Chowders, stews, brews and sustainability are all on the menu at the Queen Mary’s casual-upscale, family-oriented Chelsea Chowder House and Bar; a modern take on the traditional fish house that opens for service today.
“The Queen Mary has long been known as a premiere dining destination,” said General Manager Uwe Roggenthien. “The Chelsea Chowder House, with its emphasis on sustainable and seasonal seafood and friendly, fun atmosphere; rounds out the ship’s dining experiences.”
From the subway-tiled walls and decorative tin ceiling to the classic bar modeled after one in an old English fish house, the former Chelsea Restaurant has been completely transformed to capture the feel of a casual, authentic English chowder house. It has been expanded too and now features seating for 130, an increase of 45 seats over the former space.
The ship’s colorful history is evident in the restaurant. Illustrations from the “Book of Comparisons,” a 1936 booklet given to passengers sailing on the Queen Mary during her inaugural year and listing interesting facts about the ship, have been reproduced and are featured on the restaurant’s walls.
“We tied the decor to the ship’s past to highlight the historic setting and have fun with the restaurant’s classic theme,” said Keith Landry, Director of Food and Beverage Services for the Queen Mary.
The seafood-centered menu reflects the ship’s sustainable dining practices and features a selection of chowders, kettle-cooked seafood dishes, brewed foods and specialty beers. High-quality steaks round out the menu and offer diners a tempting alternative to seafood. Examples of menu items include the roasted corn and poblano chowder, Chelsea Combo kettle with mussels, clams, lobster, crab and shrimp and the grilled, 12-ounce Rib Eye with bourbon sauce.
“Our sustainable seafood menu is designed to demonstrate that responsibility and great taste are natural partners,” said Executive Chef Larry Banares. “We’ve added great steaks and thick, double-cut pork chop entrees to ensure that even those who came for the sea view rather than the seafood leave satisfied.”
The Long Beach seafood restaurant plans to incorporate seasonal menus highlighting local, seasonal ingredients as well as beer-pairing dinners that match courses with special beer flights.
Beginning Nov. 16, the Chelsea Chowder House Bar opens daily at 4 p.m.; the dining room is open from 5 to 10 p.m. on weekdays and from 5 to 11 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Reservations are suggested and available through OpenTable.com, by email to Chelsea@queenmary.com or by calling 562-499-6695.
Posted 11/19/10.
