The Main Course — Muriel Stevens: Vacation featured delightful dining at Legal Sea Foods

Friday, Aug. 20, 1999 | 5:56 a.m.

Muriel Stevens' dining column appears Fridays. Her shopping column appears Wednesdays. Reach her at 259-4080 or muriel@vegas.com

One of the many pleasures of a vacation that started in Boston was getting to eat at Legal Sea Foods. I try to eat at a Legal Sea Foods restaurant every time I'm in Boston.

I didn't start off loving Legal Sea Foods. My first experience was just short of a disaster, but the friends who introduced me to the venerable Boston chain assured me they'd been eating there for years and had never before had a bad meal or service. We had both.

During another visit we tried another location and it was wonderful. I've been a fan ever since, but have never returned to the Kendall Square location, the scene of that terrible first meal.

Legal Sea Foods roots trace back to 1904 with the opening the Legal Cash Market in Cambridge Square by Harry Berkowitz. LCM specialized in quality products. Berkowitz's fine marketing practices and his reputation for selling only the finest foodstuffs quickly brought him a loyal following.

Harry's son, George, had the same "fanaticism for freshness." It was George's idea to build a fish counter in the store, but space was short, so he leased an adjacent store that had just become available. He called his place Legal Sea Foods and included with the name, "That Fishy Place."

Through a series of serendipitous events, including the release in the '60s of scientific reports about the healthy benefits of seafood, George's business prospered. And in 1968, when Julia Child showcased fresh fish from Legal's on her "French Chef" cooking show, the word was out -- Legal's is the best.

Customers pleaded for years to have a restaurant serving the same impeccably fresh fish -- Legal's slogan is "If it isn't fresh, it isn't Legal" -- so the Berkowitz clan opened a small sit-down restaurant with a takeout counter and offered such simple entrees as fish and chips. The setting was rustic, the plates and utensils were paper and plastic, but customers loved it. One day a restaurant writer from the Boston Globe came by. After a few visits he wrote a favorable review and raved about the quality of the food. The rest, as they say, is history.

Today, there are many locations in Massachusetts and the company has branches in Baltimore, Nyack, N.Y., McLean, Va., Washington, D.C., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and Warwick, R.I. A Las Vegas location (as soon as they find one) is in the works, too.

In Boston I've enjoyed the Copley Place location and really like the Burlington mall location. Somehow the service is always a little better and the staff more accommodating at this location.

My friends and I stopped there on our way to their summer home in New Hampshire. It was late in the afternoon but we were still in time for the daily lunch specials. "Listen," I told my friends. "Every time I come to Legal Sea Foods I'm stymied by the selection of dishes. I want everything. Today I'm going to order what I've missed and some dishes that I can never get enough of." Then I asked the most important question of all: "Are you willing to share?"

Of course, they agreed. They know the mad behavior of a food critic at work and were happy to indulge me.

Our server, Melanie Stephans, a most gracious professional, got into the spirit of our dining escapade by making suggestions and bringing extra plates and utensils so we could share. Here's what we ate: two house salads split thee ways; crusty popcorn shrimp made with small, crisp Maine shrimp -- arguably the best popcorn shrimp anywhere; a clam roll, heaped high with whole-bellied New England clams; a zesty seafood gumbo redolent with spices; broiled salmon; and soft shell crab, so sweet, so crunchy, so good. I can never get enough of Legal's vegetable slaw. It's served with most main courses. The vinegary dressing is an ideal companion to the fish.

There were a few other dishes, but I was so busy eating I forgot to write them down.

When I asked for the check Melanie protested. "Aren't you going to have dessert. Our pastry chef, Rick Katz, makes glorious desserts." Could we? Should we? "Well, OK, maybe one split three ways." Said Melanie: "How about two desserts split three ways, and then you can have a few ice cream bonbons. They come in three flavors and are homemade."

How could we resist? Authentic Key Lime pie was a winner and so was that old- fashioned favorite -- warm chocolate pudding cake topped with homemade vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. The bonbons were as good as touted. And, for good measure, we also sampled a few of the homemade sorbets.

We consoled ourselves by remembering that we hadn't finished all the fish dishes. The leftovers came with us to New Hampshire. I later learned from Service Manager Caroline Strasser and General Manager Amy Lewis that this location is a training center. No wonder the service is so good. New employees working with such seasoned veterans as Melanie always try harder.

Had I known before ordering that in a few years Las Vegas will have its own Legal Sea Foods I might have been more restrained when ordering, but probably not.

A selection of Legal's favorites, including those wonderful, rich clam chowders (there's also a light version) can be ordered by mail. This is the same clam chowder that's been served at every presidential inauguration since 1981. To receive a catalog, call (800) 343-5804, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time).

Zagat Survey: The Las Vegas Zagat Survey is becoming a must read for locals and visitors who find the handy restaurant guide a dependable, accurate accounting of local restaurants. Anyone who has been a reviewer knows that the comments included with each restaurant listing are what the surveyers have written, not the editor (me). The comments, favorable or un, reflect the opinions of the diners, not the editor. Reviewer opinions appear in quotes.

Instead of getting angry when a restaurant gets a mixed review or worse, owners should evaluate what's said and work on eliminating the reasons for the complaints.

Zagat surveys are available for every major city in the United States and there are surveys for Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Paris and London. Soon there will be a Zagat survey for Italy. The singular format works. It is the only restaurant guide where the diners participate.

Anyone who dines out frequently can be a reviewer. To receive a survey for the next Zagat send a stamped, self-addressed, business-size envelope to: Zagat Survey, 4 Columbus Circle, New York, N.Y. 10019. Each participant will receive a free copy of the next Las Vegas Restaurant Survey when it's published.

Four Seasons dinner and show package: Now through Sept. 3 the Four Seasons is offering two dining options that include tickets to the award-winning Broadway hit, "Chicago." Dine in the elegant First Floor Grill ($120) or the more casual Verandah Cafe ($90). Included are three-course dinners designed by Executive Chef Wolfgang von Weiser. No need to rush to make the curtain. Have the first two courses before the show; return later for coffee and dessert.

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