Chicken Pot Pie ($12.00) - second time around
They have improved their chicken pot pie. There is much more substance to it with big chunks of chicken and more vegetables. It still is covered with the puff pastry which when it gets wet from the gravy while eating, looses all its puff and becomes a strange texture. At this meal I also had their New England clam chowder (a special) which was wonderful. It had a great flavor, was thick enough but not gluey thick like many diners make it. It also was not a glaring white but had a slight tan color which is how it would turn out from making it at home and browning some things. A good choice. I continue to like this place on lower Spring Street. Visit it if you haven't yet. It is a great addition to Newton's food places.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Friday, November 28, 2008
Salsa - Dinner
Soft Tacos with shredded pork ($7.99)
When I sat down at the table I was asked if I wanted the hot or regular salsa with my chips. I asked for hot but they discouraged me but I insisted. It was a green salsa...spicey hot with a nice flavor. I did not find it overly hot.. but I like spicy food. The soft tacos come with a choice of steak, chicken, or one of two kinds of pork. I went with the pork (which one I am not sure.) The plate had for soft tacos with the meat, a bunch of freshly chopped chilantro, and some sliced radishes. It would have been fine for a lunch but not enough for a dinner. I had flan for desert and WOW, I have never had such smooth, silky flan with no separated water. There was a sweet syrup over it. VERY nice. I ordered the black bean soup to go because I loved it so much. Be aware that the packing of the soup was not in a good containor and it was all over in the bag when I got home. I am sure it will taste great for tomorrows lunch. They have a take-out menu but they do not deliver. I really like the flavors in this place but if I get the soft tacos, I will also get a soup to fill out the meal. Be sure to try out this place. It is just down from the Newton Theatre on Spring St, across from Rite Aide. There is a parking lot around back.
When I sat down at the table I was asked if I wanted the hot or regular salsa with my chips. I asked for hot but they discouraged me but I insisted. It was a green salsa...spicey hot with a nice flavor. I did not find it overly hot.. but I like spicy food. The soft tacos come with a choice of steak, chicken, or one of two kinds of pork. I went with the pork (which one I am not sure.) The plate had for soft tacos with the meat, a bunch of freshly chopped chilantro, and some sliced radishes. It would have been fine for a lunch but not enough for a dinner. I had flan for desert and WOW, I have never had such smooth, silky flan with no separated water. There was a sweet syrup over it. VERY nice. I ordered the black bean soup to go because I loved it so much. Be aware that the packing of the soup was not in a good containor and it was all over in the bag when I got home. I am sure it will taste great for tomorrows lunch. They have a take-out menu but they do not deliver. I really like the flavors in this place but if I get the soft tacos, I will also get a soup to fill out the meal. Be sure to try out this place. It is just down from the Newton Theatre on Spring St, across from Rite Aide. There is a parking lot around back.
Friday, November 21, 2008
O'Reilly's Pub - Dinner
Chicken Pot Pie ($12.00)
This was my first disappointment at this place. The pot pie was a bowl of something like a thick chicken soup (the pieces of chicken about twice the size of sugar cubes) with puff pastry on top. It tasted very nice but there was little substance.. in fact I had to ask for a tablespoon to eat most of it. I prefer a pie crust on a pot pie but what disappointed me here was the lack of body (and chicken) in the pot pie. Hopefully they will improve this dish. I can't wait to go back to try their "bangers and mash" and one of their wonderful looking hamburgers. O'Reilly's is on lower Spring St (in what used to be Flapjacks.) They have a liquor license and the bar with two wide screen tvs was busy on this weekend evening. There is a small parking lot and parking on the street. This is a pleasant, homey place that serves just what they say.. pub food. Be sure to try it out. The service could be a little faster, but they obviously make everything there.
NOTE: read my latest entry on their chicken pot pie. They have improved it.
This was my first disappointment at this place. The pot pie was a bowl of something like a thick chicken soup (the pieces of chicken about twice the size of sugar cubes) with puff pastry on top. It tasted very nice but there was little substance.. in fact I had to ask for a tablespoon to eat most of it. I prefer a pie crust on a pot pie but what disappointed me here was the lack of body (and chicken) in the pot pie. Hopefully they will improve this dish. I can't wait to go back to try their "bangers and mash" and one of their wonderful looking hamburgers. O'Reilly's is on lower Spring St (in what used to be Flapjacks.) They have a liquor license and the bar with two wide screen tvs was busy on this weekend evening. There is a small parking lot and parking on the street. This is a pleasant, homey place that serves just what they say.. pub food. Be sure to try it out. The service could be a little faster, but they obviously make everything there.
NOTE: read my latest entry on their chicken pot pie. They have improved it.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Salsa - dinner
Enchiladas with mole sauce ($8.99)
My dinner plate contained three enchiladas with a rich mole sauce which had a pleasant bite to it. On the plate was also Mexican rice, shredded lettuce with tomato and refried beans that had some body to them. I ordered as a prelude at $3.99 (which I didn't need) the black bean soup which came in a large bowl. It had a dark flavorful broth and plenty of beans. The soup was garnished with a lot of chopped fresh cilantro and diced raw onions. This soup was the star of the evening. For desert I had a pound cake soaked in three kinds of milk.. evaporated, sweetened.. and I don't know. It was very moist and sweet. The restaurant is located in the strip mall just down from the Movie theatre on Spring St, across from Rite Aid. There is an adequate parking lot behind the building. This place has also taken over the next store unit so it is very roomy. It has pleasant Mexican decorations, some historical and fun.. but not too gaudy as some Mexcian places do. Although I had the soup and dessert which I did not need, the bill was under $20.00. The place is a good alternative in Newton... inexpensive... Mexican. They are opened for lunch and dinner and breakfast on Sunday. Give this place a shot. In these hard times we need good food at reasonable prices.
My dinner plate contained three enchiladas with a rich mole sauce which had a pleasant bite to it. On the plate was also Mexican rice, shredded lettuce with tomato and refried beans that had some body to them. I ordered as a prelude at $3.99 (which I didn't need) the black bean soup which came in a large bowl. It had a dark flavorful broth and plenty of beans. The soup was garnished with a lot of chopped fresh cilantro and diced raw onions. This soup was the star of the evening. For desert I had a pound cake soaked in three kinds of milk.. evaporated, sweetened.. and I don't know. It was very moist and sweet. The restaurant is located in the strip mall just down from the Movie theatre on Spring St, across from Rite Aid. There is an adequate parking lot behind the building. This place has also taken over the next store unit so it is very roomy. It has pleasant Mexican decorations, some historical and fun.. but not too gaudy as some Mexcian places do. Although I had the soup and dessert which I did not need, the bill was under $20.00. The place is a good alternative in Newton... inexpensive... Mexican. They are opened for lunch and dinner and breakfast on Sunday. Give this place a shot. In these hard times we need good food at reasonable prices.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
O'Reilly's Pub and Grill - Dinner
Shepherd's Pie ($12.00)
Newton now has an honest to goodness pub. My shepherd pie had lots of ground beef, peas and onions, topped with evidently home mashed potatoes with melted REAL cheddar cheese on top. It looked like something I would make at home.. and very satisfying. The meals come with a salad of iceberg lettuce with thick slices of onions and sweet red peppers. It looked like a home-made salad. I ordered a dessert of apple crisp. The apples had large slices (with skin as I prefer) with a buttery crisp along a scoop of vanilla ice cream. This place looks like a true pub that fell out of the 1950s. Everything is.. and looks home-made. No trendy menu here.. just a traditional pub food. They even have "Bangers and Mash!" There is a wide selection of 1/2 pound burgers and some meal salads.. all reasonably priced. O'Reilly's is on lower Spring Street in Newton next to G&S, in what used to be Flapjacks (plus a lot of other places.) Check out this place for real good and satisfying pub food, not a bar trying to be a restaurant. They are opened for lunch and dinner.. and they do deliver. I can't wait to go back and try their pulled pork on cornbread.
Newton now has an honest to goodness pub. My shepherd pie had lots of ground beef, peas and onions, topped with evidently home mashed potatoes with melted REAL cheddar cheese on top. It looked like something I would make at home.. and very satisfying. The meals come with a salad of iceberg lettuce with thick slices of onions and sweet red peppers. It looked like a home-made salad. I ordered a dessert of apple crisp. The apples had large slices (with skin as I prefer) with a buttery crisp along a scoop of vanilla ice cream. This place looks like a true pub that fell out of the 1950s. Everything is.. and looks home-made. No trendy menu here.. just a traditional pub food. They even have "Bangers and Mash!" There is a wide selection of 1/2 pound burgers and some meal salads.. all reasonably priced. O'Reilly's is on lower Spring Street in Newton next to G&S, in what used to be Flapjacks (plus a lot of other places.) Check out this place for real good and satisfying pub food, not a bar trying to be a restaurant. They are opened for lunch and dinner.. and they do deliver. I can't wait to go back and try their pulled pork on cornbread.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Town and Country - Lunch
Spinach Pie & Greek Salad ($6.95)
Town and Country is a great luncheonette - if you don't mind using plastic utensils and eating a foam plates. The meals are all home-made and they are very friendly. They make the spinach pie special about twice month and I always try to get it. The spinach pie is tasty and the crust is not rubbery like at many diners because they make it fresh that day. The "Greek salad" is not a traditional Greek salad, but rather, carrots, celery, onions, tomatoes, black olives, green peppers, and cherry pepper rings with feta cheese. For them.. it holds well it is tasty.. just not traditional. They are busy but also operate like a smooth oiled machine. Go there for breakfast or lunch (they close at (4:00 pm) They are located in the strip mall at the corner of Woodside Avenue and Newton-Sparta Road. There is a small lot. Make sure you visit this place for lunch. It is one of Newton's treasures.
Town and Country is a great luncheonette - if you don't mind using plastic utensils and eating a foam plates. The meals are all home-made and they are very friendly. They make the spinach pie special about twice month and I always try to get it. The spinach pie is tasty and the crust is not rubbery like at many diners because they make it fresh that day. The "Greek salad" is not a traditional Greek salad, but rather, carrots, celery, onions, tomatoes, black olives, green peppers, and cherry pepper rings with feta cheese. For them.. it holds well it is tasty.. just not traditional. They are busy but also operate like a smooth oiled machine. Go there for breakfast or lunch (they close at (4:00 pm) They are located in the strip mall at the corner of Woodside Avenue and Newton-Sparta Road. There is a small lot. Make sure you visit this place for lunch. It is one of Newton's treasures.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Asian Island - Dinner
Grilled Sea Bass $20.00
The Asian Island is a Japanese restaurant in Sparta (next to the Post Office.) They have a lot of shushi and a shushi bar.. but I don't care for that so I asked for a recommendation the the Sea Bass was suggested. It was one of the more expensive things on the menu but was well worth it. The fish was served on a bed of diagonally sliced blanched asparagus with three sauces around it.. one was a mango sauce. There was also halved new potatoes, fried and the fish was topped with a flower blossom. I was not aware that the meal came with soup and salad, so I ordered the $6.00 Shumai (steamed shrimp dumplings.) These were wonderful with the dipping sauce. The soup that came with the meal was nice (could not identify it) and had small diced tofu in it. I don't usually like the fish stock of Japanese soup but this was good. The simple salad was dressed with some kind of Asian inspired dressing... Asian meals don't usally come with a salad, but I always like one. I drank tea which was a cloudy green tea with ground leaves in the bottom of the cup. The tea had a very pleasant body and flavor. My meal totalled for less than $30.00 but I got an expensive item along with an appetizer which I didn't need. The Asian Island is a pleasant, small restaurant. Since it is in the strip mall at the Post Office in Sparta, there is plenty of parking. I had an excellent dining experience. If you like Japanese food, check it out for a change. It has been opened for a year and I just heard about it.
The Asian Island is a Japanese restaurant in Sparta (next to the Post Office.) They have a lot of shushi and a shushi bar.. but I don't care for that so I asked for a recommendation the the Sea Bass was suggested. It was one of the more expensive things on the menu but was well worth it. The fish was served on a bed of diagonally sliced blanched asparagus with three sauces around it.. one was a mango sauce. There was also halved new potatoes, fried and the fish was topped with a flower blossom. I was not aware that the meal came with soup and salad, so I ordered the $6.00 Shumai (steamed shrimp dumplings.) These were wonderful with the dipping sauce. The soup that came with the meal was nice (could not identify it) and had small diced tofu in it. I don't usually like the fish stock of Japanese soup but this was good. The simple salad was dressed with some kind of Asian inspired dressing... Asian meals don't usally come with a salad, but I always like one. I drank tea which was a cloudy green tea with ground leaves in the bottom of the cup. The tea had a very pleasant body and flavor. My meal totalled for less than $30.00 but I got an expensive item along with an appetizer which I didn't need. The Asian Island is a pleasant, small restaurant. Since it is in the strip mall at the Post Office in Sparta, there is plenty of parking. I had an excellent dining experience. If you like Japanese food, check it out for a change. It has been opened for a year and I just heard about it.
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