Friday, February 26, 2016

KANE'S DONUTS OPENS POP-UP SHOP IN NEWTON

JOE Friday, February 26, 2016
Some of the finest donuts around are now being sold in Newton, but only for a limited time. Kane's has opened a pop-up shop at The Street in Chestnut Hill. It's right next to the Star Market.

Kane's is known for their huge, handcrafted donuts. I was only going to buy three or four when I stopped by today, but I wound up getting a half dozen. All of their donuts are amazing, but my favorite is their chocolate frosted. I also got a blueberry, chocolate glazed, jelly and strawberry frosted. The Kane's in Newton is open seven days a week now thru March 26th. Believe the hype! Be sure to stop by if you live nearby.

Kane's is also in the catering business. Brides and grooms are skipping out on the cake and going to DONUTS at their weddings instead, and that's where Kane's steps in:

How Kanes Donuts Became A Catering Leader One Cream Filling at a Time , ,

THE BAGEL PLACE OPENS IN MASSACHUSETTS!

JOE Friday, February 26, 2016
For years, The Bagel Place has been a hot spot in Burlington, Vermont. Now, they've just opened a new location in Newton, Massachusetts. The Bagel Place makes all of its big and crusty bagels fresh, in house. There are so many bagels to choose from like onion, blueberry, everything, cinnamon sugar, cheddar dill, Montreal spice and cracked wheat. Cheese lovers like me will love their Asiago cheese bagel. I enjoy it with butter to really bring out the cheese flavor. The Bagel Place also rotates special bagels. They had a S'mores bagel when I visited. They also have a bunch of homemade cream flavored cheeses like strawberry, honey walnut, scallion and vegetable.

The Bagel Place also offers breakfast sandwiches, which make for the perfect hearty breakfast. They are also open for lunch and have a full menu of sandwiches. I'm interested in trying "The Vermonter," which has smoked turkey, ham, cheddar and apple slices. Other sandwiches include a Caprese, hummus with veggies, chicken guac, classic Italian and spicy chicken. You can also create your own salad or choose from one of their soups of the day.

 The Bagel Place is open for breakfast and lunch everyday. 

@TheBagelPlaceMA
www.thebagelplacemass.com


UPDATE: The Needham location of The Bagel Place closed in September 2019.
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Monday, February 22, 2016

1912 CAFE INSIDE L.L. BEAN'S FLAGSHIP STORE IN MAINE

JOE Monday, February 22, 2016
The 1912 Cafe is a cozy spot for a quick meal inside of L.L. Bean's flagship store in Freeport, Maine. The 1912 Cafe specializes in healthy meals that are made in house with no artificial ingredients.

I recently stopped by for lunch and ordered their "Mainely Cuban" sandwich with a side of clam chowder. The chowder was think and hearty. The sandwich was stuffed with smoked ham, Swiss cheese and their amazing house pickles. The combination of flavors on that sandwich was so good! Those homemade pickles are amazing. They sell them by the jar to take home. 

Their menu also features several wheat wraps and salads. Go healthy with their Mediterranean salad or their Nuts & Berries Salad. They also offer cheese and hummus plates, along with plenty of vegetarian and gluten free options. The 1912 Cafe is also open for breakfast from 9am- noon every day with a menu that features breakfast sandwiches and bagels

www.1912cafe.com ,

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

INSIDE OF THE SPARKLING NEW CHICK-FIL-A IN FRAMINGHAM

JOE Wednesday, February 17, 2016
Check out those tents. There is no doubt that something special is going on at 1 Worcester Road in Framingham, Massachusetts. On February 18, 2016 around 6:30 in the morning, this brand new Chick-Fil-A will open its doors to the community. These people started camping out 24 hours in advance to be among the first to step inside. When I left around 2pm today, there were about two dozen people planning to spend the night. The first 100 customers in line will get free Chick-Fil-A for a year! Until then, they certainly aren't going unnoticed. They've been hooked up with free food and drinks.
Eat Up New England was lucky enough to be one of the first to step inside the new Chick-Fil-A in Framingham and check out that delicious spread of food! Pictured clockwise from left: Chicken biscuit with fresh fruit and hash browns, Waffle Potato Fries, chicken wrap with fresh fruit, breakfast wrap, Greek Yogurt with fruit, Chick-Fil-A Cobb Salad, Spicy Chicken Deluxe Sandwich and their Grilled Market Salad with apples, blueberries and bleu cheese crumbles and Chick-Fil-A Nuggets.
Chick-Fil-A goodies including their famous Chocolate Chunk Cookies. They are baked fresh in house everyday. I brought them to work and they were a massive hit with my co-workers. Other desserts include milkshakes (vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and cookies & cream), ice cream cones and their AMAZING frosted lemonade. Order this when you visit!
Eat Up New England got to step behind their counter for their Chick-Fil-A Backstage Restaurant Tour. (Sorry, no pictures allowed.) All of their workers were on hand training. One young lady was making fresh-squeezed lemonade. Chick-Fil-A is one of the largest buyers of Sunkist lemons worldwide! I also saw their pressure cookers. There are a bunch of them to cook their chicken. They've been cooking it in peanut oil since the beginning some 50 years ago. Another fun fact I learned on the tour, they use White Lily Flour for their tasty breakfast biscuits.
Check out Chick-Fil-A's indoor playground. It's inside so children can enjoy it all year long. There's even a lower level with a play area for toddlers.
On the tour, I learned that Chick-Fil-A is committed to healthy food. These are their new grilled chicken nuggets. They are only 140 calories without the sauce! They are also offering a new Superfood Side - a blend of kale, Broccolini, dried sour cherries and topped with a maple vinaigrette dressing. I sampled that, too, and really enjoyed it. It's a good alternative if you want to skip the fries but still indulge in a chicken sandwich.
Check out their cozy dining room. Chick-Fil-A has also been honored for their speedy drive-thru service. 90% of their breakfast business is done at the drive-thru, while 60% of their day customers use the drive-thru. All Chick-Fil-A's are open six days a week. They have always been closed on Sundays to give workers a day with their families, something they really appreciate.
Welcome to Framingham! Community events will be posted on this board. The owner of this franchise is Mark Parker, a longtime MetroWest resident.
Before today, I had only tried Chick-Fil-A at the airport in Atlanta. Today, I got a real taste for why so many people love this restaurant. I loved their Spicy Chicken Deluxe Sandwich. It has just enough spice and the chicken is so fresh and tasty. The fries are soooo good. I learned about their Chick-Fil-A Sauce today. It's a blend of BBQ sauce, Ranch and honey mustard. It was created in one of their stores. It's perfect for dipping those waffle fries in or to spread on your sandwich.
Fresh-squeezed lemonade, Frosted Lemonade and my restaurant tour hat!
Chick-Fil-A is giving back to the community by collecting books from customers and donating them. 
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Monday, February 15, 2016

KRISPY KREME IS COMING TO MAINE AND NEW HAMPSHIRE

JOE Monday, February 15, 2016

Krispy Kreme is opening several stores in Maine and New Hampshire! The delicious donut chain announced today that they will open four stores in New Hampshire and three in Maine. Right now, the only Krispy Kreme's in all of New England are inside of Mohegan Sun in Connecticut. The New Hampshire shops will be in Manchester, Nashua, Salem and the Seacoast (most likely in Portsmouth). The first New Hampshire shop will open by the end of this year.

UPDATE: As of 2021, Krispy Kreme's only New England locations are at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut.
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VALENTINE'S DAY AT ROBERT'S MAINE GRILLE

JOE Monday, February 15, 2016
Eat Up New England enjoyed Valentine's Day 2016 at one of our favorite spots, Robert's Maine Grill in Kittery, Maine. Their lighthouse was in the mood for love, decorated with a large red heart.
We started with their fried cheese. For $9, you get all of this along with marinara sauce for dipping.
For dinner, I tried their East Coast Jambalaya. I'm not a huge fan of spicy, so they made it mild for me. This New Orleans inspired rice dish came with mussels, shrimp, chicken, andouille sausage and a piece of fried fish on top It was very filling. Somehow, I saved enough room for dessert and enjoyed one of their half portions of blueberry pie a la mode.
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Friday, February 12, 2016

HAVE A SWEET VALENTINE'S DAY!

JOE Friday, February 12, 2016
Valentine's Day is always a good time to indulge in a sweet or two or three. Today, I bought this chocolate cupcake from Country Desserts in Newton, Massachusetts. It was as tasty as it looks. Have a Happy Valentine's Day! , ,

Tuesday, February 09, 2016

CELEBRATE #NATIONALPIZZADAY IN NEW ENGLAND

JOE Tuesday, February 09, 2016
It's National Pizza Day, so let's take a look at some of Eat Up New England's favorite places to get a pie in New England. Up first, Via Via Pizza in Newport, Rhode Island. They are known for their HUGE cheesy slices, like this lobster pizza you see here. If you go, be sure to try their lasagna pizza which is topped with meat and ricotta. It's AMAZING!
Giordano's (Chicago, IL) Sure, it's not in New England but no great pizza list would be complete without Giordano's. This pizza shop has locations all over Chicago and is known for its stuffed pizza. You can always order a pie on their website. Right now, they are offering their famous heart-shaped pizzas for Valentine's Day.
Galleria Umberto (Boston, MA) The lines at this hot spot in Boston's North End often stretch outside of the door. They specialize in Sicilian slices covered in cheese. 
Irene's Pizza (Norwich, CT) This Hawaiian pizza is one of my favorites around. Unlike Papa Gino's, they pile on the pineapple, ham and cheese. Now, this is what a Hawaiian pizza should look like!
Tony's NY Style Pizzeria (Winhall, Vermont) Check out the huge slices Tony's is serving up in small town Vermont! Everyday, they offer a variety of slices to go along with their amazing calzones and garlic knots.
Otto (Brookline, Harvard Square, BU, Lynnfield & Newburyport, MA & Yarmouth & Portland, ME) Creative toppings and large slices are all the rage at this small New England chain. They offer several types of pizza with bacon including mashed potato, bacon & scallion and apple, bacon & red onion. The slice you see above is butternut squash, ricotta and cranberry.

(Closed) BEER BREWED IN HOUSE AT JOHN HARVARD'S RESTAURANT & BREWERY

JOE Tuesday, February 09, 2016
Eat Up New England visited John Harvard's Restaurant & Brewery in Framingham for the first time over the week. There are several other locations including one in Harvard Square, Providence and a couple of restaurants in New York. This location has tons of seating. They needed it on this busy Saturday night when they were packed with families and people celebrating birthdays.
As soon as you walk in, you'll notice their brewery and a list of all of the beers on tap. They have everything from pale ales to an espresso stout. They also brew up seasonal favorites like Oktoberfest lager.
Check out those nachos! This is a half place which is perfect for two. Other apps include fried pickles, calamari, kettle chips, wings, chicken tenders and hummus.
Eat Up NE ate healthy, opting for one of John Harvard's salads. This is the Aztec salad with avocado, tomatoes, corn and tortilla strips. I topped it off with some grilled chicken. Tasty and healthy! Other entrees include a variety of pizzas, sandwiches like their "ridiculously good grilled cheese," and a bunch of burgers. They also have Ranch steak strips, chicken parm, backed stuffed cod and a vegetarian stir fry.
We enjoyed this warm apple crisp with vanilla ice cream for dessert.
www.johnhardvards.com

UPDATE: the restaurant has closed permanently.
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Wednesday, February 03, 2016

CRAFT BEER AND BAR FOOD AT ROCK BOTTOM BOSTON

JOE Wednesday, February 03, 2016
After enjoying Lidia's show last week, we shopped by the Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery for a quick bite. Rock Bottom is a national chain that takes pride in brewing beers to fit the local tastes. There local beers range from crisp and refreshing to dark & roasty. I love a good dark beer, so I ordered their B-Strong Stout. It didn't disappoint. Their craft beer comes in 10, 20 and 25 ounce pours.

Their menu is full of all of the traditional bar foods, making it the perfect place for a snack after a show. We enjoyed the "Brewery Nachos," which are made vegetarian and served with habanero tomato salsa. The menu is packed with burgers, salads, steaks, pizzas, tacos, sandwiches and entrees like mac 'n chicken and sizzling stuffed peppers. One thing that caught my eye are their mason jar desserts. Treats like key lime pie, pecan pie and raspberry & chocolate mousse are served in mason jars.

www.rockbottom.com , , , , ,
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