A variety of appetizers works just as well as a main course, and Copper Wok in Vineyard Haven plays right into my theory. And now that the menu includes alcoholic drinks like the Scorpion Bowl (always better to have several straws with this one), Spiked Thai Iced Tea, and Peach Sangria, apps and drinks after work never sounded better.
A group of young women from the staff at the MV Times joined me at Copper Wok a couple of weeks ago, and we weren’t disappointed. Our recommendations: From the sushi menu, Green River — an avocado-wrapped crab-filled beauty; the Crispy Fantail Shrimp with a spicy Japanese mayo; the Shrimp Po’ Boy Sliders, which featured the same lightly crunchy breading on the shrimp as the previous option, only wrapped inside a soft steamed bun, and, of course, we had the housemade Crab Rangoons. We may have liked the spicy dipping sauces as much as the Rangoons. A little team-building among cocktails and appetizers helped us all get through the workweek.
Besides Copper Wok, Island restaurateur J.B. Blau operates two Sharky’s locations — one in Edgartown and one in Oak Bluffs, where the chicken wings and the Special Sauce Burger vie for my favorites list, along with the Crispy Cod Fish Tacos and the cheesy Enchiladas. Mr. Blau also has terrific burgers on the menu at M.V. Chowder Co., along with, wait for it … awardwinning clam chowder. The Loft, above the Chowder Co. on Oak Bluffs Avenue, is a great place to meet up with friends for a game of pool, Ping-Pong, or foosball, and now features Pizza di Napoli, a true Italian experience with Salsiccia, Margherita, Carbonara, and Napoli pizza and more on the menu. But if you’d just like a tasty lobster roll and some fries, you can get that at Loft, too. Each restaurant has its own ambiance, from sombreros to soft lighting. Sometimes I wonder how Mr. Blau decides what he’s having for dinner.
Copper Wok: 9 Main St., Vineyard Haven; copperwokmv.com; Sharky’s: 31 Circuit Ave., Oak Bluffs, and 266 Upper Main St., Edgartown; sharkeyscantina.com; Martha’s Vineyard Chowder Co. and the Loft: 9 Oak Bluffs Ave., Oak Bluffs; mvchowder.com, loftob.com.
This story by Connie Berry originally appeared on mvtimes.com.
