I love the atmosphere of a marina. And so does my dad. He loves boats and has taught me so much about them through the years. And we both love to eat, so dinner at Dockside Cafe was a perfect pairing.
THE MENU
I was impressed with the number of offerings on the menu. I figured it would just be burgers and sandwiches, maybe a few typical appetizers. But there was so much more.
The order (for two): Spinach-artichoke dip, West Coast Chicken Salad, fried shrimp with choice of two sides.
The spinach-artichoke dip was quite nice. It comes in a nice-size cast-iron bowl on a plate with chips. The plain, round chips were nothing special, and many were broken, so the presentation wasn’t ideal.
But the warm, creamy dip was very good and tasted as if it had been blended in the kitchen, not just poured from a bag and heated. There were big chunks of spinach in the mixture, advertised as the cafe’s “own special dip,” and while my palate didn’t set sail, it was good.
Dinner impressed me. My salad was a beautiful mix of lettuces, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, mandarin oranges, Craisins, sugared pecans and delicious tender grilled chicken. I ordered blue cheese and balsamic vinaigrette dressing on the side and was pleased with both. Both dressings are made from scratch in the kitchen, I was told, and tasted it. This salad is colorful and healthful and a nice choice on a warm day.
If you go* Where: Dockside Cafe, 8411 Harrison Bay Road (at the marina inside Harrison Bay State Park).* Phone: 344-9998.* Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.* Price range: $4.95 (fried pickles)-$13.99 (mixed seafood grill, shrimp fusilli).* Payment: Cash and major credit cards.* Alcohol: No.
It’s hard to go wrong with fried shrimp, and Dockside served the perfect plate, with a dozen big butterflied shrimp presented on a platter with my dad’s choice of coleslaw and fried okra. He ate every bite — just tails left on his plate — and pronounced it all very good. No complaints.
Our server told us that cheeseburgers, the Philly cheesesteak and barbecue are among the house specialties. I think they should add the shrimp and salad.
Friday nights the restaurant serves an all-you-can-eat catfish blowout for $9.99. It draws a crowd, I’m told. Prices are good. If you have an Adventures in Dining coupon, be sure to use it. It’ll save you $8.50.
THE SERVICE
Our server was very accommodating. He appeared to be new, so I could understand when he wasn’t quite sure about everything on the menu. He brought our appetizer promptly. We had to wait about 15 minutes for dinner to arrive, so we were glad to have the appetizer to munch on.
This is not fast food, and we were not in a hurry. We spent the time enjoying the lake and surrounding scenery, so the wait was not bad.
THE SPACE
Mother Nature made a lovely backdrop for Dockside Cafe. Windows surround the dining area, and if you sit next to one, which we did, you can enjoy watching the ducks paddling around the docks. It’s also fun to see all the different boats. Quite a setting.
The restaurant itself is a very casual place.
THE VERDICT
You won’t find gourmet food at Dockside Cafe, but you will find good find. When you visit, take a drive through Harrison Bay State Park just to take in the views. You might even get lunch or dinner to go so that you can take it outside to enjoy in the park. The setting is just a 20-minute drive from town and a nice escape.