Gloucester/Portsmouth...where to go?

[M_Funkhauser43!]

I second the recommendation for the Beach Plum. Their lobster rolls are absolutely stuffed, and the ice cream's also good. My folks live about a 5-minute bike ride away from it, so I always hit that place up when I visit them.

For fresh lobster around Portsmouth, you won't do better than Chauncey Creek just over the state border in Kittery, Maine. It's alongside a wide tidal creek that flows into the Great Bay. Even though it's the first town in Maine, you get a classically Maine-tranquil setting, and it'll cost you less than $25 for a 1 1/2-lb. lobster. Chauncey Creek is BYOB, so grab beers and wine on your way there (no tax in NH!).

 

[sanchez42885]

I second Chauncey Creek for Lobster- great prices and great lobster. Its worth the short drive over the bridge. Redhook was a decent brewery tour and their pub wasn't bad either. Portsmouth brewery had some good brews as well. For a great breakfast check out The Friendly Toast. http://thefriendlytoast.com/

 

[Dove]

If you are around on a Sunday, swing into Wolf Hollow, right around the corner from Crane Beach. Check their website for times.

Why? Looks interesting but wolves in New England?


8893, A-W...as Ton Loc used to say..."Let's do it."

 

[Goldenflash81]

Farnham's Fried Clams in Ipswich, found this analysis from a few years back comparing Farnham's and Woodman's.

Woodman's vs. J.T. Farnham's for fried clams

Did a direct comparison very recently between Woodman's and J.T. Farnham's, two major league spots for fried clams in Essex, MA. In both cases, got a belly fried clam plate with rings, fries, and slaw.
Fries: forgettable in both cases, frozen standard issue, nothing special.
Onion rings: depends on your taste. Farnham's uses a somewhat non-uniform breaded style coating similar to how it does its clams. Woodman's is darker, with a more uniform tube-type coating, notably greasier, but tasted good nonetheless. Different, but both very good.
Slaw: no contest. Farnham's is much better, with a creamier consistency and more flavor, slightly yellowish color. Woodman's is comparatively bland, with little flavor, thinner dressing, much whiter color.
Clams: both are well more than edible, but Farnham's is better. Similar moderate size and similar breaded style coating. Both had good clammy, slightly briny flavor. The major difference -- Woodman's unfortunately had some clams with very rubbery strip portions, some of which couldn't be chewed. Farnham's clams didn't have this problem.
Both places of course are "in the rough," with picnic style booths indoors (also some diner style stools at Farnham's) and picnic tables outside; you stand in line at both spots to place your order (Woodman's however has two lines, one for drink orders, one for food orders). Nothing fancy, a bit of grubbiness, and plenty of rustic atmosphere at both. Advantage Farnham's: there's a really nice salt marsh view from their outside picnic tables, Woodman's has a marsh view of its own that's a little less picturesque, but its tables are covered by a tent. Advantage Woodman's: there are real bathrooms here, regrettably only a port-o-potty at Farnham's with no place to wash hands.
Given the choice, I preferred Farnham's, but Woodman's wasn't bad.

 

[Excalibur]

+1000!

You know about Lobster Landing in Clinton, right? IMO that is the textbook perfect lobster roll. Johnny Ad's in Old Saybrook also near the top.

Yes. The rest of the world needs to catch up. A Lobster Roll is with drawn butter and a toasted bun. A Lobster Salad Roll is the mayonnaise-drowned abomination that you find elsewhere . . .

 

[August_West]

Yes. The rest of the world needs to catch up. A Lobster Roll is with drawn butter and a toasted bun. A Lobster Salad Roll is the mayonnaise-drowned abomination that you find elsewhere . . .

So a friend of my parents is a Lobsterman in Maine. A few years ago I asked him " How the hell could the ground zero of the best Lobster in the world ** serve Lobster Rolls cold with mayonnaise?"
He said it was a tradition started by Lobstermen (or really their wives). Obviously historically in the past Lobstermen eat lobster because its free. They would pack food for their next hauling trip and because they would be out quite a while, the wives would make them "Lobster Salad" sandwiches because they kept better cold on the boat.

I guess that makes sense.


He then let me in on Maine's dirty little Lobsterman secret:
When they are at home and they have time to prepare they eat it "Connecticut Style".


** and fresh Maine lobster really is the best, its the cold water. You do notice a difference even when you get to stuff pulled out south of the cape

 

[8893]

8893, A-W...as Ton Loc used to say..."Let's do it."

In--although my biggest fear is that you and I are going to recognize each other.

I am headed out of town until early next week; we should start a PM and I'll send along my e-mail so we can make arrangements off-line. The place August mentioned in the other thread sounds great to me, but I'm game for most things (excepting silk pants--for me at least...).

** and fresh Maine lobster really is the best, its the cold water. You do notice a difference even when you get to stuff pulled out south of the cape

Absolutely agree. I'm am huge on this for raw oysters too, which is why I tend to prefer them from PEI, Nova Scotia and northern Maine; and why I never eat them raw in New Orleans, no matter what time of year it is.

 

[dsturdy5]

Why? Looks interesting but wolves in New England?


8893, A-W...as Ton Loc used to say..."Let's do it."

They go into how wolves used to inhabit a good chunk of New England including the area of the north shore and Cape Ann before European's settled here. You are literally inches away from some and if you are lucky something unlucky hops the fence while you are there.

 

[ucjoet]

Someone beat me to it about the Wentworth....stay there! That place is awesome!

If you are there on Sunday. Go to the Wentworth for brunch. Fantastic

 

[tentoes4rings]

The Causeway in Gloucester is fantastic. It's not big on atmosphere but they serve huge portions of super fresh seafood at good prices. Expect a decent wait, but very worth it.

 

[sledog]

Isn't Glosta where HP Lovecraft's stories take place?

 

[DarthGrumpy]

A couple of weeks back, my flight from Newark to Portland ME ended-up in Boston because the damn prop plane I was on busted a landing gear (hydraulic fluid pouring out of a landing gear strut is never a good thing). Thus, I have to take a very expensive one-way car rental to Portland to make the family function I was going to and just had to stop in Portsmouth at for a lobster roll, MA/NH cold style, at Beach Plum (pic #1). It was good. On the way back from Mystic on Saturday, I talked my wife into stopping at Abbott's in Noank and had a OMG Lobster roll (pic #2) , warm CT style. The CT one was better presented and had more lobster meat; but the NH one had more flavor. So, I can see the benefits of both and would not say no to either.

 

[Hoophound]

A couple of weeks back, my flight from Newark to Portland ME ended-up in Boston because the damn prop plane I was on busted a landing gear (hydraulic fluid pouring out of a landing gear strut is never a good thing). Thus, I have to take a very expensive one-way car rental to Portland to make the family function I was going to and just had to stop in Portsmouth at for a lobster roll, MA/NH cold style, at Beach Plum (pic #1). It was good. On the way back from Mystic on Saturday, I talked my wife into stopping at Abbott's in Noank and had a OMG Lobster roll (pic #2) , warm CT style. The CT one was better presented and had more lobster meat; but the NH one had more flavor. So, I can see the benefits of both and would not say no to either.

The fat in the mayo can make the cold version better at times. It also helps cover up any extra fishy flavor you can come across in any given bite of lobster. I like the CT style better but I took to my dad's preferred way of eating it. He adds a little mayo to the bun and a generous amount lemon along with the drawn butter. It add a little substance and creaminess. Yum.

 

[Echo Hawk]

Doing a long weekend in early August to hit a Blues Festival in Gloucester. Haven't booked a room yet but will soon. Probabli in the Portsmouth area.

So, where are the best whole bellies? NE chowdah? Microbrews?

Lived here for 40 years. Newburyport is the best town. Love Gloucester. Love Portsmouth, but Newburyport is the best.

As someone else said, The Wentworth in Newcastle. Best piece of property on the east coast. Don't eat at the hotel bar which is great. Go to Latitudes a little below - above the dock. At high tide. You might find me there around 4-5 PM at the bar. Show me a better spot in the country.

In Kittery, go to Annakajamma.

York Harbor Maine, (Not York Beach or the Nubble). Go to The Stage Neck at high tide. The small bar. Beautiful spot.

If you want to walk on the wild side go to Rainbow City aka Ogunquit. Great places. Good food.