Showing posts with label Beer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Beer. Show all posts
Monday, August 25, 2025
COMFORT FOOD AND TASTY TREATS AT THE COMMON MAN ROADSIDE
Monday, August 25, 2025
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| Apple cider donut whoopie pie |
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| Cuban sandwich |
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| Hooksett, NH location |
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| Turkey Gobbler |
The Common Man Roadside
Various locations in New Hampshire
The Common Man has been a family favorite for hearty food for a long time. Now, hungry drivers can get their fix of The Common Man along with some gas or a six-pack of local beer. The Common Man Roadside locations have been popping up in places like Portsmouth and Hooksett and are the perfect place to stop on the way to the mountains or Story Land or Santa's Village.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are on the menu. There are breakfast sandwiches, veggie and meat skillets and several classic omelets to choose from. For lunch and dinner, there is pizza by the pie or slice, along with deli sandwiches, hot sandwiches, salads, grilled cheese and mac and cheese. I loved their turkey gobbler hot sandwich, which is packed with turkey, stuffing, gravy and honey dijon cranberry dijonnaise on toasted buttered sourdough. Delicious and filling. I can also recommend their Cuban sandwich and try it with their homemade chips.
The star of the show for me was their apple cider donut whoopie pie. The chilled cream with the sweet and cinnamony cider donut make for a fall flavor explosion in your mouth. Crazy good. The Common Man Roadside also has some other exotic whoopies like a S'mores whoopie, peanut butter whoopie and Dubai whoopie. There is also cheesecake, brownies, cinnamon rolls, cookies and cannolis.
Just in case that wasn't enough, they offer an extensive menu of coffees to rival Starbucks. All of this is nestled inside of a convenience store which has a large selection of beer and wine, candy, chilled drinks and New Hampshire souvenirs. Run to The Common Man Roadside when your stomach starts growling the next time you're driving through New Hampshire!
Thursday, September 19, 2024
DILL PICKLE PIZZA AND APPLE CIDER DEL'S LEMONADE: THE FOOD OF THE BIG E 2024
Thursday, September 19, 2024
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| If I have one Big E hack to share, it's go during the week. Wednesdays are the least crowded and that's when we went this year. It was wonderful going right up to the food vendors and ordering without waiting in long lines. Of course, our trip started with this legendary dessert, the iconic vanilla cream puff. They are also selling cookies and cream puffs this year, but I can't resist the classic. |
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| Strawberry lemonade donut from Fluffy's. A tasty confection with a splash of lemonade that can be injected into the donut. It's good, but the $10 price tag was way too much. |
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| Sure, there's a lot of buzz and long lines for the baked potatoes from Maine, but I enjoy the potatoes from Danny's Smokehouse outside of the Connecticut building. They will also top them off with cheese and broccoli, pulled pork and chili. |
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| It wouldn't be the start of fall without Shipyard's Pumpkinhead beer. A number of vendors are selling this, the finest of all pumpkin beers. Make sure to get it with a cinnamon rim. |
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| Dill Pickle Pizza from Angela's Pizza. Really good. They are also serving slices of Mexican street corn pizza. |
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| Apple Cider Del's. The classic Del's lemon lemonade will always be my favorite, but I LOVED their frozen twist on apple cider. |
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| Zack's Mac & Cheese. This mac and cheese with all of the fillings can be found at the entrance of the New Hampshire building. They make it for you fresh in small skillets. Have it plain of fill it with bacon, garlic or broccoli. Go for broke and add lobster. However you have it, it will be a delicious Big E memory. |
Thursday, September 07, 2023
COLD BEER AND TASTY COMFORT FOOD ON TAP AT SEA DOG BREWING COMPANY
Thursday, September 07, 2023
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| Open-faced roast turkey dinner |
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| Sea Dog Brewing, North Conway, NH |
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| North Conway, NH |
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| Sea Dog Blue Paw |
All of their beers are on tap. I have always been a fan of their blueberry beer, Sea Dog Blue Paw, so I was quick to put in my order. It has a strong blueberry flavor. Apps include bang bang shrimp, brewhaus pretzel, fried pickles and hummus and country olives. There are also a number of soups including clam chowder and lobster bisque. I wanted something to fill me up after a busy day at Story Land, so I ordered their open-faced roast turkey dinner. It's made up of turkey, stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce. Very good. Other entrees include Cajun chicken pasta, steak tip poutine, a number of burgers, sandwiches and salads, along with lobster. There's also a kids menu with plenty of traditional options for the little ones.
Sea Dog offers a ton of merch for sale including stickers, beer glasses and clothing. They also have a Mug Club where locals have their own beer mug at the bar, along with a bunch of other perks.
Sunday, March 12, 2023
TASTY TACOS AND AMERICAN CLASSICS AT THE BUCKLEY KITCHEN & BAR IN FRAMINGHAM
Sunday, March 12, 2023
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| Beef barbacoa tacos |
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| Truffle fries |
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| Lots of live plants create a cozy indoor vibe. |
THE BUCKLEY KITCHEN & BAR
Framingham, MA
thebuckleykitchen.com
Framingham, MA
thebuckleykitchen.com
A new apartment complex called The Buckley went up in Framingham in the middle of the pandemic. Lucky for everyone who lives there, there's also The Buckley Kitchen & Bar, which is the sister restaurant to Mazi in Ashland. This cozy American bar offers modern takes on American classics, with a splash of Greek inspiration.
There is something for whatever you're in the mood for on the menu. Go for one of their pastas like the swordfish piccata with spaghetti or the classic chicken and Broccoli alfredo. There are also a number of flatbreads including a truffled mushroom and the gyro which is topped with rotisserie pork and tzatziki sauce. Sandwiches include a chicken bacon ranch on Texas toast and a hot & sweet chicken sandwich on Texas Toast.
We started or meal with their truffled fries, which were fantastic. There were plenty for our group of six to share. They also have nachos, BBQ meatballs, fried pickle spears, quesadillas and sticky wings. Their bar also has beer from nearby Jack's Abby on tap, along with cocktails and wine. For dinner, I enjoyed one of their "favorites," the beef barbacoa tacos, with tender and flavorful meat topped with guac and tomato. There are also vegan tacos, salads and a veggie bowl, along with a children's menu.
The Buckley Kitchen and Bar also offers Sunday brunch.
Sunday, January 29, 2023
GENEROUS PORTIONS OF COMFORT FOOD AT LUCKY DOG TAVERN IN NORTH SMITHFIELD, RI
Sunday, January 29, 2023
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| Lucky Dog Tavern in North Smithfield, RI |
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| A sample of beer. |
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| Eggplant parmigiana |
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| Beef short rib & cheddar grilled cheese |
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| Chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream |
Lucky Dog Tavern
North Smithfield, RI
It's always a good sign to arrive at a restaurant you've never tried before and get a rave review from a long-time customer. As we were waiting for our table, one of Lucky Dog Tavern's loyal customers had just eaten and told us that it's one of her favorite spots and all of the food is fantastic. She was right.
Lucky Dog Tavern is nestled on the bottom floor of a two-story home in North Smithfield. It is small, but the food is mighty good. My wife and I enjoyed the perfect meal from start to finish. Our waitress, Raelynn, was as good as it gets. She was highly knowledgeable of everything on the menu, went out of her way to check in on us and make recommendations. When I wasn't sure which beer I wanted to try, she brought over a sample.
The menu is full of comfort food favorites including apps like stuffed mushrooms, Tavern poutine, lobster poutine and calamari. Warm up with some French onion soup or lobster bisque.
Entrees include flappers aka wings, quesadillas, burgers, pastas, sandwiches, chicken, veal, and seafood dishes. Lucky Dog also serves up steak tips, a sirloin strip and plenty of hearty daily specials. I ordered one of their gourmet grilled cheeses, the beef short rib and cheddar grilled cheese, which was fantastic. My wife enjoyed the large plate of eggplant parm, and there was plenty to bring home.
Since the meal was so good, we had to order dessert. We loved the molten chocolate lava cake, which comes with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. You would never know it's gluten free. There's also a house-made bread pudding for dessert that looks amazing.
Lucky Dog Tavern is one of the best restaurants I've been to in a long time, but make a reservation because it gets busy especially on weekends.
Thursday, May 19, 2022
GOAT-ADE AND PULLED PORK MAC & CHEESE AT THE HOME OF THE YARD GOATS
Thursday, May 19, 2022
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| Pulled pork mac & cheese |
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| A taste of summer! |
Wednesday, March 30, 2022
BOTTOMS UP AT THE ROCK BOTTOM
Wednesday, March 30, 2022
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| Chicken carbonara |
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| Check out their bar! |
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| Rock Bottom is just steps away from the Bock Wang Theatre. |
Rock Boston Restaurant & Brewery
Boston, MA
No one saw it coming, but last Saturday families flooded the Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery on Stuart Street. We were all in the city for the Cocomelon show at the Boch Center. After the show ended, it was a mad rush for food. The unsuspecting staff at Rock Bottom did a great job seating all of the parents and kids.
All of the moms and dads, including me, got ordered a beer. I enjoyed a Guinness. Rock Bottom offers many local beers, along with boozy milkshakes, cocktails, margaritas, mules and wine.
For lunch, I LOVED their chicken carbonara. The linguini is covered in a garlic-parmesan cream and is topped with a sunny-side up egg. Other entrees include fish and chips, Cajun fish tacos, grilled salmon and steak & fries. There are several burgers on their menu, along with a fried chicken sandwich, and a Philly cheesesteak. Rock Bottom also serves up a bunch of salads, bowls and flatbreads. For dessert, their beer donut holes covered in caramel sound amazing.
Sunday, February 20, 2022
AMAZING AIR AND FANTASTIC COMFORT FOOD AT THE 100TH ANNUAL HARRIS HILL SKI JUMP
Sunday, February 20, 2022
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| Racelette cheese plate |
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| Melting the raclette cheese |
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| Pulled pork sandwich from Gouger's BBQ |
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| Penguin Porter beer from Whetstone Station |
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| A ski jumper wows the crowd. |
There was plenty of delicious food to warm us all up. Whetstone Station was one of the events sponsors. They were there with a bunch of their beers on tap and serving them in special Harris Hill Sky Jump 100th anniversary souvenir cups. I enjoyed a Penguin Porter. Walking up and down the hill all day is enough to make anyone hungry. So, many of spend the day grazing at the many food tents. I enjoyed a pulled pork sandwich from Brattleboro's Grouger BBQ. A heaping portion of the heavenly meat was served on a bulkie roll and topped off with cole slaw. The most unique eat of the day was a racelette cheese plate. The Vermont-made cheese is fried using special machines and the ooey gooey cheese is poured over potatoes and bread and served with pickles. It' a Swiss dish and as a cheese lover, I am so glad I tried it!
Saturday, October 09, 2021
MOUTH-WATERING BBQ AT MAINELY MEAT BBQ IN MAINE
Saturday, October 09, 2021
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| Amazing outdoor eating area |
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| Mainely Meat BBQ Dreamwood Hill |
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| Shipyard Pumpkinhead |
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| Pulled pork sandwich |
Mainely Meat BBQ Dreamwood Hill
Bar Harbor, MaineOne of the best meals I recently enjoyed on a vacation to Bar Harbor was at Mainely Meat BBQ. This place is the real deal. We ate outside on their amazing patio. They have an outdoor bar (where there's Pumpkinhead on tap!) and corn hole set up for customers to enjoy. Be on the lookout for Sasquatch!
Mainely Meat's menu is packed with all of the best BBQ dishes. There's pulled pork, pulled turkey, chicken, a half or full rack of ribs. All of these entrees come with their amazing thick-cut french fries or a salad, mac & cheese or potato salad, coleslaw and beans. Since it is in Maine, they also offer a lobster roll and a boiled lobster dinner. There are also options for vegans and vegetarians like their house salad and vegan burger. Stop by in the summer and enjoy their many flavors of ice cream.
I LOVED their pulled pork sandwich. It's served on buttery Texas toast with a side of fries and a pickle. The Texas toast with the delicious pork and BBQ sauce is one mouth-watering combination.
Check out Mainely Meat for an unforgettable meal the next time you're in Bar Harbor. It's right across from Pirate's Cove.
Thursday, September 30, 2021
SAMPLING THE FOOD AT THE BIG E 2021
Thursday, September 30, 2021
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| Taco bites from Chompers |
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| Pumpkin beer from Smuttynose |
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| Baked potato from Some House Grill |
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| Blueberry Del's lemonade |
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| The Big E Cream Puff |
It's been two years since I enjoyed The Big E's cream puff. I scarfed one down as soon as I arrived, and brought two home. New this year is a pumpkin cream puff which is just as yummy as the original. The average price for beer is a rather steep $11 this year, but I managed to find some Smuttynose Pumpkin in the New Hampshire building for $7. I enjoyed my usual baked potato with all of the fixins from the Connecticut building and a blueberry Del's from the Rhode Island building. I also tried some amazing fried balls of deliciousness from the Chomper's food truck, which is based out of Connecticut. They are amazing!
Welcome back to the Big E! I don't know how we survived without it.
Thursday, June 25, 2020
DINING AL FRESCO AT BOURBON'S
Thursday, June 25, 2020
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| Bourbon's new outdoor dining area. |
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| Purple Haze |
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| Nachos piled high! |
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| Rangoons |
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| Crispy Brussels |
Bourbon's Kitchen & Cocktails
Framingham, Massachusetts
www.bourbonsframingham.com
Bourbon's Kitchen & Cocktails is back at it, serving dinner indoors (limited seating) and outdoors at their dining area. The outdoor spot is wonderful especially on a warm summer night. It's lined with small palm trees and all of the tables are spaced out for social distancing. Like all restaurants, Bourbon's has made a few changed because of the coronavirus. The menu can be found using a QR code. Paying is also done by cell phone. There is also a $1 charge person customer so they can keep things running during the pandemic.
There are a bunch of refreshing summer drinks on their menu right now including mixed berry or grapefruit rose sangria. I enjoyed one of their many beers on tap: a Purple Haze, a raspberry blend from the Abita Brewing Company in Louisiana.
Our family shared a bunch of their amazing appetizers. We loved their tower of nachos with street corn and pepper jack cheese. Everyone seemed to be ordering their crispy brussels. The sprouts are stirred up with truffle aioli and parmesan. Amazing. We also loved their rangoons with onions and cream cheese inside. ALL of these apps are vegetarian, but Bourbon's has plenty of plates for carnivores like their steak tacos, meatballs and candied bacon.
Saturday, February 29, 2020
TRILLIUM BREWING COMPANY
Saturday, February 29, 2020
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| Trillium's large selection of draft beer. |
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| Raspberry Chocolate Gateau |
Canton, MA
www.trilliumbrewing.com
Trillium is the place to go for some fantastic local beer. Their brewing company in Canton includes a brewery, taproom and a large patio where crowds of beer lovers and their four-legged friends can enjoy a pint or two year round.
I am a big fan of flavored beers, so I was excited to discover that Trillium brews a bunch of them. I really enjoyed their Raspberry Chocolate Gateau. Other flavors include Peanut Butter PM Dawn. a Coconut Truffle stout and Peach Super Soak. There are also hoppy beers like Olmsted and Pipsqueak Penguin. The seclection of beers rotates and there's a list of beers currently on tap on their home page. Trillium also offers some snacks, and on weekends, they often bring in a food truck.
Sunday, July 14, 2019
SMUTTYNOSE BREWING COMPANY AND RESTAURANT IN NEW HAMPSHIRE
Sunday, July 14, 2019
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| Smuttynose is located in Hampton, NH. |
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| Raspberry Lime Rickey sour beer |
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| Blue Cheese Smash burger |
Hampton, New Hampshire
www.smuttynose.com
Smuttynose Brewery has been cranking out craft beer since 1994. You can sample all of it and bring some home at their campus in Hampton, New Hampshire.
Visitors can tour the brewery for free. There's also beer tasting inside of the brewery where you can try all of the classic and latest Smuttynose brews. Stop by their gift shop for Smuttynose beers and swag to bring home. Have some fun playing their pinball machines or go for a game of cornhole (in season).
Don't leave without enjoying a meal at their restaurant. Pull up a chair and listen to live music at their outdoor patio or dine indoors near their bar, which, of course, pours nothing but Smuttynose. Right now, they are brewing a Raspberry Lime Rickey sour beer which is so refreshing.
The food is fantastic. There are salads, burgers and pastas. I loved their Blue Cheese Smash burger, which consists of two patties. The cheese, bacon and onions are all smashed together into the burgers. Appetizers include fried pickles, onion rings, nachos, and a pub pretzel. Want a free meal? Bring your appetite and try "Da S'muttonator." It comes with 4 burgers, 8 slices of bacon, 4 slices of cheese, 4 ounces of pulled pork, onion rings, a fried egg and a pound of french fries. Eat it all in 30 minutes and it's free, plus you'll get a T-shirt and your picture on their wall of fame.
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