I generally visit Joey’s Seafood Shack in the middle of the afternoon. Not to dine, mind you. That’s my favorite Vero seafood market – the best place in town to buy beautiful fresh fish and take it home for grilling.
But on weekend evenings, I don’t have to do the work. Proprietors Kim Coveny and Joey Fenyak dim the lights of their retail shop, the place takes on an entirely different vibe, and those fortunate enough to get a dinner reservation are treated to some of the best-tasting seafood dishes around.
I say fortunate because Joey’s only serves dinner two nights a week – Fridays and Saturdays – and during season, last-minute reservations in the smallish restaurant are hard to come by. But for the next couple of months, those who live here year-round have a great opportunity to see what the fuss is about.
In addition to greeting customers, Kimmy shares culinary responsibilities with Joey. He prepares the seafood, and she whips up wonderful soups and pastas from old Long Island family recipes.
On our most recent visit, we ordered a bottle of wine from a reasonably priced artisanal wine list, and a basket of very tasty garlic bread made it to the table even before the wine.
This time, we decided to forgo appetizers and simply start with the large Greek salads that come with all entrées. The salads included strawberries, which go surprisingly well with feta cheese.
But on previous visits, we have enjoyed such appetizers as oysters on the half shell (the Chesapeake oysters were as fresh and succulent as you could possibly hope) and lobster bisque (very flavorful with a dash of brandy instead of the more customary sherry).
For entrées on our most recent outing, I had the seafood special ($36), my husband ordered ahi tuna ($32), and our companion opted for the linguini with a white clam sauce ($16.95).
The seafood special at Joey’s is a heaping bowl of little neck clams, mussels, shrimp and scallops, served in either a white-wine garlic butter sauce or a very light marinara sauce over linguini. I absolutely love this dish. Our companion enjoyed her linguini with clams, though – in true Italian fashion – she thought it might have benefited from a bit more garlic.
My husband’s entrée consisted of sushi grade tuna seared rare with sesame seeds, served with seaweed salad, and, of course, wasabi, ginger and teriyaki sauce. The ahi tuna slices were a thing of beauty.
On previous visits, we have enjoyed the swordfish – which drew raves from my husband – and the broiled grouper, a beautiful piece of fish, again expertly prepared. We also gave high marks to the Scottish salmon, which came to the table with sundried tomatoes, mushrooms and artichokes, along with wild rice and seaweed. The artichokes and seaweed played perfectly off the brandy cream sauce – a very successful dish.
Beyond the great food, this restaurant has the homey feel of an Italian family kitchen. On the night we visited, Kimmy’s daughter and a couple of her friends from the Vero Beach High Philharmonic Orchestra provided a musical accompaniment by way of raising funds for next spring’s trip to perform in Austria.
On evenings when the kids are not there, Kimmy herself often takes a seat at the piano and sometimes sings. By day, Joey’s is a great place to purchase seafood, and on weekend nights, a most enjoyable place to have a wonderful seafood dinner.
I welcome your comments, and encourage you to send feedback to me at tina@verobeach32963.com.
The reviewer dines anonymously at restaurants at the expense of Vero Beach 32963.
