Tasty Seafood and a Tried-and-True IPA (Tastin' the Nation)

Ah!  Yet another tasty edition of "Tastin' the Nation" here at The Ferment Nation.  Over Easter Weekend, Citizen Elizabeth and myself had the pleasure of spending some time in Cape May, NJ.  Located at the southern tip of New Jersey, it is a scenic destination for anyone who likes white sand beaches, Victorian architecture, and seafood!

For the first night in Cape May, we had the luck to walk by The Merion Inn (pictured left in a watercolor painting by Patricia Rainey). Reading over their menu, their unique combination of flavors, a penchant for Asian flair in their cuisine, and seafood selection intrigued us enough to come back and eat there.

I ordered the flounder in a sauce whose name I forget, but it was delicious.  The fish was topped with artichoke hearts and capers.  Truly memorable.  I also had the one good craft beer on their menu, Dogfish Head's 60 Minute IPA.

In my mind, the 60 Minute IPA is a true classic.  It has just enough hoppiness, just enough body, and plenty of flavor.  Dogfish Head's 90 Minute IPA can cause issues as they are very easy drinking and 9.0% abv, and let's not even talk about the 120 Minute.  But I thought the 60 Minute IPA had enough bite and body to stand up to the flavors of the fish and sauce, but it didn't overpower the meal.  It let the dish speak for itself.  

Citizen Elizabeth enjoyed scallops with really tasty sides of wasabi mashed potatoes and a spicy Asian slaw.  You can see the 60 Minute IPA bottle in the shot below.  I have to admit that I tasted her food, and it was quite delicious, too.  I will let her tell her own version of the story, but maybe I will let Citizen Elizabeth take the lead in an upcoming review of The Cape May Brewery (will be posted soon!)

The Merion Inn had an "adult" elegance to it.  They had a beautiful bar, live piano music, we had great service, and it was lovely looking.  The one criticism of the place is that they need to invest in more craft beers for their menu!  Your patrons will thank you for it, Merion Inn.