Address: 宮城県塩竈市港町１−４−１マリンゲート塩釜２F. About an 8-minute walk from Hon-Shiogama JR Station.
Map: Scroll down to the bottom.
Open Tuesday thru Sunday from 11 am – 10:30 pm. Closed Mondays.
Lunch is 11 am – 4 pm.
A great lunch! Stuffed to the gills, which is appropriate since I was at the marina … Blair Marina, that is! This was my first time dining at this establishment and thanks to my friend, Tony, who reserved our table for our company lunch (and Julian, who paid for it!).
My initial impression was a mix of sorrow and joy. As we drove into the parking lot of the Shiogama Marine Gate, images of last year’s tsunami flashed through my head. I remembered last April seeing fishing boats that had been dumped in this parking lot and across the road, where boats had no business being, by the hellish tsunami. I remembered the collapsed houses nearby and the cars piled upon each other along this very street.
Now, the tremendous effort to rebuild is clearly evident, offering a tranquil and touching temperament. There are a few reminders of the devastation that was caused just a year ago to this port. And because there are still reminders, it’s lamentable, but because this area has fought on, it’s awe-inspiring.
And Blair Marina is one of this area’s success stories!
But on to the food! The lunch set menu consisted of four different pasta options (980 円 to 1380 円), two different pizza options (1150 円), and a meat or fish option (1200 円). Each set came with salad, bread, and a drink. I opted for the meat selection which was chicken sautéed in mustard sauce, but for the record here are the pasta choices that were offered: A) Chicken and cabbage in tomato sauce, B) Shrimp with a leafy vegetable in a garlic sauce, C) Mozzarella and mini tomato in a basil sauce, D) Scallops and からすみ in cream sauce.
When the pasta was served the waitress asked everyone if they would like their dishes topped off with fresh, grated parmesan cheese. I feel that offering freshly grated cheese or ground black pepper from a pepper mill adds a subtle sophistication to the dining experience.
Personally, I was not impressed with the salad, thinking that the dressing was not very exciting plus it was topped with wakame (seafood is a no-no with me), but I lunched with seven other people in my group and they all agreed that the salad was good. It must be the picky eater in me.
The three fresh bread rolls (tomato, sesame seed, and walnut) also didn’t have much flavor in my opinion, but again, maybe it was just me and my pickiness.
Oh! But the chicken and mustard sauce! Wow! That more than made up for any misgivings I had! The dish came with a variety of veggies: sweet potato, eggplant, bell peppers, and beets. I don’t like eggplant or beets but the mouthwatering mustard sauce made these objectionable objects manageable.
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| Chicken with Mustard Sauce |
Our group also ordered a Margherita pizza and a Prosciutto pizza (mozzerlla, ham, and mushroom). The thin-crusted Margherita was quite nice, but I didn’t care for the Prosciutto (too salty and just didn’t agree with my palate). Again, apparently it was my pickiness as everyone else in my group raved about it.
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| Margherita Pizza |
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| Prosciutto Pizza |
My friend, Helen, who had ordered the fish said that it was a bit too oily yet still very delicious.
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| The oily but delicious fish |
And the view! Don't forget to request a window table, although most of the tables will provide a scenic view of the Shiogama port and the train that passes periodically.
There is a free parking area, but who knows how quickly this will fill up on a busy weekend. The Blair Marina restaurant is rather spacious yet was a bit crowded when we waltzed in at 11:50 am on a Thursday afternoon. But when we exited about an hour or so later there were around fifteen or so people waiting to get in. And this was a weekday!
Oh, and there are other locations (yet untested). Check their website for Blair House (next to Mitsukoshi Department Store near Kotodai-koen) and Blair Garden in Izumi.
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| One pasta dish ... |
If you happen to try these restaurants, please let me know what you think. As for Blair Marina, I highly recommend it!!!
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| And another ... |
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| And another. |
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