The Local - Wayland, MA

★★★★

I'm afraid my experience with this restaurant has been a bit inconsistent...

First I went for drinks with some other moms in my neighborhood. All I had was a glass of white wine, but I did look longingly at some of the appetizers the other women ordered. I took a bite of the Brussels sprouts, and thought they were very good, but I politely refrained from eating off anyone else's plates, as this was the first time I was meeting some of them.

The next time I went, it was for coffee and dessert. The coffee was quite good, but the desserts, I'm afraid, were surprisingly lackluster. One of them was bread pudding, of which I'm not really a fan, so maybe it's not fair for me to judge that one. But the other dessert was a kind of chocolate cake, and I LOVE chocolate in all forms! But... I don't know. I was unimpressed. At the time, I remember thinking it wasn't sweet or chocolatey enough.

Soon after the dessert visit, I went for lunch with my good friend Sarah. I ordered a fruity cocktail - I believe it was the Raspberry Fizz - but was disappointed. It was fine, but it wasn't delicious. Sarah said her drink had much too much ice in it. We both enjoyed the homemade potato chips, and I had shrimp & grits for an appetizer, which was by far the best part of my meal. I loved it, even if the chorizo pieces were cut a bit large for my taste. My entree was fish tacos, which was remarkably bland, and the soft tortilla shell was mostly malleable, but unpleasantly hardened to a crisp in places.

Then, Ken and I went for dinner, and we actually had an impressive meal. The mussels we had for an appetizer were flavorful and plenty, and my short ribs with Brussels sprouts and grits was delicious - though a bit more sauce would have been nice. The only down side was that my ginger margarita was not very gingery. This meal alone would have been 4 1/2 stars.

Altogether, considering the multiple experiences, I guess I give them 4 stars.

Lago - Meredith, NH

★★★★

We drove from Weirs Beach to Meredith, looking for a place to eat. Our first two choices had closed their doors for the season, so we literally just drove around looking for a place that was actually open. Lago turned out to be quite a good find!

We were seated in an area that appeared to be a closed-in porch. I imagine the view must be beautiful during the day, but it was night time during our visit, so we didn't really get to enjoy it. Despite the potential view, our table wasn't really that great. There was a draft coming in from the windows so that I had to wear my jacket throughout the meal, and the space was awfully cramped so that the people sitting in the aisle had to consciously sit close to the table, or else they would block off the traffic behind them.

I ordered "balsamic and brown sugar braised short ribs" with risotto. It was delicious! The meat was amazingly tender and flavorful. The risotto, however, was a bit on the mushy side.

Ken ordered spaghetti with "shrimp, scallops, tomatoes and spinach sautéed with a garlic butter sauce". We each ate half of our dishes, and then switched plates, so we both got to enjoy two orders. This seafood scampi was light yet well-flavored, with a generous amount of shrimp and scallops.

My dad ordered "pan-seared Atlantic salmon with a garden-fresh radish relish", and he said it was cooked perfectly.

Isabelle and Sebastien shared a flatbread cheese pizza - not on the menu, but a request they were able to accommodate. (They offer various flatbread pizzas, but the ones on the menu were all fancier than plain cheese.) Sebastien enjoyed the 3+ pieces that he ate, though when I tried it myself, I thought the flatbread crust was kind of chewy. Isabelle ate a piece or two as well, but she actually much preferred the bites of salmon, beef, and shrimp that she ate off of the adult plates. Maybe it's time for Isabelle to move away from kids' menus!

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.

Seasons 52 - Burlington, MA

★★★★½

Sarah and I went here for lunch, and I loved it! My sea scallops with butternut squash risotto was perfectly prepared, and utterly amazing! And the espresso I had with my dessert was delicious and remarkably smooth.

Still, I give this place 4 1/2 stars, instead of 5, for two minor reasons.

First, I think they messed up my drink, but they did make it right when I asked them to. I had ordered the Mango Jalapeno Crush cocktail. I really enjoyed the jalapeno kick, but I just could not taste any mango at all. Sarah convinced me to say something, so giving the bartender the benefit of the doubt, I asked the waiter for "more mango" in my drink. The original drink I got was perfectly clear, but the new drink I got back was light yellow. I'm convinced that the bartender forgot to put the splash of mango in my original drink, so it's good Sarah encouraged me to speak up.

Second, I wish the portions were a bit larger. :P Sea scallops usually tend to be smaller-portioned than other entree dishes, so this critique may be out of line. Still, I actually left the restaurant feeling like I could have eaten more, and that shouldn't happen.

I did order one dessert, a Mocha Macchiato. Their desserts are miniature versions of regular desserts served in small glasses about the size of shot glasses. It was delicious, but I wish I had known that I ought to have ordered two or three different kinds. As I said, small portions!

Framingham Beer Works - Framingham, MA

★★★★★

My kids love this place!

You might not expect it from a microbrewery, but this restaurant is super kid-friendly. We have eaten here twice so far, the first time arriving on the late side for lunch, and the second time arriving on the early side. Both times we were seated in a booth, which was great for the kids. The kids menu has all the staples for my kids - hot dog, hamburger, mac 'n cheese, pizza - and both kids really like the different root beers as well.

This restaurant is close enough - and well-liked enough by the kids - that we might be eating here relatively often. I think I'll try to order something different every time. So far I've had the Charlestown Burger and the Fish 'n Chips, both of which I thoroughly enjoyed.

The real reason I'm giving this restaurant 5 stars, though, is because of how allergy-aware they are. When Sebastien mentioned his allergies, the waiter was careful to make note of each allergen. One time, both Isabelle and Sebastien ordered the mac 'n cheese, and when the food came out, the server specifically asked who had the allergies so she could give that person a particular plate. Even though both plates looked exactly the same, presumably one had been served up to minimize cross-contamination. And, when the bill came, it included an all-caps warning about allergies, presumably because the same ticket was used in the kitchen.

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.

Beal's Lobster Pier - Southwest Harbor, ME

★★★½

A lobster pound - where you pick a lobster from a tank and pay by the pound. This was the only lobster pound I ate at, so I can't compare it to others...

The menu is both limited and extensive: limited because the only non-fried foods available were lobsters, clams, and corn, but extensive because they offered a wide variety of fried foods (including chicken tenders and fries), plus hot dogs and hamburgers.

Super kid-friendly because of the menu, plus you eat outdoors at picnic tables, which means the kids don't have to be well-contained in their seats and can run around.

No lobster crackers or wet naps, but they do have a hand washing station. Great view of southwest harbor.

The Jordan Pond House Restaurant - Acadia National Park, ME

★★★★

After battling the overflowing parking lot on a super hot day, we were dismayed to find out that our 3 PM reservation for 10 people was lost! Completely non-existent! Thankfully, the hostess - who remained calm and composed while juggling the high demands of the crowd that day - handled the situation wonderfully. She put us into the pager line just as if we did have reservations, and we ended up getting a perfect outdoor table with a gorgeous view of the pond at pretty much our original reservation time.

We all had desserts, most of us opting for the popovers a la mode. Yum! Even Sebastien had ice cream because it's made by the restaurant, and while they do have one flavor with Heath Bar (which contains almonds), the super friendly waitress said that because they serve 2,000 people a day, they are well-versed in allergies, and she assured us they could serve Sebastien safe, un-cross-contaminated vanilla ice cream.

The unsweetened lemonade came with sugar water. I put just enough in for my drink to be satisfyingly refreshing, but there just wasn't enough sugar water to satisfy the kids. I'm sure the waitress would have brought more if we asked, but we didn't bother asking.

Portside Grill - Bar Harbor, ME

★★★★

Our party of 10 arrived around 6 PM on a Thursday evening, and they were able to seat us immediately.

Friendly service. When I mentioned Sebastien's allergies and asked about the bread, the waitress seemed knowledgeable and advised against Sebastien eating it.

My steamers appetizer was big and plentiful, and I loved my fish and chips entree - lightly battered, well-cooked. The watermelon cocktail, however, was not as interesting as it sounded on paper. The kids meals must have been good because both my kids polished off their plates - Sebastien ate all his mac 'n cheese, and Isabelle ate a whole hamburger.

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.

Muddy Moose Restaurant and Pub - North Conway, NH

★★★★

We picked this place completely by random and had no idea it was so popular! It's definitely a find, and a place I would recommend if you happen to be in the North Conway area.

We arrived on a Tuesday just when it opened for lunch at 11:30 AM. We didn't know how lucky we were to be shown a table right away until we left and saw the long line of waiting customers. Apparently, it's the type of place that sells its own souvenirs, and their decor had a fun lodge theme, with a moose head and bear skin on the wall, and light fixtures made of antlers.

The menu is very broad, with a couple specialty items, and they seem to do everything well. Our Maine Mussels appetizer was delicious, and everyone was happy with their entrees. My dad got Trapper Dale’s Venison Pasta, made with blueberry venison sausage; my mom got Shrimp Scampi, which had a generous portion of large shrimp; Ken got Wild Bill’s Buffalo Enchilada, made with buffalo meat; and I got the River Run Fish Melt, probably the most boring plate, but I just felt like having a fish sandwich today.

Our waitress was nice, too. She saw that the kids were fussy, and she brought over more bread before we had to ask. Sebastien was being difficult because he wanted macaroni and cheese, which wasn't on the menu, and the waitress suggested a pasta with alfredo sauce as a substitute. As it turned out, Sebastien wanted grilled cheese as soon as he saw Isabelle's plate, and the waitress changed the order for us.

Ezmè - Washington, DC

★★★★

We had a fantastic tasting menu and a very enjoyable bottle of wine that was chosen by our server. (It was a grenache from Spain.) Portions seemed appropriate for a tasting menu, but even so, I was bursting at the end of our meal, I was so full! The restaurant is Turkish, though none of the dishes seemed particularly interesting or new - they were a familiar mix of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean fare. There was one shrimp dish, and all the other meat dishes (three or four, I can't remember exactly!) had lamb. Dessert was not especially noteworthy, but the service was great.

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.

Lemon Grass - Lexington, MA

★★

Ken and I ate at this restaurant about 5 years ago, I think when I was pregnant with Isabelle, and all I remember is that I declared it my worst Thai dining experience ever, and I vowed never to return. That was before I started keeping track of restaurant reviews, though, so I can't for the life of me remember now what was so bad about it then. When a friend suggested this place for today's lunch, I really couldn't come up with a valid reason not to try it again, and its location was perfectly convenient - with free parking! - so I agreed.

Well, the place isn't terrible, but it's definitely lacking in some key areas. My Thai iced tea was a tad bitter, not well balanced. The coconut chicken soup was too heavy on the coconut, too light on the ginger and lime. The chicken pieces were generous, but much too large for one spoonful/mouthful. The mushrooms were still raw, and it seems like undercooked vegetables may have been a theme, as the carrots in my Drunken Noodles were also underdone. The dish was listed as spicy on the menu, but it wasn't at all. At least the shrimp - all three of them - were cooked well.

Los Hermanos - Tucker, GA

★★★★

Authentic Mexican fare with a fun and casual ambiance. I've only ever had their fish tacos (with tartar sauce and spicy roasted banana peppers) and asada tacos (shredded steak with onions, cilantro, and tomatillo salsa), and I love them both. I stopped short of giving them 5 stars, though, because I felt it wouldn't be entirely accurate if I don't know how their other Mexican standards - like burritos and quesadillas - are. Their margaritas are weak, but that's because they make them with white wine, because they don't have a hard liquor license.

South City Kitchen - Atlanta, GA

★★★★★

Every time we visit Ken's parents in Atlanta, I like to re-visit old haunts, mostly restaurants we frequented when Ken and I were first dating. Today Ken and I had lunch at South City Kitchen, where Ken made quite an impression on me years ago.

South City Kitchen turned out to be even better than I remembered. Everything about the meal was fantastic, and I am finally going to give a restaurant a full five-star rating! Ken and I both had cocktails which were perfectly mixed, not too weak, not too strong. We split two delicious appetizers, both of which had well-blended flavors: fried green tomatoes made with goat cheese, served with a red pepper coulis and fresh basil, and a bowl of chowder made with sweet potatoes, corn, and bacon. For our entrees, Ken ordered a catfish Reuben sandwich, which I didn't try but which he said was very good, and I ordered a dish of shrimp, ham, and grits. I absolutely loved my dish, which was cooked perfectly on all counts - both the shrimp and ham were tender and not over-cooked, and though there were a lot of flavors going on, nothing dominated, and everything was well-complemented.

When it came time for dessert, I was already full, but Ken was in the mood for a port and something sweet. We decided to split a dessert, but I let Ken choose, since I would probably only have a bite or two. He picked the pecan pie, which we both know to be something that Ken loves and that I am indifferent about. When the dessert came, I was game to give it a try, and I was surprised at how good it tasted! If all pecan pies were made that well, then maybe I would be a fan. The espressos we had to end our meal had a touch of foam, and they were strong enough that even I added half a packet of sugar to round out the flavor. (I usually take my coffees and espressos black.)

Our service was professional and friendly, giving us nothing to complain about. Truly a perfect meal all around!

The Pongal - Billerica, MA

★★


Limited lunch buffet selection that offers interesting choices, but lacks the comfort of familiar dishes. A couple dishes looked better than they tasted, but the lamb and chicken were both cooked well - tender, not at all dry.

Masa - Woburn, MA

★★★★½

Steve introduced us to Masa, and we loved it! We didn't order entrees, though, so my rating may be skewed. (There are always "those" restaurants that have excellent appetizers and desserts, but only mediocre entrees.) We knew we wanted to try their tapas, which are only served at the bar, so we waited around for bar seats to open up. Someone who might have been the manager saw us waiting, surveyed the dining guests, and gave us some tips on where we might want to hover in order to get the next available seats. Once we found seats in the bar area, he quickly brought us some menus. The bartender was pretty friendly, too; by the time our dinner was over, Ken had developed a rapport with him. Ken thought our mojitos were perfect (lots of fresh mint), but I thought mine was a little dry; I think I do like my mojitos to be just a little sweet. We ordered the combo platter of 10 different tapas, and 7 out of 10 were really fantastic. The remaining 3 weren't bad, they just didn't stand out as being as interesting or as flavorful as the other 7. We also got 3 out of the 4 available small dishes (I forget what they called them, they were somewhere between tapas and appetizers.); I loved the BBQ mac 'n cheese with chorizo, and Ken said the tuna tartare was great. For dessert we got the two menu items with chocolate; the "chocolate truffle tamale" (kind of like a molten chocolate cake) was yummy, and Steve said the bourbon pecan pie had a good filling, but a weak crust. (I'm not into nuts, so I don't think I can judge nut-based desserts fairly.)