Are you sure you aren't confusing Stonebridge with SBC? Don't think SBC has carpets, have never found it dirty/scruffy/scuffed up, and don't really think you can see the waterfalls from there...

Not a huge SBC fan - but you must be going to a different SBC Milford than the one I've been to.

Don't worry - you didn't miss much

I tried it about a month ago.

Each time I have driven by, there has been no one there. Second, the day I went, I showed up around noon. So I showed up and learned that he had "sold out" of pretty much all the meats except for the pulled pork. Not sure how you sell out without customers - felt to me like he was trying to get hype going or something. Who knows.

What is served is really a chopped pork sandwich (should be labelled with more care), with bits of crunchy gristle (cartilage?) in a couple of the bites which didn't help the overall cause. Nothing about it really was any good - the coleslaw (which I often like on a pulled pork sandwich) was soaking in mayo and dull, the BBQ sauce was too sweet and overpowered everything else and the roll was not a great match.

Didn't have the ribs (due to the "sold-out" condition) but I have no interest returning.

I agree with KWhitehead on Village Bagels. The last time I was there I got so frustrated I never returned. Long story short - they have a limited menu board (and from what I recall - it didnt have prices on it) so I ask for a full menu (with prices) which they point out is laying on the top of the deli glass. I order my lunch, they make it and ring me up $1 higher than it should be (note that each time I went there, I always wondered how the bill got to what it was - but that's another issue and something I can't prove). I question the price and point out that they are ringing me up in excess of the stated prices. So then they tell me that the menu I was using has old prices and thus I am wrong, and further that they can prove it to me. They spend 30 seconds digging through a stack of menus behind the counter until finally they pull one out that has the inflated prices. So I say I don't care what the "new prices" are, I was given a menu, I ordered expecting it to be that price, and that's the price I am willing to pay. The employee at the register gets the cook involved and he says the same exact thing - I am wrong because the menu I used was out of date. Nevermind that they provided the "outdated" menu. Nevermind that this is a $1 difference. So I walked out and let them keep my lunch. For $1 they lost my business and a bunch of others, and lost out on some $6 sandwich sale as it was left unclaimed. Real smart.

-----
Village Grill & Cafe
1590 Boston Post Rd, Milford, CT 06460

Thanks a ton Harrie. Ironically I've purchased many eggs from Four Mile. Great info on Summerton/Treat too!

Totally agree here. Pepe's crust is on average thicker than it used to be and lacks charring like it used to have. I noticed their pies getting thicker a couple years back - but the last couple I have gotten would be what I'd expect if I had instructed them to "lightly bake" it...

I'm not sure I notice anything different with the cutting though...

How far down is he? Is it the one in the middle that sells meats from an unassuming spot, or the one all the way at the end next to the milk/yogurt ladies, etc.? Or someone else?

Was wondering if anyone has good suggestions for great bacon in the Greater New Haven area? I used to love the bacon at Noacks in Meriden but the quality has fallen off a cliff (it's see-through slices of fat these days) and the price is exorbinant for what it is. It has been of poor quality for a while now. Any good suggestions?

Thanks!

I find the only Pepe's pie that is great is the white clam. The initial thought of it wasn't very appealing to me, but once I had it, I found it to be their best pie.

Generally, I find Pepe's to be very inconsistent and for you to get their best effort might take a couple visits. However, I don't frequent Pepe's much anymore once they turned it into essentially a Pizza Hut franchise. You call up to order and get a phone tree to wade through. You spot billboards on the highway, etc. Different locations are popping up everywhere. From a personal standpoint, I think Pepe's has lost its soul. But that is all besides the point. Their white clam is a great pizza, and the others I find to be good but not anything magical. In the summer, their summer special is also good.

Whereas different people always seem to be in the back making pies at Pepes, Sallys has the same family members making pies every night. This leads to more consistency than Pepes. Their plain pie with grated cheese is probably their signature in my mind. However, whereas I find Pepes to be more of a one-trick pony, I think Sallys has better pies across the board. I personally enjoy their mushroom pizza.

With all this noted, either place you go will serve you a tasty pizza, and really the preferences come down to what you like, obviously. However, I would take a flyer on the white clam at Pepes and the plain at Sallys. But, if I were you, I'd get 2 pies at each place. 1 recommended here, and 1 of your own choosing. Maybe something that you'd normally get so you can compare it to your neighborhood favourite.

As for Pepes vs Spot - yes, pretty much the same thing. In fact, when Pepes is busy, and you call for take-out (and wade through that phone tree "press 1 for this, press 2 for that"), they will often have you pick it up at the Spot. However, if you are going once to check it out - I think the atmosphere is indeed better at Pepes. If waiting/patience is an issue, and you don't care about the atmosphere at all, then by all means go to the Spot (which is the original location - but doesn't have the feel to it that Pepes has next door) or, really, with the way Pepes has opened locations up all over, you can just as well go to any of those too.

On your other questions: A white pie means no sauce. If you want to add sauce, it becomes a red pie. Sauce definitely alters the flavour - and I would recommend the white clam rather than red. Also, I would recommend not getting mozzeralla on it.

Sallys is not a horrible restaurant experience. What makes it horrible is when people aren't properly understanding on how the establishment operates. It is a tightly-knit family run business. They made a decision to give an unlisted phone number to certain people (friends, family, etc.) so that those people (who they most value, have connections with, etc.) can make reservations. Thus, certain people can reserve tables without having to wait in line. Now, the "regular" customer can take this one of two ways. You can either decide that you don't like their policy and not go there, or you can accept that this is how the business is run and deal with it. If you look at it from their perspective, it really, in my opinion, isn't that big of an evil. They want to see their friends & family. The horrible experiences usually come from people not liking the policy, or not knowing their policy, but deciding to stand in line anyways. They become very impatient, get bad attitudes, and let that ruin their whole time. Don't expect to be treated like some VIP star. Way too many primadonnas running around the northeast - this is a good reality check.

I have never had an awful experience there and have never found anyone at Sallys to be unfriendly or unhelpful. It is all about frame of mind. If you are waiting in line and have a positive attitude, you will be fine. If you are waiting in line and getting pissed off about open tables and people waltzing in - I'd advise you not to even make an attempt. Go in with a bad attitude, be impatient, be ultra-sensitive and you will have a terrible time. Sallys has a soul to it - and if you don't like their methods - they don't mind if you go elsewhere. At the end of it all, I find the Sallys experience & pies to be better than Pepes. I feel like Sallys has a love for their pizzas. Pepes I feel to be a vapid business enterprise which, even so, turns out good pizza. Both are great spots to try - don't let anything persuade you otherwise.

Are you doing this in the same day? You can show up to Pepes first, and then go over to Sallys at 415p and hang outside. If you go to Sallys first, and then Pepes, timing could be an issue because you can't predict lines at either place. I've seen long lines on night I wouldn't expect, and no lines on Fridays at certain times.

If you are only doing one per visit, then your timetable is very reasonable.

Also - as for the above comments - I agree. Eat-in, don't take out unless you will be eating them on the curb.

Check out Mo's Midtown, 25 Whitney Street in Hartford (towards the line with West Hartford). Not too far off 84 & a greasy spoon.

I really wanted to like Apizzo but they are a little over the top on the gourmet angle. You pay a lot and thus expect a lot - and in the end - I don't think it's worth it. After taking a couple bites, I discovered some salt was necessary (which is problematic in itself) which did help out tremendously - but still - the price is a problem. The pizza is better than a bunch of the pizzas one finds in that neck of the woods - but they need to tweak some things to make everything happen.

Noack's also has great hot dogs & bacon.

3000 Whitney Ave
Hamden, CT, 06518

If you are ever down in CT - pick up some Hosmer Mountain Ginger Beer. That is probably the spiciest GB that I know of. It is a great hot-weather slow-sipping delight. Once again though - not sure how it does in a D&S. Might be a little too heavy for that.

Bundaberg is a good choice - and more well known than my favourite Australian GB which is Saxby's. Either of these would make a great choice.

I tried some Goslings GB the other day and was not impressed at all. It is very weak tasting and perhaps one of the worst ginger beers I've had. Of course, when mixed up as a D&S - it might function just fine.

YMMV

PS: I don't know what Reed's is bottling but I'm not convinced its GB... = )

Both have clam pies.

However, with these circumstances, definitely go to Pepe's. It should offer you better service and a better white clam pie. ALso - I'd advise against throwing Mozzerella on it to get the full flavour.

Pepe's is open for lunch every day of the week. Modern is open for lunch Tues thru Saturday.

I think the opposite is true.

However, I never recommend Sallys to a newcomer because of the service/reservation aspect. To recommend someone stands in line, while others bypass the line because they have "reservations", breeds a lot of ill will. Sending someone in there with no explanation of their reservation practices will ensure the person walks away annoyed by the whole event.

For those that aren't aware - Sallys has a special phone number whereby the inside circle can make reservations. If you are not part of that, you wait in line, and wait at your table - while those with reservations get an immediate table (typically) and can get served before you - regardless of whether you were seated first. That's how it is. If you don't like it - you shouldn't go. If you don't mind it - keep it in mind so that you don't let frustration get the best of you.

But in this instance, Sallys isn't applicable anyways because they don't open for lunch.

Check Pepe's - you may not have much of a wait. Modern you should get in quick. Pick one of those two.

I found Curtis BBQ to be nearly inedible across the board. If my experience was anything normal, I highly recommend you go elsewhere.

It looks like a great place - the whole atmosphere of it. But you have been warned.

Better BBQ in that area would be Top of the Hill in Brattleboro (seasonal)

I'm not even going to touch the China comment other than saying that some people don't like to eat toxins and others aren't too keen about the environmental consequences of the poor fish farming practices over there. Others see a low price and it doesn't matter...

However - I hardly see the sirloin offer as great. I can go to the butcher and get 24oz. of fresh NY Strip, cut how I want it, for $4.99/lb vs the $4.33/lb at Aldi for frozen stuff in a box. And while I don't buy it - I think the sirloin may run for $2.99/lb. Who cares if I'm supporting the local butcher instead of the German discount chain.

After reading the pig trip review & seeing posts here - I visited Smokin w/ Chris and was pretty disappointed. I had a pulled pork sandwich and it was terrible.
The sandwich came with a bunch of sweet (commercial-tasting) BBQ sauce on it, the coleslaw on the sandwich was full of runny mayo which dripped everywhere and the actual pork was very strange - chewy white cubes. The pulled pork I have always been familiar with is usually a pork butt that is slow cooked over wood/smoke. I don't know what this thing was. And between the BBQ sauce & mayo - I couldn't taste the pork.

The atmosphere inside is more upscale than one would think from the exterior of the place (or from your normal sterotype of a BBQ joint).

All three of those mentioned are excellent - but Pitcher Inn & Hen have much better atmosphere/ambience vs. Michaels. I lean Hen of the Wood because I love the space. Loved it when it was the Mist Grill/Grist Mill, and was eating there through the bumpy switchover and onwards when I'd typically have the place to myself. Pitcher Inn has a real cool wine cellar if you have the dinero.

An underappreciated classic is the 1824 House Inn (Waitsfield, Rt100) which I found excellent when I went a couple years ago. Haven't had a chance to return unfortunately (so hopefully my experience wasn't a one-off).

Bobcat & Alchemist are more comfort food-type joints. I find the food fine at both - but nothing amazing. I definitely prefer the beer from Bobcat over Alcehmist without question but I may be in the minority on that one as people rave about Alchemist brews. If you don't care so much about beer but want comfort food nearby - check out the Hyde Away Inn on Rt 17 in Waitsfield - comfort food.

I would tell you to stay away from the Warren House unless someone has ventured in there within the last year and had better info. My numerous attempts there ended with seared tuna, frozen in the middle, and various other problems....

Watch Factory Restaurant is a nice spot for sure (and closer than East Side) but it isn't German per se.

The website is a disaster - but here it is anyways http://www.watchfactoryrestaurant.com/

I found it to be more gimmick than anything else. Festive atmosphere with overpriced average food.

At times, Apple Tree in West Hartford has good fresh okra (but they haven't had any recently). I don't know when it'd be back - it comes and goes. I suppose you could call and ask. That's the best I can do for you.

Here is a link to Morganna's review
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/554042

I tried it last year and thought it was pretty mediocre. I thought it was overpriced for what you got, and the food wasn't even good. I will never return or recommend this place. It is in a cool location and has a nice vibe to it - they just need to work on their food.

My experiences are the same as RatBuddy. Mo's homefries have the texture of smashed baked potatoes - not cripsy. In fact, you sorta need a bunch of drink or ketchup to throw them all back without dying.
As for pizza - Ive never been at Harry BC, but Harrys in the center I found to be much better than Luna.