Nantucket: Day 2

We slept 'til 9:30 or so after last night's excesses, and then got ready to go out for breakfast. A quick walk to the Even Keel Cafe on Main Street found us in one of the best breakfast places on the island (find two other great places at the bottom of the post).

Nearly the entire waitstaff was comprised of attractive young women, made up of both natives and European summer imports. Our server, Claire, was a willowy blonde Irish lass, who while competent and attentive (my coffee cup was never empty), was all business, thus putting the only damper on the meal. Can a friendly guy please get a smile?

Anyway, having forgotten how big the plates are, I ordered 2 eggs scrambled with sausage, grits and wheat toast, plus a short stack of their homemade buttermilk pancakes. The eggs & sausage were good, the grits a nostalgic surprise, and the pancakes fantastic. I couldn't finish the pancakes, and I didn't eat but a slice and a half of the toast, but it was a meal fit for a king. And because Brian & I had our $9 breakfast vouchers from The Chestnut House, the meal came to a grand total of $6.96 (the tip was more)!

Brian spent the rest of the morning walking around town (checkout was at 11 am, but they allow people to store their luggage for the day if they aren't leaving right away); and after a stop for a large Sumatran coffee at The Bean, I hung out on the house's garden bench (and then on the back outside staircase) reading more of "Tale of the Fox", and talking to the staff and various passers-by, while waiting for the bicycle I rented to get picked up. A great way to spend a lazy morning. Plus, I love it when I reread a book several years later, and memories of the place I read it last come flooding back.

Because we hadn't wanted to rush for the noon slow ferry, we paid double for the fast one at 3:15. I spent the trip with my nose in my book, Brian wandered around the boat, and then all that was left was for us to each go our separate ways when the ferry docked in Hyannis. A carefree 2-hour drive back to my new place, and I was home. Yet another terrific (if too short) trip to Nantucket is on the books!

Other amazing breakfast spots on Nantucket:

• The Hen House, 1 Chin's Way - Back when I was spending a week on-island at the end of every summer ('98-'03), we would eat here at least once each year. The lilts of the mostly Irish staff's accents are a pleasing musical backdrop to the delicious food, which comes in generous portions for the price. The only reason I haven't eaten there in recent years is the nine dollar vouchers for the convenient downtown places. Otherwise, it's a nice bike ride for a great meal, and closer to most rental properties than downtown would be.
  
• Arno's at 41 Main St. - Chestnut House vouchers are good here too! The food is great (try their Portuguese sweet bread French toast), and the staff is always friendly.