Wednesday, May 20, 2009

O'Reilly Pub and Grill - Dinner

Scallops on Risotto $19.95
Five scallops were served on smooth risotto with some snow pea pods. While this entree was expensive, the scallops were cooked just perfectly! The outside was brown and crispy and the inside was translucent. O'Reilly's does now include a salad with its entrees, as stated in the menu but sometimes you have to ask for it.. the waitresses, may not be aware. Service is not speedy at O'Reilly's but a lot of that I imagine has to do with the fact they are cooking all their frood, fresh from the start. I frankly think it is worth the few minutes more wait. I really enjoy the homey pub feeling at this location on lower Spring Street in Newton. Their parking lot is small if you arrive for dinner, there is parking around, on the street.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Cheddar Alley - Lunch

Cheddar Alley is specialty shop on 155 Spring Street in Newton (what used to be the Book Shelf.) I chose a sandwich - Spicy Cowboy on chibata (sp?) bread (several choices of bread) - $8.95. It was roast beef, jalapeno cheese, designer lettuce, tomato, may. The sandwich was grilled and pressed. It was served in a basket with a pickle and a bag of vegetable chips. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Cheddar Alley has many kinds specialty foods to purchase... chips, bread, mustard, cheese, honey, jelly, etc. ALSO... and a BIG also. They serve Cliff's ice cream. The only downside to this place is that parking sometimes can be a problem on Spring Street but there is a large municipal lot off Trinity Street, right behind the Cheddar Alley.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Dominick's (new location) dinner

Garlic Roast Chicken with mashed potatoes $14.00
For starters, I ordered a bowl of their "spicy seafood soup ($5.00.) It had a variety of seafood (including some mussels in a their shells in a tomato based broth.. I would not call it spicy though. The entree came with a salad.. lettuce, olive, pepperoncini. A roll and two slices of their excellent pizza were served also. While very good, the roasted chicken was not what I expected. I was two large chicken breasts covered with a creamy garlic sauce with roasted red peppers. There was also spinach on the plate. I ordered this as what I thought would be a healthy choice.. it was not.. but very good. The whole mean with iced tea came to a few cents over $20.00. I did not need the soup... especially since a nice salad comes with the meal.
The new Dominick's is across the street from their old location on East Clinton Street in Newton, in the new shopping center. The old Dominick's has always had the reputation as one of the best pizza places in town. Now it has a roomy dining room decorated tastefully Mediterranean. When you walk in you pass the pizza for pick-up. There is plenty of parking. It is newly opened, so the wait-staff is still in training.