Mad Batter-

We went to the Mad Batter on our first night in Cape May. Upon leaving I mentioned to the manager that going there on the first night was probably a mistake. Why? Because it was unlikely that we would have another meal that would hold a candle to that first dinner. This turned out to be true (until, of course, our second trip to the Mad Batter). On both of our visits we opted to eat on the large patio since the summer weather was quite balmy. We didn't take a close look at the indoor dining room so we can't comment on it.

For our first meal we started off with a wonderful salad of mixed greens with a Gorgonzola dressing and fried green tomatoes topped with oysters and a creamy lemon sauce. We then shared a Tuna steak topped with peppercorns that was prepared just right - almost warmed as opposed to thoroughly cooked - for what was, in essence, sushi-grade tuna. Even the kids' food - pasta with butter - was obviously prepared with careful attention paid to how kids eat and what they like. Our second meal, which we had on our last night in Cape May, was not quite up to the caliber of the first but still top notch. We shared a Caesar salad and fried oyster appetizer - both delicious. Andie had a pasta dish with sun-dried tomatoes that she liked quite a bit, though I had a bite and it wasn't to my liking (more a reflection on my taste than the quality of the dish). I had a pork chop with a sweet glaze that was very tasty. The dish was served with herbed mashed potatoes that were especially good. One important note about the Mad Batter, it is BYOB. If you forget and arrive without a bottle of wine never fear, there is a liquor store a short walk away. The only negative I can find was that the service seemed a bit surly. Regardless, the Mad
Batter gets our highest recommendation.

Huntington Buffet at Hotel Alcot-

We had brunch at the Huntington Buffet at the Hotel Alcot. The brunch at this buffet is rather heavily advertised in various Cape May guides, so I was surprised when we walked in and the dining room was nearly empty. It was soon apparent why. This was, perhaps, the worst breakfast buffet I have ever had. The bacon was greasy, the sausage was undercooked and inedible, the bread items were stale and the fruit was far from fresh. If this weren't enough the management insisted in having a cook prepare not just the omelets, but also the scrambled eggs. It took us about 30 minutes to get our eggs. Why anyone who runs a buffet would have eggs prepared this way instead of simply putting them in a chaffing dish is beyond me. This would be our worst meal in Cape May. Interestingly the Hotel Alcot actually looks like a very nice place to stay.

Ballyhoo's-

Ballyhoo's is the restaurant at the Grand Hotels of Cape May, which is where we stayed. We had several meals at Ballyhoo's, not just because it was convenient but also because we were given $200 worth of coupons for free meals there. Luckily it turned out that using those free coupons was not tortuous. We had a full dinner there one night that was a bit disappointing. I had lobster and Andie had scallops. Both dishes were over-cooked and tough. On the other hand the Caesar salad was acceptable, the appetizers were tasty and the frozen drinks were quite pleasing. Combine this with a kitchy south seas themed atmosphere (the bar looked like a pirate ship and Jimmy Buffet was serenading us through the music system), not to mention it being free, and the overall experience was rather nice.

While we wouldn't eat dinner at Ballyhoo's again we did go there for lunch a few times (or order from there for pool-side delivery) and we found that they were quite capable of preparing a nice lunch - as long
as you keep it simple. In particular I found the BBQ pork sandwich to be quite tasty.

The Ugly Mug-

The Ugly Mug is a small pub/restaurant in the Washington Street Mall. It obviously enjoys some degree of notoriety as the wait there was quite long. It is a fun and funky place that serves basic pub food - fries,
burgers and fired seafood. We found the food to be adequate and the atmosphere enjoyable. I think it would be an establishment best enjoyed if you have no children with you.

Uncle Bill's Pancake House -

Uncle Bill's is a cheery (and very popular) casual eating establishment. We had breakfast there on the morning of the day we left Cape May. The breakfast was your standard pancake house fare, bacon, sausage omeletes and, of course pancakes. The food was a bit pricey, but very good. I had pancakes and I would go so far as to say that they were the best pancakes I have ever had. Don't be put off by the crowds waiting out front, the dining room is large and the staff is efficient. Highly recommended.