There is a new restaurant in Vineyard Haven that I’ve been wanting to try and this week my wants became reality.  The Blue Canoe Grill is located on Beach Road in Vineyard Haven in the space formally inhabited by Mediterranean Restaurant which now occupies the space where Lola’s was in Oak Bluffs.  Stick with me dear reader, I promise I’ll bring it back to the Blue Canoe.

One of the few restaurants in Vineyard Haven with a water view, Blue Canoe sits right on the harbor with its own private beach that patrons can take advantage of before eating.  Two floors with a porch a piece gives ample room for Harbor Views from your table.  I was lucky enough to get there in time to get a table on the first floor porch overlooking the most amazing boats that had come into port for the night.  With the sun setting and the whispering of waves lulling me into a tranquil state I nearly forgot that I was going to be able to add dinner to the view.

My table companions were excited at the thought of being able to help me with their opinions regarding the dishes and I was pleased to be able to write about more than my dinner.  We began with the “huge shrimp cocktail” and that is a literal quote from the menu.  Our order arrived and the menu was not bluffing, these creatures of the sea were HUGE.  I was a little intimidated on how to politely tackle something of that magnitude but after looking to my left and right to see how my table was handling this I saw that my partners in crime simply dunked the shrimp with one hand and took large bites until the only thing remaining was the tail shell.  Delicious!  While the portion was two apiece I decided to pass on my second in fear that I would become too full.

For the main course my friend on the left ordered the lobster roll, my friend on the right ordered the mussels in a curry broth and for my self I ordered the grilled chicken breast sandwich.  The lobster roll was full of lobster meat, so full of lobster meat that the top portion of the bun was removed in order to fit the sandwich into left friends mouth.  He was very pleased with the amount of lobster and must have enjoyed it because I only saw it for a second before he was was wiping his mouth and moving on to the fries.  Personally I think he did it so I couldn’t sample it for myself.

The curry broth mussels were plentiful and spicy with a nice aftertaste.  Being such a delicate creature I was only able to handle one but my heartier left and right friends were able to finish the whole order while I drank their waters for relief.  My grilled chicken breast sandwich had a garlic ranch sauce on top that was a perfect topping for the bacon and cheese and unique enough to make me wonder if I could duplicate the sauce at home for future use.

The handcut fries were delicious, and you know what a tough critic I am of my favorite carb.  Perfectly fried with a generous portion on each plate.  The night couldn’t have gone better. Sunsets, harbors and French fries, does a girl need anything else?

The Blue Canoe Grill is located at 52 Beach Road, Vineyard Haven, 508-693-3332