100 N. Pennsylvania Avenue
Beach Haven, NJ 08008
I get excited every time that I hear that my family has decided to make a trip to the Black Whale in Beach Haven, New Jersey. We do not go out to eat in LBI all that often any more because there is simply too many people to be paying for at dinners, so we only go out every other weekend or less. On this particular visit, it was a Saturday night, and it was only my girlfriend, my brother, my aunt, my uncle, and me, so it was a much more manageable bill for my uncle.
The Black Whale has a nice bar that is always packed because it is super casual, yet still really fun. The dining room is fairly small, maybe 25 tables or so, but it is always packed and if you come at the wrong time you will wait a really long time. I have waited 2 hours to eat before, but we went early enough this time that we did not have to wait much longer than about 15 minutes.
Once we sat down, I immediately began snacking on the oyster crackers that are served at every table with a side of fresh horseradish. They are so delicious and so addicting; I usually overload on them and do not save enough room for the rest of my meal. This time I controlled myself, and waited for the rest of our order to come out. We ordered some regular fried calamari, buffalo calamari, and steamers for appetizers, I ordered a piece of salmon in a cream sauce with little bits of chorizo, and for dessert a piece of key lime pie.
All of the appetizers were very delicious. Not the best I’ve ever had, but definitely good enough for me to recommend them to you confidently. The calamari was super crispy, exactly the way I like it. The buffalo calamari was also fried perfectly, but it was then coated in a spicy buffalo wing sauce, making each bite crunchy and just spicy enough to leave that nice tingle in the back of my throat (you know what I’m talking about). The steamers were also very tasty. I don’t really know how to make clams much better, I guess using different broths will make them taste better, but these were as good as any that I have had.
The absolute fall ‘off my chair this is so damn good’ moment came when my main course came out. I do not know that I have had a better piece of fish anywhere, except maybe in Hawaii. The fish was cooked to absolute perfection. Crispy outside, juicy center, and covered in a savory cream sauce, it was heaven in each and every bite. The little bits of chorizo were just the icing on the cake for me. They were cooked down so nicely, clearly rendered for a while in a hot pan, and added a fantastic bit of salt and crunch to each bite that it came in.
When our desserts came I was pretty full, but I persevered an enjoyed every bite of my key lime pie with my girlfriend. It was pretty tart, but not too sour. The crust was nothing special, but it paired well with the filling. My brother’s dessert looked incredible as you can see below. He got a Bailey’s chocolate swirl cheesecake and it was super rich and creamy.
Do not miss out on a chance to try the Black Whale in Beach Haven. It does phenomenal food, and they offers tons of daily specials that are out of this world. Try to go during the week when it’s a bit less crowded or earlier on the weekend. Cheers!
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