Monday, June 27, 2016

TRURO VINEYARDS BRANCHES OUT WITH SOUTH HOLLOW SPIRITS RUM LINE

Truro Vineyards has always been my favorite New England vineyard. I've gone on their free tour and enjoyed their wine tastings so many times. It's been a couple of years since I stopped by, so yesterday my fiancee and I went to see what's new.

Truro Vineyards is making more than wine now. They've launched South Hollow Spirits, making rum in a 250 gallon copper pot right on the Truro Vineyards property. Visitors can tour South Hollow Spirits to see how the rum is made. They are also selling refreshing mixed drinks and their wines in the little building above called "The Hollow." One of the drinks when we were there was "Elsa's Lemonade," a mix of frozen gin and lemonade. How good would that be on a hot Cape Cod Day? I'm a massive fan of their Cranberry Red wine, so that's what I enjoyed. Customers can sip on their win or cocktail right on the Vineyards' sunny front lawn. They also have a food truck on site from Blackfish restaurant that serves up lobster rolls, rice bowls and burgers. 


southhollowspirits.com 
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Friday, June 17, 2016

(Closed) LUNCH AT LUMIERE IN WEST NEWTON, MA

Lumiere has always been a hot spot for dinner in West Newton, Massachusetts. They are now open for lunch on Tuesdays thru Fridays. I loved their Smoked Gloucester Haddock Sandwich. It's topped with avocado, greens and cucumbers. Light and delicious. It comes with a salad or fries. Right now, they're also serving up roasted mushroom, chicken salad and beef sandwiches. Pair one of these meals with one of their cocktails and you have the perfect summery, midday meal.

UPDATE: Lumiere has permanently closed.
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Wednesday, June 15, 2016

(Closed) THERE'S A NEW STEAKHOUSE IN TOWN: FLANK

Steak Frites
Hand-cut Pappardelle


UPDATE: Flank has closed for good.

Bring your appetite when you dine at Flank in Waltham, Massachusetts. You're going to get full.

Flank is the latest restaurant to open in a new development in the city. There's a huge space for dining inside, along with a bar, but we opted to eat outside. Every meal starts with their delicious bread and their attentive servers make sure to keep filling your glass with water. 

Flank has a raw bar, soups and salads, but we skipped all that so we would have room for the main course. Steaks range from the $34 Brandt Hanger Steak to the $115 Long Bone Tomahawk, which is recommended for two. I ordered the steak frites plate. The portion was absolutely massive and they didn't skimp on the truffle fries either. There are a bunch of hearty sides to choose from including a potato puree, fingerling potatoes, spring vegetables, mac & cheese, stuffed mushrooms, wilted spinach, broccoli crowns and roasted sweet onions. 

There are plenty of options for non-steak eaters. There's Maine Day Boat Scallops, Salmon Wellington, Hand-cut Pappadrdelle and an Herb Brined Half Chicken. Salads include a Bluefin Tartar, wedge, Herbed Beef Carpaccio and Crab Louie. 

www.flankwaltham.com


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Saturday, June 04, 2016

CHICKEN IS KING AT THE ROOSTER COMPANY IN NEWINGTON, CONNECTICUT


The Rooster Company in Newington, Connecticut sure knows how to cook a chicken. This farm-to-table restaurant specializes in rotisserie chicken and fine American dining at an affordable price.


Rooster Company's full bar is packed with local and national beers and wines.  I enjoyed their house margarita. Their menu is always evolving, but if you visit right now, I highly recommend their compressed cucumber side; sliced cucumbers with pickled mustard seeds and avocado pate. It's the perfect light and cool dish for the summer. Other sides include roasted cauliflower, roasted asparagus, corn bread and truffled mac 'n cheese. Start off dinner with their duck fat wings, local oysters or dig into their artisan cheese board to start your meal. Rooster Company also has several hearty soups and a bunch of salads which are vegetarian friendly.

For dinner, order the chicken. Get a whole chicken or a half chicken with sauces like Cola BBQ and walnut herb. The Rooster Company also has weekly specials. I was fortunate to visit on a Sunday when their special is chicken and waffles. The chicken was soooo good. All white meat. Nice and crispy. It comes with a tasty salad. Other main courses include salmon, spaghetti and meatballs, spinach risotto, steak, scallops and pork tenderloin. 

For dessert, there's a cobbler with Mortensen's vanilla ice cream. Their "Hummingbird Cake" also looks intriguing. It comes with pecans, pineapple and a "zesty cream cheese frosting."

@Cockadoodlenews

www.roostercompany.net

LOBSTER TOUR 2016: JAKE N JOES

Eat Up New England's Lobster Tour 2016 rolls on. This week, I enjoyed a lobster roll at Jake N Joes in Norwood, Massachusetts. This cold lobster roll was surprisingly good from a place that specializes in bar food and beer. It was filled with large chunks of lobster meat and came with cole slaw and a pickle. You can choose from chips or fries, but I opted for the more health conscious Caesar salad. Jake N Joe's will have lobster rolls all summer long, so try one out at one of their Massachusetts locations. , ,

JIMMY JOHN'S EXPANDS TO NEWTON

Sandwich chain Jimmy John's is continuing to expand in Massachusetts. Today, I was driving thru Newton and saw that they are soon opening this new location on Needham Street. They have recently opened new locations in nearby Waltham and Watertown.

UPDATE: The Newton Jimmy John's has closed permanently.
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Thursday, June 02, 2016

NEW MEXICAN RESTAURANT TO OPEN AT PATRIOT PLACE

A new Mexican restaurant is set to open at Patriot Place in Foxboro, Massachusetts. The Scorpion Bar & Mexican Cantina is expected to open its doors at the end of August, according to The Sun Chronicle. Their menu is packed with mouth-watering Mexican favorites like street burritos, tacos, fajitas and enchiladas. Apps include buffalo chicken fajitas, everything nachos, quesadillas and chipotle lettuce cups. They also have a full bar with several margaritas, specialty cocktails and tequilas.

The new Foxboro restaurant is expected to hire 90 to 100 employees. The Scoprion Bar already has a location at Foxwoods in Connecticut.  There's also buzz that a three-floor Scorpion Bar will open in in Boston's Seaport in 2017.

Check out their FOXWOODS MENU.
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