Harry’s Bar in Hyannis - Cajun Food and Blues Tonight

Leo and I don’t have the time or money to go to New Orleans tonight, but we can get our fix of blues and Cajun food at Harry’s Bar in Hyannis. It’s the closest thing we’ve been able to find to Southern juke joint and we love it!

I haven’t either bothered to check out who’s playing there - because we’ve never heard bad music or had a bad meal there. People of all ages hang out at Harry’s. You can get dressed up if you want to, but one of the attractions of tonight’s entertainment, is that I don’t feel like getting dressed up and we don’t have to. We’ll head over for a great meal, and hopefully be able to dance off the calories!

The food is New Orleans inspired and I love tasting the different spices in my mouth and it’s affordable. I love the Seafood Etoufeee - crawfish tails and shrimp over rice with all kinds of exotic spices (about $17). Leo usually starts wtih Maryland Style Cabcakes ($13) and moves on to BBQ Chicken Dinner ($13).

Harry’s is located at the corner of Main Street and Steven’s Street in Hyannis.

We’ve decided to have dinner at the British Beer Company in Sandwich tonight and then hang around to listen to the band and maybe do some dancing! We are truly blessed to have the a BBC (as everyone on Cape Cod calls it) within a half-mile of the house. Leo and I don’t even know what band is playing, but we don’t ever remember being disappointed. It’s always a good time.

We may not know what band is playing but we’ve been online to check out the Friday specials. We go to the British Beer Company when we want beef, because they do it better than anyone else on Cape Cod. I’m going to have the Hearty Beef Stew ($11.99). It’s served in an incredible bread bowl with mashed potatoes on the side. The BBC recommends that I have a Bare Knuckles Stout with it, so that’s what I’ll have. Leo is planning on the Black and Blue Rib-Eye Steak ($14.99), which is covered in cajun spices and grilled. It comes with vegetables and mashed potatoes covered in melted cheddar cheese. Leo will also adhere to the BBC’s beverage recommendation and have a glass of Red Diamond Merlot. We usually don’t have room for dessert!

The British Beer Company is serious about wanting to be a neighborhood pub. They have an exchange program where some of their employees go to London and some British pubworkers come here. In all the years we’ve eaten at the BBC, we’ve never had bad service. In fact the servers are so great they often make our night!

There are three British Beer Company venues on Cape Cod. In addition to Sandwich threre’s one in Falmouth and Hyannis. We prefer the Sandwich BBC because it has the dining area separated from the bar and music. If you eat later, you can slightly hear the music and still carry on a conversation.

Liam Maguire’s Irish Pub on Main Street in Falmouth is a great place for dinner and then stay for the singing. You’ll usuually get to hear Liam Maguire himself and then another wonderful Irish singer. It’s not uncommon for the audience to sing a long. And sometimes we even get up and dance!

So you know where Leo and I are planning to be on St. Patrick’s Day. There’s going to be music all day long from 11 am to 1 am. There’ll be Liam Maguire, Brendan Sheridan, Dave Wilson, and the Brian Boru Pipe Band. The Falmouth Fire Rescue Shamrocks Against Dystrophy Fundraiser. And of course corned beef and cabbage all day long!

Liam and Deborah Maguire have owned their Irish pub since 1994. It’s really become a vital part of the Main Street community in Falmouth. (Leo took me there on our third date!)

Liam was born and raised in Castle Dirg Co Tyrone and spent 30 years travelling and singing in Europe, Canada and the States before settling in Falmuoth. Leo used to live in the Washington D.C. area and knew Liam before moving here.

Liam Maquire’s Irish Pub isn’t just about St. Patrick’s Day either. On March 19th, there will be a return performance of the Stage Door Canteen. Wow, if you love 1940’s Big Band era, you do not want to miss this. It is one wonderful time. Come revel in the music of Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Kay Keyser and Count Basie Bands to name a few.

The Sandwich House of Pizza is between the Kate McGarry concert at the Cape Cod Musem of Art and our house. So we decided to call ahead and order our favorite pizza - sausage & chicken, with olives, onion and green peppers. We were so hungry, it was great when we walked in and our dinner was waiting. We decided that we’d eat it there and socialize abit. They have beer on tap so Leo could enjoy a few brews with his half. Watching their large screen tv, we got caught up on Boston sports and local gossip at the same time!

Our after pizza tradition is to go next door to Erin’s Video Rental and pick out a movie. This is especially important on nights like tonight when there’s a big sporting event or awards show. You know everything else will be reruns. The same family owns both the Sandwich House of Pizza and Erin’s Video Rental, we like them and we like to support them. I think they’ve been there about 20 years. So we will be watching Dark Knight and SlumDog.

It is a cold and rainy night here. The warmth of the McGarry concert and the tasty friendliness of the Sandwich Pizza House kept the chill away though.

If it’s Sunday morning, then you’ll usually find Leo and me at Paul’s Bean and Bagel in the Sandwich Village. But this is after we do our miles. Walking in our historic Town Center is a delight that I never tire of and never take for granted.

Historic preservation has deep roots in Sandwich. Our original historic district inlcuded only the immediate town center and was one of the first historic districts in the United States. In Massachusetts I believe the Beacan Hill Historic District in Boston was first, Nantucket was second, and I’m proud to say that Sandwich was third. This all occurred in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s.

During the Cape’s first growth spurt in the 1960’s a unique historic preservation concept was formed. A belief that the approaches and areas surrounding an historic site or building are important in preserving the ambiance of that historic site or building. And that this really didn’t recognize town borders. That a regional approach was necessary to preserve our unique architecture and towns. Cape Cod residents at that time became acutely aware of the responsibilty of preserving historic features of some of the oldest communities in America. (Sandwich the oldest town on Cape Cod was founded in 1637.) This lead to the formation of the Old King’s Highway District, which ran from the Cape Cod Canal in Bourne to Provincetown and encompassed every town along Route 6-A. It was the largest and most complex Historic District in the United States.

If you think that this was excessive. When you’re visiting Cape Cod, compare growth and development along Route 6-A to the north with that of Route 28 to the south. Residents in the northern part of Cape Cod observed the southern growth pattern and had no desire to repeat it.

By the way, a big thank you to the ever patient planning consultant, Philip B. Herr, a MIT professor and pioneer planner who helped design the initial district. I’ve lost touch with him, but he should be remembered for his efforts.

So please come to Sandwich and visit our Town Center and enjoy the historic ambiance. The Bean and Bagel is a great place for a cup of coffee and bowl of chili. There are always local newspapers to read. If you see a couple at the corner window table passionately debating an article, it might just be me and Leo!

I’m very excited my husband Leo and I are going to the Roadhouse Cafe in Hyannis tonight for our Valentine celebration. It’s our favorite Cape Cod restaurant because we can combine two of our passions - food and live music. We actually eat in the area known as the BackDoor Bistro because it has the most famous and respected piano bar on Cape Cod. You’ll find some of the best New England and world-renowned musicians performing there. It’s fun because you never know who’s going to stop and sit in.

My favorite meal there is the Baked Seafood Caserole. It has big chunks of scrod, scallops and shrimp with lots of cracker crumbs in a newburg sauce. I usually take some home because I like to leave room for dessert! Leo is thinking about the salmon. But they don’t just have seafood, they have great pizza and sandwiches too. Oh, and the wine list is excellent. And the wait staff is really good at suggesting wine to go with your meal.

We often go on Monday night because it’s Jazz Night with the Lou Colombo and Dick Johnson Jazz Ensemble. These guys are known all over the world - and Leo and I count our blessings that we can just pop in eat a pizza and listen to this quality music. We see a lot of friends there on Monday night. And over the years we’ve made a lot of friends out of fellow jazz lovers.

So if you want to know a favorite local hangout this is it.