So I’m finally writing about our yearly vacation to the jersey shore. This year Cape May was warm, the beaches were inviting and the food was, well, just okay. Now that we have a 2-year-old, eating out in nice places isn’t really an option. Well, not if we want to have a nice meal and not if we don’t want the people around us coming at us with their silverware. So we opted for kid-friendly places and made out okay. I won’t get into the pizzas we ate and the restaurants we waited for hours to get into to no avail. But I will speak of the three delightful experiences we did have eating out in Cape May, NJ.

Hot Dog Tommy’s was on the block we were staying, Jackson Street, right in the middle of everything. It’s a small joint, literally a window to order from and no seating. There was almost always a line no matter what time of day but oddly the day we chose to have lunch from Tommy’s, no line. I had the signature dog, the Tornado, covered in mashed potatoes, chili, cheddar cheese, banana peppers, and sour cream. Of what I ate it was very good, the mashed potatoes added an interesting texture along side the chili and hot dog, with a little kick from the peppers. Before a sea gull scammed the last 1/3 of my dog, I was thoroughly enjoying my Tornado experience.If you like a dog covered with lots of….stuff. Get a dog from Tommy’s.

Next stop, The Lobster House, highly recommended by the Zeppetella’s, so you know this place is good. It’s located as you drive into Cape May, on the fishing docks, so the fish is fresh as it gets. Instructions from the Zeps were as follows: go in the fish market entrance, not the fancy restaurant, and order your food, (Mr. Zep said the fried scallops were phenomenal so Derek had no choice but to get them, I got crab stuffed shrimp, and Riley had the fish and chips) next find a table in the outdoor seating area located on the dock, wait for your number to be called, get your food, eat, and enjoy the view. Unfortunately we forgot about the cheap pitchers of beer and iced tea and had already purchased our drinks in the market. But the food was good. Derek scarfed down those scallops and Riley was even eating the fried flounder and fries, and my crab stuffed shrimp was so savory. Not much was left on our plates. But of course, I couldn’t have lunch without being accosted by a sea gull. One swooped down and stole a butter patty. Man, they are balsy here.

So lastly, and certainly not leastly, is the Mad Batter, located directly across from our condo. They serve a mean breakfast and offer outdoor seating on their front porch. There were other families there so we felt no remorse for any of Riley’s shinnanigans. I ordered the thick sliced orange and almond french toast, Derek, the Chesepeake Bay Benedict, and Riley had a pancake. I know I’ve said this before but I love breakfast and I love when restaurants get it so right on. My french toast was delectible. A harmonious combination of the orange flavor with the crunch of almonds. So good, I could eat it for all three meals. Derek enjoyed his benedict as well. On top of the poached eggs was a generous portion of lump crabmeat, so much so, I couldn’t see the eggs, and topped with a lemony caper hollandaise. Riley’s pancake was bigger than her head and tasted homemade, fluffy and buttery. Bravo Mad Batter. They’ve been there forever and now I know why. Maybe we’ll try dinner next year.