Let's Eat

Phillips offers classic seafood with a view

By CARL PRICE
Staff Writer
Feb. 14, 2007

Phillips Seafood has been known for great seafood – especially crabs – for half a century. Its classic crab cakes and fresh catch of the day can now be found in Atlantic City at the Pier at Caesars.

Brice and Shirley Phillips started Phillips Seafood Restaurants in 1956 with a four-seat crab stand in Ocean City, Md. On its 50th anniversary, Phillips Seafood Restaurants is among the largest-grossing family restaurant groups in the country, and Phillips Foods has become the world`s largest processor of blue swimming-crab meat.

Phillips Seafood in Atlantic City opened in October 2006, the eighth restaurant in the Phillips family. The Pier location premiered its new design and culinary outlook for the future.  Developed with concept visionary Robbin Haas, the new location builds from the authentic tradition of Phillips Seafood while providing an upscale, interactive dining experience.

Guests of Phillips can enjoy the famous chopped salad prepared and served tableside, and the kitchen is open so diners can see their food being prepared.

“Our customers can see behind the line, and it becomes a real event to watch the chefs working in the kitchen,” said manager Joe Whelan.

Phillips also features a rolling oyster cart on the weekends just outside the restaurant that sells freshly shucked oysters for $1 each.

Double-decker lobster tanks stocked with 3- to 10-pound lobsters also entertain guests.

Chef Paul Drew, formerly of the Sands casino, has a lot of culinary material to work with.

According to Whelan, Drew buys most of his fish locally, but also has the huge parent company as a source for fresh fish.

For example, for the famous Roasted Barramundi, Drew has the Australian fish delivered fresh from the main plant.

“We buy as much of our fish locally as possible. We want our guests to have the very best,” said Whelan.

Phillips offers a lunch and dinner menu along with daily specials and a wine list of close to 150 wines available by the glass or bottle.

One of the advantages of being located on a real pier is sweeping views of the beach and the mighty Atlantic Ocean.

Whelan said customers can valet park at Caesars and ask for validation from Phillips servers. The casino is connected to the pier by a skywalk across the Boardwalk.

“Patrons never have to step outside in bad weather to get to Phillips,” Whelan said.

Customer Favorites 

Phillips Famous Crab Cake Sandwich ($15.99) Made from Shirley Phillips’ original crab cake recipe, developed almost 50 years ago. Sweet jumbo lump and special crabmeat with a secret blend of seasonings for a true taste of Chesapeake Bay-style seafood
Rainbow Trout Amandine ($19.99) Fresh fillet broiled in lemon butter and seafood seasoning, topped with toasted almonds
Crispy Coconut Shrimp ($8.99) Shrimp dipped in creamy Coco Lopez cream of coconut and rolled in a crispy coating of fresh breadcrumbs and coconut flakes.
Iced Little Neck Clams on the Half Shell ($8.99) Freshly shucked, with cocktail sauce and lemon
Phillips Chopped Salad ($7.99) Prepared French style and served tableside
Crispy Shrimp and Greens ($13.99) Fried shrimp tossed in a spicy pepper glaze over greens with dried raisins, gorgonzola and pecans
Roasted Barramundi ($25.99) A delicacy from Down Under
Grilled Mahi Mahi ($18.99) With Thai green curry and coconut rice
Stuffed Flounder ($24.99) The house delicacy, stuffed with its special crab imperial
Baked Clams Casino ($9.99) Buttery bread crumbs, crispy bacon and a squeeze of lemon

If You Go

Phillips Seafood
The Pier at Caesars
2100 Pacific Ave. and the Boardwalk, Atlantic City
(609) 348-2273
Lunch served 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Dinner served 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.; 11 p.m. on weekends
Reservations and credit cards accepted

Tips and Tidbits

Phillips has a children’s menu and is family friendly.
Special menus are planned for certain holidays.
Ask about how to save money with the Friends of Phillips frequent diners card. Reservations are recommended on weekends and holidays.
Sunset happy hour is every 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday at the bar only. It includes 50-cent oysters, $1 shrimp, $4 calamari, and clams casino and drink specials.