I miss summer in New England. I could drive to the beach in 30 minutes, spend the day swimming, and then, on the way home--with a slight sunburn and sand in my bathing suit--eat fried clams and lobster from a roadside stand. It is an experience like no other--owned and operated by hardworking New Englanders.
I'm from Boston, so it is perfectly understandable that after reading a preview for the Tackle Box my first reaction was territorial. A lobster shack in Georgetown? That is just not right. The mid-Atlantic is the land of crabs, not lobster. (Not to mention that recreating the ambiance of a beach shack on M Street in Georgetown where Prada, Diesel, and Versace come to mingle is Disneyesque. In my mind, it would be like eating at Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville).
Two things made me decide it was worth a visit. First, the executive chef behind the Tackle Box is Barton Seaver, media darling and chef at Hook, a high-end sustainable seafood restaurant. Hook is on my top ten list of restaurants to eat at in DC. Second, who knows how long it would be before I could visit a real lobster shack?
My initial instinct to avoid the place was so wrong. Sure, the Tackle Box has an absurd shingled roof (on the inside!), buoys hanging from the ceiling, and picnic tables, but the decor is just enough to say this is a casual joint that serves affordable seafood (lovingly described as crispy instead of fried). It does not feel like a visit to Maineworld.
More importantly, the clam strips are cooked to perfection: crispy, plump, a little chewy, and accompanied by classic tartar sauce. The “Maine Meal” is $13 bucks; it comes with a seafood choice and two sides (I had coleslaw and mac and cheese). The only other DC restaurant that serves fried clams is Hanks Oyster House (Hanks is a must visit place and is also in my top ten, but is more expensive—for example the fried clams plate is $23 bucks. Mouth watering, but expensive).
The Tackle Box offers a number of options not found on Maine menus, like hush puppies, sweet potato fries, frise salad, mac and cheese (perfect creaminess but needs a sprinkle of salt), asparagus, and wood grilled fish (the rainbow trout is delicious). While I already hear the grumblings from New Englanders about authenticity (Where’s the lobstah tank?), all are fine additions. I will say, though, that I missed steamers, fried sea scallops, and haddock (Both scallops and haddock are on the unsustainable seafood list. I'm glad Seaver made the choice for me because I know I would have been tempted).
The Tackle Box is still working out kinks in service and the food is not perfect (the lobster roll looked a little skimpy and the coleslaw needs seasoning). Still, I would describe it as an affordable pinch hitter if you are stuck in the city craving seafood.
