Monday, July 20, 2009

Getting His Rhode Island Fix...

My brother is visiting this week from Washington State. He has been out of Rhode Island for many years but usually visits every year. One of the things that he misses most about the Ocean State (besides me :P) is the abundant seafood available and all the local faire.
So of course we had to get him his fix...
We ending up at Haborside Restaurant in East Greenwich which is right on the waterfront. They are known for there delicious baked stuffed lobsters, aka lobstermania. The stuffing was delicious! He and my mom both had the twin baked lobster special.

We started the dinner with a few appetizers. My brother was like a kid in a candy store. He couldn't decide what to get so he ordered everything. LOL. First the fried calamari, which were absolutely delicious. The crust was light and crunchy, not oily at all. They were cooked to perfection. Then a Rhode Island specialty- Stuffies! For all you out of staters, a stuffie is a Quahog (large clam) that is stuffed with a bread and seafood stuffing. You really can't find these anywhere out of New England.
These actually made my brother giddy...


The quahog is also used to make Rhode Islands famous Clear Broth Chowder (or as most Rhode Islanders would say..."chowda"). You can get red or white chowder in most places but the clear broth chowder is a true Rhode Island tradition. It was very tasty. I could especially taste the fresh herbs in it, mostly thyme I think.


I couldn't decide what to order, so I ended up with a combination plate- the Baked Seafood Platter. It had one baked stuffed sole, which was heavenly, 3 sea scallops, and one lovely baked stuffed shrimp. I really enjoyed it, but enjoyed watching my mom and brother the most.

I'll end by showing you the magnificent view from the restaurant. It was such a beautiful day and the water was so inviting. Well, got to go, my boat ride is waiting...

11 comments:

The Cookbook Junkie said...

I cannot wait until my boys are old enough for a New England vacation. The only time I've been to New England was when my cousin got married in Connecticut and I stayed at the hotel and watched my baby nephew (who will be a sophomore in college this year!) I saw absolutely nothing.

Do people really drink a lot of coffee milk in RI? I saw it on television and I almost ordered a bottle of the syrup online. It sounds so good to me.

Unknown said...

Sounds like a perfect day. I love New England (went to college near Boston) but don't make it back often enough.

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

It looks like you had a wonderful meal and a great time together! I'd love to ate so much seafood at once... Here, fish and seafood are very expensive.

Cheers,

Rosa

The Cookbook Junkie said...

Thanks for answering my question about the coffee milk. I LOVE coffee ice cream. I have to get some of this. I see that there are two main brands - Autocrat and Eclipse. Are they about the same?

Annie said...

Paula, No problem.. Glad to help. I think they are pretty much the same. The Autocrat is native to RI, not sure about Eclipse.

Cate O'Malley said...

Sounds like a great meal with great company!

Anonymous said...

That was a great meal,great company and a beautiful vew.bambola

Juliana said...

It seems that you both had a great time...great pictures!

The Cookbook Junkie said...

Thanks. I ordered the Autocrat.

Annie said...

Your welcome Paula, I hope you like it. Let me know what you think ;)

How To Eat A Cupcake said...

Aww that is so cute! Looks like a great time! :D