Famished Foodie

from November/December issue of Ocean City Magazine

by Ocean City Magazine

Services Guide

A DAY DOWNTOWN

The Famished Foodie hits up four Asbury spots for a strolling lunch experience

IT WAS a dark and stormy October afternoon when Catwoman and I blasted out of Gotham City and into Ocean City, fresh off a grueling doubles tennis match with Joker and the Penguin (we won on the strength of Catwoman’s serve), and we were hungry. Though it was Monday and raining, Asbury Ave was open for biz, and we completed an OC quad-fecta; four eateries in one visit. This trip was an easy walk and included Yianni’s Café, Ocean City Coffee Company, Wards Pastry, and Rauhauser’s Candies.

Seriously, you should try this quadfecta. It’s a bit decadent, definitely delicious, and so lovely against an OC Downtown Christmas backdrop.

Yianni’s was first. It’s a popular spot on the avenue – for good reason - and there was a small crowd of lunchers. we slid into a booth by the window and perused the Greek-inspired menu. Owner Yianni Siganos was born on Crete and serves up fresh fare all year long.

CW zeroed in on the Greek salad with kalamata olives and feta. I ordered up the hummus and pita. Meanwhile Bob Marley played in the background as I scanned the charcoal skies for the bat signal.

“I hope that food gets here soon, said Catwoman, “I’m hungry.”

I hope we weren’t too ravenous as our meals arrived.

“I can’t stop eating this,” said CW with a giggle. “I love the fresh olives and the feta in the salad. It’s so healthy and it tastes great. I love the crunch of the lettuce – it’s so good.”

I like Yianni’s bright flavors and his meals are notably fresh. Our server Melanie was on point and on time and has us out the door quicker than you can say “Commissioner Gordon.”

Coffee next. Of course.

We turned left out of Yianni’s, walked past stately City Hall (built in 1914 and currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places), past the Women’s Christian Temperance Union fountain, across 9th Street past Mark Soifer Park and turned left into Ocean City Coffee.

That coffee smell hits you as you open the door and we sauntered in anxiously awaiting yummy caffeine. Catwoman ordered up the Dirty Hippie; a vanilla chai with a shot of espresso (wow) and I went latte – hot and caffeinated. Nothing beats coffee, ever, and OC Coffee brews a good cup o’ Joe – they roast the beans at the Boardwalk store, so you know your java is fresh. We copped a seat in one of the oversized couches by the window and watched a few ramblers ramble up the ave. OC Coffee hits the right balance. The latte was just a bit sweet and not too strong. CW sipped on her bev and hugged it like a hand warmer. The caffeine was kicking in as we headed north in search of something-to-go-with-my-coffee sweets.

Luckily, Wards Pastry was open and had an array of yumminess waiting to get into my belly.

Owner Walt Hohman greeted us as we perused the glass cases. There were all manner of sweets lounging about; donuts, cupcakes, raspberry tarts (they were delicious), eclairs and more. But we went with my Wards usual – cookies. We handpicked a pound of assorted cookies, and I was giddy with excitement as I opened the box and took a huge whiff of that butterysugary goodness. I leaned into a chunky chocolate chip and was soon swept away in a haze of pumpkin-shaped sugar cookies, red velvet cookies and my favorite – the gingerbread man cookie sandwich.

“It’s so fun just walking around town and popping into Wards,” said CW. “I love spontaneously buying cookies and eating them as we stroll. These are so good.”

Not content with only cookies for dessert, we crossed the street and dropped into Rauhauser’s, where we grabbed chocolatecovered pretzels, a few caramel turtles, and some vanilla butter cremes. We dashed for the bat cave where we hid our choco-stash till later.

Later that same night, as we attempted a large-scale bat operation, my bat glucose dropped rapidly, and I was floundering in hangry-ness. In stepped Catwoman with the Rauhauser’s solution.

“Looks like you need an emergency shot of chocolate covered pretzels,” she said. And she was correct! CW tossed a CCP (caramel chocolate pretzel) into my gullet and boom – better! CW nibbled a few too and we both remarked on the freshness of the candy and the deliciousness of the chocolate. Not only did it stave off hangry-ness, it really satisfied. CW and I sat around the bat table with our stockpile between us, eating chocolates and discussing the meaning of life. Or maybe chasing our kids around trying to get them to do their homework and clean their rooms.