Left at the Fork

the road | the food | a new direction

Category: By Food Rating (Page 11 of 15)

Wild Turkey Hash is a signature dish that begins with fresh roasted turkey (the hash is wild, not the turkey). They sautée it with onions, peppers, potatoes, mushrooms, and spices (we detected a good dose of Thanksgiving herbs: thyme and, perhaps, sage), then top it with two poached eggs and Hollandaise. On the side is good sourdough toast.

Up for Breakfast, Manchester Center VT

February 3, 2015 / / 0 Comments

REVIEW

Like many other folks who visit Vermont, we like to stay in inns and B&Bs. That presents a major obstacle to dining at places like Up for Breakfast, which really only serves breakfast. It stays open until 12:30 p.m. during the week and 1:30 p.m. on weekends, so your best bet if you want to enjoy both your inn breakfast and Up for Breakfast is to try to hit the restaurant on the weekend. Have an early breakfast at the inn, then plan for a second, lunchtime breakfast here. But weekends are also the busiest time for the upstairs eatery, so put your name on the waiting list about an hour before you’d like to dine. Continue reading

That's Maine Wildberry on the left, Maine Black Fly on the right (sitting atop other flavors).

Gifford’s Ice Cream, Skowhegan ME

January 30, 2015 / / 1 Comment

REVIEW

Why does ice cream taste better in New England than anywhere else in the country? We don’t have an answer, but as long as we keep travelling the area, we’ll keep tasting. There are boutique, one-shop stores offering superb hand-crafted renditions, and there are small companies that also turn out a product superior to the national brands. Gifford’s is one such Maine-owned ice cream maker that buys its cream locally and sells all over New England. Gifford’s premium ice cream has an honest flavor that we never tire of. Continue reading

We loved the Fresh Basil Rolls, a delicate rice paper-wrapped bundle of vegetables, shrimp, and rice noodles with a burst of basil freshness.

Thai Basil, Manchester Center VT

January 29, 2015 / / 0 Comments

REVIEW

Traditional New England cuisine has a lot to recommend it but whether you’re talking about jonnycakes or Indian pudding, lobster rolls or Anadama bread, clam chowder or baked beans , one thing it’s not is spicy and vibrant. Not that we’re complaining, mind you, but the modern American palate accustomed to the cuisines of Asia may find itself in need of the occasional jolt. And that’s where Thai Basil enters the picture. Continue reading

Creole sausage stuffed bread is packed with flavor. Terrific!

Cajun Market Donut Company, Breaux Bridge LA

January 25, 2015 / / 1 Comment

REVIEW

Cajun Mkt. Donut Co. has a new name (they used to call themselves Meche’s Donut King) and a new look, but the donuts, stuffed breads, and Cajun kolaches have not changed.  They make what has been called Acadiana’s best king cake, and they are also, of course, a donut shop. We’ve tried neither king cake (a Mardi Gras specialty) nor donuts at Cajun Market, yet we still highly recommend a breakfast visit for a few unique items we did try. Continue reading

At the register you'll encounter a collection of filled cookie jars. Don't try to resist. They're terrific!

Dorset Union Store, Dorset VT

January 24, 2015 / / 0 Comments

REVIEW

The Dorset Union Store was started in 1816 as a member-owned cooperative. Then-owner Perry Peltier changed the name to Peltier’s in 1955. When the current owners purchased the store in 2007, the name reverted back to its original Dorset Union Store. We like the ring of it. We also like how the store has achieved a perfect balance between old and new. Continue reading

Gambas al Ajillo: the shrimp were good, the garlic oil was great.

Chez Piggy, Kingston ON Canada

January 23, 2015 / / 0 Comments

REVIEW

This was Zally’s restaurant! Who is Zally, you ask? Zal Yanovsky was famous for three things: he was lead guitarist for the Lovin’ Spoonful; he was ostracized by the ’60s counterculture for allegedly ratting on his dealer when he was picked up for possession; and, in the ’70s, back home in Canada, he opened Chez Piggy. Zally died in 2002. Chez Piggy is now owned by Zally’s daughter, Zoe. Learn more about Zally by listening to The Mamas and the Papas song, Creeque Alley. Continue reading

Not on the current menu, yam fritters in a pool of maple syrup were a highlight of past meals at the Dorset.

The Dorset Inn, Dorset VT

January 22, 2015 / / 0 Comments

REVIEW

What are you looking for from your visit to Vermont? A beautiful, small, old town? Dorset was founded in 1761; today it’s postcard-ready. A cozy old inn? The Dorset Inn first opened in 1796. Good New England food? The current menu at the restaurant in The Dorset Inn features chicken pot pie, turkey croquettes, locally smoked meats and cheeses from local farms, and cheesecake made by nuns a few miles to the east of Dorset. You can enjoy all this beside a roaring fire in an 18th-century dining room.
Continue reading

We loved the crunchy, greaseless catfish. Some good, goopy macaroni and cheese and refreshing chopped slaw completes the picture.

MCL Restaurant & Bakery, Richmond IN

January 21, 2015 / / 0 Comments

REVIEW

We don’t have cafeterias where we live (at least none that we’d want to eat in), so we’re always impressed, when traveling in a cafeteria-rich region of America, with the bounty of home-style cooking that can be enjoyed in one with the same ease, and minimal expense, of visiting a fast-food chain back home. We normally avoid chain restaurants during our travels, but one cafeteria chain we enjoy when passing through Indiana is MCL. Born in Indianapolis in 1950, MCL now numbers 19 primarily-Indiana restaurants. Continue reading

Flat Iron Steak Frites: the eight-ounce steak is napped with Sauce Bordelaise. Bearnaise and Beurre Maître d’Hôtel are also options. The fries are hand-cut. Flat iron steaks are very beefy, but can sometimes be a little chewier than premium cuts. If tenderness is a priority you'd be better off with another steak.

Brasserie L’Oustau de Provence, Manchester Center VT

January 20, 2015 / / 0 Comments

REVIEW

We’re impressed: Brasserie L’Oustau de Provence does reasonably capture much of the French brasserie experience. The bright, country-French Provencal-styled restaurant hits most of the old French country classics; this is not the spot for cutting edge cuisine. That’s not what a brasserie is about. Continue reading

Butternut Applepecan Hotcakes were a special one morning. The batter includes butternut squash, and between the cakes are apples and maple mascarpone creme. They are crowned with toasted pecans and drizzled with apple cider syrup.

m. henry, Chicago IL

January 18, 2015 / / 0 Comments

REVIEW

There’s no shortage of great breakfast spots in Chicago, many of which can be found all over the net. Let us add one of our favorites to the mix, Andersonville’s m. henry. Their motto is “chow for now,” which apparently refers to a modern food sensibility that focuses on locally sourced and organic provisions and healthy eating. But, clearly, taste comes first here because the breakfasts we’ve tried have been sensational. Continue reading

The quarter cake sampler contains Chocolate, Kahlua, Raspberry Ripple, and Deluxe (already attacked by an eager eater). Our favorites: Chocolate and Kahlua.

New Skete Nuns, Cambridge NY

January 17, 2015 / / 0 Comments

REVIEW

Alright, let us get all the lame puns out of our system before we begin: we are devout fans of the heavenly cheesecake from New Skete; it’s divine. You’ll find nun better. Eating a slice is a religious experience. Our cheesecake prayers have been answered. (Deep breath.) Had enough? So have we. Continue reading

O'Steen's is well-known in St. Augustine for fried shrimp.

O’Steen’s Restaurant, St. Augustine FL

January 16, 2015 / / 1 Comment

REVIEW

The northeast coast of Florida is one of the country’s great shrimping regions, and it’s said to be the birthplace of the commercial shrimping industry. The specific variety of shrimp pulled from the sea varies with the time of year, and we won’t pretend to understand all the differences between them. What we found during a March trip through the region were shrimp that were uniformly soft and dry, with fugitive flavor. Not among our favorites, though they are much loved by others. The best we found were served at O’Steen’s in St. Augustine. Continue reading

Quaker's chili is fiery.

Quaker Diner, West Hartford CT

January 14, 2015 / / 0 Comments

REVIEW

The Quaker is a diner for diner lovers. The brick-exterior little restaurant was built in 1931 by Aristides “Harry” Bassilakis, and the diner appears little changed from those early days (there’s a 1930s photo of the Quaker floating around on the net, and you’d be hard-pressed to identify any physical changes). It is run today by descendents of Mr. Bassilakis. Continue reading

Sue's condiments of choice: brown mustard and relish. Note the beautifully blackened, bursting exterior of the pup.

Ted’s Hot Dogs, Tempe AZ

January 12, 2015 / / 0 Comments

REVIEW

Ted’s Hot Dogs is a regional mini-chain with locations in the Buffalo, NY suburbs of Amherst, Cheektowaga, Lancaster, Lockport, North Tonawanda, Orchard Park, Tonawanda, Williamsville, and Tempe. Wait a minute, Tempe? As in Arizona? Why is one, and only one, branch of Ted’s in Tempe? Well, oddly enough, this Tempe location is the one with the most direct ties to founder Theodore Spiro Liaros. Ted’s son Spiro (who passed away in 2013), was the president of Ted’s Hot Dogs, and opened this Ted’s when he moved to Arizona. Continue reading

The Grove's chicken fried steak is seen here topped with country gravy. Hatch green chile sauce and Monterey Jack is also an option; it would no longer be chicken fried steak, in our opinion, but it sounds very good! The real mashed potatoes on the side are excellent.

Shady Grove, Austin TX

January 9, 2015 / / 0 Comments

REVIEW

Of the string of casual and kitschy restaurants that line Barton Springs Road, we recommend Shady Grove, a supremely laid-back Austin institution. You dine outside, on a patio under the shade of a grove of pecan trees, and maybe listen to some live music or catch an old flick (there’s inside dining too, but that would seem to defeat most of the point of The Grove). Continue reading

An assortment of first-rate biscotti from Torino Bakery, ready for their cup of espresso

Torino Bakery, Newburgh NY

January 8, 2015 / / 0 Comments

REVIEW

Torino, a 45-year-old Italian bakery, is down towards the western end of the Broadway shopping strip anchored on the east by Tony’s Newburgh Lunch. If the name Newburgh conjures mental images of the worst symptoms of urban decay, rest assured that this piece of Broadway, not far from the New York Thruway, is something of an oasis. Continue reading

There's no need to go searching through the can of nuts for the dark ones. The Carmelcorn Shop offers peanuts cooked extra-dark like these (and also regular roasted nuts, too).

The Carmelcorn Shop, Easton PA

January 7, 2015 / / 0 Comments

REVIEW

Are you someone who looks through a bag of potato chips to find the darkest ones? Is your favorite part of the pizza the burnt edge of the crust? Do you keep the toaster down until it starts to smoke? If so, we have a treat for you. Continue reading

A pair of Tony's dogs with the works, which means mustard, Texas sauce, and onions. The soul-satisfying combination is known as a Texas Hot Weiner.

Tony’s Newburgh Lunch, Newburgh NY

January 6, 2015 / / 0 Comments

REVIEW

Newburgh is a small city, population 29,000, on the western bank of the Hudson River, almost an hour-and-a-half north of New York City. It’s also one of the most violent, gang-infested cities in the country. But don’t let that stop you from paying a breakfast or lunch visit to Tony’s Newburgh Lunch. It’s just a short hop off the New York State Thruway, and this short shopping stretch along Broadway is not threatening in the least. Tony’s is an ideal way station for travelers headed north. Continue reading

Ecola offers fresh seafood cocktails in any number of configurations. Pictured is a crab/shrimp combo.

Ecola Seafoods Restaurant & Market, Cannon Beach OR

January 5, 2015 / / 0 Comments

REVIEW

There’s no shortage of seafood restaurants along coastal Oregon, but for a stripped-down-to-the-basics experience, we recommend Ecola Seafoods. In the town of Cannon Beach, Seaside’s relatively upscale neighbor to the south, Ecola is a seafood market with inside and outside seating. Continue reading

The Gianluca panino is stuffed with fresh mozzarella, prosciutto di Parma, roasted peppers, pesto, sea salt, pepper, oregano, and balsamic vinegar . This one is on 7-grain bread. Ciabatta is also an option. A truly first-rate sandwich in the balanced Italian mode, where quality ingredients speak for themselves.

Osteria Procaccini, Pennington NJ

January 4, 2015 / / 0 Comments

REVIEW

Have you ever spent time traveling in Italy? If so, you’ll recognize Osteria Procaccini very quickly. This osteria is very much in the classic Italian mold, with a simple menu of thoughtfully constructed antipasti, panini, salads, and pizza, and a very casual, almost offhanded, demeanor. None of that would mean a thing if the food wasn’t up to snuff. We’re happy to report that the execution is as successful as the conception. Continue reading

« Older posts Newer posts »

© 2025 Left at the Fork

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑