Step into SPoT! in Norwood, Massachusetts and let the nostalgia take over. With countless bottles of rare soda and shelves of candy, SPoT! is a modern twist on the 50's-style cafe. The amount of soda they have for sale is mind-blowing. Now, I'm not talking about five flavors of Coke and Pepsi. I'm talking sodas that are tough to find like candy cane and sugar cookie. They even have a gingerbread soda. It really is something. Customers can take their time checking out those drinks, because, yes, the lines at this local hot spot tend to be long. But, don't worry, it's all worth it. SPoT! makes all of their bagels in house. There are trays and trays of them on racks. These bagels are MASSIVE and crusty. They're everything a perfect bagel should be. I love their bacon, egg and cheese bagel. In an age of fast food, it was truly something to watch the cook crack an egg right in front of me to make this sandwich. It doesn't get any fresher than that. SPoT! also has a variety of hot and iced coffees. I loved their mint chocolate coffee. It wasn't just chocolate flavor. They pour some chocolate syrup right into the cup. It doesn't get much better than SPoT!. Whether you're near or far, take some time out on a weekend morning to check this place out. You'll be glad you did.
Bagels
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Breakfast
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Eat Up NE Favorite
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Massachusetts
For years, Duo has been a hot spot in Denver, Colorado. Now, its owners have opened a second restaurant on Main Street in Brattleboro, Vermont. Duo serves brunch on weekends only and I was lucky enough to sample their menu recently.
We started our meal with a homemade cinnamon donut with apples. Amazing. This was one of their specials, so it may or may not be available if you visit. I ordered their special cauliflower and cheese omelet for my main course. It was light and tasty. The potatoes served with it easily filled me up. Also on their brunch menu is French toast, a Vermont bacon scramble, egg sandwich, buttermilk fried chicken sandwich, grilled cheese & soup and a cider glazed pork benedict.
Duo is open for dinner every night. Entrees include meatloaf, tagliatelle, salmon, fried chicken and a pork chop. They also have several salads and apps like meatballs, mussels and warm beets. Duo also has a bar packed with red and white wines and champagne by the glass and by the bottle. They also offer several signature cocktails and Vermont beers like Barista Porter from Burlington Beer Company and Barnyard Blend from Whetstone Cider Works. duorestaurants.com
Brunch
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Vermont
Vermont Restaurant Week is here! It started today and goes thru May 1. Prix-fixe dinners are going for $20, $30 and $40. There are also breakfast and brunch specials. Eat Up New England favorite Whetstone Station in Brattleboro is offering a $20 three-course menu, with rib eye, brisket taco, black bean salad and goat cheese-stuffed portobello mushrooms as main courses. While you're there, check out one of their craft beers made in house! Eat Up New England also recommends Duo in Brattleboro. I was just there for brunch late week and it was so good! They are offering a $30 three-course menu with entrees including lamb, beef and salmon. You really can't go wrong in Vermont. All of the food is just so fresh and local. Log on to vermontrestaurantweek.com for a complete listing of restaurants that are taking part and those all-important menus.
Luciano's in Wrentham, Massachusetts is a legendary spot for some of the finest Italian food around. It's a place where my family goes whenever we have a special occasion. The food is top notch. We visited for dinner last Saturday and had an amazing meal as always. I loved the "Homemade Canneloni Bolognese." It's stuffed with beef, veal and sausage and topped with a generous portion of bolognese sauce. Food perfection. It was so filling, but I had just enough room for dessert. I ordered their limoncello; lemon sorbet that's covered in meringue sprinkles with a heart of limoncello. It was the perfect dessert to end a perfect meal.
I've seen Jersey Mike's Sub Shops on vacation and have always wanted to see what they're all about. I got my chance last week at Mohegan Sun. Who knew they had a shop right here in New England?
Jersey Mike's subs come in mini, regular and giant. Their bread is made fresh at all of their shops. Their sandwich meats and cheeses are cut right in front of you. A nice touch. I enjoyed a mini "The American Classic," a ham and provolone sub. They really piled on the ham, cheese and lettuce, so even though it was a mini, there was plenty to eat.
Other cold subs include an Italian, tuna, "Jersey Shore's Favorite" with provolone, ham and cappacuolo and a roast beef and provolone sub. They also server many hot subs including meatball & cheese, chicken parm and "Jersey Mike's Famous Philly." There are also several chicken cheese steaks on their menu along with many classic wraps like chicken Caesar, grilled veggie and a turkey wrap. They can also make any of their subs into a salad. Check out Jersey Mike's in the Casino of the Sky at Mohegan Sun. They also have locations all over Massachusetts and North Providence and Warwick, Rhode Island. www.jerseymikes.com
Connecticut
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National Chains
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Sandwich Shops
It's always fun to order a bunch of small plates at Japanese restaurants. Eat Up New England did that last week at Oga's Japanese Cuisine in Natick, Massachusetts.
I started my meal out with a nice glass of cabernet sauvignon, before we ordered couple rounds of vegetable tempura. The tempura was sooo good. Other apps include lobster tempura, shrimp tempura and edamame. Oga's has a massive menu of fresh sushi. You can watch their chefs make it. It's hard to pick just one or two. I enjoyed the California Maki with crab, avocado, and cucumber. They also offer several vegetarian sushi options and salads.
Some New England restaurant chains got in on the April Fools' Day fun today. Friendly's was claiming to have a Fool's Gold Fribble today. Papa Gino's said they were introducing a squid pizzas with Japanese flying squid for $199.99.
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