Food Pics of the Week (FPOTW): The Limerick Pub

The limerick pub

11301 Elkin St Wheaton, MD 20902

The Limerick Pub’sYelp Link: ***

If you want to find Dr. KOS, PhD in Wheaton, MD, he probably will be at this pub. 😉

I guess we can consider this spot our Cheers – a place where everyone knows my name (whether I like it or not 🤣). I’m not sure how this place converted into a random bar that I walked into while searching for an adult beverage on a warm summer day to our local watering hole. Actually, I do remember. Originally, I was going to check out a mexican restaurant/bar because I really wanted a margarita. However, the restaurant/bar give off a vibe as if I was a “persona non grata” so I left before the bartender could start preparing my margarita because I REFUSE to spend my hard-earned money at an unwelcoming place.

Because I was having such a crappy work week…well crappy month…well crappy couple of months, I really wanted some comfort food. Typically, Fish n Chips is one of my main go-to comfort dishes. LOL, my mom would joke and say that I only like Fish n Chips because I like malt vinegar. I think this recent visit was an excuse to also have a beer (or three) with my Fish n Chips. Come to think of it, I’ve only had Fish n Chips in bars/pubs because I cannot think of a time when I made it at home. Eh, I guess that makes sense because I’m not a huge fan of frying seafood at home.

Some reasons why I f*ck with The Limerick Pub.

-It’s pretty close to our apt. Sometimes, as a way to get some fresh air and some movement (on my work from home days), I’ll make the 2-mile walk to the pub.

-Everyone, for the most part, is pretty nice. The pub is one of those places where you can visit alone and end up chatting with 2-4 new people. Also, it’s one of those places where if you want to be left alone, folks will leave you the hell alone.

-The pub food is pretty good, and they have theme nights. For instance, Throwback Thursdays are pretty cool because most of the pub menu prices are listed as 2011 prices – the year the pub opened. Honestly, I cannot say that I’ve had a bad meal there.

-The older Irish bartender is always cranky, but “fun” cranky….on most occasions. However, the husband and I figured out how to melt his cold heart with two topics. Topic 1: Eurovision because he, who looks like he is in his 50s, has been watching the contest his entire life. Topic 2: Spain because he really wants to retire there. I think retiring in Spain is a goal for some from the the UK and Ireland because the weather is nicer and the cost of living is lower.

-The bar is really close (a 2-minute walk) from a really “important” cultural site…the Wheaton Metro Station. Stretching 230 feet, the Wheaton Metro station has the longest set of escalators in the Western Hemisphere.

Food Pics of the Week (FPOTW): Watch & Warrant

Watch & Warrant (***)

2 E Main St Luray, VA 22835

The hubby and I decided to do something a little different, so we took a ~2hr drive to check out Luray Caverns in (as you may have guessed) Luray, Virginia. I think that I was supposed to visit these caverns when I was a kid (back in the 80s), but we did not for some reason. I wanna say that I was supposed to go with my church or with my school.

I'll say that the caverns were way better than I would have imagined. Actually, I'm glad that I went as a 40 something year old man instead of an 7-10 year old child, because I do not think I would have appreciated this natural wonder as a kid. While all of the nooks and crannies were amazing, Dream Lake (below) absolutely took the cake.

The above picture for Dream Lake does not do this section of the cavern any justice. But upon coming to this part of the caverns, you would think that you are seeing stalactites and stalagmites. However, the stalagmites are merely a reflection (or a "dream") of stalactites through the very small still body of water. Simply amazing.

After viewing the caverns and the three museums next door, we headed to "downtown" Luray to get some bites. To be perfectly honest, we went to the first place that had a decent food AND beer/cocktail menu. Sorry, but I needed a drink because there were quite a bit of kids in the cavern. Not hating, but kids will be kids . . . . and their voices were amplified in the caverns.

Fish & Chips

I keep it pretty simple and went with the Fish n Chips. I'll say that the fish was quite tasty. I think it's because they used halibut, whereas most places serve tilapia (yuck). Since the bartender was bragging about making delicious Manhattans (essentially a whiskey martini), I went with one instead of being "normal" and having a beer (in particular an IPA) with the dish. Unfortunately for me, the bartender used WAY TOO much vermouth, and the Manhattan wasn't that delicious. That said, the restaurant redeemed itself with it's excellent beer selection...as well as the service.

Speaking of Luray and surrounding areas, I wouldn't mind going back to the area for long weekend to hit up some spots on the Blue Ridge Whisky Wine Loop . . . I do enjoy a fun map. ;)

If you look at the Luray area on the bottom left of the fun map, you can see the restaurant described in the this edition of FPOTW.

FOOD PICS OF THE WEEK - Bay Local Eatery

Bay Local Eatery (***)

72 Laskin Rd Virginia Beach, VA 23451

What an amazing brunch joint. This spot definitely is on the top of my list for weekend brunch excursions. The only issue: the place is super popular so wait times can be a bit long, and the place does not take reservations. Fortunately for us, we had to wait about 30 minutes for a table. You know how I am . . . I don't believe in waiting more than 45 minutes for a table. Actually, that was my rule for NYC dining. Perhaps, I might have to update this for my suburban life in Virginia.

Great Advice, Bay Local Eatery.

As some might know by now, I love Eggs Benedict, and I love oysters. . . so of course, my brunch dish was a combination of the two. Overall my dish was pretty delicious. Although the prep crew could have worked on the plating just a little bit. ;)

A slight rant:

Before I begin, this rant more or less is about dining in the mid-Atlantic region (specifically SE Virginia) and not about Bay Local Eatery.

Ok, I get that particular regions, states, and/or cities want their claim to fame in terms of cuisines. For example, N. Carolina and Texas, BBQ; NYC and Chicago, hotdogs and pizza; Southern California, fish tacos, etc. This region is known for crabs (and other shellfish delights) from the Chesapeake Bay, which is fine. BUT, here is what bugs me. Why do restaurants in the area have to put Old Bay Seasoning on EVERY GODDAMN THING?

Even in the picture of my food, you can see some Old Bay Seasoning on the lemon wedge. During brunch, my aunt and I were discussing this. I had to ask her to refresh my memory on whether this was a thing back in the day because I only remember having Old Bay Seasoning whenever we had steamed crabs. I never recalled seeing beverages with Old Bay Seasoning rims. Now, we have Bloody Marys, mimosas, margaritas, mojitos, and plain old glasses of water accompanied by Old Bay Seasoning.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT OLD BAY SEASONING ON EVERYTHING because it really doesn't elevate the taste of eggs . . . or water.

Ok, rant over

FOOD PICS OF THE WEEK - Park Lane Tavern

Park Lane Tavern (***)

1250 Fordham Dr Virginia Beach, VA 23464

I came for a beer but stayed for the fish n chips.

I will say that enjoyed my experience at Park Lane Tavern, which is a British-inspired pub. The hubby and I had to lol for a little bit because the ceiling of the tavern has a huge painting of the European Union’s flag.

was like, I thought that the UK was not a part of the EU any longer. Perhaps, Park Lane Tavern did not get the memo, or they are hoping that the UK will rejoin the EU. Actually, maybe the physical vibe of the restaurant is British, but they have cuisines from other EU countries.

Anywho, on to the food. While we were deciding on what to eat, the waitress told us that the day’s special was fish n chips. Once I heard that I was sold.

I’m gonna say that this was the BEST fish n chips that I have eaten in a very long time. OMG, the fish was fried perfectly (ie the breading was not soggy as hell and the fish was nice and flaky) and the fries had just the right amount of salt on them. I’m glad that I gave Park Lane, as an establishment, a second chance. A couple of months before this visit, the hubby and I had brunch at the other location in Hampton. That experience was a hot mess for the following reasons:

• The food kinda sucked. I get really annoyed when restaurants screw up simple things like eggs.

• The Hampton location is way too large for the amount of staff they have. As a result, the service was very slow.