A Woods Hole Tradition

At first a bakery may seem an odd spot for music and spoken word performance, but this isn’t any old bakery, it’s the heart of Woods Hole.  Since 2001, Randy Gummow has MC-ed “Open Mic Night” at Pie in the Sky bakery in Woods Hole.  Gummow is a devotee of the format, as he said, “because it gives everyone an opportunity to shine.”

Gummow has an unusual claim to fame – in his ten-year tenure, he has never missed a performance at this quirky local bakery.   Open 364 days a year, “Pie” (as the locals call it) is always packed with fans of fair trade coffee and fresh baked goods, but especially so on Open Mic nights.

Gummow performs “Friend of the Devil” by the Grateful Dead.

Perhaps it is their unique combo of sandwiches (try the BLT!), fresh baked goodies (my favorite is the coconut encrusted wonder bars), and freshly ground coffee, that puts this hip little eatery on the map.

One thing that always draws a crowd in summer is Open Mic Night, where music ranges from the Grateful Dead, Bob Marley, Led Zeppelin, or an all original.  Fun for all ages, the program kicks off at 6 pm on Monday evenings in the summertime.

Another heartfelt performance at Open Mic Night 2012.

Don’t miss out on this unique Woods Hole tradition.   Newcomers are welcome at the mic, but if you’re like me and happier in the audience, grab a wonderbar and enjoy the performances. Who knows, you might even see the ghost of Jerry Garcia – this is just his scene.

Pie in the Sky’s cozy interior.

Pie in the Sky at the beginning of Open Mic Night.

Woods Hole or Grand Cayman?

On one of the hottest days of the summer, I sat down to interview Kevin Murphy – the owner of Shuckers. As the southwest breeze off the water flowed through the shady restaurant, pairing with the Caribbean music and brightly colored fresh squeezed cocktails on every table, I felt like I was in the Cayman Islands.

Murphy and his wife, Karen, opened Shuckers 30 years ago. “We try to create a fun, fast pace, casual, water front experience,” he said. With music and dockside seating, this spot achieves Murphy’s goal of  “an atmosphere much like the Caribbean but located here on the Cape.”

Murphy as he captains Shuckers’ floating barge.

Shuckers, nicknamed “home of affordable water-front dining,” is most famous for their lobster boil.  But that is just the beginning of Shuckers’ lobster menu – they serve lobster in nine different ways! The lobster values don’t end there either — Tuesday nights Shuckers has a twin lobster boil and Friday nights a triple lobster boil. Affordable lobster PLUS dock seating?  OK, now I’m drooling.

In addition, Shuckers has a well-reviewed raw bar, plus soups, sandwiches, and all the seafood you could eat.  “We serve the freshest catch to the dock,” said Murphy, who purchases Sippewissett and Waquoit oysters, as well as soft and hard shell clams, fish, and shellfish native to Cape Cod.

Most of Woods Hole’s restaurants have a great view of the water – Shuckers is the only one with seats on a floating barge, named “the Song of Eel Pond.” This distinctive vessel is usually attached to the dock but is also available for chartering and has been used for small weddings and other special occasions.

Shuckers’ floating barge – “The Song of Eel Pond.”

Local artists are featured every Friday and Saturday at Shuckers and during the rest of the week Shuckers has “a great music assortment made specifically for the restaurant,” says Murphy.

So why fly south when you can drive to Woods Hole and enjoy the laid-back Caribbean vibe right here on Cape Cod? Shuckers is seasonal – open from the week before Memorial Day to Columbus Day weekend.  Open weekdays (11am to 11pm) and Fridays and Saturdays (11am to midnight).

Shuckers’ outdoor dock seating overlooking Eel Pond.

The Taste of the World

With a front row seat of Eel Pond and the unique drawbridge that rises to let sailboats in and out of the protected inlet, it’s no wonder why Phusion Grille is always buzzing. It’s not just the killer real estate that keeps patrons coming back year after year – owner Carol Grigas credits inventive cooking and a great staff for keeping her customers so happy.

Grigas has worked with chef Stuart Hirsch for ten years, and together they have developed a unique menu combining the flavors of many cultures.  Hirsch, who trained with celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck and others, has worked in both Hawaii and Jamaica, and delights in creating a Hawaiian-Asian menu with a Jamaican twist.

Hirsch strives to use as many local ingredients that are available – as is evident by the fresh taste of his dishes. Grigas also maintains her own small garden outside of Phusion where she personally waters and picks fresh herbs. Her chocolate mint leaf mojitos are famous from Woods Hole to Waikiki.

Grigas waters her fresh herbs right outside of Phusion’s door.

Popular items on Phusion’s original menu are the mussels in a coconut-lemongrass-saffron broth, the Kahana black ribs grilled in a sweet and spicy passion fruit-plum sauce, and snapper with Jamaican rundown sauce.  But the biggest hit is Hirsch’s original “Phu-burger” — an eight-ounce American Kobe beef burger, tomato micro-greens, lemon grass caper aioli, six-ounces of mango pimento butter, topped with a lobster tail, and finally, a side of truffle fries.  Wolfgang himself would be wowed by this one.

Grigas is a true fan of reggae and spends her winters in Jamaica enveloped in the upbeat atmosphere. She beams as she points me to a Bob Marley painting and begins talking of Reggae Nights here at Phusion. Every Saturday at Phusion is Reggae Night, featuring Niko one Drop Roots Radical Connection from FM 89.3 WUMD.  Other musical guests include local artist Isel Garcia-Renart, who sings on Thursday nights.

With food from around the world, these snapshots will show you that Phusion is still rooted in the village of Woods Hole: