When the Malinowski family opened The Ice House in 1980, they had no way of knowing their seafood/ice cream place would become a four-generation dynasty. Located on Route 1B in Rye, the restaurant is surrounded by picnic tables and a line of customers waiting for cones, sundaes, malts, frappes, floats and freezes. Inside the knotty-pine interior, the place is abuzz with people savoring lobster rolls, chowder, fried seafood, burgers, sandwiches and salads.
The rafters are lined with license plates donated by customers from all over the country — a tradition that dates back to The Ice House’s beginning. A Nevada plate that read “MRWRONG” caught this reviewer’s eye. It took two visits to ensure Our Gourmet readers got the full scoop on this Seacoast favorite.
The research librarian pal who joined me for lunch said we “had to get the onion rings.” They’re the real deal. Definitely homemade, with a crispy crust delicately clasping the sweet onion interior.
If my friend is feeling especially decadent, she orders the “onion nuggets,” which are the very center of the onion. Her crab roll was fresh, flavorful and definitely all crab — no filler. The dressing was light, but held it all together nicely.
“It’s not always on the menu,” she said of the crab roll. “I’m happy to see it today.” My haddock sandwich was fried just to the right degree, with a flaky texture.
If fish is fresh, the collagen in its flesh softens and turns to gelatin when it is cooke.
