Provincetown, the "Outer Cape," and Wellfleet Too

[liamsaunt]

Last night we celebrated our anniversary (one day early) with dinner at Ceraldi.  I just love this restaurant.  Every year the food gets better.  The meal is a seven course tasting menu with your choice of beverage pairing--soft, house wine, or reserve wine.  We did the reserve pairing.

 

Menu with complimentary glass of prosecco

 

 

First course, Lucky Lips Loagy Bay oyster, horseradish petal, finger lime, olive oil.  Paired with 2005 Domain Haut Bourg Muscadet de Grandlieu 'Origine"

 

 

Second course: arugula, radish, farro, pistachio garden green goddess.  The farro was crisped and added an incredible texture to the salad.  Paired with 2016 Domaine Sainte Lucie L'Hydropathe Elite Rose

 

 

Third course: Smoked mackerel, pickled bamboo, daisy greens, rye crisp, chive blossom and creme fraiche.  Paired with 2016 Azienda Agricola Denavolo Dinavolo.  This was probably my favorite course of the evening.  The flavors were just incredible and the wine pairing was brilliant.  They were very interested in our thoughts on the wine as many people don't like orange wine, but I thought it paired perfectly with the smoky, pickly flavor of this dish

 

 

Fourth course: garden fennel ravioli, asparagus butter, Provincetown lobster, pink pepper, wild spruce tip, paired with 2012 Domaine Paul Jouard Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru

 

 

After the runners brougth out our plates (and after I took this picture) the chef realized the asparagus butter was missing from the plate, so he came around and added it (plus an extra ravioli) to everyone's plates.  The flavors were great without the sauce, but the asparagus butter really took it over the top.  I have not eaten lobster in over 30 years thanks to an unfortunate childhood overindulgence of it that resulted in my getting violently ill.  After last night, lobster is back on my menu!  Yum.

 

Fifth course: Snowy Owl coffee arancini, cacio cavallo, Parmigiano Reggiano fonduta, culatello (cured by the chef).  Paired with NV Fattoria Moretto Lambrusco Grassparossa Fizzante Secco D.O.P.

 

 

This was incredibly rich but I could not stop eating it.  The sauce was decadent.  I was completely stuffed at this point with two courses to go.

 

Sixth course: polpattone, shiitake, wild bolete potato stick, black garlic agro dolce, wild dead nettle. Paired with 2012 Azienda Agricola Massolino Barolo Sarralunga d'Alba DOCG.  The chef's young son made the meatballs.  He came around to the tables after to ask how we liked it.  Very cute 🙂

 

 

I do not eat red meat, so the chef prepared the dish for me with a slab of celery root as a stand in for the meatball.  It worked really well.  I especially appreciated the bitterness of the nettle against the richness of the black garlic sauce.  I could not finish this dish though I tried very hard

 

 

Dessert course: Chequesett chocolate mousse and nib, Wellfleet sea salt caramel, vanilla whip, matzutake white chocolate.  Paired with 20 year Ramos Pinto Tawny Quinta do Born Retiro.  At this point we were both very full, so opted to have one dessert boxed up and we shared the other.  That was perfect.  My nephew was most appreciative of the dessert we brought home.

 

 

If you are ever out this way, I highly recommend Ceraldi.  It is a perfect restaurant for a special occasion.

[heidih]

Wow meal. I am curious about the horseradish flower - was it spicy/hot?

[Okanagancook]

Very interesting meal.  Thank you for the detailed description.  I am curious about the asparagus butter.  Was it cooked asparagus whipped with butter?

Edited June 1, 2019 by Okanagancook (log)

[liamsaunt]

On 6/1/2019 at 11:47 AM, heidih said:

Wow meal. I am curious about the horseradish flower - was it spicy/hot?

 

I would describe it as mild peppery but nothing like the searing heat you get from the root.

 

22 hours ago, Okanagancook said:

Very interesting meal.  Thank you for the detailed description.  I am curious about the asparagus butter.  Was it cooked asparagus whipped with butter?

 

 

 

Yes, exactly that.  It was bright green and absolutely delicious.

 

Last night we went to Mac's Shack.  Drinks, left to right, the first was mine and it's not on the online menu so I can't recall the exact description but it was called an Assam Palmer  It was basically lemon vodka blended with Assam tea.  The middle drink is a Gin Spin (Hendricks Gin, fresh cucumber, basil and lime), and the right is an El Mezcalito (jalepeno and citrus infused tequila, mezcal, lime, and a chili-lime salted rim)

 

 

Oysters

 

 

sautéed littlenecks with shallots, garlic, white wine, fine herbs and lemon

 

 

Salmon poke bowl

 

 

Vegetable enchiiladas

 

 

Proscuitto wrapped cod with almond mole, chayote-jicama slaw, quinoa, and crispy pepitas

 

 

Grilled swordfish al pastor sandwich with avocado salsa and roasted pineapple

 

 

Fried fish sandwich

 

 

Squid ink gnocchi with lobster meat, peas, pea tendrils and pea puree

 

Edited June 2, 2019 by liamsaunt (log)

[liamsaunt]

Yesterday we returned to Winslow's Tavern.  Drinks: Summer in a Glass (sparking lemonade, basil, vodka) and Crush and Blush (sparkling rose, pampelmousse, bitters, grapefruit)

 

 

Oysters broiled with tabasco-lime butter

 

 

Pear-apple salad

 

 

Crab cake sandwich

 

 

Polpettino (veal and pork meatballs, san marzano tomatoes, citrus yoghurt, pine nut golden raisin relish)

 

 

Spring pasta (asparagus, peas, snap peas, lemon dill cream, stracciatella cheese, casarecce pasta)

 

 

And the usual desserts.  Triple chocolate mousse

 

 

Salted caramel tart

 

[liamsaunt]

Last night we checked out a newer restaurant in Wellfleet, the C Shore.  It opened two years ago, I think.  Drinks: a spicy margarita, a raspberry lime rickey, a lavender Tom Collins, and a blueberry mojito

 

 

Fried calamari with feta, olives, peppers and garlic oil

 

 

Onion rings with horseradish aioli.  Nephew was happy because he could eat them as there were no fried crustaceans on the menu

 

 

Three little pigs devoured by the teens.  It had carmelized bacon, some sort of sausage, pork belly, cheddar honey biscuits, and some sort of slaw.  I did not have any of this but the kids loved it.

 

 

BBQ steak tips 

 

 

Fried flounder with zucchini fries

 

 

Pizza of the day: white pizza with spinach, arugula, asparagus, and grape tomatoes

 

 

Lobster risotto

 

 

Beef lo mein

 

 

And one dessert shared seven ways with some still left over: an intensely rich chocolate-espresso budinno

 

 

Lots of leftovers in the fridge for future gremlins.

[liamsaunt]

Yesterday we returned to Mac's Shack.  A lot of repeats were ordered, so not as many pictures.  Big kahuna roll

 

 

Tuna poke

 

 

Fish tacos

 

 

Oysters

 

 

Burger

 

[weinoo]

The oysters and burger look good.

[liamsaunt]

We are down to four people from seven, and last night my brother was not feeling well, so just three went for dinner.  My husband and I took our nephew back to Winslow's Tavern at his request.  It is so quiet out in Wellfleet right now.  Other than one table just having drinks, we were the only people on the patio.  It will look a lot different when we come back at the end of the month!  

 

Warm focaccia with whipped ricotta and olive relish

 

 

Burrata salad

 

 

Spring pasta

 

 

Squid ink pasta with littleneck clams and roasted tomatoes

 

 

Pappradelle with lamb sugo, soft poached egg and prosciutto cream sauce

 

 

Warm apple galette

 

Edited June 6, 2019 by liamsaunt (log)

[liamsaunt]

Last night we had dinner at Blackfish in Truro.  Drinks (left to right: Ice and Fire, Gin and Tonic, Margarita)

 

 

Fried oysters

 

 

Seared scallops with parmesan fondue and parmesean crisps

 

 

Chatham said with white beans, crispy capers, white anchovies, tomato and grilled bread

 

 

Burger with gorgonzola and house made chips

 

 

Gnocchi with maitsutake mushrooms, peas and raps in a parmesan brodo

 

 

Rigatoni with  mushroom ragu

 

 

Kumquat panna cotta

 

[liamsaunt]

Yesterday we went to Provincetown.  I walked down to try and check out Pop and Dutch, but missed them by 20 minutes.  I'll try again next time

 

 

We went for a pre-dinner drink at Aqua Bar, which looks out over the harbor

 

 

Then had dinner at Front Street.  Cheese-stuffed fried zucchini flowers

 

 

 

Clams casino

 

 

Lobster scampi

 

 

Clams vongole.  There is pasta under all those clams.  The flavor of the sauce and pasta was good but the clams were unfortunately overcooked to the point where I could not eat them.

 

 

Hlaibut with mashed potatoes and veg

 

 

Papparadelle with sausage and meatball

 

 

Giant slice of coffee-chocolate pie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[suzilightning]

On 6/1/2019 at 10:57 AM, liamsaunt said:

Last night we celebrated our anniversary (one day early) with dinner at Ceraldi.  I just love this restaurant.  Every year the food gets better.  The meal is a seven course tasting menu with your choice of beverage pairing--soft, house wine, or reserve wine.  We did the reserve pairing.

 

Menu with complimentary glass of prosecco

 

 

First course, Lucky Lips Loagy Bay oyster, horseradish petal, finger lime, olive oil.  Paired with 2005 Domain Haut Bourg Muscadet de Grandlieu 'Origine"

 

 

Second course: arugula, radish, farro, pistachio garden green goddess.  The farro was crisped and added an incredible texture to the salad.  Paired with 2016 Domaine Sainte Lucie L'Hydropathe Elite Rose

 

 

Third course: Smoked mackerel, pickled bamboo, daisy greens, rye crisp, chive blossom and creme fraiche.  Paired with 2016 Azienda Agricola Denavolo Dinavolo.  This was probably my favorite course of the evening.  The flavors were just incredible and the wine pairing was brilliant.  They were very interested in our thoughts on the wine as many people don't like orange wine, but I thought it paired perfectly with the smoky, pickly flavor of this dish

 

 

Fourth course: garden fennel ravioli, asparagus butter, Provincetown lobster, pink pepper, wild spruce tip, paired with 2012 Domaine Paul Jouard Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru

 

 

After the runners brougth out our plates (and after I took this picture) the chef realized the asparagus butter was missing from the plate, so he came around and added it (plus an extra ravioli) to everyone's plates.  The flavors were great without the sauce, but the asparagus butter really took it over the top.  I have not eaten lobster in over 30 years thanks to an unfortunate childhood overindulgence of it that resulted in my getting violently ill.  After last night, lobster is back on my menu!  Yum.

 

Fifth course: Snowy Owl coffee arancini, cacio cavallo, Parmigiano Reggiano fonduta, culatello (cured by the chef).  Paired with NV Fattoria Moretto Lambrusco Grassparossa Fizzante Secco D.O.P.

 

 

This was incredibly rich but I could not stop eating it.  The sauce was decadent.  I was completely stuffed at this point with two courses to go.

 

Sixth course: polpattone, shiitake, wild bolete potato stick, black garlic agro dolce, wild dead nettle. Paired with 2012 Azienda Agricola Massolino Barolo Sarralunga d'Alba DOCG.  The chef's young son made the meatballs.  He came around to the tables after to ask how we liked it.  Very cute 🙂

 

 

I do not eat red meat, so the chef prepared the dish for me with a slab of celery root as a stand in for the meatball.  It worked really well.  I especially appreciated the bitterness of the nettle against the richness of the black garlic sauce.  I could not finish this dish though I tried very hard

 

 

Dessert course: Chequesett chocolate mousse and nib, Wellfleet sea salt caramel, vanilla whip, matzutake white chocolate.  Paired with 20 year Ramos Pinto Tawny Quinta do Born Retiro.  At this point we were both very full, so opted to have one dessert boxed up and we shared the other.  That was perfect.  My nephew was most appreciative of the dessert we brought home.

 

 

If you are ever out this way, I highly recommend Ceraldi.  It is a perfect restaurant for a special occasion.

Happy anniversary....and many more!!!!

Is there no fowl for our beloved nephew who is allergic to shellfish?  Or does he prefer beef?

 

 

Edited June 8, 2019 by suzilightning (log)

[kayb]

@liamsaunt, I have meant to say this for some time, but your food photography is absolutely gorgeous. As for your meals (especially that last one you posted), well, my list of superlatives runs short. 

 

But I am loving enjoying them vicariously.

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

9 hours ago, liamsaunt said:

Yesterday we went to Provincetown. 

 

 

 

Why is the shark smiling?

 

[liamsaunt]

7 hours ago, suzilightning said:

Happy anniversary....and many more!!!!

Is there no fowl for our beloved nephew who is allergic to shellfish?  Or does he prefer beef?

 

He only likes chicken in certain preps: shawarma, burritos, parmesean off the top of my head.  He likes most vegetables and beans are his favorite food so cooking for him at home is easy.  Restaurants are harder but we muddle through 🙂

 

 

3 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

Why is the shark smiling?

 

 

 

Because he wants to eat you 🙂  Just kidding.  Sharks do not want to eat people of course, they want to eat seals.  We have a huge seal explosion here because they are protected.  Sharks come for the food.  Any people bitten are collateral damage--they don't like the way humans taste.  A young man died last year after being bitten while surfing so it's a serious concern.  I will swim in shallow water on the bay side but will not go in anymore on the ocean side and that is a personal choice.  Everyone needs to makes choices that work for them.

 

Last post for this trip.  The Beachcomber.

 

Margaritas

 

 

Fried clams

 

 

Oyster po boy

 

 

Fish sandwich

 

 

A lobster trap recovered from the wreck of the Andrea Gail (Perfect Storm boat for those of you who saw the film )

 

 

The Cape Cod house we have been staying in for this trip

 

 

and a sunset from the beach.  That's it. Until three weeks from now when I come back to a different location on Cape Cod.  More home cooking on that trip for sure.  See you on the Dinner! thread 🙂

 

 

 

 

[Okanagancook]

Thanks for posting.  The meals from this area look delicious.

look forward to your next trip.

[Shelby]

Thanks, as always LiamsAunt!

 

I wish you could shove those fried clams through the computer to me.

[rotuts]

@liamsaunt

 

thank you again

 

looking forward to Part II

[weinoo]

Our last day in Provincetown, biblically pouring in fits and starts.

 

We started off here, the new hipster AWOL Hotel, which used to be a crappy motel (The Inn at the Moors), but always had the most amazing view of yes, the moors or the marshland at the very, very tip of of Provincetown...

 

 

After a couple of nights there, we moved over to our favorite, the Red Inn (which had been fully booked until last night), where the views are of Provincetown harbor, and where the water laps up right to the deck at high tide...

 

 

 

A quick trip into Wellfleet and Mac's on the pier yielded this for lunch yesterday...

 

 

A lobster roll for Significant Eater (with that dreaded lettuce). For healthy me, broiled scallops, steamed veg and rice.  There are like 7 - 8 delicious scallops in there, which would probably cost $200 in NYC, but that plate was all of $21.

 

Dinner at Fore Street a few nights ago was fine. I liked these soft shells, which were on special...

 

 

And last night, dining at Nor' East Beer Garden with a few local celebs (okay, the owners of Pop+Dutch and a chef from Nor' East Beer Garden), meant a groaning board of various bites...

 

 

A little Mediterranean flavor, all quite good, and easily the best cocktails in town;  good beer list too.

 

Yes, Pop+Dutch closes at 4 PM...sorry about that.  I did have a Rainey sandwich there the other day (deviled ham and pickles on white toast, an ode to nana), and we'll load up on the way out of town tomorrow.

 

Edited June 13, 2019 by weinoo (log)

[weinoo]

Our last evening in Provincetown started out with me, by myself (as Significant Eater was on a business call), heading down to the breakwater/moors area to meditate. If anyone thinks I meditate, I don't, but this certainly wouldn't be a bad spot for it. I hung out for a while, contemplating the universe...it's really big.

 

 

Since the local relatives are in the food biz, many of their friends are as well. Fisher people, cooks, servers, etc. So we went to dinner at niece/nephew's home, where we were cooked for.

 

These came out of the water (from exactly where, I don't know) a few hours prior:

 

 

A fantastic razor clam ceviche, prepped by a friendly local chef. A few nights prior, we had a knockout scallop ceviche prepared by the same guy who provided these clams, as well as the large black sea bass:

 

 

Grilled, (scales on to keep it moister than possible), stuffed with bay and lemon. It was great. There were also Jonah crabs, grilled focaccia, stuffed and grilled Italian sweet peppers, and a rhubarb dessert mit schlag. I brought a couple bottles of wine, some other legal stuff was consumed, and a great time was had by all.

 

It was sad leaving, as we'd had a wonderful 4 days at the end of the world. But,

 

 

Rosie was happy to have us home.

Edited June 13, 2019 by weinoo (log)

[rotuts]

thank you again for sharing your trip

[liamsaunt]

We are back in Wellfleet for a few days before moving to a beachfront home one town back (Eastham) for a week. We came out early to avoid the madness that is Cape Cod traffic the week of the 4th.  Once we are in Eastham we will not be leaving the house and its beach other than for supply runs and one planned dinner out.  Our view

 

 

I went to PB Boulangerie for some treats

 

 

 

our selections

 

 

strawberry tart, chocolate tart, citrus tart, and raspberry couer de creme

[liamsaunt]

Last night we returned to Mac's Shack.  I did not get pictures of everything, but here is a sampling. Drinks, from left to right a mescalito (basically a margarita but made with mezcal instead of tequila), a gin spin, and a great white (a kind of frozen drink made with coconut rum.  My brother in law said it was VERY strong).

 

 

Oysters

 

 

Tuna crudo

 

 

Nigiri.  This was striped bass and I think fluke

 

 

Tuna crudo (this was SO good, I wish I had ordered my own instead of sharing with to other people!)

 

 

My nephew's allergy burger.  He actually ordered a salad and ate it!

 

 

Proscuitto wrapped cod over risotto with wilted arugula, cherry tomatoes, and balsamic reduction

 

 

The big mac roll (spicy tuna, avocado and apple, wrapped in tuna and topped with tuna poke salad)

 

 

Grilled striped bass over udon noodles in a Thai coconut curry broth

 

[kayb]

Poke has become quite a "thing" in Little Rock, where there are a couple of restaurants who center their menus around it. It's a sort of build-your-own production; you choose a size (small, medium, large), and a base of either noodles or brown or white rice. Then you can add diced raw tuna and/or cooked diced shrimp; toppings like edamame, whole kernel corn, bean sprouts, onion, pineapple, mango, and so on; seasonings like furikake; and then an assortment of sauces, from the quite bland to the set-your-mouth-on-fire spicy. I wish someone would open one here in Jonesboro. It's a lunch spot of choice when I'm in LR.

 

[liamsaunt]

Saturday we ordered takeout at my nephew's request.  I dislike takeout, I feel like the texture of the food is impacted by the carryout containers.  But there is a pizza place in Wellfleet that serves all of the junky food he likes, and there's no crustaceans on the menu so he can have fried things from there.  So, we ordered from JB's Pizza for him and for my niece. Cheesy garlic bread

 

 

Jalepeno poppers

 

 

Baked spaghetti and meatballs

 

 

Steak bomb pizza

 

 

My niece ordered a teriyaki chicken salad.  Why they put american cheese on it, I could not tell you.  She was not impressed.

 

 

The adults ordered seafood from Catch of the Day.  Fried clams

 

 

Fish aandwich

 

 

Steamed littlenecks

 

 

Linguini with clams

 

 

Fried lobster roll

 

 

Lobster salad roll

 

 

Everyone agreed that the food was pretty meh, except for my nephew, who thought his food was fantastic.

 

Yesterday we went to Provincetown for the blessing of the fleet.  We had lunch at Local 186, again at my nephew's request.  Geez that kid always gets his way. Drinks

 

 

The alpine burger (sautéed onions and raclette cheese)

 

 

The Brit burger (onion strings and pub cheese)

 

 

Lobster sliders

 

 

Antipasto sandwich (eggplant, roasted peppers, tapenade, artichokes, goat cheese, basil)

 

 

Finally, this morning my sister and I took the teens to breakfast at the Fairway in Eastham.  Cannoli-stuffed french toast

 

 

Caprese omelet

 

 

Potato pancakes and poached eggs

 

 

Blueberry pancakes

 

 

We stopped at a fish market on the way back from breakfast and picked up local swordfish, local tuna, and local steamer clams for dinner tonight.  It should be an excellent feast.