Keene Fresh Salad Company ~ Keene, New Hampshire

Good Eats in Town ~ 14th Issue

Today, instead of bringing lunch from home, I stopped by Keene Fresh Salad Company. It really is one of my favorite lunch spots in Keene.  I was turned on to the place by my friend Sarah Daniels back in 2003, when I first came to work at SVE, and I’ve been enjoying fantastic lunches there ever since.

Keene Fresh Salad is located right downtown in the center of Keene, and it makes a great destination for a lunchtime walk. You can pick up a delicious, healthy meal and eat in, eat outside at the tables on the sidewalk, or take your food to any one of a dozen enjoyable spots downtown.

There is a great menu to choose from. You can have salads, sandwiches or soups and all come with these delicious slices of fresh homemade bread. On a normal day, I can probably eat only half a salad; they are huge. Today, however, maybe due to cool rainy weather and no breakfast, I devoured an entire Southwestern Chicken Salad with Ranch dressing, which is probably my favorite salad.

I love that you can order a salad, order the type of dressing you want, select a bread…the opportunities to mix and match are endless. All the food; the salads, the soups, the breads; they are made from scratch from healthy, and tasty ingredients.There is a cooler full of waters, iced teas and sodas, but KFSCo also serve a nice selection of wines, local craft beers, delicious coffees and teas.

Timing is everything when coming here. I arrived just as they opened today, and there were only a couple people in the shop, so I had my salad lickety split and off I went, back to the office to eat and relax. As I was leaving, people were already coming in, some with individual orders and at least one person with a laundry list order for her entire office. Often both indoor and outdoor seating is jam packed and there is a hefty line at the order counter. But even if you have to wait in line, its worth the trip. The food is great, people in line are usually friendly, and the owners and workers are fantastic, friendly and enjoyable to chat with. Its just a great place for a meal!

Vendetta ~ Keene, New Hampshire

 Good Eats in Town ~ 13th Issue

Last weekend was our 16th anniversary and so to celebrate, we went to Vendetta in Keene for Sushi and a couple beers. Vendetta has been around Keene for a few years, now, but for some reason, we had never stopped in.

The doorway is dark, and the glass tinted, so you really cant see what's going on inside, or what the atmosphere might be like, and it sits right beside the brightly lit and festive Mexican restaurant, Pedrazzas.

 

  

Well, a few weeks ago, we were waiting for a table next store, so we decided to take a chance and pop in for a beer. How did we miss this for so long, what a cool place! The interior is warmly yet not brightly lit; it reminds me of some old English pub that you might find in Boston or Portsmouth (or England). The décor is wood and brick. They serve a variety of great craft beers with a rotating tap schedule, so you can always find something new and tasty to sip.

There were a couple spots around mid-bar that we sat down at, and soon staked claim to as “our spot.” I ordered a Berkshire Steel Rail Pale Ale and we just sat and talked. We almost forgot to go next store for dinner. There was a cool sushi menu on the bar that  looked simply scrumptious, so we decided to come back on our anniversary.

Jump forward a few weeks…So there we were, our anniversary night out, and what luck! Our “spot” opened as we walked into the warm, crowded bar. To find a seat on Columbus day weekend in a college town was just plain “perfect night out, anniversary” luck.

I ordered a Dogfish 90 minute IPA and perused the menu. There are so many great choices for sushi on the menu, and after a long inspection, we each chose a different roll to share. Tracy picked the spicy N’Orleans roll (Salmon, red pepper, green bean, cream cheese and cajun spices) and I chose the Wabi-Sabi roll (Tuna, pineapple, mango, apple, toasted coconut and spicy aioli sauce). mmmmm  mmmmm! Qué Ricooooo!!!!

I admit the wait for our meal was a bit long. I was able to finish another Dogfish before someone else's sushi arrived. Just before I started to devour the food in front of me, Tracy pointed out that I didn't order anything with asparagus in it. The bartender apologized, and soon came back with our order.

What can I say? The sushi was fantastic!!! Each mouthful was a renewed trip to the mental state of deliciosity. I even savored bites, instead of filling my face as fast as chopsticks could push food in. We really enjoyed our meal together, laughing, talking and eating wonderful Sushi.

I believe that we have discovered our new favorite bar/Sushi place. The atmosphere is comfortable and relaxed. The bartenders and wait staff are friendly and chatty, and the crowd, great. That night I ended up talking to a number of people (not that that’s a surprise) Everybody seems friendly...its just that kind of place. I’ll admit that its not budget-dining, my Dogfish was $6 and the rolls were $11 each, but for great craft beers and sushi, whadya expect?

Tracy & I are looking forward to many more trips to Vendetta.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mainely Meat Barbeque at the Knox Road Grille ~ Bar Harbor, Maine

Good Eats in Town ~ 12th Issue

This summer we made our annual trek from Keene, NH to Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island in Maine for a week’s vacation. We’ve been coming to Mount Desert Island regularly for about five years. We camp at the National Park camp ground at Sewall, and each day we try to visit some of the islands many attractions.

Last year, we happened upon some brochures for what sounded like a cool BBQ place at a brewery with daily tours, and although we didn’t have time to visit, we vowed to make it a stop on this year’s adventure. In retrospect, we waited about five years too long to come here. What a fantastic find!

First off, this is a very casual place, and is nestled within the small hamlet of Town Hill on the island. You don’t necessarily drive by the gate, it’s not on the main route; and if you do, you need to know what to look for. There is a sign indicating you are at the Atlantic Brewing Company and the home of the Knox Road Grille, but there’s no neon or flashing lights.

We found the place with the help of my GPS and pulled into the gravel driveway beside an old New England Style house. The small driveway goes past the house, beer garden and grille building and opens to a huge parking lot hidden in the woods in the back. The beer garden and the parking lot were packed, so there was some indication that we had stumbled onto something great.

All manner of folks were there…dressed up urban socialites, family vacationers, bikers, hippy kids and local kids we had seen working in town. They were all sitting together, wherever there was a spot, eating, drinking, chatting and smiling. I knew this was my kind of place.

You just walk in and find a spot, any vacant spot, inside or out. We sat inside, the first night, at a big bar-like table with another couple, and we were soon joined another group. The waitress took our food and drink orders right off, and even though the place was packed, we didn’t have to wait long for beer or BBQ. We chatted with our table neighbors between ordering and receiving our food.

I ordered the combo plate, which consists of Pulled Pork, BBQ Chicken, BBQ Ribs, Hot Italian sausage, potato salad, Boston baked beans and coleslaw. I also ordered a delicious Bar Harbor Real Ale from the brewery menu.  I can’t even begin to tell you how delicious everything was. The ribs were meaty and juicy on the inside and crispy and BBQ-y on the outside. They don’t smother the meat in BBQ sauce, the way some places do. Instead, there are bottles of BBQ and hot sauce on the table for you to add to your own taste. I ate the ribs plain, the sausage with hot sauce, and the chicken and pulled pork with BBQ sauce. It was A LOT of food!

None of us could stop smiling through the whole meal. Each bite was a delicious thrill all over again. At this point, we knew we had found our new favorite place to eat. Even my son, Jeremiah, who leans more toward vegetarianism, and normally finds pork distasteful, devoured his meal, humming and smiling the whole time. I think the root beer float kind of helped lubricate the situation.

The second to last night of our vacation, we came back for another round of gustatory happiness. The brewery was open and giving tours, so that was our first stop. We tried a bounty of different beers, ales, barley wines, root beer and blueberry soda. Then we found a nice table outside and sat down to enjoy the evening air, beer, BBQ and a great live blues band playing at the high end of the beer garden. It was probably the highlight of my vacation.

I am certain that I will be back, and I recommend this place to everyone who enjoys good food, good beer and a good time!

The Knox Road Grille
Home of Mainely Meat Barbeque

Open 7 Days a Week
From Memorial Day to Columbus Day
BBQ: 11:30am-8pm
All-You-Can-Eat BBQ Saturdays
from 11:30am-8pm

15 Knox Road
Bar Harbor, Maine 04609
(207) 288-2337

Prime Roast Coffee Co. ~ Keene, New Hampshire

Good Eats In Town ~ 11th Issue

I was reading a blog post this morning that a friend had written a couple days ago. He is a coffee connoisseur, of sorts, and by the end of the post, I found myself not just wanting, but needing, a coffee. It then occurred to me that in Good Eats I have perhaps neglected one of the most important stops I make during the day… my coffee stop.

I was just about to head downtown to do a little research at the Registry of Deeds, and I decided to get a coffee first, get my head into the task and come up with a plan for the days work . I drove to Central Square in Keene and pulled up in front of my favorite coffee spot, Prime Roast. 

Prime Roast is a fantastic coffee stop. As I said, it’s located right down town, in the middle of all that goes on in Keene. It’s one of those places that you can’t go in without seeing at least one, if not a number of people you know.  There is no class distinction here…the upper crust and the homeless order side by side. Everyone is welcome, and at least within the confines of this shop, friendly towards each other.

You can request a coffee drink or tea made special to order, or pour your favorite brew out of one of a half-dozen different urns at the counter. I can’t claim to be a coffee connoisseur, like my friend, but I can tell you that I think the coffees here are delicious. My favorites are probably the Demon Roast or the Mexican French Roast…rich, dark and delicious. I don’t believe I have ever had a bad cup of coffee here.

Then there are the sweet temptations on the way to the register. They are not always of the same type, but the goodies behind the glass always look and taste scrumptious. If I’m behaving myself, I stick to a   biscotti, but on occasion, in the afternoon, if I stop here with the family after school, we pick out something decadent, and then find a spot on one the couches, or in a window seat, or if it’s nice outside, on the grass out front.

Today, I brought along a file to review for work, and sat at a small table to read over what I needed to do today. The shop was crowded with people, everyone doing their own thing; talking, watching other people, working on laptops. My photographer wasn’t with me, and all I had was a little digital camera to take a few shots, but I decided to walk around and capture a few images. I think the first flash made everyone turn around, a little startled perhaps with the strange guy from corner table snapping photos of coffee and pastries, but then, it was no big deal. Everyone went back to doing what they were doing. 

Prime Roast has such a comfortable atmosphere. I think that’s one of the big draws for me. I like to feel comfortable in a place. It’s part of the whole experience. Usually, when I walk in, one of the staff throws out a friendly hello or at least or smile in my direction, and when I go to pay, they know my name. They know my name. Wow. Maybe it’s silly, but that is so important. I’ll come back!

The owner and staff go out of their way to make you feel at home, so much so that comfort is only trumped by sitting in my own living room at home by the fire. I don't mind bringing a book or a few deeds to read over while I sit here sipping my coffee. I can be as engrossed in my book or in the goings-on around me as I want.

And here is one of the secrets to success. You cant just serve good food and drink. If you want people to come back, to tell their friends and family about your shop, to make it a regular stop, you have to develop a relationship with them, have some interest in them or at least be friendly and recognize them. People want to feel invited and always welcome. That’s what they do here, and they do it well.

When I like a place, I try to share it with everyone. I want to let them in on the secret. I want others to experience what I have. Last Christmas, for office gifts, I gave my team some gift certificates to Prime Roast. Just a little something. I still hear about how I “turned them on” to one of Keene’s treasures.

I hope that I have “turned you on” to Prime roast, too!

      

Prime Roast is located in Central Square in Downtown, Keene.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Stones Mexican Mayan Cocina ~ Brattleboro, Vermont

Good Eats in Town ~ 10th Issue

The family and I love Mexican food, and as of this weekend, we may have found our new favorite Mexican restaurant! In fact, it may just be our favorite restaurant of all time.

On Friday, I turned 44, and as part of my birthday surprise, Tracy made reservations at Three Stones Mexican Mayan Cocina. We are usually pretty good at staying current on all the new restaurants, but somehow, neither of us had heard of this place, although it had been open since sometime around last Christmas. She found this place searching on line for Mexican restaurants in the Keene/Brattleboro area. There were some fantastic four star reviews floating around on the internet, so off the family went to Three Stones for my birthday dinner celebration.

Three Stones is located on the corner of Elm Street and Canal Street, in Brattleboro, Vermont. Its not very centrally located, and might be kind of out of the way for someone unaccustomed to Brattleboro. The restaurant looks small from the outside and very unassuming. There is an outside patio dinning area and parking on the street, as most places in downtown Brattleboro. It has been my experience that the best food always comes from these hidden treasures, tucked away off the beaten path, and that certainly proved true here.

Three Stones is, in fact, a family owned restaurant. When we arrived, one of the owners greeted us and found a table for us immediately. What a great, intimate dining room! It is decorated beautifully, with much of the artwork having been created by the head chef, a native of Ticul, Mexico. The ambiance was perfect. The Gypsy Kings were playing on a CD in the background, but the volume was soft and allowed easy conversation. I’m sometimes given over to anxiety in a loud, crowded environment, so this was a treat. I felt completely at home.

As I said, the atmosphere was very relaxed and comfortable. The dress code is casual, but it also feels like one could be dressed for a night out on the town, for a business meeting, in jeans and a T-shirt anything really, and still be welcome.

Now for the food…. Qué ricoooo!!! The surprises just kept on coming. This was no ordinary Mexican restaurant.This is home-made, deliciousness, incarnate.

We ordered our drinks and began to read over the menu. Tracy and the kids wanted tortillas. The choices of how you have them prepared are endless. To start, you can choose what kind of tortilla you want, Uah, Salbute or Panucho (all of which are homemade, in house, daily) and how many you would like. Then you choose your meat, Pollo Adobado (chicken), Cochinita Adobado (pork) or ground beef, or you can go without meat for a vegan tortilla. Finally, you select the toppings and sauces… cheese, beans, mild tomato sauce, tomatillo salsa, hot chili salsa, cucumber salad with cilantro, red radish salpicon and cebolla curtida. They ordered 7 tortillas between them, each with a different mix of ingredients. Our waitress didn’t even seem the least bit annoyed at what seemed like an unusually confusing order. She just smiled and helped with the selections.

I went a different route. I wanted to try the empanadas. I had heard about them but never had the opportunity to try one. Dios Mio!  They were soooooo good! They came with a delicious salad, too and all the entree's came with black beans and rice. Often times, when we eat Mexican, I forgo the beans and rice, but not this time. They were fantastic! What I normally expect to be a very plain, and often heavy side side dish, here was truly sublime.

Since the four of us all had selected different things, we ended up splitting and sharing. I know, it probably wasn't the best of manners, but we were in a frenzy of deliciosity! It was fun just to watch everyone’s faces as they tried another dish and experienced new pleasures all over again. There is still yet more on the menu to try, and next time, I want to try an onzicil tortilla…a delicacy made with pumpkin seeds. Finally, as our plates emptied and our stomachs filled, we finished dinner and moved on to dessert.

Tracy and Grace shared a Boca Negra… a fantastic chocolate dish. I split an order of the Dulce de Leche with Jeremiah; I was really so stuffed at this point, but as I said…the feeding frenzy was on and I at least wanted to try it! The kids each got a Chocolate Abuelita, which is a hot chocolate drink, which we also shared, to our delight.

But the night didn’t end with dessert and the check. Tracy had been taking some pictures of our food, and after our dinner one of the owners came over to talk with us. She gave us a tour of the restaurant and told us about the artwork, much of it her mother’s, and of the history of how the family started this restaurant. She told us how her mother grew up in Mexico and the significance of the three stones and cooking.

And here is what topped the evening for me. If you follow me on my other blog, “Life as Russ” or on facebook, you may know that I have been studying Spanish on my own for about two years, from books and podcasts. The problem is that I never really have anyone to talk to… and so I am really only a fluent reader.

I was hoping that our lovely guide, hostess and owner, might speak Spanish, especially if her mother was from Mexico, although I couldn't detect an accent when she spoke. Finally, after a lingering internal struggle, I took a gamble, summoned all my courage, and asked her a question in Spanish,  “Entonces, ¿habla usted Español?” I know… not the height of fluent conversation, but it took all I had to get it out. She made my night by speaking Spanish with me! 

In my nervous, embarrassed, food-drunken and excited state, I could barely think straight or say much of anything, nor could I understand much, but… I understood enough and did manage to make myself understood, and so for me… it was the cherry on top of the best night out in a long time! 

I highly recommend this place to everyone, but do make sure to get a reservation. The hours are from 5 until 9, Wednesday through Saturday,and it seems like it is always very busy. I don’t think that there was an empty table the whole time that we were there.

And really, I can’t seem to find the words to express enough how good the food was… you just have to go and try it! Personally, I can’t wait to return and eat more scrumptious food, and maybe, just maybe, speak a little more Spanish.

Three Stones Mexican Mayan Cocina

105 Canal Street
Brattleboro, VT 05301

(802) 246-1035
www.3stonesrestaurant.com