American Legion Middleton

Since I first heard of the Sunday special at the American Legion in Middleton, I have been dying to visit. Today I found myself in Salem NH and realized that 114 would take me straight to Middleton and 62 would take me straight home without hitting Rte 128 that can be really iffy on a summer weekend, I decided to visit.

Plenty of parking and they also have outdoor seating. Be aware that everyone is smoking.

The Sunday special is a $5 Bloody Mary. This is not just a Bloody Mary, but a loaded one. Of course, it's spicy, and they didn't hold back on the vodka either. Yup, that's a cold cut sandwich. The people were very friendly, but of course they were drinking. They also had live music. This is open to the public, and they also have a free cookout at 2:00.

Address: 69 River St, Middleton, MA 01949
Phone: (978) 774-9555

Firefly's BBQ Marlborough

Last time I went to Firefly's BBQ in Marlborough, it was to celebrate National BBQ Day. They really do an excellent BBQ, and if you can get the brisket right, you get everything else right too.

They are on a hill with plenty of parking. They now also have a patio.

I missed the condiment section on my previous visits. Plenty of pickled stuff.

You promptly get pickled cucumbers that were very sweet. I really like the humongous water glass.

I went with the Three Meat Combo Plate that comes with cornbread and two sides. This is $24.50 on the online menu, $21.50 on the real menu, so that was a pleasant surprise. 2 pieces Southern Fried Chicken with white cream gravy, 3 St. Louis Ribs, 5 oz. Sliced Beef Brisket + $2. Mashed potatoes with gravy and collard greens. The white gravy arrived later. The brisket was tender, smoky and not dry. The ribs had a good bark, smoke ring and were NOT fall off the bone. If ribs are fall off the bone, then they have been boiled and are not BBQ. The fried chicken was excellent, crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. The mashed potatoes were real mashed potatoes but had the skins left on, and I really don't like that. The gravy was good. The collard greens were appropriately vinegary. I made myself a small plate from the condiment corner, and I really liked the pickled veggies and the hot yellow peppers. Not a fan of the pickling of the beans, but that's just me. Service was very friendly. They only do lunch on Saturdays, and an all you can eat BBQ buffet on Sundays.

Address: 350 E Main St, Marlborough, MA 01752
Phone: (508) 357-8883

I paid with a gift card that I received on my last visit, so this might be considered a sponsored post, but all opinions are my own.

Fuego Methuen

I had to visit Salem in NH, so decided to revisit Fuego Latin Fusion Bar & Restaurant in Methuen on my way home. Is it just me, or are they located in the middle of nowhere?

One of the reasons for stopping by was to try something from the $10 lunch menu. When I visited the last time, they had no lunch menu. Plenty of parking in this little strip mall.

The pleasant bar area with high tops next to the windows.

The nice and intimate dining room. One seriously significant improvement is that the tables are not sticky anymore. This was a big turn off. It wasn't a cleaning issue, it was the tables themselves.

My plan of trying something from the lunch menu went out the window when I was handed the specials menu, not available online. I couldn't resist the Ahi Tuna Tacos ($14). "cajun seared sushi-grade rare tuna, mango habanero aioli, cabbage, cilantro, avocado and sesame seeds served with choice of rice and black beans". They seem to have run out of capital letters and punctuation marks. I picked the Poblano Rice, and it was awful. There was either old dried out kernels or uncooked kernels, so it went back. On the second try, I got perfectly cooked rice. It still tastes very very faintly of poblano. The beans have improved and were really tasty. The tacos were served on fresh corn tortillas. The tuna was of excellent quality, and the aioli was delicious with a bit of a kick. The cabbage was crunchy, and it was plenty of avocados. This was really enjoyable. Of course the dreaded rolled up silverware again reared its ugly head. You want your leftovers? It's DIY, here's a box. Guess the waitress isn't looking for extra tips. BTW, the suggested tip on the bill was calculated correctly.

Address 7 Ayers Village Road, Methuen, MA 01844
Phone number (978) 689-0123

Bruno's Bar + Burger Lynn

Bruno's Bar + Burger in Lynn has an excellent reputation for their burgers and also currently have a Groupon+ available.

There is on-street free parking, and at least at lunchtime, there was parking available.

It's a bar, but the inside was clean with no funky smells present.

The wings have also won accolades, so I started with 1/2 order of the Dry-Rubbed Wings ($6.95). "Deep fried wings seasoned to perfection". I got recommended the Siracha Honey Lime sauce. The wings were on the small side, and my first one lacked the rub, but the rest were fine. They could have spent less time in the fryolator. The sauce was excellent, really delicious.

For my burger, I went with the Hot Burger ($12.95). "Crisp bacon, jalapenos, pepper jack cheese & chipotle aioli". When I saw that I could get this as Boot Camp Burger ($12.95 on the menu, $13.95 on the web and on the receipt), I went with that since I usually skip the bun. "Choose from any of our craft burgers on top of our house salad". The burger was ordered medium rare on the rare side and come out medium. This seems to be the norm these days. The burger was beefy and well seasoned with a nice char, but it was on the dry side. The bacon was super crisp. The chipotle aioli was fantastic. The salad had no dressing, and that was intentional, but you can have dressing if you ask for it. I used the Sriracha Honey Lime sauce from the wings, and that worked out nicely. The cucumbers had seen better days, but the lettuce and onions were fresh. I did get a dollar taken off when I pointed out the price on the menu. I really like the concept of a salad instead of a bun. Service was pleasant.

Address: 856 Western Ave, Lynn, MA 01905
Phone: (781) 596-2342

Picante Taqueria Medford

Picante Taqueria in Medford opened very recently, it's a sibling of East Somerville’s Taco Loco.

Medford's infernal new parking meters has migrated all the way out here, so no more visits to this place. The outside was very nice, and they even have a few tables outside.

The inside is really modern and inviting with charming woodwork. The kitchen is around the corner, and you order, pay and get your food in one go.

There is a small dining room off to the side, and I grabbed a hightop in here. The chair seemed more comfortable than the benches. They could do with some cushions on the seats.

I ordered one Carnitas Taco ($2.99) and one Tounge Taco ($3.25) and a side of Refried Beans ($2.25). Taco's come with finely minced onion, guacamole sauce and cilantro. The tongue was cooked really well but needed seasoning. Adding some hot sauce helped. The carnitas, on the other hand, was delicious and really well seasoned. The refried beans were just OK, I like a bit more texture in my beans. Considering that for a few bucks more, you get two really interesting tacos with rice and outstanding beans at El Rincon de Moody's and free parking, there is really no choice.

Address: 352 Boston Ave, Medford, MA 02155
Phone: (781) 219-4267

Lots Of Eats North Andover

I have heard good things about Lots Of Eats Thai Kitchen in North Andover, so when I heard that they are opening a second restaurant in Lexington, I got really excited. I'm not sure when they will open, and the contact us page on their website doesn't work, so I headed up there today.

They are in a small strip mall with plenty of parking. Weird weather today, it went from sunny to tropical downpour in a matter of seconds.

The inside was nicely decorated. The entrance is to the left of the bar.

The second dining room was also nice and bright, with comfortable seating. Crystal chandelier in a Thai restaurant? Why not, it looks really good.

They had Coconut Shrimp ($8) with sweet and hot dipping sauce on their specials menu. It was four good sized shrimps that were cooked well. The carrots could have been fresher.

From their lunch menu, I selected the Pad Pork Belly ($12). "Stir-fried crispy pork belly with bok choy, snap peas, and baby carrots in garlic and black soy bean sauce, served with jasmine rice". Was the pork belly crispy? Of course not. The pork itself was very good and nicely cooked and seasoned. The baby carrots were utterly uncooked as was the snap peas. I don't mind the snap peas, but I do mind the carrots. Most of the snap peas were cleaned correctly. The bok choy, on the other hand, was nicely cooked and seasoned well. I really liked the rice even if it was cold. The sauce was delicious. Ignoring the carrots, this was a delightful meal, and the service was very good.

Address: 1211 Osgood St, North Andover, MA 01845
Phone: (978) 682-8888

Gene's Chinese Flatbread Cafe Woburn

I haven't been to Gene's Chinese Flatbread Cafe in Woburn for quite a while, so on this rainy Sunday, I went for some soup. He does mainly dishes from the Xi'an region, including hand-pulled noodles. The menu is minimal but everything is really delicious.

He's located on Main Street in Woburn so parking can be iffy. There is a big communal lot further down the street.

The inside is a bit spartan. You order and pay at the counter then pick up your food when your number is called.

The #16 Hot Sour Hand-pulled Noodles Soup ($8.40) is a favorite of mine. I can also recommend the #10 Hot Sour Dumpling Soup. The soup is excellent, a bit sour and a little bit spicy. Underneath that mound of well-seasoned stir-fried pork, there is sliced onions, bean sprouts and finely julienned carrots. The noodles are really toothsome and cooked well. The food here is delicious and this dish is no exception. Beware that it's cash only and only open Thurs-Sun.

Address: 466 Main St, Woburn, MA 01801
Phone: (781) 938-6888

Bronwyn Somerville

After watching Formula 1 Qualifying at Hockenheimring and being informed that Germany eats 800 million Currywurst each year, I needed a wurst myself, so I headed back to Bronwyn in Union Square. Then I learned that going to Union Square in the summer on a Saturday is not a good idea since it's farmers market day.

I did find free parking in my usual location, and it was an enjoyable day for a short walk.

It was a perfect day for dining al fresco. Bronwyn only serves lunch/brunch Sat/Sun.

When I was her for the Sweinhaxe, I spied the Wurst Teller ($16). "2 haus-made sausages, fried eggs, bratkartoffeln, sauerkraut, green salat". The sausages were one Bratwurst and one Currywurst. The currywurst was about twice the length of the bratwurst. Both were really good, but I prefer the currywurst. The eggs were cooked nicely, even if the bottom part of the yolk was solid. Compared to the last time, the potatoes were overcooked and a bit greasy. Serving a "salat" without any dressing is pretty pointless.
Walking back to my car I noticed that Himalayan Kitchen (under new ownership) was serving 8 Mo Mo's for 4.95, so I had to pick up an order. They are expanding their seating area.

Address: 255 Washington St, Somerville, MA 02143
Phone: (617) 776-9900

Jimmy's Steer House Saugus

I wanted some prime rib for lunch today, so I went to Jimmy's Steer House in Saugus.

Rte 128 was a madhouse today, but taking the backroads here didn't add much time. They have a big parking lot, and I'm always taking an end space.

The inside is what it is, but everything is in excellent condition, and the place is impeccably clean.

I did skip the enormous loaf. Kansas City Prime Rib with a baked potato and horseradish. It could have been a bit rarer but it was tender and beefy and an absolute steal at $11.99. This was way better than the overcooked lump of meat I got at Century House. People are also raving about their Rice Pilaff, but that doesn't really go with prime rib. May I'll try it with their Jumbo Maryland Crabmeat Pie. They even serve from the lunch menu on Saturdays.

Address: 114 Broadway, Saugus, MA 01906
Phone: (781) 233-8600

Grape Leaf Newton

I was headed to Chestnut Hill, so that gave me a chance to try out Grape Leaf Mediterranean Grille located in Newton Highlands.

They have some outside seating. There is metered on-street parking, but if you continue towards the station, there is free parking around the corner.

The inside is relatively small, and the food is cooked in front of you. They have two rotisseries, but they were not used.

There is a small amount of seating. The inside was nice and bright. Warm water is available to my right.

I had to go with the LAMB GYRO ($8.50). "Rotisserie lamb, tzatziki, tomato, red onion, on pita". I got the tzatziki on the side so I could control the amount. Despite what the menu said, the unseasoned lamb was steamed on a flattop. No char, no grillmarks. The steamed lamb was tender and tasty, and it was a good amount of lamb.

Address: 6 Lincoln St, Newton, MA 02461
Phone: (617) 527-5366

Howling Wolf Salem

Is it worth the drive to Salem to get a Taco Tuesday discount at Howling Wolf Taqueria? Not really, but I have read so much good stuff about them that I really wanted to pay them a visit. I also had their speciality tacos at their North Andover& location, and they were awesome. If you are getting here from the south, avoid going through Peabody Square. There is a one lane restriction where the roadwork is taking place. 

Why is their address on Lafayette Street when they are in fact are located on New Derby Street? The car in the background is on Lafayette Street. They not even on the corner. They are located within walking distance from my favorite parking garage.

The inside is cool with a big bar.

I got a nice high-top next to the windows. Chips (cold) and salsa arrives promptly. The chips were OK, and so was the rather thin salsa.

It turns out that Taco Tuesday starts at 5, so I just ordered one Chili Verde Taco and one Colorado Taco. Both ordered with Corn Salsa (medium) and Refried Beans. Each was $3.75. You could also order three for $8.95, so I asked if I could mix and match? "Yes, but the tacos will be priced individually". The tacos were really good with a good amount of protein. There was almost no difference between the meats. One had a hint of tartness so that must have been the Chili Verde one. The refried beans were really tasty. The corn salsa was also very nice but lacked the medium heat. The flour tortillas were soft and fresh.

I also ordered a side of rice and black beans ($2). This was good, but the two tacos would have been enough for me for lunch.

The ladies in the kitchen seemed to have fun. The big plastic containers contain pre-portioned chips.

Address: 76 Lafayette St, Salem, MA 01970
Phone: (978) 744-9653

Nzuko Framingham

I'm not sure how I heard about Nzuko in Framingham, but I had them bookmarked for jerk chicken. Nzuko is Nigerian and means Gathering.

My GPS led me on a merry go around since it didn't recognize that I could just take a left and get here. Plenty of parking in this strip mall.

The inside is kind of small but nice and bright. You order at the end and then pick up your food at the counter, or get it brought to you. The owner is in the back, hanging out with her mom.

The dining area. I wish they didn't do the tacky rolled up silverware. Get quality napkins and put the utensils on them.

The aforementioned Jerk Chicken ($10.95). "Jerk spiced chicken arousing Caribbean vibes. Lunch includes rice and two plantains". Two choices of rice and I went with Rice and Beans. Hows this for a boring picture? The chicken was a thigh that was tender and juicy with a fantastic jerk gravy. The gravy was redolent of spices, and there was allspice involved. This was probably the best jerk chicken I have had in a long time. The rice was OK, and the plantains were soft without being mushy. There is some good cooking going on here. The complimentary ice water was infused with something? Pineapple?

Address: 341 Cochituate Rd, Framingham, MA 01701
Phone: (508) 620-1024

Brodie's Pub Peabody

I'm not going to say anything about Brodie's Pub in Peabody since I'm assuming that by now everyone has been here and if you haven't, go. The news is that they will not relocate across the square.

I had the Reuben on a previous visit, and it was excellent, so now it was time to try the Hot Pastrami Sandwich (10.99). "Marble rye or sourdough, tender pastrami, choice of cheese". Marbely Rye as you can see was my choice. The steak fries are really good, crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. They don't hold back on the pastrami. The pastrami was warm, and the cheese was melted. The other half will be dinner. Even the pickle is delicious. The place was packed today with people watching football ;-).

Fresco's Malden

There is one item at Fresco's Roast Beef & Seafood in Malden that I have been waiting to try.

They have a very extensive menu. If you don't know what to get, grab a takeout menu, it's easier to read.

From the specials menu, I picked the Fried Shrimp Basket ($11.99). "One Dozen Shrimp, Fries & Onion Rings". The fries are underneath the rings and the shrimp. This is some really good sized shrimp that was lightly battered and fried perfectly. The onion rings were cooked really well and had some texture left. This time the fries were cooked perfectly. Their tartar sauce is also delicious. My only complaint is that there was too much food, and that's a nice complaint to have. Now I have to try their super roast beef three-way that I also have heard good things about.

Jaime's Restaurant North Andover

I have heard good things about Jaime's Restaurant in North Andover and decided to head over for some lunch today.

I parked just to the left of here and just walked by the entrance without noticing it, but found my way inside after meandering around for a while.

The restaurant has a number of different sections. This is the bar area.

There is also a nice patio.

This is the dining room that I picked.

I'll get you some chips and dip said the waitress, and this is what appeared. House-made potato chips with an excellent dip. The dip was a spicy ranch dip. How good was it? I don't like ranch, but this got devoured.

I realized that I couldn't remember when I last had Chili so when I saw Homemade Chili (5.49) on the menu, I went for it. "Topped with jalapenos, Monterey Jack cheddar cheese, scallions and tortilla chips". Cutting the jalapenos in quarters and mixing them in made the chili even more interesting. This was a very good chili, really well seasoned without being overly spicy. Ground beef and beans.

For my main, I picked the Korean Short Rib Tacos (12.99). "Boneless short ribs, slow braised in Korean BBQ sauce, shredded napa cabbage, toasted sesame seeds, scallions and a house made spicy pineapple relish, served in soft shell Four tortillas with a side of rice and beans". The tortillas were soft and super fresh. The short ribs were tender and really tasty. The spicy pineapple relish forgot the spicy part. The rice and bean were also very good with a really fragrant rice.

There is interesting stuff stuck to the ceiling. The service was very friendly, and when it was time to pay, another waitress noticed, and promptly rung up my CC. It's good to see the staff work as a team, then you know you are in a good place. My leftovers were professionally packed and even labelled.

Address: 25 High St, North Andover, MA 01845
Phone: (978) 655-4735