This year was an exciting one for us at Rookie Chef. New eats, new treats and our first Rookie Chef Summer Trip, this year to Cape Cod — a spot we had yet to venture.

The seafood, sunshine and beach were all appealing and we couldn’t wait to share our adventure with you. Staying in West Dennis, MA for a long weekend, our roadtrip to the Cape (from Buffalo to Albany and all the way to Massachusetts) our first dinner of the trip was right around the corner from our hotel — the Inn at Swan River.

Sundancer’s was a recommended spot as casual waterfront dining  with a solid seafood menu —  not to mention very close. Exhausted from the drive, close, quick and delicious food was right up our alley.

Regardless of the warm weather, neither of us at Rookie Chef can pass up a hearty bowl of clam chowder when given the opportunity. This was no exception.

Our next dish was more of an adventure, a bowl of fresh steamers — complete in shell with their “tail” or siphon still on (which the clams use as  a”foot” to  filter the sea water and eat).

We were told the way to eat is the grab by the “tail,” dip in the bowl of water to rinse the sand (that’s how fresh!), then dip into the bowl of melted butter and slurp away. Although we might have preferred a bowl of steamed and chucked clams, we were so happy we tried these.

A main dish to share, we went more of the Baked Seafood Platter featuring fresh sea scallops, native cod and jumbo shrimp with Cajun seasoning. A side of crunchy fries also came with the meal.

Overall, this was the perfect introduction to the Cape, getting our seafood palates wet for a weekend full of great food and spices.

A nice local spot in the West Dennis area, Sundancer’s was perfect for the casual night out and a great view at sunset. Let the Cape Cod adventure begin.