Cookie Hooky, the Target's notes.

Driving rains ensured no Winterfest this night. Dark entrance to Northside Park, north OCMD, 12/15/2022.

Well, the man said, "You know, I'm from Maryland,
And them crabs is what I'm itching for.
Don't you know, Santa Dear,
With steamed crabs and a beer,
It would be like a trip back..."

"Oh, I want crabs for Christmas.
Oh, only crabs will do.
Oh, and with crabs for Christmas,
My Christmas wish'll come true."
-David DeBoy

 

     We have written about this. This has not been our normal year. We stop, start, wait, restart and just try to find some type of normality. However, this is our special end of year meeting. A "can't miss." Even when the Watt moved to Chicago, somehow we always had some kind of Christmas event. Despite our clash with schedules, we headed back to where it all began- that's right, to the pub formerly know as Smitty's. Getting to our destination should not be life threatening, that evening it was raining so hard and visibility so poor we should have called the whole thing off. Personally, I can honestly say there was one thing that drove me that night. It had been a tradition that LWatt made me a batch of her famous homemade chocolate chip cookies for my birthday. It is well known about my desire for chocolate chip cookies, and looking forward to the annual batch kept me on the road. Yet the one constant is change, and this season has been notorious.

Got wet? Mid-town Ocean City.

     Smitty's is no more. In it's place was a local brew pub outfit with several locations called Fins Ale House & Raw Bar. They repainted, put in an oyster bar, and revised the menu. All things that needed to be done at least a decade ago.

The downpour of biblical proportions continued all evening and with the rain so steady it was not surprising there was a very small crowd. We grabbed seats at the bar that we had pretty much to ourselves, and started to catch up. With so few customers you would have thought the service would have been outstanding, but it was only average at best. The evening continued with more disappointment when I was informed that they were out of Miller Lite.

Nevertheless, there was a large selection from Fin's partner Big Oyster Brewing which was promptly taken advantage of. While they did spray the glass with chilled water, an iced glass would have garnered higher accolades. After reviewing the bill of fare, we ordered Old Bay Wings, Seafood Skins, and Fin's Famous Crab Bruschetta. The wings looked and tasted fantastic but had little Old Bay flavor. The potato skins were small in size, and over-cheesed to the point of dominating the shrimp and crab. The bruschetta was the biggest disappointment. Although served with big chunks of backfin crab, the bread was hardly toasted, and became pulpy from over saturation by the balsamic, tomato, and crab causing it to fall apart and making it hard to eat. A shame...hard to beat a crab dish on a Christmas menu.

Our meal now over, we started our exchange of gifts. To my chagrin, my cookies were nowhere to be found. LWatt's busy work timetable made it difficult to get any baking done. I was disappointed, but I could not really be sad. She and Wattman made up for a missing cookie or two with a great birthday/Christmas combo gift of an Ugg's blanket... guaranteed to keep me warm at night while watching Christmas movies on my couch. As we ended our night we had one final disappointment. With all the wind and rain

the Winterfest display had been closed for the night. No tour for us, and thus we all headed home. Now, with all I related one might think we were disheartened and sad. But this was not the case. You see we spent the evening together; dear friends that celebrated Christmas with joy that few can understand. We hope that you find the same and wish you and yours a Mele Kalikimaka and a better next year!

THE RATINGS-

Beer: B

Old Bay Wings: B-

Seafood Skins: B-

Crab Bruschetta: C

Atmosphere: B

Value: C

Overall Score = 2.58

Out Of Practice, from the Watt's notebook.

Winds outta the nor'east gave sectioned waist high surf over the weekend. Talbot Street break, 12/10/2022.

      As we were leaving Shotti's Point one evening in October, Target quickly stopped us and brought up the fact that we had forgotten to do the ratings critique of the restaurant. Jump to early November- the last surf of the year and a true kook performance on my part. Then the other evening- LWatt was on a business trip, Target and I met for a couple brews, a couple apps, and as we were closing out the tab I realized I didn't get a pic of the pizza and we didn't have paper for the ratings. Target looked over at me..."we're out of practice." It struck me, it's been a disrupted year. We needed to work on it. A resolution to add to our list of resolutions.

     So yeah, Burnish Beer Company. The newest brewery in Salisbury, MD. Open about a year now. A nice selection of beer with a couple interesting names. I had kept it simple... a grapefruit version of their IPA, Shine. Target, ever looking for that next original Blonde (Ale) without over-extending his palate, chose Jellyfish Apocalypse- an ale based on the strawberry mojito. Must've been okay, as he finished the pint. Our biggest concern was that the glasses were not chilled, or even refrigerated. We prefer our beer icy. We also ordered the evening special, a 12 inch Cheese Pizza, and the house BBQ wings.

The pizza was about basic as one can get; not much more than a store bought, although better than a frozen. The wings were good sized, and had a great flavor, but we found a few undercooked, which was a definite ratings takeaway. As we caught up on the last couple of weeks, we had good service at the bar, extreme sports on the tubes, and Christmas music accentuating the décor. This time of year, that will win us every time. The place was cavernous with bags game boards set up inside, and outside in their beer garden (when weather permits). Future opportunity to check out will be the beer garden during the warmer months. After we had paid the tab, which was not too painful, we made a discovery. Turns out our silverware was served in white paper bags. Boom! Paper for our ratings. We may be out of practice, but we still know how to improvise. LWatt would've been impressed. Maybe. 

Burnish Beer Company, 12/8/2022 

THE RATINGS-

Beer: B (Icy please)

House BBQ Wings: B-

Cheese Pizza: C

Atmosphere: B

Value: C+

Overall Score = 2.60

Changing Times, from the Watt's notebook.

Still lots to trim. Even the asphalt isn't completely laid down. Main Street, Berlin. 11/17/2022

     Changing times, and we're not just talking the clock being set back. It seems the seasonal change has brought with it a quieter character than in years past. Weekly closing times are between 10 and 12pm. Seriously. Some places aren't even open Mondays thru Wednesdays. Surf has been quiet this week, and is pretty much done for the year... unless ya get out on a weekend. That time is fading fast as well. 

     Thanksgiving's coming up. Christmas right beyond that. And the streets of Berlin are starting to burn bright. We returned to town for a pre-holiday Crew meet of sorts. Yet, there was a quiet in the air that laid further evidence to the aforementioned change. Boxcar On Main...our critique of the evening. Not even 7pm. If'n I was a gamblin' man, I'd have bet we were the last patrons of the night. Which meant we didn't have to wait long for that first brew, or food off the menu. Decent draft selection, and I chose a nice double IPA. Chilled, but not iced, glass.

Our food choices included the Stout Braised Pork Belly. Seared in a stout with pork au jus, it was tender but could have used more seasoning. Next, the BBQ Wings, which were big and meaty. Hot, with a good coating of sauce. The sauce was tasty, yet kinda "standard." The best of our choices was The Burger. A blend of chuck, rib meat, and brisket. Very juicy, and cooked just the way we ordered it... which is not always the case in some of the places we'd been. We stuck to the basics- cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickle. Excellent thin fries on the side. We babbled for the next half hour or so. That's what friends do, easily. A single TV in front of us with extreme biking. No real music per se. I mean, we were the lone patrons, which is unusual no matter where we have gone. See? Times they be changing. Target has been healing. LWatt has a business trip coming up. I have been planning our Christmas Lights installation such that I can avoid trying to disable myself this year. Lots going on over the next couple weeks. As we headed across the street to our vehicles, we stopped to check out a local shop, complete with a bar and amateur night happening. Even when seemingly quiet, you can find noise in this town. Good times. Thinking a couple more weeks before the next Crew meet. Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat! 

THE RATINGS-

Beer: B-

Stout Braised Pork Belly: C+

BBQ Wings: B-

The Burger: B+

Atmosphere: C

Value: C+

Overall Score = 2.54

Reset, from the Watt's notebook.

Late Autumn sunrise over the Assawoman, 11/3/2022.

     Time to reset. The last week of "Savings Time." Blame it on work. Blame it on lack of intention. Whatever the issues, recovery will be needed. Looking back, I cannot remember a last of the season opportunity that was missed. The waves were not epic. Yet, at knee-plus they were ridable and would have provided stoke for the last water session. But it was dark by the time I was home from work. Typical of this year. We need to find that driver. The inspiration lost. Like I said, time to reset.

     Speaking of reset, our establishment of choice this evening was The Sterling Tavern on Main Street in Berlin, reset from what was formerly Fins Ale House...yeah, we'd been there. They had enclosed the front porch, however we chose seats at the bar in hopes of faster service as the place was buzzin'. There was a pretty decent beer selection that I chose from, Target settled on an iced tea since he was still in healing mode, while LWatt eyed a Pomegranate Margarita.

From the menu we selected the Bacon Cheeseburger, Shrimp Tacos, and Thai Chili Wings. As we had previously mentioned, the place was buzzing, very busy, and the food took enough time to come out that I was already on my 2nd beer (big surprise!). The burger was well cooked, but could have been more seasoned. The tacos were very good and would have garnered a higher rating had they not been cooled down from the wait. The wings took top honors being plump and juicy, well cooked and fairly hot, with a delicious sauce. They had a local singer crooning chill music upstairs and college football on the flat-screens. Our bartender kept things lite with small talk and good recommendations across the menu. Tab was a wee bit on the elevated side, but that seems to be a trend everywhere. All in all, a very pleasant experience was had as we enjoyed our meal discussing life as it hit us each day. The Sterling is doin' good things here. This would definitely be a location at which our Crew would eventually do a return engagement. Onward to the next retreat.

THE RATINGS-
Beer: B
Bacon Cheeseburger: B
Shrimp Tacos: B
Thai Chili Wings: B+
Atmosphere: B+
Value: B-
Overall Score = 3.04

Lost Ride, the Target's notes.

I'm fallin' so I'm taking my time on my ride. -Twenty One Pilots
Taking the swing at a lefty, 66th and Holidays. 10/27/2022

     The "Season" had ended. The Watt wanted one last chance to get in a surf in 2022, and to regain the quickly fading year. Hence, we met at the beach as the sun was dropping. Mother Nature and Father Time always pass their own judgments. With the water in the lower 60's, the full wet suit was required. Waves were thigh high with occasional chest. All that can be implied...the added weight of the suit... the mind was willing, but the body did not always follow. Thus while rides may have been lost, after several paddles into the break attempts were made, feet hit the deck, and sometimes, yes sometimes, that was what was really important.

OC Skyline in the fading sunset.

     With Halloween 'round the corner, Wattman decided Dead Freddie's Island Grill to be the appropriate choice for the evening. We have critiqued this tavern several times. It had not been a favorite, but I could not remember exactly why. We found a couple seats at the bar as most of the tables had been taken up by groups of golfers on vacation. At least that's what they looked like. The night did not start off well. Ordering our drinks, LWatt asked for a coffee beverage and was told they didn't have any coffee. How can a bar/restaurant not have coffee? In addition, several of their beers were tapped out. After the Watt finally made his selection, it was served in a plastic cup. Plastic! It turned out my iced tea was the best of the beverage choices. From the menu, we ordered Barbeque Wings, the Seafood Quesadilla, and the Blend- a half 'n half of Cream of Crab and Crab Soup. Five wings, the count called out on the menu, were so small I wondered if they came from a Cornish Hen. The quesadilla was decent, nice flavor, but could have used more seafood.

The blended cream and tomato crab soup was pretty good. Ordered a cup...the cream of crab was the above average portion, but overall was not warm enough. The one standout point of the entire bar was the view. Wall to wall TV's so matter where you sat you did have a great view of the Thursday Night Football game. The night drew to a close and the bill came due. That is when I remembered our previous reviews. Overpriced and below average food had been our comments. Even a wall of TV's cannot make up for that failure. No worries, like the next wave that's coming, another retreat is always nearby.

THE RATINGS-

Beer: C

BBQ Wings: C-

Seafood Quesadilla: B-

Blended Crab Soup: B-

Atmosphere: C+

Value: C-

Overall Score = 2.21

Hibernation time...dreamin' of the next wave.

Haunted, cuts from the Watt.

Overcast skies, and pop-up ghouls cast a dark aura over local canals.
Ocean Parkway and The Pines, 10/13/2022.

     To say this past year was a challenge would be a gross understatement. Pain management, vertigo, ear infections, COVID, vehicle engine seizure, migraines (oh, the migraines), emergency rooms, morphine drips, pop-up storms over a half shingled roof hence water stains on the ceiling, dizzy spells (where's the wall?), job stress, back strain, more pain, twisted ankle, twisted foot. We seemed to make it through the last couple years despite the threat of the pandemic around us. Yet, distress haunted us throughout this season hard. Commitments made it difficult to travel. Only now are we feeling the recovery. It is slower than it has been in the past, but the Crew always persevered! 

     This evening, the T-Man was dealing with a sprained ankle and clearly in pain, however the Crew took precedence. The trooper in him kept his eyes on deck. A new establishment, a transformation, a tavern in the round...ripe for our tally of compliments and criticisms. 410 Social Eatery and Barroom was the latest addition and edition to the Berlin restaurant scene. Yeah, we'd already been to the former version. The bar was at full capacity when we entered, so we grabbed a table and settled in. The area was bright, walls adorned with fancy murals, couches in the corner, with tables, metal stools, and lighting that reflected a modern industrial touch. First issue we took...the stools. We ain't the tallest folks around, but when we sat down the tables came up to our chests. Either raise the stools or lower the tables. We ended up half sitting half standing ...made Target just a tad short...with our waiter. This worked to our advantage as the waiter was speedy quick with our initial brews. At this point I would have to say that the T-Man doesn't eat pain like candy; more like drinks it like bitter coffee. He takes it with the best of 'em, but don't cross 'im! LWatt and I helped him to keep off edge with discussions on how the past week had been- and what was to be pulled off the menu.

Seafood Potato Skins, a little different for us as of late. And, a couple of go to's- Old Bay Wings, and the 410 Smash Burger, a double smashed burger with pickles and melted cheddar. The potato skins had a good amount of crab and shrimp, but were pretty small and overly seasoned with Old Bay. The wings were hot and meaty, but under seasoned. 

The burger is one of their specialties and that fact shined through. Juicy, perfectly cooked, a little messy. The beers were cold however the glass (which Target had to ask for his) was not iced. Plenty of flatscreens showing the evenings' sports. The music was faint, yet decent. And the tab was not painful at all. A few nicks and scratches, but otherwise the 410 is doing a good business with a strong local following.  

     We have often asked if the end of the Crew was near. But the Crew is more than just surf and turf. It is friends getting together, braving the elements, discussing the obstacles, relieving life's stress, breaking bread, and washing it all down with an ice cold beer. Hell, I can count on one hand the number of times I've surfed this season, yet I still look forward to the possibility of the next session. Some rehab time due; shake off the specters. This will be a nice retreat for the Crew to come back to... when all is healed up. 

THE RATINGS-

Beer: B-

Seafood Skins: C+

Old Bay Wings: B

410 Smash Burger: A-

Atmosphere: C+

Value: B

Overall Score = 2.83

Not A Drop, the Target's notes.

Not a drop of water shed this session 'round. Thigh to waist beckoned, 60th Street Break. 10/6/2022

     It's been 10 months since our last retreat. I could say a lot had happened but in reality, time just keeps moving forward. The question is, are you riding the wave or duck diving for the next set? It seems to me I am just trying to stay afloat. With the mid-fall evening in its last hours, the beach option was a pass and we planned to head directly to the tavern of choice. For this monster occasion LWatt had prepared her famous chocolate chip cookie squares as a gift. Of course, Wattman had to stop to do his surf check. Thus, they both showed up blaming the other for being late. No worries, it was good to see friends smiling all around after such a long absence. We had decided on a location we visited 4 years plus ago. Shottie's Point is situated in a small space that is part of K-Coast Surf Shop on 35th and the main drag, and with this being the start of the Endless Summer Crusin', we had to wait for a table. Business was good.
     After being apart for such a long time we had a great deal to catch up on, and remembering what we had told each other previously was a challenge in itself. Being seated at a booth in the corner, we got to the first order of business- the menu. The beer selection was a combination of drafts and cans. The Watt requested glasses and while cold, they were not iced. As we made our beer selection, I announced I had been sober since our last meeting ten months ago. Not a single drop of beer. It seemed to me only when I was down with the Crew (Wattman I suspect) that any level of alcohol was required.

However, the beer was cold and we made our dinner selections of Old Bay Wings and "the Chooch," a seafood pizza with Old Bay, crab, and shrimp. The wings were large, hot and well-seasoned. But it was my first wings in ten months so maybe that played a role in how quickly I devoured my share. The pizza itself was nicely made and while we did find small portions of shrimp, the crab was a bit scarce for my liking.

              Even with a small waitstaff, the service actually was pretty good and there was music playing in the background though it tended to blend into the background noise. To Watt's pleasure, there were several TVs in the bar, all running loops of different surf contests. We spent most of the eve jaw jacking and soon enough we started saying our good nights. After ten months, it all felt like some sort of special occasion. We had good food, cold beer, and lively conversation with great friends reunited. You would have thought we had picked up without missing a beat. But alas, NO.  As we stood outside it suddenly occurred to us that we hadn't done our ratings. Hastily, we wrote down our thoughts, did our high fives, and planned the next retreat.

THE RATINGS-

Old Bay Wings: B+

"The Chooch" Seafood Pizza: B-

Beer: C+

Atmosphere: C+

Value: B-

Overall Score = 2.64

     Did we mention the Endless Summer Cruisin'? The town rumbled with Hot Rods, Customs, and Classics through the weekend. This year being the 25th anniversary we could not let this post close without a few pics. With each flashing cruiser, we all unanimously agreed...this summer had flown by. Definitely got to do a better job of taking advantage next summer. Let's face it, they're never really endless.

It's your one way ticket to midnight

Call it Heavy Metal

Higher than high, feelin' just right

Call it Heavy Metal

Desperation on a red line

Call it Heavy Metal- Noise!

-The Red Rocker

Gone Girl- Good 'n Bad of '21, notes from the Watt.

"Come home..., I dare you." -Gone Girl
Chilled mini rollers cutting the shore along the 40th Street break, 2/19/2022.

  These conditions have taken their toll on all of us. Damn pandemic. Had most definitely shortened our season year over year. Keeps us outta touch with each other and the Crew's critical mission to perform proper assessments of our local watering holes. Since this $hite started in 2020, our "in-surf" time has gottten moved into June. Prior to the whole scare-fest we'd start in the April/May timeframe. Of course, we had our off-season critiques as well. Since CV-19,  health concerns kept us confined until the warmer temps and lower positive case rates allowed folks to venture into the public realm. The argument for, or against vaccination continues to be debated, but with the latest variant on the decline it appears that the "bad girl" is gone, and things are starting to open up. It may just be safe enough to be able to come home to our peace of the Right Coast. 

   Onward fellow Crew members... 2021's best and worst. And, a few that will be missed. Ocean 13 on the boards in the bowels of Phillips Beach Plaza, boasted a surf culture vibe when we visited in 2020. After 50 years, the Beach Plaza closed in early 2021. Arguably a fatality of the pandemic, the closing forced Ocean 13 to move to a new location. The La Quinta on 33rd had a vacant restaurant that they promptly took over. Our visit found service issues, average food, and an empty dining area. A work in need of much progress. Our lowest rating. It was obvious they had some growing into their new location to do as it was much bigger than where they were before. The real question would be...will they survive? When we left, we were thinking an ICU may be needed. Time will tell. We may return- if they're still open.

First Hurricane, Elsa - fun, clean, stoke, 7/15/2021.

    

   We gotta mention Sky Bar right along our main Break on 66th The worst of the wings we had during the '21 season. Rock hard cuts coated in BBQ that were either left over and cooked again, or just plain over-done. True tooth crackers as Target was dentist bound after that particular post-sesh meal. 

    However, as I have done so many times before, I digress. A couple of locales that  permanently closed in 2021: The aforementioned Beach Plaza may soon become OC's biggest resort facility, Buffet's Margaritaville of Ocean City.  BJ's on the Water sold and will be on the Crew's horizon for a visit to the new ownership- the Atlantic Beach House awaits. And into 2022, sadly, the Crew's origin, the shore dive on a beach drive that started our surf antics with our previous brothers from other mothers, Smitty McGee's- served their last plate of wings and cold Yuenglings on February 5th. A sure casualty of the pandemic business downturn. Gone. Now, mere mentions in local papers and the latter history books. 

   The more memorable calls. A runner up to the best had always boasted the coldest damn beer in Ocean City. Also one of the oldest, and most established of the local watering holes, the Cork Bar. Yes, cold ass beer! Yes, pub food at it's finest including the best Old Bay Wings of the summer! Yes, we will return. 

Hurricane Ida provided the leftovers for another of the best surf sessions of the season, 9/2/2021.

 

     Our top rating for 2021 was our last; fitting. Another repeat visit, Just Hooked was the perfect end to our year. Great food, great gifts, great friends, great holiday light displays... the whole nine yards. In addition, they boasted the best Meatballs on the 'Shore. The decadence of lobster and veal combined could not be overstated. Absolutely on our radar for the new season! So there we have it. Good 'n bad. Worst to best. Gone, but not forgotten. New season comin'. The only sure thing...change. Keeping an eye on the weather and the surf. 'Til we meet again.

Well I see the souls of so many friends, and I see us all back here again.   -Kenny Chesney

Lot of memories...You will be missed!
                                                             -The Crew