Friday, May 31, 2013

START YOUR SUMMER OFF RIGHT AT THE SCOOPER BOWL!

If you don't already have the perfect beach body, it's probably too late for this summer. So, why not indulge even more. Treat yourself to unlimited ice cream at the 31st annual Scooper Bowl in Boston. Starting next Tuesday at noon, the nation's top ice cream makers will all be at City Hall Plaza. Baskin Robins, Ben & Jerry's, Breyer's, Friendly's and Hood are just some of the vendors who will be there for a good cause. Adults get in for $10 and kids under 10 years old can eat as much ice cream as they want for $5. All of the money earned goes to the Jimmy Fund, which helps children with cancer.

Deals & Discounts
TEXT "Scoop" to 56512 to save $1 on admission.

More info:
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Thursday, May 30, 2013

NEW TWIST ON FRENCH TOAST IN FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA

Eat Up New England focuses on the many great restaurants in New England, but every now and then, I'll share some of the delicious discoveries I've made outside of the region. I recently had the pleasure of spending some time in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Over the next few days, I'll share some of the great food finds I discovered in sunny Florida.

First up, St. Barts Coffee Company. This small coffee shop is right on the beach and has been voted "Best Breakfast on the Beach" by their local newspaper. With dishes like the one pictured above, it's easy to understand why. This is their amazingly delicious take on French toast. Instead of toast, they use a croissant and top it off with a sliced banana. Add a side of bacon and eggs for just two dollars. It's so good that I ordered it twice. St. Barts has many other delicious options for breakfast including a heaping bowl of oatmeal topped with fresh fruit and breakfast sandwiches. Drinks including several varieties of smoothies, mimosas, fruit juices and coffee. St. Barts is also open for lunch serving up salads and sandwiches, along with a variety of beers and wines.

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Sunday, May 19, 2013

WILD WILLY'S BURGERS

May is National Burger Month, so why not celebrate at Wild Willy's Burgers? Wild Willy's has several locations in New England, including three restaurants in Massachusetts, two in Maine and one in Rochester, NH. You can choose from three types of meat for your burger: certified angus beef, all natural beef and tender bison. There are more than a dozen burger options on the menu. I like the "Bubba BBQ" with BBQ sauce, cheddar, bacon, pickles and onions. Other options including the "Round Up" with mushrooms & Swiss cheese and "La Bomba" with salsa and jack cheese. They also have a veggie burger and gluten-free options on the menu.  All of the burgers are cooked to perfection and they doing skimp on the toppings. If you still have room, order up some fries with your burger. You can have them plain, but I'd recommend the chili cheese fries. If you're not in the mood for a burger, Wild Willy's also has some salad options, chicken fingers, chili and grilled cheese. They also have a variety of tasty drinks including fresh-squeezed lemonade, milkshakes and a classic root beer float. Be sure to stop by before National Burger Month passes you by!
Wild Willy's in Watertown, MA

LOCATIONS: 
Massachusetts: Watertown, Needham and Quincy
Maine: York and South Portland
New Hampshire: Rochester
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Saturday, May 18, 2013

FREE FOOD FOR ALL AT EARTHFEST!

If you're a food fan, one of the greatest events to get some free food is the annual WBOS EarthFest. Nantucket Nectars and Honest Tea were among the many vendors handing out free samples of their drinks. Barnstable's own Late July was handing out some of its delicious organic chips and Sabra was giving out samples of their hummus and chips. One of my favorite freebies: Olivia's salads. RCN was even hooking up concertgoers with free ice cream man classics like Bugs Bunny and Spider-Man with gumball eyes. A great event, made even nicer by the beautiful weather and music by Vertical Horizon, Fastball, Cracker and others.
Crazy breads on display by Whole Foods. They also handed out free bags.

Sabra's food truck
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Friday, May 17, 2013

SAUSAGE STUFFED MUSHROOMS AT FIRST & LAST TAVERN


You're looking at one of the tastiest appetizers I've enjoyed in a long time. These are sausage stuffed mushrooms from the First & Last Tavern in Hartford, CT. They were stuffed full of Italian sausage and couldn't have been any more delicious. A savory twist on an already awesome app. I'll have much more on the First & Last Tavern in future posts. It's one of my favorite restaurants in New England.
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Monday, May 13, 2013

QUALITY HOMEMADE CHEESES AT VERMONT'S GRAFTON VILLAGE CHEESE

I'll fully admit, I have an addiction to cheese. There's no place that satisfies my craving quite like the Grafton Village Cheese Company in Brattleboro, Vermont. This fine cheese maker got its start more than a century ago, in 1892 when dairy farmers came together to use their surplus milk for cheese. They've certainly perfected their product over time.

Their cheese comes in all shapes, sizes and flavors. They specialize in cheddar. You can get it aged one, two, three or even four years. Other flavors include maple smoked cheddar, sage and garlic. They are always coming up with tasty new varieties. All of their cheeses are delicious. If you're curious about how the cheese is made, you can watch workers make it at the store and sample as much of it as you want!

Grafton Village Cheese also sells local beers and wines. They have Mocha Joe's coffee, chocolates, jams & jellies, Vermont syrup, honey, baskets and various kitchen supplies. While you're there, stop by and say "hi" to some of their live donkeys. If you can't make it to Brattleboro, you'll find Grafton Village Cheese for sales at stores all over Vermont. You can also order it online.

You can sometimes see the cheese makers at work!


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Saturday, May 11, 2013

GEORGETOWN CUPCAKE ON NEWBURY STREET IN BOSTON

UPDATE: Sadly, Georgetown Cupcake closed in 2023.

No doubt you've seen Georgetown Cupcake on TLC's hit reality series, "DC Cupcakes." Now, we're lucky to have one of their cupcake shops right here in New England, on Boston's Newbury Street.

If you haven't been, prepare to be overwhelmed by a huge selection of cupcakes. It's impossible to decide on just one and tough to pick out a half dozen. You really want to try them all. Georgetown Cupcake has several flavors that you can pick up everyday. There bake several chocolate cupcakes, from chocolate birthday and chocolate & vanilla to double milk birthday chocolate and chocolate ganache. There's also red velvet and vanilla & chocolate. There are special cupcakes made each day of the week. Depending on the day you visit, you can get carrot, mint cookies & cream, pumpkin spice, lemon berry, maple, mocha, toffee crunch, cookie & creme and peanut butter fudge cupcakes. They also offer up vegan and gluten-free cupcakes including the vegan apple cinnamon and gluten-free chocolate coconut. See why it's so hard to decide on just one or two cupcakes? Be sure to pick up their daily cupcake menu so you know what varieties are available when you visit.

Cupcakes are $2.75 each. The cake is rich and moist. So many cupcake shops have a tendency to put way too much sugary frosting on top. It overpowers the cupcake. Not at Georgetown Cupcake. The frosting is spread to perfection. 

There are only a few other Georgetown Cupcake shops in the country -  Washington, D.C., NYC, Los Angeles and Bethesda, MD. We're lucky to have one in New England. There's a reason everyone's buzzing about Georgetown Cupcake. These cupcakes are the real deal.



www.georgetowncupcake.com

Deals & Discounts
- Follow Georgetown Cupcake on Twitter. Each day, they have a special cupcake that's not on the menu. They tweet it out to their followers. The first 100 customers who mention the cupcake of the day, get it for FREE!
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Thursday, May 09, 2013

FIREHOUSE SUBS ARRIVES IN BOSTON

The national chain Firehouse Subs is now doing business in Massachusetts with plans to rapidly expand across New England. The sub shop has been around since the mid 90's and was opened by two brothers in Florida who comes from a family of firefighters. Many of the items on their menu are firefighter-themed including the "Firehouse Chili," "Hook & Ladder Sub," and "Chief's Salad." You can even donate your change to help out firefighters, police and emergency workers.

Firehouse Subs specializes in hot subs. There are a bunch to choose from including the "Firehouse Meatball" and "Smokehouse Beef & Cheddar Brisket". They also serve the classics including an Italian, steak & cheese, pastrami and honey ham. I had the "Chief's Salad," which comes standard with lettuce, sliced egg, green peppers, onion, tomato and provolone cheese. You can top it off with your choice of meat including tuna, Virgina honey ham, chicken salad, sliced chicken or turkey breast. I went for the ham and loved it with the provolone. It was a really good and filling salad. By the way, many Firehouse Subs, including the Boylston Street location, also have Coca-Cola Freestyle drink machines with more than 120 types of drinks.

Besides their Boylston Street location, Firehouse Subs also has locations in Danvers and Woburn. They have plans to expand all over New England, so check their Website to see where they'll be popping up next. Also of note, it's been a trying few weeks for their Boylston Street location. They were closed for nine days after the Boston Marathon bombings and are located across the street from the Copley Square bombings memorial. Be sure to stop in and show them your support.


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Wednesday, May 08, 2013

HEALTHY FOOD ON THE GO AT PRET A MANGER

You can't walk two blocks in New York City without seeing a Pret A Manger. Now this tasty sandwich chain has finally arrived in Boston. There are two locations: one in the Financial District, the other on Boylston Street. I stopped by the Boylston Street location today to give Pret A Manger a try. They offer a variety of healthy, grab-and-go options, perfect for busy city people. There are several kids of salads, wraps, sandwiches, subs and soups. They also offer healthy fruit cups, oatmeal and crouissants. All of it, made fresh and none of it goes to waste. They donate all of their food to soup kitchens and the needy. 

I can recommend the "Pret's Ham & Cheese" on a baguette. You can get it small & large sizes. It's made with applewood smoked ham, swiss cheese, mesclun, dijon mustard and mayo. It is a very, VERY good combination of flavors. They have many kind of coffee and juices. I tried the strawberry lemonade, which was light and refreshing. No doubt, I'm happy that Pret A Manger is finally in Boston. Definitely, stop by the next time you're in the city.

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Monday, May 06, 2013

SPECIALTY HOT DOGS FROM TROLLEY DOGS IN BOSTON

Trolley Dogs calls itself "The Duke of All Dogs" and you'd better believe they are. This food truck sells one of the finest hot dogs in the city of Boston. You can choose from several different varieties including Tex Mex, a Chicago Dog and The New Yorker. They are always cooked to perfection on a tasty grilled bun. The one you've gotta try is the California Dog. It's covered in chili and cheese sauce. Simply delicious. Be sure to wash your dog down with some of Trolley Dogs' homemade lemonade, that's always served with a nice cut of lemon. Trolley Dogs can be found at the SOWA Open Market on Sundays from now until late October.

The California Dog

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Sunday, May 05, 2013

OPENING DAY AT SOWA MARKET

We waited all winter and today, on Cinco de Mayo Sunday, the SOWA Open Market in the South End of Boston finally reopened. The place was packed and parking was at a premium. Everyone was there to sample Boston's best food trucks, not to mention all of the food and crafts vendors. There were more food trucks than I'd ever seen before, so many that they were moved to a new location in the parking lot of Gaslight. Every kind of food was up for grabs from scallop rolls and lobster to vegetarian, chicken & rice and even two specialty crepes trucks. I'll have much more on all of these awesome food trucks in future posts. The market runs every Sunday through October so be sure to check it out this summer.

It wouldn't be SOWA without Grillo's Pickles and their 2 for $1 special.
One of two crepe trucks at SOWA
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Friday, May 03, 2013

CELEBRATING CINCO DE MAYO IN NEW ENGLAND!

Ole! This Sunday, Mexican restaurants across New England will be celebrating Cinco de Mayo. Here's a sampling of the special offerings restaurants will be offering on Sunday:

Agave Grill - (Hartford, CT) The fun starts Saturday afternoon at 4pm. Look for an ice luge, prizes and giveaways, along with drink specials.

Beehive - (Boston) Mariachi bands will be providing live music. How cool is that?! 

Cactus Jack's - (Manchester, N.H.) For every two food items you donate to the Salvation Army, you get a chance to spin a wheel to win dining certificates.

Coyote Blue - (Middletown, CT) Special fruit margaritas including mango, blueberry and watermelon. Specials include Enchiladas Suiza with shredded chicken and Veradura quesadilla with nopales cactus, baby watercress and fresh spinach.


Gringo Jack's - (Manchester, VT) EAT UP NE FAVORITE! Big party this SATURDAY with 1/2 price margaritas, 1/2 price sangria, $2 Coronas and $3 drafts. There will also be a D.J. and lots of giveaways.

Howl at the Moon - (Boston) "Drinko de Mayo" on Sunday featuring $5 margaritas and $20 mega margaritas.

Kings - (Dedham & Boston, MA) Special margaritas and tequila drinks from the bar. Mini tacos and shrimp kabobs. Flan & churros for dessert.

Margaritas - "Bash with the Stash" celebration all week leading up to Cinco de Mayo. Cinco de Mayo party on Saturday night and Sunday. Free moustaches for early arrivals.

Mesa Verda - (Portland, ME) Vegetarian and vegan delights. Enjoy their special house lime margarita pitcher.

Miller's Ale House - (Watertown, MA) Cinco de Mayo menu all weekend long, includes $4.95 pints of Dos Equis. Entrees include spicy shrimp tacos, sweet pork barbacoa salad and a big house fajita.

Moe's Southwest Grill - Cinco de Moes celebration at all locations. Early arrivals get a Cinco de Moes cup. Homewrecker burritos with chips & salsa will be $5 all day long.

Pedro's - (Kennebunk, ME) Long list of tequila cocktails and a live band performing from 8-11 p.m. on Sunday.

Providence Cinco de Mayo Block Party - (Rhode Island) From 12-6pm on Sunday, Westminster Street in Providence will be the place to party for Cinco de Mayo. Brown University's Mariachi group will be on hand with live music. Poco Loco Tacos, Mijos Tacos and Like No Udder food trucks will be there along with several local restaurants to provide the food.

Scorpion Bar - (Foxwoods in CT) $5 apps from 12-5pm on Sunday. Special discounts on drinks all afternoon and night.


Snookers - (Providence, RI) Free taco bar (4-7p.m.) and photo booth to take pics with your friends. Buckets of Corona for $15. Chance to win a Corona mountain bike, games and giveaways to celebrate the holiday and the opening of their patio.

SolTorro Tequilla Grill - (Mohegan Sun, CT) $5 apps and $5 mystery shots, along with grande margaritas on Sunday.


Qdoba - All 21 of their Massachusetts locations are donating 10% of their Sunday sales to The One Fund to help those affected by the Boston Marathon bombings.


Whiskey Republic - (Providence, RI) Wear your brightest clothes for their Cinco de Mayo Glow Party and dance the night away.


Zapoteca - (Portland, ME) More than 60 tequilas on the menu. Food specials and giveaways on Sunday.


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