Box Lunch Celebrates 40 Years Serving Hungry Cape Codders, 35 Years in PTown

This A-frame style sign lists just a few of the specialty
sandwiches, salads and soups offered by Box Lunch.

It was good to see recently that Box Lunch is open again, tucked away just off Commercial Street, down a wide, sloping, red brick walkway. It's right across from the Provincetown Public Library.
It's worth the effort to find this great little sandwich shop. Julie and her crew are among the friendliest folks in town. They truly do go out of their way to serve their customers in any way they can.
And the food is not only terrific, but it's different from any other sandwich shop or deli in town. Box Lunch is home of the Rollwich, a name that is copyrighted, to perfectly describe the roll-up style sandwiches invented in Wellfleet by a school teacher during summer break, back in 1977.
That's right… This spring Box Lunch is celebrating its 40th anniversary, making unique, delicious, rolled sandwiches that are easy to eat on the go. These have also proven to be some of Cape Cod's all-time favorite sandwiches, winning multiple awards from Cape Cod Life magazine and others.
There are four Box Lunch shops, from Provincetown to Eastham. Sandwiches start at just $5.49, with dozens to choose from, or you can come up with your own combination. Kids have a menu of their own, too, with a choice of six Kidwiches. Gluten free, vegetarian and vegan folks will also find plenty of choices.
Owen MacNutt created his sandwiches by rolling his fillings up tightly in big, round, thin discs of fresh Syrian flatbread. That way you can easily carry them with you, to the beach or on the bike trail, without the sandwich suffering in transit. These are easy to eat while you're working, or walking down the street, or through the forrest, without all the spilling and dripping that can tend to make a conventional sandwich too difficult and messy to eat while you're doing something else. You can eat a Box Lunch Rollwich with one hand, without all the filling falling out.

Julie told me about a customer who comes in every day for the Gilded Lobster,
above: Succulent lobster, melted Swiss, avocado and a bit of mayo. Perfection!

My first sandwich from Box Lunch was more than 25 years ago, at the original Wellfleett location, which is still run by Owen and his wife, Kathryn.
I remember I had a hard time choosing from their huge menu that day, but finally settled on Porky's Nightmare, made with ham, three melted cheeses, tomatoes, onions, mayo and Durkee's mustard vinaigrette. It was so good that I don't remember ever trying anything else in all these years. Turns out it's their number one seller. Except in Provincetown…
Here, the best-selling sandwich at Box Lunch is the Gilded Lobster, pictured above, which Julie got me to try a couple of days ago, on my first visit there this year. It's stuffed with plenty of fresh lobster, mild, melted Swiss cheese, avocado and a little mayo. I'm not normally a fan of Swiss cheese, but this inspired combination was really good!

This excellent version of a hearty tomato soup, made with fresh basil and
crumbled feta cheese, was one of three great soup choices offered on this day.

Another unusual thing about Box Lunch's PTown location is the tremendous number of salads they sell; far more than the Turo, Wellfleet or Eastham branches, and again, a gazillion choices.
I was there on a cold, drizzly day, so to warm up a bit, I had one of three soups offered that day. Clam chowder is always on the menu, with other favorites popping up on a daily basis. Each is made right there, in the tiny kitchen at Box Lunch, from scratch, just like everything else they make. That chilly day, I ordered the tomato/basil/feta soup, which was perfect on that blustery afternoon. Those bright flavors make me want more of this hearty potage as I am writing this.
Provincetown, by the way, was the second Box Lunch location to open, and celebrates its own 35th anniversary in PTown this year. After five years of hard work, with the popularity of MacNutt's Rollwiches steadily growing as more people discovered them, he opened a new Provincetown location in 1982, at the Pilgrim House complex. It later moved to the old Whalers Wharf, then it moved to its current location in 1998, when the Whalers Wharf burned to the ground. Oddly, the Pilgrim House had also gone up in flames in 1990, in a suspicious, four-alarm blaze. Happily, the third incarnation of Provincetown's Box Lunch has been thriving for nearly 20 years in its present spot.
Box Lunch does breakfast, too, for under $5. They open by 8 AM. Right now they stay open until late afternoon, and hours are bound to be extended as the summer season gets into full swing, so you'll be able to get a quick, tasty, inexpensive supper, not to mention a great breakfast or lunch.
The Provincetown location is nestled under the trees in a little courtyard, down that wide, red brick walkway at 353 Commercial Street. Choose the sunlight or shade with relaxed, comfortable outdoor seating at tables or benches, or you can take your food with you. If you're in a hurry, or dashing between jobs, you can call ahead at 508 487-6026 to have your order ready to pick up.
This spot is only a few steps off Commercial Street, but you could walk right by without seeing it. Look for their bright red, A-framed blackboard sign, shown above, to lead you to this unusual, award-winning little PTown eatery, popular for all the right reasons.

Visit Spindler's for Their 1922 Dinner Special Before it Ends

The 1922 dinner special at Spindler's starts with your
choice of soup or salad. This French onion soup was terrific,
topped with a blend of Swiss and Gouda cheeses.

I visited Spindler's the other night and ordered their 1922 special, which runs for about another week, but perhaps not much longer, so put this dinner bargain on your short list of things to do by May 15th. Squeeze it in one night while you still have the chance. Let me explain…
Spindler's has had a few things to celebrate during the last few months. First, the restaurant reached its first anniversary on December 29th. They had opened briefly at that unusual time of year in 2015 to give us a preview of what they'd offer when they would get into full swing, as we got into last summer, and they proved to be a worthy addition to PTown's lineup of great eateries.
The restaurant opened on that particular day because that was the anniversary of the British cargo ship Annie L. Spindler, running aground on Provincetown's shoreline in 1922, in the height of America's prohibition era, carrying about 600 cases of Canadian whiskey. Not much of the contraband was "recovered" or turned over to officials by scavengers along the beach that day, though there were many of them.
It seems, though, that a few hundred bottles were recovered by the authorities, and were then locked in a storage shed while the Coast Guard, Customs and the courts decided what to do with the liquor. When the decision was eventually made and officials finally opened the shed to carry out their duty,  they found that most of the whiskey had mysteriously disappeared. Although a house-to-house search was conducted, not a single bottle was found. Meanwhile, a particularly cheerful attitude seemed to have overtaken the town, and that good cheer lasted far beyond the time when officials gave up looking for the missing whiskey.
Spindler's, of course, was named for this ship, and the exuberance it brought to town, in a wreck that was fairly amusing rather than completely tragic. Read a bit more about the wreck of this ship, dubbed "the Rum Runner" by Provincetown folks in that day, for its numerous trips along the seaboard, carrying one sort of liquor or another. Read more in my December post celebrating Spindler's first anniversary. There you'll also find my review of the charcuterie offered at Spindler's. It's still the best I've found anywhere in Provincetown.

Seared scallops over wild mushroom risotto was the entrée on this
evening's 1922 special at Spindler"s, at the Waterford Inn.

Spindler's has also been celebrating their new status as a year-round restaurant, gaining approval from Town boards over the winter.
So, to celebrate their first anniversary, along with their new year-round license, and the anniversary of the Annie L. Spindler "arriving" on the back shore in 1922, Spindler's has been offering their 1922 special, which is different every day.
This is a three-course meal that starts with your choice of a salad or the featured soup, followed by a daily entrée chosen by the chef, inspired by the freshest and finest local ingredients to be found on any given day. A choice of desserts will follow, with the entire meal costing you just $19.22.
To startt my meal there last week I chose the soup, which was a lovely French onion on that particular night, with croutons made in-house, with a blend of Swiss and Gouda cheeses melted over the top. The light broth was quite tasty, and seasoned to bring out the sweetness of the onions.
The entrée served this night featured seared scallops served on a creamy mound of wild mushroom risotto, and topped with sautéed ramps; the cousins of green onions, available in the early spring. The dish was accented with roasted tomatoes. This was a satisfying plate that I would surely order again, given the chance.

I chose the very tasty strawberry/rhubarb tart for my dessert.

Desserts offered included various gelatos made in-house, and, of course, a decadent chocolate choice, which might normally have been what I would select, but when  I heard the waiter mention  the strawberry/rhubarb tart, I was a goner.

The crust was made with a short pastry, dense and crispy at the same time, without being heavy, and filled with a blend of rhubarb and strawberries that was just tart enough, and not overly sweet. It paired nicely with a scoop of smooth, vanilla bean gelato. A garnish of fresh strawberry and mint, with a doodle of strawberry coulis, finished the plate.
The 1922 special is different every day, always made from fresh, local ingredients, as the chef finds them. It's available from 5 till 6:30 PM Wednesday through Friday, and from 3 till 6:30 PM on Saturday and Sunday, but this special will be ending very shortly, so take advantage of this great offer while you can. Right now, Spindler's is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, but that will change as they gear up to open daily all summer.
The menu will change a bit as seasonal ingredients become available. Also new on the property this summer will be a different sort of meal offered at the tiny building next to the first floor bar, where casual food will be available to eat there or to take out, and I'll be checking that spot out once the season gets rolling. Currently Spindler's winter brunch menu is available only on Sundays, but watch for that to change for the season, too, with daily Fun Brunches planned, to be added once the season is in full swing.
Every dish I've tasted here has been a winner, right down to the terrific bread served with your meal, accompanied by fresh butter from Vermont and honey from New England beekeepers, including hives in Truro and Wellfleet. The other night the chef served a delightful wildflower honey from New Hampshire.
Little details make Spindler's a delightful spot for a good meal, and they have guest rooms available as well, in an old sea captain's home that dates back to the mid 1800s. The Waterford Inn features that same attention to detail, with contemporary decor and amenities in a lovely, historic home. It's tucked away just off Commercial Street, right behind the restaurant, at 386 Commercial.
For information on the Waterford Inn, or Spindler's restaurant, dial 508 487- 6400, or visit the website at www.thewaterfordinn.com/spindlers.

It's Not Spring in PTown Until My First Visit to The Coffee Pot

Linda and Nelson have been welcoming folks to The Coffee Pot, and to
Provincetown, for more than 24 years. They're genuinely glad to see you!

For 24 years or so, Linda and Nelson have been opening the doors of The Coffee Pot at 5:00 in the morning (in the height of the season) and doing it with smiling faces. Every day of the season they get out of bed in the pre-dawn hours and make their way to the most popular coffee shop in the heart of Provincetown, at Lopes Square, by the giant anchor.
Within a few moments they're sliding  trays of bagels, muffins, croissants and cinnamon buns into the ovens, and putting on the coffee, and soon the aroma of fresh baked goods is wafting out the door as local fishermen, carpenters, cops, and anyone else who's up at that time of day stop in to get their morning started. Nothing beats a really good cup of coffee and fresh baked goods, right out of the oven.
My first order of the season was their giant breakfast sandwich called the Rescue Squad, which I had been jonesing for all winter. It's made with three eggs, three strips of bacon, two sausage patties and two slices of cheese on a freshly baked sub roll that's been split open and toasted on the grill. It's an entire meal that you can take with you.

The patio at The Coffee Pot is a great place for a little fresh air with
your meal, and a little people watching at the edge of Lopes Square.

If you want a sit-down breakfast in the dining room or out on their patio, The Coffee Pot can also accommodate you. Get a plate of eggs and toast for just $5.99, or  add bacon, sausage or linguica (say leen•gwee•suh,) the slightly spicy, extremely tasty Portuguese sausage. The also make omelets, brioche French toast and other great breakfast plates, and the menu for lunch and supper is sizable and tempting as well. For example, they make some of the best French fries in PTown, perfect with a burger, burrito, Gyro, panini or their huge lobster roll, served hot or cold. (Try the lobster omelet, too.)
If for some unknown reason you've never visited The Coffee Pot, it's time to give them a whirl. Generous portions and reasonable prices, and those smiling faces behind the counter, make this one of the town's favorite eateries.

The Hot Lobster Roll at The Coffee Pot Warms This Cool Provincetown Weather

In PTown, The Coffee Pot's hot lobster roll is a delicious lunch time bargain.

This big, hot lobster roll at The Coffee Pot really hits the spot as PTown weather begins cooling off with the changing season. I added an order of their terrific French fries, too. Fresh from the fryer and still sizzling, these are some of the best in town.
This very generous lobster roll starts with a big bun that's split open and grilled a bit, face down. The tender inside gets warm and toasty, and the outside is just a bit crusty, and perfect for the delicate filling that's coming…
It's lined with a leaf of fresh iceberg lettuce, then stuffed with 6 ounces of succulent, warm lobster meat doused with melted butter. This great sandwich is so simple, but sooo good! It has about 50% more lobster than most others in town, and the textures of the bun and filling are great together. Add a little crunch from an order of fries and this satisfying lunch or supper has got you covered, all for a price that's less than most others as well. You just can't beat it.
Find the Coffee Pot at Lopes Square, in the heart of Provincetown, where Standish Street crosses Commercial and heads down toward the pier. Eat-in or takeout, or carry your meal out to their patio seating for a little people watching while you eat. You might get one of their fresh baked goodies for dessert, too.

An All-Time Favorite Provincetown Dish I Hope to Taste Again...

This daily special of local pan-seared scallops at Patio is still one
of the best meals I've ever had, and tops among my food memories.

I've been thinking recently about some of the spectacular dishes I've enjoyed all over Provincetown since I began writing this blog, four long years ago.
Each time my culinary thoughts turn to some of these remarkable meals, a few of those memories always make me pause, remembering for a moment the bliss of tasting those dishes the first time, and I end up hoping against hope for another taste of those very same meals.
That second chance meal is really not likely to happen since some of those were created years ago by chefs who have moved on, but I can dream, can't I? Here's a bit of what I wrote in June of 2012 about a meal that still makes my mouth water…

"Of the two dozen meals I had all around the town this past week, the best thing I ate anywhere was the scallops at Patio, hands down. This dish was the special that day, and I hope to find it on the menu again sometime. Each day Patio features the freshest, the most beautiful, the most succulent... whatever is the very best seafood, meat, poultry, vegetables or herbs that become available each day will inspire the chef to create a new dish to offer along with the varied choices of his regular menu. When owner Joachim Sandbichler, fishing on a rare day off last summer, landed a beautiful Striped Bass, it became a special on the menu that evening, just hours out of the water.
"This night I was wanting something vegetarian but I couldn't resist ordering the special once I heard the waiter describe it: pan seared PTown scallops, Baby Gem Lettuce (kind of a cross between Romaine and Buttercup) sautéed with bacon and shallots. The pan must have been smokin' hot when the scallops went in because they got a nice, crusty caramelization but stayed perfectly tender and succulent inside. The Pan was deglazed with a sherry-tomato-caper vinaigrette, and the dish was finished with a Lemon Beurre Blanc drizzled on the plate. This was the most miraculous combination of flavors and textures I tasted this past week. The tender sweetness of the scallops paired with the very slight bitterness of the lettuce, which has a firm texture a bit like flawlessly cooked leaves of Brussels Sprouts, was a stellar combination, and when you add in a bit of acidity from the vinaigrette along with the velvety creaminess of the Beurre Blanc, this dish was perfection on a plate."

See why my mouth is watering? I'll bring up a few more of my all-time favorite dishes over the summer. Feel free to comment below on your favorites, too. Here's to a new summer season, and more truly memorable meals in a town with some 90 restaurants, clam shacks, takeouts, delis, bakeries and coffee shops to offer us something great to eat.

Mistral Ristorante Opens in Provincetown

Four nicely seasoned baked clams of cherry stone
size make a tasty, generous appetizer. Portion
 sizes throughout the meal were quite liberal.

UPDATE: Name changed to Mistralino a week after opening.
Mistral Ristorante opened on Saturday night, at 133 Bradford Street. I was the first guest served on their lovely brick patio. I was looked after by Sal, a woman who could not be more Italian, nor more welcoming. She's come to Provincetown from Florida, where Mistral's sister restaurant is found, here to help to get PTown's new Italian menu off the ground. And it's a sizable menu.
I started out with the baked clams, chopped into a breadcrumb stuffing with onions,  pancetta, peppers, parsley and baby shrimp, all stuffed into four cherrystone clam shells and baked in the oven. This large, tasty appetizer is suitable to share with one or more friends.

Chicken Valdosdana stuffed with Fontina cheese and prosciutto.

Next I ordered one of their daily specials not found on the menu, the Chicken Valdosdana. That's a nice chicken breast pounded out quite thin, then rolled and stuffed with prosciutto and fontina cheese, very lightly breaded and baked. It's served over penne pasta, cooked perfectly al dente, with a marsala wine sauce and lots of fresh mushrooms.

Mistral Ristorante's version of tiramisu is quite good.

To finish off my meal I ordered Tiramisu, the traditional Italian dessert generally made with an egg and mascarpone custard between cake-like layers soaked in strong coffee, usually with a little brandy added, often sprinkled with dark cocoa powder. This dessert gained instant fame in the USA when it was mentioned in the 1993 hit movie Sleepless in Seattle. Mistral's version is well-soaked and yet remains light and delicate, with a hint of nutmeg and cinnamon dusted over the creamy top layer for another dimension of flavor, and drizzled with a dark chocolate sauce.
I took half of my chicken and pasta home in a box. This $25 portion was quite generous, as was the plate of stuffed clams, and I ate more of their crusty homemade bread than I should have, but I couldn't help myself. It's made with extra olive oil in the dough to give the crust that wonderful crunch, served with both a buttery kalamata olive spread and an herbed olive oil on the side so you can choose either, or taste them both. Though their liquor license is still pending, they are allowed to offer a complimentary glass of wine with your meal, so I had a nice Pinot Grigio.
Service was very good, if a little self-conscious on their first night, with lots of folks refilling my water, carrying out my courses, eager to have me enjoy my dinner. Mistral Ristorante has a fairly large menu, with some items that sound like homestyle recipes I want to taste, and I can see that they'll be bringing some interesting specials to the table as well. Living nearby, and enjoying my first meal here, I'll be back soon to taste more, and once I discover my new favorites, their "to go" menu will come in handy, with virtually everything available to take out. Call them at 774 593-5945. They're open daily from 4:30 till 10 PM. Give them a try.

Note: Shortly after this restaurant opened, its name was changed to Mistralino.

PTown's Best Lobster Roll, Chapter Two

As I mentioned in chapter one of this series, choosing the best lobster roll from all of the dozens available in Provincetown is quite subjective, and depends on individual tastes. So I'll continue to describe them, and you can see which ones look and sound the best to you as we make our way around the town.
This week's chapter on lobster rolls is written entirely at The Red Shack, a little walk-up counter service joint at Lopes Square. It has no seating of its own, but you can usually find a seat on the benches that surround the square, or sometimes I'll carry my meal to the far end of the municipal parking lot adjacent to Lopes Square, and find a spot beneath the trees on the benches that span the width of a tiny town park that runs right along the edge of Provincetown Harbor, stretching between MacMillan Pier and Fishermen's Wharf. I'll watch all the whale watch boats, the ferries, and the Long Point Shuttle coming in and out of the harbor while I enjoy my meal sitting right at the edge of the water, with a seagull or two waiting to see if I drop anything.
Each of the lobster rolls in this week's chapter comes from The Red Shack, serving it five different ways, each one having 4 ounces of choice lobster meat, mostly the claws and knuckles. Each sandwich sells for $13.95, and each is served on a large Portuguese roll, made daily at the Portuguese bakery, right around the corner at 299 Commercial Street. That's a great spot to stop for a little dessert after your lobster roll, too.

We'll start with The Red Shack's Classic Lobster Roll, simply lobster dressed in a just a little mayo, with a bit of chopped scallion, served with leafy green lettuce and sliced tomatoes.

Next is The Connecticut, served hot with just the naked lobster, drizzled with melted butter on a toasted bun, plain and simple, one of their best selling lobster rolls.

The Californian has a bit of mayo and crumbled bacon mixed in with the lobster, served on leafy lettuce and sliced tomato, and topped with sliced avocado.

The Moroccan has a bit of mild, yellow curry and a touch of mint mixed in with the mayo, along with a few chopped scallions and a bit of pineapple. This one's served on a toasted bun, and a tasty way to have your lobster if you're a bit adventurous.

The Mexican has a mild salsa and a bit of cilantro along with leafy green lettuce and sliced tomatoes. It's just a bit of spice, and different from any other lobster roll in town.





The Red Shack is open daily in season for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and they sell a lot of lobster rolls, with some choices that are very different from others in town, so stop in and give them a whirl.

PTown's Best Lobster Roll, Chapter One

There's some pretty stiff competition for best lobster roll in Provincetown, with some surprising differences between some of them, and the title of "best" is pretty subjective.
It may take four or five installments to taste our way around the town on a quest for the best. We'll start our odyssey with five of them, each served with a side dish, and three of these are among the largest lobster rolls in PTown. Here we go…

Pepe's serves a tasty, BIG lobster roll and excellent fries.

The lobster roll at Pepe's Wharf
is nearly the biggest in town, weighing in at 5 1/2 ounces of choice lobster meat, mostly the claws and knuckles, dressed in a tiny bit of lemon aioli and just a hint of Old Bay seasoning, and it's delicious, with a slightly different flavor than any other in town. No lettuce, just a sprig of parsley, on a roll that's been toasted a bit in the oven.
It's served with a lemon wedge and a mound of fries that have been barely dusted in a bit of flour, making them extra crispy on the outside with insides that kind of melt in your mouth. They're finished with a sprinkle of kosher salt, and are some of the best fries in PTown.
This plate filled me up, which doesn't always happen with the average lobster roll, which generally has 4 ounces of lobster, so at $21, this is a strong contender for the title of best lobster roll, at a good price for a filling meal. Open seasonally for lunch and dinner at 371 Commercial Street, Pepe's Wharf has table service indoors and out, on two decks right at the edge of magnificent Provincetown Harbor.

The Canteen's lobster roll on brioche bun, with slaw and pickle.

The Canteen makes their lobster roll with 4 ounces of impeccably fresh lobster meat mixed with a little mayo and a bit of chopped celery, served on a brioche roll, sprinkled with fresh chives snipped from their garden. It's served alongside their herby Asian slaw and a house made pickle spear. They'll also serve it hot, just the naked lobster meat drizzled with butter.
You can taste how fresh the lobster is. At the height of the summer, The Canteen has been known to have live lobsters delivered to them twice a day, steaming and shucking a batch in time to keep up with demand for this popular plate, which will cost you $18.99. Many folks name this one as their favorite lobster roll. Read my first blog about The Canteen on their opening day last year. The Canteen is a walk-up, counter service restaurant with seating indoors and out, with a new deck looking out over the harbor, open seasonally 11 AM till about 11 PM daily at 225 Commercial Street.

Mac's lobster roll has the barest little bit of dressing so far.

Mac's makes their cold lobster roll with 4 ounces of hand picked lobster dressed with barely any lemon aioli, a little shallot and a little celery. It's served on a crisp lettuce leaf in a hot dog style brioche roll, which you can have toasted or not. This is one of the least dressed lobster rolls found in Provincetown, and sooo fresh. It comes with a lemon wedge, a pickle spear, and a pile of their medium-thin, crispy fries for $19, and it filled me up.

At $27, this is still not the costliest lobster roll in PTown.

Mac's also makes a hot version of their lobster roll, with a whopping 6 ounces of lobster sautéed in garlic butter with lemon and parsley. It comes with that huge pile of fries and will set you back $27, not quite the most expensive lobster roll in town.
Mac's has a firm policy of buying as much of their seafood as possible from small, independent, local fishermen who each practice sustainable methods of harvesting the catch, so they're likely to spend a little more to bring you seafood of this quality and conscience.
Mac's is found at 85 Shank Painter Road, with table service indoors and out, and a busy takeout window as well. I got each of these orders to go. Mac's has plenty of free parking, open daily for lunch and dinner all summer.

Vorelli's great lobster roll is big, and a bargain at $18.95.

Vorelli's makes their excellent lobster roll with 5 ounces of lobster chunks tossed with a lemon infused mayo. It's served on crisp lettuce leaves in a big fluffy roll that's been toasted in the oven, with a pickle spear and a bag of chips for $18.95.
This sandwich has 25% more lobster than the average 4 ounce serving, and somehow more flavor than others I've tried. The texture of the bun is also part of the reason that this is among my favorite lobster rolls in PTown. Vorelli's is located in a charming, historic building at 226 Commercial Street, open daily for lunch and dinner in season.

So there's the first chapter in our search for PTown's best Lobster roll. Next week we'll visit The Red Shack, which serves lobster rolls five different ways. Call TheYearRounder at 424•23P•TOWN, or e-mail me at theyearrounder@gmail.com with your favorites, so I can try each one for future chapters. Soon we'll also make the rounds for PTown's best breakfast sandwiches, so call, textl or e-mail with your faves.

One Last April Fool... Turns Out it's ME!

What's wrong with this picture?

TheYearRounder's April Fool's Contest offered a prize of lunch for two for the winner, who had correctly answered the question "what's wrong with this picture," shown on the right. If more than one correct answer had come in, anyone who entered, even with the wrong answer, could win in a random drawing from all entries received on time.
Everyone who entered the contest had correctly answered that the van was driving the wrong way on Commercial Street, so I numbered the entries in the order they were received and chose a number out of the proverbial "hat." All had arrived by e-mail, and entry number three was drawn as the winner. So far, so good. So I sent an e-mail congratulating the winner, then began working my way down from the top of the list of e-mails, thanking each person for entering and wishing each better luck in a future contest. But when I got down toward the bottom of the list, toward the earliest entries, I realized I was off by one number, and had congratulated the wrong person!
So the joke is on me, and I am the April Fool… Seems the only fair thing to do is to give away two prizes, so that means that now two people who entered the contest will each be taking a friend out for a great lunch in Provincetown.

Mmm! Fresh Central House mussels and grilled, crusty bread.

Suzanne says that she and her wife live full-time in Weymouth, MA, and have had a home in PTown, too, for the past eight years. In her e-mail Suzanne says that Provincetown is "...such a beautiful place where we love spending time with friends when we aren't out enjoying the day at Hatches Harbor...Snail road is another favorite, along with cocktails at the Red Inn."
These two will be treated to lunch at Central House at the Crown. That's at 247 Commercial Street, at the Crown & Anchor. One of my favorite Central House dishes is always the mussels, shown here in a spicy varietal tomato broth. Fresh Cape Cod mussels are on the spring lunch menu, too, served with garlic, fennel, shallots, chilies and white wine.
Another favorite is the lobster mac 'n cheese, made with fontina, cheddar, gruyere and scallions. There's a grass fed burger, a veg burger, and the grilled chicken and avocado club has heirloom lettuce and aioli, with bacon smoked in-house. There are lots of other choices for lunch as well.

The other winner is Alex Colon, from Brooklyn, New York. He's been coming to PTown for nearly 20 years, starting out as a young child visiting here with his parents every summer, and he still manages to get to PTown once or twice a year. He says some of his favorite spots are "Long Point, Provincetown Bookshop, Yates & Kennedy, Tim's Used Books, Victor's, The Mews, Jimmy's Hideaway, Ciro & Sal's, Devon's, The Canteen, Spiritus, Fortune Cookie, Lewis Brothers, the list goes on... I pretty much love everywhere and everything about Ptown."

Lunch is served poolside at Harbor Hotel's Cabana Bar.

I know Alex is a lobster fan, too. In his e-mail he said he'd had a great lobster roll last summer at John's Footlong, which he discovered by reading my blog.
He and a friend will be treated to lunch poolside, at the Cabana Bar at Harbor Hotel Provincetown, at 698 Commercial Street. That's where Snail Road meets up with Route 6A, near where the shore route splits into Commercial Street and Bradford Street.
The Cabana Bar will start serving lunch around their beautiful pool by Memorial Day weekend, and although the new menu hasn't yet been finalized, I'm told it will include lobster sliders and other summer favorites. And, of course, there's just nothing else that tastes quite like a burger grilled outdoors, which will certainly be on the menu. Alex and his guest are invited to bring their swimsuits along and make an afternoon of it. Sounds like a great way to relax and unwind a bit this summer. By the way, Harbor Hotel Provincetown has just reopened their Whaler Lounge for dinner, and I was there Friday for their famous Fish Fry, the first of the season. I'll tell you all about it in an upcoming post.
Congratulations to the contest winners, and thanks to these two generous Provincetown restaurants for their support of my efforts to keep you all well informed, and well fed.