So, where did we eat this weekend on the Cape?

The Cape.

It feels so unnatural to me to say Cape Cod. It’s so formal, like something that someone who hadn’t ever been there would say. But I’ve been there many times. As a child, my family would make a yearly pilgrimage to the Cape for our massive annual family reunion. There would be volleyball and lobster. My grandmother would convene with her cousins, the ones that she’d spent summers playing on beaches and swimming with. Meanwhile, I would search the crowds (yes, crowds) for my generation of cousins … the ones who, although older, would build sandcastles on the beach with me.

I have a great family.

This past weekend was the first time that my children visited the Cape. While I doubt they will ever connect the concept of visiting the Cape with huge family gatherings like I do, I certainly hope that they do associate it would good times and good friends. I have great friends too.

Alright, enough musings … onto the food.

The Sunnyside, Hyannis – It was pouring when we arrived in Hyannis on Saturday, intent on grabbing lunch and possibly heading out for the harbor cruise. Given the weather, eating at the clam shack by the docks was off (heck, so was the boat ride), so we headed back to Main Street and parked. When my friends spotted the words “A Family Restaurant” on The Sunnyside’s sign, we agreed it seemed perfect for our party of three adults and two little kids and dashed inside.

The food here is tasty and inexpensive — a very good combination. The children’s menu is basic and predictable, but that’s okay sometimes. Will had some sizable chicken fingers and Paige was happy to order a hot dog — her favorite. They both devoured their fries. Meanwhile, I polished off a flavorful and thick Monte Cristo sandwich with sweet potato fries. I definitely recommend asking to substitute sweet potato fries for the regular fries … very tasty.

The Lobster Claw, Orleans – When I was a child, my grandmother and I would eat out at Howard Johnson’s every so often. While there, she would inevitably order the fried clam strips. Somehow, I fell in love with them too, in all their rubbery goodness. I’m older and wiser now though, and can really recognize a good fried clam when I see taste it.

When I tasted the fried clams at The Lobster Claw, I knew for certain that these were fabulously good fried clams. They were tender and had that hint of salty sweetness that only comes with a good, fresh clam. The pile was huge, and yes, I devoured the whole thing. The kids chose off the children’s menu – fried shrimp and fish and chips. The big fried shrimp were meaty and delish, but Will wasn’t fond of the fact that they still had the shells on (and he wasn’t entirely sure where the shell started and the shrimp meat ended). I thought they were awesome though … not that I tried any of his or anything.

Cooke’s Seafood, Orleans – It seems like every restaurant on the Cape wants to proclaim that they have the best fried clams or lobster or whatever. I can’t really say whether Cooke’s claim of the best fried clams is valid or not, since they were out of them. But I can tell you that their fish and chips was made with beautiful fish. Will ate it all up, with not too much prodding.

As for their crab cakes, they were divine. I adore crab cakes. They are among my very favorite seafood dishes … and these ones? They are meaty. Some crab cakes have lots of fillers that give them a rich, bready flavor, but lack in the actual crab department. These, however, are thick and rich with lots of delicious, fresh crab meat. Total love.

What I wasn’t in love with though were the onion rings. I am a big onion ring fan, but my platter came with two that looked perfect from the outside but were too undercooked inside. I am just not a fan of crunching into onions when they are in fried ring form.

Also, just a note that their website is woefully out of date … it doesn’t even list this location, but I assure you it does exist.

Cottage Street Bakery, Orleans – If you go to Cooke’s in Orleans, then you need to pop over to Cottage Street Bakery, which is across the parking lot and just across the street. It’s a cute, small shop with a few tables inside and several picnic benches outside. The display cases are filled with all sorts of sweet confections.

I bought a peanut butter brownie (thick layer of brownie, thin layer of peanut butter butter cream, thin layer of chocolate ganache and peanut butter cups on top), a mint brownie (thick layer of brownie, thin layer of mint buttercream, thin layer of chocolate ganache), a coconut brownie (thick layer of brownie, thin layer of coconut buttercream, thin layer of chocolate ganache), a carrotcake cupcake with a thick swirl of creamy frosting and a peanut butter cookie. No, I didn’t eat it all myself. I shared.

Will and I split the coconut brownie in the car while Paige slept. But it was so good, we didn’t stop there … we split the mint one too. And the mint brownie? Absolutely to die for. It was the perfect combination of mintiness and chocolate, creamy and cakey all at once … oh, it’s so good. If it wasn’t so far away, I would drive up for another. They are just that good.

Do you have a favorite spot to eat on the Cape? Share in the comments below!

Some foods are ubiquitous to areas. Philadelphia has its cheesesteaks. The south has its BBQ. New York has its cheesecake. Boston has its baked beans. But for every well-known regional food, there are dozens of lesser known ones that are just as wonderful — if not more so.

When it comes to greater Boston, one of those foods is the Roast Beef Sandwich. An area favorite, particularly north of Boston, it’s popularity extends across the New Hampshire line and down into Rhode Island too.

Let me introduce you to this glorious sandwich … The Roast Beef Sandwich is typically served on an onion roll, which is a soft sandwich roll that’s dotted with sweet bits of caramelized onions. My husband opts for a regular sesame roll, but you have to ask for that (and unless you are a total onion hater like him, I don’t suggest you do so). Onto that roll goes an eye-popping quantity of thinly sliced roast beef deli meat, which has been warmed on the grill. It’s doused with a spicy, loose barbecue sauce and served hot. The contrast between the sweet onions and the bite of the sauce is amazing.

Excuse me while I wipe the drool from my lips … this is an amazing sandwich.

Since this is one of those foods, of course there are many places to grab a Roast Beef Sandwich in the greater Boston area. But only one hold’s the distinction of being the originator. That’s Kelly’s Roast Beef, which opened in 1951. Kelly’s started as a walk-up beach eatery at Revere Beach. That location is still in operation today.

There are dozens of other places to get a Roast Beef Sandwich and everyone has their own favorite … they’ve even found their way onto the menus of chain restaurants like Roy Rogers (which actually makes a decent one … not as good as the real thing, but definitely a good attempt).

I was introduced to this phenomenon by my husband years ago, and I have to admit that when I heard about these hot, beefy sandwiches, I pictured layers of thick, dry roast beef sogged with gravy. That image obviously couldn’t be further from the truth.

Shawn’s sandwich of choice is from Blue House in Salem, NH (no, not a typo — there really is a Salem in New Hampshire … and it’s not the same as Salem, Mass.). This pizza joint-slash-roast beef house creates unbelievably thick sandwiches and a hearty amount of sauce. I have it on good authority that they use the Ken’s Steak House brand barbecue, which is sadly only available wholesale. Drats.

I’ve also tried Royal House of Roast Beef, which is located in Metheun, Mass., just off of Interstate 93. It’s in a strip mall with a Dunkin Donuts and a liquor store. The cash-only operation has sandwiches that aren’t quite as hefty as Blue House (though they are still pretty big). Ask for extra sauce, as I felt like they were a little light on it. But they still make a good bite.

So, could you make this at home? Probably. But the barbecue sauce is really important to the dish. It has to have the consistency of tomato soup and a definitive bite. I’m not sure of any that fit that bill exactly, besides Ken’s. The roast beef needs to be heated, but not cooked (you don’t want it to get dry!). And the onion roll is probably easy to locate. Really, it’s a matter of finding the right sauce.

What lesser known local favorites are popular in your area? Share in the comments below!

Other Regional Bites:

• Pasties in New Jersey

Cate and I were planning the Cucina Bella invasion of Sweetnicks for weeks. We talked about all the things we were planning to do (and we did most of them!) and the food we’d eat. But then one day she hit me with something unexpected: a suggestion to get pasties.

I wasn’t sure how to respond to that one. I mean, we’re friends and all. But aren’t pasties sort of a … private thing? And would that really be appropriate for the kids? And why exactly did we need to get them?

Well, as it turns out, while pasties (read:paste-ees) mean one thing to me, pasties (read: past-ees) mean something entirely else to her. Go figure. Must be a Jersey thing.

So, shortly after arriving, we headed off to Rocky’s Pasties in Wharton, NJ. The small take-out joint is situated in a block of row houses. There’s no room for sitting, so you go in, order and take your food and go. In and out in minutes, it’s a great place to stop if you want a hearty bite fast.

As for the past-ees? This is what they look like:

The pasties are sort of a cross between a souped-up Hot Pocket and a pot pie. Filled with a hearty portion of meat (chicken, sausage or beef) and veggies , these babies will fill you up. Really, I don’t know what was better: the flakey crust or the incredibly flavorful fillings.

They also reheat really well. We each bought several, and I’ve been eating mine over the last few days for lunches. Delish. If you happen to be in the area, give them a try. But then again, if you are a native you probably already have.

Loved it.

What do you think of when I say pasty?

My children love chocolate. (Okay, so do I!) They really, really love chocolate.

So, naturally, when we left Stepping Stones the other day, my friends, kids and I headed to nearby Chocopologie, the chocolate-themed cafe of chocolatier Fritz Knipschildt. We just had to go there. Ever since I saw Fritz on Throwdown with Bobby Flay a few years back, I have been coveting his (rather pricey) chocolates. Shawn has been kind enough to buy me some for special occasions … and I can’t say that I have done much in the way of sharing them. They are simply too good for politeness. (I know, I am BAD!)

When we arrived, we were surprised to walk right into this tight space where a kid’s birthday party was going on . . . Oh my. When I say tight, I mean if it weren’t for my friends being there, I might have turned around and left. It was crowded with tables that left little room to scoot by. There was no clear place to go to get a table (like, maybe a desk? Or a clear stretch of counter?) and no straight path to the display where the chocolates were. Where was I supposed to go?

Now, perhaps it’s the exception to the rule for this dining area — I mean, there was a party going on. But my husband says that it’s always crowded with tables when he has stopped there.

Fortunately, a waitress spotted my deer in headlights look and pointed us to the bar area around the corner, which isn’t bar as in here’s the bartender, but bar as in what you might have in your kitchen (except longer and higher). I have to admit, carrying Paige and my purse, with Will walking in front of me, I feared that I might knock over the very full chocolate martini on one table we passed. (Mmm, ladies, next time!).

When we took our seats, we noticed a very cool thing: the huge picture window in front of us looked over where they actually make the chocolates. Oooooh, my. So we could see the employees working with chocolate, making goody bags for the party goers and more. So cool. The bad thing was that the entire area was super narrow. So my two friends took stools while I  sat at a table across from them (read: about a foot and a half away) with Paige. Will claimed a stool between them, overlooking a giant vat of white chocolate — Will’s very favorite.

We were awed by the menu. Every chocolate-y thing sounded delish (and FYI – they have real food too and it sounds wonderful!). But we stuck to our guns and ordered desserts. For me, Chocolate Love — a sampler of several desserts like molten chocolate cake, chocolate mousse, a brittle with ganache and chocolate ice cream. Mmm. That molten chocolate cake was to die for.

For Will’s part, he was quite decisive. “I’d really like a glass of water.” And … white chocolate too. I was going to just get him a few pieces of white chocolate (perhaps the adorable white chocolate-covered quail eggs?) but the waitress was wonderful. She said perhaps she could score him a bowl of that warm, white chocolate . . . oh my. I couldn’t say yes fast enough! To prep Will for his extra-special dessert, I told him that he was lucky to be getting white chocolate soup … and when it came, he ate and ate and ate until he simply couldn’t eat (or spill) any more. And no, he didn’t finish it all. He literally stopped when he’d eaten enough. I scored a bite of it and it was amazing.

As for Paige, she ate off of my plate … my, can she eat when it comes to chocolate. She was in creamy chocolate heaven.

So, would I go there again? Yes. But I think I might call ahead next time and try to reserve a real table that might not be as cramped as the bar area. And as for the kids, I think that considering they are just little, little, they held up really well in the challenging space.

Sunday was a glorious day here in Connecticut. The sun was warm and bright, though the air was still a bit brisk (as can be expected from an April day in New England). Everything is starting to awake from the winter deep-freeze. Buds are starting to appear on the early bloomers of spring, lending to the hope that we might soon escape the chills and rain showers that have been a near-constant lately. Even the every present and unwanted groundhogs are back. I cannot wait until the air is warm again and we can shed winter’s layers of fleece and wool.

But it wasn’t just the weather that was wonderful on Sunday, it was the company we had and the outing we took.

The kids and I headed to Stepping Stones Museum in Norwalk where we met two of my wonderful friends. (It brought a huge smile to my face when my very wonderful friend researched and proposed that we take the kids to the museum. Love it. Such a sweet and thoughtful idea. My friends are the best.) The kid-centered museum has sections dedicated to building, the rain forest, healthy bodies and water play. We lounged in the gorilla sleeping area where you can become one with the jungle and watched Will ride a bike where a skeleton on a bike next to you mimics the movements so you can see how bones really move. Will loved that one, but was a little annoyed that he couldn’t ride the skeleton’s bike.  There is also a light-board that shows how hydration moves through the body. It was nearly impossible to pull Paige away from that one. And then there is the water area … oh, my little water babies could have stayed there all day.

The museum, nestled in Mathews Park, is undergoing to major environmentally-friendly expansion right now that will increase the educational facilities and learning capabilities. They are also planning an expansion to the eating facilities that will incorporate fresh, local foods into their offerings . . . and it’s a good thing because while the egg salad sandwiches the girls and I munched on were tasty, they were just about the only thing that any of us were willing to eat. Well, we probably would have ordered quesadillas if we could have read the fine print that was the menu (seriously folks, font size matters!). Oh wait, they were out of those. Sigh. Read. Limited. Selection.

So, ultimately, it’s a cute little museum with a good amount of kid-centric hands-on learning activities. However at $9 a head for anyone over the age of 1, the cost of admittance is a steep. Really steep. (For comparison value, the Museum of Natural History in New York is $15 for adults and $8.50 for kids over age 2.) I wish there was either more to it, or a discount for kids. Cause honestly, $9 for Paige is way too much, and for Will … well, it’s pushing it.

What did you do this weekend?

Seriously. I mean seriously. WHY DOES IT COST SO MUCH TO GO TO THE MOVIES?!?

I thought the ticket prices were awful when I bought them online (truth be told, I could have saved $2 by buying them at the theatre, but since it was the opening night I wanted to be sure we got them for the time we wanted).

But the food. Oh, the food. Once upon a time, movie theatre food cost a fraction of the price and was made on the premises. You would get hot nacho cheese, just popped popcorn, etc, etc. These days, everything comes out of bags and plastic containers. In fact, they don’t even put the butter on the popcorn for you anymore. Geesh. We are paying for less quality, less work by the workers and convenience. It’s a scam.

How to save money at the movies:

1) Bring your own food. Nachos and cheese? No problem. Ortega sells these handy little tubs of nacho cheese in four packs (check the Mexican food aisle at the grocery store) for about $3. Take one, and a baggy of tortilla chips and hide in your large purse. For drinks, bring your favorites – water, flavored waters, even sodas – in your purse. But wait till the lights dim to whip them out. Even popcorn can be popped at home and brought with you.

2) Go to the matinée. Yea, it’s fun to see movies at night. But it’s more fun to not spend an arm and a leg doing it so save a few dollars and go in the afternoon on a rainy day. Your wallet will thank you.

3) Only see what you can’t wait for. Don’t go to the movies just to go to the movies. Go when it’s a movie you are dying to see that you cannot wait for. Otherwise, save the money and wait for it to come out on video – you can either spend about $5 and rent it or spend $15 and own it. Both cases are less than the cost of two movie tickets.

Why sinful? Because I am working hard on my healthy eating habits to shed the marriage weight (the baby weight is thankfully already gone. But, being the good dieter I am, I already know I had enough spare calories in my daily budget for a few slices…

And boy were they good.

But let me rewind for a moment.

Penance.

Yes, penance. And I paid penance before even picking up the deliciously sinful pizza.

The pizza place, which had the nicest staff and a wonderful pie, didn’t take debit or credit…which meant I had to do the bank sprint down to the nearest branch. I. Had. To. Walk. To. The. Bank. For. Money. To. Get. My. Pizza.

Ahhh, but the exercise was totally worth it.

Why sinful? Because I am working hard on my healthy eating habits to shed the marriage weight (the baby weight is thankfully already gone. But, being the good dieter I am, I already know I had enough spare calories in my daily budget for a few slices…

And boy were they good.

But let me rewind for a moment.

Penance.

Yes, penance. And I paid penance before even picking up the deliciously sinful pizza.

The pizza place, which had the nicest staff and a wonderful pie, didn’t take debit or credit…which meant I had to do the bank sprint down to the nearest branch. I. Had. To. Walk. To. The. Bank. For. Money. To. Get. My. Pizza.

Ahhh, but the exercise was totally worth it.

Ok, so, I need to complain.

I went to the Friendly’s in Danbury, Conn., with my husband and son (just over a year old) today for lunch. Figuring that it’s a good, family friendly restaurant, I thought it would be a good place for a treat for my boy. He’s been such a trooper about going to daycare for the first time over the past month that I feel like he deserves it.

Anyway, back to the rant.

We were seated right away (yay!) but by the bathroom (boo! but someone has to sit there, and it really doesn’t bother me that much). We weren’t given a childrens menu (boo! toddlers eat too) until about 15 minutes later when our waiter decided to finally greet us.

Yes. It took 15 minutes to greet us.

Now, I understand that they were busy. And I can appreciate that it might have taken him that long to take our order, but he’d been within feet of our table at least twice without saying anything.

Finally we got to order…another 5 or 10 minutes later. Ugh. Cheesy mac and franks for Will, a barbecue beef sandwich for me (hold the ranch!), and honey barbecue chicken fingers for my husband (and the waiter asked if he wanted double fries instead of cole slaw, which Shawn was very happy about).

Another 10 or 15 minutes go by and our food finally comes. (Are you seeing the time issue here?!?) Despite the fact that it was the waiter’s idea, Shawn’s plate came with cole slaw and fries instead of the double fries. Despite my very clear request, there was a big squirt of ranch dressing on my sandwich. And poor Will, for whom this treat was all about, got a plate of mac and cheese that looked like it was at least a day old.

I sent mine back, and Will just ate the franks…he wasn’t into the mac and cheese at all. Frankly, I cannot blame him. Shawn sucked it up. Their fries aren’t that good anyway.

The food was otherwise a mediocre ok, though Shawn’s honey barbecue tenders looked NOTHING like the photo in the menu (ahhhh, false advertising?).

What else bugged me? The fact that despite my name clearly being embossed on the debit card, the waiter handed my husband the receipt to sign, for one. The fact that my son’s food was so awful. The fact that the children’s portions are WAY too big and we weren’t even ASKED if we wanted to take it home. The fact that the options were devoid of vegetables. The fact that I practically had to beg for a refill on my drink.

Oh, and most of all. Friendly’s has raised their prices. They are now on par with other chains like Chili’s, Applebee’s and Ruby Tuesday’s. Well, if I am going to spend money on food like that, I would rather have something a slot above mediocre.

Rant ended.

When you walk in, you are met with a cute assortment of vintage tables and vinyl chairs and interesting decorations on the walls. You order from a small counter at the rear of Mexicali Rose, where a wall menu, chalkboard with specials and a rack with fresh tortilla chips are crammed together.

The authentic Mexican food from the Yucatan Peninsula is freshly prepared and masterfully seasoned. If you like your food authentically hot, then let them know. Mexicali Rose offers simple but delicious dishes served up fast.

The beef fajitas contain well-seasoned and tender meat and crisp-tender peppers and onions. The very fresh salsa is slightly sweet (from the tomatoes) and just a little spicy. And the homemade tortillas practically melt in your mouth. All the flavors come together in a glorious harmony. Mexicali Rose also offers fajitas with chicken or pork.

Mexicali Rose’s guacamole is awesome, definitely get a small container of it to go with whatever you choose.

The soft tacos come on homemade corn tortillas, which aren’t my favorite in general. However Mexicali Rose does their corn tortillas well, so even I liked them. The shredded chicken is moist, which is always a plus.

If you are a cheese lover like me, pay close attention to what you order. Many things on the Mexicali Rose menu come sans cheese including the fajitas and soft tacos. Hard tacos feature cheese though, as do some of the burritos and all of the quesadillas (well, that should go without saying…it is a QUESAdilla, after all).

The prices at Mexicali Rose are average – Most items are around $6. Tacos are the exception, coming in at an inexpensive $1.95. Portions are a good size too, you’ll definitely be full after eating.

If you are planning on take out, they prepare things pretty quickly (our order took about 8 minutes) so it’s okay to just drop in. Tables are available for eating there as well. Next time I’ll be calling ahead though, since there really isn’t much room to wait.

Mexicali Rose is family owned and operated, which is always nice in these days of fast, fast, faster and the ever growing chain restaurant. They are closed Mondays.