A Tale of Two Fishies (and Chips)

Last weekend I had the pleasure of eating two very different types of fish and chips, one pretty haute and one pretty hearty.

For the first one, I found myself in Fells Point, ready for a weekend of rooting for those Ravens, hons (RAVENS IN THE SUPER BOWL W000000000T!).  My original intention was to head to my favorite Irish soccer bar Sláinte, where I knew they had a fascinating blueberry "Ravens" cheesecake.  But I got sidewinded first as I passed by Bond Street Social, whose warmth and large, inviting bar drew my attention.  Bond Street Social has an interesting selection of draft beers, including some of my favorites (Dogfishes and Heavy Seases), not to mention the cocktails, sangrías and wines.  I ordered myself a 90 Minute and considered ordering some food.  The stomach won over and I pored over the menu. The menu of somewhat pricey food.  Pricey food that I knew would likely be in sorta small haute cuisine portions.  After much deliberation, I settled on the Social Fish and Chips ($18!!!) which consisted of four tender large fish nuggets in crispy, delicious batter, each nestled on top of an "Old Bay tater tot" (that's the chip), with lovely crispy globs of "salt and vinegar slaw" between them.  The food overall was lovely in flavor, texture and presentation.  That said, while I am not the kind of person who demands big portions, I was kind of hungry when it was all done.  So know that you are paying for a delicious, high quality and smallish portion of fish and tater tots.

I needed some of that Sláinte cheesecake.  It went fast, especially with that Loose Cannon to wash it down.

The next day I headed to Arundel Mills, and after a day of shopping for some clothes and window shopping for kitchen items, I stopped in the DuClaw for a little lunch and a little beer.  I mean little in only the most cursory way, as the Venom and Chips ($14) I ordered - named for the Venom light amber ale they have on tap - was so massive that the couple seated at the bar table next to me had to comment on its size.  They probably saw my buggy eyes when I got it.  I paired that with their extra hoppy Serum Double IPA.

But back to the fish: two humongous pieces of cod in tempura batter, extra crispy and crunchy - so much so that it easily slid off the hot, slippery cod.  This wasn't such a problem since the breading was a meal in itself.  And these fries were actual fries - not bad, but seriously playing second fiddle to that fish.  Likewise, this was paired with a sweet and tasty cole slaw, though again it's the fish that stood out.  They also brought out some Old Bay per my request.

I did not leave hungry.

While I would eat each again, which of the two would I seek out first?  I have to confess it is DuClaw's.  The crunchiness of the fillet won me over, despite all else.  I will have to order this again, with a Serum Double IPA.

Random Bites: December Edition

I haven't had a lot of time (damn, do I type that a lot) to write about places I've been eating at lately.  A few brief notes about what I've been eating outside of my kitchen, apart from the quick rush to the local Wawa, Wegman's or Harris Teeter.

* Heavy Seas Ale House (Little Italy) - I love brewpubs.  It's why I head first thing to the Dogfish one every time I hit up Rehoboth Beach.  Baltimore has a few good ones as well.  The Heavy Seas Ale House in Little Italy was able to seat me relatively quickly (then again, I typically go to these places by myself, so I can come and go as I please).  Most every ARRRRRR'-tinged beer that Heavy Seas currently has is on tap.  I had the very nicely hoppy Loose Cannon American Hop3 IPA (7.5% ABV) with my hamburger: the juicy Heavy Seas Burger & Fries ($13) covered in onion straws (or "peg legs").  Somewhat surprising was the Earl Grey Crème Brûlée ($7) with delicious spice cookies.  Hoppy beers, juicy burgers and crème brûlée are three of the things I like to eat / drink the most.  Even more convenient: Heavy Seas is right across from the Little Italy parking garage - the one that costs $3 to park.

* Birroteca (Hampden, hon) - A new but very atypical Italian restaurant in Hampden, along Clipper Mill Road with ample parking, is Birroteca (City Paper story here).  The place touts its "Craft Beer, Wine and Artisan Pizza" and I'm sure it excels in all of these, but it has much more as I found out this past weekend.  Especially of note: Birroteca is a restaurant that features local foods when they can, something I am planning to do more in my kitchen in the new year.  They have lots of craft brews (no Bud or Miller, or at least that I could tell.  I wasn't looking for that), and I got there Friday evening while Evolution Craft Brews were still offered for happy hour prices (score!).  They also have several other area craft brews, including the aforementioned Heavy Seas.  The beer I enjoyed the most was the one that was not offered at happy hour prices, the Evolution Lot #6 DIPA ($7.50, with the rest of the Evolutions half off at just $3).  Again, I like the hoppy beers. Along with that I got a bevy of finger foods: bread with olive oil and sea salt ($2), a bowl of olives ($3) and my main dish, the salumi and cheese plate (three choices for $11 - I had the chef choose).   The best part was that I got there while there was still seating at the bar, so no waiting for a table for me!  That's another plus to flying solo.

* Nando's Peri-Peri (Pentagon Row, Arlington, VA, and various locations in the DC area) - I've not been to Nando's before, though I see it often when I'm in the DC/NoVA area.  The Johannesburg (yes, South Africa)-based Mozambican-Portuguese hot chicken chain has several stores in the DC area, and apparently one is opening near the UB campus up our way (H/T: MinxEats' Kathy Patterson).  I'm not sure if this is the area's first South African chain (probably is),, but it's definitely the first Mozambican-Portuguese-themed restaurant.  For those of us not in the know: Nando's specializes in chicken, ranging from lime to extra hot.  You can order anything from a quarter breast-wing or leg-thigh to a whole chicken, and various sides.  I got the quarter leg-thigh, hot - one shy of their hottest possible temp - plus two sides (about $9), in this case fries with "Nando" spices and garlic bread made from a thick, soft Portuguese roll.  While the chicken was not unbearably hot for me, it was indeed hot, and people who don't like "hot" food will probably want something a bit less picante.

* R&R Taquería (Elkridge/Jessup) - For the recent turning of the b'ak'tun - the alleged End Of The World (TM) that everyone but the Maya were up in arms about (because, of course, the Maya never said the world was going to end) - I wanted cochinita pibil.  Without the time, the mood or the finances to make my own right now, I sought it locally, and found it at R&R Taquería, in a Shell station at the intersection of US 1 and MD 175 in Jessup/Elkridge.  You will wait a while to get your food, simply because the line is long.  It's some good food (they've even been on the Guy Fieri Happy Time Annoying Show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives), and while it's easier to find good Mexican food in the Baltimore area than it used to be, it's still a relative rarity.  You can order whole platters or simple tacos.  I went for the latter - two of their cochinita pibil and one barbacoa lamb taco (yes, I admit I saw it on the little video clip of R&R from the DDD show).  Each was delicious: the barbacoa lamb was juicy and the cochinita pibil was hot.  Actually, the hottest I've ever had it.  Certainly hotter than that Nando's Peri-Peri hot chicken.  And of course they make no secret about why: it's flavored with habanero peppers.  I've lost many a battle with the habanero.  It burned for a while but actually left a nice feeling in the mouth for a while after I was done with the tacos.

Flashback: Rehoboth Beach... in Haiku (originally posted 7/17/10)

Ah, summer is coming to an end.  Why not celebrate it with a trip to the beach?  Too little room in OC? How about a side trip to Reho?  Plus the haiku is a format I haven't had on here in a while.  For those of you not familiar with Rehoboth Beach, please note: the subject of the final photo is still on display the last I checked.

- - - - -

Rehoboth Beach... in Haiku (originally posted July 17, 2010)


It's been a week since my visit to fabulously hot Rehoboth Beach - and a good long while since I posted anything in poetry format. So to help cope with the heat, a little silliness in haiku format.

My stay started at
The Rehoboth Guest House - a
Charming place to stay.

Dogfish Head Brew Pub

Dinner was Dogfish
Head Brewpub, one of my main
Reasons to go down.

So many beers, all
Mem'rable. But enough to
Cloud my brain a tad.

I must recommend
Their five dollar sampler of
Five beers with your meal.

With that I got the
Fried squid - crunchy, nice, although
Not too flavorful.

Alongside, their In-
dulgence burger (just nine bucks),
Piled with lots of stuff:

Cheddar, bacon, and
A fried onion ring - I asked
For it to be rare.

Flavorful, juicy,
A bit messy (duh) - quite good.
Get it if you can.

Walked to Double L,
One of the rare gay bars that
Has Guinness on tap.

What a cute couple,
Standing on the Boardwalk on
Drizzly Thursday morn.

The Bake Shoppe

Stopped by the Bake Shoppe
On Rehoboth Av for a
Croissant and a chat.

Crusty, happy guy
Who grew up in Baltimore
Told me about two

Women who baked pies
In his 'hood in South B'more
Back when he was young.

Baywatch: Delaware!

Lifeguards training in the sand.
Yum. I stared a bit.

And of course, I get
On the beach and it drizzles.
I still got sunburned :\

In contrast: what the
Trendy woman wore here a
Hundred years ago.

Also checked out an
Exhibit on Rehoboth's
Archaeology.

Leave it to me to
Go to the beach, and end up
In a museum.

Seafood ShackFor a post-beach lunch,
I stopped at the Seafood ShackOn Baltimore Av

With my Dos Equis,
Got a po'boy which was a
Three seafood sampler:

A mini-crabcake,
Three oysters, and two shrimps - for
all of thirteen bucks.

Po'boy did the job,
In a friendly setting not
Far from the Boardwalk.

Visit at night for
Music from lesbian and
Straight female singers!

Dogfish Head Brew Pub Part TwoOn back to Dogfish,
For their down-scale brew pub tour
Free at 4:30

On Tuesdays, Wednesdays,
and Thursdays. No free samples
Like in Milton though.

Showed me their vodkas,
Including an intriguing
Peanut Butter one.

I had to try this.
A shot for five bucks tastes JUST
like peanut butter.

Finbar's Pub and GrillHowever, dinner
Was at Finbar's - the locals'
Favorite for dinner.

The service, at first,
Was lacking. But I was helped
Eventually.

With a thick Guinness,
I got a big fish and chips
For seventeen bucks:

A humongous piece
Of Irish ale-battered cod
With a rémoulade.

The fish was tender,
And the batter not soggy.
Locals must love it!

While fries are often
A throwaway, these chips were
A nice complement.

Finbar's, by the way,
Is easy to find: Dogfish
Brew Pub is next door.

Blue MoonBookending dinner,
A visit to the Blue Moon,
So close to my room.

Dinner is pricey.
So I only went for their
Happy Hour at first.

After dinner, I
Returned to meet up with friends,
Watch karaoke.

Had yet more Dogfish:
Two (or three) Shelter Pale Ales,
But Happy Hour-priced.

And please check out the
Entertaining Pamala
Stanley at Blue Moon!

Late? Karaoke
With Mona Lotts (just don't sing
Off-key like some guys)

Finally found the
Fabled gay end of the beach
(and much eye candy...)

So nice to see gays
With their kids, even some straights,
Gay couples and groups.

If you're looking, it's
13 minute walk from there
To Rehoboth Av.

Hobo's Restaurant and Bar

For my send-off lunch,
Hobo's offered one very
Eye-popping option:

The place looks like they
Took Artscape and made it in-
to a restaurant.

My lunch: a combo
Quesadilla of blue crab
Mixed with melted brie.

For nine bucks, it is
Melted with arugula
And artichokes, too.

You would not think to
Mix crab and brie, but my God
What a great combo!

Topped with rémoulade
and red bell peppers, which made
The meal quite complete.

Of course, I had to
Stop at Dolle's for car'mel corn -
A six dollar tub.

And Candy Kitchen:
For a pound of fudge to take
Back for family.

Did I mention the
Eye-candy? I did. Just had
To revisit it.

No haiku verse here: this speaks for itself.

Tidbits: Rehoboth in August Edition

I headed to Rehoboth Beach last week for a few days of rest and sun (and, er, clouds). I usually try to hit up places I have not visited while I'm there, though a visit to one famous brewpub is always on the agenda.

* The Pig & Fish is a puzzling name until you realize it means "Eat Like a Pig, Drink Like A Fish". And I certainly did during happy hour (4 to 6 pm), where various appetizers, beers and such are half priced. I got two Dogfish head 90 Minute Pale Ales and a Hennepin for half off, and enough appetizers to force me to have to return at some point. Their crab dip ($6) comes with lots of sliced bread for dipping. It wasn't a chunky dip at all, but more of a smooth and silky crab-flavored fondue. What was particularly fascinating was their "hog wings" ($5.50) - pork shanks cooked in either BBQ sauce or Italian herb butter. Quite a good bit of food and drink for happy hour.

* I made a tough decision on lunch thanks to the Urbanspoon app I downloaded onto my phone (damn this thing is useful, especially since the Wifi in the guest house was not working). I finally settled on Lily Thai on 1st Street. It has some pricey entrées - and a bowl of soup for dinner can run you $7. This is why eating out for lunch is such a good idea. For $8 I got a lunch special: salad (better than most side salads I usually get), a fried spring roll and, for my main course, fried catfish - Southern style (still not quite sure if they meant "Southern Thailand" or "Southern USA"), with potatoes and onions in a yellow curry sauce. Though the crispiness of the catfish didn't really hold up after a few minutes, the fried catfish still went nicely with the curry sauce. A Thai iced tea costs about $4 for lunch, a nice addition to your meal.

* I always stop by Dogfish Brew Pub while in Rehoboth, though it was so crowded when I got there that i figured i would just have a beer or two and then go somewhere else for dinner. It pays to hang out at the bar because I was able to snag a seat that one diner had just vacated (and it only took 15 minutes). I got there, it so happens, on International IPA Day, a day to celebrate craft beers. Dogfish had its special 75 Minute IPA available, a beautiful looking and tasting IPA for $5. I got to sample more with my dinner, a regular burger with my choice of toppings ($8 plus $1 for each topping) - avocado and goat cheese spread. It amazes me how they fit a burger like this - an average width burger, mind you - on such a tiny bun. It was almost like a burger that Wimpy would have eaten. Back to the sampler: I got to try several in 4 oz glasses. My favorite of the five? Chateau Jiahu, based on a 9,000 year old Chinese recipe and featuring honey and rice in the mix. The ultra fruity Black & Red stout was also a winner, though not one I could finish a whole glass of. Also of note: the Palo Santo Marrón and the Chicory Stout (I love the dark beers, what can I say?) My least favorite was the Shelter Pale Ale, the Dogfish original and a good beer but it really kind of pales in comparison to the others I sampled. I guess it would pale, since it's a pale ale (har har har).

* One friend of mine suggested a Nic-O-Boli from Nicola Pizza, and so I made it my last meal in town. Nicola is a friendly establishment with pizza and other Italian-American standards. Their Nic-O-Boli ($7 to $10 depending on the fillings) is a standard stromboli filled with their tomato and ground beef sauce, a local favorite. I got mine with everything, including anchovies, which I never get enough of a chance to eat.

Rehoboth Beach... in Haiku

It's been a week since my visit to fabulously hot Rehoboth Beach - and a good long while since I posted anything in poetry format. So to help cope with the heat, a little silliness in haiku format.

My stay started at
The Rehoboth Guest House - a
Charming place to stay.

Dogfish Head Brew Pub

Dinner was Dogfish
Head Brewpub, one of my main
Reasons to go down.

So many beers, all
Mem'rable. But enough to
Cloud my brain a tad.

I must recommend
Their five dollar sampler of
Five beers with your meal.

With that I got the
Fried squid - crunchy, nice, although
Not too flavorful.

Alongside, their In-
dulgence burger (just nine bucks),
Piled with lots of stuff:

Cheddar, bacon, and
A fried onion ring - I asked
For it to be rare.

Flavorful, juicy,
A bit messy (duh) - quite good.
Get it if you can.

Walked to Double L,
One of the rare gay bars that
Has Guinness on tap.

What a cute couple,
Standing on the Boardwalk on
Drizzly Thursday morn.

The Bake Shoppe

Stopped by the Bake Shoppe
On Rehoboth Av for a
Croissant and a chat.

Crusty, happy guy
Who grew up in Baltimore
Told me about two

Women who baked pies
In his 'hood in South B'more
Back when he was young.

Baywatch: Delaware!

Lifeguards training in the sand.
Yum. I stared a bit.

And of course, I get
On the beach and it drizzles.
I still got sunburned :\

In contrast: what the
Trendy woman wore here a
Hundred years ago.

Also checked out an
Exhibit on Rehoboth's
Archaeology.

Leave it to me to
Go to the beach, and end up
In a museum.

Seafood Shack

For a post-beach lunch,
I stopped at the Seafood Shack
On Baltimore Av

With my Dos Equis,
Got a po'boy which was a
Three seafood sampler:

A mini-crabcake,
Three oysters, and two shrimps - for
all of thirteen bucks.

Po'boy did the job,
In a friendly setting not
Far from the Boardwalk.

Visit at night for
Music from lesbian and
Straight female singers!

Dogfish Head Brew Pub Part Two

On back to Dogfish,
For their down-scale brew pub tour
Free at 4:30

On Tuesdays, Wednesdays,
and Thursdays. No free samples
Like in Milton though.

Showed me their vodkas,
Including an intriguing
Peanut Butter one.

I had to try this.
A shot for five bucks tastes JUST
like peanut butter.

Finbar's Pub and Grill

However, dinner
Was at Finbar's - the locals'
Favorite for dinner.

The service, at first,
Was lacking. But I was helped
Eventually.

With a thick Guinness,
I got a big fish and chips
For seventeen bucks:

A humongous piece
Of Irish ale-battered cod
With a rémoulade.

The fish was tender,
And the batter not soggy.
Locals must love it!

While fries are often
A throwaway, these chips were
A nice complement.

Finbar's, by the way,
Is easy to find: Dogfish
Brew Pub is next door.

Blue Moon

Bookending dinner,
A visit to the Blue Moon,
So close to my room.

Dinner is pricey.
So I only went for their
Happy Hour at first.

After dinner, I
Returned to meet up with friends,
Watch karaoke.

Had yet more Dogfish:
Two (or three) Shelter Pale Ales,
But Happy Hour-priced.

And please check out the
Entertaining Pamala
Stanley at Blue Moon!

Late? Karaoke
With Mona Lotts (just don't sing
Off-key like some guys)

Finally found the
Fabled gay end of the beach
(and much eye candy...)

So nice to see gays
With their kids, even some straights,
Gay couples and groups.

If you're looking, it's
13 minute walk from there
To Rehoboth Av.

Hobo's Restaurant and Bar

For my send-off lunch,
Hobo's offered one very
Eye-popping option:

The place looks like they
Took Artscape and made it in-
to a restaurant.

My lunch: a combo
Quesadilla of blue crab
Mixed with melted brie.

For nine bucks, it is
Melted with arugula
And artichokes, too.

You would not think to
Mix crab and brie, but my God
What a great combo!

Topped with rémoulade
and red bell peppers, which made
The meal quite complete.

Of course, I had to
Stop at Dolle's for car'mel corn -
A six dollar tub.

And Candy Kitchen:
For a pound of fudge to take
Back for family.

Did I mention the
Eye-candy? I did. Just had
To revisit it.

No haiku verse here: this speaks for itself.