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!).

Maggie's

I dont know why we return to Maggie McFly's in Southbury. Everytime I go I seem to be a little disapointed. Last night the place was busy, but service was very harried. I think a manager stepped in at one point. Drinks didnt arrive, orders were late. Its tough to keep a two year old happy and waiting 40 minutes for a grilled cheese.

And the food really isn't that great. Good, not great. Why is it so popular?

Senor Panchos

Last night we ate at Senor Panchos in Southbury. It was certainly kids hour when we were there with several birthday parties. This place caters to two crowds very well; the young families, and the "night out crowd".

Our daughter is enthralled by the musicians who are very good. The food is usually very good and comes very fast. There is plenty of commotion in this place with a lot of workers so there is plenty to watch. Our food almost always comes with ten minutes.

I ordered the fajitas (chicken and beef). I was not too happy with the meet but the tortillas and extras (guacamole, etc..) were excellent. I could usually pass on the beans and rice as I think they sit out for awhile before service. My wife ordered tacos which were very good. They are "make your own" as the meat comes in a bowl. They could avoid putting the cheese on a hot plate as it ends up melting together.

Overall, a high value establishment.

Julio's

Julio's of Southbury is the subject of our last visit. We visited this restaurant on a Saturday night. The restaurant was full.

We find the pizza here to be excellent. We had the four cheese pizza. This is a wood fired oven and the crust definitely takes on that character. Everything about the pizza tastes fresh. We would prefer if the ricotta was spread out a bit more so we get a taste of each cheese in every bite.

We also had two salads. The regular salad with beef was a hit. The Romano salad was very fresh but the dressing is very tart. Beware.

Service was friendly, but largely absent. It took awhile to get our check and several small mistakes were made. The manager deducted $3 from our bill without us asking for it.

The Lodge

Tonight we ate at The Lodge in Southbury. This is mainly a bar that usually serves quality sandwiches. The place is split in half. One side is the bar and one side is the tables and booths.

This was a rough night for service. We sat ourselves, found menus, and waited for awhile. They were all pleasant but we seemed to have three different waitresses. We also waited a long time for the dinners to come out. They served our daughter first, which was great, but we didn't get our food until she was done, 20 minutes later.

The food is good. The salads taste fresh, the sandwiches are on quality bread, and the meat is tender. Some food is a great deal. I had a salad and 1/2 sandwich for $5.95. However, 5 pieces of fried mozzarella out of a box is $6.95. A tossed salad with three pieces of beef rises from $6.95 to $11.95.

Usually the service is much better. So we recommend you check the menu for some deals and enjoy the food.

Oriental Gourmet

Last night we dined at the Oriental Gourmet which is a favorite of ours here in Southbury. Our daughter enjoys ordering (and eating) Lo Mein so it is fun to bring her here. The staff is very friendly and accomodating and they seem to enjoy it when she arrives.

I had the Thai Basil Chicken. This was good, but nearly as good as some others I have had. I expect a little more basil and a little more Thai punch to the dish. While some of the other Thai influenced dishes are good, this one falls a bit short. The Lo Mein was excellent and we also had Thai Garlic Beef which is a family favorite.