Dining Out

Mary Furr

Zubie’s Dry Dock, Adams Avenue and Magnolia Street, is organized chaos

with something for everyone. It’s a casual T-shirt and shorts place where

diners can sit on telephone-pole stools at the oyster bar or continue

just beyond to place an order at the grill for the freshest seafood in

town.

Find a seat at the red checkered picnic tables while the kids head for

the 10-foot high aquarium that divides the bar from the large dining

room.

The oyster bar is where we ordered the great Mexican shrimp cocktail

($6.95) that’s served in a tomato marinade with bits of tomato, onion and

cilantro with nine fat shrimp. They’re the biggest and best I’ve had in

decades -- so fresh you almost smell the ocean.

It was a strange, almost pick-me-up meal when we added a platter of

beer battered onion rings ($3.50) to crunch along with the shrimp. The

more traditional shrimp cocktail ($5.95) served in a sherbet glass has

nine of those great shrimp hanging over the edge with a thick, slightly

spicy sauce. Servings are generous here and you could have these

cocktails as a lunch or to share with a friend.

Shrimp Scampi ($6.95) was not what we expected. At Zubie’s nine

excellent shrimp top a disappointing dish of pasta in a garlic butter

sauce so mild you could barely taste the garlic. We compromised by

dipping the shrimp in the cocktail sauce and bypassing the pasta.

Zubie’s is not just seafood. We ordered from the grill a thin crust,

rolled edge, 12 slice pizza with nine toppings ($9.95). The cook said we

could choose any or get them all -- salami, onions, peppers, olives,

mushrooms, ham, pineapple, cheese, Italian sausage. This is a perfect

place to bring hungry little leaguers after a game.

Tacos ($4.25) are also popular choices according to bartender Joy

Whitlock -- there are fajitas, fish, calamari and shrimp ones available.

Zubie’s, was opened in 1992 by owners Brenda and John Zubietta and is

presently managed by Miguel Guerrez. It’s filled with regulars who know

what they want, usually order quickly and find a favorite seat to watch

one of the TVs. It has the busy ambience and friendly feel of the family

kitchen.

* MARY FURR is the Independent restaurant critic. If you have comments

or suggestions for her, call (562) 493-5062.

Zubie’s Dry Dock

Where: 9059 Adams Ave. at Magnolia Street

Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Sunday

Misc.: Cash only, ATM on premises