Restaurant Review
A few weeks ago it was our 34th Wedding Anniversary and decided to go out for an early dinner to a restaurant we have not been to but have been wanting to! Pepper’s landing in Rochester, N.H. At 135 Marketplace Blvd. They also have a location in Brunswick Maine.
Since it was early afternoon we were able to get a table right away, they have booths, tables and a bar area all very open and clean. To start we decided on the fried calamari with Marinara sauce. The calamari was tender and crispy just as expected, the marinara sauce although had good flavor we were surprised it was served cold. Although I was not disappointed I would have preferred the sauce to be warmed. We were off to a pretty good start!
For the entree Jim decided on the baked stuffed haddock with a lobster cream sauce. The stuffing is filled with a shrimp and scallops with a buttery cracker crumb topping served with asparagus and mashed potatoes.
Jim’s dish was delicious the haddock was buttery and flakey with the topping being crispy and filled with seafood flavor. Jim cleaned his plate!
I ordered the sweet and sour shrimp and haddock. It’s fried shrimp and haddock bites with broccoli, green, red and yellow peppers tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce served over basmati rice. Both of our dishes were one of the house specials and I can see why. I absolutely LOVED my dish, it’s a dish that will bring me back again and again. The shrimp and haddock bites were crispy, the sauce was not over powering but complimented the fried seafood. Sweet , sour, crispy and tender all in one bite. This was served over rice which I also enjoyed.
So for dessert we decided to do something a little different! The first year we were married Jim was in flight school and we had little to no money so date nights back then were on the cheap, that meant getting an ice cream sundae or banana split from Dairy Queen. So that’s what we decided to for our anniversary dessert. We went to Dairy Queen and enjoyed reminiscing about some of our early date nights! Pepper’s landing has some delicious looking and sounding desserts including peanut butter pie, blueberry pie, cheesecake and chocolate cake to name just a couple! Next time we are trying the peanut butter pie!
We had great service and food at Pepper’s Landing, we will be going back for sure. For more information including locations, hours, menu and prices they have a website and of course you can find them on Face Book as well.
Enjoy!
A few weeks ago it was Jim’s birthday and we decided to go out to dinner with friends at Warren’s Lobster House at 11 Water street/U.S. route 1 in Kittery Maine. We have been going to Warren’s for a very long time, they have been in business since 1940.
Our friends are part of the frequent Diner Program and reserved a table overlooking the water. Only people in the frequent diner program can reserve tables, great perk to have!
We went on an early Sunday afternoon and it was busy! All of the tables were filled, the salad bar that they are known for was open with over 60 items to pick from! We all knew we would be having the salad bar but we decided to start with an appetizer of Lobster Rangoons. We ordered 13 rangoons for $14.99, this is served with sweet and sour sauce. What a great start to a birthday celebration. The rangoons are crispy on the outside and creamy with bits of lobster on the inside!
I ordered the salad bar ($13.99) with one of their “light ideas” options and added 3 baked stuffed shrimp for an additional $9.99. The shrimp stuffing is buttery and rich! The salad bar comes with fresh baked rolls and their famous pumpkin bread! I can attest, they have the very best pumpkin bread, we have had it many times. You can take a loaf home with you too!
Birthday Boy had the beer battered Haddock and chips ($19.99). He opted for the half order, that was more than enough with the salad included. It’s served with their home made tarter sauce. The fish was crisp on the outside and tender and moist on the inside. Jim had an empty plate so I know he enjoyed his lunch!
We did not get dessert BUT our friends know Jim all too well and brought him some dessert to go from one of their favorite diners in Massachusetts. They brought him his favorite cherry pie! This is a dessert we have when we are traveling together in the spring and summer months! We could not have asked for a better day!
One of the fun things Warren’s does at the end of the dinner is give everyone a small card that you take to their gift shop and see if your card open the treasure chest. Sadly none of our cards opened up the treasure but we thoroughly enjoyed visiting the gift shop filled with candy, books, kitchen items and lots of Maine goodies!
Warren’s Lobster House is currently extremely understaffed by close to 30 employees so the hours of operation are not the usual business hours. Check their website or Facebook page for open hours, their menu and their frequent Diner Program. For being so short staffed we would have never known the service and food we had was impeccable.
They have inside seating but in the summer months you can dine outside on the deck over looking the water.
Enjoy!
This past weekend we met some friends for brunch at The Bedford Village Inn. We reserved one of the heated igloos and It was absolutely beautiful and the snow we got the night before really enhanced the Christmas feeling! It was warm and cozy from the fireplace heater they had going. We brought a blanket with us just in case but we did not need it, in fact we did not need our jackets either.
It was bright from the hanging chandelier.
We had a delightful waiter who was very attentive and personable. He recommended starting with freshly made pastries that they make daily along with the eggs Benedict or the blueberry pancakes. Who were we to complain with a basket of fresh made pastries!
There was also a blueberry muffin in there but I was slow in getting pictures as we were enjoying our company with Rick and Annmarie. Rick and Jim grew up together so we have Been friends for many years but sadly have not seen them in quite sometime until recently when they moved from California back to New Hampshire.
Our breakfast choice was very simple for all of us. We all funny enough decided on the Eggs Benedict with herb roasted potatoes on the side. The English muffin was not your average English muffin, we all agreed they must have been home made. The Canadian bacon was thinly sliced, the eggs were perfectly cooked with a runny center that covered the ham and English muffin. The hollandaise sauce was rich and creamy pulling the dish together perfectly. We all really enjoyed our choice, our waiter was spot on with his recommendations!
When reserving one of igloo’s there is a price separate for the igloo but ALSO a minimum order amount so be sure to check out The Bedford Village Inn website for information, reservations and cancellation policies prior to going. With that being said we did not meet the dollar amount so Jim and Rick both ordered the pork ramen to go. Annmarie ordered the flourless chocolate cake to go and I had the marble cheesecake to go. Needless to say I did not cook at all Sunday!
The ramen came beautifully packed as you can see. This had a savory pork and mushroom broth, pulled pork, smoked pork belly, vegetables, beet pickled egg, pickled shiitake and ramen noodles.
This dish was absolutely fantastic! Jim and Rick both LOVED it. I tried the broth and it was amazing, so much flavor! I don’t care for mushrooms so this is not a dish for me.
The marble cheesecake, oh that marble cheesecake…..just delicious. Marble cheesecake served with vanilla creme Anglaise, chocolate sauce and whipped cream. It was creamy, rich, velvety and down right delicious! My home plating did not do this cheesecake the justice it deserved!
This was the perfect time to enjoy The Bedford Village Inn , we took a quick walk through the Inn after our brunch as it was decorated beautifully with wreathes, Christmas Trees all about and a gorgeous fireplace glowing.
Everything about The Bedford Village Inn including our company was just perfect. Our time spent with Rick and Annmarie was priceless with so many laughs. Perfect way to start the day.
Visit The Bedford Village Inn website or Facebook page for more information and pricing.
Enjoy!
Fire and Spice Bistro at 70 NH Route 108 in Newfields NH has quickly become a favorite restaurant of both Jim and me. This was the first restaurant we dined out at when he returned from Afghanistan. Fire and Spice have only been open a few months, and they have made a big splash in the restaurant community already. I can see why. We went for Happy Hour and sat outside on the patio with heat lamps, so it was very cozy. Happy hour is every Wednesday through Saturday from 4-5 pm where they have a number of different items to choose from. We had a tough time deciding, so we went for it and ordered three items from the Happy Hour menu.
The first item we tried was the Cajun Fried Chicken and Red Corn Waffle Sliders. This is an amazing combination of spicy fried chicken tenders tossed in Naked Hot Sauce (honey-chipotle) with pickled ginger, baby greens, daikon sprouts served between Tuckaway Farms Floriani red roasted cornmeal waffles. ($12.00). Jim took the first bite and all he could say was WOW, that’s never his first reaction. Needless to say, I took a bite and had the exact same reaction. This is hands down the best chicken and waffle dish either one of us has ever had. It’s sweet, spicy, crunchy with so many bursts of flavor all at one time. This is not on the dinner menu so be sure to get there for Happy Hour. This is one dish you do not want to miss.
The next dish we had was the Fire and Spice Nachos with house-fried tortilla chips, topped with shredded red Chile braised pork, diced tomatoes, scallions, Fresno, and bell peppers. All of this smothered in green chili cheese sauce. ($11.00). This was another dish we could not get enough of. The braised pork was incredibly tender and juicy and full of flavor with red Chile. The chips were perfectly fried and that green chili sauce tied everything together in one perfect bite.
The last dish we ordered was the flatbread with blue cheese, caramelized onions, and chipotle bacon jam. ($13.00) All three of the dishes we had were packed full of flavor and this dish was no different. The blue cheese on this pizza packs a full flavor bomb. The caramelized onions add some sweet and the house-made bacon jam adds a sweet smoky flavor. We would order every single one of these dishes again, but in all honesty, we still talk about the chicken and waffle sandwich and have raved about it to everyone we see. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
Fire And Spice Bistro is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays but is open for Happy Hour, dinner, and brunch. Check the website or Facebook page for more information. You can order online for takeout and they have just announced they now have local delivery. If you or your friends have a gluten allergy, they have options for food sensitivities as well. Don’t forget to bring your kids as they have a kids menu too. Reservations are highly recommended. I should also mention the chef-owner of Fire and Spice also owns the Naked Hot Sauce lines and those products can also be purchased at the restaurant. What are you waiting for? You know that chicken and waffle sandwich is calling your name! I’ll meet you there!
http://fireandspicebistro.com/?fbclid=IwAR04D9VqwsQllGc292NC-I9yZis1tpFhasjNppai7umwb3iWQOG10OKl0RQ
Enjoy!
Last week I told you about our trip to the Natick Mall in Massachusetts. What I did not tell you is that my friend Judy and I went there for a large part to go to the Wegmans Grocery Store. If you have ever been to a Wegmans you understand what I’m saying. If you have not been to a Wegmans it’s worth grabbing a cooler and taking a little road trip.
Wegmans is a family-owned business that opened its headquarters in 1916 in Rochester N.Y. and to this date, they have 101 stores, most of them being in the North East area, although they do have one in North Carolina. I would love to see them in N.H. The first time I went to a Wegmans was about four years ago when we were visiting our daughter and her family in the finger lakes region of N.Y. I was like a ‘kid in a candy store” that day! So much so my family still makes fun of me for it! I have been to three different Wegmans and I can say they are just a little bit different. Some of them have a restaurant in them, some have more than one restaurant and some don’t have the restaurant but offer everything else the larger Wegmans have. Today I am going to tell you about the Wegmans store at the Natick Mall in Massachusetts.
Because we came into Wegmans on the second floor after enjoying our lunch, that’s where we started. The second floor fills all of your senses with all of the sights and incredible smells. They have a huge array of food bars that you can eat in or take out. These include fresh-made pizza, wing bar, salad bar, Asian stir fry to just name a few. Everything looked so fresh and smelled so good, but I have to say I was glad we just had lunch as I think I would have wanted to eat at each one of these food stations! But don’t worry they have much of what they offer in a meal to-go containers for you to have when you get home!
Once we made it past all of the food bars we made our way over to the cheese section. I can just say this is the largest cheese selection I have seen without going to a stand-alone cheese store. The cheese area has everything you would want on a cheese board including a vast array of charcuterie boards and cheese knives. They also have someone there to answer all of your questions and give you information about all of the cheeses. They also have some pre-packed items with cheese, nuts, and meats.
As we made our way around the corner there was a beautiful and very impressive flower area where you can pick out plants and flowers for your own arrangement or choose one already made.
Next to the flower area was a huge array of fresh fruit, they have a large selection of pre-cut fruits to make any meal fast and easy. The fruits and vegetable area were filled with everything you would expect with many exotic fruits as well. This is where I found these sugar cane sticks that can be used in drinks or used to skewer meats for the grill. I’m very excited to try these!
The bakery! Oh my! Some serious sweet goodness here! They had every sweet treat imaginable. Cakes, cupcakes, muffins, cookies, pastries of all kinds and let’s not forget sweet sticky buns. If you are gluten-free, no worries they have you covered! I brought Robby a few treats of his own!
The meat and seafood section is endless. Everything you would expect, but they also offer meat in bulk for larger families or gatherings. I always enjoy the various burgers they offer. The patties are already made up and some of them include cheese and bacon and a number of other options. The marinated meats are also very good and they do tell you if the product is gluten-free. That’s a huge bonus for me as much of the time I make my own marinade to be safe.
This picture below is just a small snapshot of some of the marinated and or take out seafood to go. Lots of breaded fish, lobster mac and cheese, marinated salmon, crab cakes and coconut shrimp. I took home some of the crab cakes and they were excellent. Judy took home some of the coconut shrimp and she too was very pleased.
Next, we had to make our way to the first floor and I have to tell you this is the first time I have been to a grocery store that has an escalator for not only people, but for your grocery carts! Yes! This was awesome!
The first floor is filled with all of your frozen foods, boxed items, canned goods, and even home goods. Lots of gluten-free options here as well. And if you are looking for some spirits as well no need to go to the liquor store as they have a massive array of craft beers, beers, and wine as well as hard liquor. This is an all in one-stop-shop.
There is so much happening at Wegmans I can’t possibly put it into one post. Be sure to check out their website and Facebook pages for more information and information on the closest store to you and what that particular store offers. I should mention that Wegmans works with over 400 farms to bring you fresh and local ingredients. If that is not enough Wegmans, also caters!
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