Cape Cod Seafood at its Finest: Mac’s Shack

I can think of no better way to have ended our day “off” than by stopping in Wellfleet to have dinner at Mac’s Shack. By “off” of course, I mean that we had no check-ins at our bed and breakfast on Cape Cod and therefore no need to hurry home from our adventure in Provincetown (see previous blog entry). Located at 95 Commercial Street, Mac’s Shack is one of several establishments owned by two brothers whose commitment to quality is the hallmark of their success.

I had heard about Mac’s Shack and read reviews, but nothing compares with firsthand experience. Judging by the cars in the parking lot when they open their sushi bar at 3:00 in the afternoon, Mac’s is a local favorite. We arrived about 5:30, and there was already a wait for the coveted outside dining tables and some heavy action at the bar as well. We were seated at a nice table in the corner of the restaurant and marveled at how quickly the inside tables filled. By the time we left an hour or so later, all the tables were filled and the wait was considerable. Clearly the early bird gets the worm at Mac’s.

Our waitress was charming and affable, allowing us plenty of time to study the comprehensive dinner menu along with the extensive sushi bill of fare. I nursed a lovely glass of Pinot Noir while I perused the offerings, trying to make the perfect choices from both. I opted to start with the featured appetizer from the sushi menu, which was affectionately called a “hand grenade”. Two perfectly seared scallops topped with shrimp and then finished in the oven with dynamite sauce arrived at the table artfully arranged on a small rectangular platter. They were heavenly. Rich chose the Kamikaze roll, which was barbequed eel with avocado and cucumber and topped with spicy tuna. Though I did not taste it, I could tell from the expression on his face that it was a huge success.

For my entrée, I was wooed by the description of one of the nightly specials–handmade fettuccine with lobster and fennel bathed in a white cream sauce. Though I chose the appetizer portion, it was more than enough to satisfy my appetite due the richness of the sauce. Rich settled on the fish tacos, something we’ve both been wanting to try and it seemed fitting to start with the Mac’s Shack version, as all the fish served in the restaurant comes from Mac’s Seafood, it’s sister company. Served with salpicon slaw, sriracha aioli, avocado puree, and lime, the fish could not have been more fresh. If we hadn’t been out in public I’m convinced that Rich would have picked up his plate and licked it.

The entire meal was absolutely wonderful and we will most certainly return as often as our schedule allows. Open seasonally, Mac’s Shack is a full service restaurant with a sushi bar, raw bar and full liquor license. In addition to the wholesale seafood company, the brothers also operate three retail fish markets located throughout the lower Cape, Mac’s Seafood located on Wellfleet’s commercial pier, plus a full service catering division.