Happy & Full

Blue Water Grill

Blue Water Grill
31 Union Square West
New York, NY

Great place for brunch! Blue Water Grill is known for their superb seafood dishes.  The building used to be a bank and it has the large windows and high ceilings; definitely a gorgeous interior.  They also have a jazz room downstairs, so check out their website for special events calendar.

Nothing screams brunch more than a nice tall mimosa and Samuel Smith's oatmeal stout.  Everything on the menu sounds delicious and we were tempted to order more than our stomachs could hold.  However, we decided to go easy and ordered the Charred Octopus Salad to start. This is an absolutely refreshingly delicious salad with marinated peppers, crispy chickpeas, and preserved lemon vinaigrette.

The Crab Cake Benedict with spinach and hollandaise sauce was perfectly cooked.

Citrus Vanilla Creme Brulee with an orange shortbread cookie. I love the sound of my spoon cracking the top of the carmelized sugar! The contrast between the crunchiness of the sugar and the smoothness of the custard is a sweet goodness in your mouth.

We were definitely happy & full after this amazing meal! 

Flo's Clam Shack

Flo's Clam Shack
4 Wave Avenue
Middletown, RI

Before Shaun and I took our New England road trip I did a lot of research and watched Food Network continuously hoping that they would mention some must try food locations that we could visit.  So of course when Flo's Clam Shack was mentioned I immediately put it on our itinerary.  They have the freshest seafood as if it was plucked out of the ocean and put right on your plate!

We sat on the second floor looking out onto Newport's First Beach.  We ordered the creamy clam chowder, fried clams, raw clams, raw oysters, and a Heineken to wash it all down with.  No tarter sauce required!  The fried clams are delicious just as is and the best that I have ever had.  Battered to coat and crisp with the clam melting in your mouth as you bite into it!  The clam chowder is not your typical creamy and thick clam chowder.  Yes, it is a little watery but you will get over it once you taste all the flavors.  We tried several clam chowders during our road trip and this one was by far the best, because you could really taste the flavors that the tender clams infuse into the chowder and not a mouth full of cream which can coat your mouth.  

Head upstairs for the raw bar.  What can I say about their raw clams and oysters, but YUM! It was the first time I had raw clams and Shaun's first time for both.  We were pleasantly surprised by the freshness of these delicious little shells of sweet goodness.  All you need is a little lemon juice!  Don't taint the freshness and flavor with sauces!

It can get packed and you might be circling a few times before you find parking on Wave Avenue, but it is well worth it!  You get a rock with a number painted on it for picking up your order from the window.  It is a very relaxed atmosphere with your typical seaside decor and self-seating.  If you are in Rhode Island or on your way to Boston from New York, stop by Flo's Clam Shack and get yourself some fried clams and raw clams and oysters.