Starting as a modest fishmongery in Cambridge, Legal Sea Foods has grown to be a national force and international sensation. Catering inaugurations and special events from Boston to Bethesda and far beyond, the family-run fishery has brought innovation to the restaurant industry for over 100 years.
While they are known for their progressive ideas in preparation, service, and flavor, the folks at LSF are never satisfied to drop their nets and wait. Among the most recent revelations of this eagerness to explore are the growing group of concept spaces known as Legal C Bar.
From the bustling terminals of Logan Airport to the tony suburbs of Hingham to the matched shopping meccas in Dedham and Lynnfield, this comfortably contemporary cuisinery combines classic “C” food like clams, cod, and calamari with custom cocktails and other “C” worthy creations, some of which you have to “C” to believe!
With their open floor plans, exposed piping, open ktichens, expansive windows, ruggedly rustic wood tables, cozy leather banquettes and cool steel accents, the C Bars are a feast for the eyes as well as the palate. The lit-up wine racks and washbucket lighting fixtures offer illumination and intrigue, just like the menu.
From the opening salvo of LSF’s famed freshly-baked rolls with homemade hummus (or, upon a recommended request, cocktail sauce), it quickly becomes clear that the C Bar is a new take on an old favorite. Among the savory stars of the deliciously diverse “small plates” menu (using the term loosely, as each portion is imminently sharable) are the sweet, tangy and surprisingly flavorful “bang bang” cauliflower, the white clam pizza, the lightly-spiced and finger-friendly firm fried pickles, the remoulade-topped crab cocktail and Legal’s signature crab cake. Amidst the chowder and salad set are LSF’s award-winning clam, lite clam and fish chowders, lobster bisque and a pick of produce that ranges from an Iceberg wedge to a chopped Greek salad and a red salad that earns its name from a creative combo of radicchio, candied pecans, and dried cherries. In addition to their worth-the-trip selection of “Legal” lobsters (available in weights ranging from 1.25-2.5 pounds and in preparations including baked stuffed and wrapped with avocado and chipotle mayo in grilled flatbread) and the ever-popular raw bar featuring oysters, clams, and steamers by the shuck or the bucketful (as well as a luscious tuna sashimi that rivals most sushi spots), the main courses include a hunk of hoisin-glazed Faroe Island salmon, a smoky, sweet, and succulent mahi mahi agrodolce with roasted root veggie faro salad and sautéed kale, lobster ravioli and a surprisingly authentic fried chicken. For the somewhat less adventurous, there are also such Legal standbys as the classic Boston scrod and the fisherman’s platter, piled high with shrimp, scallops, calamari, clams and scrod. There are also the grilled versions of swordfish, trout, tuna, shrimp, etc., that can be combined with any of the C Bar’s savory sides (e.g., mashed sweet potatoes, seaweed salad, garlic spinach, romano roasted potatoes or bacon-braised brussels sprouts) and spiced up with either Cajun or Asian flavors. For those who may want a smaller serving, the sandwich board includes a grilled salmon Reuben, a freshly-ground tuna burger, Baja fish tacos, a Niman ranch burger and a surf and turf version that includes lobster and guac.
No matter what you order, the C Bar also lives up to its name with a wide array of beverages that range from signature sangrias in multiple hues and flavors to their famed Bloody Mary, the Boston Tea Party, a pomegranate lemon drop and a complete menu of sours and highballs, as well as beers from Boston and far beyond and detailed and descriptive wine list that is arranged by flavor and body to help ensure you get just what you want every time you visit. As with all Legals, food is served when ready, so everything comes out of the kitchen nearly as fresh as it went in. While this is an expected element of the LSF experience, even the most fervent fans might not be aware that this famed fishery also serves desserts that are worthy of Boston’s best dessert bars! From their signature hand-dipped Ice cream bon bons to a chocolate pudding cake that is almost beyond words, there is plenty on the menu to make sure that the last bite is as delicious and re-visit worthy as the first. And with a full menu of coffees, teas, ports, brandies, Scotches, whiskeys, cordials, bitters and aperitifs, there is also plenty to wash it all down with as well.
Though most of them are set in busy areas, such as shopping centers or even the airport, the C Bar is worthy of being a destination spot that just so happens to have convenient shopping nearby. For those from the area, it is a creative twist on an old friend. For those new to town, it could become a fast favorite. Either way, there is always something new and worthwhile to “C” (and taste) at the C Bar!
Legal C Bar
Boston – Logan Airport Terminal B
1 Harborside Drive
Boston, MA 02128
Dedham – Legacy Place
950 Providence Highway
Dedham, MA 02026
Lynnfield – MarketStreet
220 Market Street
Lynnfield, MA 01940
Hingham – Derby Street Shoppes
96 Derby Street
Hingham, MA 02043