We are not big fans of turkey but are of seafood. The last time we had a "fried" turkey, it was truly something out of "Christmas Vacation" where the turkey was pierced after cooking and it literally exploded! So off to Eastham MA on Cape Cod we went to celebrate our T-Day. But first we made a stop to our friends, Eli and Claudia who reside in the beautiful town of Scituate MA. They know we love to dine and wanted to treat us to something special. The chef, Robin King starred in an episode of "Chopped" and his wife Jill is at the front of the house. Oro is located at 162 Front St, Scituate MA (781) 378-2465 right on the harbor. We started with the butternut squash soap with braised pork cheeks , apple and a fried sage leaf. It was divine, rich, creamy & so tasteful !
I started with a spiced lamb carpaccio with lemon ailoli and pomegrante syrup- that was wonderful...
By this time we were fairly satisfied but decided to move on and share an entree. Something light, like the lobster cakes with lobster tomato crema topped with shaved fried sweet potatoes!
Normally the entree portion is two of these, it is delicious but very rich, especailly when combined with our earlier choices. We were certainly glad we shared this. Claudia and Eli were gracious enough to let us stay overnight in their home which was built in 1750 so that we didn't have to find our way for the 1 1/2 hour drive in the dark. On to Cape Cod the next morning !!
With our GPS on we had no trouble finding our little rental cabin- how charming was this! Perfect for our needs but where to go for lunch? Bear in mind most places are closed for the season & we really had to look. Always ask the locals- we found Sir Cricket's in Orleans. What a find, it's attached to a terrifc seafood market, has 5 tables and you walk up to the counter to order- old school.
Naturally we ordered the fried clams, not the strips but the whole clams, and an order of the onion rings. You don't have to be from the Northeast to truly appreciate how good this combo is!
Of course we stuffed ourselves like little piggies; the food was so good, we returned for the clam chowder (the best I've ever had) and Terry had the fish sandwich, only fish this fresh can taste so good. Terry's son Ben will be joining us later- we ordered broiled scallops "to go" for him- can't wait to try those later!!
P-town (Providencetown) at the very tip of Cape Cod, is known for it's art galleries, restaurants and alternate life style community. We stopped at a Kiehl hair and skin care shop where Mercado Said showered us with information and gobs of samples. Evidently vitamin C is the wonder element for skin. A P-town tradition is the Lobster Pot located on 321Commercial Street which is the main drag (508 487-0842). During the summer months the line goes out the door even though the restaurant is very large. At this time of the year we breezed right in. The kitchen area is very long and narrow and constantly bustling with cooking furor.
We were restraining ourselves in order to be able to have a decent dinner, so ate fairly lightly. Clam chowda was the first course- creamy and chock full of clams. I ordered the scallops au gratin as a starter- gorgeous and delicious.. Ben ordered the fish sandwich and Terry opted for the mussels Algarve.
Unfortunately the mussels were sandy and chewy, so they went back. The experience was still wonderful but we missed our friend Cassie, who makes the best mojitos in the world.
Tonight we're off to a wonderful place in Wellfleet- the Bookstore. Ben was on a quest for the perfect clam chowda, I ordered the littleneck clams- I think they're much tastier than oysters. For our entrees, Ben ordered the scallops au gratin, while Terry and I shared the "Fishpot" which seemed like it would be very tasty with scallops, mussels, clams and fish in a buttery wine sauce. Descriptions can be a real fooler! The dish was overcooked and really quite tasteless...
Ben's scallops were much better. This was a real disappointment as we have been here many times in the summer. Perhaps the more experience chefs are here only in the warmer months as many places are closed from October to April.
More adventures tomorrow!
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