Fox's Lobster House (York Beach, Maine)

Nubble Point
York Beach, Main
www.foxslobster.com

On our first stop in Maine, we ate lunch at Fox's Lobster House which specializes in fresh lobster. Here's the seafood shack that overlooks the ocean and the picturesque Nubble lighthouse. We were so lucky to have the 2nd level of the restaurant all to ourselves while peacefully enjoying the ocean and lighthouse views. Traveling pre-tourist season is awesome.
The restaurant's placemat gives instruction on how to attack the lobstah!My first Maine "quartah poundah" (1.25 lb = $18.95)... So hot and fresh! I didn't really need to dip the lobster meat in the drawn butter or squeeze a lemon. The lobster itself was already tasty and flavorful.
Nothing left...I left my modesty back home - I sucked out all the meat and juice from every little claw. (The lobster's liver turns green when cooked... That's why the juice is green).

Clam Box (Ipswich, Massachusetts)

246 High St
Ipswich, MA 01938
(978) 356-9707

All over New England are seafood shacks with fried everything - fried clams, fried shrimp, fried clams, fried mussels, etc. We read that the Clam Box has the best fried clams...We must try then! On the way to Maine, we stopped by this restaurant, which is shaped like a ... you guessed it..clam box, the trapezoidal container in which fried-clams-to-go are customarily served. This roadside attraction dates back some 60 years. We ordered at the window, alongside the newspaper clippings and article reviews that rave about the Clam Box. There's even a photograph of Andy Garcia when he visited here. There's nice seating inside and they also have outdoor picnic tables.
We ordered the 3-Way Combo which includes fried clams, fried scallops, and fried shrimp...served with cole slaw, french fries, and biscuits ($21.25). The fried clams were soft and very slightly chewy. I'm not very used to the idea though of the long tail extending from the clam's body. It was still tasty nevertheless. The scallops though were very good and juicy. We shared this among 3 people and just barely finished. I love fried foods and ketchup, but I can handle only so much of fried foods.

Degustation (New York - East Village)

239 E 5th St
New York, NY 10003
(212) 979-1012

Hidden on 5th Street, it's pretty easy to miss Degustation if you just stroll along the main streets of East Village. The entrance to the restaurant is low-key, with its name modestly placed on the door. Degustation has a 16-seat bar seating where patrons can witness the chefs prepare and cook the Frenco-Spanish style tapas right in front of them. Ambiance was intimate and comfortable. The waitress was well-versed in the menu, giving us a breakdown of our dishes each time she served us our plates. After we finished each of our dishes, we were given a new set of utensils. I think we went through 7 rounds of utensils... (Apologies for the picture quality. Lighting was a bit dim). croquetas
slowly poached egg with jamon serrano and chorizo "broth"
pan roasted squab breast, ginger-beet puree, pickled white asparagus and chervil
wagyu beef flank, tempura of white maitake mushrooms, pea shoots, and red onion marmalade (that is white foam on the left).

suckling pig, tomatillo, velvet pioppini mushrooms, scallions and cilantro
grilled octopus, potato, caramelized bulb onions and celery salad with a piquillo pepper emulsion
seared foie gras, sherry and date consomme with watermelon radish
Tasting these wonderful tapas was a delectable affair - each dish delivering a different experience.