The Mermaid Inn - UWS

 (courtesy of The Mermaid Inn)

I have mentioned before that the Upper West Side has become an actual culinary destination in Manhattan, instead of the barren desert for foodies that it was previously, and I had the chance to experience the food at another restaurant contributing to the neighborhood's culinary revitalization last night. I headed to The Mermaid Inn - a restaurant that has two locations in NYC, the newest of which is on the UWS. We decided to go early (before 7 pm) to take advantage of their daily blue plate special, which currently is a Lobster Sandwich, Fries, and a Blue Point Beer for $20. The Lobster Sandwich was delicious, filled with huge chunks of lobster and just the right amount of dressing to achieve desired level of creaminess. Wednesday nights also happen to be the night when The Mermaid Inn has Fish Fry on its menu, and this too was a hit. The big flaky pieces of Cod surrounded by just enough batter and no oiliness left my dining companion thoroughly satisfied with the dish. Both of our dinners were accompanied by fries, and we both agreed, they were some of the best fries we had ever eaten and I'm pretty sure it was the Old Bay Seasoning that really put them over the top. We were so full after our meal that we did not even contemplate dessert, but then the restaurant did one of my most favorite things, brought out a small complementary dessert for each person to end the meal. At The Mermaid Inn that dessert is chocolate pudding served in an espresso glass with a small dollop of whipped cream on top. It was the ideal way to end the meal and satisfy my sweet tooth, without over indulging. So, the next time you are on the UWS, or in the East Village for that matter, try The Mermaid Inn for dinner. You won't be disappointed.