Clam Box

246 High St.

Ipswich, MA 01938

(978) 356-9707

www.ipswichma.com/clambox

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL 2008 MENU

Date visited: September 18, 2008


Mom and I have been reading about the Clam Box in Ipswich, MA, for years. The reviews of the seafood were outstanding, not to mention the restaurant itself was shaped like an actual clam box. We just love stuff like that! When planning our vacation, Mom suggested that we finally pay a visit to this 60 year old establishment and see for ourselves what Bostonians have been raving about. After driving for quite a while, we pulled into the parking area at around 12:30 p.m.
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For an early Thursday afternoon, the parking lot was quite full. In fact, there was a line of people standing outside waiting to get into the building. Mom had read that this happens quite often, and during the summer months, you can barely get near the place. Luckily, the line was moving fast and after about 10 minutes, we found ourselves in front of the ordering window and reading the large menu on the wall. We also had to make way for all the elderly people that were swarming the place. Apparently Clam Box is a hit with the over-sixties. After pushing our way through all the walkers and canes, we were finally able to place our order. Since Mom and I like to plan ahead, we already knew what we wanted to get. A cute young man came over to take our order. I chose two haddock fillet sandwiches ($7.50 each), a small box of clam strips ($8.75), and two clam cakes ($1 each). I also ordered two diet sodas and a novelty magnet that featured a pretty picture of the Clam Box restaurant ($2.50). The food and beverage total came to approximately $30 and change. I couldn't write down the exact total nor even remember my name because it was so loud and frenzied in there. However, it was a lot of fun.
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The ordering window.

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The crazy dining room.

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As we sat on the bench waiting for our food (we were given a number), Mom decided to peek into the tiny dining room. WOW! It was packed. We decided that when our food was ready, we would take it outside and eat at one of the picnic tables. After only a few minutes of waiting, one of the workers behind the counter called our number. I grabbed a few condiments (tartar sauce and vinegar) while Mom grabbed the napkins and straws. We carefully made our way through the door and through the gravel parking lot. It was a blessing that I didn't drop the sodas. When we got to the table, we set everything up. The food looked and smelled delicious.
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The outdoor seating area.

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After swatting away some nearby bees, we dug into our lunch. The haddock fillet sandwiches were amazing. Mom said that she's had fried haddock sandwiches in several different places, but this was by far the best. I completely agree. The sandwiches were chock full of flaky, white fish. The coating was very light and dry, making it easy to taste the delicious fish inside. Although $7.50 may be a lot for someone to spend on one sandwich, you certainly get your money's worth because this sandwich was extremely meaty and filling. Even the bun was big, soft, and fresh. This was definitely an A+ dish.
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The clam cakes weren't really cakes at all. They were little flat patties. Mom and I had never had them like this. The "cakes" were deep fried until crispy, and they kept that delicious clam taste. The crust was also nicely spiced, which helped give the cakes a great flavor. This was a really unique way of making clam cakes, but Mom and I loved them.
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The clam strips - like the fillets - were the best we've had so far. They had the same nice, dry coating as the haddock, and were very fresh, clean, and sweet. Both Mom and I can see why Clam Box has been an institution for years. Since we had some strips leftover, we decided to put them in our freezer bag to see if they'd save until we got back home. Dad was brave enough to try them after they'd been in the car for a while, and he said that they heated up very well and were excellent.
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As Mom and I were packing up to leave, a large bus filled with golden agers pulled into the parking lot. As the staff were setting up the outdoor picnic tables ('cause there wasn't any room in the dining room for all those biddies), Mom and I joked about how we like to come to places that the older crowds frequent. Older people have been around a long time. They certainly know where to get a good meal for a good price, and that's exactly what Mom and I got at the Clam Box. It was by far some of the best seafood we've ever eaten. Be sure to pick up a magnet or a t-shirt on your way out. You're going to want to remember your meal for a very long time.
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The Clam Box summer hours are from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily (except Tuesday). Since their hours vary, please call before making the long drive to Ipswich. I believe they may be open year round.

Bite of the Week - Newman's Own Flakes 'N Strawberries Cereal

R.I.P. Paul Newman, 1925-2008.

In honor of Mr. Newman, I decided to pick up a box of Newman's Own Flakes 'N Strawberries cereal ($3.99). Newman's Own is famous for making a line of natural foods. Since Mom and I enjoyed Newman's Honey Nut O's so much, I figured that this cereal would be just as good. I was right!

THE VERDICT: Delicious! The flakes are made from rice and wheat and had a great crisp to them. Added into the mix were real strawberry pieces that had a very strong flavor which carried over to the flakes, giving them a fruity taste. This cereal is great for people who are watching their sugar because it only has eight grams per serving. It is also fat free, cholesterol free (before the added milk), and has only five percent sodium per serving. It's a shame that Paul Newman has passed away, but his name will live on through his acting accomplishments, his charity work, and his delicious Newman's Own products.

Bite of the Week - Old El Paso Soft Taco Dinner Kit

I love me some tacos! There is just something about the taste of meat, cheese, and veggies all stuffed into some kind of shell that makes my mouth water. Because Mom is well aware of my taco obsession, she will occasionally buy the take-home taco kits so that she can make them for dinner (and shut me up in the process). Old El Paso was having a sale last week on their soft taco dinner kit ($2.50; regular $2.99), so Mom decided to buy one and silence my cries of, "Tacos, tacos, tacos!"

THE VERDICT: Excellent! The Old El Paso kit comes with 10 flour tortillas, mild taco sauce, and seasoning mix. Mom also makes sure she has lettuce, onions, shredded cheese, and sour cream so that Dad, Mal, and I can make the tacos to our liking. I always just grab everything I see and stuff it into my tortilla. It's messy, but outstandingly tasty. Mom likes her taco a little on the plain side, but she enjoys the taste just as much as I do. If I could cook, I would definitely buy these kits all the time. Fortunately for my wallet, and my waistline, I have to wait until Mom decides that she's in the mood for Mexican to have this yummy meal. Perhaps I can convince her to make them on my upcoming 30th birthday. She'll probably just tell me that I'm old enough to make them myself. What a bummer.

Lewis Brothers Homemade Ice Cream

310 Commercial St.

Provincetown, MA 02657

(508) 487-0977

www.lewisbrothersicecream.com

To round off our lovely trip to Provincetown, Mom and I decided to stop at Lewis Brothers Homemade Ice Cream. After all, we wanted to leave this beautiful community on a good note, and there's nothing better than a delicious cup of homemade ice cream. Plus, we didn't want to drive two and a half hours back home with dry mouths. We needed to have this.
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Lewis Brothers is small, but very cute and clean inside. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of the interior because there were too many people around. There was a large sign displaying all of the ice cream/frozen yogurt flavors and prices, and because they do so much business, there was a rope that you had to stand behind so that you could get your ice cream in an orderly fashion. After deciding what we wanted, I went to the counter to place my order. The gentleman there was quite energetic and friendly. Mom chose a small cup of White Russian ($3.50), and I chose a small cup of Mudslide chip ($3.50). He told us that they were excellent, and showed us how he uses actual liquor to flavor the ice cream. The total came to $7. As the ice cream shop started to fill up, I paid the excitable gentleman and he wished us well. Mom jokingly said that perhaps he's been tasting the liquor-filled ice cream all day to ensure that it is of the highest quality.
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We found an empty bench across the street and sat down to try our ice cream. We each took a spoonful of each other's cup first, and almost died when we did. The flavor was OUTSTANDING. Mom fell in love immediately. Besides being very rich and creamy (it definitely tasted homemade), she'd never come across an ice cream that tasted as close to the flavor described as this one. Her White Russian tasted exactly like a White Russian drink. If an outside person had tasted this and didn't know what it was, their guess would be White Russian. It was that exact. The same could be said for my Mudslide. It even had little chocolate chips inside, which some frozen mudslide drinks often have. It was extremely delicious and we were both oohing and ahhing out on the bench like a couple of morons because we were so enthralled with the taste.
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(L) Mudslide; (R) White Russian

Lewis Brothers makes all of their ice creams in the store daily. They also serve sorbets, sherbets, sugar free ice cream, low fat ice cream, and a variety of fat free, soft serve yogurts. Mom and I are heartbroken that they are so far away because we would definitely like to try more of what they have to offer.

When we finally drove out of Provincetown, we talked about all the cute things we saw and all the good food we ate. On the top of the list was Lewis Brothers, and we will definitely be making a stop there the next time we decide to take a trip to the very tip of Massachusetts.

Lewis Brothers Homemade Ice Cream is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends. They close for the season the third week in October.

Check out what else we saw in scenic Provincetown:

Cabot's Candy Store

276 Commercial St.

Provincetown, MA 02657

(508) 487-3550

www.cabotscandy.com

Prior to having lunch at Provincetown's famous Lobster Pot, Mom and I decided to stop in at one of Commercial Street's many fudge shops to buy some - what else - fudge. Mom and I just love homemade fudge, so when we saw Cabot's Candy Store bustling with tourists, we decided that this store must be "the place to be." We walked up the stairs and into the store at about 1:10 p.m.



Cabot's is very cute inside! Not only does it have two counters displaying their fudge, but they have several bins of various candies and snacks scattered throughout the store. They also have several varieties of nostalgia candy which we always like to see. Mom stood at the fudge counter and was waited on by a very polite gentleman. She chose to get a pound of fudge ($10.95/lb.), and he told her that he could either give her a pound of one flavor, or she can pick little squares of several flavors so that we could try them all. From all the different fudges, Mom chose the cranberry walnut, chocolate cranberry, pistachio, penuche, chocolate peanut butter, coconut, and rocky road (my favorite). After putting the box on the scale, the total came to $10.62. The man behind the counter provided us with napkins and plastic knives in case we wanted to try the fudge immediately. Since we were heading off to have lunch, we decided to wait until we got home to try the very aromatic candy.




When we got home, Mom and I cut little slivers of each piece of fudge and laid them out on a plate. The fudge had a nice, creamy texture and was easy to slice. Unfortunately, although there was a large assortment of flavors, we found that they didn't live up to their potential. All seven fudges weren't as flavorful as they could have been. We barely tasted the cranberries in the fudge, even though it was sprinkled with actual cranberries. The chocolate peanut butter didn't really taste like chocolate or peanut butter. It wasn't a bad taste, but it wasn't as dynamic as we thought it would be. The feel of the fudge, however, was excellent. It did not break apart and was not overly sweet. If the taste of the fudge was stronger and the texture stayed just as it was, Cabot's would be fantastic.



Open since 1927, Cabot's makes gourmet salt water taffy, sugar free taffy, fudge, peanut brittle, and honey crunch popcorn from scratch. They also sell their goods both retail and wholesale. Although Mom and I did enjoy the fudge, we felt that it could have been a little tastier. However, this experience will not deter us from ever having Cabot's fudge again. Perhaps we'll stop in the next time we're in Provincetown. The shop was adorable, and we can see why it has been so popular for over 80 years.

Cabot's Candy Store is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. all year. During the winter, please call for hours as they may not be open every day.

The Lobster Pot

321 Commercial St.

Provincetown, MA 02657

(508) 487-0842

www.ptownlobsterpot.com

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL 2008 MENU

I can't believe we made it out alive.

On day two of my vacation, Mom and I got a very early start and drove two and a half hours up to scenic Provincetown. I'd never been before, but Mom had many years ago and was looking forward to seeing it again. For those of you who haven't had the pleasure of seeing this beautiful town, I can sum it up in one word - frenzied. Not only were the one-way streets super skinny, but the tourists did not think anything of walking directly in front of an oncoming vehicle. Insanity! Since Mom and I wanted to have the whole Provincetown experience, we decided to visit the famous Lobster Pot, which has been featured in the Zagat Survey. After riding past this restaurant on a trolley tour and seeing a line of people waiting to get inside, Mom and I decided to do some shopping before heading in. We were finally able to enter at around 1:20 p.m.

The outdoor menu.

What a chaotic environment! Mom and I had no idea what we were in for. We gave our names to the friendly hostess who told us that the wait would be about 10 minutes. It wasn't. There were about 900 tour group biddies that were making deals with the hostess about combining small parties to get faster seating - and it worked. They were seated quite a few minutes before Mom and I were, but the hostess assured us (and a few others that were in line) that the food would be worth the wait. Finally, our name was called and we were told to walk straight up the ramp and into the dining room where someone would seat us (there was also an upstairs area). We arrived at the ramp, but when we got there the host told us that our table was not yet ready. Another couple arrived behind us and was seated right away. Umm ... OK. We were there first, and like them, we had only two people to our party. Another small group came through and were seated before us. What was going on? As Mom and I watched out for passing servers with large drink trays and tried to figure out the complex seating arrangements, we were finally ushered by a very polite man in a Hawaiian shirt to a table by the windows. He had assured us that our table would be great, and it was. We faced the Provincetown Harbor and got to see all the boats docked against the pier. The host left us with two colorful menus, and Mom and I were delighted to finally be seated and one step closer to eating lunch.

Unfortunately, Mom and I were left waiting. We had not been approached by any member of the waitstaff. Finally, after several minutes, a young lady came over. Her name was Leyla, and she seemed extremely busy (as did everyone else). She was very rushed in taking our order. Since we hadn't ordered drinks yet, we both asked for a Diet Pepsi. Mom then chose the fish and chips ($17), while I ordered the Alaskan King crabmeat salad roll ($14). I was on the fence about getting a cup of their famous clam chowder, but Leyla was so quick in taking our order that I kind of forgot about it.

The Lobster Pot interior is really pretty. Although there were people everywhere, which made taking photos almost impossible, I was able to get a beautiful shot of Provincetown Harbor through our window. Old pictures of The Lobster Pot hang in the lobby, and merchandise with the Lobster Pot logo is sold throughout the restaurant. Lobster-shaped restaurant pagers that light up when a table is ready are handed out to customers. Curtains decorate the large windows while the warm beige wall color does its best to try and calm down the craziness of the restaurant. An extremely large lobster tank filled with live lobsters is located right by the door, and I saw several male employees jump up on the counter area to retrieve huge lobsters out of the tank. Poor things!!! I always feel bad for the lobsters.

Pretty view from our table.

The kitchen area.

The frantic hostess station.

A crappy shot of the dining room.

And so we waited ... and waited ... and waited. Our drinks finally arrived, and were a bit watered down. Mom and I were just so thankful to finally be able to hydrate ourselves that we didn't care what the soda tasted like. We then resumed waiting ... and waiting ... and waiting. After a while, Leyla came to our table with a salad dressing compote with three homemade dressings - honey mustard, roasted garlic, and blue cheese. She placed a small plate of greens in front of Mom, who informed me that her meal came with a salad. She split the salad with me because I was famished. I tried the roasted garlic dressing while she had the honey mustard. Both were excellent. Leyla had also brought over a bottle of something else (I swear I heard the word sesame), but her words were lost amongst the loud diners.

And so we waited ... and waited ... and waited. Leyla returned to our table again to bring over a basket of breads, which Mom said was also included with her meal. There were two sourdough rolls and four small squares of gingerbread. All were moist and tasted delicious. I told Mom that I was extremely glad that the salad and bread basket came with her meal, or I might have died of starvation.

And so we waited ... and waited ... and waited. This time, the wait was long. Too long. I began to notice that everyone else had received their meals and was either eating or getting ready to go. I even noticed a few new customers who were already chowing down on their appetizers. What was the deal? Where was our food? Once I started to get lightheaded from malnutrition, the conspiracy theories emerged. "Maybe they have something against us," I said. "Why are they getting served?" "Are they getting fish and chips?" "They're already getting their appetizers!" All of this was preceded by a lot of neck-craning and head-turning on my part. Other highlights of the hour-long waiting period included:

• "I'm going to jump out of this window and drown myself." - Laura, after an hour of waiting.
• "I am so sick of getting felt up on your vacation." - Mom, who was groped by someone trying to slither around her seat. Perhaps the most exciting thing to happen between all the waiting.
• "I think our waitress quit." - Laura and Mom, who hadn't seen Leyla in about 30 minutes.
• "My stomach is eating its own lining." - Laura, who was slowly passing away.
• "I can't feel my legs." - Mom, after sitting in the same position for over an hour.
• "I don't want to have a meltdown." - Laura, who was having a meltdown.
• "I'm going to flip this table over." - Mom, who was on the verge of having a meltdown.

I know what you're thinking, and that's too bad. We don't like waiting, and we've never had to wait over an hour for a fish and chip dinner and some crab salad in a hot dog bun. Mom and I eventually came to the conclusion that it was our waitress that was holding us up. The people who were seated directly behind us had not received their food, either - and they had the same waitress as we did. Unfortunately, they came in almost immediately after we did so we knew that they had been sitting for quite a while. Plus, they had a small baby with them. We were lucky that the little kid didn't shut the place down by throwing a hissy fit.

FINALLY, after over an hour of waiting, our food arrived. Both plates looked great, although I thought Mom's fish was a little on the skimpy side. She said that the fish itself was excellent. It was very white, flaky, and perfectly done. Her only complaint was that she wished there was more of it. It was a very thin piece and not particularly long. Mom was only grateful that the crust was nice and light because at least she was able to taste the fish. They made up for the lack of fish with a massive amount of fries, which arrived a little on the luke warm side. Mom had a feeling that the fries had been sitting around a while, waiting to be picked up. They were just OK. Her dish also came with a side of tartar sauce and ketchup.

My crabmeat salad roll was fresh and tasty. I never had crabmeat salad before and was a bit nervous to try it. I enjoy crab, but only mixed in with other things. This roll was packed with meat and was crunchy (was it supposed to be?) and hearty. It was accompanied by a slice of tomato and a scoop of potato salad which had an excellent taste. I would highly recommend this dish to any crab lover, but I'm not sure if I was ready for all that crab at once. This is purely my personal preference and has absolutely nothing to do with the delicious roll, which I ate every bit of. It was quite good.

Although Leyla did not come by to ask how our meal was, we were checked in on by the host who'd sat us at our table. We told him everything was great. And so we waited ... and waited ... and waited for someone to bring the check over. When a busboy came over to take away our dishes, we asked him if he could track down our waitress. He said he would, but she never came over. Finally, after a few more minutes of waiting, Leyla appeared to ask us if we would like dessert. We said no, and she disappeared for few minutes before finally bringing over the bill. The total came to:

Diet Pepsi (2 @ $2.75 each) - 5.50

Fish and chips - 17

Crabmeat roll - 14

Subtotal - $36.50

Tax - 1.83

TOTAL = $38.33

All in all, we think the prices were a little expensive, but it's hard to price seafood because the market fluctuates daily. I do think that Mom could have had a bit more fish on her plate for $17. We ended up leaving $45 for Leyla, which was a $1 less than a 20% tip. I was going to leave less because the service was ridiculously slow, but I just wanted to get the heck out of there and didn't want to stick around to wait for change. In her defense, perhaps she was a new employee. However, she has to learn to speed up the service, especially in a busy place like The Lobster Pot. Mom and I tried using the restroom, but there was someone inside and a line waiting to get in. We opted to use the public ones by the pier instead. We finally left the building at just about 3 p.m.

Phew. I'm tired just from reliving this experience. I'm very glad we visited The Lobster Pot because it is a Provincetown staple. However, I don't think we need to go back on our next visit. Perhaps we'll revisit on a less crowded day, but when isn't Provincetown crowded? I can't even imagine how busy this restaurant must get in the summer. To sum up our visit, the food was good, but the chaotic atmosphere was a bit much for us. I'm just glad we got out alive. Too bad I can't say the same for all those lobsters!

The Lobster Pot is open from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily from the beginning of April to the end of November.

Firefly's

235 Old Connecticut Path

Framingham, MA 01701
(508) 820-3333

350 E. Main St.

Route 20

Marlboro, MA 01752

(508) 357-8883

516 Adams St.

Quincy, MA 02169

(617) 471-0011

www.fireflysbbq.com

After an out-of-this-world tour of the Harvard Museum of Natural History and the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Mom and I were more than ready for a delicious lunch/dinner (linner?). Since I'm taking a week-long vacation while I transition from my state job back to my former employer, I'm dragging Mom around New England to visit all the places that we never get a chance to see. Mom found a restaurant online that was just seven minutes from the museums, but unfortunately it was closed. Not wanting to have a meltdown, I put my brain to work and tried desperately to think of a restaurant that we could stop at before the long ride home. I came up with Firefly's, a restaurant that I had seen advertised many times on The Phantom Gourmet. Located in Quincy, we pulled into the parking lot at just about 3:30 p.m. Unfortunately, the restaurant didn't open until 4 p.m., so we had to wait. Famished but brave, we waited and were the second group to walk inside the restaurant (there were two hungry men waiting in the parking lot).

We were immediately greeted by a friendly hostess who asked us if we had been to Firefly's before. I usually hate to say yes because they go into a whole back story, but Mom told her that we hadn't. The hostess brought us over to a shelf with a variety of hot sauces and told us that they were all available to try and/or buy. She also explained about their hottest sauce - something called Mad Dog 357. Housed in a little jail cell, you need to sign a waiver before trying this stuff. I was not feeling very brave today, so I didn't try it. However, after doing some research online, I found that this sauce is billed as "the world's hottest sauce," and it is suggested that all who try it have one drop only. Wow!! The hostess then explained the salad bar area, which also contained vats of their special sauces. She told us that we could help ourselves to the bar, and then showed us to a very comfortable banquette. The hostess left us with two large, colorful menus which playfully opened at the top rather than on the side.

We were then greeted by our waitress. Her name was Angela, and when she arrived she brought over a bone bag, which was to be kept on the table for bones and other miscellaneous trash. She wrote her name on the bag so that we wouldn't forget it. She also asked us if we'd been to Firefly's before. Again, Mom said no so Angela proceeded to explain the menu to us. She went over each page quickly and efficiently, explaining the sauces and the different plate options. Angela then asked Mom and I what we would like to drink. We ordered two Diet Cokes which quickly arrived in very large plastic glasses. I guess they know that the customers are going to want a large drink when taking in all that hot sauce. When Angela returned to the table (Mom and I needed a minute to make up our minds), we placed our order. We ordered THE EXACT SAME THING! I don't know what came over me. What Mom was ordering sounded so delicious that I had to have it, too. We both chose the pulled pork platter ($13.99 each) topped with their award winning Memphis sauce. The platter came with cornbread and our choice of two sides. We both chose the homemade chips and the sweet potato pecan pudding. Angela raved about the two sides and told us that they were her two favorites. She took away the menus and left Mom and I alone with a small dish of cucumber salad that Angela had brought over when she first came to our table. Unfortunately, the cucumbers didn't last very long. I scarfed them down. Mom says that I "shoveled" them down, but hey - I was hungry! It was delicious, too. Very cool with a hint of sweetness.

The dining room decor is quite adorable. With the blues playing in the background and little flames peeking out from around the corners of the room, you knew that you were in for a "bodacious bar-b-que" meal. There was a mix of booths, tables, banquettes, and a bar area that I couldn't quite see from where I was sitting. The lighting was on the dark side, so that made it a little difficult for me to get a clear picture. Since the restaurant had just opened, everything was spotless. I even paid a visit to the restroom and it was extremely clean and organized.

I spotted Angela coming over with our plates after only a few minutes of waiting. There was almost no wait at all. When Mom and I had first pulled into the parking lot, we could smell the intoxicating aroma of barbecued meat. I guess they slow cook their food ahead of time so that the customers aren't kept waiting very long, which is a great idea. Since we both ordered the exact same thing, our plates looked identical and smelled delicious. We both thought that the portions were huge. The piece of cornbread was pleasantly moist which is rare with most restaurant cornbread. The pulled pork was perfect. It was very tender, lean, and extraordinarily tasty. The pork was served sitting on a "trailer park crouton," which Mom and I believed to be a piece of Texas toast. The homemade potato chips were thick, crispy, and outstanding. They were not at all greasy, and not overly salted. The Memphis sauce that topped the pork was very mildly spiced with brown sugar, molasses, and chocolate and was deliciously sweet. Finally, the sweet potato pecan pudding was to die for. It was almost like a bread pudding in texture, and you could really taste the pecans, brown sugar, and cinnamon that gave it a delightful sweetness. This side dish was so good that you'd probably want to make a meal out of it, but don't because you'll miss out on all the other goodies. Firefly's was certainly generous with the helpings. If you walk out of this restaurant hungry, then you only have yourself to blame. We had a LOT of food on our plates.

My plate

Mom's plate

There is a lot to choose from at Firefly's. Appetizers include The Phantom Platter, which is the favorite of you-know-who ($19.99), catfish on a stick ($8.99), armadillo flats chili ($5.99), cracklin bread ($7.99), and fried green tomatoes ($7.99). Entrees, which come with corn bread and sides, include the bodacious beef ribs ($21.99), various tips ($16.99), cued-up shrimp ($16.49), A Waffle Lot O' Chicken ($14.99), and the Oink, Cackle, and Moo ($18.99), which is a 1/3 slab of St. Louis ribs, a 1/4 chicken, and slow-smoked sliced beef brisket. I bet this portion is humongous! While I'm on the subject of ribs, I should mention the two types - St. Louis and baby back. The St. Louis have minimal fat and are very meaty (weighing almost three pounds). Baby back ribs are a little fattier, but are very tender and flavorful. They are not as heavy as the St. Louis ribs (only two and a quarter pounds). Several of Firefly's signature sauces include the Dixie Kiss (sweet tomato-molasses), Beelzebar (spicier version of Memphis), and the North Carolina (vinegar and red pepper based). Platters include the chopped brisket ($14.99) and smoked sausage ($13.99), while combos range from $18.99-21.99 and include your choice of meats, sauces, and two sides. Meat options include the ribs, pulled chicken and pork, Jamaican chicken, sausage, brisket, and fried chicken. There is also a kids' menu and a dessert menu, which I was very bitter about when I got home because I saw that they offered a piece of red velvet cake ($6.49). I've been dying to try that! Firefly's also does catering, as well as a large take-out business.


I cleaned my plate, but Mom had to leave a few tidbits of food behind. She was just too full to finish. When Angela returned to clear away our plates, she tried to tempt us with dessert. There was just no room left. Angela understood and simply brought us the bill. The total came to:

2 pulled pork platters - $27.98

2 Diet Cokes - 5

Food - $27.98

N/A beverage - 5

Tax - 1.65

TOTAL = $34.63

Mom and I usually don't spend this much for lunch, but for a barbecue restaurant, this was pretty average. Plus, considering all the food you get, this may even be a steal. We left $41 on the table for Angela, including a 20% tip. She was an excellent waitress, and not only that, the hostess was great and so was the older gentleman who came to our table to ask us how we were doing. It must be nice for them to be able to get a chance to interact with their customers while the restaurant isn't busy. I have a funny feeling that a place like Firefly's is almost always full at night.


As we dragged our full bodies back to the car, we were sad to read that - on the take-out menu I swiped - there were no Firefly's restaurants in our immediate area. I think Fall River could do with a place like this. Perhaps it would give the people here a chance to taste something other than chourico and cacoila. This was definitely a restaurant that we would drive all the way to Quincy for, and I'm so glad that their exciting commercials popped into my head at the last minute. We are so thankful that Firefly's saved us from having to drive back to Fall River hungry. We might have killed ourselves ... or each other.


Firefly's in Quincy is open from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday, 4-10 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 4-11 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday. The bar stays open until 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Rosaria's Diner

591 Rodman St.

Fall River, MA 02721

(508) 324-9454

Date visited: September 8, 2008



Taking a page from our buddy over at Fall River Eats, Mom and I decided to visit Rosaria's Diner, which is located only minutes from our home. We've driven by this popular breakfast spot for years, but have never gone inside. Since Fall River Eats gave it such high marks, Mom and I decided that we just had to give this place a shot. Although Rosaria's does not have a parking lot, we were able to find a space right on the side street. We entered the restaurant at about 11:20 a.m.

What an adorable place! When we first walked in, we saw a bar/counter area. A young lady directed us to the dining room where we were told we could sit anywhere we wanted (Mom loves that). We picked a table located just in front of a large cooler filled with different beverages like juices and sodas. Mom and I noticed that the plastic-covered Rosaria's menus were already on every table, so there was no need to wait for them to be brought over. A friendly waitress came over and asked us if we would like coffee. Mom said yes, but I opted for iced coffee. The waitress soon returned with an iced coffee in a large Styrofoam cup. Using the sugar and milk on the table, I was able to make the coffee to my liking. Since we'd never been to Rosaria's before, Mom and I needed a few minutes to look over the menu. When we were ready to order, the waitress returned to our table with notepad in hand. Mom ordered three pancakes, and since you can order them individually ($1.60 each), she chose a peanut butter, a walnut, and a chocolate chip filled. The waitress said something like, "Boy, that sounds good." It certainly did. She also ordered a side of bacon ($2) and a small orange juice ($1.35). I almost ordered the same thing (minus the bacon and OJ), but was more in the mood for something meaty. I chose the Portuguese omelet ($4.75) which came with a side of home fries and toast. We put the menus back in their holder on the table and took a look around the dining room.

It was very, very clean. That's always the mark of a restaurant owned by people of Portuguese heritage. They really know how to make a great presentation. Aside from the cleanliness, the dining room was decorated with comfort in mind. There were no booths, but each table was situated away from the others so that each party could have a bit of privacy within a small area. The reddish-mauve walls and the dark wooden rafters made us feel cozy and relaxed. Restrooms are located just off of the dining room, and there was a large whiteboard against the side wall that featured all of the daily specials. A small television sat upon the drink cooler, and the walls were decorated with cute country knickknacks. This restaurant is very easy on the eyes, especially when most of the diners' eyes have not fully opened yet.


It did not take long for our food to arrive. Actually, we had only been waiting a few minutes before we spotted our waitress coming over. Both plates looked and smelled fantastic. Mom said that she made a very good choice by picking the peanut butter/walnut/chocolate chip combo. The flavors really worked well together. All three pancakes were packed with their special ingredient and were very tasty. For big pancakes, they were very light and fluffy. Mom's bacon came in three slices and each was very crisp and meaty. She also enjoyed her coffee, but was still waiting for the orange juice.



My omelet was excellent. Not only were there several varieties of peppers mixed in with the eggs, there was also some chourico and cacoula bits sprinkled in. The omelet was very hearty and was cooked perfectly. My white toast was great and the home fries were thick and flavorful. I'm just sorry that the picture did not come out as clear as I thought it would.



When our young waitress appeared to ask us how our meal was, we told her that everything was lovely. Mom asked if she could have the orange juice that she ordered, and the waitress apologized because she'd forgotten to bring it. The dining room had started to fill up with people who were coming in for lunch, so the mistake was easily understood.


The prices at Rosaria's are extremely reasonable, especially for the amount of food you get. Breakfast menu items include egg entrees ($2.90-6.45), breakfast sandwiches ($1.95-$2.75), three egg omelets ($4.15-4.75), pancakes ($1.30-1.60 each), French toast ($1.10-1.45 each), waffles ($1.50-2.25), cereals and fruit bowls ($1.50-2.50), toasted/grilled sides ($.90-1.30), and various other side dishes including Egg Beaters, Spam, steak, and chourico ($.20-2.95). They also offer a "big" and "little" breakfast. The big breakfast ($9.25) consists of two pancakes or French toast with two eggs, two meat choices, home fries, and toast. The little breakfast ($6.85) comes with one pancake or French toast with two eggs, one meat choice, home fries, and toast. For lunch, Rosaria's serves items like grilled cheese ($1.95), chourico and chip sandwich ($3.50), a hot dog ($1.75), pastrami ($3.50), and other sandwiches all served with chips and pickles. Other items include grinders, wraps, and clubs ($4.15-5.50) like the seafood salad, chourico and pepper, bacon burger, tuna melt, and cacoula. Soup options ($1.90-2.75) include chicken, kale, minestrone, and clam chowder. Don't forget to check the list of daily specials offered at Rosaria's, but I doubt that any meal here will cost over $10. Like I said, very reasonable.


After we were done eating, our waitress returned to clear away our plates and bring the bill. The total came to:

3 pancakes @ $1.60 each - 4.80

Portuguese omelet - 4.75

Coffee - 1.25

Iced coffee - 1.95

Juice - 1.35

Tax - $.71

TOTAL = $14.81

It was only after we left the restaurant and looked at our notes that we discovered that the bacon was left off of the bill. Mom and I are all for free food, but we hope that it did not have to come out of the waitress's pocket. She really did an excellent job. We left $18 for her (including 20% tip) and proceeded to leave, but not before stopping by to see a friend of mine and her mother who had come in while we were eating. When their food came, both plates looked great. We knew that they would be in for a good meal.


Going out for breakfast is one of the things that Mom and I don't do often, but always enjoy when we get the chance. We are so glad that Fall River Eats turned us on to Rosaria's. I can't believe that Mom and I haven't been before, but what else is new. We always visit a restaurant years after it's been around. Years. We may be newcomers, but we'll definitely be making many more visits back to Rosaria's. It's the perfect hometown, good food, great prices restaurant complete with a great staff and a loyal customer base. It doesn't get any better than that.


Rosaria's Diner is open from 5:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 5:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. The restaurant is closed on Sunday.

Bite of the Week - Amy's Spinach Feta Pocket Sandwich

Without bragging about myself too much, I am proud to say that I've lost 12 pounds and my glucose level has dropped 30mg. Mom has done a bit better than me. She's lost 13 pounds and her glucose level has dropped over 60mg. How did we do it? We've been cutting out sugar. Because we've ditched the unhealthy, sugar-filled snacks, we've been spending more time in the natural food section of the supermarket. It was in these aisles that I spotted Amy's Spinach Feta Pocket Sandwich ($2.50). Now, everyone that knows me knows that I love all things spinach and feta. I decided to get one and try it for lunch the next day.

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THE VERDICT: Great! Despite the pocket being a frozen food item, the spinach and feta inside was surprisingly fresh. The organic flour wrap was tasty, but a little too bulky on top (where it folded over itself). With 11 grams of protein and only four grams of sugar, this pocket was really a healthy choice. I also like the fact that the Amy's company was started by a set of parents who wanted to provide healthy, frozen meals to people who were too busy to cook. I would definitely have this again and look forward to trying other Amy's products.

The Barn Restaurant

Main Road

Adamsville, RI 02837

(401) 635-2985

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Date visited: August 25, 2008
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Why can't New England get an address straight? When Liz - our number one fan - suggested a while back that Mom and I visit The Barn Restaurant in Little Compton, RI, we decided to look up the address. What we found was that it was in both Little Compton and Adamsville, and on both East Main and Main Road. How is this possible? Also, the building number was listed as zero. What address begins with zero? Anyway, as luck would have it, Mom and I decided to turn left onto the street that we've been turning right on for years and ran right into The Barn. We pulled into the parking area at just about 10:30 a.m.
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Mom and I have never felt as fat as we did when we walked into this place. The inside dining area was filled with the kind of slim, attractive people that you would never see walking around Wal*Mart in a t-shirt and flip flops. A young waitress approached us and I notified her that we would like to eat outdoors (I spotted the patio area when we drove up). She showed us to a table and handed us two plastic menus. Outside sat another bevvy of beauties, which meant that Mom and I were the only two in the restaurant that could have auditioned for The Beverly Hillbillies. Putting our washboard and jug aside, Mom and I looked over the menu. A few minutes went by before we were greeted by our waitress, who we later found out was named Terry. Terry asked us what we wanted to drink. Mom went with a cup of coffee while I chose iced coffee. Mom got her coffee right away, but I had to wait a bit for mine. This may have been because the restaurant was really crowded. When Terry finally arrived with my coffee, we placed our order. At first, Mom wanted to have an omelet with sweet bread French toast instead of the regular bread that always accompanies omelets. Terry responded, "Oh no, we can't do that," like it was unheard of for people to ask for substitutions. Mom had to go back to the menu and finally settled on the Barn Yard ($9.25) which she had with her choice of bacon and American cheese (inside the omelet) with rye toast. I chose the Eggs Sardou ($9.50) which were two poached eggs on top of a bed of spinach, garlic, hollandaise sauce, and two English muffin halves. Terry took away our menus as Mom and I joked about the name of her omelet, and how my fancy-sounding dish lost its snobbery when we noticed that it came off a list of "Barnyard Specials."
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The Barn is a really beautiful restaurant, both inside and out. It is an actual barn which has a large loft that we assume is used to seat extra customers. Inside the restaurant, there are a myriad of wooden tables, country knickknacks, and ceiling fans. Outside there is a large patio with a condiment station for the waitstaff so that they don't have to keep running back inside for things. Mom and I sat under a trellis and were surrounded by beautiful trees blooming with flowers. The furniture outdoors was more the patio type (wrought iron painted white), but was comfortable. It was very relaxing being outside in the fresh summer air. Our only complaint - if you can call it that - was that there were too many "pog people." We came up with the name "pog people" when my sister was in middle school about 10 years ago. There we met a pretentious woman who informed us that every time her son - who the sun rose and set upon - did well at something, he received a pog. We soon found out that the kid had a lot of pogs. When we finally met the son, we found him to be just as self-involved as his overbearing mother. Pog people can often be heard using phrases like, "The next time we go scuba diving in Bora Bora," and "when Buffy was away at university," etc. It is so annoying. We love college and we love Bora Bora (even though we've never been), but do we need to hear about your life accomplishments and extravagant vacation plans? I don't think so. Moving on ...
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Mom and I noticed that we had been waiting a little long for our food to arrive. We hadn't seen Terry in a while, but soon spotted her walking toward a nearby table with a tray of drinks - on her head. Either she has one of the flattest heads in America or she is just extremely well-balanced. Everyone started clapping when Terry arrived at her destination with all drinks still in their glasses. She then disappeared again, but reappeared to loudly announce to us - and only us - that our food would be out shortly. She said that she didn't want us to "worry," and that it "wouldn't be nice" if our meals had been forgotten. I guess they didn't want to upset "Granny" Moses and Elly May Clampett.
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The Barn has a small, but varied breakfast menu. Specialty omelets include the Six Gun, V-8, Florentine, and Portuguese (all $9.25). They also offer the Westport River ($10.95) which includes lobster, broccoli, and Swiss cheese. "Barnyard Specials" include sausage gravy and biscuits ($8.50), corned beef hash ($8.25), and various versions of eggs Benedict ($8.50-10.95). Other items include extra thick French toast ($5.25), Adamsville Jonny cakes ($3.95), homemade muffins ($1.75), baked Irish oatmeal with apples, raisins, and walnuts ($4.50), cheese omelet ($7.25), and a variety of breakfast sandwiches ($5.95-7.25). We also read that The Barn is available for private parties and functions.
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When the food finally did arrive, both plates - which were garnished with a piece of melon - looked amazing. Mom's omelet was quite large and filled with bacon and cheese. The bacon was thick and meaty and the omelet was cooked perfectly. The rye toast were also large and delicious. Mom wondered if they came from a homemade loaf since they were bigger than average. She even enjoyed the cup of coffee that she'd been nursing throughout our visit. Her dish came with potatoes, but she did not have any of them.
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My breakfast was also fantastic. Now I have a love/hate relationship with eggs. I'll only eat them when they're mixed with other things (i.e., omelets), but this different version of eggs Benedict was extremely flavorful. The eggs were cooked very well, and the spinach, garlic, and hollandaise sauce was very fresh. The potatoes that accompanied my meal were seasoned with rosemary (I think), which gave it a great taste. I also enjoyed my iced coffee very much.
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After we finished eating, Terry returned to the table to remove the dishes and bring the bill. The total came to:
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Sardou - $9.50

Barnyard - 9.25

Coffees - 3.90

Subtotal - $22.65

Tax - 1.80

TOTAL = $24.45

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A bit on the expensive side, but the meals were very fresh and I'm almost sure that they use produce and dairy from the nearby farms (or at least they should). We were going to leave $30 on the table for Terry, which included a 20% tip, but we couldn't find her. Since we wanted to use the restroom before our long drive home, we decided to take the bill and the money indoors. Inside, we spotted Terry and were able to hand her the cash. When we used the small restroom, we found it to be neat and clean.
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As Mom and I headed back to the car, we spotted Terry walking with yet another tray of drinks on her head. She really has a knack for that, and the customers seem to enjoy it. All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed our visit to The Barn. This place is definitely an out-of-the-way treasure that we would have never come across if it weren't for Liz. Although the prices are high, you really do get a good meal at an adorable New England barn. I guess that's why it attracts so many vacationers. No wonder we felt so out of place - we were one of the few who really lived in Bev-er-ly ... Hills, that is ... swimmin' pools ... movie stars.
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The Barn Restaurant is open from 6:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Now I'm not sure if this is only for breakfast, but Mom is pretty certain that she saw a sign that said The Barn serves lunch and dinner. If so, I'm sure the place is open a lot later.

Bite of the Week - Homestyle Two-Bite Lemon Tarts

While cruising around Auclair's Market in Somerset yesterday, Mom and I took a quick peek at their lovely dessert tables. We spotted a plastic container of Homestyle Two-Bite Lemon Tarts ($3.69). These tiny, yellow circles looked absolutely delectable in their little compartments, so of course, we added them to our cart. Since we adore lemon desserts, Mom and I figured that they would be perfect to serve after a lovely Sunday dinner.

THE VERDICT: They didn't make it to Sunday dinner. In fact, when I woke up this morning, one of them hadn't even made it to Sunday. Sacrificing myself, I grabbed one before breakfast so that I could have something to write about before they disappeared. When I compared notes with Mom, who had devoured the missing bite last night, we both agreed that they were outstanding. It was like eating lemon meringue pie without the meringue. The crust was flaky and soft, and the lemon filling was both sweet and tangy. Out of the twelve tarts that were originally in the tray, we have seven left. Although I don't know how long these seven are going to last, I do know that we would definitely buy these lemon tarts again - but not while we're on a diet. We can't leave them alone!

PS - It took both Mom and I three bites to eat the tart - not two. Liars!

Salvador's Ice Cream

460 Smith Neck Road

South Dartmouth, MA 02748

www.salvadorsicecream.com

Date visited: August 25, 2008

In an effort to eat at every weird-shaped ice cream stand in New England, Mom and I headed for Salvador's Ice Cream, a.k.a., the big milk can in South Dartmouth. We had never seen nor heard of Salvador's until a recent trip - or should I say mistake - while driving through historic Padanaram village. I took a wrong turn and BAM - we ran right into Salvador's. Our eyes lit up. Mom and I just love restaurants that look like things (the creamer in North Smithfield, the coffee cup in Seekonk, the clam box in Ipswich, etc.). We vowed to return very soon to taste what they had to offer. Within two days, we found ourselves heading up to Dartmouth and pulling into Salvador's dirt parking lot at around 1:15 p.m.


Nothing screams "New England" like a milk can stand with a giant cow on top. Trudging through the gravel, Mom and I headed to one of the many windows on the can and discovered a sign which read that Gifford's Ice Cream was sold there. Now we already knew that Gifford's had fantastic ice cream (see: Wood's Ice Cream) so we were very excited to place our order. Mom chose - are you sitting down - a small cup of Wicked Good Chocolate ($2.50). She doesn't even like chocolate ice cream, but after tasting a spoonful of it at Wood's, she fell in love. I chose a small cup of Blue Ribbon Strawberry ($2.50). The total came to:

1 small cup chocolate - $2.50

1 small cup strawberry - 2.50

TOTAL = $5

Not bad for two good-sized smalls. The girl behind the counter was friendly and very quick in getting our ice creams. Mom and I took our cups to one of the four picnic tables that were situated in the center of the parking lot. Each of the four tables had painted-on chess boards and several pieces so that you could actually have a game of chess while enjoying the fresh air and ice cream. How adorable! If you want something more scenic, you could sit on one of the picnic tables behind the milk can and take in the view of a beautiful field. Also on the premises was a large walk-in freezer which stores all of the buckets of delicious Gifford's ice cream.


Mom tried her ice cream first. It was just as she remembered - delicious. It was very creamy and chocolaty. She is still surprised at how much she liked this flavor. Just one spoonful a few months ago was enough for her to want to get her own cup. Mom said it is one of the best chocolate ice creams she has ever had. My strawberry cup was also fantastic. It was extremely smooth and surprisingly did not have any bits of strawberries inside (which sometimes turns people off to trying this particular flavor). I would definitely get this again.


Also offered at Salvador's are the requisite shakes, frappes, cones, and sundaes. What I didn't realize until looking at the Web site was that they also offer food. Menu items include burgers, hot dogs, fries, onion rings, stuffed quahogs, chicken fingers, and tuna and chicken salad rolls. Although I didn't notice the prices for the food, all prices on the ice cream novelties were about average. I believe I even saw some Salvador's merchandise inside. What a good idea, considering they've been in business for over 70 years.


We may have given ourselves away. Normally, Mom and I are quite sneaky with our picture taking and review writing. However, there was a gentleman that seemed to keep popping every time I had the camera aimed at something. It's like he knew what we were up to. Was it the owner? I'm not sure, but he did approach us at one point to ask if we were from out of town. Mom said, "Kind of. We're from Fall River." Yep, that is as out of town as we get. He was a very nice gentleman.

Before leaving, Mom and I decided to get a couple of bottles of Poland Spring water ($1.25 each) which came in eco-friendly bottles. As we got into the car, we saw a young lady exit the stand and go into the large freezer to get a bucket of ice cream. According to the Web site, sample flavors are based on daily availability. Some flavors include frozen pudding, cookie dough, maple walnut, Maine black bear, butter crunch, and moose tracks.

Mom and I enjoyed our visit to Salvador's Ice Cream. Sometimes it's good to get lost, and taking that wrong turn in Dartmouth really paid off. We got to visit another one of New England's great roadside attractions and have some delicious ice cream at the same time. What could be better?

Salvador's Ice Cream summer hours are from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily through Labor Day.