The Three Forks Review

🐶 While we love hitting up our favorite spots when vacationing on the Cape, we also love discovering new ones. We made a few great discoveries during our August trip.

By chance, we checked out the newly opened Bass Hole Boardwalk and fell in love with the adjoining Gray’s Beach. The Cove Motel In Orleans turned out to be another new gem for us, with gorgeous landscaping, beautiful cove views, and a location just steps away from the Ice Cream Cafe and The Lost Dog Pub In Orleans.

Serving pub fare with late-night kitchen hours, The Lost Dog Pub was a great spot when we wanted a later dinner while still keeping things family-friendly. With plenty of seating, as well as a large bar area, we enjoyed the bustling atmosphere and subtle nautical decor.

My nephew had pre-scanned the menu and was on a mission to try his first anchovy. Uncle Phil’s pizza came with red sauce, pepperoni, garlic, and anchovies. We all bravely tried a bite, and I think a slice paired with a b**r might be more manageable than I would have expected! End result: my nephew is now an anchovies-on-pizza fan.

For me, I stuck with classic pub fare and went with a Caesar salad and an order of buffalo wings. Both were very good and large enough to share with the rest of the table.

The Chicken Parmesan was a generous portion of breaded chicken, fried and served with marinara over pasta. It was well received and enjoyed

The Kitchen Sink pizza had pretty much everything you could think of, minus the anchovies. It had a lot going on, which was OK for a slice, but proved to be a lot for the member of our group who ordered it as a main meal.

The Fish & Chips came with a large piece of cod, fries, coleslaw, lemon, and tartar sauce. A younger member of our vacation group had not tried seafood before the trip, so he was on a mission to try it all. By this point, he had hit all the big ones: clam chowder, fried shrimp, fried clams, scallops, lobster, and now cod. We were impressed!

Overall, we had a nice dinner at The Lost Dog Pub. Considering the convenience of being able to walk there from our motel, the later evening kitchen hours, and, most importantly, the good food, we happily give The Lost Dog 2.5 out of 3 forks.

If you enjoy discovering new dining spots, please give us a follow.

☀️ Russo's lakeside seafood & steakhouse in Palmer, Mass., offers a relaxing dining experience with a menu serving steak, seafood, pasta, burgers, and more. With views of the lake beyond our window, it seemed fitting to start our meal with the Lakeside Margaritas. House tequila is mixed with peach schnapps, blue curaçao, and lemon. With a warm welcome upon entering Russo’s, our server was friendly and recommended several menu favorites. On a warm summer day, these margaritas went down almost too easily!

I enjoyed a fresh side salad topped with bleu cheese dressing. The chicken noodle soup was flavorful and hearty, with plenty of tender chunks of chicken and vegetables.

The 8-ounce center-cut sirloin with bacon-wrapped scallops was a delicious surf-and-turf option and the special of the day. Served with mashed potatoes and gravy, along with a side of asparagus, the steak and scallops were prepared well.

The Montreal Sirloin Tips were topped with bacon and cheddar cheese and served in a small casserole dish. The Montreal seasoning provided a nice flavor to the sirloin tips. Most entrees come with your choice of soup or salad, plus two sides.

For a leisurely meal with lakeside views, delightful entrees, and a welcoming atmosphere, we highly recommend a visit to Palmer. The Three Forks Review awards 3 out of 3 forks to Russo’s.

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🦞 Four months from now in January, when the cold winds are a-blowing and the snowflakes are falling, my mind will likely drift to summer memories of Cape Cod. We love the Outer Cape and make sure to include a few visits to Provincetown each trip. My photos always include the iconic shots of the red neon sign from The Lobster Pot, though I admit we had not actually dined there until our recent visit in August.

I was pleasantly surprised by the long, narrow restaurant that ended with waterfront dining amidst beachy, coastal vibes. We passed a tank of live lobsters and an open kitchen with a fast-working crew before heading up a flight of steps to our outdoor table, where magical harbor views awaited, complete with a viewing binocular.

Ahh the view.

I’ll be remembering sipping a P-town Pomegranate Margarita while looking out at the harbor on those upcoming cold nights for sure!

This landmark restaurant serves a selection of seafood, chowders, pasta, burgers, and salads. There are a few keys to our heart when it comes to food, and one of them is definitely when bread baskets are handed out with no questions asked. Complimentary pumpkin bread and rolls — be still my beating heart!

The Seafood Linguini came out with a hearty serving of shrimp, scallops, and lobster meat over pasta with a velvety, creamy, though somewhat mild-flavored Newburg sauce.

The Cod Sandwich had a golden-fried piece of fish with a toasted bun and creamy tartar sauce. The sandwich came with Cape Cod potato chips, which only seems fitting since we are on the Cape. Fried crisp with tender, flaky fish, each bite was enhanced by the beautiful views.

We swapped out the French fries for mashed potatoes with the fish and chips. The large codfish fillet was perfectly fried and crispy on the outside.

After years of walking by, we were glad we finally visited the Lobster Pot. The views alone are worthy of making it iconic, and the service was excellent and attentive. Our meals were thoughtfully prepared and pleasing. While we had a wonderful overall experience, the one thing keeping us at a very good rating versus perfect was that there were some bites we wished had a bit more flavor, while others were spot on. However, we would happily return for another meal on a future visit. The Three Forks Review awards 2.5 out of 3 forks for a long-overdue first visit to the Lobster Pot.

If you enjoy discovering new dining spots, please give us a follow

🍷 Truro Vineyards + South Hollow Spirits is a great spot to visit when you’re looking to relax off the beach and enjoy a leisurely vineyard experience. After a midday off-road drive along the dunes on the Cape, we pulled into Truro Vineyards to enjoy some great local w**es and a few bites from the food trucks, outdoors under the shade of umbrellas.

Our flights of four w**es to sample were served on boards with the names written in colorful chalk — a fun touch that added to the relaxed atmosphere.

The Crush Pad food truck served up some tasty bites. The Grilled Skirt Steak Salad was served on a fresh bed of arugula and topped with corn, avocado, croutons, tomatoes, feta, and a basil balsamic vinaigrette — a fresh and tantalizing combination of flavors. The Grilled Cajun Porkloin Sandwich was topped with red cabbage slaw and spicy mayo and served on a toasted brioche bun. The Cumin Lime Chicken Tacos came topped with crema, pico de gallo, and queso fresco.

All in all, it was a fun experience. While w**e was the star of our visit, we appreciated the option to purchase some bites from the food trucks outdoors. There were plenty of tempting options, and we’d be interested in trying some of the other menu items on a future visit.

We enjoyed tableside service for our drinks, with the option to order food right from our table and have it delivered. Afterwards, we strolled around the gift shop and purchased a bottle of w**e to bring home.

Stopping by Truro Vineyards is an experience beyond a great glass of w**e. The setting, ambience, food trucks, and tastings come together to make this a fun and relaxing outing when you’re on the Cape. The Three Forks Review awards 2.5 out of 3 forks for a lovely way to spend a few hours.

🍕 Stone L’Oven Pizza Co. in Brewster, Mass., serves up artisanal gourmet pizzas when you’re on the Cape. With all-natural ingredients cooked in a stone-fired oven, the delicious smells hit you as soon as you walk through the door. With plenty of indoor seating and a covered outdoor dining area, you have the option of dining in or getting the pizza to go.

We went with The Special, featuring house-made red sauce, pepperoni, Black Forest ham, house-made fennel sausage, caramelized onions, fresh mushrooms, olives and mozzarella cheese. Each bite was flavorful, with the caramelized onions especially coming through, and the crust had a nice texture.

We also ordered the Buffalo Chicken pizza, topped with buffalo sauce, roasted chicken, red onion, mozzarella and crumbled Gorgonzola. I’m a fan of anything buffalo flavored, so I really enjoyed this pizza as well. It definitely had a kick, so we drizzled some ranch on top to help us beat the heat.

Stone L’Oven was a great change of pace from our many seafood meals on the Cape. The youngsters in our group enjoyed looking through the glass windows to watch the pizzas being made, as well as trying out a pizza place once visited by the “one bite, everybody knows the rules” pizza connoisseur. Okay, who am I kidding—I enjoyed those parts as well.

The gourmet pizzas come with a higher price tag, so we would revisit for special occasions. That being said, Stone L’Oven definitely earns the titles of artisan and gourmet. With friendly service and comfortable dining spaces, we enjoyed our time here dining out as a family group on vacation.

The Three Forks Review awards 3 forks to Stone L’Oven.

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⛵️ As Swedish-born singer Zara Larsson says, “summer isn’t over yet.” So, while we enjoy the final days of summer, we are going to share the second half of the Three Forks Review Cape Cod edition. Hopefully, these will conjure memories from your summer meals or inspire a late-summer trip.

The Bookstore and Restaurant in Wellfleet was a new spot for us this summer. Open since 1964, this beautiful waterfront restaurant offers views that enhance each sip and bite. A perfect lunch spot with harbor views.

The Wedge Salad with salmon was freshly prepared and an enjoyable change of pace from our previous days’ meals of fried seafood. Chopped romaine, tomatoes, bacon, onion, and crumbled blue cheese were lightly dressed with blue cheese dressing and topped with a generous amount of grilled salmon.

Looking back at the pictures of the French toast with fresh berries, it looks as lovely as it tasted. When on vacation with harbor views, why not have breakfast for lunch with a cold pint of b**r?

The Bacon and Blue Cheese Burger was served on a brioche bun with plenty of crumbled blue cheese and crispy bacon slices. The sweet potato waffle fries for a small upcharge are well worth it.

A chilled lobster roll on a grilled New England-style roll was perfectly accompanied by a passing sailboat in the distance to the right and sips from a tart lemon drop to my left. If I could bottle up the perfect beach vacation dining moment, you can’t get much better than this!

After coming to the Cape for so many years, I can’t believe we never tried the Bookstore until now. With great service, classic seaside views in a relaxed setting, and a menu filled with so many delicious bites, we can easily say the Bookstore & Restaurant earns 3 out of 3 forks. We are already looking forward to returning next summer!

If you enjoy discovering new dining spots, please give us a follow

🐟 Krazy Jake's in Wilbraham serves up seafood, burgers and ice cream, with both indoor dining and outdoor picnic tables. The nautical theme is always a nice touch when you’re enjoying seafood, and it definitely adds to the casual atmosphere.

I ordered Jake’s Fried Seafood Platter with onion rings and coleslaw, plus added a side salad. The fried scallops and shrimp were cooked perfectly. The onion rings came with a mild dipping sauce that I really enjoyed — definitely something I’d order again. I also liked the whole belly clams, although I wished they were a little bigger. We had heard so many rave reviews about the fried fish that we had to give it a try during our visit. It was a good fried fish piece but to me, the shrimp and scallops were my favorite parts of the combination plate.

My dining partner went with the Lobster Mac & Cheese, which came with a cup of clam chowder. There was plenty of lobster meat throughout the creamy cheesy macaroni, which was a nice bonus.

Service was friendly, and overall, we enjoyed our meal. If seafood isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other options, including burgers, a variety of “melt” style sandwiches and, of course, ice cream.

For a casual spot with plenty of choices, good service and some standout seafood options, the Three Forks Review awards 2.5 out of 3 forks to Krazy Jake’s.

If you enjoy discovering new dining spots, please give us a follow

🍴 NEW THREE FORKS FEATURE: TAKE IT TO GO

Not every great meal happens around a table.

We’re putting local takeout spots to the test — what we ordered, how it traveled, how it tasted, and whether it was worth the price.

First up: 🍕 Bella Napoli Pizzeria - West Springfield, Mass

No dining room. No problem. Let’s see how it holds up at home. 👀

🍴 Three Forks: Take It To Go

🍕 What We Ordered
Medium Gourmet Combo Pizza - Pepperoni, Peppers, Hamburg, and Onions with Mushrooms added

📦 Pickup
Easily called in our order (online ordering also available)• Ready in 25 minutes• Picked up fresh out of the oven

🔥 The Ride Home
20 minutes later, we opened the box to a still hot pizza

🍕 The Food
The Crust was amazing - crispy, chewy, and delicious on its own • flavorful homemade sauce • plenty of cheese and toppings

💵 Value
The medium had 16 slices and was plenty for the 3 of us • $29 • though a little higher priced then local medium pizzas, the quality and taste was excellent

Take It To Go Rating

🍕 Food: 1 fork🍴
📦 Pickup: 1 fork🍴
💵 Value: 1 fork🍴

Overall: 3 out of 3 Forks

If you enjoy our longer style reviews, please check out our review of their adjoining restaurant Bnapoli Italian from last summer

Next weekend is the Taste of Northampton - a great time to sample local restaurants, enjoy live entertainment, and try some new foods. The event runs on Saturday and Sunday. Check out our post below from last year!