Road Trip - Moby's Lobster Deck

What do you do on a beautiful late Spring day in New Jersey? You head to the Jersey shore and if you're like me  - you head to Moby's the outdoor division of  another favorite Bahr's.

 The kitchen is down below this while the bar is on the connecting step; That green  and beige strip in the background is Sandy Hook, one of the most historic and natural sites on the American East coast. Moby's Lobster Deck is part of the famed Jersey seafood house, Bahr's that's known for its' chowder, lobsters, and homemade biscuits.It's located across from this famed beach in the Atlantic Highlands,(on the Nevasink River. Geraldo Rivera has been known to visit Bahr's via his yacht).The Bahr family owns both with the latest generation running Moby's.

As you can see Moby's has the gamut of both sea and land.I have yet to try the humongous ribs and shrimp platter (which is really for two) or the sea dog, a kind of cod hot dog (!)They do have good burgers , hand made and juicy along with crisp fries.

My favorite? This:

check out the old fashioned- soda straw.!!

A bowl of Manhattan clam chowder with oysterettes.. They're is full of juicy clam chunks along with cubes of potato. The broth is tomato based cooked with sage and other spices for a delicious spoonful.. It's just the perfect dinner or snack. Moby's even sells ice cream and frozen treats such as frozen chocolate covered bananas. Of course I had the coconut covered one. Yum!!!!

There's nothing like a road trip to the northern part of the Jersey shore. Go - and stop at Moby's Lobster Deck. It's a great way to end a fun beach day.

Super Bowl Super Foods

This Sunday will be a paean to football and all kinds of snack foods.Unfortunately Americans turn to outside sources as opposed to making their own quick bites.That shouldn't be.You can create a tasty snack filled homemade platter for SuperBowl Sunday. Sam Sifton, one of the New York Times' great food writers , asked this question in yesterday's New York Times Dining section.He came up with a tasty and much better solution than a list of take out phone numbers.He has updated three classic Sunday football dishes, fried chicken ,nachos and clam dip.These are the perfect dishes to serve not just for a football themed day but for parties as well.His fried chicken is heavenly.This is a Coke brined chicken where it's marinated in a mix of The soda ,thyme and hot sauce infuse the meat with a sweet and fiery flavor.The crust is a mix of flour ,cayenne pepper along with onion and garlic powder.It's fried quickly in a mix of peanut oil and lard. If that's not enough Mr Sifton gives us an old classic clam dip and a new one ,nachos.Clam dip was almost a requirement for every party thrown during the 1950's.Thanks to the season being one for fresh clams ,you can make a very fresh dip using the freshly caught seafood along with sour cream.Again cayenne pepper and Worcester sauce give the dip zing.Serve with potato chips for a classic treat or fresh veggies for a healthier twist.Nachos ,another game day must, are made with a shredded pork shoulder moistened with lime juice instead of the usua Ground beef.This is layered over tortilla chips along with more lime infused sour cream.Crunchy radishes not only decorate it but give it a nice pop of sharpness. Cilantro is then sprinkled on for more flavor as is another layer of meat ,sour cream and cheese. Game day dishes don't have to be take out fumbles.They can be hot, fresh and inspired.It's a great way to celebrate a modern American tradition.