Wee Packet - Dennis, MA

After leaving the trampolines, we had lunch at a place in Dennis. They were supposed to be in the WCOD Chowdah Fest but they didn't make it. Which is sad because it could have been our favorite there. Although we didn't enjoy it very much, it was better than the stuff at the Chowdah Fest.

Wee Packet was a cute little place - and we were happy there but it wasn't very tasty. With a bunch of salt, it was okay. ChowderBoy said it was "gritty...so it must have fresh clams."

We could stick a spoon up in it but it wasn't tasty and thick, just thick.

Not worth a trip back there for us. ChowderGirl gives it a C+.

Seafood Sam's - Harwich, MA

I typically dislike chains of all kinds, somewhat irrationally I suppose. But yesterday was a rainy day on the Cape and we had nowhere to be so we hauled out to go on the trampolines. While we were waiting, I scurried over to the Seafood Sam's just in case it was decent enough.

And. It was! It was tasty and fresh and yummy and positively loaded with clams.

The kids loved the chowder, particularly ChowderGirl who scarfed it down in a few small bites.

Captain Kidd

Despite 25 years of eating and drinking at the Kidd in Woods Hole, we never did an official chowder review there. Today's the day, kids.

While we waited for our chowder and drank our lemonade (kids) and Anchor Steam (grown ups, we admired the colorful dog ChowderBoy won last night at papa gino's. He must be some kind of savant with those machines.

The chowder arrived and ChowderDad's first review was "oh dear".

No one liked it at all. I was surprised. It had some interesting seasonings but ChowderBoy had to load it up with salt to enjoy it at all. It was thick and tasty and filled with nice clams. It had all the markings of a great chowder and yet, left us all flat.

We do love the Anchor Steam on tap, and frankly, enjoying the Kidd is a worthwhile endeavor, no matter what the outcome of the chowder. We had a great day and enjoyed it.

However, at the end of the meal, we all sat around talking about the chowders we've had that we loved more than the chowder at The Kidd. There was a long list. :(

Chowder Cup

It's absolutely unfair to judge the chowder from Sunday against restaurant chowder but as the day was chowder related, I thought we should share a bit about the day.

The kids had their first race on Sunday - the Chowder Cup - they went with their grandfather. The gist of the race is around a nearby island in any boat you want, cross the finish line backwards. Then get chowder.

They won for "Best Flip Flop Retrieval" so they kids are pretty psyched.


The chowder was made by a few older women who have been making the chowder for 70 years or something. I had to stop the kids from judging it.

Saturday at the Chart Room

I am starting to believe that the deal with Chart Room chowder is that we will never get a truly accurate assessment of it. We always seem to eat it on a sunny day, outside, after a sail, after beer, and with drinks. Those conditions all predispose us to think it's outstanding.

This Saturday was no exception. For the record, we won the race but we didn't know it at the time. Still, we were feeling proud and happy and exhausted and starving. Sitting outside after a few beers, eating that chowder, it's just ideal.

It's reliably great chowder though. Thick and creamy with perfect potatoes and fresh clams.

And did I mention? We won.

Sunset Grille - Monument Beach, MA

Chowder Grandma had what appears to be the thickest chowder in the history of the world. She sent this picture to prove it.

Apparently, it was buttery and had fresh clams and all kinds of super goodness.

We will be the judge of that this week.

Harborside Bar and Grill, Stratford, CT

Twitter stream about Harborside.

• harborside grill in milford (or is it stratford still?) CG says it looks like corn chowder but I disagree.
• not a lot of clams. CG says it is really hot but it isn't. she just likes lukewarm chowder.
• best part is the view and the music - 80s fest Infatuation, Only in My Dreams and some Berlin song...
• the flavor is outstanding but a wee bit thin and not a lot of substance.
• it is loaded up with celery which is not great for me but CG does not seem to mind.
• i believe we will give this chowder experience a C. knew you were waiting for me just came on.

That pretty well sums it up. She liked it well enough but didn't finish it. Oh dear. I left the leftovers in the car....

Fetching it now.

Penfield Beach

So we love Penfield. It's a great place for things like meeting the kids for dinner on a Friday night. Or celebrating the first day of school with other moms. Or celebrating the end of school with the PTA.

What it's not a great place for is chowder. In theory it might have been good chowder but as soon as it arrived, I remembered how last fall, some friends and I went to the beach while the kids were at the first day of school. And I tried the chowder. And I burned my tongue.

So I managed to forget this information in the last months. And I tried to eat it again. Worse yet, I tried to get the kids to eat it.

We waited nearly 20 minutes for it to cool off, no joke. It had great flavor but it shouldn't take that long to cool off.

ChowderGirl liked the taste once she got to it but ChowderBoy said it looked like milk and didn't taste much better.

Maybe next year, Penfield.

July 4 Weekend

Over the weekend, we managed to get in just a small amount of chowder. Naturally, we were pretty busy.

Friday, ChowderGirl and I swung by Graziella's on the way to drop off 60 ears of corn at our friends' house. The house has a lovely view of the bay so we did a nice to go cup. Perhaps buoyed by the view, the chowder took on a post-taste level of joy, typically only reserved for when we eat chowder on the boat after a race and a few beers (well, that's just Dad and I, no kids).

Saturday was the local parade and a 10 hour BBQ/dunk tank/bouncy castle/fireworks party. You'd think that meant we had no time for chowder but we managed to get off our duffs and head to the Courtyard for dinner. Which naturally means chowder.

It was fine. In this quest for great chowder, we seem to be developing personalities. ChowderGrandma is positively positive. ChowderBoy gives everything a 15,000. ChowderGirl thinks everything is too thin. And I seem to just keep dreaming of Tony's from the Chowder Festival.

MacKenzie's High Ridge Road in Stamford

While the kids played at the Parrot, I went to dinner with our creative director and big boss men. Turns out our CD is a chowder aficionado. He provided great recommendations on Connecticut based chowder locations.

It was good in a lot of ways. Nice and thick and creamy. Good potatoes, could have used more clams and they weren't super fresh but it was generally tasty.

I think Tony's perhaps wrecked us for other chowders now. I am desperately seeking seasonings.

Parrot, Cataumet MA, Wednesday

ChowderGrandma brought the kids to the Cape. Naturally, she took them out to dinner. They went to the Parrot in Cataumet.

ChowderGirl just had some of her grandmother's chowder at dinner - not her own bowl. She's watching Animal Planet now so she might not give an ideal review.

She just nods at everything I say about it. "Was it good?" nod "Did it have a lot of clams in it?" nod "Did it have good seasonings?" nod "Did it have pickles in it?" nod.

Clearly not paying attention. We have to run out today - maybe we will swing by and try a cup and get a proper review going. Or ask again when she's not zombified by "It's Me Or The Dog."

Joe's American Grill - Fairfield, CT - Where Fine Means Meh

ChowderGirl says "I don't remember it very well. It tasted plain though. I ate the whole bread bowl though."

ChowderBoy says, "I don't remember it at all."

I suppose too much time has passed since we reviewed it but I can recreate it. The bloody mary was terrible.

Past that, the chowder was just fine. Nothing special at all. It was bland, not very many potatoes, maybe canned clams. I always like a bread bowl and the bread was fantastic. But really, nothing special.

Here's the official Twitter review:
# chowderdad says MEH.5:07 PM Jun 28th from mobile web
# calamari is bad. 60 percent non-calamari.4:24 PM Jun 28th from mobile web
# chowdergirl has decided she likes the tentacles on squid.4:22 PM Jun 28th from mobile web
# joe's american grill tonight. chowdergirl and i are splitting a bread bowl of chowder. it's fine.4:18 PM Jun 28th from mobile web

I am starting to see that when the kids and I say it is fine, we really don't mean it.