Sunday, July 14, 2019

Where Are We? - When Pigs Fly in PTown: Identify This Spot and Win a Tasty Prize


You may win a prize at a PTown eatery by identifying this spot.
This charming, whimsical weather vane, perched on top of a sort of garden shed in a side yard off of Bradford Street, got an update recently, with a fresh coat of bright pink paint.
It's on a side street leading to a couple of Provincetown's many attractions, so a lot of people walk by it every day.

I wrote a couple of weeks ago about strolling the footpaths, side streets and alleys winding through the town, and really noticing some of the little jewels to be found, just off the beaten path.

If you can identify this spot, e-mail me at theyearrounder@gmail.com, or snail-mail TheYearRounder at PO Box 1632, Provincetown, MA, 02657, or leave a text/phone message 424 23P-Town. That's 424 237-8696. You could win a great treat at a PTown restaurant, ice cream parlor, takeout or other fine eatery.

Where are we? Enter to win a Prize "when pigs fly."
Enter by 12:01 AM on August 1st, 2019, for a chance to win a prize, even if you're not sure of your answer. The first correct answer will win a prize, and other entries, right or wrong, will be put into a hat, and another prize will be awarded at random, from all entries received. And, as always, I reserve the right to bestow another random prize for no reason whatsoever.

The photo at the left may help you to identify this spot. It's set back a bit from the edge of the road, so not everyone walking by will notice the flying pig right away.

Be sure and enter, one way or another, even if you have to make up an answer. You might still be one of the winners! After all, we can all use something good to eat, can't we?

Wednesday, July 10, 2019

Next Stop on the Great Provincetown Chowder Challenge: Liz's Cafe

Liz's chowder is quite creamy, with the flavor of the clams really shineing through.
In my ongoing effort this summer to taste every clam chowder in Provincetown, my recent visit to Liz's Café brought me to a simple, tasty soup that I would definitely want to order again.

It had a rich clam flavor in a smooth, creamy base, not chunky nor overly thick, with a little potato and tender bits of minced clam. The flavor was quite good.

Find Liz's Cafe and Anybody's Bar at 31 Bradford Street, at the corner of Pleasant Street, where they're serving a great breakfast, a lunch that includes a different Jamaican special every day, and a dinner offering comfort foods at very reasonable prices. There's even a small parking lot there for you. And, if the description above seems to be right up your alley, don't forget to taste Liz's chowdah!

So that makes three down, and about 40 to go, as I taste, describe and photograph every clam chowder I can find in PTown, to help you decide which ones you want to try. Feel free to suggest your favorites, and be sure to subscribe to this blog, in the column to the right.

Monday, July 1, 2019

Rosie's Mexican Cantina Livens Up PTown's Ethnic Food Landscape

I cut Rosie's burrito in half so you can see all the good things that fill it to bursting,
I visited Rosie's Mexican Cantina the other day to try one of their burritos, which I had heard only good things about, and folks were right... This was a really good burrito.

Each one (and there are six choices) starts with a large, fresh, flour tortilla, which will be rolled and wrapped around a mountain of quality ingredients. Mexican rice, refried beans, cheese, lettuce, pico de gallo, guacamole and sour cream are all stuffed in, making a wonderful, satisfying, vegetarian choice, selling for $10. You can also add any of five meats to your burrito for just a dollar more.

Most of Rosie's menu items offer a great vegetarian version, and you can add meat if you choose. I ordered my burrito, shown above, with carne asaada.
This proved to be a generous portion of delicious strips of seasoned beef steak for just a buck, and well worth it. Both red and green hot sauces were served on the side.

The Burrito Bowl, also $10, is a little bit larger serving of all those great stuffings, served in a bowl, sans tortilla, in case you're skipping carbs or gluten these days. Again, add meat for $1.

You may never have had truly fresh tortilla chips. They're amazing!
On this trip I also got the chance to taste Rosie's fantastic, light, fresh tortilla chips, right out of the fryer, and without a hint of grease.
They taste so fresh! Now I might be spoiled for any other tortilla chips, and I want to try their nachos.
Of course, they also make their own fresh guacamole, whipped up daily in their tiny kitchen, from scratch.

The menu at Rosie's Cantina brings Mexican favorites like tacos, flautas, and tostados to Commercial Street every day of the summer season, with a rotating daily special that might be a mole, maybe pulled pork, their spicy
Look for Rosie's spicy burritos, sometimes a daily special.
tamale, shown here, or any number of other daily offerings.

You'll find this little walk-up, counter service joint in the former Burger Queen spot, at 331 Commercial Street. There's covered outdoor seating at picnic tables, or you can take your meal to go.
Oddly, there's no phone at Rosie's, so you can't call in your order. You'll have to wait a bit while they cook your food, but they're actually pretty quick.

You may want to carry your to-go order around the corner and head down toward the pier, about a block away, to one of PTown's great little pocket parks.
Right at the edge of the harbor, just beyond the municipal parking lot, you'll find a narrow strip of land, about eight feet wide, full of park benches and trees.
It runs the entire width of the waterfront between MacMillan Pier and Fishermen's Wharf. It's a great place to relax, have a picnic lunch, and to see the whale watch boats and ferries sailing in and out of the harbor.
Rosie's is open daily, currently till 9 PM, and will likely extend their hours as the summer gets into full swing. I'm not sure what time they open, and there's no way to call and check while I'm writing this, but I know breakfast is served all day long. That suggests opening hours earlier than the typical 11:30 AM, when most restaurants begin serving lunch.
The food is good, it's not expensive, and this expansion of ethnic flavors on Commercial Street is most welcome, so stop by and give Rosie's Traditional Mexican Cantina a try.