Barado’s on the Water

Restaurant on the Shores of Oneida Lake Is a Seafood Haven

By Julie McMahon

Central Square’s Barado’s on the Water, on Oneida Lake, stands out for its fresh seafood and casual atmosphere.

The restaurant was unassuming as we drove up on a recent Sunday afternoon. But it begins to show its quirks and charms as we continued to approach. A canoe filled with flowers stands out front next to a large sign and outdoor seating lines the restaurant, including a strip of tables alongside an enchanting dock.

The restaurant itself gives off a tiki bar aesthetic with nautical decorations lining the walls. It’s very casual and approachable. Barado’s is on the water but it’s in the channels of the western tip of Oneida Lake, making this a cozy off-the-beaten-path place that gives off a beachcomber feel.

The good quality, fresh seafood stands out in this easy-going spot. A good portion of the menu is filled with seafood options, ranging from cold calamari salad and fried scallops on special to the fish tacos and lobster roll, staples on the menu.

The restaurant changes its menu daily, posting tantalizing specials to its Facebook page frequently. These specials often include seafood options, steaks and appetizers.

Maryland crab cakes ($14.75): The two large cakes fully breaded, with a tender outside crust and soft, fresh crab meat in the middle.

On this particular day, we ordered Maryland crab cakes for an appetizer ($14.75) after sticking to soda and iced tea for our beverages ($3 each).

The two large cakes were fully breaded, with a tender outside crust and soft, fresh crab meat in the middle. The spicy remoulade and squeeze of lemon served on the side were just the right seasoning and amount to complement the dish.

For dinner, we splurged for the lobster roll ($29.95), thinking seafood was the star of the menu (we weren’t wrong!). We ordered a bacon mushroom Swiss burger ($15.95).

Both entrees were served with a side of our choosing, so we tried the sweet potato fries in addition to the regular French fries. The sweet potato fries ended up being the superior option. Both orders were served hot with flake salt, a nice extra touch. The sweet potato fries had a crunchy outer texture and soft, sweet middle.

The lobster roll, though, was the star of the meal. Its bun was scrumptious, buttered and lightly toasted to absolute perfection, with a generous heap of delicious lobster meat lightly dressed in mayo in the middle. The mound had to be spread out across the bun evenly for the ideal eating experience, but the amount was plenty. The lobster salad also had chopped celery in it, which added a great texture and crunch to every bite.

Both the lobster and crab meat we were served were very fresh and we got generous helpings, which certainly made this seafood meal worth its cost ($82 total).

Barado’s on the Lake is in the channels of the western tip of Oneida Lake, making this a cozy off-the-beaten-path place that gives off a beachcomber feel.

The burger was juicy, cooked medium as ordered, with crisp, fresh toppings. It was served with lettuce, tomato and onion on a bun. The mushrooms were juicy and made for a good combination with bacon and Swiss.

All of the food came out very quickly, with just enough time to finish the appetizer before the main course was served. Service was friendly, attentive and quick, with no complaints from this party whatsoever. We were encouraged to take our time and take in the scenery, but with the speed of the service, we didn’t spend any time waiting around.

Music played at the restaurant at a reasonable volume, which helped make the atmosphere light and beachy and didn’t deter from conversations.

We rounded out our meal with an order of key lime pie ($6.50), which tasted and appeared to be homemade. The graham cracker crust crumbled with each bite and combined nicely with the whipped cream served on the side. The filling was especially tart and creamy, with flecks of lime zest throughout. The slice was nice-sized, capping off a well-portioned meal.

The dessert was a great ending to a delightful, affordable meal with a nice atmosphere and view of the water. We’d definitely go here again, especially on a nice, breezy summer day.