CAPT. KAT'S LOBSTER SHACK

“We just know that everyone’s got a story and you never know what someone might be going through so if we can put a smile on someone’s face, make them laugh or make their day a little bit better then that’s what we’re going to do and we’ve accomplished our goal”.

 

That’s exactly what owner, Della, told us when we asked (as we so often do to business owners) what her goal or vision for her business is.  And, the second you walk into Capt. Kat’s, you know that statement is true.  It’s not just something they say, it’s something they live by.

THE STORY: In memory of the Captain and his crew.

You can tell there’s something different about this place… it holds meaning to the owners and those who work there. It’s not “just a job” to them and that is clear even before you hear the story the story behind Capt. Kat’s and tragedy that lead to this group of humans coming together to do something meaningful.

 

The eatery is named in honour of Della’s son, Katlin, and his crew following the February 17th, 2013 tragedy that claimed their boat, the Miss Ally, and her entire crew leaving the small community of Barrington shocked and devastated.  You can read about Captain Katlin and his crew here.

THE ATMOSPHERE: Just love…

You’re at ease the moment you walk through the door at Capt. Kat’s with it’s casual atmosphere and charming decor.  The space is bright, inviting and tastefully decorated with touches of Katlin and his crew throughout – it’s perfect!

 

The staff are welcoming and friendly, quickly ushering you to your seat and presenting you with a menu…THE MENU!  Oh my, oh my I think we’ve died and gone to heaven.  Lobster everything.  It’s fitting since Barrington is, after all, the lobster Capital of Canada and if you’re a seafood lover you’ve come to the right place.

 

This isn’t your average lobster shack.

THE FOOD: Let there be Lobster…and cake!

When we visit restaurants for this blog, we always let the owners or chef choose our meals for us.  We think it’s important to try new things and we figure, if the chef and/or owner recommends it, it’s got to be great.  We did, however, fail to present them with guidelines as to how much food we could actually consume.  ROOKIE mistake.

 

1st COURSE: LOBSTER CHOWDER

They had me at chowder!  Lobster chowder.  Exactly how I love it.  It was creamy, buttery, and FULL of so much lobster you could hardly get your spoon in the mug (which was awesome by the way) served with a buttery, flaky biscuit and butter.  End of subject.

2nd COURSE: LOBSTER STUFFED MUSHROOM CAPS

It’s hard to tell there are even mushrooms present because it’s pilled so high with the creamy sauce, cheese, and… you guessed it, more lobster but this dish was amazing!  It’s wasn’t even on the menu yet and they asked us if we would “try it out and give our honest opinion” as to whether or not it should find a place on the menu.

 

Let’s be serious for second.  It’s mushrooms, lobster, creamed lobster, cheese, and more lobster.  Should it be on the menu?  What the heck kind of question is that?!?  YES. YES. YES!!!!!!!! Put it on the menu immediately!

3rd & 4th COURSE: LOBSTER ROLLS

Admittedly, I had never had a lobster roll before in my entire life.  I know what you’re thinking…”But Sara, you said you love lobster!”.  Even Brent was surprised by this confession as we sat at the table.  They just never really appealed to me so I would have never ordered this off the menu.

 

We had the cold lobster roll AND the creamed (hot) lobster roll with their corresponding sides.  Let’s just say, this won’t be my last encounter but I fear that Capt. Kat’s may have ruined me because if I venture to try another lobster roll and it’s not as good as this one (which is hard to even imagine), I’ll be heart broken and perhaps forced to move to Barrington!

5th COURSE: MRS SWAINE’S GUINNESS CAKE

I almost lost Brent to Mrs. Swain over this one!  He doesn’t often do desserts but when he finds one he loves (which is rare by the way), watch out.  He ADORED this cake and promptly went on a mission to find Mrs. Swaine and ask for her hand (instead of mine) in marriage.  Lucky for me, he couldn’t get ahold of her 😉

Do you love lobster?  What’s your favorite lobster dish?  For all of our travel foodies out there, this trip is worth your time.  While Barrington might not have been on your road trip list before, it should be now.  Take a trip down the south shore of Nova Scotia, visit the killer beaches (they’re seriously amazing there) and stop in at Capt. Kat’s.

 

Dashboard Living was welcomed to this restaurant as a guest, however our opinions were in no way required to be positive and are, as always, our own.