Clean Boost, notes from the Target

Slicing every ounce. Rodeway's clean break, 6/28/2018.

   As I watched the waves, I saw several dudes surfing the line-up. We were in mid-town this week: Rodeways and 30th. With great weather for the first time in days, everyone with a board was out trying to get a ride. The waves were among the best we've had so far this year...semi-clean waist plus boosted by light winds out of the southwest. High tide with water in the lower 70s. Conditions were a blessing as the tropical storm season had yet to start. Watt's nephew Cameron, was already there with some friends, ready to partake in a last surf before heading out west.

Cam closes his last ride in the churning dust.

Shortly thereafter, Wattman and LWatt drove up and the safari was on. The evening was getting late, but it was a beautiful night and we were in no hurry...ready to enjoy the salt life.  As the sunset-lit sky changed from bright orange to deep fire, pinks and blues, the break continued to build as some sets began coming in about chest high... the biggest of our season. Not only are the waves large they are clean. Up and down the beach guys are jumping waves and riding them all the way into the beach. Long boards, short broads, it didn't seem to matter. If you had a stick you could travel. Watman took advantage grabbing multiple lefts and rights with several lasting all the way into the beach. This type of opportunity does not come often in the OC; light breezes on the beach, rockin' swell on the water. So myself, LWatt, and Cam's friends enjoyed the beach while Watt and nephew surfed late into the sunset.

   We left the shore and pointed due West. Wattman had us leaving Ocean City proper and heading out of town to the new Fox's Pizza Restaurant & Bar. Normally LWatt and I don't question Wattman and his dining decisions, however on such a stunning night we both wondered why we left the coastal waterways for a strip mall out of town? This type of location was better left to the fall or winter. We arrived and found three seats at the far corner of the bar. It was at this point when the highlight of the evening took place. I was served a draft Summer Shandy in a cold glass. For me Summer had now officially started. Everything leading up to this pinnacle in time had been meaningless yet looking back may have been full of meaning as all in the Universe aligned to reach this point.  Oh yeah, Wattman had a beer and LWatt a Lime Mule.

We went with a Chicken and Bacon Pizza with onions and banana peppers, Old Bay Wings, and a Chefs Salad. Pizza is their specialty. While it was thin (I like thin crust) I found it to be only above average while Watt enjoyed his banana peppers and had a higher vote. It was good...not great. The wings were breaded, but had some of the lightest breading I'd ever seen. But alas, no breaded wing can ever be much above average. Finally, the salad with which Lisa was disappointed. It was all iceberg lettuce and lunch meat toppings. From a food aspect this was just a dive with new trim and sports bar food. The restaurant did have good sound system and plenty of large flattie TV's.  Needless to say, come football season this place may require a return look. For in-season I believe, (and the Watts agreed) we will keep the Patrol closer to the water.

THE RATINGS-

Old Bay Wings: C+

Chicken 'n Bacon Pizza: B

Chefs Salad: D+

Beer: B+

Atmosphere: B

Value: B

Overall Score = 2.63

Let's go surfin now

Everybody's learning how

Come on and safari with me...

-The Beach Boys

Overcast Torment, notes from the Target.

Soup, well stirred. Backside finish, Holidays at 66th.
Overcast start to summer, 6/21/2018.

   It is here, estival solstice. The sun is highest in the sky; it is the longest day of the year. Summer has arrived. The perfect time to enjoy the beach long into the night. Well the Grinch Who Stole Christmas seemed to have come early. And he had stolen our summer. There was only wind, overcast sky and cool temperatures to bring in the evening. A personal torment as I sat alone on the beach, wrapped in a beach towel for warmth. I pondered the nature of my existence against the endless sea in front of me.  But I digress...again. After a while LWatt arrived, bringing her own brand of congeniality. She had been catching up on her laptop in the car, finishing up a long day's work. I had been using her chair to block the endless wind. Her cheerful attitude combined with cussing the weather brought some light hearted joy to the beach just when it was needed most. While we continued to suffer on shore, Wattman was struggling in the water. In between tides, a death note for waves in OC, the swell was agitated by the wind and resulting chop. Sections would rise and fall here and there, sucking up into brief knee to thigh high curbs. A quick turn and little luck is what Watt needed to jump on a few. A nice long right hander gave hope to more of the same. Some short rides, then a small left break appeared and delivered a soupy ride into shore, the last of the night.  

    Post session we were trying a new place of sorts. We had been to the location twice previously each time under a different name. So we were hoping the third time was the charm. Tail Chasers is the newest addition to the Off the Hook group of restaurants. We entered just past 8:30pm; only a small gathering of people were present. Not a whole lotta architectural change from the previous iteration. An odd shaped place with a canal view as its major selling point. It provided that tropical outside vibe and the place worked every little detail it could get in. Wattman and I each ordered a cold beer off a fairly decent list, which were served in near iced glasses. For us, this meant the experience was starting out well. On a side note, we added Schofferhofer Grapefruit Hefeweizen, a German specialty import they had on tap...all three of us thought it was a fantastic pic. After taking a look at the menu we went with the Shrimp Pinchos,

marinated shrimp on a stick with a pepper relish, and the Blackened Tuna Burger. The shrimp were nicely done and presented well, but they certainly weren't dressed to fill. As for the Tuna burger, I was expecting a larger piece of tuna on a bun, instead it was more the consistency of a ground tuna patty.

Maybe a tad overboard with the seaweed wasabi aioli. Both the shrimp and tuna had good taste. There was just one major problem with each. Neither of the two items we ordered were Hot! At best they were warm or room temperature. Maybe that is how they were meant to be served. But, to me any type of burger should be hot, and shrimp are either hot or cold... never just warm.  I know this place has been open a short amount of time but this is a start up concern. The restaurant also seemed to be using food runners to deliver the meal instead of your waiter. I have never liked this idea. Regardless- good music...and we could hear it, and plenty of flat-screens around. A nice overall experience to bounce back from last week. So would we go back? Well lets just say the Patrol has submitted it's report and at this point we will wait and see what the name of the place is next year and then decide. This is the Target, till the next inquest, over and out.

THE RATINGS-
Shrimp Pinchos: B-
Blackened Tuna Burger: B-
Beer: A-
Atmosphere: B
Value: C+
Overall Score = 2.90

     

Not Quite Primetime, notes from the Target.

Not quite a primetime showing, 66th and Holiday's. 6/14/2018

   We thought it would never come. Regardless, somehow, some way, the tide had turned in our favor. For the first time in a long while it was a quintessential beach night. A slight off-shore at our backs. The sun filled the beach with a warmth we have not felt in more than six months. No need for coats. No blankets. LWatt and I could just kick back, relax, and enjoy the evening whilst Watt and company hit the shortstack, knee-high rollers. Speaking of company, this evening we were joined by Watt's nephew, Cam. An intrepid young man, he was paying his respects and getting in a surf with his Uncle Wattman prior to moving out to California to find his fame and fortune.

Well I worked real hard and bought myself a rock 'n roll guitar

I got to be on top some day, I wanna be a star    -AC/DC, Rock 'n Roll Singer

A near dead low tide, clean, but passive swell, both were showing impatience going after any type of wave action. But with the warm air and rising water temps up to the 68 degree mark, they were in no rush. Finally a few grabs here and there, one of the best snagged by the Watt near the end of the session...a frontsider that took him all the way near to shore. Not really a big slice this time around, but a center filled with stoke that made the night for him.  

   With the sunset so late this time of year we didn't leave the beach till almost 9 pm. Watt had chosen Lenny's Beach Bar at the Clarion Hotel for the Patrol's scrutiny. Now from the outset, I was not sure about this place. The Clarion is one of the more expensive hotels in OC. I felt this was not going to be a cheap night. However, being a team player I make no mention of my concerns and agreed to the choice. Upon arrival, the bar's band was packing up and we were informed there was no food service outside. It had appeared that Wattman had not done his homework, failing to take into account that while the weather has improved it was still not quite primetime summer season in the restaurant/bar biz. Both LWatt and I immediately brought this error to his attention because that is what friends do. However to his credit, there was a Plan B.

Thus, we headed inside to Breakers Pub poolside. Food service was still available here so we proclaimed our seats at the small, almost empty bar. Upon review of the menu, LWatt conveyed her dismay at the high prices. (I just nodded in agreement). But, the tab would tell the tale. With a limited selection of draft beverages both Wattman and I made our choices. Brews were served in room temp glassware, but the beer was cold and satisfied for the moment. LWatt ordered up the Grilled Chicken and Veggies while Watt and I ordered the BBQ Wings and Shrimp Tacos.

At this point I will mention that Cam the Man joined us for dinner, and ordered himself a burger. But he did not share, and we did not share, so not part of the ratings. But he finished it off and appeared satiated. The chicken was fair tasting, but dry. Though they had a nice flavor, the wings were breaded and small. No breaded wing can ever really be acceptable. The high point of the meal were the tacos. Served in a "build your own" style, the tacos were nicely presented. The shrimp were perfectly cooked and plentiful on the plate.

 As to the fixings, only the shredded cheese was missing to make them top notch. barkeep did do a nice job taking care of any issues (nice job on the veggie substitute). The Hotel was hosting at least three conventions and by evening's close it showed. The bar quickly filled up with chatty transients. So, we closed our tab as we finished our conversations, and headed back out into the summer-fever night air. Would we go back. Not really. It may be a fine hotel, but it did not fit our parameters and we scored as such. The Patrol continues on its mission.

THE RATINGS-

Grilled Chicken: C+

BBQ Wings: C-

Shrimp Tacos: B-

Beer: B-

Atmosphere: C

Value: C

Overall Score = 2.25

Whaddup?, notes from the Target.

Digging out in knee-plus churn, 66th Street and Holiday's. 6/7/2018

   What's up with the surf? Another chopped, knee to thigh affair out of the nor'east. The waves were only passable but Watt had a decent night. With a stubborn perseverance, he fought to find a right, letting go of more than he caught. I'm sure the return of his full suit (thanks to the drop in water temps) didn't help. And speaking of, whaddup with these temps as of late? The onshore winds were steady...not a hard blow, but enough of a continuous breeze off the ocean that both LWatt and myself found the chill became increasingly difficult to fight off as the sun dropped behind us. However, back out in the lineup some of the primo rides of the evening were keeping Wattman warmed up, the best being a badass, short lefty that held up to be the longest and sweetest...considering the conditions. He'd finally decided to let go and go left. We are still early in the season. No doubt the best surfing Watt had done so far. The wind picked up, and as the tide moved out, so did the swell and Wattman was forced to call it a night. Good for us. We needed to get warm.  

   We headed to an OC staple from our past, Mother's Cantina. When you think dive bar this place certainly personifies the atmosphere of such. Mother's has grown over the years to include a take out and second dining room, however we headed to the original bar and collared three seats. Having lucked out, we arrived just in time for the Stanley Cup and beat the growing Caps crowd to see what all was hoping to be the finale and series winning game. Soon enough it was standing room only.

I caught the ad posters everywhere and gave the new Natty Boh shandy style a try. Watt went with a Pacifico. The best I can say is the can was cold and the price was cheap. And hey, who really needs a glass when an aluminum can is available? With the increasing crowd, service slowed to a crawl but it was not very fast to begin with. We placed our order for Sweet Hot Wings, Mother's Chicken Burrito, and LWatt put in for the Blackened Ahi Salad. The meal itself took forever to arrive. As we waited Wattman finally got the bartender's attention to wrangled us some free chips and salsa which was a good thing as they were the highlight of the meal.The small wings were crispy and had a smokey flavor, but more the overwhelming taste of a sweet hot sauce.

The burrito was large but bland, with more cheese than chicken. The black beans and rice on the side were the only upside of the plate. The Ahi in the salad was supposedly sushi grade but looked more like previously frozen than blackened, leaving LWatt a bit leery of what she was eating.

As to the game, though we watched an uneventful scoreless first period, the Caps suddenly turned on scoring early in the 2nd period as we called it a night. Were we disappointed? Well this is Mother's, so it's kind of what we expected. It is a right of passage for anyone who lives in the OC. Less the quality of the food and more the quantity, as well as the low drink prices in an intriguing environment. The Patrol, job done, moved on.

THE RATINGS-

Blackened Ahi Tuna Salad: C-

Sweet-Hot Wings: C

Mother's Chicken Burrito: C

Beer: C+

Atmosphere: B-

Value: B

Overall Score = 2.29

And wait, and wait, and wait...

Bad Mistress, notes from the Target.

"Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whiskey is barely enough."  -Mark Twain
A bevy of Bourbon...perfect for eradicating the bummer. R&R, 33rd Street, OCMD. 5/30/2018 

   The Ocean is like a mistress. You want to be with her even when you know it's bad for you. Terrible weather was plaguing us with an encore leaving me feeling like we should've' skipped this week, but instead there we were again. Overcast skies. Cold, onshore winds, despite the mid-60s waters. And a humidity that hung in the air to the point that your skin and clothes felt damp after just a short time. Both LWatt and I said we were only going to stay a couple of minutes, but we braved the conditions for more than 45. Small, fading sets, sectioning all over the place. Usually, even with these conditions, Wattman spends a bit more time in the water (and from time to time, has a good day) because the Mistress needs to feel wanted. However, there were to be no decent rides on this occasion. Regardless of the screaming in his ears to turn back out, Watt called it early and returned to shore.

No amount of pumpin' gonna get this ride...
Rodeways and 30th, 5/30/2018.

   To ease the pain of a bummer session, we continued our tour of new establishments with a visit to Rare and Rye. Our second whisky bar/restaurant on Patrol, this one was in the new La Quinta on 33rd. While I was a tad underwhelmed at the bourbon saloon visited last month, I was impressed with this place from first glance. Although it was lacking in any real view, the setup inside let one know that this was an upscale restaurant. Upon taking a seat at the bar we were immediately greeted by a friendly barkeep ready for our orders. This was not a taphouse nor a brewery...they had No beer on draft. But, the small selection of bottles met our needs. Now here is where it got good. Our barkeep  perfectly poured our beer into a frosted, ice cold glass and set them before us. It had been a long time since this type of service had been seen anywhere in the OC. We ordered a chicken flat bread, scallops, and a Crab Cob Salad for our meal. Part of any meal is the presentation and there this place shined again. The salad was presented as a perfectly shaped inverted cylinder where you could see all the layers.

The flavors came through nicely and the layers were laced with tasty pieces of crab. The Primavera, a blackened chicken flatbread, had a nice cherry balsamic glaze that Wattman enjoyed. Though my pieces were burnt in places resulting in a lower score, I still enjoyed the offering. The Pan Seared Scallops (a four count), were well seasoned and prepared with a dressing and raw vegetables that provided a nice flavor boost. Flat screens were well placed along all three sides of the bar. The music existed, but on a low, underwhelming level.

Our overall impressions of Rare and Rye were very favorable. The service was outstanding. The presentation of food and beverages was among the best we had seen in a while. We did wish at least some type of draft beer had been available and yet, as if devising a method to lead towards an oversight of the lack of draft, our young grasshopper provided a sample of Jameson Caskmates IPA Edition, an Irish whiskey hop aged in an IPA whiskey barrel. The product, meh. The effort, A+! The prices were what you'd expect from an upscale establishment. Furthermore, some music at a decibel we could hear in the bar area would have added cool points. Some of these suggestions might boost this installation to another level. But hey, we're just on Patrol. 'Til next time...

THE RATINGS-
Crab Cob Salad: B
Pan Seared Scallops: B
Primavera Flatbread: B+
Beer: C+
Atmosphere: B+
Value: B-
Overall Score = 2.92