Atlantic City Weekly

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Anyone who remembers Atlantic City over the past 50 years can envision the simple fare of such classic fish houses as Captain Starn's, Hackney's and Abe's. When they disappeared, they left a void in the region.

Phillips Seafood recreates that era with their versions of popular fish and seafood items. The eatery officially opened at The Pier at Caesars complex last month.

Known throughout the Chesapeake Bay area with locations in Maryland and Washington, D.C., plus Myrtle Beach and South Carolina, Phillips in Atlantic City marks the eighth outlet of the family-owned organization.

The Phillips family has worked in the seafood business for almost a century. They opened their first small carryout crab house in 1956 as a way to sell off excess crabs from the family's factory. Its popularity motivated an expansion into a two-story restaurant. The succeeding generations of the Phillips family have opened more outlets over the next 50 years.

Phillips management labels the Atlantic City culinary and decorative design as its model for the future. The 280-seat dining room is located in the middle of the restaurant promenade. It offers a fabulous view, which overlooks the beach and the ocean through clear glass outer walls. The large exhibition kitchen allows diners to observe the preparation of their dishes.

It was my husband Norman's birthday. Since we both love seafood, we went to Phillips for a celebration dinner. I had recently attended a Phillips sampler tasting prior to their mid-October opening, and eagerly anticipated an opportunity to eat a full meal there.

The large dining room is divided into several sections. Looking up, the open piping becomes part of the restaurant's architecture and design. The room is a mixture of dark brown mahogany tables and banquettes, complemented by warm shades of yellow, gray and chocolate.

The hostess seated us, and I saw two folded napkins -- one black and one white -- at each place setting. She explained that she matches the napkins to customers' clothing so they blend in more easily.

The large menu changes regularly. On one side are lists of more than 100 American and international wines, cocktails and bottled or draft beers, most moderately priced. The other side features a full array of many types of fish, seafood, beef and poultry dining options.

Fresh onion and poppy rolls came out right away, piping hot. Our server Bob offered us drinks and plenty of time to peruse the menu. We immediately liked his pleasant, unassuming manner, and Bob proved more than once that he really wanted us to enjoy our meal.

Phillips' menu begins with a selection of fresh cold and hot appetizers that includes a multitude of oyster varieties. Appetizers are priced from $8.99 to $13.99, and a dozen salads range from $5.99 to $16.99. For those with large appetites -- or a crowd -- the Chilled or Hot Plateau (plates) for $49.99, layered with several varieties of cold or heated seafood, are possible choices. Also, smaller chilled and hot samplers of the favorites cost $24.99.

We thought the $11.99 roasted oysters sounded interesting, and ordered one to share. A breadcrumb topping made in part with Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco topped the six large oysters. It was too strong for me. When Bob realized that I pushed the plate over to Norman, he urged me to accept a complimentary cup of their Maryland Crab and Vegetable soup. He insisted he did not want me to feel left out while Norman finished the oysters on his own. I agreed, and was glad I did because the soup had an abundance of crabmeat and vegetables in a tangy red broth.

From the vast list of fish and seafood, with an emphasis on crabmeat in numerous platters, I selected the stuffed flounder for $24.99. Norman chose the baked stuffed shrimp for $21.99. Entrees average in the mid $20s, with a high of $78.99 for the giant Clam Bake for Two. Some platters include a vegetable side, but other $4.99 to $5.99 sides are available.

Both dishes offered abundant portions, but I preferred Norman's very tasty shrimp dish to my flounder. We enjoyed both the green bean and potato au gratin side dishes, served in tureens.

A separate dessert menu of eight items included homemade sorbets and gelatos for $6. After fish, some cool, refreshing mango sorbet sounded perfect. It was wonderfully subtle in its sweetness. Again, Bob served a "generous" scoop in our dish, which we appreciated.

Phillips Seafood is located at The Pier at Caesars, Atlantic City. The phone number is 348-2273. Dinner is served daily from 5pm. Lunch is served from 11:30am on Saturday and Sunday. Reservations and major credit cards accepted. Free garage parking at Caesars with validated ticket.