Red Robin

I thought Yen Ching for lunch would have been enough to tide me over, but apparently it wasn't so I grabbed a burger and a milkshake from Red Robin at Patriot Place, the mall next to Gillette Stadium.

I had never been to a Red Robin before, it's a national chain of what they call "gourmet" burgers. To give you an idea what it looks like inside, just imagine your regular national family restaurant chain (i.e TGI Fridays, Applebees, etc.) combined with a seven year old's birthday party. Somehow there was very little lighting, but the blaring primary colors and Americana plastered all over the place brought a brightness.

As for the meal itself, it gave me a conundrum to think about. For the most part, the chains have been better than the local places. In the U.S, you're always taught to root for the little guy, that the underdog has some kind of secret magic that makes them special, and in the case of the mom and pop eatery, that pride or some other attribute makes their meals just a little better.

But this corporate juggernaut was clearly above average when it came to what I ordered. The choice was between a Guacamole and Bacon burger versus a Barbeque based burger I can't remember the name of, but the fact that Guacamole costs extra but onion straws don't made me go with the former. One of these days I am probably going to get a heart attack from eating this crap, but damn, if I got a heart attack solely from this burger, then that would be a delicious heart attack.

I think the thing I noticed most about this meal was the light and buttery sesame buns. Well that and the "seasoning" they had at all the tables had "smoke" as one of its ingredients (have the Tobacco companies found a new way to sell their product?)

As for the milkshake, I was pleased, although it was not the highlight here -- this burger was damn good and got me ready to root for the home team a few hundred feet away at Gillette Stadium.

Meal: Guacamole Bacon Burger and Peach Milkshake
Price: $13.68
Time of Day: 5:30 PM,Weekend
Speed of Service: 25 minutes

Yen Ching

The other day I went to a soccer game at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro. But instead of eating the overpriced stadium food, I searched around for something else nearby for lunch and I took my chances with a place called Yen Ching in Plainville.

If you have a general idea of Massachusetts geography, Gillette Stadium is located just north of the southern intersection of I-95 (The inner ring highway around Boston) and I-495 (the outer ring highway around Boston.)
Yen Ching is just south of that intersection. Basically you get off Exit 14 on 495 going north on Route 1 to get to Gillette, you get off Exit 14 going south on Route 1 and turn onto Taunton Street to get to Yen Ching, and if you don't get off Exit 14, you'll hit 95 in about a minute.

But, unlike the stadium, people are not likely to head hundreds of miles to Yen Ching. Looking at the run down shopping plaza it's located in, I had some compunction that the food here would be any good, but appearances can be decieving.

I got there for the lunch buffet, and the best way to describe it is as a good value for what you get. This is definitely not superlative Chinese-American food. The wait staff is ok, but they're not great either. The food was appetizing, but there was not a great variety and I'd think there would be fresher food there given it was a buffet. The place also passed the General Tso's test for the most part -- no stringiness in the meat. The picture above was the first trip to the buffet, the best part of it I had that day was the Schezuan Beef, but as I said earlier, it wasn't anything special.

So, there you go. If you want some cheap Chinese food before you go see the Patriots or Revolution, Yen Ching works.

Antonio's

My father comes from New Bedford, Massachusetts, which is known for its Portuguese cuisine. And when it comes to Portuguese cuisine in New Bedford, there are few places better than Antonio's on Coggeshall Street just off I-195.

What you see here is the Little Neck Clams (Conquilha) and Shrimp (Camarão) in what is called the "Antonio Sauce", a stew-like tomato/garlic concoction with hints of saffron and lemon.

It's only an appetizer believe it or not, but with the complimentary bread and fried potato chips or french fries to sop up the sauce (which also comes on several other chicken and shrimp dishes), it's more than a meal in itself.

Outside of the food, the restaurant itself is lacking in frills: it's fairly old school just like the rest of the city it resides in. The wood paneled bar adjacent to the dining area can be seen in the final episode of the Discovery Channel series about Swordfish Fishermen: "Swords: Life on the Line". That probably tells you more than I could ever say; the seafood here is so fresh that you may just be able to meet the person who caught it having a beer a few feet away.

Meal: Little Neck and Shrimp Antonio's
Price: $16.97
Speed of Service: 15 minutes
Time of Day: 2 PM, Weekend

Val's Pizza

Buffalo Chicken is a fantastic dish to review: it is almost always tasty, but it comes in varying levels of quality depending how it is prepared. At the current time, I don't have an editor telling me to try certain things, so the food I want to write about is going to be things I think are a fairly good bet, and that was what was on my mind at Val's Pizza in Hollis.

Don't get me wrong, there were probably a few other choices that could have worked here, but I went with what I knew here, and I wasn't particularly disapponted. Then again, I wasn't thrilled either.

As you can see here, they're not big on presentation at Val's. What you see is what you get. Also, like with Weathervane the other day, I had a sneaking fear that what I got here was just repackaged supermarket chicken. In this case though, repackaging was probably more likely. Val's is not a fancy place, it's just a local pizzaria, one of only handful of restaurants in Hollis, especially its downtown area.

Then again, I can't say this was a bad experience either. The staff was nice, they let me bring in my own drink, the food came fairly quickly, and it decent. However, it was not anything to write home about.

Meal: Buffalo Chicken

Price: $7.80

Speed of Service: 5 minutes.

Time of Day: 12:30 PM Weekday

Weathervane

My first trip to the Bedford Weathervane in recent memory came this past February. I had ordered Clam Chowder, but there was some fish stock in it, which is a problem for me since I am allergic to most fish (just in case you didn't know, Clams are Mollusks, not Fish.)

So, the manager happily gave me the choice of an equally priced meal at no charge, and I chose their Buffalo Chicken, which I had to admit was delicious.

I came in again to see if the Buffalo Chicken was as good when paying for it, and it definitely tasted as good as it was when it was free. The breading was crunchy with an clustered texture that added to the flavor, the buffalo sauce was piquant but blended with the chicken and breading, the portion was sizeable but not overwhelming, I could find nothing wrong with this dish other than the fact that deep down inside I can only assume it's prepackaged from somewhere else and gussied up rather than made from scratch.

I certainly hope that isn't the case, this was some good stuff.

Meal: Buffalo Chicken

Price: $7.64

Speed of Service: 5 minutes

Time of Day: 3 PM, Weekday

Frank's Place -- Egg Sandwich

I needed to get my car worked on at Tiretown in downtown Merrimack and I was hungry so I looked over my options.


Buckley's Steakhouse, Florence's, and the Lobster Boat weren't open yet, and I wouldn't even consider Domino's since apparently their customers think their pizza tastes like cardboard and boogers, and apparently they're harrassing people to try and convince them it isn't.

So that leaves another trip to Frank's Place.

They had a few breakfast options, but I decided upon their bacon egg and cheese sandwich on an english muffin and my impression was mixed.

The template in my mind for these types of sandwiches is dunkin donuts, and while Frank's is much bigger, it's also around twice the price and it was too hot to hold.

The grease from the egg and cheese bacon and whatever they put on the grill necessitated a fork and knife. The staff was courteous enough to offer a cup of ketchup free of charge though

I can't say the taste was bad - it alleviated my hunger, but I can't say I would have gone here if my car was not stuck a few hundred feet away.

Meal: Egg Sandwich with Bacon
Price: $4.20
Speed of Service: 5 minutes
Time of Day: 10 AM, Weekday

Barley House

If you've never driven by the Barley House, you have never driven by the New Hampshire State Capitol building.

The proximity of the two has given this semi-Irish themed restaurant something of a political motif, particularly regarding the New Hampshire Primary's influence on its decor and occasional menu offerings in the past that I can't recall off the top of my head.

Today though I shyed away from that and tried a more tried and true meal: the Reuben sandwich.

I've definitely had worse deli meat, but the corned beef here was still a little too thick to be considered exceptional. Otherwise, the sandwich was fine, if a bit overpriced due to the convenience of its location.

They also offered a choice of sides and I took the cole slaw, which was a tad bitter, but overall acceptable.

Their meals also come with a free hummus dip appetizer along with pretzel and breadsticks, so that was a bonus.

I've been to the Barley House before and had some damn good meals. This one wasn't fantastic, but I can't complain. The food, along with pretty much everything else there during my visit, was fairly mundane except for the few male waiters there wearing kilts. Have they always worn kilts?

Meal: Deli Style Reuben
Price: $10.95
Speed of Service: 10 minutes
Time of Day: 12:30 PM, Weekday

Thon Khao -- Crispy Thai Noodles

It was difficult for me not to head to Thon Khao and order the Larb, so difficult that the owner asked me why I didn't order it. Nevertheless, I figured it was worth trying something else on their menu and I was not disappointed with their Crunchy Pad Thai.

It was basically a marriage between Mee Krob and Pad Thai, with crunchy thin noodles coated in a very sweet sugary sauce mixed with chicken, scallions and peanuts. A simple, yet elegant marriage of two dishes that turned out fairly well.

However, I can't say this dish was nearly as appetizing as the Larb -- it was just too sweet. Still, I can't give high enough praise for the food here despite the fact that this particular didn't live up to the very high expectations I had from other earlier dishes there.

Meal: Crispy Pad Thai
Price: $8.65
Speed of Service: 15 minutes
Time of Day: 1 PM, Weekday

El Tapatio

Any Mexican restaurant that has Spanish language tv on at the bar is probably authentic, and I was pleased by this early sign as I walked toward my table at El Tapatio in South Merrimack.


This place is relatively new, and the waiter let me know from one of his half a dozen trips to my table. I probably would have been annoyed with his eagerness if not for the fact that I knew he wants me to come back and its better to have too much attention rather than too little.
I ended up ordering the flautas, which while not stupendous, were hearty and satisfying. I wanted to order the Chilaquiles Mexicanos, a fried nacho dish that was a few dollars cheaper, but that was not available at the time I was there.

In total, if El Tapatio was a person, I would say that it is an up and coming artist with a chip on its shoulder and something to prove. The next few months will decide whether that proof will materialize or not: my meal was good, but not good enough to make this an essential stop on any local culinary circuits.
 
Meal: Flautas
Price: $10.83
Speed of Service: 5 minutes
Time of Meal: 12:00 PM, Weekend

Karen's Kitchen

This morning I had to go over to the Bedford Little League field, but Nashua Road was closed off.


So, I parked in back of Karen's Kitchen, located near the intersection of 101 and Nashua Road and figured it was worth getting breakfast there since I was in their back parking lot and hungry.

There were a few good looking specials and intriguing regular menu options such as a Eggs Benedict variation with broccoli rather than canadian bacon called the "Eggs Bedford", but I opted for the original Benny recipe, and I think they nailed it.

I can't tell you anything wrong about this meal. It wasn't flashy, but should breakfast ever really be flashy? Just a solid baseline to start the day: home fries, english muffins, canadian bacon and poached eggs with hollandaise. This meal left me full and ready to start the day with talking to those little league parents.

Moritomo

When it comes to Sushi in New Hampsire, there's a very short list at the top and Moritomo at Fort Eddy Plaza in Concord is near the top of that list.

Moritomo inhabits a price range either at the high end of everyday fare or at the low end of gourmet cuisine, which makes it a particularly good value for what you get: leaving it within the reach of the average person, but providing a taste of quality Japanese food.

Pictured here is three of their Maki choices: the Sweet Potato Tempura Maki, the Shitake Maki and the Ume Kyu (Cucumber and Picked Plum Paste) Maki. The contrasting textures and flavors of the bitter Ume Kyu, the tender Shitake and the crunchy Tempura complimented each other exquisitly.

The service was exceptional, although I got there a little after the lunch rush so there was an abudance of wait staff.

I'm at a loss on what else to say regarding the excellence of Moritomo. You'll pay more here than you would at the average restaurant in Concord, but that's just because it's far above average.

Meal: Shitake Roll, Ume Kyu Roll, Sweet Potato Tempura Roll
Price: $13.78
Speed of Service: 5 minutes
Time of Day: 1:30 PM, Weekday

Veria Pizza

Today's stop on my gastronomical sojourn brings us to Veria Pizza in Hudson.

Veria is within half a mile of three or four other pizza places, but it doesn't seem fairly different than your local pop and pop pizzaria. Unlike Pizza Mia in Bedford the other day, the decor is plain and straight forward, but it isn't dirty or uncomfortable so I can't complain there.
I ordered their gyro, and likewise I can't complain. Not bad, not great, just but it did the job.

As you can see in the picture of the Gyro, I also ordered a Mountain Dew White Out, which was also just ok - it reminded me of a white Mello Yello.

For $8.12 (that seems to be the new magic number for lunch prices), I would have liked more, but I can't say what I ate was unappealing.
 
Meal: Gyro and drink
Price: $8.12
Time of Day: 11:30 AM, Weekday
Speed of Service: 10 minutes (over the counter)

Golden Bowl

Manchester has not been getting its fair share of reviews lately, so I decided to head over to Golden Bowl on the corner of Queen City and Brown Ave.

This place used to be home to a fantastic Thai restaurant and I wanted to see if this new Vietnamese restaurant that has taken its location is of the same caliber.

The short answer is no, the long answer is its ok but not great.
I ordered the Pad Thai and it was filling and flavorful and the wait staff was friendly. The problems were the price and the restauarant policies.
9.80 was too much for this dish, both literally and figuratively. New Hampshire has a 9 percent meals tax and without tax the meal comes out to 8.95, but if you get your calculator out, 8.95+9 percent of 8.95 equals 9.76 and they just tacked on the extra four cents because they are mathematically lazy or there is some phantom tax I don't know about.



However, that was nothing compared to the fact they have a 10 dollar minimum in really small type on the front of their menu that I didn't see and they didn't care I was only 20 cents under 10 dollars.

So I had to buy a can of coke for 1.60 when I could probably get the same can at the gas station across the street for 99 cents.

And fortunately, this didn't apply to me but they are closed on tuesdays and they charge extra for people sharing meals and take out containers. Goddamn it, this is America: we are free and so are our takeout containers. The founding fathers decreed that when they signed the declaration of independence on a tuesday in 1776 (don't stop me now if that actually wasn't the day, I'm on a roll here)

Golden bowl could be superlative if it wanted to be, but it seems it is happy with just being slightly above average.

P.S -- From here on, i'm going to try and include the price including taxes, something I did not do before.

Grand Buffet

I once worked for a guy that thought Grand Buffet on Amherst Street was the best restaurant in Nashua and I thought he was nuts. I have reconfirmed my opinion after recently eating lunch there.

It is a buffet, so I guess not too much should be expected, the food here ranged from the fair (hot pepper chicken) to the inedible.

I won't even mention the sushi, which is blocked off during lunch without a separate fee, and certainly not worth the extra money. At $8.12, why anyone would not go across the street to Five Guys is beyond me unless they have a peanut allergy.

On the plus side, they did have vintage arcade games from the mid 90s and what looks like a Karaoke bar. Maybe some of the booze would have helped this food go down better.

Meal: Buffet
Price: $8.12
Speed of Service: Instant
Time of Day:  11:30 AM, Weekday

KFC/Taco Bell Amherst: Double Down and Tortada

On 101A in Amherst, there's a joint KFC and Taco Bell, so I figured I would try two new items brought out by their respective chains: the Doubledown "sandwich" and the Salsa Roja Tortada, pictured to the right and left respectively.

I preferred the Tortada, it was filling in comparison to the Doubledown believe it or not, and it was probably healthier too. You'd be surprised though, there are salads, let alone burgers, at other fast food places that have more fat and calories than the Doubledown.

Combined, it was an adequate meal, but the combined price at this location brought the price to a level near something much better for those who have more time.

In the end, both of them are what they are: the Tortada is basically just a square chewy/crunchy taco, and the Doubledown is two pieces of chicken with bacon and dressing in the middle of them. You're paying for the marketing as much as you're paying for the meal here.

I apologize, but for the first time here on this food blog, I forgot to keep the reciept, so I can't remember the exact price of the two combined, but it was around $8. However, this might vary at respective Taco Bells and KFCs near you.

Georgio's Ristorante Milford

A few weeks ago I reviewed a salad at Georgio's Ristorante in Merrimack.

It was fairly good, so I decided to try their Milford location too, and I have to admit I was pleased again with what I got.
This time it was a salad again, but with fried goat cheese, strawberries and pecans. I have no clue about the nutritional value, but I have to assume it was better than if I got a Whopper at the BK across the street.

The service was prompt, the price was good for what I got, and the environment is set in a modern mediterranean style: warm, yet chic.

I would be happy to come here again in the future, and i'm not sure what else I can say in support of the meal I had here; it was a quality experience in every aspect of my visit.

Meal: Goat Cheese, Strawberry and Pecan Salad

Price: $8.71

Speed of Service: 5 minutes

Time of Day: 4:30 PM, weekday

Henry's Market

The other day I was in New Castle, New Hampshire, and I figured I would go to what I believe is the only restaurant in New Hampshire's smallest municipality: Henry's Market.

Ok, it doubles as a deli and a micro-grocer, but calling it a restaurant is close enough for what you'll get on this little island community in the mouth of the Piscataqua River.

The meal I got, pictured to the left, was the Italiano: a sandwich with fairly upscale Italian ingredients (mozzarella, proscuitto, etc.).
It was good, but pricey for what I paid for it. You could get alot more on the mainland, but I think part of the price came from the ambiance: Henry's has a touristy, laidback seacoast feel to it. Parking's tough, and tables are limited, but New Castle's off the beaten path somewhat despite its location near the shore, so I had no problems there.

Meal: Italiano Sandwich

 

Price: $8.15

 

Speed of Service: 5 minutes (over the counter)

 

Time of Day: 3 PM, Weekday

Tea Garden

Tea Garden in Concord is one of those places that slips between the cracks: not quite good, but not quite bad either. Let me explain.

The food here is similiar to Yen Yen in Peterborough. If my taste buds serve me correctly, they used to use white meat in their General Tso's (pictured to the left), but no longer.

However, that's not entirely apt as a comparison, because even though they do use dark meat as they do at Yen Yen, the croquettes are smaller so the gaminess and stringiness is mitigated to a great extent.

On top of that, if you hit there during the lunch rush like I did, you get free hot and sour soup (pictured on the right), and for a price much lower than at Yen Yen despite a similiar quantity of food. You'd think the prices would be higher since Concord's a bigger city than Peterborough, but you'd be surprised.

Add to that the fact that Tea Garden is walking distance, but just barely, from downtown Concord. This is fortunate, because parking is limited; there's enough, but just enough, in the back.
There are certainly better choices in Concord, but Tea Garden is an adequate Chinese option and has very good prices for what you get.

Meal: #19 Lunch Special (General Tso's, Soup, and Fried Rice)

Price: $5.95

Speed of Service: 10 minutes

Time of Day: 12 PM, Weekday

India Palace Nashua

Buffets are tricky. Usually the cooks at buffets focus more on quantity than on quality, but I can't say that's the case at India Palace in Nashua.

The India Palace on Amherst Street is one of two India Palace locations, with the other located on South Willow in Manchester. Both are identical in terms of food, they're about as good as you're going to get anywhere in New Hampshire when it comes to Indian food.

Pictured here is the first plate I got when going up, some Pakoras with pickled vegetables and Chicken Tikka Masala.

Usually buffets at both locations have at minimum Pakoras, Chicken Tikka Masala, Tandoori Chicken, Mulligatawny Soup, Nan, Jasmine Rice, and a few side dishes and deserts as well as daily specials. The specials are generally inferior though unless they have a paneer dish, they do well with paneer there.
The price has shot up in recent years, but it's still comparable with other offerings in the area and i've never had a problem getting a parking space in the plaza its in or a table once i'm inside.

Meal: Buffet

Price: $9.50

Speed of Service: Instant

Time of Day: 11:30 AM Weekday

Yo's Thai Cuisine

Larb is quickly becoming a yardstick for me over what makes a good Thai Restaurant just as General Tso's is the yardstick for a Chinese Restaurant.

With that in mind, I ordered the Larb at Yo's Thai Cuisine in Rochester and I can't say i'm disappointed, but I know it's possible to do better because i've tasted it.

The Larb here is hearty like Chiangmai rather than the balance of savoriness and spiciness at Thon Khao. That being said, I cannot say that this was bad, in fact it was pretty good. The sticky rice (pictured to the right in the basket it came in) was also very good.

The women sitting a the table next to me ordered the same thing and agreed, they liked it. In the end comparing this Larb to Thon Khao's Larb might be apples and oranges.

That being said, the location of Thon Khao is both a positive and a negative: there is next to no parking, the restaurant is located in a small house just across the street from the Foster's branch office and the Cocheco River on North Main. It's close to the Rochester Fair and downtown Rochester, but not too close. The interior is very quaint given its previous life as a residence, and there's a Southeast Asian decor blended with the New England architecture that lends comfort and authenticity to your meal.

Yo's is a great option in Rochester from my experience with it.

Meal: Chicken Larb


Price: $10.95


Speed of Service: 15 minutes


Time of Day: 3:00 PM Weekend

Spa Restaurant

The other day I was 15 minutes from the Canadian border in Stewartstown, so I figured: why not get the most French-Canadian meal of them all?

For those of you unaware of what that might be, it's poutine: mixing French Fries with cheese curds and gravy to make a multi-cultural artery clogging delicacy.

At the Spa Restaurant, which seems to be Stewartstown's only eatery, they added buffalo popcorn chicken to the Poutine as well, although I didn't really taste the buffalo sauce.

No matter, I am probably lucky to have escaped eating this little monster without a heart attack in any case, so the lack of "Buffalo" in the chicken was academic.

It was a little small for a meal, but the price was appropriate given the amount of food provided and it filled me up right.

The locals seemed to like this place, and now so do I. If you're ever on Route 3 heading towards Canada in the northern reaches of New Hampshire, check out the Spa Restaurant. I enjoyed it.

Meal: Buffalo Popcorn Chicken Poutine

Price: $5.95

Speed of Service: 15 minutes

Time of Day: 12 PM, weekday

Salt Hill

The Salt Hill pub is straight at the heart of downtown Lebanon, New Hampshire, and since I was in downtown Lebanon (pronounced Leb-an-inn for you flatlanders out there) the other day, I figured I would try the place out.

And what do you know, they had a sandwich called "The Mayor of Lebanon", which I assume is named after the current mayor, Karen Liot Hill, who I am a big fan of, so I figured I would try it out.

I was not disappointed. The Mayor of Lebanon sandwich has ham, apple, swiss cheese and honey-dijon dressing, and they all compliment each other. And look at the size of those onion rings they give you. They're the size of your hand, surprised they didn't bring tongs to hold them with they were so huge.

The only issue was a small one with the waitress, she included an assumed tip onto the bill, which is not cool in the US, although I hear they do it over in Europe, and since this was an Irish themed pub, maybe they were just trying to get into the spirit.

A hearty recommendation for this great sandwich. If you're in the Upper Valley, make sure to try it out!

Meal: The Mayor of Lebanon with Onion Rings

Price: $7.49

Speed Of Service: 10 minutes (sit down)

Time of Day: 11:30 AM, Weekday

Axel's

There are two major ice cream stands in Merrimack: King Kone in Merrimack proper and Axel's in Reed's Ferry.

The inside of a coffee milkshake pictured here was from Axel's, and it hit the spot.

Not much more to say than that. The two places are fairly similiar, i'm sure i'll write about King Kone before the summer is out. For more information on Axels, you can go to their website at axelsfoodandicecream.com.

Food: Soft Coffee Milkshake
Price: $3.25
Speed of Service: 10 minutes
Time of Day: 4 PM Weekday

Pizza Mia

Ho hum. Not much to see here. Pizza Mia is an average Pizza joint on 101 in Bedford.

I had the Cajun Chicken sandwich, pictured here, and I have to admit it was fairly forgettable. Perhaps given the restaurant's name, the Pizza may be a better choice.

All I can say about the sandwich pictured here was that it was adequate.



Meal: Small Cajun Chicken Sandwich

Cost: $6.49

Time of Day: 4 PM Weekday

Speed of Service: 10 minutes

Manchu Wok

Went up to Concord the other day, and for some reason, I got some inferior Chinese Food at a place called Manchu Wok at the Steeplegate Mall.

Then again, I guess I shouldn't say it's inferior, it's not of the same quality of most slower restaurants, but it's faster and it's not inedible.

For shoppers at the Steeplegate Mall like I was that night, it's not a bad option. There's no reason to go there otherwise though.

Outside of the meal itself, the drink had too much ice.

Pictured here is their Lo Mein, Crab Rangoon and Orange Chicken.

Price: $8.15
Meal: Orange Chicken, Lo Mein and Crab Rangoon with a drink
Time of Day: 6 PM
Speed of Service: Instant

Lobster Boat

I remember as a little kid in 1990 seeing Dan Quayle visit downtown Merrimack and eating at the Lobster Boat.

I wish I could make a witty "potatoe" joke here, but they've probably already all been done.

For natives like me, there are few things more "Merrimack-esque" than the little shack with a boat on the roof in the heart of town known as the Lobster Boat.

It might be an hour inland, but the clam strips pictured here tasted similiarly(and were priced about the same) as those you'd find out on the coast.

The decor is somewhat old fashioned, but an actual old fashioned rather than an intentional retro old fashioned. Well, to be honest it's an '80s feel, but that's old fashioned enough.

Meal: Clam Strips

Price: $8.79

Time of Day: 12:00 PM

Speed of Service: 10 minutes