Ready To Commit, tales from the Watt.

Just across and on the other side, the Ocean awaits. Rt 50 Bridge, OC's south entrance. 4/24/2019  

And I know that there's something that's just out of sight...

-Boston, We're Ready

   This is the time of year when patience comes into play. The temperatures tend to be inconsistent. Still a bit chill during the evenings into the night. Rain has been prevalent. That also keeps the degrees down. It's also kept myself and LWatt under the weather. Both of us had been fighting off colds. As we headed out, LWatt mentioned that she had been thinking this could have been a beach week. Even Target was a little surprised that we didn't mark this weekend down for the first surf. Not that the conditions were ideal. Small, choppy, and with the breeze, cold. Regardless, to surf is to commit and next week we are committed. So make no mistake, we're ready.
   Back to this week. We set out for the latest takeover in West OC. Formerly an Applebees, the latest Dough Roller opened up earlier this month as a sports bar on the western end, westbound side of the Route 50 bridge. Can't say I was ever in the Applebees, however I had been in some of the other Dough Roller locations and the internal decor pretty much lived up to the image. The bar was most impressive, painted with local sights and locations from Berlin, to Assateague, to West OC to the big OC. Perusing the menu meant a fair selection of sandwiches, subs, salads, and of course...pizza.

A decent selection of beer, both Target and I each reeled in a cold brew that was served in a not so cold glass. We ordered the BBQ Wings, the Spinach Salad, and a medium Bacon and Chicken Pizza. Service was pretty good as our bartender made sure the food was out in fair time.

LWatt found the salad loaded with grilled chicken, blueberries, strawberries, and feta cheese with a raspberry vinaigrette which enhanced the entire salad. The BBQ Wings were meaty and well cooked, but only average in taste...nothing standout. The Pizza was pretty good. Crispy crust, plenty of sauce and cheese, but could have used more chicken while the bacon seemed more like bacon bits... salad topping style. Flat-screens were everywhere with some pretty good baseball and hockey going on. Music was there, barely. And the tab, well it raise a brow or two. Turned out to be a hair more expensive night than expected. Regardless, the 'Roller had a nice set-up, and overall pretty fair food. For us, the new season's Journey is on the move. We're ready.

THE RATINGS-

BBQ Wings: C+

Spinach Salad: B

Bacon & Chicken Pizza: B-

Beer: C+

Atmosphere: B-

Value: C

Overall Score = 2.50

Seasonal Resurrection, tales from the Watt

"He was mastered by the sheer surging of life, the tidal wave of being, the perfect joy of each separate muscle, joint,
and sinew in that it was everything that was not death, that it was aglow and rampant, expressing itself in movement..."
-Jack London, The Call of the Wild
Cry wolf, the Atlantic calls. 33rd Street point, 4/18/2019.

   It was expressed to me that I might have gone a bit overboard with last week's tavern review of the Alamo. LWatt felt as if I were obsessed with it. Target thought it was long winded. Maybe. But, let's face it....it had lore, it had history, and Caribbean Joe's had that unique feel of the coast. We have needed that. The weather's finally been showing a marked warming trend. Surf temps finally on the rise, bringing with them the temptation to ride. High 40's. At Baltimore's End (33rd street break...the end of Baltimore Avenue), the conditions were motley. Chopped up and sectioned, however there were a few potentials seen in the lineup. A week, maybe two away from our first wave. We could feel the coming of the seasonal resurrection of our surf sessions and corresponding warm weather beach-dive venues.

   Also on 33rd and the Ocean, the evening's bistro which typified this feeling. Marlin Moon Grille, a restaurant that at one point was a locals favorite at the Francis Scott Key Motel (West OC), later shut down, and now was reborn at the Hilton DoubleTree as the Marlin Moon Restaurant. We entered from the lobby stairway to the 2nd floor and were greeted by a lengthy, pelagic-blue tempered glass top bar.

From our vantage point at the far end, a stunning ocean view. At the other end, a case full of various oysters and clams. Fresh and ready for shucking. On this trip...no oysters for us...but we did have seafood in store. Target and I pulled in a couple of brews (cooled glass, but not cold), to start while LWatt had herself a Mudslide...including overflow. The requests were in, Seafood Stuffed Potato Skins, Old Bay Wings, and Meat on a Stick.

The Meat on the stick was beef tenderloin cooked with just a tinge pink in the center. Melt in your mouth...mostly. I did find a slightly chewier piece. The Skins...with scallops, crab, and shrimp, outstanding. The Wings...could have been a little more meaty, however they were well done...hot, not overly seasoned. In short, some of the best grub we've had during this long Journey. TV's in convenient locations. Did we mention the view? Value...i.e. price...ah, well...a tad painful. Still, the food fit the bill even if we didn't. Definitely worth a return visit, in the off-season- during happy hour. Our Journey continues. Now to add some water.

THE RATINGS - 

Seafood Potato Skins: A

Old Bay Wings: B+

Meat On A Stick: A-

Beer: B-

Atmosphere: B

Value: C+

Overall Score = 3.17

Glory Days, tales from the Watt

Glory days, well they'll pass you by...   -Bruce Springsteen
The Alamo Court Motel circa the glory days of the 1960s. Postcard photo.

   We try to center the posts of this blog around the beach and the surf, as well as the bars and dive style cuisine. Having said that, the weather over the last month has not been conducive neither to the Atlantic warming, nor surfing it. But, the air temps have started rising with nights now above freezing and days hanging in the 50's. The water temps have been mingling in the mid to upper 40's. With more days of clouds and/or rain than sun, it may be May before we get the first ride in. However, we remain optimistic. At least I do.

No invitation without a hood. OC's inlet pier, 4/13/2019.

   So, where am I going with this? A destination of historic significance as a result of our Journey. This post focuses on a once resplendent motor hotel, the first in Worcester County, chosen by families nationwide for restful slumber after long days making memories at the beach. Days of glory that fell into neglect. A fabled joint full of rumor and conjecture. A house of ill repute. A site of a murder inquiry. A domicile of death. The Alamo Motel... now a dive on the verge of a comeback with roots dating back to the mid-1940's.

   The year was 1945. WWII Vet and "Flying Tiger" pilot Bill Weaver came home to his first two loves...the water and boating, and built the area's first motel. Designed after it's namesake in San Antonio, TX where he was stationed, the Alamo was built with family vacationers in mind providing economic lodging within a short car ride to the beach. The locale enjoyed prominence through the 60's, but failed to keep up with the times showing signs of deceleration as it cruised through the 70's, twisted across the 80's (including a duration of desertion), and then slammed into the 1990's where new management did some level of renovation including Rascals, a bar replete with

Sign 'o the past

Eastern Bloc no-tell motel bartenders. A brief resurgence, and the slide resumed into the new millennium. Less a vacationers inn. More a "contractors" and other unsavory types' charter. Shared only by local roaches. Needless to say, no Crew member or associated club member had ever been known to frequent nor sample the place during this time frame.

The destination is the Journey. Alamo resuscitated, 4/11/2019.

  Fast forward to 2019. It was just last year that the current ownership took over and immediately began making changes, most notable being the fresh coat of paint; bright pastels replacing the dingy, flaking, stained white. The courtyard took on the look of a tropical O.K. Corral. A complete island makeover of the restaurant-bar later and Caribbean Joe's Bar & Grille was up and running.

Being aware of the historic relevance of the property, this place was immediately visible on my radar. We set up to meet Target at 7pm, arriving fashionably late at 7:10. The neon outline of the historic 50's era sign was already glowing red with the resonant buzz. Topped by the signature gold sombrero. We entered through the original lobby that had been converted into additional dining space and were met by the transformed lounge. Bright yellow and teal colors with a veritable explosion of nautical, pelagic, and beach decor. The bar lit up with lights and polished teak. We were served up our beers, (cold, but in plastic cups...why? we were inside!) and put in our orders.

It was $5 Burger night. We had to do it. LWatt took the lead and got a House Burger- lettuce, tomato, no cheese. Myself, I snagged the BBQ Wings, and Target ordered himself a House Burger with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, with the necessary fries option. We'd like to say the food was outstanding. But, it was not. It was...basic. Satisfactory. No crowd cheering. Maybe just a hair above average. The true double shot by Joe's was the atmosphere. Classic rock from 70's to 80's...at just the right volume. Loud enough to enjoy, but not so loud that you couldn't hear yourself talk. Flatscreens in every line of sight. The prices were very

reasonable, and the bathroom...obviously more change spent...very nice. Clean. The pool area was an occasion to object. I'd say it was as much under discussion as it was under construction. And, there was still refurbishing to be done to the rest of the property. Hence the double, not a triple or a home run. Still, there was potential... historic potential. Even Target was pleasantly surprised at the possibilities. The OC's piece of Americana. The Crew may yet return on a future Journey, appraise the progress, listen to classic rock in an island atmosphere, and relive glory days of the past. Yeah, maybe.

THE RATINGS-

BBQ Wings: C

House Burger: C+

House Burger w/ Cheese: C+

Beer: C (plastic)

Atmosphere: B+

Value: B+

Overall Score = 2.50