Swanzey Diner - 7

Date: 6/26/10

Restaurant: Swanzey Diner
Address: 515 Monadnock Hwy
City: Swanzey
Phone: 352-8939

Cheap and good!

STANDARD - 2 eggs OE, potatoes, bacon, toast
Eggs **** 


Potatoes ****+
Kind: Home fries. Cooked perfectly! Yes, perfectly! Good amount of crunch and optional onions. Not sure why we are not giving these a 5... I guess because Sven says there is always room for improvement. Maybe if they had a little seasoning they would have made it to the 5 level.


Toast ****
Kind: Wheat
Homemade? No, but it was pretty decent. 


Bacon **
Way over cooked. So crunchy it could have been used as a tongue depressor.



Muffin
Kind: Blueberry or Corn
Homemade? They were not homemade, but the server said they were good.
 


SERVER RECOMMENDATION **** Strawberry and cream cheese stuffed french toast.
Our server recommended almost everything on the menu. She said the pancakes were phenomenal, and the Benedicts were great. She also recommended the stuffed french toast and fruit crepes, but to go with the strawberry and not the other fruits. So, that's what we did. The toast was thick and yummy, stuffed with cream cheese and sliced strawberries in juice and topped with whipped cream. The only drawback was that they were not fresh strawberries. It is currently strawberry season here, had they used fresh, they may have gotten 5 stars. 


SERVICE ****
Our server was great. She was very friendly, and made us feel welcome and comfortable. She obviously loves her job and has been working there for 14 years. She was very helpful with her recommendation. She seemed a little spread thin for the busy place, forgetting a coffee/water fill-up, but it was pretty busy, which didn't seem to ruffle her feathers one bit. 
 


DECOR ****
Small and comfortable. All booths, with larger ones in the middle that could accommodate large parties, or two separate ones. Cozy with nice wood panelling and a slight rustic feel.


NOTES
Cozy place, good food and fabulous server. Would definitely go back. The place seemed to be filled with mostly local folks who seemed like regular diners there.

SVEN'S TAKE 
Lately, Olga and I have been communicating principally by haiku; which I highly recommend. In honor of that, I have written a breakfast haiku:

It is never a
Bad idea to order
Strawberry French toast. 
 
 
 


Malarkeys Village Cafe - 6

Date: 6/19/10

Restaurant: Malarkeys Village Cafe
Address: 54 Main Street
City: Antrim

Breakfast Hours: 7-11 M-Sa, until 7-2 on Sun

Our opinions on this place differ a bit. Sven liked it better than I. Sven also says that I have become almost too critical since this project started. I agree that I am critical, but my feeling is, with the amount of breakfasts we are going to eat over this next year, I want to be WOWed. I would actually give the dish I had a WOW, but the rest, in my opinion, left quite a bit to be desired.

This week we got to enjoy the company of Sven's daughter, Sashenka. She was, somewhat reluctantly, willing to help us with our research; and so she ordered one of the specials which was not her first choice. It is unfortunate her breakfast was quite a disappointment...To all of us. Hopefully she will be willing to join us again.

STANDARD - 2 eggs OE, potatoes, bacon, toast

Eggs **
One was over cooked and the other slightly undercooked. How does that happen?


Potatoes ***
Kind: Home fries made with red potatoes. These potatoes had good flavor, almost like they may have been parboiled in salty water, but there was no crispness, added spice or onions. 


Toast ***
Kind: Wheat
Homemade? No.


Bacon ****
Bacon, just by it's nature, gets and automatic 4, and this was no exception.
 


SERVER RECOMMENDATION
French toast. This is what Sashenka really wanted to order. Sorry Sash!


SPECIAL/OMELET
Sashenka: Mocha Chip Pancakes **
Very heavy, chewy, way too much chocolate (didn't think that could be possible!). Sashenka could only take a few bites, then Sven and I had to try them for the sake of research. Well, they were terrible, but they were chocolate, and once that substance passes my lips, it's all over. I ate way too much and felt light headed and a bit nauseous all the way back to Lempster.

Sven/Olga: Crab Cake Benedict *****
The crab cakes were delicious. Not too bready with large chunks of crab. The eggs were poached perfectly. These were nestled on mounds of fresh baby spinach and covered with homemade hollandaise. Would definitely eat these again!

MISCELLANEOUS
Coffee ** A 2 is being generous. Suggestion, if you are going to serve really bad, weak coffee, that looks more like the color of tea, don't serve it in a clear mug. Or charge $1.75.

SERVICE ***
It is hard to rate the service, as they were understaffed that morning and we were the only party sitting on the outside deck. The cook was the one who actually delivered our food. They tried hard and it seemed obvious that they were giving us as much attention as they could. When we first arrived it was not that busy, so having to ask for water twice, and when the server asked if we wanted to see a dinner menu (in case we wanted to have another meal there sometime) and we said yes, we expected to see one, but didn't. It was quite busy by the time we left so the lack of a coffee warmup, was probably due to being understaffed. Not that I would have wanted anymore of that coffee anyway. 


DECOR ****
Slightly upscale with a little "breakfast joint" feel with 6 seats at a counter. Vaulted ceiling with ceiling fans, front wall was floor to ceiling windows. Bright and airy. A nice deck with 3 tables.


NOTES
It was a lovely place to sit and have breakfast on a beautiful day. People walking by, either into the restaurant, or along the sidewalk, were very friendly, saying "hi" and "good morning". Small town, next to the local hardware store. Doesn't seem like the place the locals would eat at regularly. Maybe for a "special" breakfast.

SVEN'S TAKE
I just finished watching the US Mens National Team take on Algeria in the World Cup (on TV, alas); and was pretty underwhelmed. Sure they worked hard for a result, but they missed a number of easy chances, and seemed unable to put a good finish on otherwise promising runs. In the end they pulled out a victory that owed a little more to luck than most fans would care to admit. It kind of reminded me of eating at Malarkeys.

Our visit to Malarkeys had all of the ingredients of a great breakfast experience -- outdoor deck on a sunny morning, friendly people walking down the street (every one of them said "Hi!"), a great menu, a helpful waitress willing to offer suggestions, and daily specials that made us all lick our chops.

Unfortunately, a good team on paper doesn't always translate into a winner on the field. The standard breakfast was just that -- standard; and the pancake special was sickeningly sweet. The one exception was the Crab Cake Benedict. The bite Olga share with me was a shining moment in an otherwise ho-hum breakfast.

Truth is I liked this place in spite of the average food; and I know I'll go back again to give it another try. Like the US men's soccer team, there is a tantalizing promise in Malarkeys . . . a promise that if they can just get all the ingredients working together in unison, the results will be stupendous.

 

 
 
 


Blackwater Junction - 5

Date: 6/12/10

Restaurant: Blackwater Junction
Address: 730 Main St.
City: Andover
Phone: 735-5099

Breakfast Hours: 5am - 3pm (not sure about breakfast all day) Closed Mon and Tue

Cash and checks only.


This place was the best yet. It is going to be really hard to find a place that can top it. It was so good that we were still talking about it when we went to sleep that night!

STANDARD - 2 eggs OE, potatoes, bacon, toast. You should have seen the size of this plate of food. It was no plate, it was a platter!

Eggs **** 


Potatoes *****
Kind: Homefries. Believe it or not folks, we gave these potatoes 5 STARS! They were cooked to perfection, with just enough crunch and the optional onions were cooked in with the potatoes, not just placed on top.


Toast ***
Kind: Wheat
Homemade? No.
Standard, store-bought bread, slightly over-toasted, but not bad. Plenty of butter and did it's job just fine under the eggs.


Bacon ****
When my platter first arrived at the table I was slightly concerned by the look of the bacon. It looked a bit overdone, crunchy and dry. I was pleasantly surprised when I took a bite and found it to be perfectly chewy, salty, flavorful and not greasy.
 


Muffin: No baked good of any kind.
 


SERVER RECOMMENDATION *****
We asked the server what her favorite breakfast was. She replied "Well, since my Dad owns the place I feel like I have to say everything is good, but really, EVERYTHING is good. The sausage gravy and biscuits are a big seller". Then the folks at the table next to us piped in saying how good they were, as was everything else. They couldn't seem to say enough about how good everything on the menu was and they were experts on the subject because they eat there a couple times a week!


SPECIAL: Lobster Benedict

MISCELLANEOUS
Coffee **** For diner coffee it was "Superior", which happens to also be the brand.

SERVICE *****
The service was awesome. Our server was the daughter and grand daughter of the two men cooking in the kitchen. She obviously loved the place and had a very comfortable, natural and friendly demeanor. She was attentive without being over-bearing, our coffee and water never became less than half full. She was definitely on top of things. We even chatted it up a little bit with her father, through the kitchen window, who was very nice.


DECOR **** The place had sort of a NH seacoast feel on the outside, with a sign for seafood and steaks and a stylized, greenhouse type entryway. The entryway and the rafters in the restaurant were lined with rustic bird, squirrel and bat houses available for purchase. With the assortment of birdhouses and antique kitchenware, it had a warm, comfortable, cozy, country-ish feel.


CLEANLINESS **** I was impressed with how organized and clean the prep counter was.


BATHROOMS ***+ Not much to say... small and relatively clean.


NOTES
This place rocked. Other than the toast, no need to improve anything. Not sure what the seafood connection is, but they've got it... lots of it, it seems, which seems a little strange for a place that isn't open for dinner.


SVEN'S TAKE
A week ago, I asked my daughter's then-boyfriend what his favorite breakfast place in New Hampshire was and without hesitation he said "Blackwater Junction in Andover." It was an endorsement that would have been hard to ignore under any circumstances, but since he asked my daughter to marry him last last night, we figured we had no choice but to heed the advice of my future son-in-law.

The Blackwater Junction is the gold standard. Everything was hot and so flavorful that I never even had time to pause between bites to reach over for the Tabasco sauce that is standard fare on every table. My coffee cup never got down to half-full before the waitress came by to top it off. I'm not sure how they could have done any better. I hate giving anyone 5 stars at this stage of the game, but there is no way these guys don't get it. Welcome to the family, Ricky.

The Windmill - 4

Date: 6/5/10

Restaurant: The Windmill
Address: 172 Loudon Rd.
City: Concord
Phone: 603-225-0600

Breakfast Hours: 6am-2pm, 7 days.


STANDARD - 2 eggs OE, potatoes, bacon, toast.

I took a break from my "diet" so that I could enjoy the "standard" and Sven could have the pleasure of eating something else. It was a nice comfort for me to not have to scrutinize the menu to find something to suit my dietary requirements and I think Sven enjoyed the change.

Eggs ***** I am giving the eggs 5 stars. Sven says I dole out 5 stars too easily and that there is always room for improvement. If that is the case, the only way these eggs could have been better is if they were organic eggs from local, free-range chickens! 


Potatoes ***+
Kind: Deep-fried
Although these potatoes were very yummy, we can only give them a 3+. Breakfast potatoes should not be deep-fried, they should be pan-fried, period. Now, if we were rating french fries, I would have to give these a 4+, but we aren't. 


Toast ***
Kind: Wheat
Homemade? No.
Even though the bread was obviously store bought, it was thicker than most, which made for great yoke absorption. Nicely toasted and buttered.


Bacon ****
Crispy, chewy...Just the way we like it. (I can't prove Sven right by giving it a 5).



SERVER RECOMMENDATION ****
Our server had a few recommendations including the Meat or Veggie Melts, but Sven went with the grilled chicken omelet with spinach and cheddar and one slice of french toast on the side. The omelet was a tiny bit dry, and probably not a combination Sven would choose to order again, but it was decent. The french toast, on the other hand, one word - YUM! Thick Texas toast, coated with lots of cinnamon and a little sugar to give a slight crunch. Served with table syrup, which was just fine.

SERVICE ****+
Our server was friendly, personable, and on top of things. She clearly liked the place and said she had been working there for many years. When we asked what her favorite breakfast was she gave us a couple recommendations and walked away, obviously thinking about it, because she came right back and gave us a couple more. Our coffee cups were always full. No complaints at all. 


DECOR **
The family-style place was rather sterile with a "Friendly's" sort of feel. There were NH-themed photos on the walls ranging from wildlife and nature scenes to local sports figures. There were several TVs around the dining room, which is definitely BAD in our book. 


CLEANLINESS **** 


BATHROOMS **
There were two stalls. There was a chair blocking the entrance to the first stall. Obviously, that one was not to be used. An "out-of-order" sign might have been nicer. The place was kind of dirty and there were no paper towels in the dispenser. When I stopped in again, before hitting the road, I was a little startled to find a man in the stall. He apologized and told me the men's room was out of order.


NOTES
When we arrived in Concord, Sven went into a gas station and asked the folks there where to go for a good breakfast. Once he explained he was looking for a local place, not McDonald's or Friendly's, they recommended this place. It wasn't on our list, but since it came recommended, we went with it. The Windmill has been owned by the Smirnioudis family since 1990. There didn't seem to be any "Daily Specials". They also serve dinner and beer.

SVEN'S TAKE 
 
 
 
 
 

Is it just me, or is the idea of a chicken omelet kind of creepy?

MamaDukes Diner - 3

Date: 5/28/10

Restaurant: MamaDuke's Diner
Address: 226 Fitzwilliam Road (Rt. 12)
City: Troy
Phone: 603-242-7733

Breakfast Hours: 7am-2pm everyday. Thus, Fri & Sat open until 8.


STANDARD - 2 eggs OE, potatoes, bacon, toast
Eggs **** Good. Perfect for dipping the toast. 


Potatoes **
Kind: Home fries. More like a 2-. The potatoes were undercooked. Not only not fried long enough on the griddle, but the potatoes still had a bit of a raw crunch to them. 


Toast ****
Kind: White
Homemade? Yes! They also have homemade wheat. Good thick slices. Could order a the specialty bread of the day for 35¢ more. That day it was Aloha bread. Mango, pineapple, coconut (I think). It looked like they also had whole loaves of bread available to purchase.


Bacon **** Perfect combination of crisp and chewy.


Muffin *****
Kind: Blueberry
Homemade? Yes!
So, you know it has to be REALLY good if Sven gives it 5 stars! The muffin was super moist and firm enough to hold together. It was grilled and served with homemade BLUEBERRY BUTTER! Even though it was not on my "diet" (which will thankfully be ending soon) I had to have a bite of this muffin that Sven dubbed as PERFECT! It was pretty darn good.
 


SERVER RECOMMENDATION ****
Irish Hash. Toasted and buttered english muffin (which Sven ate) covered with corned beef hash, two poached eggs, and hollandaise sauce. This was the first time in my life I have ever ordered hash, so I am no expert, but it was pretty darn good. The eggs were perfectly poached. The only problem was I got the same undercooked potatoes that were served with Sven's breakfast. 


MISCELLANEOUS
Coffee ***
Real maple syrup available? Yes How much? $1.25

SERVICE ***
Actually a 3+. All the wait staff were friendly and personable. They seemed to work well together as a team. We had one main server, but the others would check in with us, to see if we needed anything, as they were passing by. They all seemed to enjoy working there and there were some obvious "regulars" that they greeted by name and chatted with a bit. They were a little slow on the initial greeting, menus and coffee. I had to ask twice for a glass of water, and was just about to ask a third time when the server remembered. The place was pretty busy, but not so busy that these things should have happened. 
 


DECOR **
The stools and counter added a little character, but basically the place was pretty nondescript. Has the appearance of being thrown together. Bad art, and not the good kind of bad art. There were cheesy inspirational quotes taped up here and there and an few children's drawings taped to the wall.


BATHROOMS ***
Only checked out the women's room, which is Pepto pink, floor to ceiling. It wasn't the cleanest, but not horrible.


NOTES
After two failed attempts at finding breakfast, this place was recommended by a landscaper in Fitzwilliam. He did good. Homemade pies, breads, muffins and cheesecakes. Can special order pies and cheesecakes. The lot was full, but easy to find a spot. It seemed like a popular place. It was busy the whole time we were there and the staff was very accommodating by moving tables around to be able to seat everyone as soon as they could. We sat at the counter and ended up sandwiched by other customers. We could see the cooks through an open pass-thru window, which is always nice. The flavored butter gives them definite bonus points!

SVEN'S TAKE 

First off a disclaimer: I really liked Mamaduke’s, and I have no doubt that we are going to head back there for some future breakfasts. I would even say that this is a "destination" restaurant – one worth jumping in your car and driving some distance to.

That being said, I have to vent a little. What’s up with the potatoes? I don’t just mean Mamaduke’s potatoes (which suck) but potatoes at 85% of the breakfast places in America. I just don’t understand what is so difficult about cooking home fries. I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve never manned a greasy-spoon grill, so maybe there is something inherently difficult about getting potatoes right in that environment. But I suspect with a little planning and a little attention to detail, it wouldn’t be that difficult.

Rule number one is that homefries need to be crisp on the outside. Give me that and you automatically get 4 stars. Make ‘em crisp and greasy at the same time and you get bonus points. Even more if you throw some onions and peppers or a pinch of cumin or chili powder.

Back to Mamaduke’s . . . we especially liked the local vibe this place had. It looked like there were a lot of regulars, and the blueberry muffin I had made it easy to see why. It was big, moist, grilled up in butter, and served with homemade blueberry butter . . . I have difficulty imagining how it could have been any better. With a cup of hot Joe, this would be a perfect start to any day.