So when I went to New Hampshire a few weeks back to visit my father &
stepmother, I mostly had fun and relaxed. Eating was casual, and it was on the
last day of my trip that I finally was reminded of the excellent fried seafood
that this region is known for.
My Dad took me to a wonderful little Mom & Pop place called Al's Seafood en route to Logan Airport, and it reminded me of what I've been missing while living in Texas. While Houston and Galveston are known for their excellent seafood, New England has its own distinct tradition as well, making up for what we lack in a barbecue/grilling tradition. It was a homey little nook with rough wood walls and tables, and casual atmosphere, and a whole lot of good and greasy fried seafood whipped up in a small and crowded little kitchen. You could smell the oil and the fish in that powerfully salty tang that lets you know you are in for some serious cholesterol overload, and that you are going to love it.
We bellied up at the counter and placed our order while taking in the small refrigerated case to the right of the counter that sold fresh fish that looked literally right out of the ocean. My Dad made a note to try and get fish here more often as we went into the dining room to wait for our order. The pretty brunette girl working the pickup counter soon called our number and we carried the food to our table to tear into it.
We ordered a platter of fried fish (my Dad), a side order of beer battered onion rings, and I got a sizeable portion of fried calamari. Both came with fries and coleslaw--fries were good, if typical, and the coleslaw was much too sweet for my taste. But the calamari...sigh. Rapture! It was oily and just crunchy enough, with that chewy texture you get from this most underrated cephalopod. Lots of tentacles as well as rings, giving me the baby Cthulhu squiggles in my mouth. Yummy! The onion rings were crunchy and big broad pieces of Vidalia onion that were excellent, and I scarfed them up in short order. We toddled on out of there fat and happy, to coin a phrase. As much as I love Texas' fine seafood emporiums, the fried seafood of my home environs still has a special place in my heart--next time I get the fried clams!
Now next time my Dad comes on out to visit here I have got to coax him into trying Ethiopian food--wish me luck! I tried to get him to the one time and he said "Let's not and say we did!" *rolling eyes* Gotta love the man anyway. Until next time!
My Dad took me to a wonderful little Mom & Pop place called Al's Seafood en route to Logan Airport, and it reminded me of what I've been missing while living in Texas. While Houston and Galveston are known for their excellent seafood, New England has its own distinct tradition as well, making up for what we lack in a barbecue/grilling tradition. It was a homey little nook with rough wood walls and tables, and casual atmosphere, and a whole lot of good and greasy fried seafood whipped up in a small and crowded little kitchen. You could smell the oil and the fish in that powerfully salty tang that lets you know you are in for some serious cholesterol overload, and that you are going to love it.
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We bellied up at the counter and placed our order while taking in the small refrigerated case to the right of the counter that sold fresh fish that looked literally right out of the ocean. My Dad made a note to try and get fish here more often as we went into the dining room to wait for our order. The pretty brunette girl working the pickup counter soon called our number and we carried the food to our table to tear into it.
We ordered a platter of fried fish (my Dad), a side order of beer battered onion rings, and I got a sizeable portion of fried calamari. Both came with fries and coleslaw--fries were good, if typical, and the coleslaw was much too sweet for my taste. But the calamari...sigh. Rapture! It was oily and just crunchy enough, with that chewy texture you get from this most underrated cephalopod. Lots of tentacles as well as rings, giving me the baby Cthulhu squiggles in my mouth. Yummy! The onion rings were crunchy and big broad pieces of Vidalia onion that were excellent, and I scarfed them up in short order. We toddled on out of there fat and happy, to coin a phrase. As much as I love Texas' fine seafood emporiums, the fried seafood of my home environs still has a special place in my heart--next time I get the fried clams!
Now next time my Dad comes on out to visit here I have got to coax him into trying Ethiopian food--wish me luck! I tried to get him to the one time and he said "Let's not and say we did!" *rolling eyes* Gotta love the man anyway. Until next time!