Maritimes Madness | DAY 2: (Pt. 3) Downtown Charlottetown + Merchantman

Read Part 2 HERE !

Slowly but surely, we entered Prince Edward Island.

​Downtown Charlottetown was the focus of the evening.

Along Queen Street were majority of the main attractions, in addition to sustenance stops. We passed another COWS location (which had closed already by the time we neared the port), a peculiar-looking Canton Cafe offering "Chinese Canadian food" (aka diner-style burgers and Westernized dimsum), Chatime (?!), and many more ethnic-based restaurants.

​Braving the chilly blasts, we briefly toured the harbourfront before making stops at the Anne of Green Gables Shop and roaming the area in search of dinner options.

​It wasn't until long after sundown that Merchantman was the chosen contender.

Many of the restaurants and independent shops along the street shared occupancy with neighbouring businesses. Merchantman was one of the rare few that occupied majority of their allocated space.

With a streetside patio (closed due to climate) and a generic-looking ambiance, one's anticipations were understandly low upon entry. A last-minute reservation guaranteed a comfy booth seat within seconds of our arrival.

​While the hostess lacked a smiley demeanour, the young male server tending to our table proved an approachable fellow. He had no issues providing details on the menu, or offering to retrieve additional information on oyster varieties upon request. Although lacking in swiftness and keen observation skills, he never failed to respond promptly when we called upon his attention.

​A considerable number of seafood-centric meals later, it was understandable that we wished to diverge from the norm with the Island Seafood Boil.
Components of the colossal dish included "Steamed Island mussels and soft shell clams, 1.25 lb lobster, shrimp, snow crab cluster, baby red potatoes, corn on the cob, herb butter, chimchurri, and arugula." Market Price on the day of our visit was eighty-five dollars. The seafood compilation was intended to fill a party of two generously (or up to three people with minimal appetites), so this was, in fact, the more economic option considering the prices of individual plates on the menu.

​A half dozen of Pinette River oysters were ordered to start. Unlike the previous night's meal, it was accompanied by scraggly horseradish and a condiment duo of tangy, deep-brown vinegar-based topping and housemade raspberry cocktail sauce. Bringing the shells close induced a salty, fishy stench; sipping the surrounding, sodium-laden fluid rendered an experience similar to ingesting fresh seawater. The oysters were supple and as fresh as could be, nixing the need for additional dressings. However, taking shell fragments and the whiff of fishiness into factor, the overall evaluation concluded that Habour City's offerings were tastier, in spite of its smaller size.

​For many of those hailing from the GTA, the term "seafood boil" draws an image of seafood muddled with spiced orange seasonings in wrinkled plastic bags and a generally messy de-shelling procedure. The Island Seafood Boil was quite a refreshing take on the concept. Minimal seasonings were utilized as to preserve the fresh flavours of the ingredients. Moreover, the dish was served in a steamy clear broth - a lucid contrast to the pungent and questionably invasive marinade adopted by up-and-coming chains.

Frankly, we weren't certain how - or where - to commence the munching expedition. Exquisite in appearance, the inch-deep ceramic dish had been filled with a seafood selection as grand as it was diverse.
Laying the foundation were chunks of local potatoes and segments of corn on the cob; they bathed in a delicious broth that only served to compliment the ingredients' existing qualities. Sweet kernels were enhanced with a light dusting of sea salt and demure garlic, while potato chunks had been blanched to precisely the ideal consistency. Leaves of fresh arugula had been fitted in between these elements, flirting with the surface of the alluring broth.

​The first "storey" was the most munificent portion of mussels thinkable, along with a heaping handful of shrimp and clams. Merchantman truly took the tiny orange molluscs to the next level: the mussels had been steamed until just cooked, then coated in the addicting solution of a broth for added boldness. Cooked in a similar fashion were the clams and shrimp; attaining the perfect degree(s) of doneness for varying sizes and species was a tremendous feat indeed.

​Next up was a quartet of crab legs. While delicious, their freshness couldn't compare to the other members of the party. Supple flesh and juice were contained within each leg segment.

​At the pinnacle of the creation was a 1.25 lb lobster, cracked lengthwise along its back and claws/pincers for improved convenience. On par with the one from the evening prior, all of us enjoyed its vibrancy and juiciness.

​Merchantman - and specifically the Island Seafood Boil - made for an extremely memorable meal. Although the washrooms were not the cleanest I've set foot in, and although our waiter did not go above and beyond in terms of service, we departed in great moods and utterly satisfied appetites. There wasn't room for dessert, yet I was suprisingly okay with it.

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