*Note: As of the time we went to print, Berks restaurants were permitted to allow outdoor dining in addition to take-out as long as safety precautions are met. Please contact the locations for up-to-date info.
Craving the ocean? Here are four sumptuous seafood highlights from right here in Berks County.
Guinness-Battered Fish & Chips at Flanagan’s Pub
Flanagan’s Pub is a family-run Irish pub business since 1982, which owner Chris Flanagan took over from his father in 1996. It’s comfortable and homey, with a “Downstairs” dining room and pub-dining area upstairs.
One classic dish you can always count on is Flanagan’s Guinness-Battered Fish ‘n’ Chips. Says Chris, “It’s made from a recipe that goes back in time, and yes — we really do use Guinness draft in the batter.” The whitefish you’ll be enjoying is classic cod: “Fresh-caught, never frozen,” he assures. The kitchen makes its own cocktail sauce and tartar sauce from scratch as well. Accompanying chips are standard spicy waffle fries with salt added, or diners can choose fresh-cut French fries instead if they prefer.
This dish is so popular, it’s always on hand and makes its way solidly onto the menu of every special holiday (including, of course, Saint Patrick’s Day). “It just sells wildly,” Chris laughs. “You can get any side you want with it, like coleslaw or a salad,” he says.
Also yummy: the Guinness-Battered Cod Sandwich and Scallops Wrapped in Bacon with homemade sweet ’n’ sour sauce.
41 W. Lancaster Avenue, Shillington
610.777.6401
Flounder Santorini at Meraki Manor
Santorini? Hmm... Was this dish inspired by a taste of the famous Greek island with black sand beaches? “Of course!” laughs Crissy Cerankowski, co-owner of Meraki Manor with her executive-chef husband. “I’m 100 percent Greek! Flounder Santorini is probably our best-seller.”
Featuring totally fresh ingredients every time (“Nothing’s frozen!”), the delicate flounder is broiled and enhanced with a topping of sautéed sea scallops and shrimp cooked in a pan with the sauce, uplifted by white wine, fresh lime and dill. “Part of the secret is using an old-fashioned broiler,” Chrissy reveals. She adds, “The taste combination of all those flavors is what makes it special, plus sides of rosemary oven-roasted potatoes with oregano and freshly sautéed green beans” as well as garden salad and Conshohocken Italian Bakery bread.
Chrissy’s mother once owned a renowned Greek food restaurant in Bucks County, and Meraki Manor aims to keep these island flavors alive and enticing. “The word meraki means to put your whole heart and soul into something you love,” she explains.
Another popular seafood dish, according to Chrissy: “Our salmon is right up there with diners. It’s made with capers, lemon, white wine and sauce.”
1405 Old River Rd., Birdsboro
On Facebook @merakimanorpa
Grilled Salmon on a Cedar Plank from Adelphia Seafood
For a grab ’n’ go gourmet-style seafood dinner you can make right at home, check out Adelphia’s Salmon on a Cedar Plank. This business makes it easy for you to create a truly memorable taste experience. According to Adelphia's Bill Oulette, in warmer months of the year, they pre-prepare their fresh salmon — in 5-ounce portions — placed on a special “food-grade cedar plank,” ready for grilling (or baking in the oven).
“The grilling process tends to impart more of the cedar flavor,” explains Bill, “because the plank starts to char a bit and gets that smoky flavor in there.” (He does advise keeping a spray bottle of water handy near the grill, just in case the plank should catch on fire.) In fact, he adds, “these cedar planks are soaked in water for a minimum of one hour.” He points out that other types of fish also may be grilled this way, and Adelphia has cedar planks for seafood other than salmon, for more cooking adventures.
In West Lawn & at the Fairgrounds Farmers Market, Reading
800.899.CRAB
Share Pails at Beverly Hills Tavern
“Seafood is the perfect summertime food for socializing, relaxing and enjoying together,” declares Jim Guiffrida.
He and wife April are the enthusiastic owners of Beverly Hills Tavern, renowned year-round but especially unique in warm months with a beachy outdoor-dining atmosphere. “Our Share Pails offer an opportunity for groups to enjoy various quantities of popular seafoods at a great value, in a setting where people want to stay for a while and enjoy drinking and eating,” says Jim.
The Share Pails come in different sizes and prices, based on your group’s desires. They include Peel & Eat Shrimp, chilled or steamed with Old Bay or Key Lime (up to 2 pounds); Clams (up to 5 dozen); steamed Snow Crab Clusters
(3, 6 or 8); and Hard-Shell Crabs in season.
“Seafoods like shrimp, clams, crabs are always a good social meal.” Jim gets excited just talking about these Share Pails. They’ve been a staple item on the menu for over four years, and, as he says, “This is where you can always come for a good social meal.” He adds, “In addition to the shrimp, crab and clam pails, we also sell #1 Maryland hard-shell crabs,” which carry their own unique appeal to many discerning diners.
710 Old Fritztown Rd., Sinking Spring
610.777.4516
