What Sauces Does Captain D’s Have, Taste Test & Pairings
In my opinion, Captain D’s is the perfect combination of fast food and seafood. Its meals have the juiciness of fast food and the characteristics of seafood, creating a fancy and fishy fast food experience. What I love most about this place, though, is the selection of sauces it offers; not too many, not too few, and all very different from one another. So, what sauces does Captain D’s have?
Captain D’s offers 11 sauces: Tartar Sauce, Cocktail Sauce, Ketchup, Remoulade, Honey Mustard, Butter, Sour Cream, Malt Vinegar, Hot Sauce, and Sweet & Sour Sauce.
Pairing seafood and sauce is a form of art in itself since seafood can be tricky to combine. It took me several trips to Captain D’s to unlock the best combos, but I did it! So, in this article, I will tell you all about Captain D’s sauces and how to pair them. Let’s get this sauce party started!
List of Captain D’s Sauces
Unlike many fast food places that offer many sauce options, Captain D’s seems to have chosen to go for a moderate sauce selection, proving once again that simplicity and moderation sometimes work best.
After trying them all, I’m here to give you a full list of Captain D’s sauces and what to pair them with. So, take a look below and plan your next order in advance!
Tartar Sauce
Captain D’s Tartar Sauce isn’t the one you could buy at the grocery store, and even though it is a pretty common sauce, this particular tartar is somehow different. It seems that Captain D’s really knows seafood, so theirs is really tailored to pair perfectly with anything on their seafood menu and beyond.
It is very creamy and tangy. I could feel the mayo and herbs inside, along with the delightfully crunchy pickle bits.
I’ve had it with fish fillets and fish sandwiches, as well as chicken and fries. I think that you could also successfully pair it with their shrimp skewers and salmon. I haven’t tried it with these meals, but I can see how it would pair well with them, too.
Cocktail Sauce
As you probably guessed already, Cocktail Sauce is the perfect addition to the delicious Captain D’s shrimp skewers. It is a zesty, tomato-based sauce with a hint of horseradish and spices. I really appreciate its balanced flavors and the very discrete sweetness and acidity.
The shrimp skewers and the cocktail sauce are my favorite combo, but you can have this sauce with fries, chicken, or fried fish meals, too.
Ketchup
No fast food place is whole without ketchup, so Captain D’s isn’t an exception. I was a little surprised since it is a seafood place, and ketchup and seafood aren’t the best of pairings, but, again, Captain D’s apparently knows what they’re doing.
This Ketchup is more of a tomato sauce than ketchup in the traditional sense of the word. It isn’t as thick, and it is very refreshing. To my surprise, it paired deliciously with the salmon I had. I’ve also tried it with a fish sandwich, and I highly recommend it.
You can also try it fried fish fillets, shrimp, or chicken tenders.
Honey Mustard
Honey Mustard is another seemingly simple sauce that isn’t so ordinary. As much as I love honey mustard sauces, I am pretty picky about them, and other than the one I make at home, I rarely stumble upon one that is so perfectly balanced.
This time, I am here to tell you that my homemade honey mustard sauce met its match. This Honey Mustard is a creamy sauce that combines the sweetness of honey with the tanginess of mustard balanced to perfection. It’s probably my favorite sauce at Captain D’s: sweet, tangy, slightly spicy, and a whole lot savory.
I’ve had it with salmon, fish sandwiches, and shrimp skewers, but I recommend you try it with any menu item and bet it pairs great with all of them.
Sour Cream
The Sour Cream Sauce may seem pretty standard, but it shouldn’t be underestimated. It is very creamy, rich, refreshing, and has a slight zesty kick. I really enjoy its smoothness, and I love how it adds a sense of elegance to any of Captain D’s meals.
My favorite pairings for the sour cream sauce are the grilled shrimp salad and the wild Alaskan salmon salad. I’ve also had it with fish sandwiches, as well as their mozzarella sticks.
Malt Vinegar
Before I get into more detail about this sauce, let me just say that if you like gentler and more subtle flavors, this is probably not your sauce. Malt vinegar is a dark, flavorful vinegar with a strong, malty aroma and a tangy, slightly sweet taste. It is definitely very rich and complex, with many tasting notes at play, but it isn’t for everyone’s palate.
Even if you are a fan of such heavier and more complex flavors, I advise you to add it gradually because it could easily overwhelm your taste buds. It is versatile in pairing, and I encourage you to try it with your favorite menu item at Captain D’s.
Butter Sauce
This sauce is definitely a little slice of heaven. Buttery, slightly spicy, with playful citrus notes, it should most certainly be on your list to try as soon as possible. It has a luxurious, velvety texture and a buttery, savory taste.
I’ve had this sauce with fish sandwiches, fish salads, shrimp, and even the mozzarella sticks at Captain D’s. My recommendation is to try it with whatever you order and enjoy.
Remoulade Sauce
Remoulade Sauce is a staple at Captain D’s, and you must try it. It is similar to tartar sauce but more yellowish with a more pronounced mayo flavor. It is bold and very flavorful. It includes ingredients like mustard, pickles, capers, and herbs, and I could taste some of them in Captain D’s version.
You can pair it with any menu item, so whatever you order, enrich it with this sauce on the side. It’s like tartar but with more mayo and slightly more flavorful, so if you want to try a new yet familiar flavor, this is the one for you.
Hot Sauce
The hot sauce at Captain D’s is not as hot as it is spicy and vibrant. I am not a fan of very hot flavors, and I was pleasantly surprised to discover that this sauce is perfectly tolerable for me, and I really enjoyed it.
Pairing this hot sauce is very subjective since it pairs well with everything on the menu, but you will definitely love it with some items more than with others. So, use your best judgment for this one and see what works best for you.
Sweet and Sour Sauce
If you are looking for a flavorful sauce with a unique balance of sweet and tangy flavors, look no further because this is it. It is a bit of everything, so you will notice sweet, sour, slightly spicy notes and a little bit of a kick.
I usually pair it with the wild Alaskan salmon salad, but that’s just my preference. Feel free to try it with various items on Captain D’s menu.
What’s your favorite Captain D’s order? I would love to try it out, so make sure you write it down in the comments below!
