Awesome seafood in Reading
So I recently changed jobs and work in Wilmington, MA, about 15 mi north of Boston. I work not far from Reading and sort of got lost there trying to find an REI to buy some hiking socks...anyway...found this place called "Twin Seafood" on Main Street (just south of the intersection of Rt. 28 and Rt. 129) and tried it for lunch on a whim. I was completely blown away, and have been back several times since. It's actually a fresh seafood shop on the left and a restaurant on the right. The fresh stuff GLISTENS-it looks really nice (and smells great-not fishy at all) and I've taken tilapia and scallops home and they have been great. The restaurant is the type of place with the offerings listed on a white plastic board with blue plastic lettering-really humble appearance. But this belies its quality.
1st time, I had a fried oyster roll. I haven't had fried oysters that tasted, well, this OYSTERY. Served it with fries that have some sort of really delectable coating on them, tartar sauce, solid cole slaw, simple, but perfect. The next time I tried the "Cajun shrimp and crab roll" which is shredded crabmeat and shrimp mixed with a spicy, herby remoulade-type sauce (the plastic lettering really belied the sophistication of this dish) which was delicious. Oh, all of these rolls are served on very high quality buns, taste pretty freshly baked. On the third time, tried fried clams (sort of a fried seafood benchmark) and they were just so fresh, so deliciously clammy, that I had to put them above Clam Box in Ipswitch (which is nationally famous for its fried clams, but to me was just a 2 hour wait and some halfway decent clams). On the 4th time, I asked him to make me a grilled tuna sandwich, which he did PERFECTLY rare, but with some seasonings that really brought out the flavor of the tuna. And since I was feeling in a healthy mode, I asked for veggies as the side instead of fries, but it isn't mentioned that they are served in a sort of garlicky butter sauce. Maybe not as healthy, but absolutely delicious.
The guy who runs the place is very hospitable and seems to have grown up around fish; knows his stuff well. He insists that you not pay until you're done, which kind of gives the place a friendly, hospitable feel. Check it out!
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Karl S
Aug 8, 2008 05:09 AM
Someday, there should be fried clam crawl of seafood and roast beef places between Boston (starting with Royal Roast Beef in Eastie and Belle Isle Seafood, et cet.) and the Rte 128 communities - I have reason to suspect that there are many places that probably do as good a job as some of the more fabled joints on Rte 133, but for a lower cost of time and gasoline for customers....
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macca
Aug 8, 2008 03:29 AM
thanks for the report- have read good reviews of this place on these boards- will have to stop by. I hope they have crab rolls. They are absolutely my favorite.
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I'm glad someone else appreciates this little gem in Reading. I think the Lobster Roll there is an amazing deal... it's actually on a bulkie roll - which is nothing special on its own - but the sheer amount of lobster they give you is amazing.
I agree that the owner is really nice and hospitable.
