From clambakes to crab cakes, summer at the Jersey shore is all about seafood. Whether you like your chowder red or white, your fish fried or blackened, New Jersey dishes up some of the freshest around.

“New Jersey is in an ideal position along the Atlantic,” says Linda Odierno, coordinator of fish and seafood development for the state Department of Agriculture. “We have both the northern and southern species—about 100 different species in our waters.

And New Jersey is one of the leading suppliers of surf clams and ocean quahogs, providing them to the nation and the world.” And the state is beginning to proclaim those facts. A group of local clam and oyster harvesters in New Jersey have started to label their products, which go to supermarkets, with the Baymen’s Pride brand. In addition, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture has launched a Jersey seafood logo that promotes the fish from this region.

“A set of quality and environmental standards back up this logo,” says Odierno.

Commercial fishing operations, like Viking Village out of Barnegat Light, follow strict regulations on the local, state, federal and international levels—for good reason.

“We pride ourselves in locally sustainable seafood,” says Operations Manager Ron Vreeland. “We are purveyors of the ocean. We don’t want to catch all the fish.”

Viking Village sends out three types of boats: Scallop boats (scallops are “red hot locally,” says Vreeland); the “in shore gillnets boat,” which catches bluefish, weakfish and croakers; and the long line boats, which go after tilefish, swordfish, tuna and mahi-mahi.

“Everything we catch, we ship fresh,” Vreeland says, and Viking Village supplies restaurants in Las Vegas, California and Chicago as well as locally. Their fish is available at Steve and Cookies restaurant in Margate; scallops and other fresh fish will be part of the restaurant’s farm market this summer.

Want to see the operations up close? Every Friday morning at 10 a.m. during the summer, the local chamber hosts dock tours at Viking Village. Of course, most of us would rather eat, and there are plenty of local options.

FIN-TASTIC DINING

Dock’s Oyster House has been an Atlantic City institution for more than a century. Harry “Call-Me-Doc” Dougherty first opened its doors in 1897. The restaurant is still managed by the Dougherty family and features the same seafood classics from those early days.

“Our seafood comes from all over the world,” says owner Frank Dougherty. “When possible, we do try to use locally sourced products, and in the summer we typically get scallops, flounder and, every now and then, tuna locally. Lobsters are also available and we get almost all our clams locally. Some great oysters called Cape May Salts come out of the Delaware.

“Our specialty is fresh seafood,” he says. “We offer 10 to 12 different oysters, usually have six to seven different types of fresh fish as well as scallops, clams, shrimp and crab meat. We offer a 16-to-20 ounce lobster tail from Northern Australia, and in the summer months we’ll have fresh king crab flown in from Alaska.”

Dock’s serves both Manhattan clam chowder and a creamy Maine chowder, the restaurant’s take on the traditional New England style. Menu classics since 1897 include lobster tail, crabmeat sauté, and Dock’s Seafood Fry.

From one of the oldest to one of the newest: Michael Mina’s Seablue at the Borgata offers fresh fish from all over the world, oysters from Canada, Gulf prawns from Mexico, lobster from Maine and Middleneck clams from Virginia.

A restaurant with roots along the Chesapeake Bay is now at the Pier at Caesars. Phillips offers specialties like Salt & Pepper Calamari, Crab & Herb-Crusted Ahi Tuna, King Crab Mac & Cheese and Lemon Pink Peppercorn-Crusted Mahi.

The Flying Cloud at Gardner’s Basin is also known for its seafood, says owner Mary Anne Costantino.

“We’re known for our snapper soup,” she says. “It used to be a Bookbinders favorite. It’s a real hearty soup. If people like it, they’re crazy over it. We also have salmon, tilapia, catfish, flounder, mahi-mahi, clams and lobster. Our lobsters come from Casino Lobster, our clams from Randall Seafood in Pleasantville.”

Guests can eat right on the water. “We have an enclosed patio outside now,” says Costantino. “And almost every table inside and out has a water view.”

If you haven’t been to the Clam Bar (a.k.a Smitty’s) at Smith’s Marina in Somers Point, you’re missing great affordable seafood. Now in its 35th season, the Clam Bar attracts a standing-room-only crowd. If patrons can’t get a table, they jockey for position at the outside counter.

“When we first opened, there was just the counter, no dining room at all,” says co-owner Patrice Popovic. She and husband Peter expanded the restaurant about the time that the casinos opened.

“Our seafood comes from various places,” says Popovic. “Our scallops are from Cold Spring out of Cape May. Our clams are local from Clamdaddy. Years ago you could buy it off the local boats but with regulations today, you can’t do that.”

The Clam Bar menu changes daily. New England and Manhattan clam chowders are offered every day, and variations include seafood Creole on Wednesdays. A best-seller is the lobster, shrimp and crabmeat potato skins, served on Thursdays. Customers also like the mako shark in soy, olive oil, garlic and ginger, says Popovic. “Scallops, clams and flounder are the three biggest local ‘fish,’” she said. “Later in the summer, you can get tuna.”

The Lobster House in Cape May has it all, from raw bar and fish market to take-out and a gift shop. The restaurant maintains its own fleet of boats. The menu features such classics as baked crab imperial and baked clams casino. The Lobster House specialty is comprised of lobster tails, scallops and shrimp served over linguine with garlic butter.

Cape May’s Congress Hall serves up its share of succulent seafood. At the Blue Pig Tavern, you’ll find Blue Pig Fish & Chips featuring beer-battered local fish. Jersey Shore Steamed Mussels are served with spicy white wine tomato broth for starters. The Ebbitt Room offers market oysters with “iced champagne” and caviar and a seafood tasting of calamari, chilled blue crab salad, tuna tartare and oysters.

HOME COOKIN’

If you’re a whiz in the kitchen, it’s easy to find fresh seafood to cook at home.

At Cleo’s Fish Palace in Ventnor, owner Mike Gromadzyn offers two options: “the fresh fish that’s delivered daily and the takeout menu with fried and broiled platters, pasta dishes, homemade soups and salads and sandwiches.” In season, there are soft-shell and hard-shell crabs, and the shop makes its own crab cakes.

Try the Crabby Tuna, a tuna steak topped with fresh jumbo lump crabmeat and finished with a roasted garlic herb butter, a chef’s specialty. The seafood combination features flounder, scallops, shrimp and a three-ounce lobster tail.

“Some of it is local fish but we import salmon, halibut and swordfish,” says Gromadzyn. "We can cook it here or you can bring it home and cook it.”

If you like crab cakes, you’ll want to pop into Bobby Chez in Margate. Chez (a.k.a. Robert Sliwowski) has become known for his signature jumbo lump crab cake, a six-ounce, lightly breaded and hand-rolled delicacy. The menu also features lobster mashed potatoes, shrimp puffs, Bobby’s Famous Spicy Barbeque Shrimp, seafood salad and more.

CATCH OF THE DAY

If you’re feeling adventurous, catch your own dinner. There are plenty of places to charter a fishing boat in the Atlantic City area, starting with Highroller Fishing in Gardner’s Basin. At Highroller, most everyone catches a fish and no one gets seasick, according to your host, Captain Mike.

“We’re a pontoon boat and we travel the back bay in calm waters,” he says. “The combination makes it very comfortable.”

Of course, there are regulations as to what you can catch, and how many.

“We have to throw them back if they’re under the legal limit,” says Captain Mike. “That’s 18 inches for a fluke, for example. We primarily catch fluke or flounder, bluefish, weakfish and stripers. We rent the poles and supply the bait. We’ll teach you how to fish if you don’t already know.”

Highroller Fishing runs two trips daily, seven days a week in season. True to its name, it offers the area’s only progressive fluke pool, the Fanta-sea Fluke. Fishermen can enter for the cost of $5. The jackpot has been as high as $3,800, according to Captain Mike.

A FUNDRAISING FEAST: CHEFS AT THE SHORE V

There’s no such thing as too many cooks. At least that’s true at Chefs at the Shore V, an annual fundraiser that brings together some of the region’s best chefs and most innovative seafood dishes. The Atlantic City Aquarium and Historic Gardner’s Basin serve as the backdrop for this culinary event, which spotlights area chefs and raises money for both the Atlantic City landmark and chef scholarships.

This year’s theme is “Five Years, Five Chefs and One Fantastic Evening.” The chefs will prepare signature dishes to be served with premium wines and beers. Featured chefs include Chef Peter Guzzo of Showboat and Harrah’s; Pastry Chef Debra Pellegrino of Showboat and Harrah's; Chef Jim Scarpato of Showboat; Chef Willie Lewis of Romanelli's; Chef David Goldstein of iMark of Pennsylvania; Chef Eugene Ess of Trump Taj Mahal; Chef Paul Drew of Phillips Seafood; and Chef Mike Carmody of Greate Bay Country Club.

“Chefs at the Shore is a great way to support and see a real Atlantic City gem—the waterfront and the aquarium,” says Gary Hill of the Metropolitan Business and Citizens Association. “It brings together wonderful foods, chefs and people with a beautiful setting.” Sponsored by Commerce Bank, the event is part of Professional Chefs Week and is organized by the American Culinary Federation, Professional Chefs Association of South Jersey.

RESTAURANTS

Dock’s Oyster House, 2405 Atlantic Ave., Atlantic City 609-345-0092 www.docksoysterhouse.com

Seablue Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa One Borgata Way, Atlantic City 609-317-1000 www.theborgata.com

Phillips Seafood Pier Shops at Caesars One Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic City 609-348-2273 www.phillipsseafood.com

The Flying Cloud Gardner’s Basin 800 N. New Hampshire Ave., Atlantic City 609-345-8222 www.atlanticcityflyingcloud.com

Clam Bar at Smith’s Marina 910 Bay Ave., Somers Point 609-927-8783

The Lobster House Fisherman’s Wharf, Cape May 609-884-3064 www.thelobsterhouse.com

Cape May’s Congress Hall 251 Beach Ave., Cape May 609-884-8421 www.congresshall.com

SEAFOOD MARKETS

Barbera Seafood & Produce 2243 Arctic Ave. Atlantic City 609-345-0671

Cleo’s Seafood 7307 Ventnor Ave. Ventnor City 609-822-5858

Crab Shack 1112 E Brigantine Ave. Brigantine 609-266-3009

Brigantine Seafood 3312 W Brigantine Ave. Brigantine 609-266-6926

 Bobby Chez Seafood Specialties 8007 Ventnor Ave., Margate 609-487-1922

Randall’s Seafood 301 Ansley Blvd. Pleasantville 609-641-0927 x 0180

Bob’s Seafood Market 1121 Tilton Rd., Northfield 609-646-2486

Bob’s Seafood Market-Absecon 606 Mill Rd, Absecon 609-641-2224

Mike’s Seafood and Market 4222 Park Rd. Sea Isle City 609-263-3458

Avalon Seafood & Produce Market 2931 Ocean Dr., Avalon 609-967-3909

CHARTER & PARTY FISHING BOATS

Atlantic City Sport Fishing & Charter 600 Huron Ave., Trump Marina Frank Farley State Marina, Atlantic City 609-226-8500

Kammerman’s Atlantic City 447 Carson Ave., Atlantic City 609-348-8418

Highroller Fishing 800 N. New Hampshire Ave. Atlantic City 609-348-FISH (3474)

Fish Finder II At Fish Finder Marine 3645 Atlantic Brigantine Blvd. Brigantine 609-264-0918

Keeper Back Bay Fishing Party 9605 Amherst Ave., Margate 609-823-6428

North Star Party Boat 232 Bay Ave., Ocean City 609-399-7588

Duke O’Fluke 34 Higbee Ave., Somers Point 609-926-2280

Starfish Deepsea Fishing 42nd Ave., Sea Isle City 609-263-3800

By Felicia Lowenstein

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