Hello dear readers! I know it has been quite some time (again) since I’ve been on here but needless to say summer has been fun and soon enough it’ll be back to the grind…tear. This blog post features one of the many amazing meals I had whilst back on Cape Cod and it was at Mic’s Main Scoop.
Tucked way up Cape in Buzzards Bay, nestled back near the Cape Cod Canal sits Mic’s along the newly developed west end of Main Street. They only opened this past May but they’re making leaps and bounds by killing the Instagram game! The white interior and adorable decor makes for the cutest pictures with the monster shakes they highlight. But before the shake, let’s talk about the food!
Yes, Mic’s also serves delicious classic snack staples but they aren’t just firing out basic versions. That kitchen is legit and the prices are right. The lobster roll was one of the best rolls I’ve ever had and equally one of the best priced ones. Seemingly two claws of, and possibly more, lobster meat on a small bed of lettuce with just a drizzle of lemon on a toasted bun. Simple but extremely effective and delicious. All for $23…if you know lobster rolls that’s about ten dollars cheaper than what you find elsewhere and elsewhere has their lobster swimming in mayo…and it’s half the meat. Just sayin’ Mic’s knows where it’s at. PLUS the french fries are nice and crispy but fluffy inside…always a major pro for this gal.
Alright, now to the show stopper and the real reason it’s worth driving off Cape to Buzzards Bay to come here. The Canal Cup Shake. Peanut butter ice cream, chocolate drizzle, peanut butter drizzle, whipped cream, a chocolate wafer, two Reese’s, and a Reese’s decorated cup. If this doesn’t scream Instagram to you, I don’t know what does. Everything about this design and appeal caters to the idea of adding something spectacular, eye catching, and delicious to your social media feed. But aside from the visual appeal, the shake itself was incredibly delicious. Highly recommend getting one and sharing it since it is very rich after all, but you could taste the quality of the ingredients as well as the time that went into crafting the entire ensemble.
Mic’s 1000% worth the drive if you’re down the Cape; make a day of it like we did and plan to lunch here. It’s a great spot for kids, with a playground and running around space behind the store, and there is something on the menu for everyone.
Well hello dear readers (if you’re still out there)! It has been a while, but boy do I have a good one for you! I recently ventured to Nashville, TN. If I may…a short story:
This has been in the works for a bit and I randomly mentioned this to my dentist (lol) and she told me that I had to go to Dolly Parton’s restaurant, White Limozeen. She showed me pictures and my Dolly quest began. My sister gifted me a dress that we knew I had to wear for Dolly, then I had to buy shoes for said dress, and for months to follow my sights were set on Dolly’s restaurant. And cowgirl…White Limozeen blew me away.
My dentist was a saviour began she told me to 100% make a reservation and it truly saved us. They take them up to 14 days in advance and if you’re planning to go MAKE A RESY. The restaurant sits on the roof of the Graduate Hotel down near Vanderbilt and Music Row. It isn’t in the “messy” part of Nashville where the honky tonks are and, for me, it felt slightly more accessible. Don’t get me wrong, it’s $$$, but it is worth it for the drinks and the experience. And the Instagram pictures, lets be real.
The entire hotel is done up in pink and patterns and it really is extremely unique. It feels special. You hop into the elevator and the doors open and you enter a small hallway that overlooks the patio, filled with frilly pink and fringe umbrellas looking over the city. Everything is done up and it truly feeds into the picture perfect, Instagram worthy era of locations we live in.
I got the vibe that people probably come here for the drinks and I don’t blame them. They are exquisite and well done and are picture worthy. Seen here, from left to right, are Poise and Rationality, Queen of the Rodeo, and Space Cowboy. Of the three I’d say my favorite was probably Queen of the Rodeo. Just the perfect balance of sweet, tart, and zing. Space Cowboy would be my second choice, especially if you’re a whiskey/bourbon fan!
As I said, I get the vibe that people don’t typically come to eat a full meal, just for drinks, but regardless we ate here! The ratatouille was rustic and quite delicious. All of the veggies were cooked nicely and had good seasoning. The bread was a great touch for both presentation and funnelling more delicious sauce into my stomach.
The big (and I mean BIG) showstopper is the giant pink net Dolly bust that sits on the patio. It is obviously there to attract photo takers and Instagrammers, with Dolly and the Graduate name front and center. Excellent branding and opportunity for exposure on social media, not that White Limozeen really needs it. They were just named one of the best bars in America in Esquire!
White Limozeen isn’t necessarily the place to go for food, but the vibe and look and drinks are all very worthy. Gaggles of girlfriends crowding around a giant pink bust of Dolly whilst drinking pink drinks? Count me in!
Well folks, it is 1000% starting to feel like summer in the Fort and that sends only one message to my brain. ICE CREAM.
Fort Worth has had artisanal/bougie ice cream shops pop up and take the city by storm (hello Melt) and a new contender has entered the playing field, Morgan’s Ice Cream.
They’re website isn’t extensive, but they’re Instagram game is strong! They’re ice cream game is equally as strong. Fan favorites appear to be Cookie Monster and Wookies Cookies, but all of the flavors have some type of mix in with chocolate and cookie crumbles. They are devoted to serving gluten free, soy free, dairy free options…they even stay away from food dyes and use ingredients such as spirulina and turmeric extract to color their bases! #winning
Tonight, we went with Wookies Cookies – a cinnamon based ice cream with chocolate shavings (no chips here!) and homemade oatmeal cookie crumbles sprinkled throughout. Don’t get me wrong, I love chocolate chips, but shavings don’t have as much of a bite that chocolate chips require. There is a time and place for both, don’t get me wrong! The ice cream was very smooth, I’d say somewhere between a very hard ice cream and have a little softer crystals and texture. You can almost tell if you look closely at the photo that there is a soft, melty, sheen to the ice cream and the photo was taken no more than 1 minute out the door.
If you’re not a cinnamon fan, I would try a sample of this first. It’s not a strong cinnamon forward taste, but it is there and surprisingly the chocolate wasn’t a major contender on my palette. It added a little bitterness, but the cinnamon is definitely the main flavor. The cookies added a nice crunch and I love an ice cream that has levels to it.
A waffle cone is always a must for me when I get ice cream, and Morgan’s was no exception! At first bite it had gotten a little soggy (but then again I waited a few minutes to take photos before finally taking a bite) but after that initial bite I fell in love with it. It isn’t as flavorful as other waffle cones I’ve had and it has a bit of a softer quality to it, but I actually liked that. You know when you bite into a waffle cone and shards are cutting across everywhere and you don’t know where to bite or gather things? This cone had that crunch but the ice cream allowed it to be tame and cascade a little more fluidly into my mouth, accommodating the softer ice cream texture. The further I got into my adventure the more I appreciated it.
Morgan’s is definitely going to be a go-to for me, it’s location lends itself to get crowded but one downside is their limited hours. When I’m out on a weekend night with friends I’m not necessarily thinking about dessert until 9:30/10pm and with doors closing at 9, I’d just have to be proactive and order pint pick up and stock my fridge! Either way, Morgan’s is in the new, hoppin’ part of Fort Worth on S Main. If you’ve been up and down that street you’ve probably walked past it…but next time you gotta go in.
Howdy and Happy Holidays, readers! It’s the most wonderful time of the year during the craziest year ever, but we’ve nearly made it! What a time to be alive and witness so much history being made!
I think one of the many things to come from the pandemic is just how much we individually serve and feed our economy, seeing that one of the biggest ways to do this is by going and supporting restaurants safely in any way we can. So before closing out 2020 I needed to make a stop at a new outdoor, rooftop restaurant in cowtown…Branch and Bird.
In the heart of downtown on the twelfth floor of 640 Taylor St is this new restaurant that boasts all the health precautions diners look for in 2020, all the dining options, and a delicious and extensive menu to boot. Walking out onto the terrace you see the bright holiday lights of Fort Worth’s Sundance Square and feel as though you’re transported to New York City. The ambiance is lit with twinkling lights and warming heat lamps making eating outside bearable and enjoyably crisp.
The drinks menu is already exquisite but they had some exciting specials including this whiskey concoction and their house sangria, offered hot or cold. The starters of the menu are also intriguing, but none so much so as the toasted goat cheese, which our lovely server highly recommended. With warm apricot bacon jam and crostini’s, the goat cheese was delightfully warm giving sweet, salty, cheesy goodness in each bite.
With everything from roasted chicken to salmon agnolotti, the Branch and Bird menu evokes sophistication and class with what I believe to be reasonable prices. The quality can be seen just in the descriptions alone. With so many alluring options to choose from, I first turned to trusty social media where the gnocchi pork ragu appears quite a lot. I was further convinced when our server concurred and suggested the gnocchi…
The presentation is quite show stopping and very Instagram worthy (follow me @critiquingcarnivore!) Everything was cooked beautifully, the mountain of burrata cutting through the richness of the sauce and pork. My only complaint was seasoning, which in the large scheme is minuscule. A little more than a three finger pinch of salt was needed in my opinion and I would have loved to have seen and tasted some fresh basil. All in all for Texas I was satisfied with this Italian staple dish.
It was quiet when I dined here, but regardless our server was fantastic. She checked on the table often, nicely interrupting and kindly checking in. She made the table feel comfortable and she was pleasant and appeared happy to be working, even if we couldn’t see her smiling you knew she was. Food came out quickly and plates were cleared swiftly, which was handy at a smaller tabletop.
Couldn’t resist the perfect photo op! Check out this statement jacket at Designs by Karen!
Branch and Bird met and exceeded my expectation in terms of how elegant and beautifully crafted everything from the menu to the vibe was. With so many downtown restaurants having to close their doors, I hope Branch and Bird flourishes because I think it will become my new favorite go-to spot in Downtown Fort Worth. It is perfect for future evening dinners before going to the ballet or for a chill girls night enjoying the view.
Well hello there readers! It is nearly the end of October, we have made it another month in the year 2020 and are that much closer to, hopefully, a better year in 2021 (am I getting ahead of myself already?) Anyways, today I’m here to talk about a very serious food, I mean complete business. We’re talking about the Taylor Ham, egg, and cheese.
Now you may not know this, but I actually grew up in New Jersey. Since starting the blog I’ve only been back to NJ maybe once and New York City maybe two or three times. But I am a Jersey girl through and through, I definitely hold onto that part of my identity. Sorry not sorry. With that said, Taylor Ham (or Pork Roll) is a very serious subject as well as bagels. If you’ve been reading the blog for a while y’all know I’m a bit of a food snob. I avoid Italian food in Texas and barbecue in the northeast. That is certainly not to say you can’t find both in those areas that are sufficiently delicious, but why would I eat brisket in Boston when I can eat it in Texas? Right, back to bagels and Taylor Ham.
Let’s just get the great debate out of the way: if you’re new to Taylor Ham it is basically a fermented, salty, tangy pork product. Almost Spam like (I’ve never had it, but I would think) and there is a divide on what it’s called. North Jersey = Taylor Ham, South Jersey = Pork Roll. Truthfully, my family used the two names interchangeably and we grew up in North Jersey. Either way, when ordering the classic breakfast sandwich, it is always Taylor Ham egg and cheese on a bagel… no commas in between because it is said like a run-on sentence.
So let’s dive into the newest spot in Dallas, they opened up during the pandemic and have been extremely popular! Bagels really aren’t a big thing here outside the chain spots so people were excited for this NY/NJ-esque spot…Shug’s Bagels.
I was excited, I’ve been homesick and the thought of a place in DFW that, supposedly, had good bagels made my New Jersey heart flutter.
Shug’s has the perfect location; it’s right off of 75 and down the street from SMU’s campus. It’s a college kids dream. When I arrived there was a line, but they had markings for where to stand socially distant and it went pretty quickly! I got there around/a bit after 10:45 and was at the register by 11. Certainly when I left the building with the goods the line was longer!
The inside feels comfy and homie, it isn’t huge but they have a good amount of space and even a few tables outside for sitting. The front was very classic, the case full of extra goodies and the background showcasing all the bagels in their baskets. When I ordered I simply said the magic phrase, curious if they’d ask what kind of cheese I’d want and expecting them to know the correct answer (American, btw).
It took a while for the food to come out…roughly 20 minutes. But that entire time they’re firing food, getting bagels going, and yelling out numbers and handing bags the entire time. All in all for a busy Saturday morning rush I wasn’t totally upset.
Where I was upset was when I began examining the bagel and diving in. These are the things I look for in a good bagel: a slightly cripsy, little bubbly, browned exterior and good air pockets throughout the bread. I missed both from Shug’s a little. The exterior wasn’t awful, but I would have loved a few more air bubbles on the surface and maybe even a little more color. The interior I was sad about. There were some good pockets, but it just ate densely, it felt heavy (regardless of the sandwich insides size).
In terms of the Taylor Ham, egg, and cheese part I was very satisfied. I was impressed and happy to see that they knew to use American cheese, the egg was nicely cooked and folded, and the layer of pork was grand and salty. I also went boujie and added a hash brown to it. I did order this on an everything bagel, FYI. I am not a savage.
Overall, for the average DFW eater Shug’s does it alright. Others probably won’t be as critical as I am because it isn’t a state staple like it is for me. It is definitely the closest thing to a bagel I’ve seen in Texas and they obviously are doing something right because they have Taylor Ham.
The nostalgia factor really did it for me…all I needed was a Sunny D to round out my order from when I was seven.
Nestled back on White Settlement, between Westover Hills and the West 7th area of Fort Worth sits one of chef Tim Love’s newest ventures, Gemelle. “Twins” in Italian, the restaurant is not only an ode to Love’s twin daughters but the restaurant is completely inspired by the summer cocktail the Aperol Spritz.
Aperol, an Italian apéritif, is bitter with flavors of gentian, rhubarb and cinchona, its vibrant hue distinguishing it. It is very similar to Campari, which actually manufacturers it; I think of Campari as the parent and Aperol the trendy millennial. It is definitely an acquired taste, but adding Prosecco to make it the iconic Spritz is what makes it taste and remind you of summer.
With all that Aperol info in your back pocket, when you walk into Gemelle you immediately see the bar donned with bottles upon bottles of Aperol. The chairs and decor scream “influencer” and shares the bright orange hue of the apéritif. The restaurant is incredibly sleek, but what really sets it apart is the incredible outdoor dining and lounge area (perfect for the current state of society).
A large garden is the center hub and is surrounded by Aperol umbrellas and tables, adorable lounge beds and canopies, a sweet little bar in the left corner, and the iconic “LOVE” Instagram worthy backdrop where you can see millennials and mom’s on a night out taking their photo. The set up is fantastic and takes you to another world, a world that isn’t the middle of Fort Worth. An upper deck features more tables and coverings and the space is truly vast.
Gemelle has great weekly specials, including buy one get one free pizza’s on Tuesdays and half off Aperol Spritzes on Thursdays (I naturally went on a Thursday). A Spritz isn’t terribly difficult to make…I mean the recipe is on the bottle. However, no two Spritzes are alike as I soon realized. My first drink was more Prosecco than Aperol. The second one was definitely more Aperol heavy. Slightly confused why there was a difference with such a simple recipe, but it’s cool. The frozen version is just as delicious and refreshing (and photogenic).
Now, this wouldn’t be a Tim Love restaurant without something a little exotic. While this is an Italian restaurant, Love couldn’t resist doing a pizza with rattlesnake and rabbit sausage. Aside from that though, it is a pretty straightforward and clean looking menu. Classic, but reinvented with modern twists that don the menu. I scarfed down the gemelle pasta with basil-pistachio pesto. The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente, it had a nice bite to it without being overcooked or undercooked. The pesto tasted like the fresh basil growing in their garden and was donned with, what seemed to be, roasted to some degree pistachios. The pesto wasn’t heavy and was light and oily.
Also pictured and enjoyed was the guanciale, red sauce bucatini and bavette cacio e pepe – it is super fun that they are doing all these different pasta shapes and not just serving your typical penne or spaghetti!
Gemelle is the perfect spot for outdoor dining, whether you’re going with girlfriends or on a date night. Tim Love put his love and heart into this concept and the dedication and inspiration he had from his twin daughters is beautiful. If you’re looking for a Tuscany-esque getaway in ol’ Fort Worth this is the place to go!
Hey hey readers! Hope all y’all are staying healthy and sane as we enter month nine of the lost year that is 2020. Lets dive right in to today’s post. I very safely enjoyed a beautiful evening on the patio at Sundown at Granada in the middle of Dallas’s Greenville Avenue. In light of COVID, I hope you all are dining responsibly… as the weather begins to cool down enjoy the patios of your area while you can! Sundown boasts farm to table dishes with local produce and “free range meats” and they have an extensive amount on the menu that is gluten free, vegetarian, and vegan friendly!
Lets start with the ambiance. The patio is very pretty, the view isn’t spectacular as you can’t quite see the city skyline, but it is still nice nonetheless. They have misting fans that help keep it cool so even on a warmer day or night it would be pleasant. My biggest complaint was the music. I think music is a great thing at a restaurant, but this ain’t a club. I want to be able to hear the conversations being had at the table and hear my waiter/waitress (which is now hard with the addition of masks) speak to the table. Leave in the comments, is it cool to ask for a restaurant to turn down the music?
Aside from the distracting music, the experience was still pleasant. To start, I ordered the blackberry mojito for a refreshing start. The drink was fine, but it honestly tasted watered down. I appreciate a drink that isn’t overly sweet but in the case of this drink it had barely any blackberry flavor and certainly did not taste like rum was mixed in. Maybe indoors in a real glass it’s better, but let’s just say I switched to wine since I knew exactly what I was getting with that drink choice.
From here, Sundown really stepped up the game! The food was the star of the show from start to end. The chips and queso, while simple, were super yummy. The queso was super cheesy, it could have taken more heat, but I know that isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. The real appetizer star was the cauliflower! Tahini whipped feta, roasted cauliflower with pine nuts, golden raisins, chili oil, and chimichurri. It was a fabulous combination and the cauliflower was cooked beautifully. For me, the most surprising ingredient was the raisins! They were very complimentary to the other flavors and added a nice burst of sweetness.
As the headliner of my evening, the Sundown Burger was superb. The wagyu Texas beef was very juicy and tasty and was sandwiched between beautifully toasted and golden brioche buns. Basics include garlic aioli, arugula, and pickles but the use of smoked Gouda was a special touch! However my favorite part of the burger was the bacon whiskey jam – oh y’all. Sweet, tangy, salty goodness that elevated each bite left me wishing I could march into the kitchen and ask for a jar to take home. The sweet potato fries are always super yummy, salty and fried nicely served with a mouth watering side of ranch that had to have had some special doctoring to it. That is definitely the side you should order!
While the music and drinks sort of disappointed me, the food at Sundown at Granada made up for those areas. Knowing how fresh and locally sourced all the ingredients were was also comforting, especially in these tough times. Greenville Avenue is home to a lot of great local restaurants – be smart when eating out, but please remember to help support our restaurants. If it’s good food, we should help to keep them afloat so we can continue to enjoy them down the road.
“When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie that’s…”
Ciao seguaci! Hi followers! Welcome to this special blog post featuring what I believe to be the best spots in the North End of Boston for all the Italian things! We have multiple categories detailing my top choices for items from pizza to cannolis to grocers. Let’s jump right in!
Best Arancini: Galleria Umberto serves up lots of Italian classics, but their fried rice balls are the best. Right on Hanover Street, it’s quiet and almost secretive front makes it almost hard to spot unless you’re looking closely. You definitely don’t want to walk by this place!
Best Bar: While the restaurant is now something different, the little white awning just up the street from Paul Revere’s house is where the best little bar is, North Square Oyster Bar. The white countertop only sits a small amount of people, but the ambiance and sense of secrecy and seclusion is what makes this bar extra special.
Best Bread: While it is also a restaurant, part of the DePasquale North End moguls, the Bricco Panetteria is hands down the place to get fresh bread. Just down a tiny alley to the right of the restaurant is where you’ll find a narrow staircase, adjacent to their salumeria, down to bread heaven. Crispy and nicely golden on the outside, yet fluffy and pillowy on the inside is what makes this the best bread.
Best Cannoli: Ah. The coveted title. This was quite possibly the hardest category to narrow down. There are several places that have been awarded the title of best cannoli over the years, but my favorite belongs to Parziale Bakery. The shell wasn’t soggy and held its crispiness and supported the sweet and delicate flavor of the filling. I bit into this cannoli and immediately shouted “this is the best filling I’ve ever had”. It’s that good.
Honorable Mentions- Caffé Paradiso, Modern Pastry, Mikes’s Pastry
Best Cappucino:Caffé Vittoria is quite possibly one of the cutest places to enjoy coffee on Hanover Street. Known as Boston’s first Italian cafe, they have an incredible menu featuring all sorts of options, but their cappucino is where it is at. Strong, bold flavors that are presented in its truest form.
Best Espresso Martini: Because this has to be its own category. You can get this martini just about at any restaurant or bar on Hanover or Salem Street, but along with their great cannoli’s and gelato Caffé Paradiso serves scrumptious espresso martini’s. The people there make this place quite possibly my favorite spot all around, their drinks the icing on the cake! Indulge in their cannoli’s, gelato, or tiramisu too because you honestly can’t go wrong with anything here.
Best Grocer: Salumeria Italiana is just off of Hanover and is the spot for all the delectable Italian cured meats, cheeses, and products. From their ghost pepper salami and cotto ham to their amazing pesto and arrangement of San Marzano tomatoes and Calabrian chiles, the Salumeria is truly the best, especially when paired with the best bread 😉
Best Higher End Restaurant: I will admit that I have not eaten let alone stepped foot in every restaurant in the North End. But of the places I’ve been one restaurant stands out…Mamma Maria. After eating here three years ago it is still the place I have a desire to go back to. It is definitely on the higher end spectrum, but let me tell you it is worth it. You can check out more about my experience here to see what I thought of the meal, but in a nut shell it was brilliant.
Honorable Mentions- Prezza, Massimino’s
Best Pizza: Another category that spikes controversy. Pizza is practically the official language of the North End and everyone has their own personal favorite. I’ve tried a few different pizzas in the NE but I always come back to Antico Forno. The crust is chewy and thin, always cooked to perfection, the toppings are fresh, the cheese always melty and gooey. Their list of pizzas is practically endless, some of my faves are the tradizionale, al quattro formaggi, and their margherita (plus pepperoni!)
Best Produce: You may not be going to the North End for fresh produce, but if you’re looking to round out a meal with meats, cheese, and bread be sure to grab some fresh stuff at Alba Produce. A small storefront on Parmenter Street you may miss it, but it’s there and the delicious fruit and fresh veggies will have you coming here instead of the other markets!
Best Whole Bean Coffee: When I’m home in Boston that honestly means one daily thing: amazing coffee. We all have our boujee thing in life and for some people freshly ground, spectacular, robust coffee is theirs. If I’m speaking your language then there is no other place than Polcari’s Coffee to get your whole bean coffee. But that’s not all, Polcari’s carries an array of teas, spices, extracts, grains and more. The smell of coffee upon entering hugs you and then owner Bobby Eustance greets you with the best smile and biggest hello (even with a mask on!). Polcari’s is all about family down on good ol’ Salem Street and you instantly feel like part of the family as you walk out with a handful of goodies.
That’s the list! This is totally biased and everything listed is of my own opinions, but I hope it serves as a base level of the places I love in the North End… maybe some secret nuggets you never knew about included (you’re welcome for sharing 😉) There is an endless amount of exploring to do in Boston and the North End specifically, and certainly you can’t go wrong just about anywhere. But these places aren’t just about the products they serve and produce, but about their purpose and message. What they create and share with the community is what makes each of these places my favorites…but it doesn’t hurt that they know what they’re doing, too!
Leave a comment if you’ve been to these places or which ones you hope to get to soon! What are some of your favorites that I should check out? Several of these establishments are open, just don’t forget your mask and hand sanitizer!
Wellfleet is killing the outdoor dining game! We ventured back, blinders up heading for yet another stop at the Bookstore Restaurant, when we let them down and noticed the deck above this restaurant on a beautiful day overlooking the harbor. We couldn’t ignore our curiosity and decided to dine at Pearl.
Literally just down the street from the Bookstore sits Pearl, right on the curve of Commercial Street at the dock. They have a beautiful deck where you can overlook Duck Creek, which is fed from Wellfleet Harbor. Boasting “an ample selection of beer, wine, and cocktails” and fresh seafood with a view, Pearl also keeps to the historical Cape exterior with a modern twist to it.
When we went, we were still under outdoor dining only orders, but it worked out as it was a gorgeous day begging us to sit outside! What made it better was our service, our waiter was running up and down those stairs delivering food and drinks and working his butt off! In these crazy times it is nice to see hardworking citizens, gaining valuable life experience along the way. Our drinks came quick and our food not long after ordering either.
Local Hog Island Brewery Summer Ale
Amid the restrictions of COVID, Pearl still offers a nice menu of fresh, local classics. We started off with calamari, which had banana peppers, marinara, and lemon pepper aioli. This calamari was nice and crispy, not too heavy on the coating, and cooked beautifully. The aioli was tangy and a little sweet, offering a nice addition and balance to the bite.
One entree we devoured was the South Up North Burger, boasting a mighty 8 ounce beef patty, their house pimento cheese, root beer caramelized onions, and the classic additions of BL&T. The burger was uber juicy with all of the elements melding together nicely for a great bite every time. With that we enjoyed their house chips which were crispy and crunchedy!
The fish tacos were also superb, fresh and lightly fried cod with pico de gallo, baja fish taco sauce, and coleslaw. Again the seafood was heavenly fried, the baja sauce was sharp and added a nice pungent flavor. The bed of coleslaw added a good crunch element, maybe a little mayo heavy, but nice nonetheless. Their french fries were also irresistible, nice and crispy yet fluffy. And if you can’t tell from the pictures all of the portions were generous, as well!
While we may not have embarked on the journey to go to Pearl initially, it ended up being the exact meal we needed. So let’s toast to summer with a cool Hog Island Summer Ale and scrumptious fish tacos to new adventures and the future.
Well hi there. It’s been a while. I’m sorry it’s been about 4 months since I’ve last posted but you know…it’s a crazy time (unless you’ve been living in denial or under a rock).
But we’re back. And things are opening and starting to go back to normal(ish). So with that being said I WENT TO A RESTAURANT. A REAL LIFE OUTDOOR DINING EXPERIENCE. It’s a place I’ve been to many times and I love it so much…The Bookstore in Wellfleet.
Sitting back in Wellfleet Bay near Mayo Beach is the Bookstore Restaurant. I can remember coming to this area for the playground (currently blocked off) and the nice little beach across the street. With an actual bookstore in the rear, three generations of the same family since 1964 have overseen this spot boasting dishes that “have become classics on the Outer Cape”. In these times, they are lucky to have a downstairs uncovered patio plus two porch like decks downstairs and upstairs (which follows all CDC guidelines for outdoor dining during the coronavirus pandemic).
The view from the top deck looking over the bay. To accommodate guidelines, air flow is a must so at least one screen must be open.
Like I said earlier I’ve been here many times and every time I get the same thing. The Bookstore Reuben (aka Cape Cod Reuben) is a twist on the classic sandwich. Fried cod on grilled marble rye with Swiss cheese and coleslaw…what could be better! The fish is lightly fried and not heavy, the size of the sandwich and fish solid, filling you up to just the right amount of fullness. The coleslaw was plentiful, giving a nice tang and brightness. With a side of fries you are set with this classic Cape Cod delicacy! Pair it with one of the restaurants many house-infused martinis or classic (and accurate!) cocktails! With a couple of different drinks using Twenty Boat Spiced Rum from Truro, I thoroughly enjoyed the Parrot Head – the rum with black raspberry liqueur and pineapple juice. Their Mai Tai is also delicious and true to its original recipe!
Also pictured and enjoyed was the pan seared scallops with peach risotto. I need to get that risotto recipe! I was not expecting to like it as much as I did, the peaches came in small chunks in the risotto but didn’t make the dish overly sweet. It was well balanced and served with perfectly seared scallops, it was a perfect match!
I was giddy as could be to be going to sit in a restaurant. These are hard times for everyone, but it certainly means the world to small businesses to have local support. Restaurant prices may be going up, but everyone is working incredibly hard and they’re appreciative and attentive. Our waiter was respectful, hardworking, and accommodating; everything you need during these times. I employ you to keep supporting our restaurants and local shops, especially here on Cape Cod. It’s time to band together and support as best we can.
Stay safe and healthy and be sure to follow me on Instagram, @critiquingcarnivore to see even more content!
The Critiquing Carnivore 