Montauk in a Clam Shell

Every summer since we got engaged on the beach, my husband and I find at least a week to escape to his parents' beach house in Montauk, NY. What was once a sleepy fishing town has become a haven for summer weekenders from "the city". It is, in fact, starting to become so popular that I'm afraid it is in danger of becoming an extension of the Hamptons. (That's a note to you, New York Times, and you, Food & Wine Magazine - stop writing about Montauk. It is our little secret! Of course, aren't I now guilty of the same thing?). To me Montauk is synonymous with lazy days and late meals and curling up in bed satiated by both the day's sun and the night's dinner. The positive aspect of becoming a potential East Hampton East, is the recognition of the quality chefs and restaurants, both new and old - Top Chef contestant Sam Talbot and his Surf Lodge, for one. The beach is no longer only for fried clams and ice cream (although any beach trip would be incomplete without having both at least once).

Leading up to our annual vacation, we generally plot out our dinners. Typically, we'd like to leave a beach vacation room for some spontaneity, but the restaurants on Montauk have strict reservation policies/ recommendations: reserve one week out, two days out, reserve day of (phones open at 4:15pm) unless you are a party of 6 or more, then you can call the day before and of course, there are the handful that take no reservations at all. Some are closed Mondays, others on Wednesdays, others (because of the new-found popularity) are just about impossible to get into if you have not arrived by 7:00pm. In one case, the restaurant will stop taking names as early as 8pm if it appears the kitchen will be backed up. Kitchen at said restaurant closes at 10pm sharp. Now, why would we go through all of this rigamarole on vacation? Because the food is worth it.

Here's the low-down on our favorites:

Dave's Grill

468 West Lake Drive
Montauk, New York

The creme de la creme of Montauk restaurants, in my opinion. This is the restaurant where you have to call at exactly 4:15pm on the day that you wish to eat there. Once you secure the coveted reservation and upon arrival, the owner will greet you and take you to your table which may be outside on the covered veranda overlooking the harbor or within the cozy interior of the restaurant. The menu highlights local, fresh fish with a few non-seafood options. Our favorites: fried oysters, tuna tempura sushi, smoked tuna spread, coconut fried shrimp and/or spareribs for an appetizer and baked stuffed lobster, paparadelle with lobster ragu, any of the fish specials (a recent horseradish encrusted halibut was to die for), and of course, Dave's Original Cioppino as an entree. The cioppino arrives in a lovely light and savory tomato broth complete with scallops, shrimp, clams, calamari, mussels, fish, and a half lobster, plus a toasted crostini for dipping. A seafood lovers delight. And the best part? Chef David Marclay shares his recipe on the restaurant's Web site. At this point, you better hope you saved room for dessert because the Barbara (a chocolate fudge brownie sundae) and the famous Chocolate Bag (Belgian chocolate bag filled with Tahitian vanilla ice cream and strawberry compote, finished with whipped cream, raspberry and mango sauce - served with a steak knife to break the dessert apart) are must haves.

West Lake Clam and Chowder House

352 West Lake Drive

Montauk, New York

The Chowder House, as it is called by the Montaukens (Montaukets?), was a new restaurant for us this year. Suggested to us by friends who always dine there on their first night in Montauk, this was the surprise of all surprises. No reservations, show up early to get on the list, and hopefully before they stop taking names due to the kitchen's nightly closing at 10pm. Be prepared to eat at the bar, if need be - the food makes up for the slight discomfort of the bar stools. And, turn off your cell phones. As posted directly above the hostess stand, they just want you to relax. Upon first glance (and second glance too), it appears that you have stumbled upon the late night fisherman's watering hole of the east end of the island. Bar atmosphere, slightly run down and

cluttered decor was enough to make me think I'd be eating something basic, maybe fried. Imagine

my surprise when I found seared sea scallops over risotto with black truffle essense on the menu. And is that a sushi bar off to the side? They serve both New England and Manhatten clam chowder, and true to their name, they do both with great success. The sushi is delicious and inventive and fresh off the boat.

East by Northeast

51 Edgemere Street

Montauk, NY

Sometimes, just sometimes, you get a little tired of seafood on a beach vacation. When this happens in Montauk, we head to East by Northeast. Specifically for the Long Island Duck. East by Northeast, owned by the same folks as Harvest (another great Montauk find), takes a wordly fusion approach to food - blending flavors from the far east with down-home American cooking. Take the Peking duck tacos for example - one of our favorite appetizers. Juicy shredded duck topped with hoisen barbeque sauce and fresh guacamole held together by a wonton taco shell. And if that's not enough, one of us usually orders the Long Island Crescent duck breast, served with a pinot noir cassis glace and a vegetable spring roll. Also good are any of their steaks. If you can get a reservation early enough, East by Northeast has a beautiful view of the summer sunset over Fort Pond.

Gosman's Dock, Duryea's Lobster Deck, and Wok and Roll

Finally, I would be remiss without mentioning some of the more casual eateries - places to get those fried clams, fish and chips, and soft-served ice cream (with chocolate sprinkles, of course). I've already written about Gosman's Dock and Duryea's and their competing lobster rolls. Both have great outdoor seating, under umbrellas, on the water, and come sunset ready. Gosman's Dock also has a gourmet market on site where we generally stock up on sesame noodles, fresh yellowfin tuna

salad, and seaweed salad for snacking. Wok and Roll is the resident Chinese food restaurant. Chinese food? At the beach, you say? Well, Wok and Roll will take your fresh caught fish and cook it up for you. I'm not kidding when I say that you haven't lived until you've had General Tso's striped bass. Yum!

The Lobster Rolls of Montauk

Montauk, NY much like Maine and other parts of New England, is known for its lobster roll. Ok, well maybe it's not "officially" known for this delicacy, but since it is the closest place to D.C. that I can get a lobster roll, it is "known" in my book. For my husband and I, there is no questioning that we will get at least one on our annual vacation to Montauk, but it wasn't until recently that we added the question, "Where?" Up until this year, it was a no brainer: Gosman's Dock - a landing for a few restaurants, a clam bar, gourmet food market and clothing stores. (I am intentionally not including the more well-known The Lobster Roll - aka Lunch - because it is technically in Amagansett and for which we would have battle traffic and that doesn't make for a fun vacation at all.) However, this summer, we discovered Duryea's - a lobster deck great for watching the Montauk sunset and a seafood market. Compared to each other, the rolls have their pros and cons. As for me, the jury is still out. I'm just happy to be eating lobster.

Gosman's Dock

Lobster Roll: $16.95

Gosman's lobster roll includes two scoops of finely shredded lobster with the occasional larger chunk of lobster meat, tossed lightly with mayonnaise, and seasoned nicely with salt, pepper and celery on a traditional hot dog bun. Served with fries.

Duryea's

Lobster Roll: $18.25

Duryea's lobster roll is larger than Gosman's and has bigger chunks of lobster meat giving it a richer flavor, but it also employs more mayonnaise to keep the whole thing together. Also mixed in with celery bits, it takes on a resemblance of a traditional lobster salad. Duryea's breaks with tradition, however, on the bun, opting for a sesame seed roll instead. Served with chips and cole slaw.

The bottom line is, I don't think you can go wrong with either lobster roll. In both cases, the lobster is fresh out of the water. Pair with a fresh lemonade or a nice white wine, a sunny day or a beautiful sunset.

His and Her Beach Shops

My husband and I are spending some time in Montauk, the place of his every summer vacation as a young boy. It is always so much fun to watch him light up at the memories sparked by entering a store that was integral to his childhood.

One of his favorites, not surprisingly, is a store called A Little Bit of Everything. Typical beach shop meets toy store, this place does has something for everyone, from sunscreen to candy to gag gifts, recalling an old five and dime store. Bouncy balls, toy trucks and silly putty - I think he probably spent hours here as a child.

Yesterday, we took a day trip to Sag Harbor, and I found my equivalent of A Little Bit of Everything in Sylvester & Co. (billed on their Web site as "a contemporary general store"). In addition to housewares and an impressive rack of cookbooks ranging from Alice Waters to the Hampton's own Barefoot Contessa, there is a coffee counter with candy galore. From the more adult ginger slices to a "retro mix" featuring Bubble Yum, candy dots, Tootsie Rolls, and Smarties, this was my kind of summer store. I spent most of my summers at overnight camp in the Poconoes and a long anticipated trip each year was to the penny candy shop, Appies. Appies has since closed. I guess penny candy is not profitable anymore, or perhaps the owners became too old to run the place. Sylvester & Co. reminded me of a grown up version of Appies, taking the concept of penny candy to a whole new level - at $4+ a box.

On the Road: Yechon in Annandale, VA

Yechon

4121 Hummer Road

Annandale, VA

When our friends invited us at the last minute to join them for Korean food in Annandale, I could not contain my excitement. Not only would it be my first experience with Korean cuisine, it would be my first "road trip" to Annandale (and therefore providing a story perhaps for this blog's "On the Road" series). I am always up for a food adventure! We were going to Yechon on Hummer Drive. Immediately, I began to research - reading reviews, about the service, decor, and what to order. Before even setting foot in the restaurant, it seemed we had picked a winner. Armed with this knowledge and GoogleMaps directions we set out for dinner.

Only about a 1/2 hour outside of D.C., it barely constitutes a road trip, but we don't go to Virginia very often so it was an adventure nevertheless. We reach the parking lot and it looked packed with people hanging out around their cars and under the neon signs on the exterior of the otherwise nondescript building. I assumed there must be a long wait. It got great reviews, it is open 24/7, so why not? That's when we saw the flashing blue lights and police tape. There was a serious investigation going on, complete with Mobile Command Centers. In fact, the police tape stretched right up to the restaurant door.

After some inquiry and a quick fact check on WJLA.com, we learned that earlier in the day a woman had been found bound and stabbed down the street. Horrible. Nevertheless, the pleasant wait staff ushered us inside and apologized for the commotion. They were eager to serve us, though, and oddly I thought, they sat us right in the front window, with a view of the action. It was, I admit, a bit disconcerting when the police passed by our window with flashlights, peering into the news stands (perhaps looking for the murder weapon)?

We tried hard to direct our attention to the food, and with the pleasing aromas coming from the kitchen, it wasn't too difficult. Multiple waitresses came to our table to take our order and we had to keep explaining that we needed "just one more minute." Perhaps there was a general anxiety because of all the police activity? For a newbie like me, I needed some serious time to digest my options. I got a brief navigation to the 10+ page menu from our waitress (the restaurant also serves Japanese cuisine) and ultimately settled my focus on the Korean Traditional Dinner page, Kal Bi Dolsot Bibim Bap (Bibim Bap with marinated ribs served in a hot stone bowl) to be exact. Bibim Bap, for those totally new to Korean food like I was, is the Korean's version of "everything but the kitchen sink" - rice loaded with a mix of vegetables and bean sprouts and topped with an egg.

The service was incredibly fast (perhaps because it wasn't too crowded). Within an instant, the real fun began. Soon we were greeted each with a bowl of miso soup, and 10-15 small plates to share, along with our Mung Bean Pancake appetizer. At this point I start wondering whether we really needed to order an entree! I'm afraid I won't remember all of the small plates we received by some of them were kimchi, fried squid, noodles, potato salad of sorts, and an egg dish similar to a quiche. Each delicious and varied enough in spice and texture so there was something for everyone. The miso soup was light and flavorful with a generous portion of tofu cubes.

Within our next breath, our entrees arrived, before we barely had two bites of the small plates. Generally, I'd balk at the overly fast service, but it all seemed appropriate here. A celebration of variety, excess, and sharing food with good friends. Plus, my Bibam Bap was served in a hot stone pot, so it wasn't going to get cold anytime soon.

I sparingly added the accompanying sauce and stirred all of the ingredients together. I steer clear from the overly spicy, generally, but I was soon to learn that although the sauce had some heat to it, it was more tangy/ sweet than anything and a perfect accompaniment to the marinated ribs over vegetables and rice. (The Kal Bi Dolsot Bibim Bap does not come topped with an egg). There was so much in this hot stone bowl that it was hard to get tired of any one flavor: rice, bean sprouts, carrots, noodles, zucchini. Each bite provided a new adventure. The marinated short ribs were sweet and paired nicely with the tangy sauce and the heat of the bowl gave an interesting yet unexpected crunch to the rice at the bottom (I don't know if that is intentional, but I'm not sure how you would get around it, eating out of a bowl that is still cooking your food).

I'm officially a fan of Korean food and Yechon in Annandale. Not only did they handle a very unconventional evening with grace, but delivered a tasty and satisfying dining experience to a newcomer to Korean cuisine.

Food Truckin': Fojol Bros

[photo by benmurray, available under a creative commons license]

Continuing with my series on food trucks, I visited Fojol Bros., the traveling Indian cart that also announces their whereabouts on Twitter. When I learned that they would be two blocks from my home on a Sunday evening when I had no dinner planned, it was a no-brainer. Plus, I've recently decided I like Indian food! My husband and I set off for an evening stroll and to eat dinner curbside.

We could hear the music from a block away, of the upbeat carnival kind. Then, the costumes came into view. Men in wearing fake moustaches and turbans with bright colored jumpsuits. It was kitschy and exciting all at once.

Unfortunately, that's where the high hopes peaked. Selections for the evening were limited to chicken masala, chicken curry, spinach and cheese, and pumpkin. You can choose one, two, or three entrees over rice. I opted for the chicken masala, which was way heavy on the rice, and piddly on the chicken. That was even ok, though - I was just looking for a taste. And a taste is what I got. I found the masala to be sweet, almost sickly sweet, and I (who generally steers clear of all things spicy) was begging for some zing. The real disappointment, however, was in the rice. It was way overcooked and seemed like it had been sitting around all day (as did the chicken). Everything was luke-warm.

I do applaud their environmentalism and community involvement, however. They'll deliver your forks and eating containers to a compost facility after you are done. Plus, a portion of their proceeds goes to charity. I really really wanted to like them. Who doesn't want to get excited about following a traveling culinary carnival around town. Unfortunately, it was the culinary part that was missing. In this day and age, there are very few excuses for not delivering a fresh, quality food product.

According to the Fojol Bros. Web site, they "hope to bring together local communities through a dynamic food experience on DC's streets." Reminiscent of the neighborhood ice cream truck, they certainly attract a following when they roll through with their brightly colored truck, music and costumes. I'm afraid the food, though, does not keep up with the fanfare.

Fojol Bros.

Location: varies.

Follow @fojolbros on Twitter for up to date locations.

Food Truckin': Sweetflow Mobile

[photo by Carly & Art available under a Creative Commons license]

Something the DC street food scene has recently been energized with is the emergence of a few new food carts (or trucks as is the case with Sweetflow Mobile and Fojol Bros.) Of course, there have always been the standard hot dog vendors who also serve pretzels, candy and a variety of beverages out of white coolers (most big cities have those). And, there are the two competing burrito carts - one at 17th and K and Pedro and Vinny's two blocks down on 15th. But, Sweetflow fills a much needed void in the realm of street food: dessert. Specifically, frozen yogurt. Breaking boundaries by using fresh, organic ingredients, the concept of "street food" is elevated to a higher level. Plus, it is environmentally friendly. Brought to us by the folks behind Sweetgreen, their trucks are "uniquely engineered to run without a generator, thus significantly reducing the amount of fuel consumed." Sweetgreen, indeed.

I recently found Sweetflow at MacPherson Square thanks to Twitter. Tim regularly posts a heads-up to his whereabouts and what time he'll be there. When I showed up, he gave me a great introduction to his product - refreshingly tangy yogurt from Stoneyfield Farms, frozen, fat-free, and containing those all important live and active cultures. Then, topped with your choice of fresh, local ingredients, including fruits and crunchy toppings such as nut and granola. My selection: yogurt topped with mango, blackberries and coconut. It was so good and so fresh I felt like I could be on a tropical island. The yogurt was cool and creamy, tangy but not puckering, and surrounded by the perfect portion of fruit that appeared to be picked at its height of ripeness.

A small cup costs $5, but was not at all skimpy in size. The portion, I felt, was actually generous. For something so refreshing and healthy, it was worth it.

Sweetflow Mobile

Location: varies. Follow @SweetflowMobile on Twitter for up to date locations.

On the Road: St. Louis, Missouri

I recently visited St. Louis on a mini reunion with my girl friends from college. Not surprisingly, much of the weekend revolved around catching up over food - and we did lots of talking (and eating!). Enjoy a few of the highlights below...

First on our list was the famed Pi (of the famed Obama White House pizza party). Prosciutto, Kalamata olive, and roasted garlic pizza in the foreground. 

Famous St. Louis gooey butter cake for breakfast. Delicious! (More about gooey butter cake on Wikipedia).

Open-faced lobster club at Cyrano's for lunch, topped with bacon, tomato and mustard aioli.

15 spice ribs with mango bourbon glaze at Sage for dinner. Whipped potatoes and jicama honey slaw on the side.

A Taste of New Orleans

Just a few pictures from my recent trip to New Orleans. I'll need to investigate Creole cooking and post a few recipes. I would love to find the courage to fry oysters and replicate this delicious Po Boy!

And of course no trip to New Orleans is complete without boiled crawfish.

On the Road: Nashville, Tennessee

For what may be a new feature for this blog, I introduce On the Road, a post on the unique finds and culinary adventures to my latest trip. This one comes from Nashville, Tennessee.

Having never been to Nashville, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I was hoping for some good southern cooking, and of course plenty of cowboy boots and country music. The city did not disappoint. I share with you a few of the highlights. The first breakfast on our list was Monell's - good, old fashioned country cooking.

Monell's

1235 6th Avenue N
Nashville, TN

The concept of Monell's, all-you-can-eat country cooking served family style, would lead anyone to believe that it is just another tourist trap. A hokey experience with tacky decor, mediocre food, and a gift shop. Your assumption couldn't be more incorrect.

Upon entering Monell's, you feel like you've entered someone's home. The restaurant has only a few rooms, each housing roughly one table for 12. As your party arrives, you may have to wait a few minutes to be seated because they like to fill up the entire table for each seating. Things move slower in the south and you should not get impatient during your wait, because the true sense of family style dining, often with complete strangers in this case, is an experience to enjoy. Fortunately, this place is so popular that it doesn't take long for enough people to arrive. Monell's has a garden, with benches and swings (and fun garden gnomes), to pass the time on a nice day.

Once seated, a waiter comes over with instructions. Everything is served family style. Food will be brought out as it is ready. Please pass the platters to you left. And, if you run out of anything, or want more, just ask! Your food will be out in 5-8 minutes. Simple enough.

The three of us were seated with another couple and seven southern women in a book club. They were discussing To Kill A Mockingbird. It seemed fitting.

Shortly thereafter, the food arrived in what can only be described as a parade. One dish after another, it kept coming. Biscuits, gravy, sausage, bacon, ham, pancakes, eggs, corn pudding, potatoes, cheese grits, and, as is served at every Monell's meal - fried chicken.

Monell's slogan sums up the experience beautifully: "I've eaten and I can't get up."

Lazzaroli Pasta

1314 5th Avenue N

Nashville, TN

Next on our stop was not so much to eat, but to browse. Lazzaroli Pasta was a must-stop pasta store for our resident Nashvillian, so that she could stock up on fresh made pastas and sauces for the week. What a cute little place, and very nice owners (straight from Philadelphia, I might add). We were so curious about the sign in their window ("PATSA") that we just had to ask. Fortunately, they were well aware of the spelling mistake, but had such a great sense of humor that they decided to hang it anyway. Lazzaroli also has a very nice selection of Italian meats and cheeses, oils, vinegars and flavored salts (truffle salt!).

Ivey Cake (right)     and      Curious Gourmet Cupcake (left)

100 4th Ave N 318 Main Street

Franklin, TN Franklin, TN

Next stop - Franklin, TN. An adorable little town just about a half hour from downtown Nashville. Here the streets are lined with independently owned shops, restaurants, and cupcake bakeries (two!). So, we had to do a taste test! With such flavors as devil's food cake, Boston creme pie, lemon, coconut, red velvet, vanilla with vanilla, chocolate with chocolate etc. it was really hard to decide. As you can see, we picked six flavors overall, to share among four people. They were all delicious! Curious Gourmet piled their icing higher, Ivey Cake has more options, so depending on your mood, I think it is safe to say that you can't go wrong with cupcakes in Franklin, Tennessee.