Out vs. In

Eat Out. One of my favorite phrases that I have found to advertise a restaurant. It comes from the Perfect Wife in Manchester, Vt. I also bought the t-shirt as a souvenir: My boyfriend broke up with me and all I got was this t-shirt and some tasty food! Over the past couple weeks I have been eating out a lot. We have been trying restaurants that we haven't been to ever, or in awhile. So far there has been the Old Forge in Mass on 7: delicious food, wings, good salad bar and an amazing beer list, The Perfect Wife this last Wednesday, which is always delicious with vegetarian options and a 6 dollar burger. Don't also forget the 2 dollar PBR's! Along with all this experimentation we have been missing Trivia and Carmody's West which announced on Wednesday that it is closing. The business is just not there. Less people are going out and more are staying in because it is obviously cheaper. The other day at work a co-worker said: "I almost never go out, I have two kids in tow and a husband who likes to eat steak." I love eating out because I am a foodie, however, I also eat out when I just. don't. know. what. to. cook. AKA laziness. It is healthier to eat in, there is less temptation, but which do I really enjoy more?

Wow, it has been awhile since the last post but sickness and work I haven't had anytime or really haven't eaten out a lot. I do have a few things to discuss or rather proclaim: Baby eggrolls at Lucky Dragon rock. And they are buy one get one free, although that special might have come and gone. We found and explored the 9.95 steak night at The Rybrook Tavern also. With a cozy fire you get salad bar, steak, potato and veggies. Their veggies are delicious too. On Saturday we went to Isabella's: it has been a long time. Their food is still deliciuos but I missed that love tomato sauce ketchup thing. On the home front I baked bread and made lasagna on Sunday. Both were deliciuos and I think I should continue to make bread. At the bar, Joe, Randy and Parker's cider is delicious but dangerous. Sam has taken to not getting sick while drinking anymore, instead she time- travels. Although either one is no good, one glass of cider will be okay for me for awhile. Till the next time, be delicious and make cooking and eating an adventure!
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There are some bars that you immediately walk into and feel unwelcome or weird about being there. When I lived in Boston I had a set of places that I knew I could go by myself and not feel weird. This was the case for when we visited JC's yesterday. We went because they have the direct tv nfl ticket with all of the games which helps when stupid games or basically not the ones you want are playing at home on tv. We usually go to Kevin's but we have to drive there and since JC's was in walking distance we went for it. Upon entry there were only some people at the bar. We ordered our beers and made sure our game was on the television. After this, it only got better. We ordered the sampler platter which was amazing for 7.95. There were heaping portions of onion rings and beer battered mushrooms, deliciuos hand battered chicken tenders and mozzerella sticks. The bartender made fun of the fact that I was an Eagles fan but it made us feel welcome. The whole bar was social. And the bartender gave me a cookie. By the end of the night, we had made a few friends and for dinner had pretty good pizza: prebacked crust but fresh mozzarella and overall not bad. I know we will be going back for some neighborhood bartalk and football games. I also want to try their burger.

I love going out to restaurants. When I am planning to visit a restaurant I have never been, I will look up to menu online and try to decide what I am going to eat. I do this because I never can decide when I actually have to order.
Every week we go to a bar that has trivia. Their specialty is barbeque, which in this town was a welcome change from the choices of American, Mexican, Chinese or Italian food. Yet, going every week since I moved here I have ran out of ideas of what to eat. This past week I decided to ask Patrick to just bring me something. I didn’t care what it was. What I got was the best quesadilla that they have at Carmody’s West: the beef brisket quesadilla. Delicious. I am wondering if I can get away with this at other places considering I can never make a decision. However, I don’t want to be rude but that quesadilla restored my faith in that place. So question: Is it rude to ask your server to just bring you something? I obviously will not complain and maybe I will try things I would never choose myself.
Complaints are a huge fear in the restaurant business and I have been witness to many next to my table and in an entire room. This evening Joe and I were in a waiter’s hell at Pangaea lounge. There was a table of obvious Bennington college students and parents out for dinner. The parents wanted to order the Delmonico steak but wanted to know what came with it, because the vegetable of the day was, was a matter of the most importance. They were also going to split it. When their food arrived the woman got pissed and bent out of shape because she didn’t get a separate plate. I’m sorry did you ask for one? No! The manager actually comped their steak for this! What the hell! The poor waitress just forgot a plate! What is this world coming too!
Behind us two men sat and at first snapped at the waitress when she asked if they were ready to order: “No, we are not. We would like to sit and enjoy our first drinks and have a relaxing evening.” After hearing this tidbit my eyes almost popped out of my head. The man eventually apologized to the waitress saying the he had a tough week and they were pretty much just fun to listen to for the rest of the evening.
Moral of the story: People are crazy and Joe and I seem to be witness to many of these incidents. Till next time, keep your ears open for dining conversations. They can provide hours of fun!

What is it about food memories? Some are so vivid y0u can almost taste it, your mouth starts to water and you either need to have the food from that memory soon or in a few days. This happens to me a lot. It happens with childhood foods, meals I made a week to a year ago and foods from my favorite restaurants. However, those memories don't always hold up like my mom's meatballs- I will never make them like she does. Mine will never, ever taste that good. I have totally given up on beef meatloaf because of the same fact: my mom makes it better. I still try though. Afterwards I critique everything part of the process like I do a photograph or a drawing. Joe always just looks at me and shrugs but I know deep down he has many awesome food memories.
Foods I have been thinking about lately are far away in New Jersey and Boston, the amazing food city I left recently. What do I miss? Let me break it down and tell me if you agree: Cheesesteaks, colonial salads, Boston: truffle fries from the cellar, Cambridge one pizza, dumplings from the Chinese restaurant down the street.. But here I am starting to develop and make my own food memories from the things I make and places I go. Like pulled pork sandwiches...Check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1BDM1oBRJ8

Today we went to Kevin's to watch both the Eagles and the Packers. After I went from a Chicken Caesar salad to the steamers, they gave out the snack mix! "Yea!" was exclaimed because I thought that the snack mix must only be consumed after four. Over Switchback beers and a special and equally gross Packer drink that Joe's dad invented: 7UP, Creme de Mint and Tequila, both of our teams lost. BOO. Steamers were delicious though for our landlocked state. Steamed in a bath of broth, butter, celery and jalapenos, I had to order some bread the sop some of that shit up. Joe got the buffalo chicken tenders, which were like chicken fries with a kick. Burger King could never compete.

Kitchen sink chili for dinner. Instructions: Look in fridge. Did you save those leftovers from barbeque or really anything with meat. Throw that, a can of tomatoes, jalapenos, peppers, beans and a beer in a crock pot and Voila. Spicy but deliciuos. May cause gas.