By Bernie Whitmore

We pulled into TJ’s Seafood parking lot on a bleak evening at the end of July so wet and dark the prospect of deliverance had grown dimmer each drizzly day. A year in New England with no redeeming summer caused my mood to grow darker by the hour. Could a meal at TJ’s send a ray or two of relief?

The restaurant is located on Auburn’s commercial “strip” and shares parking with one of those sprawling chain motels that seem particularly fond of Auburn. After taking just a step into TJ’s dining room, a couple impressions formed: someone really likes nautical knickknacks and big-screen TVs. Hmmm… evidence of personality ~ definitely a good start!

My dark mood continued improving as soon as we were seated. Thick curtains shielded the dismal outdoors and huge TVs were tuned to Nascar, Red Sox and the Michael Jackson death saga. While none of this necessarily signals “quality meal ahead,” it certainly provided a welcome distraction.

Emerging from my funk, I began to scan TJ’s menu. Appetizer-wise, they do a great job covering all the sports pub favorites: Chicken Fingers, Buffalo Wings, Potato Skins and Mozzarella Sticks, generally in the six dollar range. Garden and Caesar salads were available in eight different chicken/fish/meat configurations. What really piqued my interest, though, was the core of the entrée menu ~ grilled, baked or broiled seafood. I was getting the impression that TJ’s might not be one of those freezer-to-deep-fryer operations.

And I was correct: they offered both steamed shellfish appetizers and raw bar selections. A kitchen has to be serious about quality and freshness to offer any of this ~ unless they’ve found scary corners to be cut. We decided to put TJ’s to the acid test immediately and ordered a plate of cherry stone clams. Within minutes, George, our waiter, came back with our plate of “cherries” served with generous portions of horseradish and cocktail sauce.

Visually, the cherry stones were spot-on. Their juice was crystal-clear and the shells were nestled in chopped ice. They tasted even better ~ perfectly fresh and expertly prepared. My friend thought they were on the small side, but this is just how I prefer them, no distracting flavors ~ pure essence of the sea. The zesty cocktail sauce was delightfully bright and chunky-fresh – I didn’t let any go to waste.

My friend had decided to order the Shore Special. For just under $20 it included a side-salad, cup of chowder, pound of steamers and a one-pound lobster. George cleared the cherry stone shells and got things started with Caesar salad. TJ’s dressing had all the right flavor nuances ~ lemon, mustard and garlic. It coated the torn romaine leaves just like home-made (though George admitted it was purchased). The deep-green leaves were topped with a toss of croutons and plenty of grated Romano cheese.

The cup of chowder contained plenty of potato chunks and the spoonful I managed to snag had plenty of creamy texture and traditional flavor.

Next came the main event, a particularly photogenic deep-red lobster piled up with steamers. The steamers were consistently sized and sand-free, sweet and with no empty or closed shells. The lobster’s shell was soft and easy to penetrate. I didn’t get a sample but was assured that it was moist and delicious.

On the chance that this might be all of Summer ’09 we get to experience, I ordered Fried Clams (a July tradition that’s one of my earliest memories). TJ’s clams ~ with bellies, of course ~ were amazingly non-greasy. Their coating was a bit crumbly and very tasty while not intruding on the delicate flavor of the clams. They were tumbled over a pile of tasty French fries.

On all scores, TJ’s Seafood passed our tests for freshness, quality and skillful preparation. George’s expert service helped make the meal even more enjoyable. There’s nothing fussy about TJ’s, it’s an informal place a bit on the loud side that’s not afraid of flavor and fun.

TJ’s Seafood Bar and Grille
452 Southbridge Street, Auburn
(508) 407-8380