Dining at Pier 54 (aka Moby Dick)

DINING on seafood in a restaurant filled with pictures and carvings of fish, marine life and ship paraphernalia is one experience you can get at Moby Dick. It makes you almost imagine the salty breeze from the ocean blowing through if you open the windows, except that Moby Dick is not on the beach but at the heart of Garapan.
The place is a seafood lover’s haven. An aquarium filled with live lobster sits near the entrance of the restaurant. Carvings of shrimp and fish adorn the walls, along with charts and posters of marine life. Ropes and fishing rods hang on the walls along with old fashioned lanterns.
I had lunch at this restaurant three years ago and only got the chance to come back on Saturday night. Almost all tables were filled when we came in. A food staffer directed us to a table for two and handed us laminated menus. I was tempted to order steak but decided to try the Fish Steak of the Day instead. My friend chose calamari from the appetizer list. The calamari — breaded crispy deep fried with hot chili sauce — was served first. My fish steak arrived a few minutes later — grilled mahi-mahi on a bed of lettuce and served with finadeni, vegetables and baked potatoes.
Moby Dick has been serving locals and tourists for almost two decades now. Check out the special course menu for a taste of Moby Dick combo: Islander Special which is roast lobster, grilled prawns, sautéed scallops, and more; Captain Ahab plate which is steamed or grilled Maine lobster with three kinds of sauces; and fisherman’s platter for two among other choices. Just add $5 to get a set dinner with soup and salad.
You should also try Moby Dick’s lobster special. For $39 you can get lobster island style, or fresh juicy lobster steamed or roasted, with tartar sauce and soy vinegar sauce, or the Lobster Batino which is Moby Dick’s original dish with lemon butter and finadeni sauce.
Moby Dick is also famous for its sirloin and tenderloin steak —hand-cut tender juicy certified Angus served on sizzling steak plates. Combination plates of steak and seafood is available.
The appetizer menu includes smoked salmon, dice fried fish, baked shrimp, steamed mussel, shrimp cocktail, snow crab and marinated seafood cold platter. Also check out the variety of soups and salads available each day. Try the pasta menu which includes all time favorites like spaghetti seafood carbonara, spaghetti confrutta di mare, lasagna and more.
Moby Dick exudes an informal dining ambiance which makes it a comfortable hangout for anyone who wants to spend a leisurely meal or drink with friends and family.
Check out the wine menu at Moby Dick for the finest selections of champagne, wines, whiskey and brandy, shooters and cocktails, Japanese beverages, and local or imported beer. You can have dinner or drinks at the tables on the balcony if you want.
Moby Dick can accommodate up to 50 guests and is open from 11a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch, and from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. for dinner every day. Major credit cards are accepted. Moby Dick is located across from its sister restaurant — Country House — in Garapan. For inquiries or reservations, call 233-1910.
First published at the Marianas Variety