Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1198098
NORTHSHOREMAG.COM 22 JANUARY + FEBRUARY 2020 smaller and less expensive than at the sibling restaurants, are just as carefully sourced and prepared. For value, it's hard to beat the Prime Skirt Steak Frites—tender, flavorful and perfectly seasoned, served with truffle fries and grilled carrots. In a nod to both the beer and its waterfront location, the Fish N' Chips is classic; a large haddock filet, nicely crisp on the outside and moist on the inside, is served with house red cabbage slaw on a fun old-school metal tray. The long rustic space offers other nods to a classic clam shack, but with a thoroughly modern edge. Floor-to-ceiling windows invite in the Essex River Basin from every angle, which will be easier to appreciate as the days start to lengthen—as will the 40-seat deck, overlooking the marsh. In addition to beer, the restaurant offers a truly inventive roster of cocktails, created by Webber Group beverage director Dave Werthman. Half of the drinks use GMBC beer or hops, like the refreshingly crushable Amer Bière. This classic French cocktail combining their Cologne KÖlsch (a light, crisp German- style beer) with Bigallet China-China, (the French equivalent of Italian amaro) is the one you'll be reaching for this summer on that expansive deck. Looking for something more wintery, frothy, and wholly unique? Try the IPA Flip. Loosely based on the hot ale flip, which sailors in the late 1600s enjoyed at sea, it combines bourbon, honey gastrique (equal parts organic honey and apple cider vinegar), Mexican chocolate bitters and an egg. The whole thing is vigorously shaken, strained into a beer glass, then topped with Great Marsh New England IPA V2. Sounds weird, maybe, but the result CONTACT 99 Main Street, Essex, 978-890-7827, thegreatmarsh.com E AT + D R I N K is a frothy, slightly sweet-tart and bitter beer cocktail unlike any you may have had. Desserts are seriously for sharing—the brownie sundae, gooey and satisfying, can easily provide a chocolate fix for four people. And the equally large apple crisp has a thick topping almost like an oatmeal cookie, hiding tender, sweet apples. Paired with the GMBC English Brown Ale, it's the perfect way to wait out the winter. The brew house takes in views of the Essex River Basin. Below, owner John Collins