Scoreboard Gourmet

Citi Field's Greatest Food, for Everyone in Any Seat: Clam & Corn Chowder

This is the last thing I'm writing about Citi Field today. I do have other things to do. Really. Though I am loving my life today.
Not trying to make You jealous, just letting you know how much I appreciate a great day: fantastic weather, a trip to a ballpark (ok, a game would have been better), large quantities of high quality food to sample, internet down at my writing space (that actually was a major buzzkill), and Dave Pasternack's CATCH OF THE DAY (name of concession) Long Island Clam & Corn Chowder.

Chef Pasternack says his Bayside Fries will "become legendary in this ballpark" (have I already mentioned Chickie + Petes? yes), but I think we're going to fall for the awesome chowder (no I am not going to say something about a certain exhibition game team's home stadium).

Clearly You will not have your chowder served to you in a fancy cup with a fancy spoon, but I promise it will be worth the $4.75 even if they pour it into your hand. 

You can find the Fish Shack on the right side of the outfield concourse, under the Pepsi Porch, in the area called "Taste of the City"

Carraba's for Spring Training and Regular Season too

I had no idea Carraba's was so big. TFMJ and I have seen Carraba's signs all over Florida. Once, a few years ago, we attempted to go to one but ended up at something like Bennigan's. I believe that happened because everything else was closed. It made me think Carraba's was Bennigan's. But it's not.

While sitting at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, we noticed a Carraba's sign and discussed eating there. Overhearing, a woman in front of us turned around to let us know how much she likes the restaurant. We were intrigued, but went to the Crab Houseinstead, hoping to rekindle an old memory of mine about a Jupiter fish house. That didn't happen. What did happen is we had a waiter who'd been in a fight with a pit bull (literally) and I got mushrooms stuffed with crab. They might have been good. I'll never know because there was a blanket of tasteless white cheese over the top. Why? What a waste. And who buys/eats cheese like that? It's disgusting. I'm off track. TFMJ and I shared fish+chips (good if you like your fish in frozen stick form) and talked about Carraba's.

The next night TFMJ's cousin, with no prompting from us, picked-up take out. If you can't guess from where, we will likely never be friends. My pizza was pretty great, even a few hours later unheated. Chicken Parm and pasta also good, but it was in incredible lentil soup (a side) that captured our hearts. Very brothy (for lentil) with sausage crumbled in. DEElicious. I ate half of TFMJ's and half of his cousin's. Thank you guys for sharing.

Carraba's, we will return. You are everywhere. 32 locations in Florida, including the Tampa Airport. 7 locations in Arizona. They're even in New York's triple-A towns: Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse. Wow.

Who else likes this chain? Anyone dislike? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

rubios: official padres fish taco

Rubio's Stands at PETCO Park: Sections 121 and 319, and in The Mercado, Section 112. Fish Tacos, Chicken Burritos, Shrimp Burritos "served Padres-style"
What does that mean?

Gramma Dots in Sanibel (Fort Myers Spring Training, and Miracle)

I had a idea I was going to give up potato chips for lent. I don't go to church but every year I try to give up something I'm consuming too much. I like the 40 day discipline. Usually I give up Coke but I hardly drink soda anymore. In the absence of Coke (I think) I've developed a bit of a sweet tooth, but potato chips are my real vice. I thought about that while I greedily scarfed down some of the Best Potato Chips I have Ever had in my life, at Gramma Dots on Sanibel (that lovely island across the newish bridge from Fort Myers; you may remember it got massacred in a hurricane a few years ago)

If the proposed new Red Sox complex gets built, and the Orioles fill City of Palms Park (where the Red Sox play now), Fort Myers will really be a great baseball vacation spot, especially when other teams visit (I had to say that). And you'll have to venture out and eat. Anyway, my potato chips came with a bread-heavy grilled grouper sandwich. Open-faced it was perfect. And Gramma Dots has great iced tea too (lemonade, not so much).

What's better is the location: a marina on Sanibel. After lunch we walked the beach for 1.5mi from the lighthouse to a parking lot (actually, I walked and my uncle and TFMJ picked me up). Then we drove through Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge seeking alligators.

My uncle tells me the alligator that's on menus in the Keys and other places is no longer the tasty wild meat I remember from my childhood. These days it's farmed and somewhat bland. That said, alligators are so prevalent in Florida there's a hunting season for them. Otherwise, says my uncle, alligators have more rights than people.

Don't forget to hit the beach when you go to Fort Myers to watch the Twins and Red Sox. And if an alligator is chasing you, run in a zig-zag, as all good Floridian schoolchildren know.

Gramma Dots Restaurant
634 N Yachtsman Dr
Sanibel, FL 33957
239-472-8138

florida table - the mag of good taste published near the home of the springtime Orioles

You know you're going to like a magazine with a fancy front cover (all glowy gold, silver and green, like a metallic springtime) and headlines like: 5 DAZZLING RESTAURANTS THAT WON'T MAKE YOU FAT! and GROW YOUR OWN - BACKYARD FRUIT TREES THAT REALLY WORK.

I am completely serious, by the way. The magazine is florida table(no caps). I picked it up in Boca, which happens to be where it's published, and where my grandma lives, and where there's an amazing Italian restaurant I'm returning to tonight (second time in three days; it's that good; will post name later).

Why am I in Boca other than to read magazines and eat Italian food with my grandma and aunt? To be close to where the Mets will play their first Spring Training game - Fort Lauderdale, home of the springtime Orioles.

florida tablerecommends two fish houses nearish the ballpark (Fort Lauderdale Stadium).
1. Tark's Clams
1317 S. Federal Highway, Dania Beach

2. 15th Street Fisheries
1900 SE 15th Street, Fort Lauderdale

Planning to check them out. Will report back. Anyone prefer one to another? Leave Comments below.

The Orioles host the Mets at 1:05pm tomorrow(!). That's 24hours to Spring Training!

Not all Red Sox fans are haters

Check this out: Tales From The Ballpark. Christine warns that her fun and funny site is an “Official Y***** Hating Zone” but she took off her gloves for me. Thanks, Christine.

If you need more New England Ballpark info than SG provides, click here for Christine’s reviews. Or you can just go and have a look around her fun and funny site. Christine says she might be in Maine on Friday, watching the Sanford Mariners play the Concord Quarry Dogs. That’s the 12-team, 6-state, New England Collegiate Baseball League, folks. I don’t know if SG covers amateur leagues but this sounds cool, and I’m dying to know if there are lobster rolls at the game?

Labels: redsox