Latitude 28" 02' - Fabulous Coastal Dining
Monday, September 6, 2010

Roger and I recently made a quick little getaway to one of our favorite “getaway” places on the coast.  Rockport is our fishing haven, although it was way too cold for fishing and this short trip didn’t allow time for serious fishing anyway.  The purpose of the trip was that we were both suffering terribly from oyster deprivation.  Now, certainly you can get oysters in the Hill Country, but not oysters that are served to you only hours out of the water across the road!  And it was February when they're at their fat, salty best.

So, we packed a bag and headed south! We’ve been eating at a small restaurant in downtown Rockport for a number of years.  It’s been a consistently good place – great fresh seafood, nice ambiance, superior, friendly service.  To our surprise on this trip, Latitude 28” 02’ has grown up by leaps and bounds!  The restaurant now fills the entire building where they used to be just a small space entered from a side parking lot.  They’ve added some additional dining rooms, but have kept them small and cozy.  A fabulous, colorful Oyster Bar now faces Austin Street across from the Rockport Marina. They’ve also added a large art gallery which features fine local art.  Local art also adorns the walls of the dining rooms. Owners Craig and Ramona Day have done a splendid job of expanding their place while retaining the cozy feeling that first drew us as dedicated fans.  Craig is the chef and Ramona runs the “front of the house” and the gallery.

I know we were really hungry for fresh seafood, but even taking that into account we both agreed that the food has gotten even better!  The oysters were positively icy cold, served on ice on a beer tray with the requisite “fixin’s” for horseradish-ketchup sauce.  We could’ve just kept on eating more of those oysters, but the rest of the menu was too enticing.  We started our meal with salads topped with the house-made Creamy Garlic dressing, a very well-constructed dressing made from roasted garlic with its nutty nuances and a nice blast of balsamic vinegar. We feasted on black drum that was swimmingly fresh and served “Oscar-style”, topped with lump crabmeat, asparagus cooked to pristinely al-dente crispness, and napped with an excellent, subtly spicy hollandaise.  A trio of crabcakes was divine, with jumbo lumps of the fabulous crustaceans pan seared just long enough to form a golden crust and paired with a fine remoulade. 

The wine list is a tight little list of good, well-priced varietals in all price ranges.  Lots of good whites for that seafood.

Since it was an extravagant getaway solely devoted to eating, we threw calorie consciousness to the wind and opted for dessert too.  Crème Brulee was perfectly executed and caramelized tableside. The Key Lime Tart was sublime, some of the best key lime filling I’ve tasted.

Oh, yes, there are steaks, some very interesting chicken selections, pan sautéd duck breast, and a meatless Mediterranean pasta dish. Diners around us attested to the equal pleasures of those offerings.

Latitude 28”02’ (nautical coordinates for the spot on which the restaurant sits), 105 North Austin Street, Rockport, Texas. (361) 727-9009.  You can peruse their entire menu and wine list on the website. www.latitude2802.com

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