Bites Nearby: Blue Water Tavern Provides Good Food in Relaxed Atmosphere

Overview:

is a fun, contemporary restaurant located in Pine Township along Perry Highway at the end of the Pine Tree Shoppes shopping center. An added bonus for the summer is its lovely outdoor patio seating.

Quick note – as we read the menu during our recent visit, I noticed some listings marked with “NPL.” When I asked our server what that meant, he told me the restaurant was just bought by North Park Lounge and the menu had been revamped. He was unsure what else would change, but you may want to make a note that other changes might be in store for the restaurant.

The drinks:

The NPL is known for its full-bar menu, and Blue Water Tavern is no exception. There is a wide variety of drinks and the usual iced tea, soft drinks and coffee selections.

Appetizers:

We didn’t order appetizers but were impressed when a huge, and I mean huge, plate of nachos arrived at a nearby table. The garlic rolls, which were $5.29 for a dozen, looked and smelled delicious. The menu also included wings priced at 20 for $16.99, stuffed pretzel for $4.99 and other choices.

Entrees:

NPL is well-known for its generous portions, and that was the case Friday night. I had a Black and Blue Burger, a hamburger with blue cheese and caramelized onions. It was OK, not great. The server brought the missing onions and the burger was cooked more to well done than medium, as I'd requested. My daughter loved her crab cakes, and she is pretty hard to please. Her boyfriend felt the same about his crab cake sandwich.

My husband had a huge serving of Cajun pasta -- penne with chicken, sausage, tomatoes, peppers and garlic, which looked and smelled amazing. He also got three of those delicious-smelling garlic rolls. If you have read some of my other reviews, you've learned that my 6-feet-4, 210-pound husband can eat an incredible amount. He completely enjoyed his dish and rolls. Darn him, he left no leftovers to sneak later in the night.

Other entrees include a variety of chicken, pasta and salad choices.

Prices range from $8.99 for my burger, $12.99 for the Cajun pasta, $15.99 for a lobster roll, crab cake dinner for $15.99, crab cake sandwich for $9.99, and $7.99 to $11.49 for sandwiches and salads.

We paid extra for sweet potato fries – well worth the 99 cents extra.

Desserts:

We were just too full, but the restaurant has a full dessert menu including various pies for $5, a burnt-almond tart for $7 and a good old-fashioned root beer float for $5.

Services:

We had a sweetheart of a waiter who couldn’t be more eager to please. He told us he is headed off to college in a few weeks, and we wish him well. The hostess was also pleasant, with a big smile on her face.

Overall thoughts:

Blue Water Tavern was a great place for a nice, relaxing Friday evening dinner. Everyone enjoyed their food, but I will be anxious to see what changes may be made under new ownership.

Hours: noon to 9 p.m. Sunday; 11 a.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Address: 12087 Perry Highway, Wexford

Website: www.eatbluewater.com 

Phone: 724-934-2110.