By Katie Pelczar — Photographed by Jazz Martin

My husband is deathly allergic to shellfish. Anaphylactic, heart-stopping allergic. So, in our house, a clambake is pretty much out of the question. And since it has been a few months since I indulged in seafood, I had almost forgotten the sweet succulence of lobster. But thanks to Tia’s on the Waterfront, I’ve rediscovered bliss in crustacean form, and I’ve been gorging myself.

I’d been to Tia’s before, of course. The beautiful setting and lively bar drew me for many a cocktail hour. But as gorgeous as the view may be, I now know that I’d search out the seafood at Tia’s even if it were served in a dungeon. Tia’s has thrived for 29 years, surviving the ugliness and noise of the Big Dig, which was right on the restaurant’s doorstep. Clearly this place is about more than the scenery!

Not that the atmosphere should be discounted. The breezy patio overlooking both Christopher Columbus Park and the sailboats in the harbor makes for a fantastic mid-day escape. On the days when you look out the window, wishing you could move the office outdoors; a long lunch at Tia’s will restore you. Our first pick of the afternoon was the lobster roll. Chef Alex Fuentes tosses huge chunks of claw and tail meat in a light, tangy dressing with hints of mustard and Worcestershire. The lobster overflows the bun; this is a fork-and-knife lobster roll, not a wimpy little hand-held version. And best of all, the lobster roll comes with a cup of creamy, smoky clam chowder. Chock full of bacon, potatoes and clams, it’s the real deal.

Along with the lobster roll, we also ordered the special of fried clams. Huge whole-bellied clams in a crisp, light batter come atop a bed of French fries and onion rings with a scoop of fresh, crunchy coleslaw. The perfect pairing for our lunch was a Belgian-style wheat ale, so we washed down our fried clams with a Blue Moon. Trust me, Blue Moon and fried clams go together like milk and cookies.

Of course, I couldn’t just leave it at lunch. Once my passion for lobster was ignited, I just had to come back for more. My husband was left at home for this foray as well, poor guy! But lobster-eating is serious business. You have to get messy: put on bib, grab the crackers and dig in! No Epi-pens allowed.

“If you’re in the mood for a real New England experience, Tia’s Clambake fits the bill. Mountains of steamers and mussels, browned potatoes and corn on the cob are topped off with a whole lobster. This is the perfect summer lunch for a crowd.”

After a few cocktails we started our dinner with Tia’s spinach and artichoke dip and jumbo lump crabmeat cocktail. The spinach artichoke dip is extra creamy, with an even balance of cheese, spinach and artichoke hearts. The diced fresh tomato and bits of sliced scallion that top the dip bring a nice brightness to the rich dish. We fought over the fabulous little browned bits on the edge of the plate, which take only a bit of scraping to scoop onto one of Chef Fuentes’ crisp, house-made pita chips. The crabmeat cocktail is lovely to look at, as well as to eat. Huge chunks of crabmeat adorn a striking martini glass. Dipped in Tia’s intense cocktail sauce, the sweetness of the crabmeat plays off the heat of the horseradish.

After devouring our appetizers, we perused Tia’s nicely edited wine list. The selection is very reasonably priced, with bottles ranging from $28-$38. Our beverage choice made, we pounced on our steaming lobsters. Having ordered both the twin lobster special and the baked stuffed lobster we had our work cut out for us. The twin lobsters are sweet and succulent, tasting of the sea and of summer. Adorable carved lemon baskets and warm drawn butter are lovely accompaniments, but hardly necessary given the freshness of the lobsters themselves. And while steamed lobsters are perfect in their simplicity, the real star of the evening was the baked stuffed version. Never have I had such a moist, buttery baked lobster. The meat is perfectly done and wonderfully tender, without any of the characteristic dry toughness of baked crustaceans. The generous mound of savory seafood stuffing is chock full of scallops, shrimp and crab and expertly accented with fresh herbs. And to top it all off, Chef Fuentes crowns the stuffed lobster with three beautifully charred and tender whole scallops. I almost licked the plate. Almost.

In a feat born of pure willpower, we found room for dessert. If you make it to dessert (which, given the size of the baked stuffed lobster, is no certain fate), you will be rewarded. The chocolate bundt cake with French vanilla ice cream is warm and rich but incredibly light. Served with berries and whipped cream, this is a homey yet sophisticated dessert – perfect for sharing. Of course, we did not share, because the cheesecake with fresh strawberries just looked too good to pass up. Sweet and creamy, it’s everything a cheesecake should be.

Tia’s has been getting New England classics right for almost 30 years, and with Chef Alex Fuentes and Manager Chris Brennan on the scene, the place is looking good for 30 more! www.tiaswaterfront.com