Forever???

Alert readers will remember that I am attracted to local places that hearken back to long ago, and have not changed over the years.   Places where you always know what you’re going to get and you get it.  No surprises, just right.  Some may also remember that I put Courtney’s into that category saying you walked in and you could be decades ago.   You might also remember that I cautioned you that if you have not, you should, because nothing is forever.

Well……. nothing IS forever.  A good friend has recently returned from a long journey to the near east and pretty much circled the pacific rim.   Glad to have him back in the Mother County, we agreed to meet again for lunch at Courtney’s, a favorite long time haunt for our almost regular meetings.  Walking in, sure enough there was Tom behind the cash register in his white shirt and red hat.  Ahhhh…. But then we turned left into the dining room, and, whoa!  You never take notes, but I don’t remember the tables were covered in red linens, and most (all) of the faded pictures of nameless fishermen with strings of fish and the like are gone from the walls, including that odd poster about Indians which I never quite understood.  Paneling looked fresh, but again, memory fails.  And not only that, there was a young (~30ish) man in a red T-Shirt distributing menus and filling water glasses.  I know nothing about their family as to whether there is a son or not (but I do know people who will!!) but there has been change (we never saw Tom in the dining room).  The menus have been upgraded to multi colored affairs, with little balloons containing the fried fish platters, sandwiches, etc.  They are still in plastic thank goodness, and I suspect the items are not different.  Just more cutesy.

While some things have changed, others have not.   We were initially approached by the young man  with pad in hand, and because my friend knew what he wanted, he ordered, and because I didn’t, I said bring me a Yuengling and then I’ll know.   Approximately ten minutes later (no changes there) , I had my frosty mug and the bottle, and I ordered the rockfish platter after confirming it was still fresh.  “It was in my hands this morning”.  Fine.

Since we had a lot to talk about the next forty minutes went by rather rapidly while the maybe four tables who were seated when we came in got their food.  Eventually ours arrived and I’m happy to say that the fried rockfish is still crispy on the outside and still moist inside.  Never mind the little pile of lettuce and a pale tomato, the fries are Sysco (no change there), it’s a good hunk of fish.  My friend had crab stuffed flounder and it was a gorgeous dish.  Browned flounder wrapped around lots of crab meat with a white sauce (hollandaise? I didn’t ask) enrobing it and little sprinkles of red (bell) pepper and parsley.    I was not offered a taste despite praising the dish and looking forlorn.

I am not sure if the “changes” such as they are, are in response to the newly owned and opened Schieble’s next door, or what, but forever has restarted the clock.  

Of course were traditionally

DFL