Restaurant Review

Friday, February 2, 2001

Pleasure point: 'Latitude' offers savory seafood

Picturesque coastal café serves a fresh taste of Rockport with art and excellent wines

 

At a glance 105 N. Austin, Rockport Phone: 729-4167 Entrees: $-$$ Credit cards: yes Checks: no Spirits: Beer and wine Other: No smoking Wheelchair access: yes Hours: Tuesday-Sunday dinner served 5:30 p.m.-untill last table Food: 3 stars Service: 3 stars Atmosphere: 3 stars

Latitude 28°02' - it's where you'll find Rockport on the map, as well as the name of a restaurant in the downtown area on Austin St.
   Rockport is known for its commercial and sport fishing and the many artists who inhabit this scenic coastal community. Latitude 28°02' summarizes the Rockport experience by offering fresh seafood dishes in an ambiance that includes a varied collection of artwork.
   Five-page list
   The wine list features two pages of reds, two pages of whites and a single page of champagnes and other bottled beverages. The menu boasts a full wine cellar. If one can not find the favorite wine to go with a meal here, something very similar is likely available.
   Our first serving of bread was four very small slices of fresh French bread with a small cup of garlic butter. We were heartened to learn the bread would be served continuously with the meal as after we quickly finished the first four slices. The garlic butter was appetizing on the warm bread. We went through four servings of bread during the meal.
   My tossed salad was crisp and fresh with Romaine lettuce, slivers of onions, sliced mushrooms and cucumbers, and black olives. The red wine vinaigrette dressing added a nice tangy flavor.
   My dining companion had selected clam chowder and was equally pleased. There was the slightest hint of lime in the creamy soup, giving it a special and unexpected flavor.
   Award winning
   My entrée is described on the menu as Chef Craig Day's "award winning signature dish - Fish Papillote." Our waiter described this dish as broiled Mahi Mahi placed in a satchel and cooked with a crab sauce over the top to allow the flavors to blend.
   The entree arrived with a tasty portion of seasoned mashed potatoes and equally good spears of zucchini and yellow squash. The top half of the bag was trimmed away and inside was a beautiful fillet of fish. The first bite was beyond expectations. The temperature, texture and taste were exquisite.
   While I regaled in delicious pleasure, my dining companion was enjoying his Fried Sampler of fried fish, shrimp and oysters, and stuffed crab. The oysters, though fried, were prepared to perfection and still juicy. The fish and shrimp were also delectable. The red sauce had a nice, tasty blend of horseradish. The stuffed crab was slightly dry, but pleasing to the palate nonetheless.
   Deserts ordered were Crème Brulee and Sambucca Chocolate Mousse. Prior to serving the Brulee, our waiter, with a hand-held chef's torch, browned the top of the custard-like dish. The browned top was thin and crunchy with the taste reminiscent of a marshmallow cooked over a campfire to complement the rich, creamy flavor of the custard below. A conscious effort to limit the sugar in the Sambucca Chocolate Mousse allowed the taste buds savor the chocolate.
   From the menu, other appetizers include escargot served in a brandy garlic butter, Oysters Rockefeller and mushrooms stuffed with shrimp and crabmeat, baked in white wine and garlic butter. Entrée items include the Steak Oscar, a tenderloin cut topped with crabmeat and an asparagus and hollandaise sauce. The Shrimp Gillroy is served in a casserole dish, sautéed in a garlic mushroom sherry wine sauce and topped with a garlic bread crust.
   If trying to impress a dinner date or out-of-town guest, Latitude 28°02' will do the trick.
  
  

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