Road Trip: Blue Mermaid Island Grill, Portsmouth, NH
Yva and Mr. Schefer were in Portsmouth, New Hampshire recently. It was dinnertime and we weere hungry. Looking out our hotel window we saw a restaurant which looked promising: Blue Mermaid Island Grill . 
We looked it up on the internet and the menu sounded rather exciting. It was seafood with a Caribbean flair, involving fruits and spiciness. Not your typical New England seafood, but interesting nonetheless. Oh but there was one small issue that sent up a flag of warning: the restaurant was one of “Rachel Ray’s Pick(s).” The approval of Rachel Ray alone does not condemn a restaurant to hell and damnation, but it certainly inspires caution in Yva who is heavily influenced by Anthony Bourdain and has a deep dislike for the terms “sammy” and “EVOO” and similar cutsieness when it comes to food. Nonetheless, we decided to give it a try.
As soon as we entered, we were met by the most friendly and energetic man we have ever encountered. We have no idea who he was, but he was quite gregarious, helpful, and unendingly patient while we decided whether to eat upstairs in the dining room or downstairs in the lounge. We chose the lounge and were seated immediately. The lounge was a friendly and comfortable room: pumpkin orange walls, yellow accents, and a turquoise ceiling. There were fun little accents, like a retro-appearing light fixture and a fireplace bar which gave the restaurant a sense of fun.
We were seated by the window and could look out onto the deck. Our server, Julie, came over and chatted with us a few minutes about the menu and beverages. Mr. Schefer enjoys Guinness, but that was not on their menu. This was certainly not a fault by any means, as their beer menu was quite extensive. He chose a Miller Lite and Yva ordered a “Mermaid Madness” which consists of Silver rum, Malibu , o.j., pineapple, cranberry and a Meyer’s float. As a result of her conversations about beer with Mr. Schefer, when Julie returned she brought him a large sample of one of the other beers available on tap. This was not the last sample she brought, and we truly appreciated her assistance and the Blue Mermaid’s generosity in helping Mr. Schefer to explore other beers. Yva loved her Mermaid Madness; it was one of those fruity can’t-taste-the-alcohol drinks that kind of sneaks up on you after one…or three. Whew. We managed to select a starter, and ordered the calamari.
While we waited for the calamari, we were presented with tortilla chips and the Mermaid’s fire roasted salsa, which apparently has some fame. This fame is for good reason. It was not the typical red soupy salsa one usually consumes, but a darker, almost brown salsa, with a rich earthy tang, and a heat that slowly accumulated the more you ate. It was very good, and we took great joy in scooping copious amounts of it into our mouths while we waited for the calamari. When the calamari arrived we were first impressed by the size of the serving; it was a lot of calamari, more than we were accustomed to. That is not a complaint by any means. Accompanied by tomato ancho mayonnaise for dipping, we dug right into the hot pile of calamari, which were tender and tasted like the ocean. They were very fresh and well-prepared, and the mayonnaise was a very nice addition, enhancing the flavor of the calamari and accompanying the calamari’s crispness with a lovely creaminess.
The Blue Mermaid’s entrees were all very tempting. They offer things for everyone, even if you don’t like food from the sea or meat. It was difficult to decide what we wanted, and that also created an excuse for a return trip. The Blue Mermaid has a wood fired oven, and one part of their menu allows you to pick a meat to be cooked in that oven, as well as a sauce for the meat and two sides from an array of choices (grilled banana, smashed sweet potatoes, sautéed green beans, corn bread, sweet potato fries, chipotle curry rice, green salad, chipotle pepper mash). Yva chose this option, going for sea scallops with a grilled mango vinaigrette accompanied by grilled bananas and cornbread. Jamie ordered from the lighter side of the menu, choosing a bowl of lobster and roasted corn chowder with a side of cornbread. We were still working on the calamari when Julie came by and told us our entrees were ready a little faster than anticipated, and did we want them then or to wait until we finished the calamari? The kitchen timing might have been off (or maybe we were just eating slower than w should have), but that’s a mark of excellent service, to let us know the situation and give us a choice instead of just putting the food under a heat lamp or forcing it upon us when we aren’t ready. Blue Mermaid and Julie get high marks for that.
After years of being served skimpy portions of scallops, it was a pleasant surprise to have two skewers containing nine large scallops. So the serving was generous, but how were the scallops? Magnificent. They were tender, had a fresh ocean taste, and there was a sweetness around the edges where the heat of the oven had caramelized them. The mango vinaigrette was a perfect accompaniment, with a full flavor that was sweet but not overwhelming. The grilled bananas was just that: half a banana that had been cut lengthwise and grilled. It was quite good. The banana was not mushy by any means, and also had a sprinkling of fresh diced fruit on top of it. Fruit and seafood? I could live on these things. The cornbread was light, and we could see it was made at least partly with a coarse grained cornmeal, with large flecks of yellow throughout, and lightly browned edges. Usually a restaurant will provide butter with the cornbread, but Blue Mermaid did not and it was not necessary. The cornbread was perfect. Yva ate every bit of her meal, save for a bit of cornbread which she took back to the hotel room.
When one imagines chowder, it’s usually a bit on the heavy side with a milk or cream base. The lobster and roasted corn chowder at Blue Mermaid is a bit on the lighter side. There was a bit of separation, with the creamy portion settled a bit on the bottom, but that was easily corrected by a bit of stirring. And we were glad we stirred because at the bottom of the bowl we encountered several large pieces of lobster. It was like discovering almost a complete tail and claw in the chowder; as with the scallops, there was no skimping on this dish either. The chowder itself tasted light, but still rich and creamy. The corn was not an overwhelming ingredient, but in perfect balance with the lobster. The corn had a slight nutty flavor to it, which worked wonderfully with the richness of the lobster. Mr. Schefer enjoyed his cornbread, and felt that with the chowder it made a perfect dinner entree.
We were quite full after eating all this wonderful food, which was unfortunate because Blue Mermaid has a very tempting dessert menu, including a coconut cake with lime curd filling and lime frosting. Yet another excuse for a return trip.
Would we return? Absolutely. In fact, we would go out on a limb and state that it would be worth the drive alone just to eat there. The food, service, and atmosphere were just incredible. The Blue Mermaid Island Grill will make your mouth, stomach, and heart happy.
Dinner for two (including two beers, three glasses of Mermaid Madness, and innumerable beer samples): $64.64
Blue Mermaid Island Grill
409 The Hill, Portsmouth, NH 03801, (603) 427-2583
Hours:
Sun 10am-9pm (Brunch available on Sunday)
Mon - Thurs 11:30-9pm
Fri & Sat. 11:30-10pm
Bar: Available all day. Full bar, including beer, wine, and amazing mixed drinks.
Good for: Families, dates, just drinks.
Deck dining available.
