Many towns in tourist-friendly areas like ours sport must-visit food destinations — old standbys that have been the place to enjoy true local color for as long as anyone can remember.

The entire town of Essex is its own must-visit spot for its wealth of history, proximity to the Connecticut River and boatloads of charm. But when it comes to foodie spots one must hit, most folks will tell you to try the Black Seal, a restaurant and pub on Main Street, not too far from foodie destination #2, The Griswold Inn.

Walk into the Black Seal and you’ll see a tavern room that conjures images of the town of Sweethaven of “Popeye” fame. Low lighting, nautical décor, dark wood furniture and brass rails bring in a regular crowd content to eat in the bar. Travel further back, and the crew at the Black Seal welcomes patrons looking for a quieter meal in a spacious dining room with no shortage of nautical items to deck its halls.

The menu at Black Seal offers a similar choice of options: casual eats like calamari, clam chowder and burgers, and dressier entrees like PEI Mussels, Seafood Stew and steaks. The common denominator? Comfort foods dressed up or down.

On a lunchtime visit, the specials were a little more of the casual variety, but smartly crafted to stand out a bit. My potato and leek soup ($5.95) arrived with an artful dusting of scallions and finely chopped bacon atop the creamy, silky soup, offering a bit of saltiness to the fairly sedate but satisfying main attraction.

As my main dish, I went with the open faced turkey melt with bacon, tomato, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing ($10.95 with soup) — essentially a Rachel sandwich with the twist of serving it open, thereby creating a knife-and-forkable sandwich. Though a bit messy thanks to the very good, properly tangy Russian dressing, I enjoyed as much of this hearty, flavorful dish as I could. Every ingredient on it was quality stuff, and combined, they made for a well-executed, yummy lunch. Served with a handful of thick-cut French fries, I left the pub with a vow to save room for dessert next time.

On a recent Monday, we took advantage of the restaurant’s “Two for Twenty Four” deal: two entrees from a very good list of options for $24. We landed on the grilled pork chop with apple cider glaze served with mashed potatoes and onions and sauerkraut and the Chicken Parmesan with penne pasta. (Other items on the list included baked meatloaf, grilled sirloin, and roasted filet of sole, among others.) Of course, we can never dine in too grown up a fashion, so we started off with an order of deep-fried zucchini fries ($7.95).

The ample serving of fries set a good tone for the meal to come: a well prepared batter brought a tasty, crispy layer of flavor to the shoe-string-cut zucchini. The accompanying Sriracha-ranch sauce amplified the experience with a dash of creamy zip.

Come dinner time, the chicken parm arrived on a nest of spaghetti versus the penne I’d been expecting (and would have preferred), but no big deal. Dressed in a bright, tangy tomato sauce with hints of garlic and a bit of sweetness, the pasta served its purpose. As for the chicken, this was the largest cut I’ve ever received on a parm dish. Covered in cheese and fried just right, I barely made it through a quarter of the very big bird. Generous serving size aside, the dish was fairly standard but I enjoyed it well enough.

The pork chop nearly earned the same designation except for two things: the whipped mashed potatoes — usually always a good thing — were bland, bland, bland. A bit of a bummer when you’re a big fan of mashed spuds on a crisp evening. Number two, the grilled chop might’ve spent too long on that grill. Or, as my dining partner put it, “there’s no danger of trichinosis here.” Still, the side of onions and sauerkraut — softened to perfection — was a smart, small step out of the traditional pork-chop-dinner box, adding a welcome dash of flavor to both potatoes and chop. We had high hopes for the cider glaze, but it didn't add as much flavor as anticipated.

As I’ve said in this space before, a good dessert forgives all missteps, and I’m pleased to report all is hereby forgiven after tasting the Black Seal’s house-made banana bread pudding ($6). Huge in size and flavor, two of us could not finish one order of it — and not for lack of trying. At least three inches thick, the square of pudding came dressed in whipped cream and a few drizzles of a brown mildly sweet sauce. Big-time banana flavor hits the palate first, followed by vanilla notes and what tasted like a brilliant, subtle dash of sweet liquor. Recommended.

More important, every staff person we spoke to or encountered at the Black Seal was cordial and welcoming. Add to that the jovial din of the bar (with a fine beer list) and the discernible community vibe and hints of history drifting through the entire place, and the Black Seal easily earns its must-visit status.

The Black Seal Seafood Grille

15 Main St., Essex

(860) 767-0233

www.theblackseal.net 

Cuisine: American pub fare and entrees; seafood

Atmosphere: Cheery tavern decked in all things nautical

Service: Pleasant

Prices: Moderate; on the dinner menu, apps start at $8; entrees average around $20; and burgers and sandwiches start at $8.95

Hours: Monday-Thursday and Sunday 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m.

Credit cards: Yes

Reservations: Yes, for large groups

Handicapped access: All on one level, but entryway is quite small and is gained by a small step; on-street parking; spacious dining area but you'll have to navigate the less spacious bar to get there.