Thanksgiving weekend -con't

saturday. So we got up and the FP went for a run, and I went to get the car washed. I was supposed to bring his clothes to the Holiday Inn. So we get there and we go to Seaport Village. We walk around, and we go in some shops and stuff. Then we try to decide what to eat. We end up at that boathouse looking place on the water. I can't remember the name. It's kind of midrange priced for the area. We are led upstairs to like the attic part that is empty. It looks like they save it for bigger groups. So the menu is simple, seafood, veggie omelette, sandwiches, crab cakes, etc. I get the New England Clam Chowder and a ceaser salad. I really at this point don't remember what everyone else got. I know the FP got the same thing. The salad was good. It tasted like the ceaser dressing that the FP makes. Which is more of a vinaigrette, rather than the emulsified mayonnaisy stuff. The chowder was good too, and it was a good temperature. For some reason, from past experiences, I am always afraid that my clam chowder will be cold.

So that night we went to the Fish Market. Which is a little farther down on the harbor. This is a majorly touristy spot, but it is actually really really good. We got there pretty early, maybe 5:30 and there was already a long line just to put our name in for a table. So we sat at the bar and had drinks while we waited. The dad got a shrimp and crab cocktail. He always gets shrimp cocktail, crab cakes or calamari if any of those are available. So it didn't look too good, but I guess he liked it. I'm not sure what kind of crab it was, but I'm skeptical of crab around here. I have to say, I miss the blue crabs on the east coast. Anyway, we also got 2 dozen oysters I think. They were local, and they were very nice. A little briny, a little sweet, fresh. So the dad got tired, or not feeling well, or one of those things that happens to him from time to time when we go out to eat. Or maybe just sick of our company. Anyway, he left us.

So it was 5. We got our table about an hour later. It was in the glassed in area that has heat lamp and a good view of the harbor, of course. So once again, I can't remember what everyone else got. Once again, the FP and I ordered the same thing. Duckett's Bucket. Except he got the combo with everything, and I got the combo minus New Zealand green lip mussels. And I got french fries. Now these mussels have a bad rep with me from experience. A lot of these babies are sold frozen on the half shell. If you go to the asian market, you'll probably find some in the freezer. Anyway, they are procured live,at the Fish Market, of course. Because Duckett's bucket is just a pot of steamed shellfish in a white wine sauce with garlic and lemon. And the green lipped mussels are good, but I didn't want to waste pot space or stomach space with them, becaue I like the other bivalves much more. So there were manila clams, some smaller clams, cockles, and black mussels. It was so good. Just what I wanted.

A word of advice about the Fish Market. There is an upstairs fancy fanserson, the downstairs dining room, a sushi bar area and the bar and the food bar. I've never been upstairs, but it's basically the same food for more money. The sushi bar, I have no experience with. I'd try it though. The bar only serves appetizers. The restaurant downstairs is huge, and the service is good. The food bar! That is the place to go. There are about 15 stools here, and two cooks work there. They serve you everything. They have a convection oven, a gas stove, a fryer too, I think. And the one older guy is amazing. I think he's been there forever. He's got this like handlebar mustache. He puts on a show, he's friendly and conversational. And the man can cook. OMG so good!

On another topic, I have to say, I'm glad I can eat black mussels. 3 years ago, during the Cure's Curiosa tour, we went to Woodlands, Texas, to see the show. There was nothing around except for a mall, so we ended up eating at PF Chang's! I got some gingered beef, and it was a little sketchy, but I was hungry and I ate most of it. That night, we flew back to New Orleans, and we ate at Martinique. One of the things we had was steamed mussels. I remember the last mussel I ate did not taste right. Later that night, I was throwing up, and it lasted for 3-4 days. Luckily it was only coming out of the one end, but it still wasn't fun. Anyway, I think I got sick from one or both of those meals. I ate the beef, and the FP didn't. I ate a bad mussel and the FP didn't. So I don't know which it was. But I couldn't eat mussels for a year or so after. The smell made me want to vomit. I had to eat PF Chang's once. That was because I was visiting my aunt and didn't have a choice. So anyway, the moral is don't eat PF Chang's, and don't eat shellfish that hasn't opened when steamed, or looks all mutilated, or if it looks fine but tastes bad, don't swallow. Spit that shit out!

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