Yo Ho Yo Ho a Clearmans Boat for me.........

It was a rainy afternoon. Cold and rainy. He of the triple extra large shirt was in the mood for seafood. So was his wife, the brilliant Jeanette. Agreement on the little things, like what to eat when, is the stuff that really makes a marriage work, no matter what Dr. Phil has to say.

The Fat Man had recently eaten the delectable fish and chips at Brits, and he felt it was too soon for a return. Besides, the waitress there is always in a foul mood and his heavyness wasn't up for working to not notice. He also wasn't up to be forever 86'ed for noticing and commenting, so Brits was out. Barney's LTD, an old favorite, would involve sacrifice to the Pasadena Parking god, and as the PPG had already been paid twice in the last month this was TOTALLY out of the question.

He of the overly stuffed extra bodily insulation was ruminating....No NOT McCormick, No the Seafood Tavern is but a very happy distant memory..Neptune's Net up on the LA/Ventura County border, nah its raining and who wants to drive that far in the rain with all those folks who came from elsewhere to SO CAL and havn't figured out how to drive in our rain? Hmmm Malibu, the Chubby One was tempted to visit the Reel Inn, one of his favorite places and one he believes the Boat was loosely based on. THE BOAT!!!

The Great Altadena Artist Gary Thomas had mentioned that the Boat had reopened and the food was great. We ran out between the raindrops and into Goldie the PT Convertable and down way way down into the depths of the local landscape all the way down to Rosemead and Huntington, just half a block south turn right into the parking lot and park in the Northwoods Inn lot. Try to not see the big ugly unimaginative eyesore that is the Khols department store on the corner where the boat used to and still should be. Baaaad Architect! BAD!

From the parking lot on the East one sees a "sort of" New England village facade, at least it's clear this is what the designer intended to remind one of. Once inside the space soars to a sky lit three story high space framed in gigantic laminated fir beams resting on what look like they are brick ,but are probably concrete under a brick veneer, plinths. An Architecturally exciting and interesting space! This is a huge dining room, much larger than the old boat facility with a fantastically modern clean stainless steel open kitchen. The Architect and Contractor did a Museum quality job here and from the front entry to the case with ships models to the kitchen and ordering area everything here is well thought out and very well executed. The public must really be pleased too, since at 2 in the afternoon on a rainy midweek day the joint was 3/4 full.

We ordered a Cod dinner (two pieces of cod, fries, garlic bread, and a red cabbage salad) and waited. While we were waiting we each went and found the Boat, no longer used as a part of the facility, but on Rosemead as a sign a beacon and a cultural tie to the past.

Our Cod dinner came. IT WAS HUGE. More than He of Tripple Chins could eat in one sitting and more than the lovely Jeanette could manage, but it was so good we ate up until we were stuffed to the gills. each of us was served two GIGANTIC cod fillets that had been battered and fried so the batter was hard and crunchy, but the cod flesh was firm, light sweet and perfect. yes, perfect. The fries were generous cut steak fries. They were soft and slightly geasy on the insides and dry at the edges- purrrrrrfect. His chubbyness was delighted. The garlic bread was so sumptous, so delicious. such a pure sensual delight that it should probably be illegal. It was moist but not mushy, oily but not too saturated, bursting with parmasian and garlic flavor. The little Italian Putti in my tongue were singing arias. Jeanette seemed to be enjoying herself too form the warm cooing noises I was hearing across the table and the grin affixed between bites on her face.

Then there is the marvel of marvels, the perfect tart slightly salty just a wee bit fermented red cabbage salad. It was so good I may just order that for lunch someday.

So the Cod dinner will set you back about $11 BUT you can either split it or take half home for dinner. Its the least expensive quality dining experience in the area.

the Boat is back and its better than ever.

Clearmans Galley/the Boat
7215 N. Rosemead, San Gabriel
1/2 block South of the intersection of Rosemead and Huntington on Rosemead

11 A.M.-9P.M.

Major plastic and cash accepted