Captain Kidd Bar and Restaurant with all new menu and decor

The Captain Kidd restaurant re-opened last week after a major renovation with sparkling new spaces, a fabulous modern menu and all the same old charm.  Perched on the Eel Pond with great views over the water, the Captain Kidd is known as a world-class watering hole in the finest village on Cape Cod.

Guests enjoy the dockside dining, many tables with killer water views, and classic old brass wood and marble bar area with an amazing mural depicting the pirate Captain Kidd painted in the 1930’s. In the winter, this cozy room is a great gathering place for locals.  In the summer, with the doors wide open to the ocean breeze, this bar sports a great vibe and amazing views.

Mouth watering new menu items include a full raw bar, perfectly cooked local fish, steamed lobster and lots of new salads.  Kids will love the ribs with mac and cheese, Mom appreciates the extensive wine list and Dad enjoys the big screen TV’s with the game on, plus twelve beers on tap.  There is something for everyone at this classic location in Woods Hole.

The Captain Kidd also hosts events, weddings and parties in the off season, so call them for your next party or event.

Check out the photos of this great new spot, and come down to Woods Hole for a meal on the waterfront at the famous “Captain Kidd.”

Quicks Hole Tavern

A new restaurant has opened in Woods Hole, in the location long occupied by the Leeside.  Brought to you by the owners of the Woods Hole Inn and the Quicks Hole Taqueria (next door), this new Tavern offers fine dining with water views, specializing in new American cuisine with craft beers and a full bar.

Great views from the second floor dining room over all of Woods Hole harbor and the busy Steamship ferry terminal with service to Martha’s Vineyard makes this the place to be at sunset.  The menu includes upscale items like Angus Burgers with truffle fries, “pig candy” a maple roasted pork shoulder on a bed of apple guava puree, and house-made Quahog Fritters.  There are many vegetarian options, as well as a number of smaller “sides” making it easy to craft your perfect meal.

The Tavern is also known for it’s Quahog Chowder, which has been named a top-ten chowder on Cape Cod by readers of the Cape Cod Times two years in a row.  Recently names one of the “best new restaurants on Cape Cod” by Cape Cod Magazine, the Quicks Hole Tavern is worth a stop as you visit Woods Hole.

Boston Magazine also recommended a stop here in their June cover story called “Summer in the City — 75 ways to take the heat in style” which reads, “This year, the team behind the beloved Quicks Hole taco stand transformed the Leeside Restaurant into a new tavern specializing in cocktails strong enough to make you forget the ferry altogether…”

Quicks Hole Tavern is located at 29 Railroad Avenue in Woods Hole, across from the ferry terminal.  Full menu is available on their website. The Tavern plans to be open year round.

The original Quicks Hole located next door at 6 Luscombe Avenue in Woods Hole is also open for the summer with lobster tacos, burritos, salads and more.

Calcutta Fishing Derby

The 2013 Calcutta Fishing Derby has come to a close, and the winners were announced last night at a party at the Landfall Restaurant.  Fishermen and women from all over Falmouth and Woods Hole gathered to share the delicious bounty including fried bluefish and striped bass bites with cajun dipping sauce, baked striped bass, roasted bluefish with mayonnaise, homemade clam chowder, several salads and cole slaw.

Winners were as follows:  Dave Ponelli (Bass @ 27.75 lbs,  Bluefish @  12:00 lbs),  Lisa Danburg (Bass @  8.85 lbs, Bluefish @   7.75 lbs) and in the child’s division,  William Kelleher with a Bluefish @ 3.00 lbs.

Winners took home prizes in excess of $1,400, and the artist Julia O’Malley-Keyes was on hand to raffle off her painting, donated to the Woods Hole Business Association as a prize for the fishermen entering the free contest.

Here are some pictures of the evening, with the sun setting over the Woods Hole passage and the lights twinkling at the Landfall.  What a great way to end the fishing season in Woods Hole.

Cool in Woods Hole

Woods Hole is the perfect spot to beat the heat of the dog days of summer. Nestled on a peninsular between Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound there always seems to be a nice sea breeze. The temperature in Woods Hole is typically 10 degrees cooler than in town.

Want to take a swim? There are three great spots for that. Stony Beach, which is located on the Buzzards Bay side, is popular for locals and summer visitors. On the Vineyard Sound side there is Nobska Beach, enjoy the surf while you watch the boats pass by the famous Nobska Light house. Or right in the village at Waterfront Park, a great place for a quick dip to cool off.

Even if you don’t have your swim gear waterfront park is a village oasis that has plenty of grass and shade. Grab a cold drink, hot dog or lobster roll from the food cart and create an impromptu picnic.

 

At the end of your day or even the purpose of your trip enjoy one of the many open and airy waterfront restaurants with cool breezes Woods Hole has to offer. A prime example is Shuckers World Famous Raw Bar and Café located right on the dock, sit and grab a cold beverage of your choice at the open air bar or enjoy lunch or dinner on the dock or on their dinning vessel “the Song of Eel Pond”. Now that’s cool in Woods Hole.

Calcutta Fishing Derby

The Calcutta Fishing Derby takes place during the month of September and is sponsored by the Woods Hole Business Association. Daily prizes are given for the biggest catch of Bluefish and Bass and grand prizes are given on the final day of the derby.

The 2012 Calcutta Fishing Derby begins at 12:01am on September 10^th and ends at 12:00am on October 12^th. Eligible fish species include Striped Bass and Bluefish. The entry fee is twenty dollars and kids under 12 years old are free.

The weigh-in station for all fish entered in the contest will take place at the Landfall Restaurant. Weigh-in times are between 9:00am and 10:00pm – all fish are required to be weighed within 15 hours of being caught.

At the end of the Derby, the money earned from entry fees is split in half- awarding 50% of the proceeds to the largest Bass and 50% to the largest Bluefish.

The past winners sign, proudly hung in front of the Landfall Restaurant.

The Fishmonger

Despite having eaten at the Fishmonger dozens of times, the definition of a “fishmonger” was never clear to me. After a few Google searches, I discovered this means “someone who sells fish and seafood” which is certainly true of this authentic New England perched on one of the East Coast’s most cherished fishing meccas.

With fresh fish served daily, the atmosphere in this wharf-turned-dining-room is perfect for a meal by the sea. Add the fabulous views of Great Harbor and the drawbridge, and you really cannot go wrong. Everyone loves watching the channel as tall sailboats pass through the Woods Hole drawbridge, an inlet marina accessed only by this passage.

I love eating at the Monger (as the locals call it) in the fall and winter months – the interior colors perfectly compliment the outdoor scenery and provide a cozy place to hideout from the cold as well as enjoy a delicious meal.

Like most Woods Hole restaurants, the Fishmonger is casual and welcomes all ages with food for the whole family. The menu is diverse, with dishes ranging from traditional American seafood, to Middle Eastern, vegan, and vegetarian. Chef Troy carefully prepares each dish using as many fresh and local ingredients as possible.

The Fishmonger serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner and stays open year round, with seasonal hours.   Do check on their Facebook page for specials and hours before heading down here.

No matter what season the Fishmonger is a great place to grab a bite in Woods Hole. Definitely try the daily specials too – there is always something new and fun on the menu, just like the fishmonger of yore.

 

Woods Hole’s Pirate Bar

Built in 1849,  the Captain Kidd is Woods Hole’s favorite pirate bar. With marble counter tops and furnishings from old ships, dining at the Captain Kidd really takes you back to Woods Hole’s original pirate days.

Yes, it’s true.  Woods Hole was once the hangout of pirates, including the famous Captain Kidd who was rumored to use nearby Tarpaulin and Kettle Coves as a hideout from which to spring upon merchant ships.

The Kidd, as locals refer to the restaurant, was outfitted in honor of our famous pirate forbearer, and the walls of the main bar are lined with a 1930’s era mural of pirates lounging on island shores, a mahogany bar with old brass fittings, and a marble bar rail.

Today’s Captain Kidd is a casual and fun hangout. The menu includes primarily seafood such as baked New England Scrod, broiled Sea Scallops, Shrimp Scampi, Salmon, and of course, lobster. In addition to the classic Cape Cod seafood, the Kidd offers tons of soups, salads, burgers, and sandwiches.  This authentic bar is open year-round and is particularly delightful in winter when the pot-bellied stove warms the room looking out over Eel Pond as you perch on a stool that looks like an old wooden keg around tables made from cable spools.

In summer, the adjacent Waterfront Dining Room opens up as well and the menu expands to include summer favorites like boiled lobster and fresh striped bass. The back deck here doubles as a working dock, and it’s tough to beat the views of the marina as you don your lobster bib and the clarified butter drips down your chin.  This room is also available in the off-season for private parties, and hosts the popular “Dinner and a Movie” in association with the Woods Hole Film Festival, a Saturday night staple for year-rounders.

The Captain Kidd is perhaps most famous as starting point of the Falmouth Road Race – where for 39 years, runners have gathered to dash the scenic seven-mile stretch.

Tommy Leonard, longtime friend of the owners of the Kidd and founder of this now-famous race with over 10,000 runners, is memorialized in a plaque just at the front door.  Don’t miss your photo-op with one of Falmouth’s most revered residents.

So whether you come for the road race (running this Sunday August 12^th) or just to explore the waterfront, I can guarantee the awesome atmosphere paired with the classic Cape Cod menu is too great to pass up.  I mean, it’s not every day you can enjoy a real pirate bar.

Woods Hole on Dwellable

Quicks Hole Kids Night

Every Tuesday evening, starting in July, Quicks Hole transforms into a kid sized movie theater. The lights are dimmed, the projector comes out and small chairs for the movie – goers are lined up.   Kid’s Night at Quicks is a local favorite, with both parents and their children.

Family classics are shown on a big screen jammed in a corner of the dining room, and parents gather nearby on the water view deck for an adult meal and a pitcher of the house sangria.  Kids eat their suppers and then fall into that wonderful late-in-the-day storytelling trance that comes with moving images, leaning forward in their miniature Adirondack chairs to catch every beat of the film.

What goes better than popcorn with a movie? During Kid’s Night you can receive 50% off a kid’s meal with the purchase of an adult meal. Kid’s love snacking on mini-quesadillas or chicken tacos while watching their favorite films.

When I asked Nick, age 3 ½ what his favorite part of Kid’s night was he answered, “Nemo!” His sister, Emily, said she came for the chips.

Whether you come for the food, the movie, or Nemo – Kid’s Night at Quicks Hole is a fun activity for both kids and their parents.

Below are a few pictures of the kids as they gather to watch Finding Nemo and eat their delicious meals:

The Landfall

What could beat dangling your feet into the Gulf-stream water after a delicious seafood dinner? Probably not too much – the Landfall Restaurant sits right over the water and serves great fresh and local food from one of the best waterfront locations on Cape Cod.

From lobster, swordfish, clams, scallops to juciy sirloin and many other choices – the Landfall serves it all.  This classic New England fare is great for all ages and tastes.

The atmosphere at the Landfall is also totally classic Cape Cod. Just looking at the ceiling of hanging buoys and other shipwrecked treasures, then check in with your friendly waitress or bartender for more history on the business that has been operating in this incredible location for over 65 years.

The building itself was originally constructed of wood from shipwrecks, and has survived several major hurricanes with the doors off just allowing the tidal surge to pass through.  If you look closely, you will find relics of major ships, urns from Greece, old lobsterpots from local shores and many other treasures of the sea tucked in the rafters.

Sit in the main dining room with your plastic bib for the steamed lobster dripping with clarified butter and fresh lemon, or perch on the dock out front for one of their famous fresh-juice squeezed cocktails.  Join the twenty-somethings on Sunday night for a rocking late night party, or come in the off season and settle near the wood burning stove for the broiled scrod special. With the cool, grey ocean lurking right beyond your table, and the Vineyard ferries coming and going on the docks beyond, there is a season and event for everyone at the classic Landfall.

Don’t be fooled by the plentiful seating, the Landfall fills up fast in the summer season. To make reservations either call: (508) 548-1758 or check out the Landfall’s website: http://www.woodshole.com/landfall

Just another packed night at the Landfall.

Queen of Versailles comes to Woods Hole

Filmmaker Lauren Greenfield was in Woods Hole this week, this year’s “Artist in Residence” and invited guest of the Woods Hole Film Festival.  Greenfield screened her hot new film “Queen of Versailles” to a sold-out crowd at Redfield Auditorium on Sunday night.

“Queen of Versailles” won the prestigious best-director award at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, and is being released in theaters by Magnolia Pictures this month.  This cutting edge documentary follows the riches-to-rags story of billionaires Jackie and David Siegel, who were building the largest house in America before the crash of 2008 left them scrambling and in debt.  This piercing look into the underbelly of consumerism uncovers the innate virtues and flaws of the American dream.

Greenfield’s work encompasses both documentary film and still photography, where her incisive eye has earned her awards, accolades and inclusion in a number of fine museums and private collections. Since 1991, her photographs have been regularly published in magazines including the New York Times Magazine, Time, Vanity Fair, People, National Geographic, and The New Yorker.

Patrons of the Woods Hole Film Festival were treated to a “master class” with Greenfield on Tuesday afternoon.  In a two-hour session, she traced the roots of her work back to her undergraduate years at Harvard, and made connections with images about beauty culture (the subject of a documentary of the same title), current youth obsession with money (“kids + money” a short documentary from 2008) and our relationship to celebrity and fame.  Greenfield also screened “Thin” – her 2006 documentary and book project for HBO chronicling the emotional reality of life within the halls of a residential treatment center for eating disorders.

Greenfield and her husband Frank Evers (executive producer of “Queen of Versailles” as well as founder of the photo agency Institute for Artist’s Management) were staying at the Woods Hole Inn with their two kids for the week.  They were spotted at lunch at Quicks Hole, exploring Great Harbor in an outboard, and at dinner at both the Landfall and Fishmonger Café.

“I just love Woods Hole!” crowed Greenfield, who assured this reporter she would return to our little village one day soon.

May we be so lucky!

Evers, Greenfield and local PK Simonds enjoy dinner at the Fishmonger Cafe.

Greenfield tours Great Harbor in Woods Hole.

Lauren Greenfield answers questions with Rob Moss after the screening of Queen of Versailles.

Frank Evers and Lauren Greenfield enjoy a lobster dinner at the Landfall in Woods Hole.