I wished I had your balls... for saying what is what!
A Oakie newbie to Elm town, I don't seem to know squat.

'za is sacred... worshiped, there really is no doubt.
Louis Lunch: You don't like it? (they say with a pout)

I agree, chains and boxes are screwin' with our minds.
Seek out the deliciousness! Get off of your behinds!

Get out of your mindset and set your spirits free!
As Chowhounds we cannot tolerate mediocrity!

Deliciousness is in the mind's eye,
On that we can agree.

Deliciousness is all around us
Just get out and see.

Oyster Bay, in Cape May, was a special meal for me. http://oysterbayrestaurantnj.com/

lobster, scallops, shrimp and calamari. This was from another hound that posted previously before the thread was wiped out.

I wanted to add more pictures and comment that I have done a little research.
Cooked, extra large or jumbo shrimp at Stop & Shop cost $8-10/lb. One pound of shrimp = 11 to 15 (Jumbo) or 16 to 20 (Extra-large). I really doubt there were over 30 shrimp (and remember they were butterflied, so they spread out), that means there were $12 of shrimp (on the low side) or $27 on the highest side). Median=$20 retail at S&S. Add this to a $12 pizza and you get $32. On the low-end with wholesale shrimp? Sure, there is some labor involved. Just sayin.
I had to redo this review. Geez, I did not know there were unmentionables on CH! I hope those who responded before will repost so the thread is fair and balanced. This was our first time to go to Roseland Apizza.

Apparently many people find Roseland Apizza "Nirvana in the Valley" while others say there is no competition. This place has a cult-like local following and gets good press, even though the service can be spotty and with an attitude. How does a typical Derby "Joe six-pack" family afford to eat here where pizzas can easily reach $20 and specials soar to $30?
It was not easy to find Roseland. It is up on a hill, in a residential area on the north end of town. It just about looks almost like any other house except for the neon signs and small parking lot.
Over and over people speak of the charming, comfortable,down-home, down at the heels feel of Roseland. It looks like a house with neon signs and may have once been a home. It's not very big and looks like it might seat 75, max. The interior is sorta "old Italian pizza joint" or country cafe. Lots of booths. It could be transported anywhere in the US and look at home. However, there is no lobby, foyer or bar. There is a place for about six to squeeze into a small corner while they wait, ala the long waits at the big three in New Haven. Obviously there is some connection between pleasure and pain when it comes to apizza! Like waiting in line, in the cold, snow and rain to be served by ill-tempered waitstaff. People exiting Roseland must run the gauntlet of those packed at the door waiting to be seated. I was "rammed" by a short, heavy-set woman as she bulled her way in without a word. She was obviously a local as she went right up to an employee and started having a long, congenial conversation.

We arrived at 6:30 and were seated about 7, even though they had some empty tables in the next diningroom. When we left at 8 the place was almost empty. They are not open for lunch. We had a chance to look at the large chalkboard across the room where they have appetizers, pizzas and specials listed. Once seated it was impossible to clearly read the board and the menu is very sparse. Sparse too is the wine and beer selection.
When our table was ready a waitress pointed across the room and said, "That's your table". On it was stacked three odd plates, of different sizes, three paper napkins and three forks. That was our seating and setup. One fork was a small salad fork.
We ordered a $25 bottle of 2006 Beringer Founder's Estate Cabernet. This is an $8-10 bottle of wine in a store! That's a big markup. And they were out of several other reds, when they only offer nine reds and three whites, total. They do offers some wine by the glass. Six beers in bottles and six beers on tap. Nothing real fancy except Sam Adams on tap.
We wanted to share a shrimp with prosciutto pizza. The waiter immediately asked us if we had been there before. He said the pizza was going to be $42. After we got off the floor we said OK. We were there for "the experience" based on the hype.
A sliced boule of Italian bread was brought to our table. It was cold and very cold in the middle. It was ordinary and was too similar to "white bread" to suit our tastes.
For the table I ordered zuppa de clams with white sauce (meaning fish-wine stock with basil). The stock was super salty and inedible when you dipped bread into it. What a waste! The dish obviously sat under the lights for a while. It was hot but the clams were partly dried out and were a little tough. That dish was $20!
The pizza we ordered was very much like a pizza from the big three in New Haven, with a thin, well cooked crust. There were 25-30 butterflied medium shrimp and a little prosciutto on it. We felt like they were skimpy with at least the cheese and sauce. The pizza was quite good and the shrimp were obviously fresh.
We ordered penne with sausage and marinara sauce. The sausages were probably the best Italian sausages I have eaten. They were extremely flavorful in a subtle way and the quality was very high. The meat was not ground, but chopped. Though flavorful, I was surprised to see that the marinara in the dish had only a small amount of oregano and parsley. A very good cheese was melted on top. For the price and the amount of pasta, we felt they skimped on the amount of sausage. This dinner came with a nice-sized, high quality salad. The house vinegar and oil was very good and just the right amount.

The three of us dropped $129, didn't have dessert, and only had one $25 (inflated price) bottle of wine! For the cost of the meal we thought service would be better. We poured our own wine and they didn't offer us anything else to drink when we ran out. They were slow to remove dishes and we did not ever get clean plates, fresh forks or additional napkins during the meal. One meager paper napkin apiece.

The menu itself is sparse and once seated it was hard for some of us to read the chalkboard. Why not a printed daily specials menu and some prices?
They have a policy of not permitting tips to be charged on your credit card. This seems very strange! How can they do that and why do they have that rule?
With prices at high-end downtown New Haven Italian restaurant levels (higher than apizza joints in New Haven), we thought we deserved more, regardless of the reputation. The food may be good and some portions large, but it is a very expensive no-frills joint.

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Roseland Apizza
350 Hawthorne Ave, Derby, CT 06418

My advice wouldn't change much. There's Prime 16, a high-end burger joint around the corner.

I would ask what you mean by kid friendly? Almost everything I have experienced so far I would say would be fine for lunch. You may not find specific child's menus but you can always order them appetizers or side dishes, like pasta.

Take her to Barcelona or Ibiza where they have tapas. I think "small plates" would be perfect! Both are very close. Scoozi, a little farther away is another idea. About two blocks away

Not open for lunch. We just ate at Roseland for the first time. Apizza is good, but very expensive. Large shrimp=$40! Pretty much the style of apizza for the big three in New Haven.
I will do a review in new thread.

That's sad. I had it on good authority that it had been the best of all 3 (?).
At least, here in new Haven (actually West Haven), we have a nice, almost new Uncle Willie's. I ate there and it is good. I give it three stars because it is small and basic (with sides that are average, but the Q usually deserves four stars. Cornbread is too sweet for an Oakie.

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Uncle Willie's Bbq
403 Saw Mill Rd, West Haven, CT 06516-4014

I guess there is a subliminal (hotdog), message here I am not picking up on?!

How about Crave, in Ansonia? Eclectic Spanish: http://www.crave102.com/

Also in Waterbury is Brass City Bistro with easy access from I-84: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/570077 That or La Tavola.. about the same distance from 8.

Also Uncle Willie's BBQ-Waterbury. Easy off and on from 8. This is supposed to be the best of the Uncle Willie's. I have eaten at the West Haven spot and it is good stuff-far above average for the NE.
558 Chase Ave
Waterbury, CT 06704
(203) 596-7677

Up 8, in Torrington: Las Delicias Latina
Recommended by several CH'ers as "Authentic Mexican": pozole, tamales, al pastore, menudo and more.
433 Main Street
Torrington, CT 06790
(860) 482-8833

Sorry, I don't know of good apizza anywhere close!

There's some great Mexican in and around Hartford and there's Guadalupe La Poblanita in New Haven. Mezcal, in New Haven is almost as good.
Definitely go to Union League. Le Petite Cafe, in Guilford, is a wonderful, small and intimate French restaurant.

If you forget Bahn Mi, is Saigon City any good? So long since I have has pho (or bahn mi).
I'm in New Haven, so what's close?

AC,
It was more like the second truck, but it had one, rough-hewn hole in the plastic window. There was one older hispanic man inside. Unnecissito hablar y comprende Espanol (it was not necessary to speak or understand Spanish).
There was one other taco truck, but the name escapes me. There was a Sweeney's truck. Three, total. A great meal though we could have used a bean something or a tamale. Love tamales.

I'll definitely make this when I get out of grad school, get a grant or marry a rich dude.

What Shirer said. He seems to know his stuff. I've added him to my reading list.
You said interesting. Foster's with their wild game and creative menus would qualify. I've been there before and was wowed.
Barcelona is also pretty cool/unique.

Today me and a GF went to I-95, on the ocean side, near Leon's and ate tacos off the Ixtapa truck! That is all they serve!! They do have cokes and water.
The lingua was the best while the al pastor was very flavorful, but not as tender.
Where can you get a meal for $4? We brought a couple of beers and ate in the car while looking at the ocean. Like is good.

I am not going to rely on a fluff site like http://detroit.momslikeme.com/members... for factual data.
I feel it is just as factual to say, "I feel great. There cannot be anything wrong with BPA." I have only see it in some of my tomato cans. I want facts!

Perhaps I'm an idiot and tempting fate but I leave things in cans.
Here is my "method of madness": I stuff the clear plastic wrap down inside-pushing it down with a spoon till I have driven the air out. Up the sides and out with a rubber band around the can. I think I also read where you can put a little oil on top to seal the air out. (?)
I am much less scarred by tomato stuff in those cans that are white inside. What is that white stuff anyway?

I believe Sage is open. It's virtually right across I-95 from Long Wharf.
Very nice view and food is OK. ¡buen apetito!

All you have to do is ask. Not all dishes are meant to be super hot.
I love this place! Buddy up to the owner and let her guide you. She's awesome.

I can't help you, but my memory was jogged by this (thanks) and I remember, as a kid, eating saltines and Wolf brand chili as well as sardines and crackers.
A good bread has replaced crackers with my soup. Triscuits and the like (think "wholesome" and "nutritious"), have nudged "ordinary" crackers from the hors d'œuvre platter.

I was gonna say, living in a small place and not having a smoker or grill around is a bummer. I use the Wright's liquid smoke in a lot of stuff as well as smoke seasoned black pepper (McCormick), and their Grill Mates, mesquite flavored seasoning.

Hmmm. Sounds interesting. Was the cornbread sweet? I miss Southern cornbread. Up here, it could be considered dessert!
Do they serve wine?

Don't forget Cleonice Mediterranean Bistro in Elsworth. I had a great lunch there!

I am new to this and a novice at cooking Mexican, but I see by the list of previous choices that a Mexican COTM is long overdue. I think Kennedy's book is a good choice.

I practically have an IV drip of Pepe's apizza and love Louis' on occasion. Still, Woman cannot live on pizza alone...
How about those burgers at Prime 16? Yummmm (Oh yea, and the beer.)

I too know this is an old thread, but my recent move to do graduate work got me to thinking about how I prepared for my move to a small place and a tiny kitchen. While I live alone, I like to have friends over. I consider myself a decent cook for my age, yet I knew I didn't want to lug accumulated cookware halfway across the country where it wouldn't fit into a tiny area.
Here's what I brought or acquired:
Toaster oven (with convection), big enough to do a half chicken or a Cornish Hen. Can sit anywhere!
Old Oster Kitchen Center: can do anything-blend, mix, chop
All-Clad skillets and a big pot. Virtually indestructible (trust me)
Steamer: the upper part acts as my collander/lower part is my other, smaller pot
Coffee maker: sorry, I cannot operate without coffee and I don't want to have to go out to Starbucks!
Some Henkels and a big, serrated bread knife. I use plastic sheets rather than a single cutting board. Like these: http://www.amazon.com/MIU-Flexible-Cu...
Set of Pyrex glass mixing bowls, with lids: these double for many uses

As some have suggested, a thrift shop, garage sale/estate sale, Craig's list, ebay and asking all the relatives can yield many serviceable items for cheap.
Some funky but still functional old utensils can hang on the wall and double as decoration. I collect them.

My experience, in my limited travels, would be counter to peeling before boiling. Tell that to Mainer's and Nawlin's people!
No disrespect intended, but is it just (only) sound economics to sell "peel your own" in restaurants? Friends have not peeled them for me when they fed me.
I don't think I'd want to be eating a shrimp salad and peeling the shrimp at the same time. Ick!

Relatively New to NH and since this info is kinda old (related to Mexican) I wanta ask what is the best now? Does anything make your top five favs? Anything new? I'm apizza'd out already and want good Mex or Tex-Mex. thanks! Okie Annie
BTW, I can't drive far, my car is crap