Morrell's Country Tavern

269 North Main St.

West Bridgewater, MA  02379

(508) 586-7777

www.morrellscountrytavern.com

March 29, 2014

On this dreary day, Mom and I were looking for some good old fashioned comfort food.  We love any restaurant with the words “country tavern” in the name, so when Mom found Morrell’s online, we decided to dodge the raindrops and stop in for some home cooking.

Morrell’s Country Tavern is very cute inside.  It really did look like a country tavern – complete with large fireplace in the main dining room.  The restaurant is bigger than it looks from the outside, and I learned that this place (formerly named Morrell’s Country Kitchen) used to be located in Abington until a fire forced them to relocate.

We were seated at a table by the waitress (Ash) who left us with menus to look through.  We ordered two Diet Pepsis ($2.49 each) and a freshly made, complimentary bread boule which came on a wooden cutting board.  The bread was outstanding (and hot!) and the butter simply melted away. 

For our meals, Mom ordered the baked scrod ($13.99) and I chose their homemade baked macaroni and cheese ($11.99) with added buffalo chicken ($1.99).  While we were waiting for our meals, the staff was getting ready for what seemed to be an extremely busy night.  They were setting up tables, rearranging seating and the chef even joked that they were putting on a show for our table and the other table of ladies that were in the dining room.  Everyone seemed very friendly and polite.

When our entrees arrived, they were both steaming hot.  Mom’s scrod came with a side of real mashed potatoes and – we think – a side of mashed carrots.  It was orange and at first we thought it might have been butternut squash, but after a quick taste we decided it was mashed carrots.  Her scrod – topped with breadcrumbs – was white and flaky.  In fact, it was so white that it was almost translucent.  She loved the taste of the fish and enjoyed that the mashed potatoes were not of the instant variety.  The carrots stayed there because Mom isn't a fan.  If given a choice of vegetable, she would have chosen something else.

My mac & cheese – after it had cooled down – was not macaroni at all!  It was actually ziti baked in a small crock topped with three different cheeses (cheddar, mozzarella and Monterey Jack) and seasoned with breadcrumbs.  Of course, my added buffalo chicken made everything hot and spicy.  The chicken was very tender and cooked perfectly.  The ziti was cooked al dente.  My only complaint was that there was a LOT of cheese.  There were a few hidden ziti stuck inside of a big glob of cheese that ended up at the bottom of the crock.  With that being said, the cheese blend was very thick and creamy and had a great taste.  I really enjoyed it.

When Ash returned to retrieve our plates, she asked if we wanted to view the dessert menu.  Although we were full, we decided to split a piece of the Fudgy Wudgy Chocolate Cake ($6.99).  It arrived with a swirl of chocolate sauce on the plate along with large dollops of whipped cream.  The cake was certainly fudgy!  The thick layer of frosting on top tasted exactly like fudge.  The inside cake was moist and tasty, although we think the cake could have possibly just come out of the refrigerator because it was a little on the cold side.  It was a great ending to a tasty meal.  Our grand total came to $42.39.

Morrell’s is a cute place to visit.  The restaurant (and restroom) was very clean, the staff was friendly and the food was good.  They have a lot of options (click here to view the menu) and I’d like to try one of their sandwiches, burgers or perhaps even a gourmet pizza on our next visit.

… and speaking of our next visit, we were given a 20 percent off “Double Dipping Coupon” to use if we were to dine at Morrell’s the next day.

As for the weather, it never stopped raining.  Our delicious meal at Morrell’s was definitely the highlight of this otherwise gloomy Saturday.  We’ll be back!

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Bliss Bros. Dairy

711 Park St.

Attleboro, MA  02703

(508) 222-2884

www.blissdairy.com

March 24, 2014

After leaving work, I picked Mom up at home and we drove to her accountant’s office in Attleboro so that she could do her taxes.  When we left the office, it was late and Mom’s money was spent.  We were looking for an inexpensive place to grab dinner when Mom remembered reading that Bliss Bros. Dairy was in the area.  We had always wanted to visit Bliss, so we plugged the address into the GPS and off we went.

Bliss wasn’t far from the accountant’s office which was a good thing since we were both starving.  Think of Bliss Bros. Dairy as a Friendly’s or Newport Creamery.  They’ve got the typical diner fare and their homemade ice cream is sold on site in their retail shop, among other things.  You can also stop in for breakfast, seafood or a big ol’ sundae if the mood strikes you.  Click here to view the menu.

We choose a booth and the waitress (Kat) came over to take our order.  We were both in the mood for a good old fashioned burger, shake and fries.  Mom ordered her burger plain and well done ($4.65) with a side of fries ($1.95) and a coffee frappe ($4.95).  I chose the Bliss Special ($8.95) which came with Vermont cheddar, bacon, lettuce, tomato and onion, a side of fries and a vanilla shake ($4.95).  The burgers came in both 1/3 and ½ pound options.  We both chose the 1/3 and I also ordered mine well done.

Kat brought the drinks over first.  They came in small glasses with large aluminum cups filled with extra frappe.  They were cool, thick and very flavorful.  We chose frappes because flavored ice cream is used.  With a milkshake, the flavor comes from the syrup instead.

Literally seconds after Kat brought our shakes over, our burgers were done.  Even she was surprised at how quickly they were made.  I think meat cooks faster on those diner-style flattop grills.  Either way, we were excited to eat.  Mom’s burger was cooked perfectly.  Her crinkle cut fries were crunchy yet filled with soft potato inside.  She ordered her burger plain and it arrived naked as promised.  She scarfed it down and really seemed to enjoy herself.

My Bliss Special was delicious.  The bacon and the burger were cooked perfectly and the veggies inside the bun were fresh and crunchy.  We always joke about how Mom’s food is always “neat” and mine is “messy.”  That’s because I usually order slippery things like tomatoes and onions, which are known for sliding out of sandwiches and off of pizza.  I cut the burger in half to control the sneaky veggies that were trying to escape.  The fries were addictive and I washed it all down with my tasty vanilla shake.  It was the perfect late night meal.

Our total came to $27.04.  We paid the bill and headed home, full and happy.  The restaurant (and restroom) was clean, the service was quick and efficient and the food was delicious.  We will definitely be back, and this time with our freezer bag to take home a couple of half gallons of Bliss ice cream.

With the manufacturing plant located just behind the restaurant, Bliss Bros. Dairy has been an Attleboro staple since 1930.  I’m glad we finally got a chance to go, even if it did take a visit to the tax man to get us there.

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The Chocolate Delicacy

219 Main St.

East Greenwich, RI  02818

(401) 884-4949

www.chocolatedelicacy.com

March 22, 2014

We had never heard of The Chocolate Delicacy before, but savvy Mom - always looking for our next hidden gem - discovered it online after searching for restaurants in Rhode Island.  Located in an adorable part of East Greenwich, we soon found ourselves heading inside for a sweet treat.

Since the chocolate is made on the premises, the smell was intoxicating.  There was chocolate as far as the eye could see.  The Easter Bunny must shop here for all of his basket-filling goodies because there was a lot of pastel-wrapped candies for the upcoming holiday.

Mom and I had no idea what we wanted, but we wanted it all.  We grabbed a mini shopping basket and started loading up. We chose a box of milk chocolate sea salt caramels, two white chocolate cashew patties, a bag of white chocolate almond bark and some bacon caramels, a.k.a., "Wilburs" - milk chocolate coated candies infused with bacon.  Who could resist?  Our total came to $24.28. (Another thing that was a nice surprise was that most of our choices came in both milk and dark chocolate.)

We were out late, so we decided to save our chocolates to sample in the car later on.  We first tried the white chocolate cashew patties.  Wow!  They certainly packed these babies with large crunchy cashews.  Topped with a thick layer of caramel and white chocolate, these patties were fantastic.

We tried the bacon "Wilburs" next.  Although it was a very dense and sticky caramel, the surrounding chocolate was smooth and - believe it or not - there were real bacon pieces in the caramel!  It had a delicious smoky taste and gave our palates a savory break from all the sweet stuff.

Still on a caramel kick, we decided to try the sea salt caramels.  This is really one of my new favorite things.  I love the salty taste of the sea salt against the creamy caramel and the cool chocolate.  It's just delicious.  These candies were softer than the "Wilburs" but were very tasty.

Last, but certainly not least, was the bark.  We loved it.  The white chocolate from The Chocolate Delicacy is extremely flavorful.  Sometimes, although the chocolate is white, it doesn't have that distinct white chocolate flavor.  This one certainly did.  Packed with crunchy almonds, we couldn't get enough.

All in all, we really enjoyed everything from The Chocolate Delicacy.  The chocolate was rich and full of flavor, the prices were adequate for homemade chocolates and the biggest surprise was that they didn't skimp on the added ingredients!  If you want nuts in your chocolate, then nuts you shall have.  And plenty of them.

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Blackie's Bulldog Tavern

181 George Washington Highway

Smithfield, RI  02917

(401) 231-4777

www.blackiesbulldogtavern.com

March 22, 2014

Mom and I love to watch Phantom Gourmet on Sunday mornings because we get to see a lot of local restaurants that we may not have heard about.  We recently caught an episode featuring Blackie’s Bulldog Tavern in Smithfield, RI.  Mom was excited about the starter of soft pretzel bites, so we decided to hit up Blackie’s for a lunch of drinks and appetizers.

It was absolutely packed when we arrived, but we were seated right away.  Perhaps the appearance on Phantom piqued everyone’s curiosity.  Either way, Mom and I were excited to be there.  We were seated directly in the middle of the modern-style restaurant which was fine for dining, but difficult for picture taking.  I managed to get a couple of shots while trying my best not to aim the camera directly in somebody’s face.

Our waitress Catarina came over to take our drink order.  Mom and I had been checking out the drink section of the large menu and decided to order a few fancy cocktails.  Mom chose the espresso martini ($10) and I ordered the lemon chiffon cake ($10).  Both drinks were amazing.  Mom said her martini had a strong flavor of espresso and was very creamy due to the added Bailey’s.  My drink tasted exactly like a piece of lemon meringue pie.  It was topped with whipped cream and lemon zest and had a sharp bite of Limoncello.  It was an awesome start to our Blackie’s experience.

For our meal, we decided on three appetizers:  Blackie’s buffalo dip with corn tortilla chips ($11), Tavern tenders with mild sauce ($10) and the coveted soft pretzel bites ($10).  Both Mom and I thought that because the restaurant was so busy, the food might take a long time to appear.  (Plus there seemed to be a large party happening on the second floor.)  The appetizers arrived at an appropriate time and we were excited to get down to business.

The buffalo chicken dip came in a small pan with our choice of corn tortilla chips in a separate bowl.  The dip – which consisted of shredded chicken breast, buffalo cream cheese, sharp Vermont cheddar and buttermilk ranch – was thick and creamy.  We chose the tortilla chips (over the hand cut potato chips) because we thought they might be sturdy enough to hold the dip.  We were right!  The dip had a good buffalo flavor but we found it a little on the salty side.  This may have been due to the type of cheeses used, but we thought it was quite tasty.

Our boneless tenders were smothered in a mild sauce, but I felt the heat in every bite.  However, I think my palate has weakened over the years and what I find spicy, others find bland.  Mom thought the sauce was perfect and only felt the heat a few times.  The tenders themselves were good, but a little on the dry side.  They were hard to cut and when you did break them apart, the batter fell off.  Still, the five tenders were good and they came with a side of cool blue cheese dressing and cut celery and carrot sticks.

The soft pretzel bites – the reason that we were dining at Blackie’s – were our biggest disappointment.  With that being said, we did enjoy the actual bites.  What threw us off was the taste of the compote which was hiding underneath.  Served in an adorable cast iron pot, the bites were topped with maple cinnamon butter and more of the sharp Vermont cheddar.  The mushy compote was a blend of apples, pears and brown sugar bacon cracklings.  We both found the bacon flavor to be overpowering.  Everything tasted like smoke.  The pretzels were indeed soft, but they were on the small side so once we had finished with the bites, all that was left was the compote.  It was OK, but we really weren’t fans.  I think Mom thought this dish was going to have a sweet flavor, but it was more savory than expected.

We also thought that – for the price – the appetizers could have been a little larger.  We were definitely full from snacking on all three, but at $10 and $11, there could have been a little more on the plate.  Our total came to $55.08.

Blackie’s Bulldog Tavern is absolutely a restaurant that Mom and I will visit again.  We saw a lot of great meal options (click here to view the menu) and we look forward to going back.  Although the appetizers weren’t exactly what we expected, by the large lunch crowd you can tell that Blackie’s is a popular restaurant.  We’re sure that the food and the service is what keeps people coming back.

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Dream Sweet Froyo

23B Faunce Corner Road

Stop & Shop Plaza

Dartmouth, MA  02747

(508) 991-3100

www.dreamsweetfroyo.com

March 15, 2014

After a night of shopping, Mom and I were ready to cool down with a sweet treat.  She had read about Dream Sweet Froyo on a Facebook page and wanted to check them out, so we headed to Dartmouth to get our frozen yogurt on.

Dream Sweet Froyo is an independent self-serve yogurt business much like the popular Orange Leaf chain.  However, as Mom and I found out, what makes Dream Sweet different is the flavor.

The shop is brightly colored, clean and had several tables scattered throughout.  The staff was friendly and welcomed us as we headed to the yogurt area.  We chose the smaller size cup and looked around at the different choices of yogurt.  I went with the cotton candy with a mix of key lime coconut pie while Mom chose the java caramel cup and Tuscan tiramisu (a gelato, which is a rare find in a self-serve yogurt shop).

Next we hit the topping station where Mom added peanuts and marshmallow sauce to her cup and I added maraschino cherries and shaved coconut to mine.  At 49 cents an ounce, our total came to $10.75.  We were also given a loyalty card where every stamp gets you closer to five free ounces of frozen yogurt or gelato.

Mom and I chose a table and dug into our treats.  We thought it was one of the tastiest frozen yogurts we have had – and we’ve been to almost all of the self-serve chains.  Mom liked that Dream Sweet has flavors that no one else does.  (Click here to read the menu.)  The flavors tasted exactly as you would expect from the name, whereas sometimes the Orange Leaf flavors aren’t as pronounced.

My combo was also fantastic, and I have to add that my toppings – cherries and coconut – were so fresh that I had forgotten how crunchy maraschino cherries can be!  The coconut tasted like it had just been prepared prior to my scooping it into the cup.  Everything was excellent.

We will definitely be back for more of Dream Sweet’s unique kinds of gelato and frozen yogurt.  It’s always a great experience when you can support a mom-and-pop business and have a delicious dessert at the same time.

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The Inn on Shipyard Park

13 Water St.

Mattapoisett, MA  02739

(508) 758-4922

www.theinnonthepark.com

March 15, 2014

Mom and I had wanted to visit the Kinsale Inn Restaurant in Mattapoisett for quite some time, however, they closed their doors in 2012.  Recently, we decided to check out the online menu for the restaurant that took its place.  Once we saw what they offered for appetizers, we set off for The Inn on Shipyard Park.

The restaurant is inside of a working inn that – according to the website – is the oldest running inn in the nation.  The building is settled in quaint Mattapoisett Village and has a beautiful screened porch where customers can sit and overlook the harbor.  Mom and I headed inside and found that the dining room was as cozy as we expected.  There is also the bar area where a few musicians were setting up for an evening performance.

Our waitress Emily arrived to take our drink order.  Mom and I decided to have a few cocktails to accompany our impending appetizers.  She chose the Honey Nut Cheerio ($9) and I decided on the watermelon sangria ($8).  Mom’s “Cheerio” was made with RumChata, Wild Turkey American Honey and cinnamon.  It really did taste like the milk from a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios!  My sangria was like a piece of juicy watermelon and was extremely delicious.  (We later found out that this drink is Emily’s favorite when she’s off the clock.)

Because we already knew what we wanted thanks to the online menu (click here to view), we were ready to order.  We decided on the fresh lump crab cakes ($11), baked gouda skillet ($12) and a pizza topped with bacon, feta cheese and pineapple ($11.99).  The toppings were Mom’s personal concoction.

Emily brought over the appetizers first.  Mom and I didn’t know where to start.  Everything was beautifully presented and had an out of this world aroma.  The baked gouda (baked with cream, shallots and garlic) was served with eight buttered crostini for dipping.  The flavor of this dip was fantastic.  Both Mom and I wanted to stick our faces in the skillet.  It was one of our favorite appetizers of all time.  It was fun to eat, the crostini was crisp without being too crunchy and the gouda was delectably tangy.

The lump crab cakes were simply divine.  They were stuffed with fresh crab and a mix of tasty veggies.  The two large cakes were sitting on a drizzle of lemon-sriracha aioli, and although I could have used more of the aioli (only because it was so yummy), you could feel the heat from the sriracha.

Our pizza arrived steaming hot and loaded with Mom’s crazy toppings.  I loved the amount of feta cheese they used because I’m obsessed with all things feta.  This particular thin crust pizza was just awesome.  It held the toppings well and Mom’s choices – the sweet pineapple with the savory bacon and the salty feta – was perfect.  I’m drooling just thinking about it.

Mom and I were stuffed to the gills.  This was a fantastic find.  Our total came to $55.24 and it was worth every penny.  The restroom was as clean as the dining room was.

If you haven’t visited The Inn on Shipyard Park, you need to get yourself there immediately.  It has a New England seaside vibe with an eclectic pub menu.  Mom and I will be back when the weather gets nicer because we definitely want to try out that screened porch.  Eating delicious food while sitting by the town wharf?  It doesn’t get any better than that.

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Liberal Club

20 Star St.

Fall River, MA  02724

(508) 675-7115

www.facebook.com/liberalclubfallriver

March 13, 2014

The Liberal Club has been a Fall River staple for as long as I can remember.  City residents come here for parties, weddings, funerals and – in the summertime – Portuguese feasts.  On this freezing winter day, Mom and I visited their restaurant for something to warm our cold bellies.

Once inside we were instructed to sit in a certain booth by one of the waitresses. She later came over to take our drink order, which is paid for separately.  We chose two bottles of diet root beer which came to $3.50.  The waitress left us alone with the menus to give us time to decide on a meal.

Since we had been to the Liberal Club before, I was focused on their famous French onion soup ($4.95).  It was excellent when I had it the last time and it was just what I needed to warm up.  Mom already knew what she wanted – the baked scrod ($14.95).  She had heard great things about the scrod but had never tried it.  Today was the day.

When the waitress returned, we placed our order.  In addition to Mom’s scrod and my crock of soup, I also ordered a tuna salad sandwich with fries ($7.95).  While we were waiting for our food to arrive, we noticed that the restaurant started to fill up.  By the end of our meal, almost every booth was taken. 

Our starters came out first.  Mom’s dinner came with a side salad and she chose Parmesan peppercorn as her dressing.  She said the vegetables were crunchy and fresh and the dressing was tasty.  My soup – as expected – was amazing.  I could order this every single time I come here.  The cheese topping is thick and gooey and the onion soup is rich and flavorful.  It’s got a great taste to it and the bread at the bottom broke up the spiciness of the broth.  A fabulous choice.

The entrees arrived soon after we finished the soup and salad and everything looked great.  My sandwich was surprisingly scrumptious!  The Liberal Club uses red onion in their tuna salad and that really gave the sandwich a kick.  I chose rye bread which was soft and fresh.  The fries were good and plentiful.  There was also a crunchy pickle on the plate.  Everything was fantastic.

Mom’s scrod had a Ritz cracker crumb topping and came with a side of real mashed potatoes and cole slaw.  The slaw was cool and crisp, the real potatoes were savory and the scrod was white and flaky.  Mom said that the fish was cooked perfectly and the piece itself was generous.  You didn’t even need a knife; the scrod fell apart with just a fork.

Our food total came to $29.80.  As Mom and I headed back out into the frigid temperature, we vowed to return to the Liberal Club.  Although I am obsessed with the French onion soup, the next time we visit I want to try one of their delicious dinner options.  I’m sure everything will be as appetizing as always.

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