MJ’s Raw Bar & Grille – they bill themselves as a “raw bar and seafood restaurant with a hint of ‘Maryland’ seasoning – great burgers, steaks and more”
216 Middle St, New Bern, NC 28560 (252) 635-6890 |
Diann and I dropped in after a long session of boat work We were both too tired to cook that evening. MJ’s is located in the central down town area of New Bern, just up from Capt. Ratty’s which is another restaurant frequented by local retirees and tourists.
Bottled beer was on special that night. Four were just $7.80.
The Teriyaki Tuna, that I chose, had Wasabi pea encrusted asparagus as a side item The rice was infused with pickled ginger. Honestly, the rice was the best part. Overcooked, the tuna was dry in spite of a generous serving of sauce. The asparagus were large and so not tender like steamed slender spears. My suggestion to our server was that they do a butter and Wasabi sauce over steamed asparagus for future such specials.
Diann’s fish was stuffed with crab. The crab was mixed with a New Orleans Remoulade sauce. Perhaps we’re picky. But Diann just scraped out the crab. I ate the crab as a side to my tuna. The crab would have been wonderful had it omitted the New Orleans’s theme for an otherwise plain dish. Fresh dill and a modest bit of butter would have been a better choice.
The location of the restaurant is excellent as it is convenient to the waterfront. Staff have been very friendly both times we have been to the restaurant. We’ll go back again when in New Bern.
Sandwiches and or salads will be our next sampling. Based on the menu and our past experiences, we think the salad and sandwich option will be the better value.