Legal Sea Foods

Legal Sea Foods Restaurant Review:

Legal Seafoods has become an institution, a place where you can count on an array of fresh fish, lobster rolls, and New England clam chowder that sets the standard. But the bloom is a bit off the rose at this New Jersey outpost. The décor is tasteful, modern and nautical but a bit dreary in browns and dark greens. There are more than 40 fresh fish varieties to choose from daily, though the menu offerings are uninspired and in many cases quite small for the price. Seafood casserole is a hefty $21 with just a bite of scallop, shrimp, lobster and whitefish awash in a creamy but heavy handed garlic sauce. A better value is Legal’s signature crab cake, available as both an appetizer or entrée and quite lush made with jumbo lump crab and served with a mildly tangy mustard sauce. The wine list is well matched to the menu with fairly priced seafood-friendly selections. The dessert list is brief but has some standouts --- one of which is the Boston cream pie, really a cake, but delectably moist with chocolate and a cream filling.