THREW Mikes EyEz

Original Writings, Images, Video and Artworks of Mike Hartley

Tag Archives: dailyprompt-1908


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Reflections

What is your favorite restaurant? – Now there is a tough question from the daily writing prompt.

This would be a tough question if you asked me in which town. It would be a tough question if you did it based on a certain ethnic food. Ahh, I’m going nuts here thinking about it and I’m getting hungry.

Okay, I’ll settle down.

I went through a couple of recent favorites but then a smile crossed my face from a distant memory.

It’s one that is no longer there. But it has the best memories of both food, company and pleasure. It was at the shore in Ocean City, and it was called Reflections. There were several selections that you could have prepared tableside. But everything was good.

At first it was just my better half and myself. Yeah, we were young once. So many romantic dinners together before the children. It was so relaxing, so elegant and quiet. Maybe the best bowl of Cream of Crab soup ever.

It was the whole experience from being seated to finishing desert and having the check come with two wrapped mints. Never feeling rushed but well attended to.

Oh, I just remembered the bread, that isn’t fair. What a start, warm, a bit of honey brushed over top of this indescribable soft but flakey masterpiece of baking. Oh, another memory, the BBQ Bacon wrapped Shrimp appetizer. They must have cooked the bacon halfway and then wrapped the shrimp because when it came the bacon was perfectly cooked as well as the shrimp.

We went there every year, so we sampled every entry they had which were all wonderful from beef to seafood and more.

We liked the Banana’s Foster prepared tableside or the Smith Island cake for deserts but there were so many wonderful treats besides those.

The staff was incredible. It made every meal there one to remember, especially when it was just 2 of us when we were young and then with the children when they were growing up on family vacations to the ocean.

I have to say the kids made it special also because they were on their best behavior there to my recollection which made it great also.

Sometimes we would take a walk on the beach after the meal. What great memories of those meals and times there.

I would have had to sort through boxes of old photos to find one of the old restaurant so a reflection picture will have to do. Photo by Mike Hartley


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Dine on this

What is your favorite restaurant? So ask the Daily Writing prompt on this sunny morning in the Mid-Atlantic region.

What is my favorite restaurant depends on what I’m in the mood to eat. Each place has its specialties. I’m unlikely to get the best steak at my favorite crab house. I could flip a coin to any of the first 3 below for my favorite.

I’d have to say Fagers Island in Ocean City. (The Hobbit in OC is a close second)

Photos by Mike Hartley

Corner Stable on York Road – Best BBQ Baby Back Ribs – Still one of my favorites. I have eaten there on my birthdays for a lot of years.

The rest I still love to eat at.

Pappas Crab House – Best Crabcakes

Stella Notte – Best local Italian

Shannons Pub – Best local comfort food.

Canopy – Best Pit Beef, fries, cole slaw around

Dumsers – best after-dinner ice cream deserts in Ocean City

Food is one of the great blessings many of us take for granted. I love to eat, you can see we go out a bit. I never take this for granted. I try to contribute to the Maryland Food Bank a few times a year and I’ve got to do more for them this year.

My parent’s generation taught us there were days when there wasn’t food because they grew up in the Great Depression. There was a different appreciation for meals. How families gathered is different than today’s rushed schedules.

Be grateful for those who grow and raise our food and bring it to market.

Be thankful for your meal today.