ChardonnayQueen's Profile
Saturday night dinner near Norwich, VT
Chen Yang Li in Bow is right off 89. It is fabulous!
Killington in June - Do restaurants shut down?
Choices is superb. Also check out the Garlic. I adore their tapas. They stay open. Tell the bartenders, Dave & Breezy, the two Chardonnays say hi.
24 hours in Manchester NH
Shaskeen has great pub food. I love their mussels. If the weather's good, eat them outside. Go to Piccola Italia Ristorante for good Italian dishes and a great Caesar salad.
Vermont- Killington, Rutland and Mendon
Choices is the best place on the mountain and they usually stay open year-round. I absolutely adore the Filet Mignon with bleu cheese. Everything is good. Also try the Garlic. They have decent Italian, but we go for the tapas menu. Reasonable and no foodie will be disappointed. There is a Farmers Market in Woodstock that is wonderful with a great deli.
Fried Clams in or around Manchester NH?
There is a small family-owned restaurant called Ollie's in Goffstown (Pinardville). They do a fabulous job with slow-cooked lamb, but I also love their fried clams. I am never disappointed. They are never too heavily breaded. They are big and succulent. Woodmans is very good. I'm just not crazy about the cafeteria atmosphere. I really don't like Clam King's. The clams tend to be small, over-breaded, and heavily fried. There is only one place to get a lobster roll in NH--the Beach Plum in Hampton and now Portsmouth.
Looking for a Cozy Tavern
The Birch Ridge Inn at Killington, VT might be what you're looking for. Christmastime they put a gigantic tree in the A-frame part of the pub. There is a big stone fireplace and a small pub. Dinner is excellent. Carrot ginger soup!
http://www.birchridge.com/
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Birch Ridge Inn
37 Butler Rd, Killington, VT 05751
Is Makris Lobster in Concord open?
I drive by Makris everyday. The small, front deck is always full. The parking lot is always active. They're probably too busy to keep up a website.
Excellent bakery in Nashua-Manchester, NH area
I've been ordering from the Kelley St. Bakery in Manchester. I adore the champagne cake. I never leave without a small cannoli.
MWM Seeking Burger (Manchester, NH)
The Barley House in Concord has the Dublin Burger made with a whiskey sauce. It's pretty good. I didn't want the large burger. They let me order the smaller one and "Dublin-ize" it. It was different. Good.
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Barley House Restaurant
132 N Main St, Concord, NH 03301
Manchester, NH, Verizon Arena pre-show eat/drink spot?
I like Ignite on Hanover St. Definately SB over Milly's.
Killington, VT restaurants
I go up every weekend. My picks are mostly the same as everyone else's:
Choices & The Birches: best dinner
Wobbly Barn: best salad bar
The Garlic & Santa Fe: best wine pour
The last few years, Santa Fe has offered a goat cheese and roasted red pepper stuffed salmon that is delightful. I love the tapas at The Garlic when I don't want a big meal. The Lookout has good pub food. The Outback offers a Vermonter BLT pizza--bacon, artichoke hearts and tomatoes--that I cannot get enough of.
At all costs, I avoid eating at Charity's. Their creative seafood dishes for $29 simply turn me off.
Cotton Manchester NH--time goes on...and on...
No meatloaf on menus. I never warmed up to Cotton. I thought I was just pining for Cafe Pavone.
Republic Cafe in Manchester, NH
This place is fabulous. It is a European style cafe in our own Manchester, NH. I cannot wait to go back. The idea behind this fairly new eatery is food goes from farm to table. They keep a chalkboard list of the farms they buy their food from.
I went for lunch and tried to keep my meal light (and my weight down), but I ended up eating every bit of my panini. Half would have been fine for lunch, but it was so tasty, I devoured every crumb. I ordered the Grilled Zucchini that also had roasted red peppers and various other gorgeous flavors like feta cheese.
My husband ordered the Chicken Panini, an unusual choice for him since he is not crazy about goat cheese. I tried a bite of his. It was very good, but mine was better. Both came with a modest side salad instead of the usual fries and starches available everywhere else.
On top of everything else, the prices are reasonable. Our paninis were $6.50 and $7.50. The highest priced item on the menu is $22.
The owners, Claudia Rippee and Edward Aloise, are the former proprietors of the most missed Cafe Pavone in the Millyard. According to their website (http://republiccafe.com ) their menu "will convey our culinary philosophy which focuses on quality ingredients, is seasonally appropriate, and is respectful of its sources." Bravo. I will be back soon to sample the Mussels Provencel, the North African Spiced Vegetables, and the Monkfish (Monkfish in Manchester!!) Puttanesca.
XO on Elm St.
Upon arriving for a late night bite and glass of wine (late night for Manchester--8:30), we were asked outside the restaurant if we wanted a table by proprietor #1. We said we were waiting for friends and would like to wait at the bar. There were no seats, but we didn't mind standing. That's when proprietor #2 also asked if we wanted a table. We explained again. He assured us there would be a seat at the bar soon. Nice. He took our drink order. That's when proprietor #1 had followed us in and almost insisted we get a table for ourselves and our friends. Now I felt badgered. I explained to her AGAIN how we were expecting company and preferred to wait at the bar. I didn't know how many of my friends were showing up, but do I really need to get into this in order to enjoy a glass of wine?
Seats opened up shortly, and the bartender gave us menus. I thought this was a tapas bar, but there were only four items under the tapas label.
Soon after, our friends came in, and gathered around us at the bar. Now, close to 9 PM, the place was slowing down. More seats became available and diners were leaving. However, my friends couldn't get a drink. The bartender, when around, just flitted by and then disappeared. Proprietor #2 hugged my friend, but then was gone. Finally, 20 minutes later, the bartender took their drink order and our food order.
The food didn't take too long. My mussels steamed with beer and sautéed with Chorizo sausage for $9 were excellent. Unfortunately about a third of them did not open and my bread for mopping sauce was burned on one side. When I showed the bartender, she took the entire appetizer off the bill. I thought that was more than generous.
My friend's dates stuffed with Chorizo and cream cheese filling wrapped with crispy pancetta were outstanding. I could have eaten a plateful, but getting three of them for $7 is not enough value for me.
Another friend ordered the Middle Eastern Taster for $12. It came as cute little bowls of hummus, cucumber taziki, tabouli, and olive tapenade. It was all delicious, but the grilled Naan bread was also burned.
This is a beautiful restaurant, but I did not have a good experience. I will try it again, but not for a while.
Ignite in Manchester, NH
I love the decor of Ignite, and the last time I went my meal was fabulous. We started with fried pickles. They were sliced instead of spears and the batter was a tad too salty, but the ranch dipping sauce has a bit of relish in it. I would order this again.
For dinner I ordered a special which I had reservations about and should have stuck to my gut. They were offering crab cakes topped with Marinara sauce and melted cheese. Red sauce on crab cakes? I asked if it had been popular (the answer was yes), and I completely got sucked in by the Maryland crab part. The sauce overpowered the crab taste, and I was disappointed. I blame myself. Next time I'll do the Maryland crab cake appetizer instead.
My mother's seafood dish was quite good as was my husband's Crusted New York Steak Strip. Both were cooked perfectly. The best dinner on the table was my father's Asian BBQ Ribeye Steak. The flavor was intense. I highly recommend this dish.
Finally, we devoured our dessert. My father ordered a slice of cake with thick fudge frosting and gorgeous butter cream filling. I don't know if they make their own desserts or order them.
I love that the owner walks around greeting diners. I will go again. I'll just be smarter about my choices.
LOBSTER ROLL TIME!!
I'm waiting for Beach Plum on Ocean Blvd. in Hampton. The lobster roll was so big, I couldn't finish it, and a deal for about $15.
Manchester, NH
We had a great time at Ignite. There was a show going on at the Palace Theatre, but we were seated in a reasonable amount of time (1/2 glass wine). Meanwhile we sat/stood at the bar. After being seated, we didn't have to clear our bar tab as the bartender became our server.
We started with the mussels special which was fabulous! A bit spicy and we fought over the bits of garlic and tomatoes to mop up with the garlic toasts.
I had an ostrich burger. The server recommended I go rare instead of my usual medium rare since ostrich cooks quickly. It was too red for me. I would do medium rare next time. They gave me a side salad instead of a starch.
My dining companion had the filet mignon. It was good. I'm used to that cut being seasoned. His needed a shake of salt. His garlic mashed potatoes were real and lovely. We ate it all.
Food: Quite good
Service: Excellent
Decor: Gorgeous
Prices: Fair value
Republic Cafe--Gastropubbing comes to Manchvegas!
I will try the Repulic soon, but what is with Manchester's love affair with the Back Room???
White River Junctio n, VT, Hanover, Lebanon, NH
I DON'T know about Corners Inn. We've been by every weekend. Sometimes it says open, but the lights are off. There is never a car in the parking lot. It was sold recently and I don't know what's going on.
White River Junctio n, VT, Hanover, Lebanon, NH
Bentley's is good for burgers, French onion soup and flatbread pizza specials. I also like the Friday night bartender. I also like Lui Lui's in West Lebanon. Good bread. Descent salads.
New Fish store on 2nd street, Manchester NH
We had lobsters cooked there as well as steamers for Christmas Eve. The claws, my favorite part, were enormous and tender. The steamers were sweet.
I will definately be making this a part of my grocery routine.
Wanted: Recommendations for Great VT/NH Restaurants
I have a couple of suggestions for Killington. The first is Choices, a chef-owned restaurant. He is known for his rotisserie meats, but I love the filet mignon and my friend always gets the NY strip steak. Whenever monkfish is on the menu as a special, I dive on it. Succulent.
The next is Santa Fe. This is a steakhouse with a decent salad bar and creative specials. I flipped for their salmon stuffed with goat cheese and red peppers.
Another is the Wobbley Barn Steakhouse. In addition to their sundry beef selections, they often offer game. All three of these are reasonably priced and consistenly good.
Manchester, NH
Why don't we have a thread devoted to it?
For Thai, I have found Siam Orchid on the West Side consistent. Lakorn, also on the West Side, is fine, but not as good.
Cafe Momo is fantastic.
I love whs's "go to" places. I would add the Bedford Village Inn as one of my favorite special occaison places. Although, the Tap Room is quite casual and offers casual and upscale dinners.
What's Good in Concord, NH?
I'm going to the Capitol Theater Friday night and would like a bite ahead of time. I love the Common Man, but would like to change it up.
Fried Calamari in R.I.
I had the calamari at the Capitol Grill years ago and thought it was the best ever. The only thing that came close was a restaurant in Manchester, NH called Cafe Pavone. Both only flash fried the squid and squeezed hot tomato peppers and a bit of oil on top. Perfect. No marinara, but a bit of lemon on the side.
Who has tried Mint Bistro in Manchester, NH?
I have said for years we need a tapas bar in Manch. I have deluded myself into believing I might lose weight if I eat little tiny things. Hundereds of them. I have been anxious to try Mint. Any feedback yet?
Kittery Lobster
There's a super place called Chauncey Creek in Kittery. All they used to do was lobster and crab, but they have expanded their menu, but it is still limited. They allow you to bring in food that they don't offer on the menu such as salads. Pesonally, when I am eating lobster and drinking Chardonnay, I don't need a salad. Salads are for lunch during the week accompanied by bottled water.
It is located on the river. You sit at brightly colored picnic tables. It's BYOB. We bring a lovely Chardonnay, a tablecloth, and if it is evening, a few candles.
http://www.chaunceycreek.com/
My second choice would be the Beach Plum in North Hampton. Again, they have the colored picnic tables. This is located right on Ocean Blvd. across from the ocean.
I could not finish my lobster roll, it had so much meat in it. It is served on a grilled roll. They offer to put lettuce and tomato in it. Sans garden for me. Alas, no Chardonnay. My dining companion had the crab roll which was super, too. He finished my lobster.
http://www.thebeachplum.net/
Looking for lunch in Manchester NH
I concur regarding the Backroom. The Wild Rover does a fine lunch. Often their specials are nice. Consuelo's Taqueria has a great Cuban sandwich. If you're in the mood for pizza, 900 Degrees does wood-fired pizza.
