A few weeks ago Jim, Robby and I were visiting our daughter Amanda and her boyfriend Steve as they just moved into a new very cute apartment in Manchester N.H.  While we were there, we took them out to lunch at Fratello’s Italian Restaurant in Manchester at 155 Dow Street. (They have locations in Laconia NH and Nashua NH as well).
They open daily for lunch at 11:30 and the dinner menu is served at 4:00 pm nightly. We were seated in the upstairs area,  next to a great lounge area. The lounge area has a number of couches and a beautiful fireplace. They have a full bar area upstairs  along with an outside patio upstairs and downstairs. The decor is very rustic as the restaurant is located in an old mill building that has been renovated.

We were all hungry and ready for some appetizers to start so we ordered calamari, fried mozzarella and artichoke spinach dip! The calamari was our favorite and cooked to perfection. It was lightly battered and served over sautéed hot cherry peppers, lemon butter with garlic, basil and white wine over linguine. There is a lot of deliciousness going on with this dish!

I’m not a huge fan of fried mozzarella in general but others at the table really enjoyed this.  The outside was crispy golden brown and the inside warm and gooey!  This was served with the house marinara sauce.  Robby enjoyed this dish the most I think!  The artichoke spinach dip was excellent.  Warm melted cheese with plenty of spinach and artichokes. There was no question what was in this dish, I also liked that it was served with garlic toast!

I almost forgot to mention the warm bread that was served when we were seated, that came with dipping oil and two kinds of cream cheese. That was a great start!

I did mention we were hungry right? That was just the start! For our main course Steve and I had the Italain Pie. Amanda had the Hawaiian Pizza, Jim had the Fratello’s Panini and Robby ate much of the appetizers for his lunch!

The Italian Pie…oh my! ($14.00) Steve and I really enjoyed this very hearty lunch plate! This pie was made with sweet Italian sausage, pepperoni and ricotta baked on a bed of penne with marinara and mozzarella! This dish was huge and super filling, not to mention delicious! I have to say I was slightly surprised that their signature meatballs were not included in this dish but either way I loved it and would order this again anytime! I enjoyed the fact that I had plenty to take home and enjoy later!

Amanda had the Hawaiian Pizza ($13.00) made with Virginia ham and pineapple, it was really cheesy and filled with the toppings! They have a number of pizza selections that all look and sound just as good as Amanda’s!

Jim had the Fratello’s Panini ($10.00) made with roast beef, turkey, bacon, provolone, lettuce,tomato and garlic mayo! This was a big sandwich filled with goodness! Jim really enjoyed this dish and ate every bite! The fries that came with this dish were also excellent. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, served piping hot! Excellent lunch dish!

After all of that food we were all stuffed and bringing home leftovers,  so sadly we did not get desserts! They do have an amazing array of Italian desserts to order and you can get a glimpse of them in their dessert case near the entrance! I am looking forward to going back this summer and sitting on the patio.  Most of all trying one of those amazing looking desserts!

If you find yourself near any of the Fratello’s locations stop in for a bite to eat you will enjoy it as much as we did and for the amount of food you get the prices are terrific!  Check them out online  http://www.fratellos.com/ for more great information!

Enjoy!

UPDATE-

LEXI’S IN DURHAM IS NOW CLOSED.

If you know my husband, Jim, you know he loves a good burger and with Lexi’s Joint  moving into Durham NH, (8 Jenkins court) it was a simple decision on where to go for dinner! Although Lexi’s Joint has a place in Portsmouth, NH and Newburyport, MA, the Durham location is a quick hop skip and jump away from our house!

We left for dinner on the early side as we knew we would have to fight some of those University of New Hampshire kids for a seat and…we were right! We arrived shortly before 4 pm and had a 20 minute wait. No sooner did we arrive and put our name on the list about 15 kids came in behind us. This place is hopping but although many kids came in behind us, many of the people already seated were adults and young kids alike, so this place really appeals to everyone.

Jim and I were seated at the bar and had menu’s and our drinks very quickly.  I ordered the Bleu Angel Burger and Jim ordered the Highway Man. We also had the Bistro Fries to share.

I don’t eat a lot of burgers, but I am a sucker for a good bleu cheese burger and this burger hit the spot! I had a single patty ($5.50 for a single patty and $8.00 for a double) 4 ounce beef patty with blue cheese, caramelized onions, bacon and BBQ sauce…yup, you guessed it really messy and really good! There is a reason they keep the napkins on the table right in front of you!

Jim’s Highway Man Burger ($6.50 for a single and $9.00 for a double) had crispy onions, BBQ sauce, fried egg, ham and American cheese! Jim loved this burger and not only was the burger cooked perfectly, the fried egg on top was also cooked to perfection making this one very messy burger. That egg gets soaked up in the potato rolls that they use on their burgers!

The fries, oh the fries! All of their fries are fresh house cut fries and let me tell you where we were sitting, we could see this one employee just cutting fries into a huge barrel. That would certainly be exhausting doing that all day and I am sure he goes all day as the fries are great! We had the Bistro Fries with an herbed aioli, bacon, fresh herbs and asiago cheese ($2.50) these were really good, crispy fresh and I loved the toppings!  How can you go wrong with bacon and asiago cheese? You can’t! Delicious, but they have plain fries along with truffle fries, and hot fries too!

For a small burger joint this place has some great options. With all of the burger choices you can also get the “cluck blend” made with all natural chicken or an even healthier option you can get the house made “beanie”  black bean burger! For a small fee you can also get a gluten free bun.

They don’t just sell burgers, the have sandwiches, fish tacos, fish and chips and hot dogs just in case you want something other than a burger! Or,  maybe you want onion rings or fried pickles with chipotle aioli? They have those too, but wait, you are going to want something to wash all this tasty food down! They have all the basic beverages along with some unsuspecting characters as well! Maybe a blueberry, basil lemonade will ease your quench? How about one of the many shakes?  Perhaps a Coffee Donut Shake will wake you up or maybe a Cookie Monster Shake?! They have lots of daily specials too!

One last detail that they offer is when you get your check they also give you two mini chocolate chip cookies! What a great way to end a meal with a sweet bite!

I know we will be back many times. If you are near any of their locations stop by for any of their creative creations…you will love it!

Enjoy!

For all of my local friends, have you tried the new restaurant in the mill building (where Kelly’s Row used to be )The Falls Grill & Tavern? It has been open for a few months now and Jim and I finally had some time to check it out!
Jim and I went in on a Saturday afternoon for a late lunch although we were not super hungry we were looking for a solid snack to hold us over for the afternoon and this seemed like the perfect time to try!  When we arrived there were about a dozen or so people enjoying their lunch, we were greeted and seated promptly with menus in hand.
The menu has a wide array of choices. From your typical bar food to some more healthy choices so that was great to see.  They also have a children’s menu if you’re downtown with the kiddo’s!

I chose the small Teriyaki Chicken Salad ($7.99) with Teriyaki chicken, greens, oranges, carrots, green peppers and crunchy chow mein noodles. This comes with Sesame Ginger dressing.  Jim ordered the Fenway Wrap ($8.99) and a side salad.  The wrap was made with charbroiled chicken, lettuce, tomato, bacon, cheddar and ranch on a flour tortilla.

My salad was very good and just what I had expected.  Although I ordered the small I was still not able to finish it, as the portion size is clearly “pretty big”!  I really enjoyed this salad with all of the fruit and veggies. I’m also a sucker for those crispy chow mien noodles.  I should also mention the salad greens were crisp and fresh! Excellent !

Jim also enjoyed his wrap. There was no skimping with ingredients here, plenty of chicken and veggies! This was a very well proportioned wrap with fresh ingredients and one that Jim would order again!
The service and food were both terrific and will definitely bring us back, but next time we go I will make sure to be hungry and also ready for a dessert! I have to tell you alot more about their specials and menu as there is so much to tell!  The Falls Grill & Tavern is also open daily with a jazz breakfast on Sunday’s! I know I would love to check that out and when I do I will let you know! Although much of their menu is pub fare they specialize in Atlantic seafood and choice hand cut steaks.

Their appetizers range in price from $6.00 to $11.00 with lots of choices including a hummus and veggie plate, I mentioned healthier choices right?! They also have your typical nacho’s, chicken wings, potato skins and something a little different like their Oriental Spring Rolls served with a spicy sweet and sour dipping sauce.

I told you about my salad but how about a Spinach Beet Salad or a Southern Fried Chicken Salad.  You can also make your own salad or have a Caesar or Greek salad!  Salads range in price from $5.00-$12.00. Maybe you would like a soup with that salad? Maybe a Clam Chowder or a French Onion soup?

Jim’s wrap was terrific but they have a large variety of panini’s, sandwiches and wraps to choose from. Everything from a Cuban sandwich, philly steak, turkey florentine or maybe you would like a Ruben? If those don’t excite you maybe a Turkey Avocado BLT is what your looking for? Fried haddock, fish taco’s and veggie wraps can also be had!

I also have to mention the wide variety of sides! So many to choose from with prices ranging from $2.80 to $6.99. They have your typical fries and sweet potato fries, but I love the option of crispy onion straws! IF you want a healthy alternative you can also get grilled veggie skewers! I am loving the choices but there are a couple sides that you might not expect like the Cajun Corn or the Curry Fries with Peanut Sauce.

One of Jim’s favorite things to order is a burger, so anywhere we go we always check out the burger choices.   If Jim orders one or not, today was no different! I have to say I really enjoyed the variety here too. Not only can you order a beef or chicken burger but you can also get a homemade vegan black bean burger too! Lots of great toppings and specials here too! I should also mention Tuesday night is $5.00 burger night.  I am sure we will be stopping by on a Tuesday sooner than later!

I mentioned that they specialize in Atlantic seafood (price ranges $13.99 to $21.99) well again, great choices with sea scallops, haddock, salmon and shrimp to just name a few choices. They have fried dinner as well as a captains platter if you’re really hungry!

And because they also specialize in steak, I must mention that their steaks come from the midwest and are grain fed, then flame grilled and served with two sides just for you! Steaks range in price. From $10.99 to $21.99, everything from a barrel cut filet mignon, rib eye to a prime rib!

If you’re still hungry after all that they have dessert too!  They have one of my all time favorite desserts a Brownie Sundae, along with an Apple Streusel Pie and a Creme Brûlee.

There is sooo much to choose from here and from the small glimpse we had at lunch I am sure you will not be disappointed with anything you get here! Great food and service will bring us back! Check out their website at  https://thefallsgrillandtavern.com/ for daily specials and LIKE them on Facebook !

Enjoy!

This is another Florida Keys restaurant review and one that you don’t want to miss if you are in the area or plan to visit the area in the future! Marker 88 is located at 88000 Overseas Highway in Islamorada, Florida. We went here when we were staying in Key Largo. Marker 88 is open for lunch and dinner and I know anytime you go you will enjoy it.   I would highly recommend making reservations in the evening during the sunset time.

Marker 88 is located on the water with an amazing outside dining area with a dock area that is perfect to view the amazing sunsets. They have some really fun seating near the water that is basically a large four person covered picnic table and benches…but they are on a rocker! Not only are you next to the water but sitting there would make you feel like you are on the water! We were not seated there, we were actually directly next to the water with the most awesome sunset view I could possibly imagine. Did I mention they also have live music as well? Yup! Within the first couple of minutes I was in awe at the atmosphere and the beauty of this place.  It is just incredible!

We were greeted and seated very quickly and had a plate of assorted warm bread and an oil and herb mixture for dipping. This was really good. The herb mixture had a ton of flavor, lots of fresh herbs and garlic! Great way to start! We decided on the crispy crab roll ($14.00) for an appetizer. This was not totally what I was expecting.  It was definitely a little outside of the box as it was a seaweed roll with rice,crab and avocado with a sweet and spicy sauce! This was really good, crispy outside, full of rice, and the sweet crab on the inside with a bit of creamy avocado. My friend Rosalie and I both agreed this was excellent and we would both order this again!

For dinner I had one of the specials of the night, Bacon Encrusted Scallops with Mashed Potatoes. Rosalie ordered the Key Lime Seafood Penne. And, as these were not enough we also ordered a side of Thai green beans!

Rosalie’s dish was just amazing.  Penne pasta with lobster, shrimp, and blue crab sautéed in key lime tobacco butter with tomatoes and scallions! ($36.00) This dish was delicious and one of the best seafood dishes I have ever had. The key lime tobasco butter was a little spicy but filled with the sweetest most tender seafood you can imagine…then fresh sweet tomatoes! Absolutely delicious. The portion size was huge!

My bacon encrusted scallops were cooked to perfection! The bacon was crispy and the scallops were so juicy and tender. Sweet and salty all in one bite. Another amazing dish. This came with a side of garlic mashed potatoes. The potatoes were also done to just right, creamy and full of garlic flavor!

I mentioned we ordered the Thai Green Beans ($5.00), this was a terrific side dish, the green beans were fresh,crispy and lots of flavor with the Thai sauce on top! And  the portion size for each dish? The portions were big, much more than either Rosalie or I could eat at one time. We of course did not mind that one bit as we both knew what our lunch the next day was going to be!  And in case your wondering it was all delicious the second time around!!

Marker 88 has a great variety of menu items.  All of them are loaded with flavor.  Certainly lots of seafood items as you would expect but plenty for the burger, steak eaters too!

Their appetizers range in price from $12.00 to $17.00 dollars but with choices like the Blue Crab Dip, Oyster’s Rockefeller, Lobster Mango Guacamole or a Tomato Goat Cheese Flat Bread.  Knowing the portion sizes I think it is well worth it!

If you’re looking for something a little smaller or lighter they have soups and salads to choose from as well. Including a Conch Chowder and Lobster Bisque or how about an Alligator Reef Salad, a Sesame Seared Tuna Salad or an Island Tropical Salad with Tropical Fruits, Walnuts and Toasted Coconut ! They also have a house and Caesar salad as well! Salads range in price from $6.00 to $18.00

Plenty of sandwiches and burgers to pick from.  How about a Cheeseburger in Paradise? This is the place for that! Maybe a Cuban Sandwich or a Grilled Chicken Avocado Club and of course a Crab Cake Sandwich.  All of these options range in price from $13.00 to $19.00.

The entree’s are certainly a little more expensive but for the amount and the quality you are getting it is well worth the cost! I have told you about what our entrees were but they also have much more to pick from. They have a Captain’s Platter with Lobster, Mahi Mahi and Shrimp, Filet Mignon, Double Cut Pork Chops or maybe a Mangrove Honey and Chipotle Bone in Ribeye! The entrees range from $26.00 to market price on the seafood items.
Are you still hungry? They have desserts too! They have the Key Lime Baked Alaska, Molten Chocolate Cake or how about a White Chocolate Creme Brûlée? We were so stuffed we did not try the dessert but I have no doubt that the desserts are just as good as everything else they offer!

This restaurant was hands down the best restaurant I have ever been to. The location, service, and the quality of food was just the best EVER!  This restaurant is the whole package! The night we went the weather was just perfect, the sunset was brilliant and each course we were served was better and better. The service was prompt, not only by our server but by the management as well. If you find yourself in the keys, do yourself a favor and go to Marker 88. I am looking forward to another trip to Key Largo!

Enjoy!

This review is for all of my south Florida friends and anyone that might be visiting the Florida Keys. Mangrove Mama’s is located at 19991 Overseas Highway in Sugarloaf Key, Florida. We were staying in Key West but visiting Bahia Honda National Park in Big Pine Key Florida for some swimming and snorkeling and stopped here for lunch on our way back to Key West.
I was with my good friend Rosalie, who has been to this restaurant and area many times. She knew just how much I would love about this restaurant but what she did not expect is…I would love it so much I wanted to go back a second time during our trip!  Mangrove Mama’s is a funky little roadside place that is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily and is well know by the locals.  It is a hopping place no matter what time you go!
I loved that they have live music in the evenings, and  inside and outside seating under banana trees and palm trees!  There is a great banana tree inside the restaurant that had an huge amazing flower on it. This place has been open for over thirty years and let me tell you they are going strong!
If you follow the blog you know Rosalie is just as much of a foodie as I am. When we are together we always order lots of food and share! I know there are many people who hate to share food so if you are one of them, I apologize in advance!  So for starters we ordered Conch Fritters ($9.99). These were absolutely fried to perfection and served with a sauce that had a little spice to it that we really loved! They were crispy and crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside with a little kick from the sauce. Darn good way to start the meal!

Did I mention how we spent all morning and early afternoon touring, swimming and snorkeling? Well, we were more than  ready for a couple beverages! I had the rum punch and Rosalie had a key lime Mojito. Both were done very well and there was no skimping!

For the main course I ordered the Fried Spiny Lobster Reuben and Rosalie had the Seafood Quesadilla. Well we each really had half of both but anyway, I’ll start with Rosalie’s choice.  The quesadilla ($11.99)  was served with salsa and a mayo sauce. This was really tasty and filled with plenty of seafood. You did not wonder one bit what kind of quesadilla this was…lots of shrimp, crab and lobster!  The theory of not putting cheese with seafood goes out the window with this dish as it was excellent and we would both order this again anytime!

The star of the day and the dish that brought us back the second time was the Fried Spiny Lobster Reuben ($14.99)…OMG…words do not do this sandwich justice. Rosalie and I each took a bite and we were silent, no words….not one! My mouth is watering just thinking about this dish. So freaking delicious! The lobster was perfectly fried in a very light batter, crisp, tender and sweet coleslaw, fresh and crisp, layer of Swiss and Thousand Island dressing brings it all together on toasted bread!  YES, PLEASE!  I would love to re-create this at home with Maine lobster.  As much as I hate to fry this sandwich will take me there! Absolutely mouth watering. One of the best sandwiches I have ever had.

The menu does not stop there.  They have everything for both seafood lovers as well as the meat eaters. They also have fantastic unique pizza choices that they deliver to the locals.  I’m wishing I was a local right now! They really know how to feature the local seafood in many different ways as well as keep those familiar items on the menu for those not as adventurous. We went for a late lunch on both days but you can choose everything from salad, soup, appetizers to some amazing lunch and dinner items.  From the Lobster Ruben to Spicy Mahi tacos, burgers, seafood baskets, pasta primavera or maybe a grilled tuna steak or plantain encrusted hogfish!

I mentioned the pizza earlier although we did not try any of them,  the choices were fantastic.  Everything from a Maui Wowie, Funky Chicken, taco pizza and a veggie delight…and a shrimp Alfredo pizza!  I’m pretty sure I would enjoy any of these! The prices are excellent, the food was beyond anything I would have expected and the service was outstanding both times!  This is a must visit for anyone in the area and I know I can’t wait to get back!

Enjoy!