Dinner and a Show, the Cape Cod Times feature that tells you what’s playing on local stages and suggests where to eat near the theater, has a doubleheader for readers this week.
First is “Joan,” the story of groundbreaking comedian Joan Rivers, plays at The Cape Playhouse in Dennis through Sept. 20.
Next, and returning to Cape Cod Theatre Company/Harwich Junior Theatre in West Harwich for a second engagement that runs through Sept. 21, is the Off-Broadway hit “The Marvelous Wonderettes.”
Before we launch into the shows, let’s talk about dinner.
We start with two places that are a short walk from The Cape Playhouse, located at 820 Main St. (Route 6A) in Dennis.
Fin Cape Cod, 800 Main St., Dennis, 508-385-2096, fincapecod.com
This is your chance to see “Joan” and eat at the charming Fin Cape Cod, as they both coincidentally finish their season on Sept. 20. Fin is open 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and reservations are a good idea.
Executive chef Mike Scarduzio and his wife, Kallie Scarduzio, own and operate Fin in a historic sea captain’s home. There are two floors of dining and an outdoor patio. He is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, and has trained under Michelin-starred chefs in French and Asian cuisine. The couple still visits those regions in the off-season for culinary inspiration.
The menu focuses on local produce and fresh fish, but there are a couple of upscale Wagyu beef dishes ― one with Australian beef ― for those who don’t eat seafood. Fin is the home of the lobster doughnut, with brown butter and Meyer lemon glaze, which you may know from its appearance at local popups.
Be sure to check out the special additions menu, which features bone-In swordfish for two as well as caviar beignets with avocado mousse, summer truffles and chive. I have been impressed at how servers have been able to recommend wines that pair perfectly with chef Scarduzio’s flavor profiles.
Scargo Cafe, 799 Main St., Dennis, 508-385-8200, scargocafe.com
Located right across the street from The Cape Playhouse, in a home believed to be the oldest in Dennis, Scargo Cafe is decorated with antiques from a wide range of periods, including a wooden hand cranberry scoop at the register. There are several nooks and crannies for dining, as well as a large bar with a fireplace and al fresco dining on the covered patio year-round, weather permitting.
Scargo Cafe, started nearly four decades ago by brothers Peter and David Troutman, was nearly sold earlier this year, but that sale fell through and the Troutmans are still running Scargo Cafe.
The restaurant is best known for its Mongolian pork chop and its seafood strudel, but those are only two items on a large menu that is about half seafood dishes and half landlubbers’ fare, including a spicy chicken sandwich and a burger.
Many think of grapenut pudding as their grandparents’ dessert, but you may want to try it here: Bon Appetit magazine wrote and asked Scargo Cafe for the recipe, according to Scargo Cafe’s website.
Scargo Cafe is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, year round: They take reservations for about half of the restaurant’s seats.
‘Joan’ is story of hilarity, heartbreak in Joan Rivers’ life
“Joan,” executive produced by her daughter, Melissa Rivers, is an hour and 40 minutes, with no intermission, telling the story of Joan Rivers’ struggles and triumphs as a female standup comic in a time when the art form was mainly practiced by men.
“This is the story of a pioneer and the story of a mom — who were one and the same. Get up close and personal with the famously edgy, fearless and loving legend in this hilarious and heartbreaking account of an American icon,” according to publicity for the show.
In two interesting dual roles, Nicole Parker (Elphaba on Broadway in “Wicked”) plays Joan Rivers and her mother, Mrs. Molinsky, while Alex Finke (on Broadway in “Come From Away”) plays a young Joan and her own daughter, Melissa.
Garrett Poladian plays Joan’s husband of six months, Jimmy Sanger, in 1956 before an annulment. Richard Topol, (Lemmi in Broadway’s “Indecent”) is Joan’s husband, Edgar Rosenberg, who died by suicide in 1987.
“Joan” is on stage through Sept. 20 at The Cape Playhouse, 800 Main St., Dennis. Tickets are $50 to $120; visit capeplayhouse.com or call 508-385-3911. The show is limited to 18 and older for adult language.
Oldies’ fans will want to see ‘The Marvelous Wonderettes’
In West Harwich, you’ll find “The Marvelous Wonderettes” and you’ll find yourself at the 1958 Springfield High School prom, where Betty Jean, Cindy Lou, Missy and Suzy serenade the audience with classic ‘50s hits including “Lollipop,” “Dream Lover” and “Lipstick on Your Collar.”
“In Act II, the Wonderettes reunite to take the stage and perform at their ten-year reunion, where we are charmed to find that no matter what life throws their way, they will conquer it together,” according to publicity for the show, which features more than 30 classic ’50s and ’60s hits.
“The Marvelous Wonderettes” is on stage through Sept. 21 at 105 Division St., West Harwich. Tickets are $32, $30 for seniors, $21 for 21 and younger. To buy, visit capecodtheatrecompany.org or call 508-432-2002.
Here are two recommendations to help you find dinner before you time-travel to the 1950s.
Hot Stove Saloon, 551 Route 28, Harwich Port, 508-432-9911, hotstovesaloonl.com
Although it has the word Saloon in its name, Hot Stove Saloon is a family-friendly sports pub with a vintage baseball decor that will leave patrons of a certain age saying, “Remember when?” The food is quintessentially American pub-style, with a large menu of sandwiches, wings, pizzas and ballpark fare, such as hot dogs and hamburgers. The clam chowder is homemade, as are the potato chips. Look for daily specials, often featuring local Cape Cod seafood. A couple of interesting items on the regular menu: Cajun Chicken Tacos and zucchini fries, as it is certainly the season. Fun fact: Kids are sent home with a fistful of baseball cards.
The Den, 697 Main St., Dennis, 508-258-0805, dencapecod.com
It’s worth your time to spend some time with The Den’s online menu because it offers dozens of dishes from around the world in a clever layout that includes categories of “Eat Your Greens” and “Chef Special Limited Specials.” From the first category, Mai Janeiro is described on the menu as a “crispy rice paper bowl with grilled chicken, fresh arugula, kaffir lime-infused fried rice cubes tossed in honey lemon dressing, fresh mango, mint, scallion, cilantro, red onion and toasted coconut.” On the specials menu, a lobster slider with slaw and fries. No further description needed other than to say the slider is on a bun “branded” with The Den’s logo and is a good buy at $13 for a snack or small meal. Another dish of note: The Truffle Mash pizza, which comes with creamy mashed potatoes, truffle oil and steak tips.
The Den is a one-minute drive from the theater and opens daily at 11:30 a.m.
Gwenn Friss is the editor of CapeWeek and covers entertainment, restaurants and the arts. Contact her at gfriss@capecodonline.com. Join the Cape Cod Times free Facebook group, Good Stuff at Cape Cod Restaurants, to share tips and participate in food polls.
Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Cape Cod Times subscription. Here are our subscription plans.
Dining and Cooking