Doing New England and taking my niece to see the Pops (Part 1)

My niece has been working as a paid intern in Boston for the past 10 months or so and my sister-in-law asked me when I was going to go up and visit.  I thought about it for a while and decided to go up and take her to see the Boston Pops, which is a favorite of mine and although I have seen them many times at Wolf Trap and at DAR in DC, the best place to see them is at their home at Symphony Hall in Boston.

As I started to plan the trip I also figured that it would be a good time to get back on my DDD quest.  The planning took a lot of strange turns and up until the last minute I wasn't sure that I would be able to get to many of the places I wanted to try.  There was the potential to get to about 15 places and I was really hoping that would happen.  About a week before the trip and up to the day before I was to go it looked like the only part of the trip I would be able to take was to go to Boston, see the concert and travel back home.  I was pretty bummed about that, then the day before I did some checking on the computer and begging to my supervisor and the trip started to breathe some life!  The morning of my travels, the flights that had looked ok the night before for flying stand-by took a bad turn and as I checked stuff out and planned a bit, I was actually able to get out on an earlier flight!  My plans originally had me flying to Boston and renting a car for a few days and going to Rhode Island for a day and then driving back to Boston for time with my niece and the date at the Pops, then driving to Maine to hit a few places before flying home.  I had to readjust the plans and fly to Providence and rent a car there and then turn it back in and take the commuter train to Boston and get a different car there.  Yes, it is a big pain, but the car rental companies levy a huge drop-off charge on the cars and in this case it would have been about $125, the train cost about $11!

I decided that the best plan was to leave work early and catch the first flight from Dulles to Providence.  After a flight of about an hour, I arrived and headed off.  Guy Fieri has done a bunch of places in Providence and Rhode Island because his wife's family lives in the Providence area.  Rhode Island is made up of another land masses around ocean inlets.  I looked at the maps and  made a big circle around the state and although on the map the distances looked vast, Rhode Island is the smallest state in the USA so they weren't as vast as they seemed!

I headed east through Providence and just over the border in Massachusetts to the town of Fall River.  Fall River is the home town of tow famous men.  Celebrity Chef Emeril Lagasse and Undefeated Heavyweight boxing champ Rocky Marciano.  "Patti's Pierogis" is a small family owned restaurant in the heart of Fall River.  I entered just after they opened and was warmly greeted by the staff.  When they saw my book and I told them about my travels they brought out their photo book from Guy's visit and also their guest book for me to sign.

Patti's Pierogis I Fall River, MA

They make dozens of pierogis, which is the Polish version of a ravioli, both savory and sweet.  It was a tough decision but I chose to try two of the traditional cheese filled and two called "Guy's Favorites" which were filled with sauerkraut and pork. 

My Patti's Pierogis meal.  Traditional on the top and Guy's Favorites on the bottom
 

They were awesome!  The traditional were really good, but Guy's Favorites were awesome.  I need to give kudos to the staff, they were awesome, very friendly.  Patti, the owner and matriarch gave over and signed the book, the staff is all of her family.  The two waitresses were her nieces and the cooks were also family.  I asked about the area and if it was divided into district ethnic neighborhoods and they told me that all River had been that was but now the city is a mix of many different cultures.  From Patti's I headed south back into Rhode Island to the small town of Tiverton, which sits on an inlet of the ocean to a place called "Evelyn's Drive In".  On the DDD episode Guy cruised up on a boat and they do have a dock and dockside seating, but on this day I preferred my rental car as it was rainy and cool.

Evelyn's Tricked out VW Bug

From first glance it looked like a carryout style place, but as I looked over the menu I was greeted by the staff and invited to go to the dining room on the side to check out the menu.  I took a seat at a small table and decided to get a lighter meal that seemed to be very popular as many of the other diners chose it too.  The Chowder and Clam Cakes meal.  Clam Cakes I would find out are really different depending on where you are, in this case they were like a fritter, a doughy fried ball that has clam meat throughout.  There was a choice of chowders, New England style of Rhode Island style, since I was in Rhode Island, why not!  Rhode Island style is a broth style that is finished with a drop of cream, so it has a cloudy look but is very light and loaded with clam meat and veggies (mostly potatoes). 

Rhode Island Clam Chowder

Evelyn's Clam Cakes

The chowder was pretty good as were the Clam Cakes.  I think I prefer the thicker New England style as did many of the other diners but it was a nice light meal.  From Evelyn's I headed out travelling south, This area of Rhode Island was just starting to gear up for their big season, which is summer on the ocean, Nantucket is not too far and there are a number of bridges to cross in this area.  I headed to the town of Middletown and arrived in a small rain storm to "Anthony's Seafood". 

Anthony's is a seafood market, where they will cook the seafood you purchase and seat you in their restaurant area.  They feature locally caught seafood and different items to help the home cook.  I met Anthony who told me that Guy is a frequent visitor when he is in the area.  Originally he was located in Nantucket.with some success, but being a fish market and Nantucket being a vacation town, they didn't do a great business in selling fish as many were in hotels wouldn't buy fresh, unprepared fish.  Moving more inland to a residential area, Anthony's has flourished.

Anthony's Fresh Display

One of Anthony's cool Fish Shaped Chairs

From Anthony's I headed even further south to the town of Narraragansett.  "Crazy Burger Café and Juice Bar" is a place I was really looking forward to try.  On the episode, the owner-chef had a great time with Guy, it was a really fun  episode.

Crazy Burger in Narraragansett

Well, what a disappointment!  It seemed more like a college hangout, almost like a coffeehouse.  Now, I am not against those types of places, but it really wasn't anything like I had imagined and the prices were pretty high, too.  I chose to try a dessert and they had my favorite, Key Lime Pie! 

My Crazy Burger Key Lime Pie

It was tart and delicious.  I was really hoping to meet the owner-chef that cooked with Guy but I had a real hard time just getting my book signed, so that just added to the disappointment.  From Narraragansett I headed back north to my hotel for the night.

After a brief rest I headed back out into Providence to try a few more places.  My first stop was "Italian Corner" which turned out to be an Italian Deli and Store that featured a market area with almost all Italian products that can't be found in many markets.  They do make fresh pastas and sandwiches.  I decided to get a small bag of Italian chocolates, to bring home.

Italian Corner in Providence and some Italian chocolates

From Italian Corner I headed to a part of Providence called Federal Hill, which could also be nicknamed Little Italy.  It is an area of shops and restaurants, mostly Italian, but I noticed some other types there as well.  Guy went to two different places that happen to be across the street from each other.  My first stop was "Medeterraneo". 

Wow, this place was not like most of the DDD places featured, I would describe it as fine dining and with prices out of my price range.  They feature price fixed menus, but I decided since there was another place to try across the street I would go into the bar and try an appetizer.  I decided to try the Bruschetta and it was delicious, all fresh ingredients. 

Medeterraneo's Bruschetta

I walked across the street to what I would find out was the Oldest Continuously family owned restaurant in Rhode Island.  "Angelo's Civita Farnese Restaurant" is a wonderful place.  You enter into an old style place like the place where Michael Corleone shot the cop in the movie the Godfather.  I was greeted by the hostess and manager and they couldn't have been more warm and inviting.  They told me about the menu and the restaurants history.

Since it had been a long day for me I decided that I would take out a meal to eat at the hotel.  They told me that one of the original meals from 1924, when the place opened was Meatballs and Fries.  They catered to the blue collar workers of Providence and this was (and still is) an inexpensive but filling meal, so I figured that the story was good enough for me. Also this was featured on their DDD episode.

Angelo's Meatballs and Fries

The decorations are great with original photos and posters on the walls, a model train runs over the restaurant and black and white tiled floors.  Before I left I got a few photos with the staff.  I can rell you without a doubt I will return to Angelo's when I am in Providence!

Me with the great staff at Angelo's

I figured that I was pretty much done in Providence and would head to Boston the next morning, but I awoke early I decided to go out and try just one more place.  I headed out to downtown Providence through the Colonial area (which is very reminiscent of Boston) and onto the Campus of Brown University to try a small place that caters to the college crowd called "Louis Family Cafe".  This small cafe had quite a few customers for 530a. 

I decided to try some chocolate chip pancakes and what I found out to be official drink of Rhode Island, Coffee Milk.  Coffee Milk is just like Chocolate Milk but they use Coffee Syrup.  Louis' makes they own syrup, but Coffee Syrup is something that is very unique to Rhode Island, it is delicious.  If I didn't have to carry my bags though security at the airport I would have brought a bottle of it home.

Louis' Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Coffee Milk

My tour of Rhode Island has come to an end and I headed back to the airport to catch the commuter train to Boston to visit my niece, Rebekah and take her to see the Boston Pops.  The train takes about an hour and a half and is pretty comfortable and it seemed very popular as the cars were all pretty full,

Amtrak's Acela speeds by while waiting for the commuter train

My MBTA commuter trains approaches the TF Green Station

I arrived into Boston's South Station and proceeded to Logan Airport to get my rental car.  I took the new Silver Line from the train station to the airport.  Since it is called the Silver Line and is part of the subway system in Boston (also called the T) you'd think that the Silver Line is a train, but it is not, it's a bus that runs underground like a train and hen goes above to travel on the streets.  Underground they run on electricity and then switch to diesel engines above ground.  I got the car and headed to my niece's place and then we went to lunch.  She especially likes ethnic foods, so I chose a DDD spot in East Boston called "Angela's Cafe" which specializes in food from the Puebla area of Mexico. 

Rebekah decided on a few appetizers, she chose and tamale and a gordita.  I am not he biggest fan of Mexican food but I do really enjoy flauta's so that is what I chose.  My food was excellent and Rebekah really enjoyed her meal too!.  When I asked if they would sign my book they seemed very confused, but after explaining it they very warm and happy hat we stopped in.  Angela came and met us with her son who translated.  This would be my only place in Boston and I had now gotten to the milestone of 350 DDD visits.

Flauta's - My Angela's meal



Rebekah's meal - Tamale on top and Gordita on the botton


Rebekah ad I spent the evening at Symphony Hall seeing the Boston Pops.  The Pops area favorite of mine and I was excited to see the show.  When we arrived I looked at the program and was really excited!  The show featured a number of my favorites: Aaron Copland, George Gershwin and John Williams!

Boston's Symphony Hall

View of the stage from our seats

It was a great show!  The music was great, they had a sing-a-long and it was great spending time with my niece.

My niece Rebekah at Symphony Hall

There I am

Sing-a-long time!

Stars and Stripes Forever - The final song at just about every Pops Concert

After dropping Rebekah back home and fighting the terrible Boston traffic I headed to a hotel for the night, with a final day ahead with plans to get to 5 more places in New Hampshire and Maine.  My count is 350!

Doing Triple D in New England (Part 2)

After a couple of days trying some great places in Rhode Island and Massachusetts and seeing a wonderful Boston Pops concert, I was pretty tired when I got the hotel in Revere, just outside of Boston.  I had planned a full day before going back to Boston Logan Airport for the flight home.  I decided that I would let my body decide what I should do.  If I slept in then that the body telling me to take it easy and if I got up, I go and try to do a very full day! 

I awoke feeling pretty good and decided to go "full steam ahead!"  I left the hotel about 7a and headed northwest on a very rainy New England morning.  I headed into New Hampshire to the city of Manchester to a tiny place called the "Red Arrow Diner"  I entered and the places was packed every seat full.  A booth opened up but they don't allow one person at a booth when it is so busy, but as I started to wait a young couple at the counter moved to the vacant booth to make room for me, the second seat was taken almost immediately by another patron .

Manchester's Red Arrow Diner

The Red Arrow is the diner version of Cheers!  The two very busy waitresses knew just about everyone who came in and greeted them warmly.  Along the counter each seat has a little name plate for a celebrity that visited and ate at that particular seat, I sat next to the seat that Guy had sat in.  The walls were adorned with pictures and cool wall ornaments and two huge neon signs of the Red Arrow's mascots, comic coffee cups named Moe and Dinah

Red Arrow's Mascots Moe and Dinah

As I looked over the menu, I saw huge meals and very reasonable prices,  One of the meal category was for multiple plate meals!  The husband and wife seating next to me each had two plates and they took three take-out boxes of left overs out with them!  I chose the Pork Pie with has browns.   Pork Pie was one of the featured dishes on their DDD episode, so  knew I had to try it and it was one of he lighter meals offered!  The crust of the pie was great, flaky and delicious. 

Red Arrow' Pork Pie and Hash Brown's

As I was eating my waitress came over to sign the book but she had an ulterior motive, which was embarrassment!  She gave me a sticker and stuck it on my chest that said "I have been de-virginized at the Red Arrow" and then rag a bell and made an announcement to everyone that me and one other patrons where no longer Red Arrow "Virgins".  The place broke out into applause, it was a lot of fun!  I am looking forward to returning there.

From Manchester and the Red Arrow I headed northeast into the state of Maine.  I decided to go as far north as I could then work my way south to Boston.  My first stop would be in the wharf area of downtown Portland to the very appropriately named "Porthole Restaurant".  This place is located on the water, near numerous docks and fresh fish markets. 

The Porthole in Portland, Maine

Right across the street from the restaurant

They were still serving breakfast, although I am not much of a breakfast eater I decided that "when in Maine, do as the locals do" and ordered the Lobster Benedict.  It was a classic Eggs Benedict with Lobster instead of the ham.  It was really good, and they take a lot of pride in their Hollandaise Sauce and they should, it was the best I had ever had

Lobster Benedict at the Porthole

From the Porthole I headed just a few blocks up the street to "Becky's Diner".  This is a very popular Portland eater and was packed.  I looked over the menu and decided on a side of Homemade Corned Beef Hash and it was really good, strips of corned beef and potatoes, sure beats the canned stuff!

Becky's Homemade Hash

I would have to admit that I did not find the place overly friendly, but the guy that was seated next to me was a regular and we had a nice conversation.  I also think that I was there on high school prom night as the young couple seating on my left were sharing photos of their dresses.  I left Portland and headed south. The rain finally stopped and it was a pretty nice drive!  I headed into the town of Wells, passing through the towns of Kennebunk and Kennebunkport, which is the second hometown of President George HW Bush.  On Route 1, I stopped at "The Maine Diner" which also includes the Remember the Maine Gift Shop.  The shop had a plethora of Maine gifts, but not much about the famous war ship the USS Maine. 

The Maine Diner - Wells, Maine

I knew exactly what I was going to get, on the show they featured an item called Lobster Pie and I know that was what I wanted!  The waitress was really surprised when I told her that I wanted the Lobster Pie, no sides, nothing else and she then asked me again listing each side, as my buddy Rich would say, "I want my Lobster Pie neat!"  The Lobster Pie is a full lobster shucked and put into a crock style dish and covered with breadcrumbs and served with melted butter.

Lobster Pie presentation

Delicious Lobster meat

I can't even describe how delicious this meal was!  As I write this I want to get another!  If you are ever in the area stop there and try it, I don't think you'll be disappointed!  I got the owner to sign my book and headed out.  A great place, that's all I can say!

I drove almost due south to the border town of Kittery, which seemed more like a town of outlet malls than being not too far from some of Maine's ocean beaches.  I stopped at a very busy and popular place called "Bob's Clam Hut".  This place was pretty crowded, they employ their own parking attendants!  The high prices for the seafood and being pretty full I decided to try the Bob's version of a Clam Cake.  It was not at all like the type I had tried in Rhode Island, t was more of a fish cake with clams.  Thin but with a lot of clam meat and was pretty good.  Bob's was so busy that I wasn't sure if I would get my book signed but did find a manager who signed it.  I headed out and left Maine for my flight home.

Bob's Clam Hut - Kittery, Maine

Bob's Clam Cake

Since I had some time to kill I decided to make a detour to a place on the Massachusetts and New Hampshire order in the town of Methune, Massachusetts called Prelude.  I stopped in to see the Chef-Owner but unfortunately he was not in.  This guy was on the Next Food Network Star the same season as Guy (the 2nd season of the show) and shares something with my brother (and the father of my niece, Rebekah, who I took to the Pops) his name and my brother's is Tom Grella!

I got to the airport with a few hours to spare and sweated out a full flight but got on and flew home after a great trip and fun time with my niece and was able to eat some great food and meet some fantastic people!  My DDD count is now 355!