checkman's Profile
Madison chow
We are going to be in Madison Wis for a few days. Any suggestions, must-eat's, must-avoids? Will take suggestions for bfst, lunch & dinner. Thanx.
Reds Lobster - Just not that great
Just out of sheer naked curiosity, what are your "far better places"? I have my own short list, and Red's isn't on it mostly because of the line and I don't like eating standing up. Would be interested to hear some of your faves.
Thanksgiving Dinner in Fitchburg/Leominster area?
Thanks... I've been working on your suggestions.
Chocksett Inn - closed. (actually the Chocksett was the very first place we thought of because the daughter was married there and it was great.)
Harrington Farm - closed.
Sterling Inn, Wayside Inn, and Gibbet Hill - one of our party is a vegetarian and I could not find out if they will have seafood/vegetarian choices on their menu. When I asked they all said, "Well, of course there will be turkey..." like turkey is a vegetable. Do you have any info about this from previous experience? Also do you have any thoughts/suggestions about either the Bull Run in Shirley, or the Wachusetts Village Inn? Both are serving Thanksgiving buffets, how good is the food likely to be?
Thanks!
Good chow near Leominster MA?
Thanks again for all the good suggestions - does anyone know if any of these are open for Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving Dinner in Fitchburg/Leominster area?
We are looking for a place to have Thanksgiving Dinner in the Fitchburg/Leominster area. We have always had Thanksgiving at my daughter's, but this year she has a tiny baby and a tiny kitchen in a new house and cooking for a crowd there is out of the question. So someone said, "Let's try a restaurant!" Trouble is, the places we know are all closed on Thanksgiving. So - any suggestions? We are willing to drive a half-hour or so.
Any Suggestions for (1) Lunch in Portland and (2) Dinner in Bath?
There are several good places in Brunswick. Henry and Marty's - very good. Star Fish Grill out on Route 1 - a favorite if you like seafood. Joshua's Tavern - nothing fancy, good plain pub food, excellent chowder. Richard's - German specialties, can be very good, not for the vegetarians. Great Impasta - small, popular, a little short on ambience but excellent Italian food. I'm not crazy about Beale Street in Bath, disappointing compared to Norm's in Portland.
First trip to Portland
You might want to try Walters Cafe on Exchange Street in the Old Port. Pleasant relaxed atmosphere, always good food. It can be crowded on a Friday night, you might want to go early-ish or call for a reservation. It's not the kind of place where you have to make reservations days in advance.
Lobster in March???
What part of New England? If you are near Brunswick, ME I can recommend Cook's Lobster House on Bailey's Island. There are better lobster places around but they are seasonal - Cooks has acceptable seafood, a lovely view, great blueberry pie - AND it is open year-round.
CT Shoreline-- Branford to Lyme -- Italian
Is East Haddam too far inshore for you? We just got back from dinner at La Vita Gustosa. I had chicken "involtini," boneless breasts pounded thin and rolled up with ricotta, prosciutto and spinach. Husband had shrimp "alla rosa," in a brandy cream sauce over angel hair pasta. Both were very good and we'd go back. We did not see any kids in the place but they do have a children's menu and they serve pizza at lunchtime. A word of caution: this is right across the street from the Goodspeed Opera House and they can be VERY busy before & after performances. Make reservations accordingly.
Lunch in Portland, Maine/Chow on Baileys Island
Re Portland: There have been endless recs. Try typing in Portland under SEARCH, you will find lots of suggestions.
For Bailey's Island - We like Esty's better than Cook's. No atmosphere (and no bar, a very limited selection of wines and beers), but the food is better by a long shot. There are three Esty's: One in South Harpswell (biggest and nicest), one on Bailey's, and one in Cundy's Harbor, tiny but picturesque.
There are a couple of nice places for lunch in Brunswick. My personal favorite is Joshua's Tavern, mostly because of the very kind and attentive wait staff (I used to bring my Alzheimer's mother there a lot). Skip the lobster roll if you're dining later at Cook's, but their crab roll is very good and the seafood chowder too. We also like The Great Impasta, and my daughter the vegetarian is fond of the Scarlet Begonia, which is just a little sandwich place. There are also a couple of deli places in Brunswick that could probably pack you a picnic lunch to eat on the water down on Bailey's Island.
Lobster Roll and other good eats in Boothbay Harbor and Portland
I would definitely second Shaw's, but it might be too far out of the way for you.
For my money (and I've said it before in other postings) the best lobster roll in Maine can be had at the Boothbay Lobsterman's Co-op, on the wharf on the east side of Boothbay Harbor. I agree with Catnip that Boothbay Harbor in the summer is crowded and touristy, but the lobster at the Co-op is worth the traffic. You can eat inside or out on the dock, very authentic experience. Don't feed the seagulls.
Portland -- Real road food / lobster shack
Yes, that's the one! Haven't been there this summer, is it still worth recommending?
Evanston chow (long)
Just returned from a family wedding in Chicagoland and since all of our restaurant decisions were made with significant Chowhound input, we thought we would post our reactions.
Since our son (the groom) lives in Evanston, we usually stay in a hotel there when we visit him. We often eat at Tommy Nevin's, as it is convenient to the hotel, so that's where we went for our first night in town. Frankly, it was disappointing. I had what the menu called "Irish lamb stew." It consisted of many chunks of rather tough meat, not much gravy and not many vegetables. This could have been okay (some people like their stew this way) except that the meat tasted nothing like lamb. There's nothing wrong with a decent beef stew, but I would have liked to know that that's what it was. Husband ordered a Ruben sandwich, no surprises there, but the waitress was so inept with the beer menu that he ended up with a Sam Adams. Again, no surprises, but a waitress in a brew pub should know more about beer!
Second night we went to Prairie Moon, also convenient to the hotel, and our son's current favorite restaurant in the area. I ordered a shrimp&chicken combo, husband ordered a chicken Caesar salad. In both cases the chicken was cooked the same way, and was EXTREMELY peppery. (Now I should say right here that we are from Northern New England, where peppah in the chowdah make a spicy dinnah.)
We would not have gone back except for our son's urging. Second time, husband had coconut shrimp, which was extremely good with a honey-based but not too sweet sauce, and I had trout, one of the best meals I had in Chicagoland. Glad we got talked into going back.
The next night was the Grand Meeting of the In-Laws, held at Chef Station. We were all pleased with our meals, except that they kept being out of things -- first the mussels that we had intended to order as an appetizer (the other appetizers were good but tiny, and we had planned to share), then this and that brand of beer. Maybe the truck hadn't made it through traffic. Everyone's entrees were uniformly excellent.
Last night in Evanston (before we moved out to the Wedding Hotel, which is another story) was at Pine Yard, a Chinese place, recommended by a friend who has lived in Evanston for a long time. This restaurant has gotten mixed reviews on Chowhound over time, but my husband said, "John wouldn't stand for a crummy place," so we went along with his recommendation. We ate family-style, so everyone tasted everything, and we felt that everything was fine, no real surprises, but no disappointments either. Service was choppy but I think that was because they brought the entrees as they were prepared, so that we were almost finished with the mu shu before the Mongolian beef got to the table. A small disappointment: wine and beer only, and a very short list of mediocre wines and beers.
Thanks to all you Chicagoland Chowhounds who directed our search for excellent food!
looking for best seafood around Boothbay Harbor, Maine
I've said this before on other postings, but it's worth saying again... for my money the best lobster roll in Maine can be had at the Boothbay Lobsterman's Co-op, on the wharf on the east side of the harbor. Very genererous portions, tender delicious lobster, authentic outside dining on the wharf (inside is available too). Don't feed the seagulls.
CT Pizza survey.
Also in the Old Saybrook area... our favorite is Pizza Plus, it's a dinky little take-out place in Old Lyme, but I wait all year for their vegetarian special.
(Nothing against Alforno's...)
Brunch in Bath, Brunswick or Freeport
If you want a place near Brunswick that's less formal than the Harraseeket, you might try the Sunday brunch at the Seadog brewery overlooking the river in Topsam.
What's New and Great at Tanglewood?
Is Great Barrington too far away from Tanglewood for you? If not I highly recommend the Castle Street Cafe, just off the main drag. The menu changes frequently but we've enjoyed the herbed chicken, osso bucco, three-pigs pasta, and my personal favorite the pistachio-encrusted trout. He also has things like burgers for younger patrons, and an excellent wine list.
(Edit - oops, I forgot that we were supposed to be talking about new places. CSC is NOT new, sorry)
(Still good tho!)
Portland -- Real road food / lobster shack
I would second The Lobster Shack... it seems to me that there is another good restaurant out that way too but I can't remember the name and I'm on vacation and my good Maine guidebook is at home.
Portland Lobster is fine, and a lot more convenient than driving all the way to Wiscasset on a Saturday morning, but don't expect a great lobster roll. I ate there earlier this summer and was disappointed in both the size and the texture (although others in my party who ordered other things were happy.)
In search of the ULTIMATE Lobsta Roll (non-Boston area)
For my money the best lobster roll in Maine is at the Boothbay Lobsterman's Co-op, on the wharf on the east side of the harbor. Very generous. I seldom go to Boothbay Harbor in the summer but the lobster is worth the traffic.
A couple of other suggestions if you're going deeper into Maine: Esty's, in the Harpswells (near Brunswick), and Shaw's Wharf in the Pemaquid area.
Torontonian in Maine, Mass & Vermont
Second the motion. Also in Hallowell is Slates, very good for dinner, excellent varied menu. But it isn't a brew pub.
Torontonian in Maine, Mass & Vermont
Waterman's Beach is in Thomaston. (Edit: Whoops, no it's not, I was thinking of another place. I think St. George is right.)
If you're in Brunswick looking for a brew pub I can strongly recommend Joshua's Tavern, right on Maine Street. My favorite is their seafood chowder and the crabmeat roll. Their lobster roll is only so-so, but they get fresh crabmeat daily from someplace in Bath and it's wonderful.
If you're in Wiscasset, most people like Le Garage, and then there's Red's Eats if you don't mind standing in line. For lunch, I recommend Sarah's. You can get very full on their bread-and-soup buffet - it's more varied than you would think. Probably not the best for dinner because by that time the best bits have been picked out of the soup.
There have been lots of good suggestions for the Camden-Rockland region. Enter Camden on the search box above.
Likewise Portland. Everyone in Portland has their personal favorites.
If you should head for Boothbay Harbor, my favorite spot for lobster is the Boothbay Lobsterman's Co-op, on the wharf on the east side of the harbor. Excellent lobster rolls, very generous. Don't feed the seagulls.
If you are heading down towards Pemaquid Lighthouse (the one that's on the Maine state quarter), you can also get wonderful, off-the-beaten-track seafood at Shaw's Wharf.
And for Maine's ultimate greasy-spoon experience, you MUST visit Moody's Diner on Route 1 in Waldoboro. Save room for dessert.
Portland Dining without Reservations
Okay, this is me personally, not thru my daughter (although she lives in Portland and I do not, and she eats out there often and I do not).
My lone experience w/ Street was indifferent. I personally would not recommend it, have had much better food in Portland.
Have never been to Oolong's, sounds like it's time to try it since according to Keefer's initial post it has been working out its menu issues.
Also never personally been to Mim's. Sounds like the kind of menu I would like. As I said before, she's only been there for brunch, philosophically has a problem with spending that much money for brunch, has never been there for dinner.
As I said, Natasha's seems to be having issues just now. I only hear two kinds of reviews, wonderful or terrible. I guess it depends on the night. This does not speak well for the continued prosperity of the restaurant.
I guess we will have to agree to disagree about Boathouse vs. Saltwater. Local opinions continue to come down on both sides. I have never tried Old Port SeaGrill or the Falmouth Sea-Grill, will have to add them to my to-do lists.
The upshot of my conversation with my daughter that I reported above was that we will try, in our next few Portland dinners together, to go to places that neither one of us has tried. Thanks to all of the above for lots of ideas.
Good Ice Cream Stand, Seafood Shack, Burger Joint in or near Old Saybrook?
If you feel like going over to Old Lyme I can definitely recommend Hallmark's on the Shore Road for ice cream. I can't speak for their meals but their ice cream is excellent.
Best Italians in Portland?
Oh gosh, you'll get a lot of arguement about this, but I guess I would say Amato's. Yes they are a chain, albeit a local one, but they do claim to be the inventor of the Italian sandwich and they do make good ones. I especially like the eggplant... you can get it as a wrap or as an Italian.
Portland Dining without Reservations
Please check out the posting headed Portland for other suggestions.
I was just discussing Fore St., and also Street & Co., with my daughter who lives (and eats) in Portland. I should note that she is a vegetarian who eats some kinds of fish. She says that Fore St. almost never has menu choices that she can eat, which she thinks is odd since Portland has lots of vegetarians amongst its population.
Re Street&Co., which everyone seems to rave about, she says that they are mostly living on their reputation, which in a restaurant town like Portland can't last long. The menu (she says) is boring - shrimp scampi, lobster scampi, scallop scampi, you get the idea.
Re Oolong's - she says that everything tastes the same.
She thinks Mim's is over-rated - too expensive for what they offer. But she's only been there for brunch. It's in a location that has had many short-term tenants, will be interesting to see whether Mim's makes it there.
Natasha's, another of her favorites, has also been trashed on the site. She agrees that Natash's is having chef problems. On a good night they are fantastic, on a bad night inedible.
We like the Saltwater Grill better than Joe's Boathouse. I think the owners are brothers or something. Early on, Joe's had some waitstaff problem which I think are ironed out by now, but we just like the view and the atmosphere at the Saltwater Grille. I have taken my Alzheimer's mother there and appreciated the patience of the staff.
Portland
Walter's is one of my top 5!!! (check my posting) Sometimes a wait but always worth it.
I was just discussing Fore St., and also Street & Co., with my daughter who lives (and eats) in Portland. I should note that she is a vegetarian who eats some kinds of fish. She says that Fore St. almost never has menu choices that she can eat. Re Street&Co., which everyone seems to rave about, she says that they are mostly living on their reputation, which in a restaurant town like Portland can't last long. The menu (she says) is boring - shrimp scampi, lobster scampi, scallop scampi, you get the idea.
She thinks Mim's is over-rated - too expensive for what they offer. But she's only been there for brunch. It's in a location that has had many short-term tenants, will be interesting to see whether Mim's makes it there.
Natasha's, another of her favorites, has also been trashed on the site (tho not this thread). She agrees that Natash's is having chef problems. On a good night they are fantastic, on a bad night inedible.
MUST-VISIT LOBSTER SHACKS AND BLUEBERRY PIE IN MAINE?
Recently had lunch at Cook's Lobster House on Bailey's Island (not far from Brunswick) and it reminded me that this is one of the few sources of "authentic" lobster-shack chow, complete with view, that is open year-round. Personally, I think that Estes in Harpswell has better food, but they close Columbus Day weekend. So if you're here in fall or winter you can still get decent Maine chow. Save room for dessert.
Berkshires chow (including ice cream)
My parents used to live in Stockbridge but haven't for a few years so my info may be out of date. But there used to be a Greek-type restaurant on Rt. 7 on the "strip" just south of Pittsfield -- maybe Sofia's or something? - unpretentious, just good chow. Good Greek salad, excellent crab cakes. Right across from Friendly's in case the kids want ice cream.
Sun tea and iced tea punch
I recently bought a sun tea making jar at a tag sale. Now I need to know how to make sun tea. Do you just dump some water and teabags in the jar and stick it out in the sun? Does this really work? Here in northern New England we rarely get very much sun, but this has been a wierd summer.
Also - I used to have some recipes for iced tea punches - cold tea mixed with fruit juices, fruit, and fizzy sodas. I've lost the recipes but in this hot weather the concept sounds good. Any suggestions out there?
Lobstah Downeast!
Go to the New England board, then keep clicking OLDER until you get to Friday, July 21. You'll find Hobart Fensterwald's post there.
I forgot to mention the New Friendly Restaurant because I myself have not eaten there & I don't like to recommend places just from a guidebook. But my trusty book (Explorer's Guide, by Tree and Oxnard, the guidebook even the locals use) does recommend it. It's right on Route 1 in Perry, just before Eastport. Maybe a better place for lobster than the Waco Diner.
