Casual Waterfront Dining at a Reasonable Price
by Antoine Wiley
Situated waterside in the picturesque local harbor, the family-run Menemsha Galley is a dining experience that is getting harder and harder to find: an affordable yet quality seafood joint boasting scenic views of the sea, the energy and casual vibe of counter service and the welcoming feel of a family-run place. I stopped in this week to experience some of their best fare and spoke with the owners.
Often in the kitchen helping to cook up some fresh seafood or out front giving customers their meals, co-owner Frank Fenner has been running the Menemsha Galley since 1999, along with his fellow co-owners wife Merrily and sister Barbara. Barbara, who was trained at the Culinary Institute of America, oversees all of the cooking and personally makes the clam chowder, crab cakes, white bean vegetarian sandwich and other items. Frank, meanwhile, tends to the more business-related matters of the restaurant.
What sets their restaurant apart from other seafood spots on the island, according to Frank, is that “we’re trying to take and serve really quality food for a reasonable price” as part of a shared mission of “doing a quality product, a consistent product” and being “fair and equitable.” When I spoke with Frank, what became most apparent was his outstanding commitment to serving quality food made with ingredients “as fresh as anywhere” for a fair price to the customer.
I put Frank’s commitment to the test. I ordered the bacon cheeseburger, the lobster roll and the hot fudge sundae, all of which were true to his philosophy of “quality, basic, simple food.”
The lobster roll featured a roll lightly coated with mayonnaise, fresh lettuce, and huge chunks of lobster meat. The restraint of the mayonnaise spread brought out the inherent tanginess of the lobster and texture of the lettuce, which made for a delightful eating experience. The bacon cheeseburger and the sundae were cut from the same culinary cloth.
The terrific food, together with the immediacy of the scenic waterfront–the seating area is right at the water’s edge–and the friendliness of the owners, made my meal at the Menemsha Galley one of those rare dining experiences where you walk away with your taste buds and wallet giving each other high fives.
