Fresh new faces offering seafood in Ocean View

Running a seafood market is not exactly how David and Beth Long envisioned spending time as grandparents, but nevertheless, the opportunity came knocking on their door.

Coastal Point
The OV Seafood Crew stand with first-time customer Warren Silvers from Harrisburg, Pa. (back, second from right.)

“I thought we would be retiring,” joked Beth Long. But, she said, her husband came home from work one day and said he had an awesome opportunity.

The Longs – natives of the area and great appreciators of all things related to the water, including fishing, clamming and boating – recently became the new owners of Ocean View Seafood, located behind the Ocean View Family Restaurant and next to the Cigarette Outlet off of Route 26 in Ocean View.

With the help of their son, David, and his wife, Kristy, and many great friends, they have done lots of cleaning and rejuvenation of the interior and work on the menu, and have turned it into a place to get fresh seafood and meal platters that are prepared in-house, from the same seafood they sell to customers.

Beth Long explained that a lot of their platters and soups are homemade and made fresh. They also offer live or steamed local crabs from the Chesapeake Bay, raw or steamed shrimp, fresh fish and raw or steamed clams.

Their crabcake, a recipe from family friend Matthew Burns, has already been the topic of six call-backs and two e-mails.

“They said they were the best crabcakes they ever had,” Long explained.

Another family friend with a history in the restaurant business, Robbie Biddell, helped them get off the ground by lending them a hand with a cream of crab soup recipe and a fish taco, among other menu items. Rusty Campbell, yet another family friend, manages the day-to-day operations at the shop.

“Rusty Campbell, our manager, is invaluable,” explained Beth Long. “He has the perfect personality for customers and vendors. Thank God for Rusty!”

Little Cole’s Fish Stix are even named after one of Campbell’s sons, to celebrate the family aspect of the business, and they also offer Summer’s Tenders, named after their own granddaughter, Summer Long.

Campbell emphasized that a fresh and quality product is their main goal.

“We aim to have a quality lunch at affordable prices at the same time,” explained Campbell. “All of our major platters and specials are derived from the seafood we carry, and we strive to serve a quality product that’s fresh.”

Campbell said that, having been in the restaurant industry for most of his life in one way or another, he “has a passion for it” and is grateful he is doing something he enjoys.

“I’d like to thank Dave and the Long family for giving me an opportunity to help them create something,” Campbell said. He also thanked Biddel for his input and knowledge of the industry, and Burns and other friends who helped pitch in to get things going.

Burns, who still helps out part-time, emphasized that those involved with Ocean View Seafood are just “people that love food,” adding that they aim to please. “Every single person, hopefully, gets the best thing they’ve ever eaten.”

Campbell said they hope to become a staple for locals and seasonal visitors alike. The revamped Ocean View Seafood opened Memorial Day weekend, and they plan to be open until Labor Day, and possibly later into the fall.

Call ahead for daily specials, at (302) 537-7511. Ocean View Seafood is located off of Route 26, behind Ocean View Family Restaurant.