Our top picks for Cinco De Mayo

One of our favorite holidays is Cinco de Mayo which is celebrated on Friday.  Each year at Mexican restaurants throughout the United States, people gather to take part in the festivities. While the common understanding is that the holiday is a time to celebrate Mexico's independence it is actually for their victory over the French in the Battle of Puebla.

Underwhelmed at The Homestead in Merrimack

Having visited the Homestead in Merrimack a few times in the past and their sister restaurant Fratello's in Manchester I had never been overly impressed. Looking for a nearby restaurant to check out we decided to go in for a visit. With cautious optimism we saw the silo in the distance knowing that we had arrived at our destination.

Puerto Vallarta Mexican Grill in Manchester

We had heard through the grapevine that we should check out the Puerto Vallarta Mexican Grill. Having been told that they had very good food and some of the best in Manchester, we never shy away from trying a new dining establishment and set out to find out if the rumors were true. 

The Everyday Café & Pub in Contoocook

Heading to Vermont on a recent Sunday morning we were driving up Route 89 trying to figure out where to go for breakfast. Nearing Contoocook I thought this might be a good time to visit the Everyday Café & Pub located in Contoocook Village off exit 6. Since I’m from this area, we’ve driven by the café on several occasions and have been meaning to try it.

First Impressions: Number 5 Tavern in Hopkinton

After watching the coming soon sign hang outside the old Blaser’s Fireside Tavern in Hopkinton on Route 103, we wondered if the new restaurant would ever open. Months went by and we waited. The place would be called The Number 5 Tavern so we occasionally checked their Facebook page and recently noticed that they were open.

Parker's Maple Barn in Mason

At long last the winter has ended and spring has begun! While it may still be fairly chilly, we decided to do something to celebrate the upcoming season and what better way than to incorporate some maple sugar? Since as far as we know none of our friends are in the sugaring business nor will you find any metal buckets on our trees, we decided to do the next best thing: eat some maple syrup! The decision where came more naturally so we headed out to the countryside to Parker’s Maple Barn in Mason.

New Location for Red Arrow Diner in Londonderry

Years ago when my father worked for the railroad, he was a regular at the Red Arrow Diner in Manchester. His hours were not the best and overnights a constant. He would fondly recall the wonderful way the staff treated him when he went in for breakfast. When they saw his car in the parking lot they knew his order and made sure it would be ready when he would sit down at the counter. Eggs sunny side up, burned toast, bacon and a nice cup of hot coffee. My father has long since left this world but the Red Arrow Diner has always held a special place in my heart.

Canoe in Bedford

We broke one of our dining out rules – to never try a new restaurant on opening weekend. Having heard on the radio that Canoe in Bedford was opening on a recent Friday, we wondered when we should visit and we both agreed to give them a few weeks. However, on Saturday, we re-evaluated the situation and decided to check it out for ourselves.

New Hampshire Restaurant Week March 20th to 27th

The New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association presents their annual restaurant week from March 20th to the 27th. For all you food lovers who have been looking for an excuse to go out at a reasonable price, you should check out their list.

Rocco's in Hudson

Well, I guess the old adage of not judging a book by its cover is accurate. Having driven by Rocco's - Pizza, Bar & Grill in Hudson on numerous occasions, we never thought to stop in until one of my wife’s friends went there after apple picking on the recommendation of the orchard’s owner and she reported back that the food was good. On our way to Nashua we ended up looking for someplace to have lunch and my wife suggested, Rocco's. That sounded great to me and away we went.

Hayward's now open in Nashua

Before the big Valentine’s Day storm hit this past weekend, my wife and I were in the Nashua area when she received a text from my mother in law that Hayward’s Ice Cream was open. Since we didn’t have far to go, we headed on over to check out the early season offerings. We almost forgot that they would be opening this weekend and we plan to make it a yearly tradition for us. We think this is the first true ice cream stand to open this early in the area and we couldn’t have been more excited.

Go to Mr. Mac's for comfort food

Having to deal with one of the worst winters in recent history, my wife and I decided that we needed something to help get us through the daily drudgery. How can we get through one more snowy day without selling our house, quitting our jobs and moving to a warm climate? Not having much luck in picking the winning lottery numbers, we opted for something that we knew would pick up our spirits - comfort food. We gravitate towards mac n cheese as one of our favorites. If you are looking for a place that makes it as good as your mom and treats you like a valued customer, you will be pleased to know that we found such a restaurant.

You will not be able to stop eating this Valentine's Day gift!

Have you ever tasted something that you cannot stop eating because it was so unbelievably good? Because I tend to gravitate to salty foods, I can finish a whole bag of Smartfood Popcorn in one sitting and don't even realize that I didn't bother to offer any to anyone else in the room! Another one of my favorites are Doritos. My intentions are always good - I plan to have a handful and before you know it I've had a second, third etc.... You might be wondering what popcorn or tortilla chips have in common with Valentine’s Day. Well, nothing except that they are salt laden snacks which had me thinking about a special treat that my wife purchases for me every year for February 14th. Don’t say that I didn’t warn you.

Hayseed to open at Smuttynose Brewing Company

The Smuttynose Brewing Company is opening a new 95 seat restaurant, Hayseed, at Towle Farm in Hampton. The Hayseed is expected to begin serving customers in early February and will also include an outdoor seating area available during the warmer weather. Beer lovers will have plenty of choices featuring Smuttynose, of course, along with other select options brought in for your drinking pleasure.