Live Free or Dine

Downtown restaurants make the season bright with more discounts

michelle collins — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:58:55 +0000

Local foodies, we are lucky: Our downtown restaurants and shops get it. They get us. And they get that we’re all broke. On each Thursday of December leading up to Christmas (sans Christmas Eve), participating downtown businesses will be holding “Shop & Dine Thursdays.” A total of 40 shops and eateries will be giving discounts and complimentary items on each of these Thursdays. Offers will include up to 25% off certain items, complimentary wine and cheese, and 20% off your dinner bill, to name a few. Cafe India, for instance, will be offering 15% off your bill (excluding their lunch buffet), while Express Cafe is offering buy one item, get the second half off. A full list of participating businesses and their deals can be found here, but expect some recession-busting deals from the “big guys,” such as Michael Timothy’s, Unum’s and Stella Blu. I’d do anything to avoid the crowds at the malls, and this is the year to support our local stores. Plus, after a downtown shopping spree, you can reward yourself by eating food made by local, just-as-broke-as-you chefs. Happy Holidays!

Catching up with an old friend

michelle collins — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:35:33 +0000

I hadn’t been to the 99 Restaurant (or, as I like to call it, “The 9’s”) in over a year. When I worked as a recruiter, the 99 was where we went for lunch, dinner, and/or after work drinks. Nothing de-stressed me more than a “tallie” (a.k.a. extra large glass) of good beer, stale, delicious popcorn and fried ravioli from The 9’s. But since I stopped working as a recruiter, and economic times got tougher, I haven’t made it to my former favorite chain in way too long. I decided to change that, and met one of my former co-recruiters at The 9’s for some cold beer and pub-style food Thursday night. I was relieved to see that the 99 hasn’t changed their menus, besides adding a few more meal deals, and maybe one or two dishes - but, thankfully, they didn’t take anything away - including the popcorn. My friend and I settled into our booth, chatted about old times, and blissfully drank our tallies of Stella Artois and Coors Light, while gorging on over-salted, yummy popcorn. For a meal, my former colleague ordered one of the 99’s infamous burgers, while I requested the turkey panini ($8.49). The panini consisted of thick-cut roasted turkey, harvati cheese, fresh avocado, cranberry sauce, spinach, and a little honey mustard sandwiched between artisan bread that was grilled until crispy. The panini is usually served with parmesan and rosemary-dusted fries, but I asked for the plain fries - I just wasn’t in the mood to get my fingers filthy. The sandwich, however, was remarkable. The 9’s didn’t skimp on one ingredient listed, and the combination of the buttery harvati, comforting turkey (no cold cuts here) and creamy cranberry sauce made me crave Thanksgiving even more. It also made me crave another tallie.

Don’t ever go changin’, 99.

What’s your favorite local chain and why?

12 downtown restaurants sign on for the Winter Stroll

michelle collins — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:50:26 +0000

Next Saturday, Nashua’s 16th Annual Winter Holiday Stroll will be taking over Main Street from 5 to 10 p.m. Organized by the Great American Downtown, this event serves as a fundraiser for the non-profit organization, and is the biggest dining and shopping event of the year for downtown businesses. As always, there will be a raffle, where people can win tickets to Chunky’s, gift certificates to downtown restaurants and shops, and skiing/snowboarding packages, to name a few. New this year, however, is that the beer garden will be located on High St., and all ages are welcome (although 21-year-olds will be given wristbands). In regards to the food, “regular” food vendors will be next to Sovereign Bank or next to Saffron Bistro - however, 12 downtown restaurants have also signed on to serve their fare right outside their own eateries. Attendees can taste creations from the likes of Fody’s Tavern, Unum’s, Stella Blu, and San Francisco Kitchen, to name a few. For a full list of participating restaurants and Winter Stroll activities, click here. GAD picked the right year/economic climate to get local restaurants involved. Who plans to attend this year’s Stroll, and which restaurant’s food are you most excited to try?

Former Seedling Cafe owners turn a new ‘Leaf’ in Milford

michelle collins — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:54:11 +0000

Milford’s getting a new restaurant, and this is news worth tweeting about. The former French Bistro in M-town will soon be taken over by the Rustic Leaf, run by the previous owners of The Seedling Cafe. I received this juicy tip from a colleague who recently spoke with the Rustic Leaf owners for a project. He is under the impression that the Rustic Leaf’s menu will be similar to that of the Seedling’s. Maybe having another organic, vegetarian-friendly cafe in the area will help cut the lunch lines down in Nashua. No word yet on when the Rustic’s slated to open, but I have a feeling it’s going to be as highly anticipated as Five Guys’ opening was. Who else is excited for this new addition to the local food scene?

Give thanks (and donations) this year

michelle collins — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:49:40 +0000

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year (is anyone surprised?). Every year, I am surrounded by 20+ members of my family, stuffing our faces with homemade food, washed down with wine and Irish coffee. However, I understand that there are many families out there that aren’t this lucky - and too many people don’t have anywhere to go on Thanksgiving. This year, of all years, it is important to provide those in need with the things many of us take for granted; i.e., food on Thanksgiving. Harbor Homes on High Street relies on local residents to do just that. The company is holding their 9th annual Thanksgiving Dinner this year for individuals living in their cars, on the streets, or in shelters. However, Harbor Homes is in need of a few items in order to provide this meal. Items like pies and fruit (apples, oranges, pears) are in high demand. Harbor Homes is expecting to serve more meals this year than ever, so donating turkey, vegetables, desserts, or monetary donations in general are encouraged - they could even use some volunteers. The dinner will be held on Tuesday, November 24th from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. To donate, or for more information, call Harbor Homes at 882.3616.

The cookie and candy tour returns

michelle collins — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:49:55 +0000

C is for cookie, and that’s good enough for me: the 13th Annual Inn to Inn Holiday Cookie and Candy Tour is gearing up once again for the second weekend in December. Each of the 15 inns located in the White Mountains will be offering attendees cookies, candies, and other treats, while showing off their exquisite holiday decorations. Guests will also receive recipes at each stop, and the annual gingerbread contest will be in full swing, where each inn displays a homemade gingerbread sculpture. Local businesses donate the sculptures to replicate their favorite non-profit organizations, and tour goers vote for their favorite gingerbread creation at the end of the tour. I traveled along the tour last year with my mother, and the event was definitely worth the ride; just beware that GPS doesn’t like the signal up there, and the folks behind the cookie tour don’t provide you with detailed directions.

If you want to go: Each participating inn is offering two tickets (a $54 value) with their cookie tour package, including a two-night stay and breakfast for two each day. Some inns have even added dinner to their packages. For a complete list of packages, visit http://www.countryinnsinthewhitemountains.com/holiday_cookie_tour_packages.htm. If you’d rather purchase tickets for just the culinary adventure itself, the price is $27 per person and you can order them December 1st through 8th by calling 800-233-8309 or 603-383-9339.

Sushi spread for under $20 at Thousand Crane

michelle collins — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:17:00 +0000

All aboard, mercury munchers: there’s a sushi buffet in town. Thousand Crane II, one of the most recent additions to downtown (although it’s been in Manchester for seven years), offers a buffet of their fresh raw fish every Wednesday from 5 to 7 p.m. The best part? The fee is under $20 per person. The Chinese and Japanese eatery serves up their Nigiri, Alaskan King Maki, and Sampor, to name a few. The folks at Thousand Crane know their sushi, too - their spicy tuna roll, that I tried at the Taste of Downtown, was actually spicy and tasted like it was pulled from the ocean that day. Thousand Crane also lets fish lovers enjoy their sushi with citrus and vinegar based sauces, in addition to soy sauce. I’m liking the uniqueness. Anyone been to the sushi buffet before? Let us know if it’s worth the stomach space.

Veterans eat free at Uno’s

michelle collins — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:07:48 +0000

In lieu of the recent Fort Hood tragedy, there’s no better time to celebrate Veteran’s Day. Amidst all the gratitude our beloved military members will be receiving that day, they still have to eat; and one such restaurant is taking the initiative. Uno’s Chicago Grill is honoring our men and women of the armed services on Wednesday by keeping their wallets and stomachs full. Uno’s Chicago Grill is giving all members of the military (active or not) a free entree or individual pizza with purchase of an entree or pizza of equal or greater value. All Uno’s asks is that you show up in uniform, with a picture of you in uniform, or with your military or veteran’s ID. So eat up, military members, and thank you for all that you’ve done/you do for us.

Chipotle Mexican Grill to open in Nashua

michelle collins — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 22:33:57 +0000

I remember New York City for one thing: Chipotle Mexican Grill. The last time I was in the lit-up city, I gorged on a massive burrito that had to have weighed at least 20 lbs at this popular Mexican chain. The burrito I had, chocked full of rice, sour cream, black beans, and veggies, still haunts me in my sleep - that monstrosity was nothing but delicious. So when I found out that Chipotle is coming to Nashua, my jaw was glued to the floor. Can it be? Is this some horrible foodie rumor? No, folks - this one’s for real. The Mexican joint, at 225 D.W. Highway, will be open to the public on November 13th. The Chipotle crew is already doing their part in our neighborhood, too: on November 11th and 12th, the restaurant will be hosting Friendly Face-off Fundraisers for Nashua North and Nashua South High Schools. Nashua North’s event is on the 11th while Nashua South Schools’ will be held on the 12th, both from 5 to 8 p.m. For both events, attendees who give a $5 donation at the door will receive a gourmet burrito, tortilla chips, salad, salsa, and a drink. 100 percent of the proceeds will even be given to the high schools’ athletic programs, while the school that raises the most money will be rewarded a free burrito day at a later date. Any restaurant willing to devote two days to helping our schools gets a high grade in my book. Welcome to the neighborhood, Chipotle.

Parker’s introduces a new way to enjoy pumpkin

michelle collins — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:43:53 +0000

‘Tis the season to eat pumpkin, but is anybody else getting sick of pumpkin muffins, pumpkin pie, and pumpkin coffee? Don’t get me wrong, I love the fall fruit flavor, but I’ve been waiting for some innovative pumpkin-licious treats for the last 12 months now. The only seasonal juice I’m not sick of yet is pumpkin beer, but that’s a given. Amidst all of my complaining, I received an email from Parker’s Maple Barn recently, boasting their special of the month: french toast stuffed with spiced pumpkin and cream cheese. Now, I’m not sure exactly how this will be - french toast filled with pumpkin-cream-cheese-pie filling, or just toast made with pumpkin spice and stuffed with cream cheese? The mystery is half the salivating. Either way, I’m in for trying this seasonal dish.

What’s your favorite pumpkin-inspired treat?