legal-seafoodBy: Chrysa Smith

I love seafood. You name it—I can pretty much enjoy it. Crab, shrimp, scallops, flounder, sole, trout. Well, maybe not mussels or oysters. But hey, I don’t like to be slimed. Go to any ordinary restaurant and you can expect much of the same—one shrimp dish, maybe crab cakes or tilapia (cheap fish). You’re getting lucky if you find flounder or tuna—and well, you really hit the mark when there’s a column of fresh seafood to choose from. So I was thrilled to have dinner at Legal Seafood this weekend. Because not only did it serve up some nice grilled trout, but memories to boot.

Back in the late 70’s, early 80’s,my friend Carol and I caught a case of wanderlust and visited several cities on mini trips. One of them happened to be Boston. So we actually boarded what was, as I remember, a Greyhound Bus (or similar bus line) and headed north. So, I guess we either weren’t of driving age, or our parents weren’t willing to give us a car to drive in, of all places–Boston. Go figure.After an interesting trip, we wound up in Boston and we did what most tourists do: Faneuil Hall, Boston Tea Party, Paul Revere’s Church and a battleship. The memories are still strong, and I happen upon a photo or two when I occasionally flip through my photos box (there were no phone cameras back then—how old am I?)

One of the memorable stops, even when I was a teen, was Legal Seafood. Born in Boston, probably at least fifty years ago, it has it’s roots in New England. Success led it to spring up throughout Mass and then. onto other cities down the east coast. But even then, before full adulthood, I remember being impressed with the menu—-seafood of every type, done in every possible way.

I think they’ve scaled their menu down to what is most desired, but to the seafood lover, if you’re not in Mass, Maryland or Florida, it’s pretty darn good. You’ll find most every common fish, along with some landlubber specials. The atmosphere is upscale chic, and the vibe is contagious. If you’re in the market for a bit of the sea, I highly recommend it. Find one in your area at:  www.legalseafoods.com.