Restaurant Review
While Jim and I were out and about, we decided to stop at Smoke and Cream on their opening day. Smoke and Cream is at 44 Market Street in Somersworth, NH. It is a small restaurant that is packed with amazing flavors. We were greeted by the owners as we were their first customers! After looking at the menu Jim and I both decided to get one of their plates as we wanted a little bit of everything. But first, they took our drink orders. Although they do offer beers, wines, and liqueurs we opted for a diet Coke and a hibiscus sweetened tea that they make themselves. That tea was really good, sweet but not too sweet, but lots of flavor. This could rival that big chain coffee shop that sells hibiscus tea. My vote is on Smoke and Cream!
Jim ordered the pulled pork plate ($14.50) with macaroni and cheese, cornbread, and beans on the side. The pulled pork was tender, juicy with a nice kiss of smoke. They have their barbecue sauce in a squeeze bottle that you can add. Well, let me tell you that sauce was a terrific compliment to both of our plates. They make the sauce in-house with birch beer that they buy locally. They reduce the birch beer into a syrup consistency, then add the rest of the sauce ingredients. This sauce is thick, a little sweet, but not too much. Everything in this sauce is just right. Let’s talk about those sides for a moment. They make them all in-house as well. Our cornbread was warm and just out of the oven. Sometimes cornbread can be a little crumbly, this was not the case it was warm, moist and delicious. We also both had the macaroni and cheese. I was a little nervous as sometimes mac and cheese in restaurants can be on the mushy side. Well…no worries at Smoke and Cream. The mac and cheese was cooked al Dante and the sauce was so creamy and smooth it was hard to not inhale the entire portion! Jim also opted for the beans. All I can say is they were gone before I could sneak a bite!
I had the smoked ribs with macaroni and cheese, cornbread and slaw. ($17.50) The ribs incredibly tender, moist, meaty and lick your fingers good! I already told you about the cornbread and the mac and cheese, so that leaves the coleslaw. The coleslaw was so bright and colorful, but what I liked most is that the dressing on the slaw was very light. It did not weigh the slaw down. A perfect side for any of the barbecue plates you choose.
I should mention while speaking with the owners, we asked about why a BBQ joint, especially is NH. Let’s face it, the northeast is not known for good BBQ. Well, this hard-working restauranteur’s lived and traveled throughout Texas tasting and testing all the BBQ they could get their hands on before moving back to NH to be close to their families. So guess what? They have done all the work for us and we can now get some amazing BBQ in NH. These small restaurants that we see popping up are going to put us back on the map for excellent eats!
Not only are they making and smoking everything in-house, they also make their own ice cream. Knowing this, we could not leave without sharing a small ice cream. We decided on the pecan pie ice cream ($4.00). This comes with whipped cream and a cherry. This was the perfect ending to a delicious smoked lunch. Creamy and rich with all of the pecan pie flavor.
Smoke and Cream are closed on Tuesdays and Wednesday’s but open at 11:00 am otherwise. You can find more information as well as the menu selection on their Facebook page. Be sure to check them out in downtown Somersworth. With seating inside and out you won’t be disappointed, but you will get some great Texas BBQ flavor!
https://www.facebook.com/smokeandcreamnh/
Enjoy!
Myst Oceanside Restaurant and Lounge is another Restaurant in Old Orchard Beach, Maine right on the boardwalk at 1 East Grand Avenue. This restaurant is in the heart of the boardwalk. A perfect spot for people watching or watching the parasailing over the ocean just steps away. When we were walking through the boardwalk area we really could not decide where we wanted to go. We took a look at the menu they have posted on the window and we knew right away when we saw lobster Rangoon’s, we needed to eat here.
Just like the Surf 6 Restaurant, I told you about last week you can sit inside or out with some of the chairs covered by umbrellas from the strong summer sun. We chose to eat outside and covered so we sat right in the front of the deck overlooking all of the foot traffic on the boardwalk. They also provide live music for your entertainment. What a great way to spend lunch!
Of course, the first thing we ordered were those lobster Rangoon’s ($15.95) that brought us in. Our waitress, who was fantastic, stated that they make the Rangoon’s in-house and is very popular with the staff and customers alike. These are exactly what you would expect in a Rangoon except instead of crab it has lobster meat and is served with a sweet chili sauce. The Rangoon’s were crispy with a sweet creamy center and when you dip in the sauce it adds a little punch of heat. These were really good and gone in no time! We would go back for these anytime!
For Jim’s main lunch course, he ordered a fish sandwich and chips. ($19.95) It’s always a favorite in any seafood restaurant and this lunch was no exception. The fish is a battered haddock with onion, lettuce, and tomato on a bun with fries, pickle, and coleslaw on the side. I don’t know what Jim enjoyed more…the people watching or that sandwich. Both delightful!
I did not want a big lunch after having the Rangoon’s and I noticed one of my favorite things on the menu, Coconut Shrimp ($14.95). I don’t get Coconut Shrimp often as Jim is not a huge fan. I decided to get that for my lunch! These were so crispy and sweet, so good! It’s served with that same sweet chili sauce the Rangoon’s had. When you add that sauce to the shrimp you get the best sweet and spicy bite all in one! This dish made me smile! Delicious!
Although we ordered all seafood, the Myst Oceanside Restaurant and Lounge has plenty of other things to pick from. Chicken, pasta, and steak to mention a couple things. They also have a kids menu so everyone in your family can enjoy a seaside lunch or dinner. Myst is a seasonal restaurant so be sure to find them on Facebook or online for more information and the full menu.
https://www.facebook.com/MystOOB/
Enjoy!
One of our favorite places to go each summer is to Old Orchard Beach in Maine. The Atlantic Ocean beach is beautiful, although the water, even in the middle of the summer, is still very cold! I remember going to the beaches as a child. Before we could go in the water to splash and cool off, our feet would get numb from the cold ocean water. I don’t go in the Maine ocean waters these days as I’m too wimpy! That does not stop so many of the visitors that come to the area each and every year! We have had quite a heat wave this year so lots of people are staying cool in the ocean water. If that does not excite you there is a fantastic boardwalk with an amusement park, games, rides, fireworks, and some great shopping. Let’s not forget all of the food! So many places to chose from. Every type of cuisine you can imagine all at your fingertips! Chinese food, pizza, crepes and an enormous amount of seafood places. Anytime we are seaside we always go straight to the waterfront seafood restaurants. Most of these restaurants work with local fisherman and have the freshest seafood brought in daily.
Surf 6 is located at 2 Cortland Ave in Old Orchard Beach in Maine, just to the left of the pier right before your feet hit the sand! If you are going to the beach this side of the pier is much quieter and far less crowded. What first drew our attention was a sign we could see from across the parking lot that LOOKED like it said FREE BEER…our eyes certainly deceived us as the sign said FREE ocean view, great BEER! We laughed when we spoke with the hostess as she said they get that often! We got a good laugh! Fun way to start our lunch.
We were seated outside enjoying the warm sun and ocean breeze but we could not help but notice the bar as we walked through the restaurant. The bar is the bow end of a once working lobster boat. How cool is that for an oceanfront restaurant?! The relaxed decor certainly brought in the oven vibe.
It did not take us long to decide what we wanted as we were ready for lunch! Jim had the Fish Taco’s ($15.00) 3 haddock fish tacos topped with slaw and a spicy drizzle. These came served on a large round platter and looked amazing. Jim confirmed they were well cooked, seasoned and perfectly flakey…simply delicious!
I had the fried Baby Gulf shrimp. These are the itty bitty shrimp that are so tender, delicate, sweet and delicious. This came with fries, coleslaw and cocktail sauce. ($22.00) Just look at that plate, it was overflowing with shrimp! The shrimp was excellent and I loved the light batter as it stayed on the shrimp. It added such a nice crunch to the tender shrimp. The slaw was very good as also the fries, but the star of the plate was most definitely those tasty little shrimp. Jim kept sneaking some of them, so I know he liked my plate as much as his own!
Surf 6 Oceanside Grille and Bar are open seasonally at 11 am, daily. They have live music, day and night. They have a menu that will feed everyone, even the little ones with a menu just for the kids. You don’t have to be a seafood lover to eat here either as they have plenty to pick from. An abundance of seafood dishes and also chicken, burgers, soups, salads, pasta even steak and prime rib.
Although we did not have dessert, they have chocolate cake and whoopie pies if you’re still hungry!
Be sure to find them online for a complete menu and up-to-date information.
enjoy!
A couple of weeks ago Jim and I were invited to a wedding vow renewal with some longtime friends and their family. It was a beautiful and very hot day. The vows were done on a small island on Squam Lake in NH. We were shuttled back and forth by boat and after the very beautiful ceremony, we were dropped off at Walter’s Basin Restaurant for a celebration dinner. You can get to Walter’s Basin by car or boat as it’s directly on the shores 0f Squam lake at 859 US Route 3 in Holderness NH. Walter’s Basin is open daily for lunch and dinner at 11:30 am.
When we arrived for the day of festivities, I had no intention of writing a review but the more time we spent at the restaurant, I knew I had to. Not only was the location beautiful but the staff is friendly and helpful with anything you might like. There was about forty of us all together with a handful of children. The kids had their own table and the rest of us were seated at a couple of long tables over looking the lake.
To start the dinner, Jim had the New England clam chowder and it did not disappoint! Jim cleaned that cup pretty quickly. Smooth, creamy broth filled with lots of clams. I stole a few spoonfuls and I know why that disappeared so fast!
I had the Caesar salad and it was just as you would expect. Perfectly crisp lettuce, plenty of parmesan cheese and dressed perfectly with a creamy Caesar dressing. Excellent start to the evening.
Next up were the entrees. Lots to choose from and this is where the dinner became very impressive! I mentioned there was about 40 of us, right? They had all of us served at relatively the same time and still filling our glasses with whatever all of our drink choices were. Some ordered drinks from the bar, others soda or water and no matter what you ordered, our glasses all stayed full.
Jim ordered something neither one of us had ever had but was told by the waiter it was excellent, so Jim ordered the elk meatloaf. Yes, elk! The meatloaf is topped with a caramelized onion demi-glacé, mashed potatoes, and sautéed green beans. That meatloaf was so moist and tender, and lots of added flavor with the sauce. The mashed potatoes were creamy and delicious along with the crisp green beans that made for a very tasty dinner. Not a spoonful was left on Jim’s plate!
I opted for the lobster mac and cheese. A moment of silence might be in order for this dish. The large chunks of lobster were tender and juicy, the pasta was perfectly cooked to al Dante but the sauce, oh that rich creamy jack cheese cream sauce is incredible. I was told by our waiter they make the sauce to order! All of this, combined with the toasted panko crumbs on top make this an over the top dish! One worth driving for!
I have one more dish to share with you. It was not mine or Jim’s, but a family member of the beautiful couple we were celebrating! I don’t usually take pictures of other people’s food but when this dish was served, it stopped our end of the table. This fried clam plate was incredible, not because it was a large plate of food but it was the size of the fried whole belly clams! These things were HUGE, not the clam strips you usually see on menus! The picture does not do this plate justice!
No matter if you stop here by car or boat, I highly recommend pulling up a seat by the window in the lounge area or dining area. You will not be disappointed with the service or the food. If you happen to be in the lounge on Thursday evenings, you can enjoy some live music!
Check them out on Facebook or online for more information and menu choices.
Enjoy!
Living in New Hampshire, one of the things we all look forward to is when all of the waterfront seafood restaurants open for the summer season. BG’s Boathouse is one of our favorite places and this year they are opening for their 41st. season! You know you are going to a great place when it’s family run and owned, and into their 41st season!
BG’s Boathouse is located at 191 Wentworth Road in Portsmouth, NH. BG’s is open 7 day’s a week for lunch and dinner. They have a parking lot in front of the restaurant as well as a parking lot directly across the street. If you don’t want to get there by land, you can get there by water! They have a dock where you can pull right up or a sandy area for kayaks or paddle boats. That’s the way to go for lunch!
We arrived shortly after they opened and the outside deck areas were already filling up. You have the choice to eat inside or on two decks with one of them being covered from the sun. We were seated outside in the covered area right next to the water, that was a great start! Our waiter Jimmy came over, dropped off the menus, and took our drink order of a coke and water for us. They do have a full bar service with many specials. Both Jim and I knew pretty quickly what we wanted and I’m sure you can guess. Seafood of course! Jim started with the seafood chowder with oyster crackers. This was an excellent seafood chowder with a thick creamy broth and seafood in every bite. I swiped a few bites and let me say that rich creamy base was delicious, without even mentioning the abundance of seafood!
For the main course, Jim had the fish and chips, a lightly battered dipped haddock that is goldenly fried served with homemade coleslaw and French fries. The fish was cooked beautifully with a light crisp coating from the batter with the fish being cooked through but still flaky and light. The homemade coleslaw adds a fresh crisp bite with the dressing being just right and not too heavy. The fries are just what you would expect, crispy crunchy outside and soft tender inside. Needless to say, this was an excellent dish and Jim cleaned his plate!
I ordered the baby fried shrimp basket. Boring I know, but this has been one of my favorite dishes since I was a child growing up. I remember my parents dragging us to seafood restaurants, as a young child and even a teenager. I did not have the appreciation for seafood the way I do now. A few times each summer a friend of my parents would drop off some lobsters and steamer clams direct from the water that my mom would cook at home. Although I have never gotten behind the steamer clams, I always appreciated the lobster and the drawn butter, but when it came to going out it was always about the baby fried shrimp basket!
Let me tell you, I have had many, many baby fried shrimp baskets. I really have eaten much more than my fair share and this basket was, the best I have had…it’s one of the very tops! The shrimp were properly cleaned before being battered (that does not always happen as I have had some gritty or not cleaned shrimp and it’s just not good!) The batter is light and super crisp, it’s fried just right and the shrimp holds it’s flavor in the light batter. I had a tarter sauce with mine but they also make their own cocktail sauce that you can have. No matter the sauce, you will enjoy this dish! Oh! It comes with fries too, those are also good but the star is most definitely the sweet tender shrimp!
BG’s Boathouse has a fairly large menu with many items you would expect at a waterfront restaurant. They also have some nice surprises…French fried green beans with ranch dipping sauce, peel and eat shrimp with their house-made cocktail sauce on the appetizer menu. For the main course you again have all the usual suspects but they have the menu broken down in a creative easy way to choose what you like. You can order from the salad section or the light fare too. If you have kids with you they have a menu for the little ones. If you know you want lobster, that too has its own section. I was very pleased to see they also have a great gluten-free menu that includes more than just salads. You can also have many seafood choices, hamburger, and hotdog with gluten-free buns. BG’s boathouse also has a number of house specials so be sure to look for those. They have a website that includes their full menu, as well as a Facebook page they update with their specials. https://bgsboathouse.com/
Although we did not have dessert at BG’s, I have to tell you about one of our favorite ice cream places just down the road from the boathouse. The Ice House is located at 112 Wentworth Road, really just down the street! Although the ice house is not on the water and does not have the views, it does have some terrific ice creams!
The Ice House is open for lunch and dinner and is also a family owned and run business. You can eat inside but if you’re like us grabbing an ice cream from the window and going to the picnic seating area is perfect on a summer night. The Ice House has a large menu not only for lunch and dinner but also for ice creams, sundae’s and shakes to name a few of those cold summer delights!
Jim had a cherry ice cream with real cherries in the ice cream and of course, chocolate jimmies, or chocolate sprinkles for those of you reading from outside the New England area.
I had the black raspberry ice cream with cookie crunch swirl, this was delicious. I would order this anytime! Cool, refreshing black raspberry flavor with a cookie crunch in every bite!
The Ice House is closed on Mondays and only accept cash or Traveler’s checks but they do have an ATM onsite.
I highly recommend checking them out online or on facebook for more information, specials and featured Ice cream creations!
https://www.theicehouserestaurant.com/
Enjoy!
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