicely with the salmon fillet, served over a bed of warm Asian slaw. The shoestring potatoes that my daughter chose as her side were OK — though we found out later that the ducks frolicking in the water outside love them.
A big disappointment was my wife's Australian Sea Bass ($18.95). The pan-seared piece of thin fish looked more like flounder than sea bass, and the "light mango-infused sauce" that topped it was cloyingly sweet and seemed to include canned fruit.
Desserts, unfortunately, were not worth the calories. A middling slice of Key Lime Pie ($4.95) looked like it had been lying around for a while and had a big wedge of lime mashed into the cream topping for decoration. Our other dessert ($2.95) was supposed to include French vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two "homestyle" chocolate chip cookies. Suffice it to say, the Good Humor truck's version is superior. And coffee ($1.95), though they supposedly had made a "fresh pot" for me, was weak and watery.
While the Boatyard Grill doesn't rise to the level of "destination dining," I'm glad we didn't turn back when I remembered my ill-fated seafood adventure far from the sea. In the end, we had a pleasant evening and a decent meal in a lovely setting on the river. Who could ask for anything more? ©
Four Seasons Boatyard Grill
Go: 4609 Kellogg Ave., East End
Call: 513-871-1820
Hours: 5-9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and Sunday, 5-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Prices: $14-$24
Payment: All major credit cards
Red Meat Alternatives: Lots of fish entrées
Accessibility: A few steps up and down
Grade: C+
