typhoonfish's Profile
Massachusetts seasonal restaurant question - Brant Rock, Marshfield
Maybe some of you in the restaurant business can explain this to me: how do these local South Shore/ North Shore restaurants make money and survive? Case in point, Brant Rock, Marshfield.
Brant Rock is a little seaside section of Marshfield MA that has a very very limited tourist season. It certainly doesn't get Cape Cod tourists. Locals have their own watering holes and aren't real big spenders. The year round clientele is lobstermen and fixed income seniors. There's hardly a beach house rental market anymore as most house have been converted into single family year round homes. When we were kids, it was mayhem with all of the beach house rentals.
Within 1/4 mile in Marshfield:
Venus
Baileys Pub
Haddad's (with a $1.5 mil expansion underway, absolute behemoth building).
Fairview Inn - the day a lobsterman spends $12 a drink...
The Hop- (breakfast and lunch only)
Arthur & Pats (breakfast and lunch only)
Mamma Mia's -brand new renovation.
Ocean Deck
How does these places survive? Alcohol sales?
What is the appeal of Fox and Hound???
I live in Wollaston, so it's convenient.
First time, maybe it was an off night.
Second time, holy s**t, this place is bad.
There wasn't a third time. You would literally do better going to Grumpy White's for a burger than going to the Fox & Hound for the $17 swordfish ala hockey puck entree. I see these Groupon deals come up and they would need to pay me to eat there.
Boston's best burger?
Had Flat Patties over the weekend. I couldn't have had a worse experience. I've had most of the big name burgers in Boston and this wasn't much better than McDonalds.
Cold, stale bun, medicore toppings, poor fries. I haven't disliked a burger like this in a long time.
Presidential Dining in Quincy/Braintree?
Just got to the Irish Pub (Parking in Rear). All you ever needed to know about US History there :)
Burton's Grill
Last I checked, the 99 wasn't serving Arctic Charr.
I think Burton's has one of the most underrated burgers around.
Haymarket - Get your Goat?
I can tell you from first hand direct knowledge on the seafood end. Don't eat the fish.
"under a buck, on the truck"
Haymarket - Get your Goat?
I also walked around haymarket before a 1 pm Bruins game two weekends ago. I can't even begin to tell you how bad the fish was. They were selling bait mackerel as food mackerel. The Maine Shrimp were black. Literally black.
All I kept thinking to myself were these people must have iron stomachs. They were loading what ever fish you wanted into an old stop and shop bag.
Quincy C-Mart Battle.
If I had unlimited money, I would have loved to by the Wolly theater and opened an old movie themed restaurant. .
Quincy C-Mart Battle.
Now there's really no parking.
http://www.patriotledger.com/topstories/x842391792/Wollaston-Theatre-sold-to-C-Mart-owner
Andrew Zimmern in Boston filming Bizarre Foods episode
My good friend is the one who they go dogfishing with. Andrew is a really nice guy according to him.
What is so bizarre about Island Creek or Modern pastry? Other than they have fantastic PR agencies.
Big Bugs for Cheap at Super88
So as it was just explained to me there are three types blue crabs sold in the US, all different species among the crab family.
Indonesian/Chinese - red swimming crabs
Venezuelan blue swimming crabs
Maryland - blue crabs (less that 1% sold)
The key distinction between the imported product and the Maryland product is that Maryland crabs have to hibernate in the winter. In order to hibernate in the winter they need to bulk up their fat. That's why you get real buttery taste out of the Maryland crab and the premium price.
Big Bugs for Cheap at Super88
I'm calling the big guns. Hope to have an answer for you in a few minutes.
Reco for Rehearsal Dinner Newton/Wellesley area 40 people?
I'm not a crab guy but my friend is in charge of the Maryland department of fisheries outreach. He's the crab expert. I'll see if I can get him to chime in there .
Reco for Rehearsal Dinner Newton/Wellesley area 40 people?
Sel de la Terra at Natick mall is a great suggestion. After looking at their sample menus, I don't think Blue Ginger is right for a rehearsal diner.
Legal has Chestnut Hill. It's one of their top tier restaurants and I'd have more input there ; )
Reco for Rehearsal Dinner Newton/Wellesley area 40 people?
My cousin is getting married at the Massachusetts Horticultural Society in Wellesley. My aunt is searching for a place that can hold 40 people.
We've got so far Blue Ginger on the list. I've been racking my brain for other places with function rooms in the area. I don't believe Alta Strada has a function room.
Any other thoughts?
Quincy C-Mart Battle.
I live across the street in the Downs. I don't know how much car traffic it will generate. Most of their clientele will walk. The Bank of America does the most traffic damage.
It's like bumper cars getting in and out of that parking lot. :D
Is it ethical to eat Bluefin Tuna?
Another fallacy along the lines of the bluefin tuna is the gulf of Maine cod stocks.
NOAA in doing their cod assessment used a ship (Bigelow) that was too fast with too small of a net. They didn't catch any cod. Gee I wonder why.
It's comical .
Quincy C-Mart Battle.
So close, yet so far. I hope they build it.
http://www.patriotledger.com/topstories/x720336944/Quincy-Asian-grocery-store-to-propose-court-agreement
Continuing the search for my beer white whales...
Supreme also has a Quincy location with a ridiculous beer selection.
Kitchen Nightmares
I indirectly supply one of his restaurants and it's not doing very well at all.
Maybe he should be focusing on his own places.
Best Grocery/ Produce in North Quincy/Marina Bay area??
3rd generation Sunrise beach, marshvegas
Best Grocery/ Produce in North Quincy/Marina Bay area??
I didn't realize Wal-Mart added a grocery store. You want to talk about loathing a store.
In the summer we go to Roche Brothers in Marshfield more than anywhere else on our way home from Vegas. It's such a treat. In the winter were relegated to NQ Stop & Shop.
Best Grocery/ Produce in North Quincy/Marina Bay area??
I live in the Downs. We go to the Milton Fruit Market for our specialty items. The salad bar is like crack for my wife. I've never even heard of the Irish Butcher shop but I know where I'll be this weekend.
I used to go out of my way to go to Roche Brothers but it's gone to a low cost format. I got so mad I wrote the company a letter and got a hand signed letter back from the the COO saying it was the same food just a different format. BS I hate tray packed meats. Roche Brothers in Marshfield is what I expect a Roche brothers to be.
With a 2 yr old and time constraints I find myself going to Hannaford which I loathe. The fish market in there stinks to high heaven. In a pinch, it works fine for basic stuff. Cheerios are cheerios.
NQ Stop and Shop gets mobbed as well on Saturday and Sunday.
Burke's is a customer of mine, so at the risk of getting my post deleted, I remain neutrally biased. ; )
There is a Whole Foods in Hingham which gets mobbed. There's also a Fresh Market in Hingham Shipyard. We end up going there a lot after visiting the parents.
There's a halal meat shop across the street from Dunkin Donuts in Wollaston. I've been gathering the courage to go in there and get some lamb. Still too chicken.
Quincy Peeps: Italy's Little Kitchen?
Believe me when I say I'm 10000% joking about taking offense from Quincy.
Ever see the PatriotLedger.com comment section.. I'm a regular.
Quincy Peeps: Italy's Little Kitchen?
"It's awesome by Quincy standards which equals OK for most anywhere else"
I took slight offense to this statement until we had it last night and pretty much nails it. Very good for Quincy. I got chicken paaaam. Ended up getting some chicken and some veal. Sauce was delicious. You literally are in someone's kitchen with 2 tables. We got take-out at 4pm and re-heated it at 6pm, which is unfair to judge. I'm sure if I ate it at the time I ordered it I would be raving.
I'm still a loyal fan of Gennaros.
Maine Shrimp 2012... Can't wait!
We're getting a 110 ct per lb this year instead of last years 90s.
Seafood Companies in Seaport District that sell shellfish direct (retail)?
9lvies, love the bluefin toro picture. My wife got her first tuna this summer (60") and we ate toro until we couldn't see straight.
http://i40.tinypic.com/euq4o2.jpg
I also do most of my business with Mike and Steve. I can get some of the same products in my own warehouse and it's easier and less red tape for me to get it with them. Mike hooked me up with a ridiculous leg of lamb last year for Easter.
The key with my list is to develop relationships with people. Don't be a needy PITA. If you're going to show up and grab something, make sure you show up on time, when you say you'll be there with the right amount of money. If you make it an easy transaction, the vendors will welcome your business. After a while, many will even put you on credit. So you don't even need to bring money, you just show up and take your product and send the check in the mail.
As I sit here typing this I'm settling up with one of my personal "vendors". I called asked what I had for open invoices and I'll make sure his driver gets a check today. I'm working on setting up a relationship with one of the meat vendors in the same way.
It's how businesses used to operate. A handshake and trust. The fish business is good like that.
