Jenn!

The décor is simple, but attractive, with lots of dark wood and fireplaces everywhere you look (there’s a grand total of 16 in the restaurant)!  It has a very cozy and comfortable feel, the kind of place where you can really relax and spend some time with a few friends and some beers.  We actually managed to stay a few hours on our visit!

Speaking of beer, they have 16 different beers on tap, and Kevin and I were very pleased to find a number of microbrews on the list, including several IPA’s.  It was definitely a nice little selection.  They also had an extensive wine list.

Kevin, enjoying an IPA

Because this was Jenn’s last weekend before starting a diet, we decided to go all out and order the Pub Fried Combo as an appetizer. And it was all that a fried combo should be!  It consisted of potato skins, wings, calamari and onion rings, and came with a  variety of dipping options.  It was delicious, fried goodness!

Fried Awesomeness!

For our meal, I ordered the Grilled Portabella Panini, which was served with fries and coleslaw.  The Panini was really good.  One might wonder how one can screw up a Portabella Panini, but as someone who orders this sort of thing all the time, trust me it happens all the time.  The Hearthstone Pub got it right, though, it was perfect – flavorful, with lots of veggies, and not too soggy.  The fries were good, but nothing to write home about.  I tried the slaw and wasn’t impressed, but then, I’m not usually a big fan of coleslaw – this one was way too mayonnaisey for me.  Overall, I was happy with my meal.

Jenn had the Baked Stuffed Shrimp,  which was served with rice and a heaping pile of vegetables.  Look at all those veggies!   Beautiful! 

Kevin order the Guinness Bacon Cheeseburger, which was served with a side of fries.  While the burger was good, it wasn’t really anything special.  It just tasted like a normal bacon cheeseburger – no noticeable Guinness flavor at all.  The menu indicated that there would be a Guinness sauce, but it either wasn’t there or just wasn’t detectable, so that was a bit of a disappointment.

Overall, I have to say I was pretty impressed with the place, and definitely intend to go back in the near future.  This is a great place for a Sunday afternoon with friends, an evening out with the girls or even a romantic dinner for two!

Hearthstone Pub

42 West Main Street

Plantsville, CT 06479 

(860) 628-0877

J Restaurant/Bar met all the criteria!  The food was great, there was on site parking, the service was fairly quick (although our server did take awhile to get us the bill when we were ready for it) and the restaurant is located just minutes from The Bushnell…and we got 20% off our entrees because were going to the show!  Perfect!

To start, we all had the White Bean and Potato Soup… Our server told us and the table around us that the soup would be White Bean and Spinach.  There was no spinach in the soup, but it was still really good.

I had the Seared Ahi Tuna, which was served over a really yummy arugula salad and fried dough. Yes, fried dough!  How cool is that?

Mom had the Seared Sea Scallops and Polenta.

Mary had the Pork Special with asparagus.

Overall, everything was really delicious and they had a very nice wine list.   As I mentioned before, we did have a hard time getting our bill when were ready to leave (my one complaint), but we still made it to the show in plenty of time!

I’ve been meaning to blog about it all, but there’s just so much!  I thought I’d take some time to share some photos and a few words about some of the awesome places we went, though, to appease the angry masses (Mom and Dad! Ok, mostly mom…)  who have been asking me when I’m going to update.  I’ve decided to break it into parts, because there’s really just too much to put it all into one post.

Our first stop of the evening was Gritty McDuff’s, where Kevin and I each just had a beer while we waited to meet Tom and Heather.  Kevin has fond memories of a Beer Summit he attended at which Gritty McDuff’s actually brought a bar with them while most others just had boring tables.  I, sadly, have no pictures from Gritty’s, but I will say the beer was great and I really liked the relaxed atmosphere.  It was a little crowded, but everywhere was crowded – it was a Friday night.

When Tom and Heather showed up, we finished our beers and wandered around town for a bit and tried to decide where to grab some dinner.  Tom read a review somewhere of a place referred to as a “five star dive bar” and that sounded perfect for us!  To Bull Feeney’s we went!

I started with an Allagash White.  They had a pretty decent selection of beer, but I wanted to drink Allagash when I was in Portland, because they’re local (there are actually a TON of breweries located in Portland).

I also had an order of their fried shrimp, which came with a couple different choices for sauce – a sort of Thai Lime Chili Sauce and an awesome cocktail sauce with a big lump of horseradish in it!  Love it!

After dinner, the night was still young so we decided to continue on to a place Kevin and I had stopped by earlier in the evening (but didn’t stay because it was so crowded) that looked very intriguing – Novarre Res. This place was great!  I wish there was a place like that somewhere near us at home.  They had a really impressive beer menu and great food, too!  To drink, I had the Allagash Fluxus ’10, which was just about the most delicious thing ever!  We also split a Bahn Mi among the four of us.  Awesome, just awesome.

After Novarre Res, we decided it was time to part and head back to our hotel to rest up for the next day, which I will talk about in my next post.

Yeah, about the weather… The weather up until yesterday really hadn’t been the best.  It was mostly rainy and kind of cold for a few days there, which really was perfect for staying home and getting stuff done!  By Tuesday afternoon, however, I was getting a little stir crazy!  I needed to get out of the house.

Neither of us had had lunch yet, so I decided we should take a little drive up to J Foster Ice Cream in Simsbury and get ice cream for lunch.  I’ve been meaning to get there for awhile (ever since I tried their Pumpkin Ice Cream at a restaurant this past Fall) and, really, nothing makes me happier than having ice cream for a meal.  This was the perfect way to cheer me up

Have I mentioned that I’m also a big fan of long car rides? Call me crazy, but ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved a long ride in the car.  It’s a little odd, I know, but that’s how I roll.   Anyway, it’s a good 45 minute drive up to Simsbury from our house, which is probably why we hadn’t gotten around to trying out J Foster yet. Usually when we decide we want ice cream (which is fairly often), it’s after dinner and a little late to make the long drive when we have plenty of fine ice cream establishments in just a 5 or 10 minute drive.  It was perfect, though, for a random afternoon.

It’s a beautiful drive to get up there.  The store is located in a really pretty part of the state and the store itself is really cute.  It met all my expectations and more!

The surrounding area:

Outdoor seating!  Unfortunately, because it was a rainy day, we didn’t get to sit out there.  Next time, though!

The ice cream was awesome, too, of course.  It was really creamy and just tasted fresh and home made.  I got a scoop of Coconut Mounds and a scoop of Kahlua Heath Crunch.  The Kahlua Heath Crunch was really out of this world! 

Kevin, as usual, had a giant Sundae.  He said the hot fudge was really more like chocolate syrup, though.  What’s up with that?  He did say that the whipped cream was pretty good and the ice cream, of course, was stellar.

Overall, we were very pleased with our experience.  It was well worth the drive and I’m sure we’ll be back for more in the near future!

Our evening started at Feng in Hartford for sushi and cocktails (nothing says celebration to me better than sushi).  Here’s a much better picture of Heather than the last one (not that she ever saw it, because she doesn’t read my blog – whose fault is that?).  Give the girl a drink and you’ll get a smile.  Works every time!

The food was awesome and the mood was relaxed.  I really like Feng a lot.  It’s the second time I’ve been there and both times I’ve had a really great experience.  It’s the perfect place for a birthday celebration.

We ended up just deciding to do an assortment of rolls to pick at – including the Green Peace roll, which is one of the most interesting rolls I’ve ever had.  It has “Asparagus, Avocado, Cucumber, Mango, Sun-Dried Tomato, Kiwi, with Strawberry and Yamata Sauces”.  I’ll be honest.  I was a little worried about it, but it ended up being great.  And it’s what the birthday girl wanted; and what the birthday girl wants, the birthday girl gets!  We also ordered an Autumn of Connecticut roll which was probably my favorite  with “Spicy Alaskan King Crab, Salmon, Avocado,Yuzu Masago, Wasabi Pepper and Momiji Sauces”.  Then we got a few more standard ones – Eel with avocado, a California Roll and a Tuna Roll.  Everything was wonderful.

Dinner was followed up by a trip to City Steam for a few pitchers of beer (Acapulco Gold – an IPA and then the Summer Stout) and nachos (yes, we ate again – don’t judge)… and a Lisa’s Pie for Heather.  

Acapulco Gold

Standard Nachos (don’t ask why they’re Standard – inside joke)

“The Pug”, as we like to call it, has become sort of our go to spot over the last couple of years.  It’s just a good pick for when you don’t really know what you want.   It’s just warm, comfortable and dependably good.   There’s usually not too long of a wait, it’s in a very convenient location for us, and the food and beer are great!  I’ve never left disappointed.    It’s mostly typical Irish pub fare –  stuff like Fish And Chips, Shepherd’s Pie, Mac ‘N Cheese – just the sort of thing we like.

Kevin started with the French Onion Soup.   Kevin is basically a French Onion soup aficionado and he has always said that they make the best he’s ever had.  Nothing else he’s tried has ever come close.

He also had the Chicken Cuban Sandwich  -  which has chicken, ham, Monterrey Jack Cheese and an awesome Cilantro Jalapeno Pesto!  It was served with a big pile of waffle fries.  Really yummy!

I ended up getting the Fish and Chips… I frequently get the Fish and Chips at The Pug.  They do it right – and they always keep malt vinegar on the table for me to soak my fries in.  I love the stuff!

Oh, and maybe you’re why  it’s The Corner Pug?  Well, the place has pictures of  cute little smushy faced pugs everywhere.  They might just be the best part.  I love the little buggers!

In between outlets, we stopped for our normal lunch at Lenny and Joe’s Fish Tale in Westbrook, CT  (there’s also a  convenient Madison location that we sometimes go to).  Lenny & Joe’s has been serving up great seafood with great service since 1979 and has become somewhat famous in the area.  If you eat seafood and you live in Southern New England, chances are you have at some point eaten at Lenny & Joe’s.  I’ve been going with my family for years and have never had a bad meal.

The atmosphere is relaxed and casual with a sort of nautical theme.  There are t-shirts  and hats that can be purchased at the front of the store for only $6 (I’ve actually purchased a few myself over the years).  Also,  if you wear your shirt while you’re on a vacation or you’ve bought a t-shirt while you’re visiting our lovely state, you can take a picture of yourself in it and send it to them telling them where the photo was taken and they’ll hang it on the wall.  The are tons of pictures all over the restaurant of people sporting their Lenny and Joe’s apparel.  I think it’s kind of neat.

Notice the cool  light fixtures (sorry for the dark picture – I’ve been messing around with the manual settings on my camera):

The food, as always, was great.  First, we split a couple of appetizers (shopping can build up quite an appetite!) .  We had the fried calamari and their onion rings, which are pretty amazing.  Their portions are  huge and with four of us eating, we didn’t even finish them.

For our meals, Mom, Angie and I all chose the lobster roll!  My brother had the crab cakes, which I did not get a picture of but I hear they were pretty awesome.  The lobster roll has become my usual when I go to Lenny and Joe’s.  It’s really all you could ever want – hot, buttery chunks of lobster served on a hot dog bun with a side of their coleslaw – and I’m not normally a coleslaw fan, but theirs is really quite good.  I’ve heard that other parts of New England do the lobster roll a little differently – that if you go a little north, you’ll be served some sort of lobster salad on a roll.  Now, I think that’s just wrong, but that’s me.  Take a look what a real lobster roll should look like!

Really, how can you beat that?

Overall, we all had a really great meal and good times at Lenny & Joe’s – as always.   Look at Danny and Angie’s smiling faces!

If you’re visiting the area and you enjoy seafood, you really need to stop in at Lenny and Joe’s and maybe even pick up a t-shirt!

My dad made reservations for them at Carmen Anthony Fishhouse in Avon and boy, was it awesome!  I had never been there and I am so glad we went, because it was great experience.  Everything was just top notch.  Great service, a beautiful atmosphere and the food was absolutely stellar!

I had the  Sesame Tuna served with an Asian Slaw

Mom had Salmon a la Griglia served with their Risotto

Dad had a Pamesan Encrusted Pork Chop served with Mac and Cheese

And Kevin had the Chilean Sea Bass with Risotto

Dinner was followed by coffee and we split a couple of desserts – we were celebrating, after all!  We split their White & Dark Chocolate Chunk Bread Pudding and Bananas Foster.   The bread pudding was especially wonderful.   I wish I had gotten pictures of the dessert, but we really had to get started – the Bananas Foster was melting very quickly!  As dessert was being brought out they also brought us all glasses of champagne to celebrate the occasion.  Nice!

This was really a great meal and we were all very impressed.  I’m so glad my dad invited us out to help them celebrate such a special day!  Thanks guys and happy anniversary!

Plan B, however, does things right and everything is of a super high quality (handcrafted, 100% natural goodness) and they have a really awesome beer list.  I really can’t ask for anything more than that.  What can be better than grabbing an amazing burger and some awesome brews?  Nothing.

They have three convenient locations in West Hartford, Glastonbury, and Simsbury.  Plan B’s West Hartford location is actually the first of these sort of premium gourmet burger bars that I had tried and while I was very impressed with the food, I didn’t necessarily want to go back any time soon.  Why, you may ask?  Well, their West Hartford location is a bit cramped.  It’s really more of  a bar atmosphere…  it’s kind of dark, the table’s are small and close together and there’s frequently a long wait.   These are things that normally wouldn’t bother me so much, but if I’m eating a big messy burger, I need some room – I need to be comfortable.

When I’d learned that Plan B had opened up a couple of new locations, I had to give them a try.  I still have yet to have eaten at their Simsbury location, but I have now been to the Glastonbury one twice and I can honestly say that they got it right this time.  It’s perfect.  Same great menu as the original and much more spacious – a large bar to relax in, outdoor seating , and a large dining area with lots of  GIANT booths that you can really get cozy in.

Last weekend,  I went to the Glastonbury location with my parents and my aunt Annie.  Here are a few photos that I took of our awesome meal.

Lobster Bisque:

Dad’s Bacon Cheese Burger Served With a Tower of Onion Rings:

My Pretzel Burger and Sweet Potato Fries:

Parmesan Fries:

Everything was great and I’m sure I’ll be back again soon – probably with Kevin, as he couldn’t join us and I know he was jealous!

You see, Kevin and I really aren’t your typical barbecue fans… we’re generally not even big meat eaters, but we do appreciate good food and good beer – and at Smokin’ With Chris that is what you will get!  And you’ll get a lot of it -  I would consider both Kevin and myself to be  big eaters and I always take half home with me and  Kevin usually leaves very full.

They have great food, a great beer selection (they only have about 6 taps, but they’re generally all really good craft beers that you just don’t find everywhere), and if you go on the right night, great music.   The owner, Chris Conlon, is always there and can always be found speaking with the patrons.  It’s clear that he has a real passion for what he does there and that’s what makes the place so special.  Everything is just done right.

Some pictures (from my iPhone -sorry about the less than stellar quality) from our most recent visit:

Kevin started with the French Onion soup, which he said was quite good – and he’s something of an expert on the subject.

I had the pulled pork sandwich – which is what I usually end up getting – with a side of fries and they’re cucumber salad – gotta get some vegetables in there somewhere, right?

I chose to wash it down with the Flying Dog Raging Bitch, which is really an excellent IPA.

Kevin ended up choosing the Meat Lovers Combo, which is a TON of food… and I don’t know how he does it.  He chose sides of mac  n’ cheese and onion rings. I did  try a little of everything and it was all pretty awesome.

Overall, it was another great trip  to Smokin’ With Chris!  As always, we both left very full.  If you find yourself with a craving for BBQ and are  in or around Southington, CT, this the place to go!

Bellini, just across from Ted’s, had a very lovely patio area and I had never eaten there.  As the adventurous eater that I am, when given two options between a place that I’ve eaten on numerous occasions and a new place that I’ve never tried before, I’ll always choose the latter.  Bellini was a clear winner in my book – outdoor seating (as the weather gets  warmer, I’m always looking for places where I can dine alfresco) and I’d never been there.  Perfect!

We were not at all disappointed with our choice.  Their  lunch  menu consisted mainly of lighter Italian fare – lots of panini, salads and soup options, wood fired pizzas, and some smaller pasta dishes to choose from.

After much debate, we both chose the lunch combo of your choice of panini with either soup or their house or caesar salad.  We each chose the Balsamico Panini – with balsamic glazed chicken, caramelized, onions, roasted tomatoes and provolone – and she had the Caesar salad while I chose House salad, which was really the start of my meal.  They also both came with a couple of potato wedges, which while unnecessary were quite good.  It was all really excellent.

I would definitely recommend Bellini to anyone looking for a quick lunch while shopping at Evergreen Walk – especially if it’s a nice Spring or Summer day and they want to eat outside.

With views of  beautiful Elizabeth Park, where the restaurant is located, the scenery really makes the experience special.  Large windows look out onto a patio, where on can dine in the nicer months, and beyond the patio lies  the pond and of a lot really spectacular flowers.

I could go on and on about how lovely the area around the restaurant is, but the decor inside is also quite attractive.   The interesting art on the walls, the large windows mentioned above, and the sort of post modern furniture give the place a a really fun and somewhat relaxed atmosphere.  It all feels very open and I’ve always found it to be a comfortable place to dine.

And the food is really great, too.  Their menu just makes me happy.  The other night when I went with my mom,  we both had a very difficult time deciding between a lot of different entrees.

In the end, I settled on the chicken wrap with baby arugula, caramelized onions, roasted red peppers and smoked Gouda.  It was pretty awesome.

Mom decided on the crab cake served with basmati rice.  I of course had try hers and it was also really yummy.

We also split a huge side order of sweet potato fries.  I consider myself to be something of a sweet potato fry connoisseur and these, I must say, were quite excellent!

Overall it was a really great dinner and I definitely hope to check it out again. My only complaint would be that they are BYOB… and we know how I enjoy the drink!

Kevin enjoying his Manhattan at The Tunnel Bar - sorry for the crappy iPhone pic

Recently, I’ve developed quite a fondness for whiskey…  Kevin loves the stuff and I wanted to be able to drink it with him.   As with everything, practice makes perfect.  We started by making Manhattans somewhat regularly and sure enough, I was soon able to just drink whiskey straight.  Good stuff.  Anyway, the Manhattan has overtime become one of my favorite drinks.  However, you just can’t get a good Manhattan when you go out – trust me, I’ve tried.  More often than not, it comes out sort of watered down and  just kind of yucky all around  - a big disappointment.

On our recent day trip to Northampton, Kevin and I made a stop at The Tunnel Bar , which yes, is in an actual tunnel.  It’s really pretty neat.  Kevin had been there once before,  a number of years ago, and recalls the Manhattan he had there as the best he has EVER had – and Kevin knows his Manhattans.  My Manhattan at The Tunnel Bar did not disappoint – it was awesome and all that a proper Manhattan should be.  The vibe at The Tunnel Bar is just  perfect for imbibing a Manhattan… it’s cool, relaxed, dimly lit, with jazz music playing in the background.    Take a seat in one of the many leather chairs scattered throughout the bar and chill out with one of the best drinks you’ll ever have.  We’ll definitely make it a point to stop back next time we’re in the area!

The outside of  Wrapsody still feels a lot like  a McDonald’s and as you park, you really aren’t quite sure what you’re going to be in for, but as you enter the building it’s very clear that you won’t be offered fries with that.  The inside is really nice and even a bit trendy – definitely a change from the Golden Arches – and really quite different from most of the restaurants in the immediate area.

Upon being seated, we were greeted with an impressive drink menu – with 20 beers on tap and over 100 bottles, an extensive wine list, and some really interesting cocktail options.  We were quite pleased with the selection.

The food was pretty amazing…   For appetizers, we chose  the Fresh Fried Rhode Island Calamari, served with banana peppers and pickles,  and Seven Types Of Roasted Olives, served in olive oil with crostini and roasted garlic. I even enjoyed the olives I tried  and I’m typically not an olive fan.

For our meals, we had the Maple Horseradish Crusted Atlantic Salmon, the Fresh Herb and Dijon Crusted Roast Chicken Breast, Grilled 14 ounce USDA Certified Black Angus Dry Aged Rib Eye, and  Sweet Italian Sausage and Ricotta. Of the four entrees, I think Kevin’s rib eye was the clear winner with it’s Malbec demi-glace.    They were all really great, but the rib eye was particularly spectacular.  We also chose a couple of sides to share  -  creamy wild mushroom  and  parmesan risotto and their handcut truffle and  parmesan pomme frites, which were both pretty awesome.

A few shots from my iphone :

Overall, we were quite  impressed with our meals and we hope to be back.   I really want to see this place do well.  On the Thursday evening that we went, it was alarmingly quiet (though I imagine they’re pretty hopping at lunchtime being across the street from ESPN) and I do hope word gets out about how great it is and that people support it.

The Rams Head Tavern does what it does well.  The food was great and there was a wide variety of options to choose from on the menu.  The first night, at the Savage location, we started with an appetizer of Old Bay wings… what an excellent idea!  Old Bay on wings!  They put Old Bay on just about everything on there and it really is great on the wings.  Kevin had a crab cake sandwich, which was really good, and I had a veggie sandwich served on focaccia bread, with mozzarella and a Dijon vinaigrette.  Excellent.  At the Annapolis location, Kevin had the Toby.  Oh my god, what a wonderful idea – a grilled chicken sandwich, topped with crab dip – it was pretty special.  I had the Kent Island Salad, which was really awesome if you like spicy.  A salad with spinach, grilled chicken, sliced jalapenos, red onion, tomatoes. and their signature jalapeno and cilantro vinaigrette.   It was even a little spicy at times for me!

While we did not join the World Beer Club and imbibe all 100 bottles on their list, we did enjoy some very excellent brews.   We mostly stuck to their own list of beer, which were all quite good and just done really well.  We were particularly fond of their Tavern Ale.

The service is good and the atmosphere is welcoming.  We especially enjoyed sitting outside at the Savage location on Friday night.  It proved to be the perfect place to just unwind with friends and a few drinks.

I’m sure we will end up going  back to the Rams Head Tavern again and again on future visits  to the area.

On Friday night, Kevin and I really weren’t sure what we should do with ourselves,  so of course we decided to hit up a bar -  because that is just how we roll.  But where to go?  It seemed like the perfect night to to try out Prime 16!

While the place was busy when we got there around 8pm, we had no trouble getting seated.    The first thing we did, of course, was look for the beer list, which we found on a giant chalkboard hanging on the wall… and oh, what a list it was!  Widmer Hefe,  Flying Dog Golden,  Lagunitas Pilsner,  Blue Point Blueberry,  Shipyard Summer,  Lagunitas Correction Ale,  Great Divide Titan,   Lagunitas IPA,   Dogfish Head 60 minute,  Southern Tier Unearthly, Weyerbacher XII,  Guiness,  Great Divide Yeti,  Rogue Captain Sigs, BBC Draymans Porter, Farmington River Mahogany, Wolaver’s Oatmeal Stout, Chimay, Delerium Tremens, and Alagash Double… and that was just what was on tap!   There was also a multiple page bottle list on the table!

So needless to say, we were thrilled with the beer selection.   And the food was pretty great, too. We ordered an appetizer of Chipotle and Agave chicken tenders, which were perfect in every way – crisp, spicy, smokey, and a little bit sweet.

Prime 16 specializes in burgers, so that is what we had. Kevin had the Maui burger, “topped with grilled pineapple, Maui onion, bacon , pepperjack cheese, and tropical mayo”. I chose the stuffed mushroom burger, “stuffed with crimini mushrooms and shallots, topped with swiss, portabello mushrooms, and IPA mustard. Both burgers were really phenomenal- juicy, flavorful and cooked just right!

Kevin and I will definitely be hitting up Prime 16 again in the near future. It has easily become my new favorite beer bar and I have to admit, it even kind of makes me sad that we no longer live near New Haven.

172 Temple St.
New Haven, CT 06510
phone: (203) 782-1616

When we got there, it was hopping (it was Friday night, after all), but we were seated immediately and got the last available seating out back on their patio. In normal Kevin fashion, he immediately grabbed the beverage menu upon taking our seats. It’s Only Natural has an interesting selection of beer.  Kevin chose the Peak Espresso Amber Ale and I ordered the Sam Smith Cherry Ale. Both were quite delicious.

Neither Kevin nor I had eaten much that day, so we were starving and decided to order an appetizer. After looking over the menu for awhile (there were so many interesting choices!), we decided on the nachos – which come with red bean chili, tofu sour cream, salsa and your choice of cheese. They did not disappoint and filled us up quite nicely.

For our meals, Kevin and I each ordered our usuals there. I had the Cali Melt Wrap, which can also be served on their homemade whole wheat bread. The wrap was awesome- served warm, with hummus, your choice of cheese ( I chose Mozzarella), mushrooms, and avocados. Kevin had the ION Burger, which is probably the best veggie burger anywhere (and I know my veggie burgers) and is also served on their whole wheat bread. Both were served with a heaping pile of their sweet potato fries, which are really phenomenal and in my opinion the star of the meal.

The waitstaff is friendly and knowledgeable and the decor is cozy and fun, with the works of local artists adorning the walls and the patio was really cute, too. I highly recommend It’s Only Natural for any vegetarian or vegan or  for anyone like Kevin or myself who just like to try something a little different once in awhile.

Here are a few pictures from our evening:

TD Homer’s turned out to be just the right choice. We sat outside on the large patio in the front of the building, where we shared an order of 12 buffalo wings and a pitcher of Harpoon IPA. The wings were great – not the best I’ve ever had, but really good, cooked to perfection and reasonably spicy. The IPA, of course, was delicious as always.

For dinner, I had the portobello wrap (after the wings, I felt like keeping my dinner meatless) with red peppers, avocado, lettuce, jack cheese, and a balsamic vinaigrette. It was delicious and served with a heaping pile of curly fries. Kevin ordered the Philly Cheesesteak, which I of course had to sample. It was pretty good – one of the better ones I’ve had around here… and having spent a few years living in Philadelphia, I know cheesesteaks.

After dinner, we moved into the bar area and watched the Yankees game on the many many flat screen televisions that hang on the walls. We also played some trivia, which ended up being a really fun way to spend the night… we actually played for hours.

If in the area and you’re looking for a fun place to grab some beer, eat some wings, watch a game, play some trivia or enjoy a comfortable evening dining outside, I highly recommend checking out TD Homer’s.

Because he was such a good sport and because it was getting close to dinner time, I decided to treat him to one of our favorite bars in New Haven – Delaney’s Tap Room and Restaurant.

There are many things I love about Delaney’s, but at the top of the list is the over 60 beers they have on tap – often a few that neither Kevin nor myself have ever heard of, which is really saying a lot. They also have a large assortment of bottled beers and a nice selection of wine.

The food is also quite good. My personal favorites are the Ontario Wrap, a very spicy buffalo wrap, and the Delaney Salad, a HUGE salad with oven roasted turkey breast, hard boiled eggs, cheese and bacon (how can anything with bacon not be good?). Kevin frequently orders the Southern Wrap, a really yummy wrap with BBQ chicken, bacon, lettuce, tomato and cheese.

The decor is warm, attractive and comfortable and they offer outdoor seating in warmer months. The waitstaff is generally friendly and knowledgeable.

I highly recommend a visit to Delaney’s next time you’re in the New Haven area. The excellent beer selection, great food, and a warm friendly atmosphere is sure to be a hit with everyone!