Blue Oar
For Chef Dan Ellington, there’s nothing more personal than cooking.
“There's a connection with feeding somebody. There is something very personal about putting yourself on a plate and expressing yourself on a plate and just letting it ride and seeing what people think.”
And you’ll find the kitchen puts their heart into every plate at the Blue Oar.
Located in the quaint community of Cohasset, Massachusetts, The Blue Oar is a cozy spot with a seaside feel whether you’re at the bar, in their hopping dining room, or curling up by the fire with a cocktail.
“The Blue Oar is a local neighborhood tavern that does food really, really well. And a place that really only cares about the customer experience. You feel like you're around people you know, people that care about you. You're walking into your neighborhood pub.”
Back in the kitchen, Chef Dan is joined by another Dan. Chef Dan Jackson. And the double Dans have come up with a mouthwatering menu with something for everybody.
"We definitely have something for you and everyone in your family. We've got healthy, we've got comfort food that makes you feel good. And we've got everything in between.”
“We care more about the customer experience and the food than anyone. That's what we concentrate on. We worry about the food and the customer and everything else takes care of itself.”
Once you’ve started to sip one of their tasty craft cocktails, an appetizer is in order like the Seafood Poutine, topped with crispy shrimp and haddock in a seafood bisque with truffle oil or the flavor-packed Irish Egg Rolls.
“The Irish egg rolls are to die for. It's a classic cider braised corned beef with a bunch of mustard, some cheddar cheese, and we do an amazing homemade honey mustard. You have to try.”
And for some meat to kick off your meal, there are the shareable, succulent, Black and Blue Steak Bites.
“Our black and blue steak bites are little miniature cuts of our steak tips. We roll them in Cajun seasoning with some fresh gorgonzola cheese and they just melt in your mouth.
You got a little bit of spice from the Cajun seasoning . You get that little bit of funk from your blue cheese and it just in mashes together just so so well.”
There are healthy options like this Tuna Bowl with coconut rice, avocado, seaweed salad, pickled ginger, cucumber and mango salsa. And stunning salads like this one featuring poached pears, quinoa, roasted brussel sprouts, and squash over greens with pomegranate seeds for some crunch.
“Just about everything on the plate is good for you. People around here love a healthy option and it's just got so many flavors that really bring it all together. It doesn't feel like you're eating healthy food.”
If you prefer hearty to healthy, there are handhelds like the Cajun Caesar Burger topped with gorgonzola, crispy bacon, romaine and a crispy parmesan tuile.
“It's like a nice Parmesan potato chip. You know the perfect crispy potato chip except we make that out of parmesan and slide in the middle of the burger.”
And when it comes to chicken sandwiches, Blue Oar hits it out the park by keeping it simple.
“Our breader is spiced I think to perfection, particularly for chicken. So you get this nice, even balanced with just that right amount of heat at the end. The butteriness of the brioche and then the sourness of the pickles kind of makes it all together. We don't need to top it with slaws and sauces and all that stuff. We've handled the chicken itself and put together a really nice bite.”
Entrees at The Blue Oar run the gamut with options like the Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon with Sweet Potato and Apple Gratin and chili pepper asparagus. Or, the absolutely indulgent Seafood Stew.
“The seafood stew is New England in a dish. It's rich. It's hearty. We took a nice Newberg sauce, added some some fresh local lobster, some fresh haddock, a little bit of shrimp and then this beautiful piece of puff pastry over it served in a cast iron skillet.When one table orders it, you may as well get four or five more going because the tables around and we're going to order it as well.”
And for something truly unique, try the Honey Truffle Chicken.
“Honey truffle chicken is a local favorite. It starts with a simple garlic mashed potato, some nice panko crusted buttermilk chicken breast, prosciutto wrapped asparagus and a caramelized honey and truffle oil sauce that is just to die for. It's sweet. It's savory. It's got a little bit of garlic note to it. I can't explain to you how good it is.”
At dessert, you can feast on the Pear and Nectarine Empanada with warm chocolate and caramel and during brunch, there are savory favorites like the Corned Beef Hash Benedict….
And sugary ways to start your day like the Strawberry Shortcake French Toast.
"The shortbread french toast is really like dessert for breakfast. You have the sweetness of the French toast, but then the fruit kind of balances it out and makes it acceptable to have for breakfast.”
And with a kitchen that cares this much about their craft, brunch, lunch and dinner are always something special at The Blue Oar.
“There's a risk to be taken when you're a chef. You have to put yourself on the plate. And when you do that, and somebody's enjoying it. It’s the perfect storm of being vulnerable and loved at the same time. And when you hit that you hit it out of the park.”
