Seabras's Marisqueria | Newark, NJ

Snails at Seabras

Fisherman's Seafood Stew at Seabras

Bacalau at Seabras

Cockles & Fried Sticklebacks at Seabras

Marisqueria.  Feminine noun.  It means a “shellfish bar”.
 
This will be an unabashed ode to wonderful seafood.  I will wax poetic.  I will probably drone on, and I will smile.  I am smiling now, remembering this meal.  I found this place by asking the hotel front desk clerk where was a good place to eat.  He asked, do you like Portuguese food?  I THOUGHT I knew that food, but was proven to be so wrong.  This was not Portuguese bean soup and sweet bread.  He named this location, and the next day when I thanked him, he said it was his favorite, and his sister always requested it for special occasions.  He is not Portuguese.

First of all, it was in another part of the state, @40 minute ride from the hotel in Wayne, NJ.  Way back in Newark, closer to the airport.  But I am so glad I made the effort.  This restaurant is owned by a family who owns a market across the street, a seafood market.  They also have a wholesale seafood distribution company.  Need I say more?

The area is known as Portuguese Town.  Many shops catering to the community, not to tourists and not to trends.  I am sure there are boutique hotels in the area, and if I ever have reason to be in NJ again, I will stay at one, walk the area, and eat here again!  Called to make a reservation, told don’t need to. If you come in and there is seating, you sit and eat.  If there is no seating, you wait.  It’s that funny.  When you enter, there is a walkway.  First on left is a lively bar, but not a noisy-raucous bar.  Just well lit with good conversations going on.  Then you pass the “kitchen” (with two cooks).  It is a display type, with seafood arrayed in front so you can see how fresh it is.  There were whole fish, lobsters, prawns, clams, mussels, eels.  The prep kitchen is behind this (with one prep cook), and the dishwashing area behind that (with one dishwasher).  That’s it, no multitude of cooks/chefs, etc. like at todays café/bistro/kitchen concepts.  Then you enter the dining room.  All tile, with white and blue, and a nautical theme.  Well I guess, seafood.

Everyone else in dining room had huge platters of food in front of them.  I should have recognized this as a theme.  It seems every dish you order can feed the whole table.  I saw no table finish there food, EVERY table had take out after.  I hardly recognized any items on the menu, so ordered everything.

Cockles-These are a clam, but tastier than the frozen ones at home.  Cooked liked steamed clams, with olive oil-parsley-lemon juice.
Snicklebacks-Like fried sardines-or smelt, but fatter.  Not fatty, but bigger bodied, so more seafood flavor.
Bacalau-Previously dried cod, rehydrated and served with onions-eggs-garbanzos-potatoes-and broccoli.  Seasoned only with the salt left over in the dried cod.  You use their olive oil liberally to flavor this dish.  This dish was the most expensive ordered, at $32, and could easily have fed four+ people.

Snails-SNAILS?  Not escargot, but snails.  In a broth.  This was so good ate very single one.  They give you a toothpick to prick them out, but not needed.  SUCK the little guys out.  You want the liquid that is in the shell with them.  That broth, mushroomy flavor, like eating a truffle broth.

Fisherman’s Seafood Stew-HUGE, could have fed six!  Served on a platter @29” oval, and was actually only $27.  Broth was made with fish fins and tail which were served.  Base had tomato, onion, bell peppers, and obviously simmered for hours.  Then the clams, mussels, shrimp, and FOUR kinds of fish were added.  Hard to decide which was best part of meal, this or the snails. 
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Easily the best meal of the trip.  You should see the smile on my face.  ASK someone from the place you are at where THEY like to eat (not a social media wannabe)!