Our favorite new food trend: Popcorn

So I'm surfing the web trying to think of something to talk about and I stumbled upon the Sterling-Rice Groups top 10 food trends of 2013. At number 10 on their list is popcorn, since I love popcorn it should come as no surprise that this is my favorite new trend of the year.

Disappointing visit to the River House Restaurant in Portsmouth

We found ourselves in Portsmouth on a brisk Saturday afternoon. After shopping, we decided to have a few drinks at the River House Restaurant on Bow Street. A bit later my wife and I were getting hungry and debated where we should go for dinner. Because it was so chilly outside sheer laziness got the best of us and we decided to stay put despite reading mixed reviews on Yelp.

Visit Luciano's in Londonderry for a wonderful taste of Italy

I made a New Year’s resolution to lose a few pounds and so far I’m doing very well. However, every now and then I still need to splurge and eat some really great food which is why we paid a visit to Luciano's in Londonderry.

It feels like New England at the Yankee Chef in Milford

When I looked in the distance and saw the sign for the Yankee Chef, I knew that something good was behind those doors. Chef John Sullivan has created a step back in time to all that is good about New England.

Visit funky & cool Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt in Exeter

About a year or so ago, we stumbled on a new frozen yogurt establishment in Newburyport, MA called Orange Leaf. At that time there were only a few locations opened or planned to open in New England. It’s amazing how quickly that changed over the last year. This chain is rapidly growing. Everywhere we go there seems to be a new shop opening up so we had to find out what all the excitement was about.

900 Degrees in Manchester does pizza right

When my wife and I first visited 900 Degrees Pizzeria shortly after they opened, we were not thrilled with our experience. Each time we attempted to pick up a slice, the toppings fell off the pizza! Truth be told we haven’t found really good pizza in New Hampshire, the reason for so few reviews in this area. Various family members suggested that we give 900 degrees another look so we ventured out for another try since it’s been a few years.

Bad service almost ruins visit to La Carreta Mexican Restaurant in Manchester

When my wife and I were first dating the La Carreta Mexican Restaurant was a frequent stop for its fun atmosphere, good service, food, and of course, the margaritas. We decided to stop in recently as it has been a few years since our last visit. Although it is still a fun place with decent food, we were disappointed with the service.

Surprises abound at Romano's Pizza in Litchfield

Since we have family in the Litchfield area, we have passed by Romano's Pizza many times without even blinking an eye. When we recently found ourselves looking for a place to eat before our nephew’s holiday concert and given that there are not many options in this area we decided to try Romano's Pizza. You are going to like what we found.

I've got an inkling you're going to like breakfast at the Schoolhouse Café in Warner

My wife and I took a drive recently to the tiny town of Warner via the back roads through Hopkinton and Contoocook. Because it was still fairly early in the morning, we decided to stop for breakfast at the Schoolhouse Café.

Belle's Bistro, The Belle of Westford, Massachusetts

Westford, MA has long been the home to one of my favorite ice cream places, Kimball Farms, but for years this town wasn’t exactly a culinary destination. However, in the last year or so, the area has experienced a growth spurt and many new establishments both retail and dining have sprung up lately.

Recently, we were heading back from Boston and decided to try dinner at Belle's Bistro. If you are familiar with the area, the restaurant is in the space where the Ye Olde Beef-n-Ale stood. We found this to be a welcome addition to the local restaurant scene and within easy driving distance of the Nashua, NH area. 

The Pasta Loft, Milford, New Hampshire, an enjoyable experience

This is our third trip to the Pasta Loft in Milford. For this area it seems to be one of the more popular restaurants and, if you go, we think you will understand the reason why.

The Past Loft is located on the Oval. From the outside, the restaurant doesn't look particularly large but there are actually two floors. As you enter from the street, you will find a lively bar area downstairs with a quieter dining room upstairs.

Not wild for the new Buffalo Wild Wings in Concord, New Hampshire

New restaurants rarely open in Concord so we were excited to check out the Buffalo Wild Wings on Loudon Road. Based on our recent experience, you may want to skip this one.

According to their form 10-Q that was filed on November 1 they had 343 company owned and 511 franchised Buffalo Wild Wings locations throughout the United States. The Concord store is the first in New Hampshire outside of the seacoast area with one in Rochester and the other in Newington. You would think that they must be doing something right with so many restaurants but we are having a difficult time figuring this one out.

New Hampshire Restaurant Inspection Reports

New Hampshire as well as other states have processes in place to help ensure that restaurants are clean and held to standards that we all expect from a dining establishment. Health inspectors make unannounced visits to these businesses to ensure that safety regulations are followed and to help educate on proper sanitary techniques.

New management a welcome change at TJ's Bagel and Eatery in Londonderry, New Hampshire

For many years, my wife and I would eat breakfast at TJ’s Bagel and Eatery nearly every month. That tradition ended about two years ago when the ownership changed hands to one of the waitresses.


What was once a pleasant time became an absolute nightmare. Unfortunately, this woman wasn’t pleasant and really didn’t have a clue about running a dining establishment. Her surly attitude and permanent scowl were always present.