few questions in boston w/kids (times) and foxborough.

thanks for the replies everyone, you've eliminated most of my concerns!

sorry, should have clarified about the summer shack - yes, it's the one 3/4 mile from fenway. i got the pan roasted lobster years ago and loved it, plus know the kids would find it enjoyable to eat.

glad that myers + chang & ICOB will work out as well, that's awesome to hear.

i was mentioning kelly's for the roast beef and ko for the meat pies, not ko prime (sorry for the confusion). was figuring we'd hit up ko on the way out of boston and the kids and wife could eat while i was driving down to foxborough. i do know that some places may not be open because it's memorial day, but i'm checking in some of the other towns as chris vr mentioned because they're so close to foxborough.

oh, kat, 5 wits = interactive adventure game place in foxborough, at patriot place.

bob gaj in Greater Boston Area

few questions in boston w/kids (times) and foxborough.

ny state ch'er here, coming to boston from thursday - monday over memorial day weekend with my wife (allergic to shellfish) and well-behaved kids (10, 6). hot or spicy is out, but the kids eat reasonably well (veggies are ok, they love pork buns and will try most things). i've been to boston a few times, but not in the last six years. i am NOT driving around town, so it's all public transport (and we'll get the week card for the T). i've read through the archives, so hopefully i'm not repeating any previously asked questions.

1) we're going to the museum of science. if we go during the week, we're going to similans. but on sunday, lots of places are closed - so what's tolerable at the riverview cafe in the museum?

2) friday, we're stopping at jasper white's summer shack before the game at fenway. is 4:30 early enough to get out before 545 with no appetizers/dessert, just main meals?

3) we may eat at myers & chang. is it somewhere that is ok for kids if we're there at 5/530 on thursday or saturday, or would it be easier / better to go there for lunch?

4) is 5pm/530 on a sunday ok to eat at ICOB with kids? they have reservations open, and we try to bring our kids to 'adult' places earlier in the evening.

5) we're leaving monday for 5 wits in foxborough. is there any place on the way down there that's good and somewhat quick food? i wish kelly's was on the way there, but it's not, so i'm hoping there's some kind of similar place on the way. if not, we may just go west and hit up kelly's that way. ko would be perfect if only they were open on mondays...

thanks for answering my questions...

bob gaj in Greater Boston Area

cream cheese cakes are back! (dutchess - lagrangeville)

once upon a time, i found these great cream cheese cakes made my kristin (formerly dietrich) frisina. i think it was at the rosendale street festival...and occasionally i bought them from adams, but other times, at a couple of the roadside stands on rte 9w.

then she opened a place in gardiner, and sold the cream cheese cakes there, but it changed hands, and they haven't been available in any type of bakeries or delis for a while.

well...she's back. you have to go to the east side of the hudson (fortunate for me!) but is now at seasons cafe and bakery, 2411 route 82, lagrangeville, ny , 845-592-4777. they're open seven days a week, mon-fri 6 am - 4 pm, sat / sunday until 3. she tells me that they'll be doing "specialty night dinners and gourmet to go as well".

i'll be heading down there soon, as we're having some friends over this weekend, and i want to pick up one of the cheesecakes for it.

oh, i forgot the site - it's www.iloveseasons.com the menu is breakfast and lunch deli items, with smoothies as lunch.

here's a link to my posts long ago:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/254040
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/409869

bob gaj in New York State (exc. New York City)

rampfest in hudson - anyone been?

tomorrow is "rampfest" in hudson. there's a bunch of restaurants that are supposed to be participating / giving away food samples cooked with ramps.

i know it's late in the ramps season...

but is this thing any good? last year, the rampfest was $40 (!). this year, it's $20. i'm an hour away...not sure if it's worth the drive / fee.

if we did go, we'd likely go to da/ba or swoon afterwards..

thanks.

bob gaj in New York State (exc. New York City)

Good Restaurant Bard College/Red Hook area

in tivoli - madalin's table decent upscale food.
tapas - panzur.

in red hook: really good italian food - mercato
steak - flatiron

i prefer mercato or panzur.

bob gaj in New York State (exc. New York City)

Red Devon Review[Stanfordville]

red devon = dutchess county, east of the taconic / south of route 199 / north of route 44 (and i believe just off route 82), between millbrook and pine plains. i think the town is washington.

bob gaj in New York State (exc. New York City)

studio cupcakes - poughkeepsie

people have periodically asked about for a place to buy cupcakes in dutchess county, so...

studio cupcakes has opened. it's an offshoot of twisted soul, but because space was limited @twisted soul for cupcakes, they decided to open up another shop.

the location is 359 mill street (845-705-5381), on the corner of mill/route 44 west and hamilton, in a building which used to house the brown bag. the brown bag's sign is still up there (and looks a bit rundown), but they've done a lot of work in cleaning up the insides to make it cozy/friendlier. there's a small unpaved parking lot next to the building for cars to park, but with 0 or 1 (i forget which) table inside, it's definitely designed for takeaway.

last week, they had:

alfajores and other pastries
6 kinds of cupcakes (some included a choc ganache/coconut/passion fruit, dulce de leche with chocolate or vanilla cake, and one with vanilla/cramel and "real strawberry frosting"), $2.50 each.
several kinds of empanadas
a mac n cheese dish

coffee and other kinds of refreshments, with tea coming soon.
hours are 1130 - 5 (soon to be 6 pm)

i'm not a big cupcakes person, but i know that others on here have been impressed with twisted soul's cupcakes, so wanted to pass on the news. and my son loves the dulce de leche one...

bob gaj in New York State (exc. New York City)

Hudson Valley Restaurant Weeks 2012

don't get this confused with henry's farm to table at buttermilk (across the river in milton). we had an enjoyable dinner there a few months ago, and keep meaning to go back there.

bob gaj in New York State (exc. New York City)

latest from elephant (kingston)

forgot - they also had a foie gras and salmon gravlax dish as well...

bob gaj in New York State (exc. New York City)

latest from elephant (kingston)

update on elephant's menu...back last night with my wife after being away far too long. the regular menu has a new addition - bbq brisket bikini, a grilled cheese with brisket / poblanos / onions. also, albondigas are on the main menu. i think the lamburguesas are off the main menu

specials last night, some of which we had, included:

highland? venison carpaccio with egg/capers/manchego
duck cassoulet with duck confit, sausage, white bean ragout
a rabbit dish
shepherd's pie with lamb, potato puree, and (something)
pork canneloni
an octopus dish
a blood sausage (morcilla) dish.

and we also had some bone marrow. finished it off with our standard cookies/nutella/shot of chocolate milk.

great stuff, as always.

bob gaj in New York State (exc. New York City)

Harajuku Asian Cafe

just saw this on harajuku's website:

Original Concept Developers and Creative Team are no longer with the Restaurant

The original creators, concept developers and creative team are no longer involved with Harajuku Asian Cafe. We have fulfilled our obligation in bringing forth this new restaurant concept. However, Harajuku Cafe is under new management and is in the process of transition. They are no longer affiliated with the original Harajuku concept.

Thanks to our customers over the past year. We had a great joy serving you all

anyone know anything more about it? was going to go a bit out of our way with family for lunch, but don't want to get there with people in tow and find out the menu / concept / cooking has changed.

bob gaj in New York State (exc. New York City)

Cinnamon Indian Cuisine in Rhinebeck (Wonderful)

i keep meaning to stop in, but haven't had the time. and the last one i went to was a couple weeks ago on route 9 in wappingers, kabab palace i think? nothing worth going to from out of the area, normal indian buffet if you're in the area.

what was on the buffet which was either 1) unique or 2) tasted great? would love to know, usually my family prefers buffets.

and for those who are familiar with the area, it's a little south of rhinebeck, on an open stretch of route 9 - it's changed hands / names a couple times, but always an indian theme.

thanks jim for posting about this!

bob gaj in New York State (exc. New York City)

Thanksgiving Dinner in the Mid-Hudson Valley

going out or bringing home?

twisted soul (POK) has had slightly off-center meals to take home on thanksgiving.

bob gaj in New York State (exc. New York City)

Chinese Food Duchess County?

i almost forgot, harajuku asian cafe isn't bad. although it's not pure chinese either.

bob gaj in New York State (exc. New York City)

Chinese Food Duchess County?

+1 to both of the above from applesauce.

welcome oriental grocery on route 376 stocks asian ingredients, and on saturday a little after noon brings up tons of little dim sum and chinese hot / cold dishes from either chinatown or central jersey, i forget which. they also have some banh mi sandwiches as well at that time.

(edit: and twisted soul, although not a chinese place, has good dumplings and other things that - if you like chinese food - fit right up your alley).

bob gaj in New York State (exc. New York City)

How Are the Restaurants at The Culinary Institute of America?

the bakery is quite good, but they've now (past few years) made it a cafe thing as well, where you can get stuff you might not get at a bakery. i had pork belly buns there which were quite good and a fish (skate?) at one point. i know they also had banh mis, but i never stopped in to try them. my wife loved the truffle grilled cheese and a bunch of the pastries.

forewarned: the bakery/cafe can sometimes have long lines around lunchtime, best to go during slightly off times.

bob gaj in New York State (exc. New York City)

Dutchess County Fair - anyone been yet, anything new?

not going this year, but thanks for the news of what happened to the roast beef guy! i'd keep space for it (and bring one home), and saw the new guy last year, and it was still better than most places...but wasn't the great sandwich.

bob gaj in New York State (exc. New York City)

Good lunch in Millbrook?

skip millbrook? here's what i did with my kids:

go to trevor zoo. bring fruit chewies and other small snacks.
go to pawling for the butterfly "zoo" at http://www.rainbowsendfarm.biz/

then, you're about 10 minutes from big w's barbecue on route 22. the only time ppl have had complaints with it is if it's too 'smoky' - if so, you can check out when pigs fly on route 44 in washington part of millbrook...?

obviously there are places and things in millbrook, but that's something we've done, and i

bob gaj in New York State (exc. New York City)

Where to buy fresh mozzarella in Hudson Valley?

i forgot, quattro's in pleasant valley has had good mozz from time to time as well.

bob gaj in New York State (exc. New York City)

Where to buy fresh mozzarella in Hudson Valley?

if popovich provisions is still doing it, they used to be the best.

joe fell ill a couple years ago and stopped going to the beacon / rhinebeck farmers markets, i don't know if he's still producing locally for the pine plains (iga equivalent, i forget the name of the store) area.

i've been looking unsuccessfully for another top notch fresh mozz place in the hudson valley, preferably nearer poughkeepsie. i hate to say it, but stew leonard's has generally been pretty good, with the milk juices almost coming out of the packaging (an excellent sign). haven't tried migliorelli's...

bob gaj in New York State (exc. New York City)

Taconic from Hudson to NYC

another fork in the road.

bob gaj in New York State (exc. New York City)

Lookin for an Amaizing Rest. in Portland,Maine w/ Exotic twist

hugo's.

a few years ago, they even had a general tso or sweet and sour sweetbreads on the menu.

bob gaj in Northern New England

Kingston Suggestions?

elephant still rocks. they're not open on sundays, and don't take reservations.

i don't think jane's has a storefront any more - used to be across from where elephant is.

fleisher's isn't a restaurant; i'd assume you could go to brooklyn (marlowe?) and get much of the same things.

there's some places in saugerties as well, and i know that one of them on the main strip (a candy shop) sells jane's all the time. although there is a lighthouse in kingston (and old train area), you could probably go to saug. for their lighthouse which you can walk out to, and then eat a lunch on their main strip, w/dinner in kingston. or a b&b type place in saugerties...

there's a long-standing tex-mex place called armadillo's which is good as well...

bob gaj in New York State (exc. New York City)

A New Gem in Fishkill, NY Called Tequila's Blue Agave

when did that happen? i know they moved from the plaza with the colombian bakery / hostess thrift store to route 9 south, a bit further down in wappingers - did that one close as well?

bob gaj in New York State (exc. New York City)

A New Gem in Fishkill, NY Called Tequila's Blue Agave

that's the location - if you turn off route 9, there's a plaza on the riht (37 elm), it's the one on the far left.

unfortunately, you might be right - just tried the number, gives the 'no such number' automessage from the phone company.

EDIT: if you're looking for mexican, you can go up route 9 to tacocina. also, there's harajuku asian cafe a bit up (east) route 52 - it's maybe 5-10 minutes from route 9, in wiccioee plaza.

bob gaj in New York State (exc. New York City)

Palace Dumpling--Delicious and inexpensive (Wappingers Falls)

finally went down here today with a friend, food was great! had:

pork / scallion dumplings (fried)
lamb/onion dumplings

sweet pepper w/pork salad.

really flavorful stuff, dumplings were wonderful even without sauce.

bob gaj in New York State (exc. New York City)

Ku Yah Restaurant in Poughkeepsie (Jamaican & West Indian cuisine)

i can't tell much of a difference between sylvia's and ku yah on their jerk chicken; had no complaints at janet's. ku yah has a few more dishes on their menu and is more of a restaurant, so i'd suggest going there. i just haven't ventured off to try the goat, fish (cuttle?) or other stuff yet.

bob gaj in New York State (exc. New York City)

Ku Yah Restaurant in Poughkeepsie (Jamaican & West Indian cuisine)

i haven't had any of their meals, but i've had their lunch special jerk chicken, with rice/peas, and a plantain and a can of soda - 7.52 after tax.

you can have a very light dinner after that filling lunch - 2 pieces of chicken, very tasty.

edit: there are 4 jamaican places i know of in POK: this one, sylvia's (just off route 55/arterial west), reggae boy (never tried) and janet's jerk (back on academy, where karibbean kafe failed).

bob gaj in New York State (exc. New York City)

Hyde Park / Rhinebeck

the local, which is here:
http://thelocalrestaurantandbar.com/

terrapin's nowhere near as good as the press, and definitely isn't worth a trip from far away *to* there, but is definitely good if you're up there.

and gigi's?

bob gaj in New York State (exc. New York City)