I have to admit that the intensity of the busy summer months coupled with raising two young daughters requires a break every now and then. So yesterday afternoon, James and I left the inn in the care of our trusty interns, our daughters in the care of trusty Nana, and headed north with no game plan except to have fun. We followed the familiar roads through Orleans, Eastham, Wellfleet, and Truro noting the many beaches and lighthouses our guests are always raving about over their morning coffee when I chat with them during breakfast. In Provincetown, we meandered along the main drag, Commercial Street, popping into eclectic shops and galleries and taking in Provincetown’s notorious population of colorful gay couples.
Since managing to sit down to a proper lunch is rare for us in the summer, we found our stomachs growling long before dinnertime and happened upon Karoo Kafe, an exotic South African eatery where we enjoyed a sampler appetizer platter of Somosas, Falafel Balls, Snail Rangoons, and Smoky Wings which we washed down with some beer and wine. For casual, out of the ordinary fare, we’d highly recommend a stop at this ethnic cafe, particularly for vegetarians or vegans.
Back on Commercial Street, we stumbled upon a fantastic looking bakery/creamery/sandwich joint, the Purple Feather. We were tempted by the gelato display where unusual flavors like Mojito Sorbetto were featured, but resisted in an effort to save room for dinner. We also passed our chef’s favorite sandwich spot, Relish, which recent guests of ours who are self described sandwich connoisseurs gave glowing reviews on a recent day trip. If you happen to be taking a lunchtime Whale Watch, swing by Relish for a to-go sandwich and enjoy it while watching the humpbacks put on a show. We also noticed a crowd gathered outside the infamous Lobster Pot and took a wander through the restaurant, which interestingly displays an open kitchen as patrons walk by to their water view seating. We caught a glimpse of some giant lobster rolls on their way to hungry diners, and once again, were almost tempted to indulge. Finally, on our way back to the car, we passed Art’s Dune Tours, a small operation which takes tourists on a four wheel adventure through the protected Provincetown dunes. A couple years back, we went on a dune tour and highly recommend the experience which, as Art’s Tours promotes, highlights the “other” Provincetown.
We decided to head to Wellfleet for dinner and were delighted to find two seats at the sushi bar at the Mac Shack. A glorified “shack” restaurant, Mac’s attracts quite the crowd in the summer months with a raw bar outside surrounded by patio seating as well as indoor space complete with a sushi bar which produced excellent fresh fish with some creative rolls and our favorite, Hawaiian tuna poke appetizer. We ended the night at the nearby Chatham Bars Inn’s Beach Grille for a nightcap on the beach where we enjoyed some live music and star gazing on some Adirondack chairs in the sand.
Now, rejuvenated by our outing and armed with recommendations and advice for guests, we embark on another busy summer day at the Captains House Inn.
