Help Wanted, notes from the Target

Fun ones, Holiday's 8/22.

   The warmest weather.  The sunniest sky.  Windy, but lighter than usual for this year. About 10kts.  A beach full of people.  Kids, sandcastles, kites, surf-fishin' families.  All gittin' in our way.  Gittin' in my way.  These are the days when the summer tourist season cannot end soon enough.  The surf? Continues to disappoint.  Clean, but trifling.  They came in 3x sets, but not much over knee high.  Watt's rides seem to proliferate in these conditions. It's a wonder he hasn't at least snapped a fin.  Rides are quick and fast, but the stoke builds thru the evening, and the sun is setting by the time we are outta there.
  Headed back north to Route 54 then West Fenwick.  Not unusual to a resort community is an old hut given a chance at new life.  That is the Fenwick Oasis, a crabhouse striving to meet the competition head on. Did I say striving? Struggling.  Help wanted on the sign out front.  Typical for this time of year so close to Labor Day?  Or, an omen?  Less than 20 head in the place, and that included a birthday crab feast (ran outta crabs by 9pm...seriously...a crabhouse).  Our barkeep seemed too focused on his far side chances at the far side of the bar to notice our need for beer. But beer we finally got, not a bad craft selection...not exactly ice cold.  We ordered ten each of their Spicy Sweet BBQ and Lemon Pepper wings. After watching the 1st quarter of the Raven's game we received twenty Spicy Sweet chicken nuggets and about ten minutes later the Lemon Pepper wings.  The BBQ - not wings, but not bad tasting.  We chowed 'em all.  The Lemon Pepper?  Very light flavor, almost plain.  The waitresses seemed to be clueless...couldn't even operate the daiquiri machine.  Not sure if it's the training or the the lack thereof.  Wattman ordered a glass with the bar's logo on it.  I think he wanted a memorial to bars no longer in existence. This one was hurtin' fer certin'.

THE RATINGS-

Spicy Sweet BBQ Wings: C+

Lemon Pepper Wings: C-

Beer: C

Atmosphere: D

Overall Rating = 1.75

Riding Dregs, notes from the Target

   One could call it a dismal day, more clouds than sun, but it was actually a fair day.  Clouds dissipating into the evening. Warm, with a not uncomfortable breeze.  Breeze hell.  We've had brisk winds on almost every surf day we've chosen this summer.  You'd think we live in Kansas. In fact, I thought I saw Dorothy (and her little dog too!) soar by with one of those Flying Monkeys chasing her. Must've been a kite.  And the surf. It blows bro. Timing has been key this year, and our timing is off.  Not much over a foot this day and mostly shore break.  I suggested to the Wattman that we skip the water and head straight for the wings.  But he was hardened in his resolve. The need to feed the Stoke comes first. I thought for sure the only shredding would be his board.  Shattered against the sand like the Evel One after one (or more) of his many career jumps.

We'll take the shore break!

But my optimistic attitude did not deter.   I have to admit surprise as the Watt was able to scrape across several small curbs among the dregs that were offered.  Patience brings rides.  As the slop was left behind, we headed with an upbeat 'tude towards a new destination for this week's Journey.

Scraping the dregs, 8/7

   The Ropewalk Tavern, a self proclaimed oyster house.  Yet another transplant from Charm City.  Fenwick Oyster Bar on the  side of the building.  A very small parking lot, with a satellite lot six streets away. Offering "free" valet parking. Yeah, OK.  But no amount of touristified PR work will dissuade us in our pursuit of the Wing.  The place was packed like a pint of oysters as we were in prime season. Our wait at the bar was brief however, and two smiling bartendresses were on it with beer samplers and menus.  Our beers were cold, the selection ample, and even Natty Bro served. We put in orders for the Rush Habanero hot wings and Bama Red BBQ.  These baby's have a slight twist.  All of their wings are smoked, not just fried, a recipe perfected by Baltimore's Delia Foley- winner in the city's Wing Wars and the state champ for BBQ.  Gotta say, some of the best we've had in years.  Only the meat temperature...moderate at best... was in question.  Maybe the smoking, maybe  sat for a time.  Hard to say.  But the flavor, juiciness, and multiple plasmas with the O's playin' kept us more than satisfied.  A return visit in the planning for football season 'round the corner.

RATINGS-

Rush Habanero Wings: A-

Bama Red BBQ Wings: A-

Beer: B+

Atmosphere: B

Overall Score = 3.44

Washed Out, notes from the Target

   Rain. Lots of rain.  Raining so hard you should not be driving on the road kind of rain.  And thunder.  And lightening.  Surf session?  A total washout dude. Dwatt snapped a peek at the break on 133rd.  Set after set.  Semi-clean right breaking frames.  A little close to shore, but ridable.  Something about the lightening keeps him outta the water.

Set after set lined up.  Electrifying! 8/1

   We met up at the Abbey Burger Bistro.  A newbie to the OC bar scene. Transplant from Baltimore.  Located in ye ol' Olive Tree.  Some refab done. New bar area.  Plenty of big flatscreens with the O's game rolling (game sound on, no music...hmmmm).  An impressive array of Taps - 48 in all including the Baltimore stand-by, Natty Boh.  But the carpet.  Gotta do something about the carpet.  Looked almost...petrified (or is that putrified?).The featured entr'ee: the Burger.  All kinds.  From Kangaroo to Australian Red Deer to Ostrich to all American Angus.  What are we here for? The Wings!  We go after the spicy Jack Daniels BBQ and the house Buffalo, and order up a couple of craft brews while we wait. Some people like their beer about 55F.  Not us.  We need ice on our glass.  But all was clean, and complete with a chilled rinse beforehand.  Not the coldest, but refreshing.
   Our wings arrived.  Big.  Meaty. In need of about two more minutes in the fryer.  A tad underdone- flag.  But the presentation was nice.  Plenty of celery (not sliced in half - hey, sometimes it's our only veggies of the day!) and heaping blue cheese.  The sauces were very good.  Ok.  Benefit of doubt time.  New place.  New cooks.  New peeps learning a new menu. Perhaps a return trip in the fall.  DWatt feels they are deserving.  I think all those beer taps have muddled his mind. One and done?  We'll see if they survive. Onward!

Whoa!

  

THE RATINGS-

JD Spicy BBQ: C+

Abbey Buffalo: B-

Beer: B+

Atmosphere: C

Overall Score = 2.56