The Water Club: Just Average

With my parents in town last week, I decided that we’d experience an extended Restaurant Week menu. My mom and dad have heard about my many meals during various Restaurant Weeks, so I thought it’d be nice for them to try out the infamous three course menu for the first time.

Since we all enjoy seafood, we decided to try The Water Club on 30th and the East River. About half of the establishment is actually on a boat and is seated in the river. My parents actually thought it was a “romantic atmosphere” and my mom encouraged me to find “a nice boy” to take to the restaurant. I also thought the restaurant was trying to create an upscale mood, having an unnecessary bathroom attendent.

When we sat down and opened the menu, I was a little disappointed. NYC Go posts most of the Restaurant Week menus online and unfortunately the crab soup I was looking forward to had been replaced with a tomato soup. I decided to still go with the soup, and while I enjoyed the melted cheese and crouton in the soup, I felt like I was basically eating a jar of heated Prego sauce. My mom went with a salad and my dad decided to go with the calamari salad, which we shared. My dad thought this dish was the highlight of the night, and the calamari went great with these citrus slices in the dish (I have no idea if it was a tangerine or what). During the appetizer course, a waiter walked around with a basket of different breads, taking me back to Harpoon Hannah’s, a favorite restaurant of mine in Ocean City, Maryland, where a “bread lady” offers diners a variety of muffins. The cornbread my dad picked out of the basket was delicious.

For the entrees, my mom and I went with pasta, marinara sauce and shrimp. I thought my dish was okay, but wasn’t worth going back to the restaurant again. My dad went with short ribs because he didn’t want to get the same thing as us, despite his love for seafood, and he wasn’t a fan of the other option which was salmon. He enjoyed his dish, commenting that the meat was tender and flavorful. He also loved the mashed potato side dish, which was mixed with turnips, creating a unique flavor.

For dessert, my mom and I had the Bananas Foster cake, while my dad decided to have creme caramel. While we rushed through dessert because my parents needed to catch a train back to Connecticut, all of us came away with the same thoughts - average and not memorable.

At the end of the day, I’d rather pay for great food than a wonderful atmosphere - and if you feel the same way, The Water Club isn’t really for you. It may be nice to look out onto the water, but I’d prefer to walk away from a restaurant, dreaming about my next visit and what I’m going to order.