My other posting on Jalapeno's (Mexican) restaurant got me thinking on what an interesting place Gloucester is for dining. There's a lot of neat places in this fishing port. Gloucester is saddled with high unemployment due to fishing industry woes; a big heroin problem; and a Main Street which is 50% vacant. But it's a beautiful area, loaded with good food establishments. It's also a huge city in terms of land mass and I think it's the largest city in Massachusetts (acreage). I've bicycled around it a few times so I can assure you, it's pretty large. For fine dining, the White Rainbow is excellent and very romantic, despite it's below-ground setting. For fried clams on the ocean, the Folly Cove pier restaurant on the Rockport/Gloucester line is terrific--especially at sunset (you can bring your own liquor/wine). Halibut Point has excellent fresh grilled seafood. Passports on Main St. has an interesting international menu. The 2 Main St. bistro is very good, but I think they just moved. Upstairs at the Rhumb Line is a new Italian gourmet restaurant that I hear is excellent (when my friend named Tony says the Italian food is good, I believe him). Then there are the several places on Rocky Neck where you can eat outside...Evie's Rudder, etc. Real funky places. Magnolia is technically part of Gloucester and there you will find Taormina's which has a casual side and a formal dining room. Very impressive. For very casual dining, try Charlie's on the road to Rockport....excellent fresh fish, and low prices. Also not bad, Cameron's downtown and Schooner's downtown. The Gloucester House has the best location in the world but I'm not sure how the food is these days. McT's Lobster House is also on the harbor near the Gloucester House, as is a new steak house which I think is called the Bungalow. John Gallagher
Massachusetts