Surfer’s family still serving up seafood

DINING OUT

Little did Jack Haley Sr. know, just out of college and teaching

elementary school, that he would one day become a legend of sorts

around Sunset Beach.

But the surfer and shaper saved his money and in 1965 bought the

old Canal Club restaurant on Pacific Coast Highway and renamed it

Captain Jack’s.

The low-ceiling restaurant, with windows facing the canal, feels

like the cabin of a ship. Booths surround tables with candles in the

dimly lighted dining room.

The menu features seafood -- crab legs are their specialty -- as

well as chops, steaks and prime rib.

While waiting for an entree, which may take some time, order an

appetizer -- they’re excellent here. One to share is the big

artichoke ($7.95). It’s shiny with olive oil seasoning poured into

the center of the leaves and served hot with butter and a tasty

mayonnaise dip. Another appetizer built for two is sauteed mushrooms

served in a hot skillet ($6.95), served in a butter sherry sauce you

will want to sop up with the thick slices of sourdough or dark warm

pumpernickel they serve.

Entrees are served with a very generous salad of crisp greens,

carrot slivers, mushroom and red cabbage. A hint: The blue cheese

dressing is the best, thick and lumpy with pungent bits of cheese.

For seafood, who can pass up the crab legs ($44.95). It is a

serving large enough for two, but too tasty to share -- a specialty

of Chef Roland Garcia. Don’t be intimidated by the spiny pink

pincher, server Brandon Sanchez will assist in cracking the legs and

extracting the sweet succulent meat.

But man does not live in seafood alone. We also ordered the top

sirloin ($19.95) that was nearly two inches thick and could have

passed for a mini roast. The tender sirloin, supplied by the Newport

Meat Co., is beautifully grilled, mildly seasoned and served with

rice.

The rack of lamb ($24.95) is something I hadn’t tried at Captain

Jack’s before and these were perfection -- eight tender chops, crusty

around the slender bones. The plate also had a huge potato ($2.95)

with sour cream, butter and chives.

Dessert proved a difficult choice, which I narrowed down to a big

slice of chocolate amaretto mousse cake ($5.95) with a layer of

bitter chocolate mousse, a layer of thick cream on a chocolate cookie

crust.

Captain Jack’s, managed by Jack’s son Tim Haley and his assistant

of 15 years, Carol Elser, is run with chummy warmth. Elser recalls

the night Madonna was there, as well as other celebrities such as

Carmen Electra and Laura and Barbara Bush.

Every year on Thanksgiving Jack Sr., who passed away three years

ago, would close the restaurant and take the staff out a short

holiday to Vegas, Palm Spring or Mexico. Tim Haley continues his

father’s tradition, which gives the place that hometown feel.

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

comments or suggestions, call (562) 493-5062 or e-mail

hbindy@latimes.com