The line was out the door at M&R Seafood Market & Takeout late in the afternoon on a recent weekday.
This bare-bones shop is small, and the number of customers inside was limited to five at a time due to the COVID-19 situation. But as soon as one person placed an order at the counter and exited to wait outside, another one entered as even more people queued up in front of the blue-and-white building.
All those eager diners must have known what I was about to find out: If you like fried seafood, this is a good spot to grab a fairly quick, well-prepared bite. Just don’t expect any frills.
A hand-lettered sign on the door read “No Fish,” and cases where one might have expected to see fresh seafood were bare. But the takeout business was brisk when my husband, Jay, and I walked into the shop.
After perusing the simple menu board on the wall and waiting a few minutes for my turn, I shouted my order to the man behind the counter so he could hear me over the air conditioning. Jay and I then went back to our car to wait for about 20 minutes without withering in the heat before our order was ready to take home.
The large combo ($21.99) turned out to be perfect for us to share, with both of us feeling plenty full afterward. It included two crab cakes, four oysters, four shrimp, two whiting filets, four scallops and two hush puppies — all fried.
The oysters were plump and appropriately salty. The shrimp were large and slightly sweet, as were the scallops, which were perfectly cooked and delicate, not rubbery. The fish filets were flaky and tender. Biting into the crunchy exterior of the hush puppies exposed a luscious, soft interior.
All the seafood items, as well as the hush puppies, were an enticing golden color, except for the crab cakes. My worry that their dark brown hue meant the cakes were burned, however, turned out to be unfounded. The moist, slightly spicy cakes went down easy.
On top of all that, we were able to pick two sides from among several choices; we went with baked beans and French fries. The beans were a well-balanced combination of smoky, sweet and spicy, while the crinkle-cut fries were crisp.
I wouldn’t mind waiting in line again at M&R for another combo, or perhaps to try catfish or croaker or crabmeat egg roll.
Sonja Barisic, snbarisic@gmail.com
Restaurant details
THE SPOT
M&R Seafood Market & Takeout, 808 W. Constance Road, Suffolk
THE VIBE
Bare-bones seafood takeout joint
TO TRY
Shrimp, scallops, oysters, hush puppies
IF YOU GO
Note: The COVID-19 situation could affect operating hours. Please check for updates.
Hours: Noon-6 p.m. Monday through Saturday; closed Sunday.
Cost: Appetizers $1.50-$7.99, dinner $8.49-$13.99, combination dishes $10.99-$21.99, sides $0.99-$2.49.
Child friendly? Yes
More info: 757-925-0067
