WHO’S IN CHARGE Peter Kastrinakis’s parents purchased Stromberg’s Restaurant in 1970, retaining the name of the longtime harborside establishment in Salem. However, when Kastrinakis assumed control in 2006, he decided to switch gears.
“The reason we changed the name was to attract more tourists,’’ he said. “If they hear the name Stromberg’s Restaurant, all that means is it’s a family-owned restaurant. By changing it to Black Lobster at Stromberg’s Cove, we felt people would know it’s a seafood restaurant, and they’d know that we’re sitting on the ocean.’’
Today, the next generation of the Kastrinakis family continues to oversee the restaurant, with son George working as a manager.
“The phrase we focus on is ‘fresh, affordable seafood with an ocean view,’?’’ said Peter Kastrinakis. “It’s a comfortable atmosphere, not too fancy. It’s the type of place you can bring your grandmother to, or bring your young children.’’
THE LOCALE To be fair, the Black Lobster at Stromberg Cove is a location in transition. The state is renovating an adjoining pier, part of the Beverly-Salem Bridge project that’s years behind schedule.
While the pier was a minor eyesore during our visit, there’s promise here. When the 55-seat deck that wraps around the restaurant opens later this spring, the pier work should be complete.
Inside, the Black Lobster is neat and clean, but nothing elaborate. Lauri, my wife, and I detected the unmistakable scent of fried food when we walked in, which elicited a predictable Pavlovian response: I couldn’t wait to order.
The main dining room is rimmed with cozy, four-person booths, with tables and padded wooden chairs filling in the middle on the 99-seat restaurant. Above the wainscoting, the light plum-toned walls feature quintessential nautical-themed photographs, and a giant fish tank is between the bar and dining area.
There are another 80 seats in a basement room, with a patio that doubles as a sound stage for local bands three to four nights a week.
ON THE MENU There’s plenty to digest, ranging from pub food and pasta dishes to traditional seafood and steak tips.
Since we were going all in on some big entrees, we shared a lighter appetizer: a bowl of lobster bisque ($7). It was light and savory, including a few choice morsels of lobster, but could have used a dash of something extra (sherry?) to perk it up.
My wife adhered to one of our rules of dining out, which is to order an entrée that we’re unlikely to make at home. Her Black Lobster Pie ($27) had succulent lobster pieces in a rich cream-based sauce with a buttery — if slightly soggy — bread-crumb topping. The lobster was excellent, but the portion could have been more generous.
I took the “when in Rome’’ approach, and ordered the fried seafood plate ($23).
The dish was piled high with moist, lightly battered haddock, clams, and scallops, perched on a bed of french fries and topped with onion rings. Everything on the plate was delicious. I went home happy, and brought half of my entrée home for a full lunch the next day.
For those who come for traditional lobster, there are plenty of options, although prices, which change daily, were unusually high in early May because of the rain and chill. They should drop as the temperature rises. During our visit, a single lobster was $24; twin, $44; and baked stuffed, $25.
The dessert selection includes Key lime pie ($5) and a turtle cake ($7) served with berries, caramel sauce, and whipped cream.
Black Lobster Restaurant at Stromberg’s Cove, 2 Bridge St., Salem. 978-744-1863. Menu: blacklobster.net/?p=26.
Brion O’Connor can be reached at brionoc@verizon.net.
