June - July 2002 Edition 

Peter's Whale   A Restaurant Review By Amy Sutnick When I walked in to Peter’s Whale, I expected a diner menu.  The outside, which I had driven by many times, gives that impression.  I thought I would order my usual—Greek salad hold the anchovies. I was in for a big surprise. Peter’s Whale is a gem of a seafood restaurant tucked away on Saddle River Road.  It’s a welcome alternative to Legal Seafood at Garden State Plaza. The dining room is spacious and attractive.  Our party of six was seated by a window overlooking a fountain.  Classical music hummed in the background.  A plate of garlicky bruschetta arrived for the table.   We settled in, ordered a couple of bottles of wine and perused the menu.  (Peter’s Whale is not BYO.)  It offers a mix of traditional and contemporary seafood dishes with a few meat options thrown in for the carnivores in your group. My first bit of advice: order a salad.  They're large so you can share.  The homemade balsamic dressing is outstanding.  (One friend of mine maintains that this dressing alone is worth the trip.)  The Caesar salad was hearty and flavorful without drowning in dressing.  Clams Oreganato featured seven fresh clams in the shell.  It was nicely spiced and attractively served. The main courses featured interesting combinations of ingredients that accented the seafood. They were carefully prepared and very fresh.  Portions were generous.  Mahi Mahi with red bliss potatoes, snow peas and raisins was pronounced “mouthwatering” by the two people who ordered it.  Soft shell crabs were tender and flavorful.  They could be ordered either sautéed of deep-fried.  Fillet of sole wrapped around spinach and feta cheese and blackened tuna with arugula and capellini were also big hits.  Only the capellini with salmon was disappointing—it lacked the flavor and interest of the other entrees.  My second bit of advice: for dessert, order the chocolate.  The chocolate mousse cake is rich, dark and chocolaty.  The chocolate and vanilla cheesecake was another success.  The carrot cake, on the other hand was dry and too sweet.  And its coconut frosting doesn’t work as well as a traditional cream cheese frosting. Service at Peter’s Whale is friendly and attentive but a bit uneven.  Daily specials were explained in detail.  Special orders were accommodated.  Coffee cups were refilled promptly.  But the lone tea-drinker in our group had to wait a long time for more hot water.  A meal at Peter’s Whale taught me that you don’t have to leave Fair Lawn for great food.  I give it four forks. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   Peter's Whale  2-27 Saddle River Road, Fair Lawn  201-796-0546  Call for reservations. Prices: Dinner entrees: $19.95-$22.95 (specials may be higher); Lunch entrees: $10.50- $16.95    Amy’s Rating:  Four forks   (Fork scale:  1-poor  2-fair  3-good  4-excellent)     See other Food Articles      Note:  Fair Lawn News does not accept any money or services to review restaurants.