Garwoods Restaurant & Pub - Wolfboro, NH

★★★


We made a weekend jaunt to New Hampshire just as the fall season was ending. We literally rode the M/S (motor ship) Mount Washington on its very last day of service for the year. We were lucky to get the boat ride because, as it turned out, many establishments had already closed their doors for the winter. We ended up eating at Garwoods because it was one of the few restaurants that was actually open when we visited Wolfboro.

The dining room has a fantastic view of Lake Winnipesaukee.

While we were looking over the menu, Sebastien loudly whined because mac 'n cheese wasn't listed. The bartender - who couldn't help overhearing - got my attention and let me know that they actually could accommodate a mac 'n cheese order. Yippee!

Ken and I split our dishes. He ordered fried clams, and I ordered fish tacos. We each ate half, then exchanged plates. In both cases, I felt the food was good, but I had certainly had tastier fried clams and fish tacos before.

My dad ordered the hamburger, and I was surprised when it arrived without any lettuce, tomato, or onion. My dad pointed out that those were listed as toppings that would cost extra. I didn't think that was cool, especially since my mom's crab cake sandwich did come with both lettuce and tomato. She said her sandwich wasn't anything special.

Over all, a decent meal with a great view, and I SO appreciate their flexibility in accommodating Sebastien's request, but it's not necessarily a place I would go out of my way to recommend to others.

Jordan's Restaurant - Bar Harbor, ME

★★★

We arrived on a Saturday morning around 9 or 9:30 AM, and only had a brief wait before being seated, though we did have to break into two groups to be seated in two booths. The booths were close to each other, in the same area of the restaurant, but not adjacent.

Fast, friendly, very casual service.

Isabelle's French toast was delicious, and Sebastien's yogurt with fresh fruit was large and generously portioned. But the wild blueberry muffins were not as great as I had expected them to be, and my omelette - though well made - was kind of bland. I think maybe they used mild cheddar cheese, which hardly tasted like anything at all to me, since I am used to eating extra sharp cheddar at home.

Geddy's - Bar Harbor, ME

★★★


Fun atmosphere with lots of interesting things on the walls, like old license plates from around the country. Wide menu selection, including a kid's menu. We arrived around 6 PM on a Wednesday night, and our party of 10 got seated immediately at a large corner booth where we didn't have to worry about the kids bothering other diners.

I mentioned Sebastien's food allergies, and the waitress did not seem very interested or concerned.

As for the food... My lobster bisque was too buttery, and it didn't have as much lobster as I had hoped it would. My fried clams had too much batter. On the plus side, the kids' drinks came with small plastic fish toys, and their entrees came on souvenir frisbees - a great idea, not withstanding the disappointment my daughter experienced because she didn't like the color of her frisbee.

Tulip - Stoneham, MA

★★★


One of the most effective ways of judging an Asian restaurant is to look around at the clientele and observe how many customers are Asian. If you see a lot of Asian faces, then chances are the restaurant is authentic and highly regarded.

Unfortunately, walking through the dining room of Tulip, we saw nothing but Caucasian faces. We went for the lunch buffet, which consisted of predominantly "Americanized Chinese" foods, e.g., lots of fried options, General Gau's Chicken, and Egg Foo Young - which I actually finally ate for the first time. (It was really bland.)

Looking at the menu, it's just too varied. They offer Japanese hibachi and sushi in addition to Chinese food and Thai dishes. It's too broad to do any one cuisine really well.

I'm really not a fan of Americanized Chinese food, but for what this restaurant was, and considering its target audience, it seemed pretty decent. The place was clean, and our waiter was friendly. I probably won't go back myself, but I wouldn't mind recommending it if I knew someone was looking for an Americanized Chinese restaurant.

Ka-Noon - Bedford, MA

★★★


Small and quaint, I was pleased with the ambiance when I walked in. But the summer rolls were bland and the shrimp practically microscopic, if they existed at all. My coconut chicken soup was excellent, while the "thunder noodles" (spicy flat rice noodles) were good, but not especially noteworthy. The waitress forgot to offer us dessert before handing us the check. Overall, a nice place to go if the primary purpose is to meet up with a friend, but not necessarily worthy of being the destination itself.

Helen's - Concord, MA

★★★


Cash-only establishment. Casual diner with usual breakfast fare. My glass of orange juice was rather small, and the melons (honeydew and cantaloupe) in the side of fruit (which also included grapes) were not yet ripe. Overall, decent food, but nothing remarkable.

Tomasso Trattoria - Southborough, MA

★★★


Authentic Italian dining with both traditional and unique dishes, all succulent. But, exorbitant prices, small portions (you probably need to have all four courses to feel satisfied), and hovering staff detract from the dining experience.