MorningCoffee + Banana Pancakes + Eggs
Noon
Grilled Cheese + French Fries
Night
Deluxe, Wilmington, NC
Sunday, August 5, 2007
{The Menu - 08.05.07}
MorningCoffee + Banana Pancakes + Eggs
Noon
Grilled Cheese + French Fries
Night
Deluxe, Wilmington, NC
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Let the Feast Begin!
Port City Java21 N. Front Street
Wilmington, NC 28401
(910) 762-5282
portcityjava.com
South Beach Grill
100 S. Lumina Avenue
Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480
(910) 256-4646
southbeachgrillwb.com
Elijah's
2 Ann Street
Wilmington, NC 27501
(910) 343-1448
elijahs.com
IF ONE OF my favorite culinary truths about New York City is the vast abundance of international and creative vegetarian food to be found here, then one of my favorite parts of traveling south and east to the Atlantic Coast is the buckets and buckets (quite literally) of seafood to be had there. And in a city like Wilmington, whose historic downtown has managed to outlaw franchises, the buckets to be had are mighty, mighty tasty indeed.
We start, however, with a blueberry muffin procured from Port City Java, which sits downstairs, conveniently, in my brother's apartment building, which is oddly enough a former Masonic temple:
Not the most delicious blueberry muffin I've ever had, truth be told, but when you're sitting alongside the Cape Fear sipping iced coffee on a 95-degree Saturday morning eating said blueberry muffin in the company of Mint, mom and brother, its tastes okay. Throw in the view and one doesn't complain:
The day was spent mostly at the beach, which included the ice cream cone (top) and 75-degree water, after which my brother took off for the airport to meet his girlfriend, Elisa, while my mom, Mint and I grabbed a late, light lunch at the nearby South Beach
Grill. Situated at one of the main entrances to Wrightsville Beach, parking can be a frustrating affair, but more enjoyable food within walking distance of the sand is hard to find.
Lunch was wasabi-crusted sea scallops, a 'Seafood Napoleon' of shrimp, fried tomatoes, and crab meat with boursin cheese, and a plate of seafood nachos featuring creamy crab, a few more shrimp and homemade tortilla chips, all shared between the three of us. The creative fare might not be as finely-executed as that in downtown Wilmington, but the ambitious dishes are well-prepared and make most excellent beach fare.
After making the fifteen minute drive back into Wilmington, we took a few hours to relax, clean up, and share a bottle of wine. And then, once again, it was time for food. (I love Wimington!) My mom's recommendation for tonight: Elijah's.
Sitting off the end of Wilmington's riverside boardwalk, where the cobblestones of Ann Street mark the end of the city's main drag, Elijah's sits sprawled out with its triple-terraced patio overlooking the Cape. It's beautiful spot to sit on a summer evening and dig into a bucket of seafood. Literally. "The Carolina Bucket"--crab legs, shrimps, mussels, clams, corn, slices of sausage, and bunches of fresh oysters. Had we known the bucket (below, top left) would be so deep, we might not have also ordered the chef's Grill Plate, a pile of blackened salmon, mahi mahi and skewered shrimp. Suffice it to say there was a lot of food.
portcityjava.com
South Beach Grill
100 S. Lumina Avenue
Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480
(910) 256-4646
southbeachgrillwb.com
Elijah's
2 Ann Street
Wilmington, NC 27501
(910) 343-1448
elijahs.com
IF ONE OF my favorite culinary truths about New York City is the vast abundance of international and creative vegetarian food to be found here, then one of my favorite parts of traveling south and east to the Atlantic Coast is the buckets and buckets (quite literally) of seafood to be had there. And in a city like Wilmington, whose historic downtown has managed to outlaw franchises, the buckets to be had are mighty, mighty tasty indeed.
We start, however, with a blueberry muffin procured from Port City Java, which sits downstairs, conveniently, in my brother's apartment building, which is oddly enough a former Masonic temple:
Not the most delicious blueberry muffin I've ever had, truth be told, but when you're sitting alongside the Cape Fear sipping iced coffee on a 95-degree Saturday morning eating said blueberry muffin in the company of Mint, mom and brother, its tastes okay. Throw in the view and one doesn't complain:
The day was spent mostly at the beach, which included the ice cream cone (top) and 75-degree water, after which my brother took off for the airport to meet his girlfriend, Elisa, while my mom, Mint and I grabbed a late, light lunch at the nearby South Beach
Grill. Situated at one of the main entrances to Wrightsville Beach, parking can be a frustrating affair, but more enjoyable food within walking distance of the sand is hard to find.Lunch was wasabi-crusted sea scallops, a 'Seafood Napoleon' of shrimp, fried tomatoes, and crab meat with boursin cheese, and a plate of seafood nachos featuring creamy crab, a few more shrimp and homemade tortilla chips, all shared between the three of us. The creative fare might not be as finely-executed as that in downtown Wilmington, but the ambitious dishes are well-prepared and make most excellent beach fare.
After making the fifteen minute drive back into Wilmington, we took a few hours to relax, clean up, and share a bottle of wine. And then, once again, it was time for food. (I love Wimington!) My mom's recommendation for tonight: Elijah's.Sitting off the end of Wilmington's riverside boardwalk, where the cobblestones of Ann Street mark the end of the city's main drag, Elijah's sits sprawled out with its triple-terraced patio overlooking the Cape. It's beautiful spot to sit on a summer evening and dig into a bucket of seafood. Literally. "The Carolina Bucket"--crab legs, shrimps, mussels, clams, corn, slices of sausage, and bunches of fresh oysters. Had we known the bucket (below, top left) would be so deep, we might not have also ordered the chef's Grill Plate, a pile of blackened salmon, mahi mahi and skewered shrimp. Suffice it to say there was a lot of food.
Dessert, somehow, was deemed necessary. Apple pie and a chocolate cake were ordered, the latter (above, bottom left) boasting more than a pound of butter and chocolate per slice. The thing was a veritable chocolate truffle, engorged and molded into something resembling a slice of pie so rich and dark it appeared a black hole at our table that we could only hope sucked the calories out of itself. Even more confounding was the Cape Fear coffee my mother ordered (above, bottom right). It looked innocent enough; the Bailey's, Khalua, and amaretto all involved begged to differ.
And so began the weekend.
{The Menu - 08.04.07}
MorningCoffee + Blueberry Muffin
Noon
Ice Cream Cone +
South Beach Grill, Wrightsville Beach, NC
Night
Elijah's, Wilmington, NC
Noon
Ice Cream Cone +
South Beach Grill, Wrightsville Beach, NC
Night
Elijah's, Wilmington, NC
Friday, August 3, 2007
Four Hours by Sea, Eight Hours by Land
Boheme Cafe400 E. Pratt Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
(410) 347-9898
bohemecafe.com
Ah, the wholesome bounty of a continental breakfast!
After returning from the dizzying heights of the Brookshire's "Cloud Club," where magical breakfast is served daily until 9:30 (at which point magic simply must rest and prepare for lunch), Mint and I stowed our luggage and wandered over to The National Aquarium. This Baltimore favorite has been praised by everyone we've talked to who have passed through its doors, and even by a few folks who have themselves heard nothing but high praise. We can confirm the praise is all well-warranted.
While hardly the most sprawling aquatic institution I've ever been in, and a little lacking in penguins for Mint's taste, the three buildings that house the Aquarium's exhibits and installations are both compact and comprehensive. Its "permanent collection," a towering hall criss-crossed by escalators with a tank of sea turtles and sting rays below and walls of fish tanks encircling its edges, a saltwater version of Frank Lloyd Wright's Guggenheim in New York, was particularly impressive.
Visitors to the aquarium would do well to stop by the Boheme Cafe, just a few blocks away on Pratt Street, to grab a quick breakfast or lunch away from the aquarium's masses. My "Lil' Italian" breakfast sandwich of scrambled eggs, steamed spinach and provolone on rosemary focaccia made a great lunch to go, as did Mint's eggs and sausage on toast. Both are served all day, both $4.50.
Our plan had been to spend five hours at the aquarium and six hours driving south to Wilmington, NC; we managed four with the fishes and about eight stuck on I-95. Not quite the numbers we were hoping for, and certainly not ones that were going to arrive us in Wilmington in time for dinner. So, consoling ourselves with a third breakfast in one day's time, we pulled off the road somewhere in Virginia in search of a Denny's. I'll spare you the details.
We made it to Wilmington with enough energy for a few drinks with my already-drinking brother and ma at Hell's Kitchen before staggering over to our room at the nearby Hilton. There, we found a pile of pirate-themed presents awaiting our arrival. Thinking at first we had stumbled across some "Wilmington Magic," a closer examination of the pirate map included with the treasures showed signs of my brother's involvement (an arrow pointing to the pirate's "booty" and a "stoned dolphin" gave him up).
And so we plunked our Grow-A-Pirate into a glass of water and fell magically asleep.
Baltimore, MD 21202
(410) 347-9898
bohemecafe.com
Ah, the wholesome bounty of a continental breakfast!
After returning from the dizzying heights of the Brookshire's "Cloud Club," where magical breakfast is served daily until 9:30 (at which point magic simply must rest and prepare for lunch), Mint and I stowed our luggage and wandered over to The National Aquarium. This Baltimore favorite has been praised by everyone we've talked to who have passed through its doors, and even by a few folks who have themselves heard nothing but high praise. We can confirm the praise is all well-warranted.
While hardly the most sprawling aquatic institution I've ever been in, and a little lacking in penguins for Mint's taste, the three buildings that house the Aquarium's exhibits and installations are both compact and comprehensive. Its "permanent collection," a towering hall criss-crossed by escalators with a tank of sea turtles and sting rays below and walls of fish tanks encircling its edges, a saltwater version of Frank Lloyd Wright's Guggenheim in New York, was particularly impressive.
Visitors to the aquarium would do well to stop by the Boheme Cafe, just a few blocks away on Pratt Street, to grab a quick breakfast or lunch away from the aquarium's masses. My "Lil' Italian" breakfast sandwich of scrambled eggs, steamed spinach and provolone on rosemary focaccia made a great lunch to go, as did Mint's eggs and sausage on toast. Both are served all day, both $4.50.Our plan had been to spend five hours at the aquarium and six hours driving south to Wilmington, NC; we managed four with the fishes and about eight stuck on I-95. Not quite the numbers we were hoping for, and certainly not ones that were going to arrive us in Wilmington in time for dinner. So, consoling ourselves with a third breakfast in one day's time, we pulled off the road somewhere in Virginia in search of a Denny's. I'll spare you the details.
Delicious as only Denny's can be delicious
We made it to Wilmington with enough energy for a few drinks with my already-drinking brother and ma at Hell's Kitchen before staggering over to our room at the nearby Hilton. There, we found a pile of pirate-themed presents awaiting our arrival. Thinking at first we had stumbled across some "Wilmington Magic," a closer examination of the pirate map included with the treasures showed signs of my brother's involvement (an arrow pointing to the pirate's "booty" and a "stoned dolphin" gave him up).
And so we plunked our Grow-A-Pirate into a glass of water and fell magically asleep.
{The Menu - 08.03.07}
MorningCoffee + French Toast + Bagel w/ Cream Cheese + Strawberries
Noon
Boheme Cafe, Baltimore, MD
Night
Denny's, Middles of Nowhere, VA
Noon
Boheme Cafe, Baltimore, MD
Night
Denny's, Middles of Nowhere, VA
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Welcome to Baltimore
M&S Grill 
201 E. Pratt Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
(410) 547-9333
mandsgrill.com
Capitol City Brewery
301 S. Light Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
(401) 539-PINT
capcitybrew.com
SUMMER VACATION 2007 began well enough with half-days of work for Mint and myself, finishing four hours down I-95 later with the sun setting over Baltimore's Inner Harbor. Not a bad start, you'd say. Then you would have had dinner. But before we get too far into that debacle, I would like to start with the hilarity that is the Brookshire Suites.
Let it be known that we booked a room at the Brookshire because it offered a special package which included two tickets to the National Aquarium at Baltimore, which was specifically why we were in Baltimore to begin with (the free Oceanopoly board game was also nice--the words "eel platypus tuna" inscribed in faux-Latin on its paper money being perhaps the greatest pun ever). Unfortunately, the Brookshire's "Harbor Magic" schtick was dumbfounding.
"Let us make magic happen for you!" was promised on any number of pamphlets, posters and cards littered about our room, yet actual, practical magic made manifest was very clearly absent. Now, our room was quite nice, having been upgraded free of charge, and perhaps all of our magic was used up in that process, but if you promise me a "magical closet" full of items I've forgotten that you "might have remembered" for me, well, there better be more than an iron, a few blankets and a robe inside. And when we ask you for a comb, responding "housekeeping is gone for the night" equals: incorrect answer. (Unless combs aren't magical. I really don't know.) Point being: the ability to watch Criss Angel: Mindfreak is not magic enough to substantiate your claims. Next time, either make your valet pull a rabbit out of his hat or change your slogan to "Harbor Proximity," which is a trick you pulled off quite nicely.
Okay, it's dinnertime.
Knowing nothing about Baltimore aside from the many episodes of Homicide: Life on the Street I watched as a child, and not looking to relive any of those particular childhood memories, we used the Brookshire's "magical" internet connection to determine that a whole lot or restaurants were clustered a few blocks away by the Inner Harbor. In retrospect, I should have looked harder. Sadly, that's not how this story unfolds.
After passing up such choice establishments as Uno's, California Pizza Kitchen, Hooters, and a decidedly un-Irish pub-like establishment claiming to be exactly that, we resigned ourselves to the M&S Grill. After being seated immediately (but waiting about twelve minutes to meet our server), we were informed of the following:
- McCormick & Schmick's is a very fine seafood restaurant
- Everything at M&S Grill is fresh
- The fish is fresh, the steaks both fresh and aged (this confused us)
- The bar uses only fresh-squeezed juice for its signature drink, the Arnold Palmer, a blend of fresh-squeezed lemon juice and fresh-brewed iced tea
- The specials are also fresh, which involve very fresh ingredients
A local brew mentioned somewhere in there sounded both refreshing and fresh, so we ordered two of those and took a few minutes to recoup from the onslaught of freshness over-compensation while our server went to get them. We had to wonder, just what is this city trying to hide with its outpouring of "magic" and "fresh" offers--don't you know that I know that you're making this shit up?
Entirely fuddled from this freshness bullshit, I ordered something that involved flounder and maple-something. Mint ordered chili-lime tilapia. We were given bread that tasted like an everything bagel mutated in the microwave and exploded into a pile of garlic and sesame. Not entirely unpleasant, granted, but not exactly the dinner roll I'm looking for with my seafood. Strike that--I'm not sure I ordered dinner.
Maple what-now!?! I made a wrong turn somewhere off the entrees, because after one bite I clearly arrived at breakfast fish. That's correct, breakfast fish. In retrospect, I made a terrible, terrible mistake, and ordered fish with maple jelly. Why this combination was conceived anywhere outside of Vermont, I do not know, but sitting before me is fish a la breakfast. I could not have made this up. It was exceedingly terrible.
We hurried through, finished our plates, and fled from the M&S Grill as fast as was polite. We walked for a ways around the harbor, past the aquarium, enjoying the breeze cutting through a rather warm night. We were mildly distraught to come across signs directing us towards Baltimore's "Little Italy" and the promise of a good meal far more assured than any offers of magic or freshness we have to this point received. We turned and headed back towards the harbor.
Redemption, just ahead
Eventually, we came across the glowing neon beacon of Capitol City Brewery and decided to have a beer to finish the night. We've enjoyed Capitol City once before (in the Capitol City proper), and were more than pleased with our pints and Photohunt. After an evening fraught with disappointment, we oddly enough found some redemption in a place that offered nothing special but, more importantly, didn't promise anything it couldn't deliver. Honesty, even within the confines of a franchise, is refreshing. And so was the beer.
MIKE EATS NEXT TIME: Stuck in the Inner Harbor? There are two establishments listed at the top of this post. Ignore the first one. Or, walk east towards Little Italy. Lemme know if you find something good.
201 E. Pratt Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
(410) 547-9333
mandsgrill.com
Capitol City Brewery
301 S. Light Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
(401) 539-PINT
capcitybrew.com
SUMMER VACATION 2007 began well enough with half-days of work for Mint and myself, finishing four hours down I-95 later with the sun setting over Baltimore's Inner Harbor. Not a bad start, you'd say. Then you would have had dinner. But before we get too far into that debacle, I would like to start with the hilarity that is the Brookshire Suites.
Let it be known that we booked a room at the Brookshire because it offered a special package which included two tickets to the National Aquarium at Baltimore, which was specifically why we were in Baltimore to begin with (the free Oceanopoly board game was also nice--the words "eel platypus tuna" inscribed in faux-Latin on its paper money being perhaps the greatest pun ever). Unfortunately, the Brookshire's "Harbor Magic" schtick was dumbfounding. "Let us make magic happen for you!" was promised on any number of pamphlets, posters and cards littered about our room, yet actual, practical magic made manifest was very clearly absent. Now, our room was quite nice, having been upgraded free of charge, and perhaps all of our magic was used up in that process, but if you promise me a "magical closet" full of items I've forgotten that you "might have remembered" for me, well, there better be more than an iron, a few blankets and a robe inside. And when we ask you for a comb, responding "housekeeping is gone for the night" equals: incorrect answer. (Unless combs aren't magical. I really don't know.) Point being: the ability to watch Criss Angel: Mindfreak is not magic enough to substantiate your claims. Next time, either make your valet pull a rabbit out of his hat or change your slogan to "Harbor Proximity," which is a trick you pulled off quite nicely.
Okay, it's dinnertime.Knowing nothing about Baltimore aside from the many episodes of Homicide: Life on the Street I watched as a child, and not looking to relive any of those particular childhood memories, we used the Brookshire's "magical" internet connection to determine that a whole lot or restaurants were clustered a few blocks away by the Inner Harbor. In retrospect, I should have looked harder. Sadly, that's not how this story unfolds.
After passing up such choice establishments as Uno's, California Pizza Kitchen, Hooters, and a decidedly un-Irish pub-like establishment claiming to be exactly that, we resigned ourselves to the M&S Grill. After being seated immediately (but waiting about twelve minutes to meet our server), we were informed of the following:
- McCormick & Schmick's is a very fine seafood restaurant- Everything at M&S Grill is fresh
- The fish is fresh, the steaks both fresh and aged (this confused us)
- The bar uses only fresh-squeezed juice for its signature drink, the Arnold Palmer, a blend of fresh-squeezed lemon juice and fresh-brewed iced tea
- The specials are also fresh, which involve very fresh ingredients
A local brew mentioned somewhere in there sounded both refreshing and fresh, so we ordered two of those and took a few minutes to recoup from the onslaught of freshness over-compensation while our server went to get them. We had to wonder, just what is this city trying to hide with its outpouring of "magic" and "fresh" offers--don't you know that I know that you're making this shit up?
Entirely fuddled from this freshness bullshit, I ordered something that involved flounder and maple-something. Mint ordered chili-lime tilapia. We were given bread that tasted like an everything bagel mutated in the microwave and exploded into a pile of garlic and sesame. Not entirely unpleasant, granted, but not exactly the dinner roll I'm looking for with my seafood. Strike that--I'm not sure I ordered dinner.
Maple what-now!?! I made a wrong turn somewhere off the entrees, because after one bite I clearly arrived at breakfast fish. That's correct, breakfast fish. In retrospect, I made a terrible, terrible mistake, and ordered fish with maple jelly. Why this combination was conceived anywhere outside of Vermont, I do not know, but sitting before me is fish a la breakfast. I could not have made this up. It was exceedingly terrible.
We hurried through, finished our plates, and fled from the M&S Grill as fast as was polite. We walked for a ways around the harbor, past the aquarium, enjoying the breeze cutting through a rather warm night. We were mildly distraught to come across signs directing us towards Baltimore's "Little Italy" and the promise of a good meal far more assured than any offers of magic or freshness we have to this point received. We turned and headed back towards the harbor.
Redemption, just aheadEventually, we came across the glowing neon beacon of Capitol City Brewery and decided to have a beer to finish the night. We've enjoyed Capitol City once before (in the Capitol City proper), and were more than pleased with our pints and Photohunt. After an evening fraught with disappointment, we oddly enough found some redemption in a place that offered nothing special but, more importantly, didn't promise anything it couldn't deliver. Honesty, even within the confines of a franchise, is refreshing. And so was the beer.
MIKE EATS NEXT TIME: Stuck in the Inner Harbor? There are two establishments listed at the top of this post. Ignore the first one. Or, walk east towards Little Italy. Lemme know if you find something good.
{The Menu - 08.02.07}
MorningCoffee + Toast w/ Peanut Butter
Noon
Tempeh Wrap + Balance Bar + Gummy LifeSavers
Night
M&S Grill, Baltimore, MD
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
{The Menu - 08.01.07}
MorningCoffee + Toast w/ Orange Marmalade
Noon
Veggie & Goat Cheese Quesadilla + Sweet Potato Fries + Peach
Night
Leftover Pizza + Peach + Luigi's Italian Ices
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
{The Menu - 07.31.07}
MorningCoffee + Toast w/ Peanut Butter
Noon
Cafe 57, New York, NY
Night
Sapporo Haru, Brooklyn, NY
Noon
Cafe 57, New York, NY
Night
Sapporo Haru, Brooklyn, NY
Monday, July 30, 2007
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