We’re in Quincy Bay for the first leg of The 2024 Shakedown Cruise (more on that in a later post). It’s our second visit to this hip little marina village in eight months.
Marina Bay is pretty much restaurants surrounded by condos. As we docked, it occurred to me that we were going to be here long enough to try every restaurant at least once. And, of course, that would provide great fodder for a report on The Restaurants of Marina Bay.
Here you go…
Before I begin, I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that Yelp seems to have a blind spot when it comes to Marina Bay. As you may know, I rely heavily on Yelp when visiting a new port for the first time (in fact, I use it everywhere I visit.)
When we first visited Marina Bay in September, I fired up Yelp, and much to my dismay, all the restaurants had mediocre ratings.
My experience is that any eatery with a Yelp rating under 3.5 will undoubtedly be disappointing. Oddly, there were no restaurants in Marina Bay with a Yelp rating over 3.5!
This is why one must always dig into the specific reviews to understand what’s really going on.
Continuing with Victory Point, I broke down the math that went into the pathetic 3.3 rating.
This was very wierd; the most common rating was 5.0, followed by 1.0. Clearly, a lot of people thought this was a great restaurant, but half as many seemed to truly hate it.
In my final deep dive, I figured out what was going on. I browsed the negative reviews and discovered this:
A woman named Stella B rated Victory Point six different times and gave it a 1.0 every time.
In fact, of the 180 Yelp reviews for Victory Point, only six individuals reported a 1.0, but thanks to Stella’s six 1.0’s, Yelp registered 12!
A little more research revealed that Stella B frequents all the restaurants in Marina Bay and leaves them all 1.0’s. Meanwhile, her reviews at other restaurants in the area are frequently 5.0’s. I won’t speculate on her motives, but I doubt they’re well-intentioned!
Regardless, as you’ll see in the following reviews, I think all the restaurants we visited are very good. Maybe not all 5.0’s, but none less than a solid 4.0+.
Sunset Pier
We missed this great new restaurant in the May report so I did a full review in September.
You can click here to read the report.
Summing Up Sunset Pier – Top notch tapas style food with a high end nitrogen system to serve fresh wines by the glass. Great outdoor bar and rooftop dining area. Probably my new favorite restaurant in Marina Bay.
Victory Point
Victory Point was our first stop when the Boys Week Cruise visited Marina Bay last September.
The first thing to catch my eye was their affiliate outside bar, Willies.
This looks like a beautiful spot to spend a summer afternoon or evening.
Peter ordered the Special of The Day – Meatball Sub. This is not a complicated dish, but it is notable for the fresh baked Ciabatta Roll, oodles of melted cheese, and the generous portion.
$12 meatballs, tomato sauce, mozzarella
Peter opted for chips, but the standard side is fries.
Rudy went for the Clam Pasta.
It offered plenty of quahogs that were the right size for this dish, homemade pasta, and plenty of garlic!
I went for the Wings and ordered them “deconstructed” as usual (it keeps the wings hotter longer and your hands cleaner.)
I remember thinking, “These are the best wings I’ve ever had.” The sauce was straight Buffalo, so I guess it was the size (they were plump) and perfectly cooked. Crispy on the outside and moist inside.
Summing up Victory Point – Solid food, leaning Italian, excellent waterfront seating, Boardwalk Pizza Affiliate. One of the few restaurants in Marina Bay offering online reservations (RESY).
Siros
Siros is the only restaurant in Marina Bay I’ve eaten in twice. In September, they served me the best bolognese I ever ate. It was so good it inspired me to duplicate the recipe at home (more on that later).
It’s on the south boardwalk just before the Waterclub string of open-air bars. It also offers open-air dining but also hosts a nice interior seating area that’s attractive on a cool September or May evening.
Siros got on our radar because we were thinking Italian, but an item on the appetizer menu caught my eye and drew me in for dinner.
Cornmeal crusted boneless short rib, crispy wonton strings, Korean-style BBQ sauce.
I was dining with Peter and Rudy, so the three-piece portion was perfect. It is a truly unique bite that makes Siros a priority when visiting Marina Bay.
In September, Peter ordered the Chicken Marsala.
Lots of mushrooms, over angle hair pasta.
Indeed, there was no shortage of mushrooms, but the best aspect of this dish was the moist chicken breasts.
Regarding the Bolognese…
In September, I thoroughly enjoyed the creamiest Bolognese I’ve ever eaten.
As I said, it was so good that I researched it and discovered something called a White Bolognese, which uses cream instead of tomatoes.
I returned Friday night to enjoy it again, only to discover they had changed the recipe!
It was a decent Bolognese, but totally traditional. The next time I’m in Marina Bay, I will ask the chef why they changed recipes.
Rudy went with the Salmon.
Chive risotto, sautéed baby spinach, caper burre blanc.
One of the nice things about salmon is its ability to take on complex flavors, and Pistachios are one of my favorites. The risotto and spinach “platform” really elevate this dish to another level.
Friday night, Mrs. Horne ordered the Broccoli Chicken Penne.
Shallot cream sauce, rigatoni pasta
Once again, the chef showed off chicken roasting skills and added just enough broccoli to keep it interesting.
Summing up Siros – Arguably the most elegant restaurant in Marina Bay, serving elevated dishes at reasonable prices.
ReelHouse
We headed over to ReelHouse as soon as we tied up on Friday. It’s at the end of the north boardwalk and a bit of a hike from the front dock.
It’s the best venue for indoor waterfront dining.
We sat at the bar and received excellent service from our engaging bartender.
Mrs. Horne ordered the Crab Fried Rice.
diced vegetables, fried garlic, soy, sesame oil
This dish is popping up in upscale restaurants everywhere, and it makes sense. It’s delicious with a meager food cost. The ReelHouse version is light with plenty of crab flavor.
Peter ordered the RH Reuben.
pastrami, Swiss cheese, kimchi, dijon aioli, pretzel bun, fries
This is a very serious take on a classic dish. The pretzel bun was perfectly toasted, and the giant stack of lean pastrami was reminiscent of Carnegie Deli in New York.
And the fries where wicked hot!
One of my favorite tactics when I’m eating in a restaurant for the first time is to create a dish by mixing appetizers or sides. As soon as I saw Shishito Peppers on the menu, I knew I’d go in that direction.
coarse salt, lime, tajin
Until Friday, I considered the Shishito Peppers at The Atlantic in Edgartown to be the best, but no longer. These were even better. It must be the lime and tajin, but I never tasted either on my palate.
I also tried the wings.
scallions, sambal ranch
I never had Malaysian-style wings before, and honestly, I didn’t even know that’s what they called them until checking the menu. They’re a dry rub that’s tasty but not really Asian-forward. The Sambal Ranch was a nice dip.
Summing up ReelHouse – Best indoor atmosphere in Marina Bay, creative new world menu, and they take reservations (RESY).
The Chantey
It’s not on the boardwalk, but it’s a short walk between Siros and Water Club. It’s the highest-rated restaurant on Yelp (3.7), despite three 1.0’s from Stella B!
The atmosphere was more like a pub with a very casual vibe. Our servers were excellent, friendly, and engaging.
Mrs. Horne ordered the steamers.
Good-sized clams, very clean, and served in a red plastic bag (probably to ease cooking, but something I’ve never seen before.) It is very much a personal-sized portion.
After some give and take with Nicole, Peter centered on a unique sandwich – The Cranberry Chicken Salad BLT, prepared as a wrap.
Unique flavors served in a nice tight wrap. The fries were acceptably warm but not piping hot.
The menu is rather extensive, and after much consternation, I ordered the fish tacos.
My consternation stemmed from memories of Fish Taco’s, which had been disappointing in the past, and a few other tempting options (Rodeo Sliders or Fish and Chips) on the menu.
I’m here to report I made the right choice! These three tacos were executed perfectly. The fish was crispy and light, the Pico de Gallo had a little bite, and the chipotle crema tied everything together.
The proportions of each ingredient was very good, but the tortillas could have been 1/2” bigger.
Summing up The Chantey – A neighborhood bar vibe, extensive menu with good food, and a fun spot without all the Yuppies you might find on the boardwalk.
Port 305
Located on the west boardwalk opposite Victory Point, it features a full view of the Marina and beyond.
Like many of the Marina Bay restaurants, the interior is only half the seating capacity, but at 52°, no one was sitting outside.
There is a long bar full of stools facing the water.
Port 305 may have offered the most extensive menu of any of the restaurants of Marina Bay, but by the end of cruise day two, we were more interested in eating something different than their signature dish.
We started with a taste of Asia – the Port Dumplings.
Housemade hoisin dipping sauce, steamed or fried.
They were filled with Asian-flavored pork, crisp on the outside and loaded with flavor when dipped in the hoisin sauce.
For our main course, we ordered two pizzas. Peter and I shared the classic Pepperoni.
Slightly smoky pepperoni
Plenty of cheese, crisp pepperoni, and the classic thin crust you find throughout the South Coast – I call it Portuguese-style.
Fig & Goat Cheese Pizza – $18.00
Fig jam, caramelized onions, goat cheese, arugula.
Mrs. Horne wouldn’t eat an entire pizza, and Arugula isn’t great the morning after, so I left Peter an extra slice of pepperoni and helped her with the Fig & Goat Cheese.
The pepperoni was great, but this was the star of the show. The flavor combinations really work well. You get the creamy tang of the goat cheese, the sweetness of the fig, and peppery arugula in every bite.
Summing up Port 305 – Great food in an unpretentious setting with the best marina view in town.
The Marina Bay Experience
We strive to visit every port in New England. Each one has its own unique personality, but none offers the immersive culinary experience of Marina Bay.
Since our visits were during the cooler off-season, we haven’t yet visited the Alfresco venues – The Water Club and the new Sunset Pier next door. But we’re scheduled to return several times this season, and those two venues will be at the top of the list. Watch for reports in coming posts.
Sounds like Stella should walk the plank…..