Inn at Newtown

Last night we had an excellent meal at the Inn at Newtown.  The ambience of this place is great.  I'm not sure if people actually stay here, but it feels like an Inn or a home.  They have comfortable chairs in the lobby where families were sitting and chatting, the floors squeek and bow like an old house and the lighting is set up like a home.

We had excellent service!  Responsive, great with our kids, and went the extra mile.  That makes all the difference.

We started with the Kobe Burger Sliders.  They come in a set of two which we shared.  Excellent start.  I'd love to see perhaps a special ketchup the chef makes as an option.  

I had the Cubano sandwich.  This sandwich had a unique twist with the sauce they used.  The sandwich was exceptional.  I also tasted the macaroni and cheese my daughter got which was very creamy and rich.  It wasn't baked, just pasta with the cheese sauce.

The highlight of the meal was the chocolate cake which we shared.  No way we could have eaten a whole slice our selves it was so rich.  I was told the cakes are not made in-house.  They certainly picked the right vendor.

Great spot.

The Lodge

We returned to The Lodge in Southbury last night.  This is always a decent meal.  I had the special which was Chicken Pot Pie soup.  The puff pastry topping and creamy soup was excellent.  The chicken sandwich that followed was adequate at best.  The sandwiches are typical bar food.  Decent fries, good onion curly things.  We also had a roast beef sandwich (a bit rare) and a quesadilla.

The service is friendly and it is pretty kid friendly.  And they have a fancy website!

Red Robin

We were in the Hartford area yesterday so we ate at the Red Robin.  There are three Red Robins in Connecticut, but many more in the Mid-Atlantic states.

The restaurant was about 1/2 full at 4pm, which was a surprise.  There is a lot of mall traffic which I am sure drives there business.  The food is actually quite good, although it is the same in each outlet of course.  They have over a dozen varieties of hamburger toppings.  I had the avacado which came with onion, bacon, letuce and mayonaise.  Each meal comes with "bottomless" fries and drinks.

Overall, a high value establishment.

Quick Notes

1. The Woodbury Farmer's market seems to be a success in its first year. We have been impressed by the meat, bread, and jams.
2. Would Southbury allow a real cafe to survive? Or does it have to be a chain? I think a small place that served 8-10 plates on the menu would be a great thing. Simple, quick food.
3. Are there new places on the horizon? What is going into the KMart plaza? They built a new place where Jordan's used to be.

Hot Tamale

I returned to Hot Tamale in Seymour again this week. This restaurant tries to go a little away from traditional Tex-Mex that we are familiar with. It is definitely more a bar than anything else.

The food is tasty. I had a soft chicken taco. The corn tortillas are rather thick and the chicken may be a bit spicy. There are a lot of flavors competing. But overall a good experience.

Service can be friendly, but a bit harried. They seem to be one waitress short.

Good News

Last night we ate at the Good News Cafe in Woodbury. Very good meal all around. The service is first class, the room is great, and you feel like you are the only one in the restaurant.

We had the lamb sausage appetizer and the beef appetizer. The beef is pretty amazing, cooked perfectly and almost melts in your mouth. The accompanying sauce sparkles with flavor. For entrees we had steak and chicken, both excellent. The mashed potatoes have a lot of garlic and butter and are big hits.

Of course, dessert can't be beat. Peach tart and a chocolate cupcake. Great meal, great time all around.

Quick Notes

Some quick notes:

1. Had pizza from DiPalma's tonight. Pretty decent. This isnt my favorite pizza in Southbury but it is consistently excellent.
2. Senor Panchos has been a little down lately. The food seems to be sitting under the heat lamps for awhile before it heads out.
3. I had a great sub from Mikee's Place the other day. #6.
4. "The Bakery" continues to impress. Everything tastes good in this place.
5. If you go to Quassy have the barbecue chicken meal. Quite tasty. Otherwise, bring a picnic (except on Friday night --25 cent hot dogs!).