Phantom Gourmet: Surf Meets Turf At Surfside Smokehouse In Plymouth

PLYMOUTH - A menu item so grand, it takes up the entire table; a triple decker burger topped with loads of fresh lobster; and one of the most stunning views on the South Shore. Located on Plymouth Harbor, Surfside Smokehouse truly is where the surf meets the turf, combining authentic southern barbecue with traditional New England seafood.

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"We are a two-story restaurant right on the historic Plymouth Harbor. We overlook the Plymouth Rock as well as the Mayflower," owner Fred Bisaillon described. "It's a very special thing for people around here to come down and enjoy the beautiful weather and sit outside and eat. There's nothing like al fresco dining.

"We're a family environment but we also have a 60 seat bar, so there's definitely some revelry and there's also some great family dining inside too."

Fred created a space that makes you feel like you're on vacation. He's designed a menu that has a little something for everyone, whether you want fresh seafood plucked from the waters outside, or some seriously authentic barbecue, cooked low and slow. No dish exhibits that wedded bliss quite like the Surf N Turf Burger, featuring a stack of juicy burger patties topped with fresh lobster meat.

"It has a lime aioli. It has Swiss cheese. On a burger, you can choose a single, double or triple and they're all four ounce patties. We top it with buttered lobster meat and a little bit of fried onion straws," Fred explained. "It is an absolute monster."

The New England Clam Chowder gets a bit of a barbecue finish with some liquid straight from the smoker itself. Of course, if you are a seafood purist, they have all of your favorites, like addictive Peel n Eat Shrimp served with house made cocktail sauce; indulgent Lobster Mac and Cheese topped with cheddar crumbs; and one of the largest lobster rolls you've ever laid your eyes on.

"We use probably about six to seven ounces of meat on it," Fred said. "It's served on a brioche long bun and then ours is simply dressed with a little bit of mayonnaise and a little bit of lemon juice. It's topped with fried onion strings and shaved celery."

The Barbecue side of the menu is where the Surfside Smokehouse really shines, with starters like the flavorful Smokehouse Wings, and Texas Style Brisket Chili, topped with Fritos. Then there's the signature Kielbasa and Pineapple Spiced Candy, which takes house smoked sausage, chopped pineapple, sambal and brown sugar for some sweet and heat in in every bite.

"It's a little bit of crunch from the casing of the kielbasa. It's a little bit of sweetness from the pineapple and also the candied jus, and then a little bit of heat," Fred described. "So it hits most of your flavor profiles."

There are also plenty of sandwiches to sink your teeth into, like the Mexican/Barbecue fusion full of chopped brisket, guacamole, pickled jalapenos and carrots with melted cheddar cheese. If you want to go hog wild, order The Big Pig.

"The big pig is our pulled pork tossed with a little bit of our gold sauce, topped with bourbon glazed bacon and a little bit of coleslaw. Biting into it, you get the fat from the pork; you get the creamy cold coleslaw, as well as the crunch of the bacon with a little bit of a bourbon back," Fred described.

You can also have all of that great barbecue family style, when you order one of Surfside Smokehouse's BBQ Combos.

"If you're by yourself you can get the Selfie, which is two meats, two sides in a personal portion. The Feedbag serves three meats and four sides. The Trough serves four meats and six sides, and the Whole Pit is five meats and seven sides," Fred said.

"For the meats, you can choose our Kansas City-style burnt ends, the chopped brisket, the pork ribs, the pulled pork shoulder, the smoked kielbasa, or the half chicken. For the sides, you can choose any of our sides including beans, coleslaw, French fries, street corn, mac and cheese, grilled asparagus and pretty much make your combination however you like it."

After all of that barbecue, nothing is sweeter than some Southern style desserts like Griddled Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce, or the creamy, dreamy Banana Pudding, served in a big beer glass.

"Our banana pudding is bananas and vanilla pudding base, and then it's topped with toasted marshmallows, and a little bit of caramelized banana. That's all stacked and layered with Nilla wafers."

While running a busy restaurant can be a grind, when this is your office, Fred said coming to work ain't so bad.

"We love the view. We love the location. We love it when we're busy. Every day you come to work. If this is your view, it ain't half bad."

You can find the Surfside Smokehouse at 14 Union Street in Plymouth, and online at surfsidesmokehouse.com.

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