Phantom Gourmet: Sea Level Oyster Bar In Salem

SALEM (CBS) -- Nothing says New England like seafood by the water, and it doesn't get much better than Sea Level Oyster Bar.

Located on historic Pickering Wharf overlooking picturesque Salem Harbor, Sea Level Oyster Bar is big, fun, and delicious.

This two-story, two-hundred-seat restaurant boasts gorgeous views from almost every table, whether you're on the deck or in the dining room--because owner George Carey knew he had to take advantage of this great location.

"When you come to Sea Level, one of the best things is we really celebrate our waterfront, and our location, and being outdoors," Carey says. "We have garage doors that open up to really feel the outside, so when you come here, you really are in touch with the harbor, you feel the ocean, you feel the breeze, and it's done casually. It's not expensive, it's not formal, it really is a fun place to have twenty beers on tap, great seafood, and just have a nice, relaxed, casual atmosphere."

And the menu offers seafood that's equal parts fresh and fun, thanks to Executive Chef Jennifer Normant.

"I love being creative, I love to play with food," Normant says. "It's just fun."

So there are plenty of deliciously unexpected dishes you've never seen before, served alongside fresh takes on seafood standards like the classic lobster bake and fried fisherman's platter.

"Cod, shrimp, scallops, whole belly clams, onion strings and fries," says Normant. "It's everything that you would get in New England, all in one bucket."

As soon as you step into Sea Level, the first thing you see is the restaurant's raw bar. And to try all it has to offer, order an indulgent seafood tower stacked with four kinds of oysters, littleneck clams, jumbo shrimp, jonah crab, and an entire lobster.

"It's definitely enough for two people to share, but you could also be gluttonous and take it and finish it yourself," says Normant.

But with such fun food and beautiful views, Sea Level is a spot you definitely want to share.

"It's just great to come down to the water and really enjoy the water views, see boats, smell the ocean, and have some great seafood," says Carey.

Watch Phantom Gourmet on Saturdays and Sundays at 10:30 and 11 a.m. on myTV38.