Monday, June 30, 2014

HAND-CUT DONUTS AT HOLE-IN-ONE ON THE CAPE

Monday, June 30, 2014
Sample some donut holes for free!
There's no better way to start the day than with a fresh donut and a cup of coffee. Hole In One donuts in Eastham on Cape Cod is getting a lot of buzz for having the perfect donut. If you come on the weekend, chances are, there will be a line out the door. Don't worry. It goes fast and is worth the wait. 

Hole In One's donuts are homemade and they are HUGE and crispy. They offer all of the standards including glazed, chocolate, jelly, chocolate covered and sugar raised. Try some of their hot or iced coffee with your donuts. There's some room to eat inside or you can eat in front of the store like we did. Hole in One also has a case packed full of different pastries like danishes and muffins, but go for the donuts! 

 theholecapecod.com

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

BREAKFAST AT MITCHELL'S IN CONNECTICUT

Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Ever since Mortensen's in Newington, CT closed in January, Eat Up New England has been on a search for a new breakfast place in Connecticut. I'm happy to report, I found one over the weekend: Mitchell's Coffe House aka "Breakfast City" in Rocky Hill. This is one of those old school restaurants with a huge breakfast menu. There are 11 omelets on their regular menu and even more if you count their daily specials. I ordered the bacon and cheese omelet with cheddar. Not only was the omelet delicious, but I really liked the hash browns that came with it. Instead of huge hunks of potatoes, Mitchell's serves their spuds scalloped. There are so many other breakfast items on their menu including 11 varieties of breakfast sandwiches, eggs benedict, waffles and French toast. Two highlights: the Mickey Mouse pancakes and, while we were there, they were featuring a fried dough French toast special. How good does that sound?!  Mitchell's is also open for lunch and dinner during the week, but for right now, I'm just happy I found a new breakfast spot.

 Contact
www.mitchellscoffeehouse.net

Monday, June 23, 2014

IT'S STRAWBERRY SEASON AT DRAGHI'S

Monday, June 23, 2014
Summer is one of the best times of the year for fresh fruits and veggies. One of my favorite places to get the freshest produce around is at Draghi's in South Glastonbury, Connecticut. It's strawberry season and when you step inside, you'll smell their farm fresh berries. They have countless cartons and crates full of the summer fruit. You can even pick up a bag of biscuits at Draghi's to make strawberry shortcake. Draghi's is also one of my favorite places to buy corn on the cob. They are just starting to get it in for the season. Besides fruits & veggies, you'll also find a huge showcase of every kind of pie imaginable at Draghi's. They also have a greenhouse with annuals and veggies that are on sale right now for the end of the season. 

Contact
www.draghifarms.com
80 Main Street
South Glastonbury, CT 06073
860-633-2197

Saturday, June 14, 2014

PIZZA AT THE FAMOUS REGINA PIZZA

Saturday, June 14, 2014
St. Anthony's Feast pizza
Cannoli with pistachios and chocolate chips
Tiramisu
Everyone loves a slice of Boston's famous Regina Pizza. Some friends and I enjoyed dinner at Regina Pizza in Medford and shared some food. We started off with a large portion of their toasted ravioli and a few large Sam Summer Ale's. My favorite pizza of the one's we tried was the St. Anthony's Feast. It's a white pizza topped with large pieces of sausages, onions and peppers. We also shared their vegetarian and shrimp scampi pizzas. A small will be enough for one to two people. For dessert, we shared a cannoli and some tiramisu. Really good pizza and a nice atmosphere. They also have a few salads and pasta dishes on their menu. Regina Pizza has a bunch of locations around Boston, including a new one at Fenway and at Foxwoods in Connecticut.

Contact: www.pizzeriaregina.com

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

GO VEGETARIAN AT THE FARM FOOD TRUCK

Wednesday, June 11, 2014
The Strolling of the Heifers was held in Brattleboro, Vermont this past weekend. Not only did I get to see the cows in the parade, I also enjoyed the fair held afterwards. For lunch, I checked out The Farm Concessions food truck. It's based out of Keene, New Hampshire and offers vegetarian and vegan food. Their menu is full of yummy melts, salads and vegetarian quesadillas. I really enjoyed their "Wild Woods Melt," with mushrooms, broccoli and Cabot cheddar. The Farm's "Orchard Melt" with sliced apples, crushed pretzels, Cabot cheddar and honey on grilled cinnamon raisin bread also looks like a winner. The Farm also offers daily specials. When I was there, they were featuring a "Blueberry Fields" melt with blueberries and provolone. It doesn't get much more New England than that!

Contact: The Farm Concessions on Facebook

Friday, June 06, 2014

IT'S NATIONAL DONUT DAY!

Friday, June 06, 2014
Happy National Donut Day! I walked in to work and was thrilled to find boxes of Kane's Donuts. Today, Dunkin Donuts is celebrating by giving everyone a free donut with the purchase of a drink. Honey Dew is giving customers a free Oreo donut with the purchase of a medium drink.

Thursday, June 05, 2014

MOHEGAN CAFE: BREWING BEER ON BLOCK ISLAND

Thursday, June 05, 2014
The Mohegan Cafe is one of the most popular spots to grab a drink on Block Island. That's because they have been making their own brews since 1999, making them the island's only brewpub. They serve several of their own beers. Their most popular brew is the Mohegan Pilsner, which is a light beer. In the mood for a darker beer? Try their Black IPA, which they describe as a dark roasted malt with a distinct coffee profile. I tried and enjoyed their Spring Wheat, which is served with lemon. 

 The Mohegan Cafe is open for lunch and dinner. Their menu is full of comfort food, along with salads and plenty of seafood. I ate their clam strips plate for lunch. It was served with a pile of fries and tartar sauce. Customers also rave about their clam chowder.

You'll have no problem finding The Mohegan Cafe. It's right in the center of town, just across the street when you get off the ferry. Having one of their cold beers is the way to go after the ferry ride.

Tuesday, June 03, 2014

SAMPLING THE BACON TRUCK AT SOWA

Tuesday, June 03, 2014
The SoWa Open Market is back for the summer in Boston's South End and with it, comes all of those food trucks! I made my first trip to the market this past Sunday and tried The Bacon Truck for the first time. The lines for all of the food trucks are longer than ever, but in this case, the wait was definitely worth it. They made the perfect grilled cheese, with crisp bacon, tomatoes, and ooey, gooey cheese dripping out of the sides of the sandwich. I also enjoyed a hearty portion of their bacon hash as a side. You'll definitely want to check out The Bacon Truck at SoWa and other locations around town.

 www.bostonbacontruck.com

Saturday, May 31, 2014

A TASTE OF ITALIAN IN WALTHAM

Saturday, May 31, 2014
It was a beautiful day for the Italian Festa in Waltham, MA today. There were several food trucks and Italian restaurants on hand to sample from. I started off with some cheesy arancini from Charcoal Guido's. For lunch, I had a bowl of penne bolognese from Ristorante Marcellino in Waltham. Two very tasty dishes from two very good restaurants. I also enjoyed some fresh-squeezed lemonade and homemade cannolis. It's finally starting to feel like summer!

DELICIOUS DISH: SCALLOPS WITH RISOTTO AT SEASONS 52

Saturday, May 31, 2014
Check out this delicious dish from Seasons 52 in Chestnut Hill (Newton), MA. This is their caramelized grilled sea scallops dinner. The scallops are served on a bed of lemon risotto with peas and asparagus. This dish was flying out of their kitchen last night and I'd certainly recommend it. Like all of their meals, this one is under 450 calories. Check out Eat Up New England's archives for much more on Seasons 52.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

COOL OFF AT ALDO'S ON BLOCK ISLAND

Wednesday, May 28, 2014
There is no shortage of ice cream on Block Island, but one place we kept going back to was Aldo's. This dine in/take out restaurant is part bakery/part ice cream shop. When you walk in, you'll find all of their baked goods on the right. They have croissants, several kinds of cheesecake, cookies, pastries and donuts. I would highly recommend one of their vanilla-frosted donuts with sprinkles. It was so soft and tasted like it just came out of the oven. You can also pick up a smoothie and hot or iced coffee at Aldos. If the weather is warm enough, you'll find them selling frozen Dell's Lemonade, otherwise they do sell Dell's by the bottle.  

At the back of the house, are two huge showcases full of ice cream. Aldo's makes all of their ice cream and there are a bunch of flavors to choose from. They also have a full showcase of gelato. Two big scoops will run you about $4.00. Make sure to find Aldo's coupon in the Block Island Guide to save 15% off of your order.

WOULD YOU TRY A KRISPY KREME CHEESEBURGER

Wednesday, May 28, 2014
If you don't care about your health at all, why not try this Krispy Kreme cheeseburger? A restaurant in San Diego called Chicken Charlie's is debuting this burger at the San Diego County Fair from June 7 to July 16. You can get two patties nestled in between two Krispy Kreme donuts. If you'd like to go straight to the E.R., go for the triple cheeseburger option. I love cheeseburgers. I love Krispy Kreme donuts. Those super-sweet donuts with hamburger meat just doesn't sound appetizing to me.

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

SIZZLIN' SUMMER SPOTS: DEAD EYE DICK'S ON BLOCK ISLAND

Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, which means it's time for Eat Up New England to kick up another season of Sizzlin' Summer Spots! These are restaurants near the beach where you can kick back, have a drink or two and relax the night away. This year, let's start off on Block Island, with a wonderful place called Dead Eye Dick's.

This seafood hot spot is right on the ocean in New Harbor. There's tons of seating inside and on their covered back porch, but it's not too early to grab a spot outside on their deck. I enjoyed lunch here on Memorial Day and it was warm enough to sit outside.

 First up, drinks. Dead Eye Dick's has a full bar offering beer and cocktails. My girlfriend and I enjoyed the "Sun-Kissed Lemonade" with Stoli strawberry. It was the perfect beach drink. For lunch, I loved their hot lobster roll with big pieces of lobster meat. It's served with just enough hot butter for dunking. You can get fries, cheese fries or a salad for a side. We loved the cheesy fries made with Vermont cheddar. There are also plenty of vegetarian options here including a veggie ciabatta sandwich. Eating all of this delicious food outside by the ocean with cool summer breezes was just perfect.

Other lunch options include a swordfish reuben, fish tacos, po' boys and a lobster avocado BLT. You can start off your meal with Rhode Island or New England clam chowder or lobster bisque. Other apps include steamed mussels, crab cakes, salt & pepper calamari and a trio of wings. They also have raw bar options. Dead Eye Dick's is also open for dinner. Their dinner menu looks unbelievable. Dinners include salmon, shrimp & grits, New England lobster bake and surf & turf.  There's a lobster truffle fettuccine on their dinner menu that I'm dying to try the next time. Dead Eye Dick's is the perfect Sizzlin Summer Spot! We'll be back....

 Contact www.deadeyedicksbi.com

Monday, May 26, 2014

YOU'VE GOT TO TRY DEL'S SHANDY

Monday, May 26, 2014
Like Del's Lemonade? Like beer? Just in time for the summer, Narragansett is introducing its Del's Shandy. This flavorful and refreshing beer is already getting a ton of buzz. It's only been on store shelves since May 12th and the demand is huge. You can buy a six-pack of 16-ounce tallboys or, if you're lucky, find it at one of your favorite restaurants. On Block Island over Memorial Day weekend, I discovered Del's Shandy at Poor People's Pub and had another can at Finn's. It's not even officially summer yet, but I'm already declaring Del's Shandy my favorite beer of the summer.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

AU BON PAIN IN DEDHAM, MA ABRUPTLY CLOSES

Thursday, May 22, 2014
With a coupon in my hand, I showed up at the Au Bon Pain in Legacy Place in Dedham, MA today only to find that it had abruptly closed. Not cool. This was always a good place for a salad or a sweet treat. Not sure why they closed this location, but I sure wish they didn't.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

ONE TASTY MEAL AT NEWPORT'S ONE BELLEVUE

Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Traditional clam chowder
Pork tacos
The Naughty Monkey
You can find some of the best restaurants inside of hotels. Take One Bellevue located in Newport, Rhode Island. It's a fine restaurant at the Hotel Viking breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. They also have tea time from 2-4pm every day, too.

 I recently stopped by during Newport's restaurant week and enjoyed the above three-course lunch for just $16! I started off with a yummy bowl of clam chowder. It wasn't too hot. It wasn't too cold. Just right. They gave their clam chowder a kick with small pieces of applewood smoked bacon.They also serve butternut squash soup, chili and french onion soup. Other apps include grilled octopus, Rhode Island stuffed quahogs and vegetable risotto.

 For lunch, I really liked the tacos. You can choose from pork or fluke tacos. I loved the pork tacos, which were complimented nicely with guac and cole slaw. Since One Bellevue is in Newport, you can bet on lots of seafood entrees. Among their offerings: sea scallops, cod, tuna, salmon and poached Newport lobster.

 For dessert, I ordered One Bellevue's signature dessert, The Naughty Monkey. It's a crepe filled with nutella and topped with caramelized bananas, chocolate chip ice cream, chocolate ganache and some whipped cream. This sinful treat couldn't have been a better way to end our dinner. Save room for the Naughy Money at One Bellevue. You'll be glad you did!

Friday, May 16, 2014

ANGER OVER SHAKE SHACK'S NEW FRENCH FRIES

Friday, May 16, 2014
Out with the old: crinkle-cut fries are being replaced
President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden were chowing down today at a Shake Shack in Washington, D.C. But I wonder if they noticed a difference in the French fries?

 The mega popular burger joint is changing its fries, according to the Boston Globe. The wickedly good (but frozen) crinkle-cut fries are being replaced with hand-cut fries. You know, those thin fries with the potato skins still on them that you can get at so many other restaurants. Shake Shack claims the new fries are fresher, but many people are jumping on Twitter to complain. I haven't tried the new fries, but as a huge fan of their crinkle-cut fries, I'm not so sure about this change. To be continued...

Saturday, May 10, 2014

AUTHENTIC ITALIAN AT MAMMA LUISA'S IN NEWPORT

Saturday, May 10, 2014
Tagliatelle al Pesce
Caprese al Pesto
Newport, Rhode Island isn't all about lobster and clam bakes. You can find one of the best Italian restaurants around in Newport, Mamma Luisa Ristorante Italiano.

 Start off your meal with a basket of their warm Italian bread. It's so good. Go for a bellini or some wine to drink. Apps include a mixed greens salad, goat cheese salad, cheese plate, antipasto and brushette. I can highly recommend their "Caprese al Pesto." The tomatoes and mozzarella couldn't be any fresher. It's all topped off with pesto sauce, basil and olives.

For dinner, Mamma Luisa's menu is filled with all of the Italian favorites. Pastas include bolognese, carbonara and gnocchi. The "tagliatelle al pesce" is to die for. It comes with a hearty portion of egg ribbon pasta, topped off with plump shrimp and sea scallops. It's amazing. This dish is even served on a fish-shaped plate. Not in the mood for pasta? You can also enjoy veal, baked pork tenderloin, sirloin steak and seared tuna steak. By the way, the owner's wife is a vegetarian, so there are also a bunch of vegetarian meals on the menu including butternut squash ravioli and egg pasta with a vegetable bolognese sauce.

I can't rave about Mamma Luisa Ristorante Italiano enough. You'll definitely want to make a reservation the next time you're in Newport.

Contact: www.mammaluisa.com

Sunday, May 04, 2014

CELEBRATING CINCO DE MAYO IN BOSTON

Sunday, May 04, 2014
It's Cinco de Mayo weekend. The weather is improving, so some friends and I spent Saturday night by the water in Boston. Our restaurant of choice: Temazcal. We shared a couple of baskets of tortilla chips and their crazy good guac. The house margaritas were flowing all night. For dinner, I loved the cheesy chorizo enchiladas. The food, the atmosphere and the dining right by the water at Temazcal makes this place so special. And how nice it was to eat OUTSIDE after the long winter we had. 

BTW, I've written more extensively about Temazcal before. Check out Eat Up New England's archives for more.

Thursday, May 01, 2014

IT'S CINCO DE MAYO YEAR ROUND AT ACAPULCOS!

Thursday, May 01, 2014
Blue Moonlight Margarita
Street Tacos
Cinco de Mayo is almost here and Acapulcos is one fun place to celebrate this weekend. They have a huge menu of Mexican favorites including quesadillas, tacos, salads, fajitas, burritos and enchiladas. Every meal starts off with a bottomless basket of FREE tortilla chips and salsa. You can't beat that! It's a Mexican restaurant, so you've got to try one of their margaritas. I enjoyed the "Blue Moonlight" the other night. It's made with Cuervo Gold tequila, triple sec and blue curacao. I went for the "street tacos" with chicken, onions and cheese for dinner. Really good and love that they came with rice and beans. Acapulcos also offers many vegetarian dishes. If you possibly have room for dessert, options include deep fried ice cream, flan and an apple burrito. Last weekend, the Cinco de Mayo signs were already up at their Needham location, so you can bet the margaritas fill be flowing this weekend! Ole!

 Locations: Amesbury, Beverly,  Framingham, Franklin, Milford, Needham, Norwood, Quincy, Sudbury, West Yarmouth, MA
Enfield & Stratford, CT

Contact: www.acapulcos.net
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