Have you ever been eating and realized in the middle of a bite that you simply can no longer fit any more food in your stomach? That's how I felt halfway through my rack of ribs at Bethany Blues in Bethany Beach, Del.

It was that I'm-so-full-but-the-food-is-too-good-not-to-finish kind of a feeling. It was that point in the meal where swallowing would mean a ruptured stomach and a hospital visit. As I've said before, I'm not a big fat slob (actually, I'm underweight for my height), but I just got carried away with the ridiculously good food that night.

Just north of the main drag in Bethany, this big rib house is one of the noisiest spots in the Quiet Resorts. The wait times are often long (call ahead, dummy!), but the anticipation is worth every second.

What precisely was it that filled me to the bursting point? We started with eight Jack Daniels chicken wings. The Pigs on the Wing caught my attention on the menu, but I was planning on ribs for dinner, and two portions of pigs would make me awfully swine-filled. The wings were excellent, but I like mine swimming in sauce, which these definitely were not.

Not quite the rib aficionado as the guys in the booth next to me, I didn't know the difference between St. Louis and baby back ribs. It turns out that St. Louis ribs have more meat on them and are cooked a little different. I went with the Missouri-inspired recipe and felt bold enough to order a full rack. Bad decision. It came with two sides, and I got the garlic mashed potatoes and the macaroni and cheese. (Note: I don't like pasta, but was prodded into the mac 'n cheese. Thanks, Caroline. Good decision.)

Good lord was it delicious. I was so caught up in the food that I didn't realize how full I was. I must have looked like I was dying because my server's eyes grew wide as she walked by and she asked if I was OK. I felt so sick that I actually felt good. I sat there motionless for about five minutes before I realized that my parking meter was about to expire, so I ran out and added a few quarters to the machine. The walk failed to resettle the contents of my stomach, so I ended up taking half a rack of ribs home for lunch the next day. The server didn't even need to ask if I wanted to see the dessert menu.

At the end of each table is a trio of barbecue sauces. I only tried the smoky BBQ and the spicy varieties, and they were very good when mixed together.

Bethany Blues prides itself on the manner of cooking their ribs. They smoke them using only wood fire, never with gas or electric heat. They claim that this gives the meat a full flavor and a beautiful pink color inside.

If you're lucky enough to find a parking spot nearby, drop a few quarters in the meter and stop by Bethany Blues. Make sure you park in a legal spot though, and definitely don't leave a car with a bike rack on the back in a compact-sized spot. Learned that one the tough way, thanks to a $20 ticket from the Town of Bethany Beach.

Posted by Peter Arrabal at 2:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

As the clamming boats creep back into the commercial harbor, dozens of people crack open their steamed crabs on the deck of Captain's Galley II. The monstrous dredger joins the yachts and other commercial fishing boats in the harbor as a married couple leans on the railing at the restaurant.

Inside the restaurant, a relaxed atmosphere helps as people enjoy their crab cakes, soft shells and oysters. Captain's Galley has some of the freshest, best tasting seafood in Ocean City, but be prepared to wait for it.

Long lines and excessive wait times are the norm at this West Ocean City restaurant, but it's almost always worth it. When the food is good, the people know, and the line grows.

Captain's Galley isn't as elegant or fancy as other restaurants, like Galaxy 66 or Marlin Moon Grille, but that's the best part of its charm. There's no seared ahi tuna on the menu, but the cream of crab soup is worth every second of the wait. The fishes on the menu are most often served simple, with very few additions to them. The reason for this is as simple as the recipe they use: the flavor is in the fish, not the toppings.

Everyone says they have the best crab cakes, but few actually do. Captain's Galley's are delicious and tender.

Some crab lovers would kill for a good soft shell, and it's a surprise that they aren't beating down the doors to get at Captain's Galley's soft crabs. They are delicious. They are awesome. They are the best thing on the menu.

If you have people in the group who, for some inexcusable reason, don't like seafood, there is a decent menu for beef, chicken and ribs.

Aside from the wait time, there is another problem that many people run into at Captain's Galley II. The service is often less than exceptional, but it is probably due to the crowds that crush the restaurant every night.

When your Beach Life runs into the fall and winter months, don't worry: Captain's Galley stays open late into the end of the year. The crowds aren't as a bad, but the food is just as excellent as always.

Posted by Peter Arrabal at 10:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

Ocean City is well-known for its seafood restaurants, but what about its pizza? OC is one of the few towns where small pizza joints outnumber and outperform the big chains like Pizza Hut, Domino's and Papa John's.

You already know that Billy's Sub Shop has unbeatable subs, but they also serve a decent pizza. It's often greasy, but the dough tastes fresh and they are generous with the toppings. The pizzas at Billy's are absolutely monstrous in size, too. There are two locations for Billy's, one at 120th Street and the other at 140th Street.

Tony's Pizza is a boardwalk institution. Sitting at one of the busiest foot traffic intersections in Ocean City, Tony's always has a crowd inside. Their rooftop dining offers a great view of the boards and the beach during your meal. The pizza is decent, but not spectacular.

Trattoria Lombadi's (94th Street) pizza is excellent, but sometimes has a slightly burnt crust due to the brick-oven style of cooking. Lombardi's doesn't deliver, but they do have a full menu for sit-down dining. Their prices are fair and they do offer carryout. The first job I ever had was working at a shop next door to Lombardi's, and I would have gone hungry without their pizza and amazing Maryland crab soup. The soup is spicy and full of lump crab meat and fresh vegetables.

Topping all of the other pizza joints is Ponzetti's. To get to Ponzetti's, keep driving north until you almost see Delaware, then hang a right on 144th Street. Since 1962, they have been serving the best pizza in Ocean City. Sit down or carry out, but know that you are getting a top-notch slice of Ponzetti's best. They also have a full menu of Italian food, and it's pretty tasty. Their Maryland crab soup is very spicy as well.

There are many pizza places around town, and they all serve quality pies. Three Brothers (114th Street, Gold Coast Mall), Fat Daddy's (two spots: 216 S. Baltimore Ave. and 82nd Street), Piezano's (Boardwalk and Dorchester Street) and Dough Roller (too many to count).

Posted by Peter Arrabal at 10:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (14)
                    

Just west of the Route 50 bridge lies one of the best restaurants in all of Delmarva. At Marlin Moon Grille, the food is exquisite and the atmosphere is classy but relaxed.

There's nothing bad on the menu. Their seafood, steaks, soups and salads are all top notch. The cream of crab soup has the perfect amount of sherry and huge lumps of backfin crabmeat.

Another appetizer, the tuna nachos, is a rarity to see at a restaurant. They consist of won ton chips, seaweed salad, wasabi, red chili aioli, and of course, sesame-encrusted pan seared yellowfin tuna.

One appetizer only served in season is the flash-fried soft shell crab. It tastes like one of the workers went out into the bay and caught it five minutes before they flash fried it. It's a refreshing upgrade over the soft crabs served at other establishments, which are often frozen. Marlin Moon's soft crabs are as fresh as possible.

Always consider the specials, which change every day. Sometimes they have sea bass (served whole), while other times they offer various Mahi Mahi dishes. The soft crab appetizer is usually available as an entree, but it comes with two crabs instead of one.

If you didn't order the tuna nachos, the ahi tuna entree is a great choice. It has a Hawaiian barbecue sauce that gives the fish an excellent flavor, and the chefs always cook it to perfection.

If you somehow manage not to stuff yourself on soup, appetizer and entree, order a dessert. Marlin Moon has delicious cakes and ice creams.

The clientele at Marlin Moon often consists of families and fishermen, who travel over from the nearby marinas to dine on the one that got away. It's classy, it's elegant, but at the same time, it's relaxed and playful.

There are two big issues with eating at Marlin Moon. First, they don't take reservations, only call-ahead seating, so it can be hard to get a table. Second, it's on the pricey side. Most of the entrees are in the $30-$40 range, which can be tough for people on a tight budget.

If you're looking for one of the best meals in Delmarva in one of the most unique atmospheres, Marlin Moon Grille is the perfect choice.

Posted by Peter Arrabal at 9:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

They're big, fat and stuffed with meat. The bread is fresh and the veggies are crisp. At Billy's Sub Shop, the subs are delicious and the menu is huge.

Open since 1959, Billy's has the other sub shops beat, and it's because of their bread. They bring it in fresh from a bakery in Philadelphia every day, and the difference is definitely noticeable.

The subs are HUGE. While other sub shops sell 6-inch and footlong sandwiches, Billy's sells 8-inch and 16-inch ones. Out of curiosity, I measured one of my sandwiches the other day and it was longer than the 18-inch-long measuring stick I had. It was lunch, and dinner, with a little snack leftover for later.

The menu has cold cuts, turkey, Polish ham, meatball and many other types of subs. They also do kaiser roll sandwiches, and have decent crabcakes.

One of the best side items Billy's offers are "firey fingers." They are chicken tenders dunked in their excellent Buffalo wing sauce. The recipe is secret, but I swear there are little chunks of garlic in the sauce. It's a messy meal, so have a fork and knife to eat them, or get a bunch of napkins to clean up. It's worth the mess.

There are two locations in Ocean City, one on 140th Street and the other on 120th Street. The interesting part: Billy's doesn't care where you are. They even deliver to the beach. Yes, you can be sitting in the sand and a delivery person will bring you a large pizza, sub and soda. The delivery is free, but please be kind and tip the driver!

Billy's pizza are classic, but nothing out of the ordinary. It tends to be greasy, but it's not excessive. They have plenty of toppings available as well, from cheese to pepperoni and even white pizza.

Billy's Sub Shop has the top sandwiches in Ocean City. The fresh bread is the key, and the portions are huge. It beats the turkey out of Subway and toasts the pants off Quiznos.

Last Friday, I asked for the things that annoy people the most on the beach. We got some really good ideas, but are looking for more. What irritates you in Ocean City?

Posted by Peter Arrabal at 9:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Let's get one thing straight before we get started here. These aren't just donuts. These are hot donuts, but not just any hot donuts. They are Fractured Prune hot donuts.

And they are delicious and waiting to be devoured every morning.

Unfortunately, the hot donut is a foreign concept to too many people. The Fractured Prune makes its own cake donuts, and while they are still fresh and hot, smothers them in whatever toppings you want. Of course, you can get one "naked," or simply deep fried.

At the Fractured Prune, you create the donuts, and the workers simply make them. What does that mean? Walk into their 28th Street or 127th Street locations and ask for anything you could possibly want on a donut. You create the topping, and they will gladly oblige your request.

Chocolate, coconut, sprinkles, sugar, brown sugar, raspberry, honey and more are available. One of the most popular choices is the O.C. Sand, which is a honey-dipped donut covered in cinnamon sugar. You can add so many things to your little circle of dough that you won't even think it's breakfast. Once you get to the level of adding chocolate chips and Oreo cookies, you've crossed the breakfast line and entered dessert.

Donuts are sold individually, as well as by the dozen and half dozen. At the 127th Street shop, they'll serve you a "Hole in One," which is any donut topped with a scoop of ice cream. They give it to you on a Fractured Prune frisbee, too.

Get in line early. From the time they open until about 11 a.m., the line often stretches out the door of the building and around the corner. Once you place your order, you don't get a number, but rather a much cooler system of organization: you get a playing card.

While you stand in line, read the story on the wall about how the name Fractured Prune came about. The short version is that in 1976, Tom Parshall read the story of Prunella Shriek, an eccentric elderly woman who liked to compete in ice skating races and other dangerous sports. She would often come home to Ocean City in a wheelchair or on crutches, so the locals nicknamed her Fractured Prunella. The name stuck in Parshall's mind, and he named his new business the Fractured Prune.

If it doesn't kill you to watch other customers walk out with their boxes full of delight, sit back and wait for someone to shout, "Ace of diamonds!" (or whatever your card is).

Pick up your donuts. Wage the war in your mind of whether it's better to eat one (or four) on the way home or to make sure your family gets fed.

Krispy Kreme would be left glazed and confused trying to figure out the secret. Dunkin' would go nuts for these donuts. Some people find Krispy's to be heavenly, but it's Fractured Prune donuts that are most holy.

The Fractured Prune has stores sprinkled from the east coast to the Mississippi, with shops in North Carolina, Mississippi, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Delaware.

They may be a little pricier than other establishments, but trust me, they're worth the dough.

Posted by Peter Arrabal at 9:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
                    

If I've learned anything this week, it's that you simply can't beat Tubby's for late night food. I also learned that eating big subs with French fries every night makes me very tired in the morning.

Tubby's specializes in cheesesteaks and particularly chicken cheesesteaks. I don't like the poultry variety, so I got the beef sandwich and fries. The man taking my order asked if I wanted anything with my fries.

"What can I get with them," I asked.

"Cheese, bacon, gravy, something like that," he said.

"What kind of gravy?" I asked

"Delicious," he said. "Just get it."

I got the gravy. Indeed, it was delicious. It was the best part of the meal, to be exact.

My footlong cheesesteak was excellent. I loved every last bite of it. I rarely meet a sandwich I can finish, but the Tubby's sub hit the spot. When matched with the fries and gravy, a Tubby's cheesesteak can't be beat.

I like almost everything on the menu. They deliver quickly, or you can carryout with only a short delay.

I think I'm going to need a few months of morning jogs to work off the fat I ingested this week. No, I'm not some fat slob, I just love eating late at night.

If you're trying to get some food after every place is closed, check out Tubby's first. If that doesn't do it for you, Fat Daddy's Sub Shop is a solid second choice. Third, go for Turtle on the Run or hit up Pino's Pizza if you want to try something different.

The weather this weekend should be awesome. Highs are forecast for the 80s and lows in the 60s. The water jumped from the low 50s up to the low 70s in the past two weeks. It's actually comfortable in the ocean, and the shifting winds have built some midtown beaches back up.

Hang out on the sand, ride some waves and get some late night eats this weekend.

Posted by Peter Arrabal at 11:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

The Greene Turtle opened a carryout extension this year at their original 116th Street location. Turtle on the Run serves the full menu from the restaurant next door, so lovers of the eatery's burgers and crab dip have found the right late night place.

Turtle on the Run is open until 3 a.m., but they don't deliver. However, they make up for that with a huge selection of food and quick service.

My favorite menu choice is the "matador burger," which has a big, fat beef patty with pico de gallo, chopped jalapeños and Pepper Jack cheese. It was absolutely spectacular. Something about the combination of flavor and southwestern kick made this an awesome late night burger.

Burgers come with kettle chips, but you can substitute French fries for a dollar more. I chose the chips, which were actually quite tasty.

I was very disappointed with the Buffalo wings. I asked for them to be served with the hottest sauce possible. Instead, I got eight wings with almost no sauce. I struggled to finish them, as they lacked any resemblance of flavor.

They must have saved all the sauce for their Buffalo dip, which was something I'd never eaten anywhere before. It was chopped chicken mixed with their hot wing sauce and blue cheese and made into a dip that was excellent with tortilla chips. It made a great appetizer and would go great with any of the burgers on their menu.

Earlier in the week I had the opportunity to try their Maryland crab soup, which was clearly not the Turtle's strong point. It tasted like beef stew, which caused me to struggle to finish the bowl. To their credit, there were big lumps of crabmeat in the soup, but the overall taste just didn't quite cut it.

Turtle on the Run offers the best chance in Ocean City to get full-service restaurant quality at 2:30 a.m., but the lack of delivery takes away from their overall usefulness as a part of the late night challenge.

I still like Fat Daddy's Sub Shop the most, but Turtle on the Run snuck past Pino's Pizza into second place for this weeklong competition.

My next stop is Tubby's, which has been serving food later than anyone else in town for years. Check back tomorrow for the wrap-up to the late night challenge, as well as a quick guide to weekend happenings in OC.

Posted by Peter Arrabal at 8:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

I had never eaten anything from Pino's Pizza before, which is strange because I've always lived within walking distance of the 81st Street carryout.

I'm not a huge pizza fan, but I've heard great things about Pino's food, so I thought I'd include them in my late night challenge this week. After the start that Fat Daddy's got on Monday night, it was going to be tough for anyone to take a commanding lead.

I got a 7-inch cheesesteak with lettuce and tomato. I never get my subs toasted, but I figured I'd try something new for the purpose of this blog.

The first thing I noticed about the sub was that it was huge. Gigantic. There was more meat in this sandwich than I thought could fit between two pieces of bread. And it was good meat, too. On the negative side, I bit into one big chunk of fat, which wasn't too pleasant.

I also ordered breadsticks with marinara sauce. They were good, but nothing special.

I was impressed with the speed of service and the size of the portions. I was unable to finish the sub and breadsticks, but at least I have something for lunch tomorrow.

The big draw at Pino's is the pizza, of course. They had all kinds of things on the menu, and they deliver until 4 a.m. to anywhere in Ocean City.

Pino's advertised a "breakfast pizza" which consisted of five eggs mixed with cheese and cooked quiche-style in a pizza crust. I'm not even going to speculate if it's good or not, but it's creative. Someone has to be brave enough to try it soon.

Fat Daddy's is better than Pino's. They have a bigger menu and the food wasn't quite as greasy. If I were standing between 81st and 82nd streets, I'd have to walk north to Fat Daddy's.

Still up for the challenge are the world-famous Tubby's and newcomer Turtle on the Run. If my heart doesn't stop from the fat overload, I'll review them in the next two days.

It has nothing to do with 3 a.m. eats, but we had a scary moment on Monday afternoon in Ocean City. Around 6:45 p.m., a gust of wind blew across Delmarva. It was easily the strangest thing I've ever witnessed. I saw car windows explode, doors at shops blow open and hit people, and flags snap off of the top of buildings. A friend had a tree fall onto a car at his property in Dagsboro, Del., which is about 15 miles away from OC.

Beach chairs left outside were flattened completely and a number of people suffered minor injuries. It wasn't raining, but a storm did blow up in the next 20 minutes. I'd estimate the gust reached around 60 miles per hour, and it only lasted about five seconds. It was just completely unexpected and the wildest thing I've seen in OC in years.

Posted by Peter Arrabal at 1:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Whether you are uptown in Ocean City or hanging around the boardwalk at 3 a.m., Fat Daddy's Sub Shop is open and ready to deliver.

Originally placed downtown at 216 S. Baltimore Ave., Fat Daddy's makes some awesome sandwiches, wings and more. They take delivery and carry-out orders until 4 a.m., which puts them in the running for the best late-night food available in Ocean City.

Last week, I tried Fat Daddy's for the first time. I got a blackened tuna sandwich and 10 wings, served in hot sauce. They delivered in 20 minutes and the wings were too hot to touch. After they cooled, I made a mess of myself, but they were excellent.

I was surprised at how good the blackened tuna was. Honestly, I wasn't expecting much out of a fast-food delivery tuna sandwich. However, it really hit the spot. The seasoning was just perfect and I enjoyed it to the last bite.

Last night, I ordered a club sub after midnight. I wasn't expecting the sub to come with roast beef instead of bacon or ham, but every shop has its own little touch. The turkey was tasty and they actually served tomatoes (a rarity these past few weeks).

The best decision of my order was to get an order of large fries with a side of gravy. For an extra 75 cents, I got two big cups of beef gravy to dip my fries in. I probably cut a few years off of my life, but it was well worth it. Salty fries, juicy turkey, delicious cheese, fresh beef and great gravy were really what I needed after the rest of town rolled up the carpets.

Fat Daddy's has a huge menu selection. I almost got the rockfish tenders, but I simply couldn't fit anything else in my stomach.

They opened a new location on 81st Street, which makes delivery to my uptown home a lot quicker. They said 45 minutes on the phone and showed up in under 30. I was impressed with the ease of ordering (they knew my address and information as soon as I called and gave my name) and the speed of delivery.

Still on the list for this week are Tubby's, Pino's and Turtle on the Run. The last one, the Greene Turtle's newest attraction, has a strike against it in that it doesn't offer delivery.

Posted by Peter Arrabal at 4:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

This week, I'm off in search of the best late night eateries. I'm looking for eat-in, carryout, delivery and all of the above.

I need your help, though. There are more good places to eat than I know about in Ocean City.

I plan on testing Fat Daddy's, Pino's Pizza, Tubby's, Turtle on the Run and more. Bar food doesn't count, as that's only available until 1 or 2 a.m. at most places. I'm looking for good food that you can get extremely late.

Where do you eat when everywhere else is closed? Where should I go this week?

Also, if you were here Saturday, you probably noticed that Ocean City smelled like it was on fire. Actually, there were wildfires in North Carolina and Virginia that put huge amounts of smoke in the air. The strong winds out of the south blew it up here.

You can see the effects on this map from NASA's MODIS Rapid Response System. There are two major fires, reportedly 40,000 acres in area, burning near the NC/VA line.

Posted by Peter Arrabal at 1:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Breakfast is supposedly the most important meal, yet it is the one I skip most often. Ocean City has many breakfast joints, but only a few are worth your time.

Anyone can cook up a pancake and eggs, but the true test of an OC morning meal is the restaurant's ability to wake me up and make me crave its food before heading out for the day.

At most of these places you'll get a main dish, two sides and a drink. Here at The Beach Life, I'll serve you the same. The "main dish" will be my favorite early morning spot, the side dishes will be two highly rated restaurants, and the drink will be the place I drop by when the others are too crowded.

The main dish (let's call it a short stack of pancakes): Dumser's, 123rd Street. I love this place. Whether it's a Tuesday morning before the OC Air Show, or a Sunday morning after the churches let out, Dumser's is always ready to fill me up. The pancakes have something special that make me want them all day long. I always order a short stack with perfectly fried bacon. Sometimes I add an order of home fries. The biggest downside to Dumser's is that many consider it to be too greasy. If you're only here for a few days, just do it. Eat at Dumser's. The diet can wait. If you live here like I do, just eat it. It's too good to pass up.

The first side dish (bacon, of course. Sausage will do.): Boardwalk Joe's, 4th Street. The eggs taste so fresh that I swear they have chickens in the back. Yes, it's that good. The "Big Breakfast" is three huge eggs, four strips of bacon and a plate of home fries. You can get toast and jelly with it as well. I never get anything else. I've been tempted by the "Gyro Omelette," which is three eggs with Gyro meat, cheese, feta cheese, and a side of Tzataki sauce and home fries. I'd love to order one, but I'm too embarrassed to try to pronounce the word "Gyro."

The second side dish (home fries, no onions, please.): Dough Roller. There are Dough Rollers all over town, from the boardwalk to all the way up near Delaware, so no matter where you stay, you're always near one. I like the pancakes here as well. The food is sometimes a bit bland, but it's still tasty, especially after a long night out.

The drink (large O.J., please): Alaska Stand. This is a strange one. It's not much of a restaurant, but rather a boardwalk joint between 8th and 9th streets. I love the sausage, egg and cheese sandwich. It's not out-of-this-world, but it's never reheated or overcooked. I love it.

With so many options, there's never a need to rush a breakfast at McDonald's or Burger King. Sit down and enjoy a unique Ocean City breakfast. If you are in a hurry, grab a sandwich from Alaska Stand.

As I wrote yesterday, don't forget to share your OC Air Show pictures. I'll post mine tomorrow. I've got a good breakfast in me and I'm ready to head down to 16th Street and the boards. Planes were buzzing over town yesterday in preparation, and I can't wait to watch the first of what I hope will be many air shows in Ocean City.

Posted by Peter Arrabal at 6:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)
                    

Over 20 restaurants are participating in Ocean City Restaurant Week, which started yesterday.

From west of the Route 50 bridge to the Delaware line, this is a great opportunity to taste a variety of flavors for a reduced price. Three-course dinners cost $30 and two-course lunches are only $20. Of course, you still have to pay for tax, gratuity and alcohol.

The biggest problem with Restaurant Week is that there are 22 restaurants and only seven days. Looking at the list of participating eateries, it's clear that there aren't enough hours in a day to stop at them all.

With only six days left in the week, here are some recommendations on how to choose where to spend your nights:

6) BJ's on the Water (75th street) actually has four courses on their menu. Pick up the Maryland crab soup, a garden or caesar salad, the crab imperial, and an ice cream sundae. Delicious.

5) Galaxy 66 Bar and Grille (66th street) is known around town for great food, but high prices. This week, you can get seared scallops, snapper and crème brulee on their special menu. This is the best deal on the list.

4) The Blue Ox Steakhouse and Raw Bar (127th street) is a classy establishment with quality food. Their Restaurant Week menu is very limited, but picking French onion soup, a 12-ounce flat iron steak and a slice of cheesecake should fill you up without breaking the bank.

3) The Shark on the Harbor (12924 Sunset Ave. in West O.C.) used to be a disaster. They have gone through a number of transitions in the past few years, upgrading from serving crab cakes that resembled a brown, crab-like substance, to emerging as a premier establishment. Pick the shrimp bisque, blackened scallops alfredo and the flourless chocolate cake. It's an incredible improvement from the disaster they used to be, and a great value this week.

2) Harrison's Harbor Watch Restaurant & Raw Bar is a long name with a great view. To get there, keep going south until you can't anymore. If you end up swimming in the inlet, you went too far. Get the mussels, blackened tilapia and double chocolate peanut butter cake. Take a walk on the boardwalk, then head home satisfied.

1) I was absolutely thrilled to see Marlin Moon Grille (12806 Ocean Gateway in West O.C.) on the list of participants this week. This is the best high-class restaurant in the area where you can also find fishermen in T-shirts and shorts among the dress-clad women. The atmosphere, the friendly servers, the food and the drinks put Marlin Moon on the top of many lists. For your first course, get the cream of crab soup. It's usually risky to recommend picking the fish of the day for the second course, but I have never had a bad dish of fish at Marlin Moon. If you aren't stuffed, get the Devil's Own Chocolate Cake for dessert.

Check out the Ocean City Restaurant Week Web site for a full listing of participants and their menus. It would be best to make reservations, but it's not necessary.

Don't forget your tax and tip. All of the places on this list regularly cost $40-50 per person on a regular day.

I'd love to stay and chat about Restaurant Week, but I'm hungry and I need to go make reservations.

Posted by Peter Arrabal at 12:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

As I promised last week, I checked out On The Bay Seafood over the weekend. Located on 42nd street, this cool little restaurant is on its way to being my favorite spot in town.

The first thing you notice at On The Bay is that it's not "on the bay", but rather on the ocean side of the highway. There's no indoor seating, as all of the tables and benches are outside. Wear some flip-flops, as the each table is set on a sandy beach under an umbrella.

Inside, On The Bay has one of the strangest, yet coolest gadgets around – a crab shedding tank. Many people believe that blue crabs will only shed their shells at a certain phase of the moon cycle, making it hard to keep fresh soft crabs in stock throughout the summer months. The shedding tank means that they almost always have soft crabs available.

For my first visit, I ordered the crab cake sandwich platter. It came with two sides, but I was in a hurry so I just got two orders of French fries. You can also order potato salad, corn, cole slaw and more.

I am always skeptical about crab cakes. I've been spoiled by the ones my mother and grandmother make, and I rarely find a restaurant that does it right. On The Bay's crab cake was cooked perfectly and was almost all crabmeat, with little filler. Each bite had lump backfin meat in it, which means they use quality crab for their sandwiches. Of course there were no shells in the meat, which is another testament to the integrity of the crab cake.

The fries were pretty standard boardwalk fries. They were decent and went well with the sandwich.

The rest of the menu is excellent as well. The soft crabs were juicy and fresh, just as I expected. I'm told the "Fried Rrr'ysters" are a good choice for the oyster-loving diner.

On The Bay is moderately expensive, as most of the platters on the menu cost $14. Sandwiches are $9 or $10 each as well. Everything is available as carry out, but if you choose to order in, you can sit on the benches in the sand.

One of the most important parts of the menu is the steamed crab selection. On The Bay has a range of sizes from small females to jumbo males. A dozen jumbos will cost you $80, which is par for the course in Ocean City. I prefer to get a few dozen smaller ones to save money (small crabs are $25 per dozen). It does involve more work, but I think it's worth it.

They also sell crabs by the bushel, which is always the best deal. The popular bushel of No. 1 males will set you back $155, but a mixture of small and medium crabs is only $95.

If you're looking for a fancy seafood place, this isn't it. If you want to feel like you're sitting on a beach near the ocean (or bay) with your toes in the sand and a pile of crabs in front of you, check out On The Bay Seafood. The owners started with a place called Steamed Blues in Phoenix, Ariz. If you can sell blue crabs to people in Arizona, you must be doing something right.

Posted by Peter Arrabal at 9:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
                    

I was disappointed to find out that my favorite seafood restaurant in Ocean City closed this spring. Crabman's Seafood Bar and Grille shut down after just two years at their current location on 127th street.

Owners Brian and Donna Field used to run a little carryout called Crabman's House of Crabs, where I first ran into them. They served only local crabs, and you could really taste the difference.

The biggest draw to Crabman's was that they didn't pre-steam their crabs. When you ordered them, they cooked them. No heat lamps, no re-steaming. I haven't found anywhere else in town that does this, yet.

Everything was fresh and handmade. It really was the best stuff in town, and you couldn't beat their cream of crab soup. Maybe the location wasn't right, or the rent was too much, but apparently they just couldn't keep up with their bills.

I'm really at a loss right now. Whenever someone asked me for a seafood recommendation, I always picked Crabman's. I'll have to go on a city-wide tour of the restaurants this week. I've heard good things about On The Bay Seafood (42nd street) so I'll check out that first.

There are a few new crab houses that I'll be sure to review in the upcoming weeks.

On an unrelated note, apparently someone appreciated their American freedom a little too much this holiday weekend, as the Greene Turtle had their turtle fountain stolen. Their marquee out front pleaded for the safe return of their beloved tortoise, which was noticeably absent from the south side of the building.

Ocean City is pretty quiet today. It's that special time of the year after Memorial Day but before the high school seniors start pouring into town. Enjoy it while it lasts!

Posted by Peter Arrabal at 12:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)