viva manchvegas's Profile
Manchester NH--need help from CH comprades i.e. lexpatti, gryphonskeeper, tunamelt, lurkers, etc
La Carreta is good solid mex-am food, but smoked tongue tacos is not thier thing. Good tamales though.
Greek Grocery In NH?
Bakolas, by far is the only market in Manch I know selling only Greek foods. For pastry ingredients, you might try Kay's Bakery on Massebiesic. They might sell you your hard to get items or tell you a source.
One night in Portland...visiting from NY
It's on the casual side. but if you time for lunch that day or the next, you have to try Duck Fat. An entire restaurant concept built around Belgim fries cooked in Duck Fat. Simply awesome. All other recs at the "sit down" places are just about can't miss also.
Help! Bored with routine in Manchester, NH
when we were in earlier this week, noticed the the duck meatballs are now on the flatbread. When we were talking to Tom he was saying that he was never quite happy with the meatball entree, and that several regulars were asking him to put back the original duck dish. Also the veal cheeks are now a stroganoff style over pasta, loooked tasty andd will defintley be ordering on my next visit.
Help! Bored with routine in Manchester, NH
Our Manchetser routine:
Favorite Asian food right now is Cafe Momo. Good honest food, just different enough to keep our attention. We are so bored with mediocre Chinese food around here, although there is a time a place for greasy pupu platters and Scorpion Bowls at Aloha.
Loving the BBQ at City Flame, great Memphis style, dry rubbed and good smoke. My only complaint is that they close to early during the week. (we are late eaters).
Z is a frequent stop for us. Always good, always fresh, have the best cocktails in town and the food is always top notch. Were in earlier this week and they have a 3 course dinner for 2 for $50 which was quite the deal.
For pizza we are big fans of Annula's on Chestnut St. Great and consistant Greek style pie. 900 degrees has been all right, defintely a better spot to eat in at.
Billy's Sport's Bar for good honest pub fare has never let us down.
Cotton is old time fav. We like to go in and hang on the night's Dwyane is working the bar. Alwyas satisfies my meatloaf jones.
We gave up on anything Italian in Manchester. Always dissapointed. The GF makes an mean pasta already.
What we really like since comming back to Manch are the options that never were here before and that mediocre isn't good enough anymore.
Banana Cream Pie distributed by CheeseCo in Manchester, NH
They have a cash and carry section. I've gone there in there in the past when I used to throw a big Memorial day cookout.. Some stuff is by the case only but some stuff they break the case. it is a little sketchy (think a dirty Sam's Club) but the price is right.
Best Donuts in New England
White Mountain Cider Company in Glen, NH. Appple cider donuts in the fall with glorious foliage. Now that is a New England experience.
Duck Fat - Portland, ME
Love Duck Fat. Have been there everyime I make it up to Portland. Great concept, fantastic execution, great vibe. There isn't anything new i can add about the fries that hasn't been said. The beef tongue rueben is a big winner. The duck poutine is a great twist of a classic. Love the space but wonder if if they are going to outgrow it soon.
Can I buy fish stock in Man, NH ?
Your best bet would be getting fish bones from a fish monger like Tinker's or the like.
But as far as canned fish stock. i have never seen such a product in the supermarkets, including Whole Foods and Trader Joe's
Downtown Manchester NH vs. Downtown Nashua, NH
Penuche's on Hanover. Which BTW is the nicest Penuches I've been in.
Downtown Manchester NH vs. Downtown Nashua, NH
We basically broke it down restaurant vs. restaurant.
Piccola vs. Villa Banca
Richards, Z, Cotton vs. Micheal Timothy's, Saffron Bistro, Black Orchid Grill
Peddlers Daughter vs. Sashkeen, Wild Rover
Surf vs. Commercial St Fishery
etc.
This was a pretty livley debate.
I think Manch comes out on top on the upscale range overall. Manch's upscale restaurants deliver more consistanly than Nashua's, save Michael's.
Nashua does have the "adult cocktail bars" that Manch doesn't, MOP and Unum's, but I was not impressed with eihter. Look good but lacking in quaity. Love the sandwiches at the Nashua Garden and the night life has a cool funk about it, better than the meat markets in Manch,
Overall it is a close call but I like the newer places in Manch over Nashua. If you asked me this queztion 2 years ago I might go the other way.
Whole Foods, Bedford NH?
This the same develpment. Whole Foods as one anchor and the convention center (Sparks?) as the other. From what i heard this is still in the planning stages and probaly won't happen for at least 2 years if ever. (See next thread). Doesn't make sense for Sparks's to wait that long to reopen.
Downtown Manchester NH vs. Downtown Nashua, NH
I was having this discussion with a friend at a local watering hole this weekend. I thought I'd bring it to the chowhound community.
We both agree that both downtown have stepped it up to a point that you don't have to go to Portsmouth or Boston for that extra special meal, but we were split on which city had the upper hand.
What are your thoughts?
City Flame Smoke House, Manchester NH
I completly agree. I finally got around to them a couple of months ago, and fell in love them right away. They have been in regular rotation ever since. The brisket and the the chicken are my favs, but what sets them apart IMO is the sides. What you would expect but different at the same time, love the chili and the cucumbers. And I can't believe the cornbread, better than my Mom's. I love this place and the owners are awesome. I hope they can stick around. They have my support.
Whole Foods, Bedford NH?
I have heard it will be an anchor tenet for the redevelopment of the Bedford Macy's and Wayfarer Inn space. Not sure where they are at in the planning process, but the plans I hear are to take down Macy's and the Wayfarer Convention Center and start from scratch with Whole Foods near where Macy's is now.
Looking for something new... Tired of Portsmouth, NH
I moved back to Manchester, NH just over a year ago and I think the dining scenes in the Concord-Manchester-Nashua corridor have a lot going on and are worth the trip. I am a downtown sort of guy hence my bias with the following list.
Downtown Manchester has 5 quality restaurants that fit your bill.
There is Z on Elm St... My personal favorite right now...super creative, great food and cocktails, great atmoshere.
Cotton... in the Millyard has this cool retro feel with great meatloaf and upscale comfort food.
Richard's Bistro... classic French Bistro style with premium ingredients and service.
Havover St Chop House... Big City Steak House with all the pomp you would expect.
Commercial St Fishery...super fresh fish, good creativity, nice looking room in an old mill building.
Downtown Concord has.
55 Degrees...doing the wine and small plate thing. Very cool.
The Granite Room @ Centenial Inn... tres chic with the food to match.
Downtown Nashua has...
Micheal Timothy's and Surf... owned by the same people. Micheal Tim's has been the stantard bearer for good food in Southern NH for years. Surf is his seafood concept across the street complete with a great raw bar.
Looking for Good - Great Chow in Manchester, N.H. on 4/8/08
I would add that if you are comming into town for the Buble show. Make reservations. Downtown is swarmed and the good resturants fill quickly
NH Manch-Vegas....good food?
Downtown Manchester actually has a prteey lively food scene with lots of choices.
There is
Z's on Elm St, my personal favorite right now.
Cotton in the Mill's near UNH is always good
Commercial St Fishery near the new ball park does the seafood thing nicely.
Richard's Bistro is still on top of his game.
The Hanover St Chop House offers the Big City steak house atmoshere.
900 Degrees for the upscale pizza thing.
In addition downtown has a bevy of hang spots with decent food and cool scenes. Like Strange Brew, Margarita's, Wild Rover, Shaskeen, and JW Hill's.
All is not lost, just head downtown you are sure to find something of your liking.
Authentic Mexican food Southern NH
Right on the mark, Bri. I do the same, but there is a time commitment to making some of these dishes. I can make a mean menudo but a pound of tripe makes over 2 gallons of menudo and not everyone in my household (read my GF) likes tripe. And as much as i like menudo 2 gallons in one sitting is a bit much. hence the search for the "authentic" mexican place where I can get a portion of menudo and she can get something "safe"
Rehearsal dinner in the Bedford, NH area other than the Bedford Village Inn
The patio at Cotton in downtown Manchester is another good option if the timing is right for good weather. Not sure of their exact booking policy but Peaches is the one to talk to.
Consuelo's Taqueria in Manchester NH
I meant no disrespect with the sub shop comment. I have eaten at Consuelas a dozen times and have enjoyed every last bite. But burrittos, tacos, and tortas are the Mexican subs, sandwiches, and wraps. I have also talked to the owners (it lets me practice my Spanish) they are friendly, enthusasctic people who clearly know thier market and hier business. They are a quick service restaurant that does a VERY god job on what they focus on but even the owners know what kind of restaurant they wanted when they put "taqueria" in thier name. If you go to a pub you do not expect table cloth service but that doesn't make the pub food any less good
Authentic Mexican food Southern NH
I agree with you Bri about the size and range of Mexican cuisine, but now that there is a sizable Hispanic population here in New Hampshire, it follows that there are restaurants opening that are opening that do not need to cater to the anglo palette to survive and are offering cuisine styles based on thier orgins and not to what Americans will buy. That is the dining experience I was looking for when I started this post.
I have dined at La Carreta many times and have never been dissapointed but it is the ethnic equilivant of The Back Room, very general and wide in scope. If I am in the mood for menudo or oxtail stew I am not going to find that a the American-Mexican restaurants in this area. Bergzilla put it perfectly in a recent post. What it comes it comes down to is the expectations I have when I go out.
Authentic Mexican food Southern NH
I would add, if cheese is used it is cotijo, more or less a Mexican paramasan.
Great steak and cheese in NH?
Lots of beef tips slightly marinated in Italian dressing (flap meat, aka steak tips is the only acceptable meat to use), cooked on a well seasoned flat top, real american cheese, ala land o lakes, fantina sub roll delivered fresh that day. There are many short cuts that owners may employ along the way, but if they are stying true to this formula they will have a good steak and cheese. Evidently Nadeau's has fallen off by changing the formula.
Great steak and cheese in NH?
Did not know Nadeau's went to the dark side. That is sacreligous that they are not using tips. All good runs must come to an end I guess. i haven't been to the West side in forever so that's what i get for speaking on rep.
Authentic Mexican food Southern NH
La Carreta is more Americanized Mexican food. They are good but they are doing the same menu every Mexican restaurant has done sine the 1950's for the American Palette, much like chinese restuarants all have the same basic menu that hasn't changed in eons. it is not an authentic example of the cuisine.
Great steak and cheese in NH?
Manchester West Side...Bob Nadeau's
Manchester East Side...Sandy's Variety
Manchester Downtown...Joe Kelley's
Authentic Mexican food Southern NH
This sounds like the kind of place I am looking for. Someehere with menudo, pozole etc. Do they have tounge and/or goat?
Authentic Mexican food Southern NH
is that near 3 Cousins Pizza? I happened to be near there the other day the the store front. That's what prompted me to start the post. Definetly not Manchester's best neighborhood. My favorite Mexican food in Boston is in a similar neighborhood in Jamaica Plain, Tacos el Charro.
Authentic Mexican food Southern NH
One of the things I miss about not living in California, is truly authentic Mexican food, it is my favorite ethnic food, but I do not care for most of the American-Mexican restaurants that we have around here. I much more enjoy small Mom and Pop shops serving more than the usual fare. Here in Manchester...La Carreta is fine not great, Hermano's the same, Shorty's really isn't Mexican, Consuela's is good and authentic but more like a Mexican sub shop than a restaurant.
Has anyone come across the out of the way, hole in the wall Mexican joint with killer food in the Southern NH area?
