Home Field, notes from the Target

Holidays showin' in the 'Bury, 11/21

    As I stand in the parking lot of Back Street Grill waiting for the Wattman, a cold wind blows through sending chills up my spine.  Why should this be a surprise?  Seems our Thursday surf and wing sessions have been plagued by winds all year.  No beach tonight.  Like a pilot flying on instruments it is no surprise that Watt needs to be guided into a front parking space.  Worse than a Pennsylvania driver in the OC.  As we make our entrance the place seems to be boomin'.  Pulling up to the bar, our 20-somethin' barkeep seems to be maxed out with the eighteen or so patrons (including us) he's covering.  But, he played no favorites as everyone received the same mundane service.  The beer was a bit above average and we both ordered a couple of cold brews.  With the evening's destination close to home in Salisbury, we had time to review the weather, the lack of surf, and the Journey's continuance towards truth, aka expanding our menu selections for review beyond the Wing.  Tonight however, it was still all about the wings.  We ordered the Very Hot Wings as well as the Old Bay.  Service was decent, not a long wait (short than the order).  The wings came steaming and well cooked, but not very big.  The classic Old Bay rarely disappoints, and this was no exception, and the Hot Wings possesed one of the spicier hits of the year.  But neither reached out with a memorable taste.  Our tab, one of the most reasonable of the year, was paid as we waited to thank our bartender.  I suppose customer number nineteen must've shown up, as he never returned.  We left tab and tip to their destiny at the bar.  Holiday's are hittin'.  We got Crew business to tend to!

THE RATINGS-

Very Hot Wings: C+

Old Bay Wings: C+

Beer: B-

Atmosphere: C

Overall Score = 2.31

Charred Stoke, notes from the Target

Quiet time, 11/9

   Leaving for the beach, my neighbor across the street reminds me that Christmas is fast approaching.  Not  verbally mind ya'... more like a visual cue.  The house, driveway, every tree, lined with lights.  Multiple blow-up arrangements.  Lord, this time of year seems to roll in faster and faster, though local communities are putting off the deco a couple of weeks later this year.  Lessen the commercial effect? Maybe.  Economy? Naaaaaaaaaah.
   The Watt is using the weekends for what little surf there is.  But by 5pm the sun has pretty much set, so we ain't got no weekday wave shots.  But, we do have wings.  This week it was Waterman's Seafood Restaurant on Route 50 in West OC.  Just 12 months earlier, char broiled to the ground, this eatery has made quite the recovery considering they missed most of the prime 2013 season with rebuilding/remodeling.  But they are back.  Now open.  Ready to be tested by the Crew.  At this point let me just say, there is something to be said about a new restaurant.  That's how this place presented.  Clean.  Shiny.  Sparklin' (a bit too much so for the Watt). Two bars, one upstairs, one down.  As we pulled up to the "up" bar the bartendress was on it.  We went for the upscale.  The Watt ordered the Fin City seasonal draft which promptly tapped itself out.  But as the keg was changed out, she offered up half a pint of another selection to hold him over.  True bar service.  Wattman got his Capt. Jack Pumpkin Ale, and I got me a "Stelllllllla!" Artois.  Frosted mugs "iced" it for us.  Plus up.  Oysters to complement...not bad.  We needed the wings though.  Ordered what has become our standard:  The Hot, and the BBQ.  We had our choice of games until they arrived.  The Clemson/Georgia Tech game and the Colts/Titans game.  Nice.  At this point we came to the agreement.  Clearer sound system.  Music.  Sports.  They need to be heard.
   New paragraph.  That's right.  These wings were the best we've had all season!  The menu calls out for a pound.  We've figure through our vast knowledge that one pound is equal to approx 8 wings.  We got 10+ each of big, meaty, well cooked wings.  Ok. It's offseason. Our crowd numbered less than 30 throughout the establishment. Regardless. The Watermans Hot were not doused in some buffalo wing topping, but a dry rub with an upfront heat and a nice finishing sauce that had a back heat of it's own.  The BBQ were dressed in just the right amount of sweet and tang; full of flavor. As we left, we checked out the fish market...very reasonable.  If this performance could be pulled off in a busy summer season full of tourists, watch out!  This place will truly leave one's appetite fully stoked.  Oh yeah, we'll be back!

11/14 THE RATINGS-
Waterman's Hot Wings: A
BBQ Wings: A
Beer: B+
Atmosphere: B
Overall Score = 3.56

'Tude Killer, notes from the Target

"It's not the tales of Stephen King that I've read, I need protection from the things in my head."     - Jimmy Buffet

Malibu's 11/4.

   Halloween.  The juncture of the undead.  Vampires, Mummies, and the Holy Ghost as Mr. Buffet would tell ya.  Supernatural timing this year.  The Skeleton Crews' last surf of the year.  We'd tie our sesh in (no play on words...seriously) with Smitty McGee's annual Halloween Bash. Wattman's got his own high goin' as his woman is flyin ' in clear from Chi-Town to join us. With the light fading muy rapido upon each passing week even the last ride on a full moon promised to make this night unique.  A real wrap up the year.  Feed the beast for the winter.  The Stoke is always hungry.  Never hibernates, no matter how cold or dark.  The Target?  Feeds on Duds and M&Ms.  Milk Duds, nuff said.  M&Ms... decimate them one color at a time.  My own ADD  energy.  But, I digress.
   Early PM,  DWatt emails status.   Circumstances have changed. Stronger than any imagined apparition, Life has struck.  Kids plus job equals no Chicago Girl.  Pile on end of the month workload to keep the Watt in OT mode.  I press on to catch the last light of the last sunset of the last session of the year.  Wattman buzzes in.  Gonna miss the surf, will have to meet me at Smitty's.  Troopers we are.  Had some time to kill.  Hit the local outlet stores to join the Trick or Treat festivities.  Damn It Man! Even dressed as the infamous Hard Target could not score me any more candy. Time passes.  By the time DWatt gets free it's become too late to catch the "Bash."  Party's over.  At least I had my M&Ms to get me through.  Save the Reds for last...like to bleed 'em out.  Kinda like the night.

Standard Time.  No more weekdays. 11/7

  This past week, much better.  A much needed improvement over the disaster that was our Halloween. But with Standard Time completely moved in, the weekly surf is but a smile in memory.  Driving down this week, the explosive colors of earlier Fall have become a more muted tint. Kirby's Red Onion Grille on 130th offers the local respite.  We're local.  Been here. You really do get the provincial vibe here that no summer, tourist-trap bar can attain in the off season.  The Barkeep comes up, introduces himself... "hey yo, Paulie,"...and gets to it.  The cold beers drop first.  Not frosted, but cold. An average beer selection, but refreshing.  Nice multiple 42 inch flatscreens.  We got football. We got baseball, We got hockey.  Paulie even asks what we want on in front of us.  Service!  We order up the Old Goat Wings an original garlic-buffalo style and the BBQ.  Meaty, temp hot, and fresh. Well cooked.  Better than we've had in a while. Nothing quells a 'tude killin' Halloween better than good wings.  The tab? Extremely reasonable. No wonder we came back!

THE RATINGS-

Old Goat Wings: B

Red Onion BBQ: B

Beer: C

Atmosphere: B+
Overall Score = 2.81