Hometown Grille [CT]

Just as its name implies, this is a hometown eatery where you can get some good food. Regulars drop in and are waited on and cooked for by some very nice people. No big box franchise here.

I ordered a whiteboard special: Spinach Mushroom Omelette [$4.95]. This came with home fries and toast. Nothing better than rye toast with butter and unlimited fresh ground Omar coffee [$1.55]. For some reason this was the highlight of my breakfast. The omelette would have been much better is the cook had used some seasoning on the spinach and/or the mushrooms. The home fries also needed something. This would have been great for someone on a salt-free diet. 

bloginfo: Hometown Grille is located 869 Mill Street in the Route 72 Plaza in Berlin

blognote: Next time I will order eggs and toast; these looked great as they were served

Tokyo Sushi [CT]

With a coupon from the Hartford Courant this morning for a free sushi roll, I had lunch today at Tokyo Sushi with a dear friend. 

Aside from the California Roll [value $4.25] we ordered the lunch specials: Maki Special [$8.95] and my Lunch Bento Box [$7.95]. These both came with salad [great dressing] and miso soup.

The maki chosen were tuna and salmon. The bento box had rice, shumai [3] and my choice of Tonkatsu [fried pork cutlet with tonkatsu dipping sauce].

All in all the meal was good and the atmosphere was very authentic. The sushi were not that interesting however and when the nori doesn't even wrap all the way around, you know that they are scrimping on the details. The picture shows the leftovers which went to the other house.

bloginfo: parking can be a little difficult at some times
blognote: the iced green tea was delicious but I spilled it all over the counter [but they didn't charge me for it!]

Ted's Restaurant [CT]

Unfortunately I had never gotten myself to the Meriden location of Ted's Restaurant World Famous Steamed Cheeseburgers so I ate today in the new Cromwell location. And glad I did!

Ordered the steamed cheeseburger [$4.50] which came on a nice roll and the possibilities of many free toppings and I chose only the sautéed onions]. The steamed cheeseburger is an animal unto itself; lean, mean, square, thick and juicy with a good layer of melted cheese. Also had the home fries [no fried french fries are fried here] which turned out to be about a peck of skin-on tasty spuds [$1.75]. There is a selection of fountain drinks [$1.25] and Stewart's bottled sodas [$1.50] and I had a root beer.

bloginfo: Route 372 [43 Berlin Road @the old Quiznos location]
phone 860.635.TEDS
blognote: Sandwich menu consists of 7 items [hamburger, cheeseburgers, hot dogs and BLTs]

Figaro's [CT]

Had a nice lunch today at Figaro in Enfield. Started with a basket of warm Italian bread and herbed olive oil for dipping. Soup was included: Cream of Broccoli and my Manhattan Clam Chowder [very clammy, very good].

We both had the same special entrée of the day: Chicken a la Carmen [$11.95]. Two halved chicken breasts with prosciutto and mozzarella in a spinach/mushroom sherry sauce. Very nice; halves of each went to their respective homes to be served at an other time. Ended with coffees and NO desserts.

Fresh Pickings' [CT]

The search for the best chicken wings in the area is over. Eureka, they are found at Fresh Pickings' in Wethersfield. This little deli, produce stand, specialty foods market is located in the Goff Brook Plaza next to Ginza [which  I will visit soon!].

The wings [2/$1] are tasty, meaty and spiced just right. I had them for dinner and they didn't last long!

They also sell Calvo Tuna in Olive Oil which is by far the best canned tuna in the world [well, maybe the country or maybe the state or whatever]. It comes in a package of three 80 gram cans for $4.69.

bloginfo: 1307 Silas Deane Highway, 860.257.8162 and open Monday through Saturday from 8 to 6.