Anniversary Celebration in Cape May

Cape May has always held a special spot in my heart and my memory. My parents lived there for several years and ever since then we haven’t let a summer go by without a visit or two. When my parents lived there (in the Seventies) it was still “The Undiscovered Resort.” Families were more attracted to Ocean City for the boardwalk and rides. Gamblers preferred Atlantic City. But for those willing to travel a little further, the Victorian architecture, history, and less crowded (then) beach and town, the extra effort and miles paid significant dividends.

Today, Cape May is no longer “undiscovered.” The extensive beach restoration, impressive list of restaurants (many on the top New Jersey list), lovely Bed and Breakfasts, and wineries have been attracting throngs of tourists for the past few decades.

Accommodations

We stayed at the Southern Mansion (see photo above) on Monday and Tuesday, with a large, comfy room, convenient to walk to most restaurants and shopping. The beach is a bit further and requires a short drive and plenty of quarters (or a parking app). The Southern Mansion has made a few COVID-related changes to ensure the safety of all, but the breakfasts and service have not missed a beat.

The Dinners

We had made reservations weeks in advance at two wonderful restaurants. On Monday, only a few hours before our reservation at Tisha’s, we found out they were closed due to a kitchen staff member testing positive for COVID-19. They obviously did the right thing in closing (though the short notice was disconcerting and problematic for us.

George’s Place

Long story short, we wound up at George’s Place, a Greek restaurant. It is located in the Washington Commons, alongside of the Acme parking lot and across the street from the Pedestrian Mall. We had heard great things about George’s Place and even enjoyed a breakfast in the past at their other restaurant on Beach Avenue.

I did not take pictures of our food, but we had an amazing meal that included Spanikopita, Greek salads, grilled octopus with greens and pita bread, lamb shank, and grouper with parsley gremolata, and lemon potatoes.

Wow!

We will definitely be back.

Sapore Italiano Restaurant

On Tuesday, for our Anniversary dinner we had reservations for Sapore. This super restaurant is located on Broadway in West Cape May. We had been here twice before and I must say, the food and service were even better than our previous visits. We selected a lovely Caprese Salad to start the festivities.

For my entree I chose their Farfalle Barrese-pasta sautéed with mild Italian sausage, cherry tomatoes, and broccoli rabe in a white wine sauce. My wife chose one of their specials: Sachetti porcini (pasta stuffed with porcini mushrooms), topped with shrimp, scallops, Italian sausage, and broccoli rabe. It was finished with a pink brandy sauce. Both dishes were amazing and are pictured below.

                         

What a terrific anniversary dinner (and I haven’t mentioned the wines yet)!

The Wine

We brought the following wines along for the ride. I chose several of our favorite wines (which included two New Jersey Wines). A brief description of each is given below, followed by photos.

• Hawk Haven 2019 Vineyards Reserve Chardonnay Clone 76 & 95-A special Chard with a subtle use of oak and notes of apple and butter. It went very well with the seafood components in my wife’s meal at Sappore.
• Turdo Vineyards Turis 2014 Etichetta d’Oro Nebbiolo-Silky smooth, full-bodied, with aromas of caramel and vanilla, and flavors of dry fruit. I loved it with my lamb shank entree.
• Bennati della Valpollicella Amarone-A super Amarone, with a bold, full-bodied taste of black cherry and chocolate. We thoroughly enjoyed it with our Italian dinners at Sapore.
• Mer Soleil 2018 Silver Unoaked Chardonnay-Unoaked, but creamy and flavorful and perfect with our octopus and Greek salads.
• Mer Soleil 2019 Monterrey County Santa Lucia Highlands Reserve Chardonnay -An oaky, creamy Chard with a subtle kiss of sweetness. It was our happy hour wine (which we did not finish until home).

I tried to minimize the photography at the restaurants. The wines agreed to pose for a few photos in our room.

                    

My wife and I are both grateful for our wonderful Anniversary celebration in Cape May.

Cheers!

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