Captain's Place - Acushnet, MA

We were heading out to dinner a bit earlier than usual and arrived at Captain’s Place (162 South Main Street, Acushnet) around 5:30 p.m. We have been to this restaurant before and have oftentimes had to wait for a table.  We were pleased that there were several tables available when we arrived and we were seated immediately.  We apparently timed it just right because the tables filled up quickly and 20 minutes later, the restaurant was full, with a wait at the door.

A full restaurant usually means that the food is good and, having been to Captain’s Place before, we were expecting a decent meal. 

 

When the waitress arrived, I ordered a Malibu and Diet Coke, my husband ordered a 7&7 and we looked over the menu and the décor of the restaurant.

 

Captain’s Place was completely decked out for Christmas with garland draped over everything possible. Every wall hanging was wrapped in Christmas paper and some were ornamented with a big red bow!  There were silver glittery ornaments hanging from the ceiling and more than two dozen holiday ornaments hanging above the bar.  While it is the Holiday season, they may have gone a bit far with the decorations!  Decorations aside, the décor in this relatively small restaurant is simple with a half wall separating the bar and the dining area.  One wall has a couple of fish tanks with tables right beside them making for a unique view while you’re dining.



There were several specials written on the board, most of which I had no idea what they could possibly be.  Among the specials were Polvo à Lagaruro ($17.95) and Arroz dePolvao c/Camarao ($13.95). (A Google search told me that the Polvo à Lagareiro is octopus cooked with potatoes and drizzled with olive oil and garlic and the Arroz dePolvao c/Camarao is Octopus Rice with Prawns.)

Since I cannot read Portuguese, I am glad that the menu is written in English and each item is complete with a description of the dish.  After looking over the menu and the specials, I decided to order the Captain’s Casserole ($16.99) and my husband decided on the Cacoila Plate ($9.99).



Captain's Casserole

The Captain’s Casserole was a pan filled with shrimp, scallops, swordfish, linguica, littlenecks and red bliss potatoes cooked in a Portuguese broth.  The Cacoila plate was marinated pork served with a choice of two sides.  My husband chose fries and rice as his sides.  Other options for sides were Portuguese round fries, boiled potatoes or mixed vegetables.



We were brought a basked of bread that included both hard and soft Portuguese rolls but the table did not have bread plates.  The crumbs from the hard rolls left a bit of a mess on the paper placemats!

The moment our meals arrived at our table, I could not help but smell a strong fish odor from my dish.  While I know that swordfish can have a strong smell, something told me that this was a bit too strong.  I spooned out the three large pieces of swordfish from the pan and placed them on my plate to inspect.  One of the three pieces looked okay but the other two pieces were very fatty and did not smell or appear fresh (I tossed those into the bowl that was brought for my clamshells).  This was a major disappointment to me since the fish had been sitting in the broth with the rest of my seafood. I feared that the rest of my meal would be ruined. I spooned some of the other items from the pan and luckily, everything else was good. 



Cacoila Plate

My husband’s cacoila was not disappointing.  There was probably a half-pound of marinated pork on his plate, with equal amounts of rice and fries, sitting atop a rustic stoneware plate.  I took a bite of this pork and it tasted as good as it looked.

When the waitress arrived to take our plates and wrap them for leftovers, my husband made a comment to her about my swordfish.  He told her that the fish did not appear to be fresh and had an “off” odor.  We merely received an apology.

While I was somewhat disappointed with my meal this week, I will give Captain’s Place another chance because we have been there in the past and this is the first time we have had a less than great meal.  The total bill for the evening was a reasonable $44.07 with tax.

 

The Back Nine Pub - Lakeville, MA

I’m not sure why we have never thought to go to The BackNine Pub before but we finally decided to give it a try.  The Back Nine is located at 17 Heritage Hill Drive, Lakeville in the clubhouse of its 18-hole public golf course and is open year-round (except on Monday’s).  As we were driving to The Back Nine I had no idea what to expect but thought it was likely just burgers and sandwiches.  After reviewing the menu, I was pleasantly surprised and happy to be wrong!

The menu had a varying selection of items ranging from appetizers and salads to seafood and steaks.  Of course there was the typical selection of burgers and pizza as well but overall, the menu was chock full with six pages of items to choose from.

 

Shortly after we were seated, our waitress, Amy, came to our table to take our drink order.  I ordered my usual Malibu and Diet Coke ($8.50 for a tall set-up), my husband ordered a 16 ounce Sam’s Seasonal (winter) draft beer ($4.00), and my son, who I had just picked up from college earlier in the day and had decided to join us for dinner, ordered a lemonade ($2.50).



Bleu Buffalo Flatbread Pizza
 

Around the table, the decisions were difficult.  With some many choices, it was hard to decide. My son admitted that he was not very hungry and was looking for something that would be good for leftovers so he decided to order a Bleu Buffalo Flatbread Pizza ($12.99), which had alfredo sauce, cheese, buffalo chicken and crumbled bleu cheese on top.



Buffalo Chicken Wrap

Apparently it was a night for buffalo chicken because my husband ordered a Buffalo Chicken Wrap.  This wrap was made with buffalo chicken, bleu cheese dressing, lettuce and tomato and came with a side of French fries and a pickle for $8.99.  He substituted sweet potato fries for the regular fries for an additional $1.00.



Grilled Pub Filet

I was in the mood for beef and was torn between the Steak Tip Scampi ($14.99), the Steak and Cheese Quesadilla ($8.49) and the Grilled Pub Filet ($15.49).  While they all sounded delicious, the Pub Filet won with its savory garlic butter and thinly cut, crispy onion rings. I was able to pick from two side dishes and chose French fries and onion rings.  Other options were cole slaw, rice pilaf, sweet potato fries, baked potato, sautéed vegetable medley, or a loaded baked potato for an additional $.99.

It did not take very long for our food to arrive and we all enjoyed what we had ordered.  My steak was done just as I had ordered (medium) and it was delicious with the garlic butter on top.  The crispy onions rings on top of my filet were admittedly better than the side of regular onion rings that I chose but both were good. 

My son ate about half of his pizza and, as he was planning to do, boxed the rest to take home for a mid-night snack!

Overall, my experience at The Back Nine Pub was pleasant and we collectively decided that we would go back again.  This place could definitely turn into a regular “go to spot” when we are looking to stay local and have a decent meal.  The atmosphere is casual, with lots of TV’s available for viewing throughout the restaurant and bar area.  Even though it has a bar in the center of the dining area, it was not too loud, which is what I also liked about it.  There was nothing fancy about The Back NinePub but there was nothing bad about it, either.

Fathoms Bar and Grille - Fairhaven, MA

My husband had wanted to try Fathoms Bar and Grille, a restaurant located at 225 Pope’s Island Way, just off the Fairhaven Bridge and overlooking New Bedford Harbor, which we drove past a few days earlier when out doing some Christmas shopping.  Since we found ourselves in that general area again, we decided that tonight would be the perfect night to give it a try.  We arrived at Fathoms just before 6:45 p.m. and I immediately noted how loud it was inside.  When we gave the hostess our name we peeked around the restaurant and specifically asked if there was additional seating in a back room where it would be a bit quieter.  She told us that there would be a 15-20 minute wait if we wanted seating in the back.  Given the noise level in the restaurant, we opted to wait so we could enjoy some dinnertime conversation.

While we were waiting for our table, I looked around the restaurant and noticed that a large, rectangular bar occupied most of the space in the restaurant.  The bar was definitely a showpiece with a beautiful glass top painted with blue and orange streaks and illuminated with blue lighting. The dark blue painted walls, copper pressed tin ceiling and walnut furnishings completed the nautical décor at Fathom’s.

After waiting for 25 minutes, we were brought to our table.  While we were walking to the back of the restaurant where we were to be seated, I noticed that high top tables and large circular booths were available for dining on the outer perimeter of the restaurant. The back dining area where we were seated was not much more than a small alcove with only six tables and it was not much quieter than the main bar area. It did, however, allow conversation at a more reasonable level.

Upon being seated, we ordered drinks (Malibu & Diet Coke for me and a Long Island Iced Tea for my husband, $6 and $8 respectively) and began to review the menu as well as the long list of specials being offered.

The meals all seemed reasonably priced with a 16 ounce prime rib being offered for $19.50, lobster ravioli for $15.00, baked New Bedford scrod for $13.00, and a selection of pizza ranging in price from $5.50 to $7.00.  There were many seafood entrees on the menu and both my husband and I felt that, given the nature of the restaurant, we should order seafood. 



I started my meal with a cup of Lobster Bisque for $5.00 and ordered the Scallop and Scrod Casserole ($12.00) for my entrée.  My husband ordered a Stuffed Quahog ($3.00) and English Fish & Chips ($10.00).



Lobster Bisque

I was looking forward to trying the Lobster Bisque because it was described as “diced lobster meat simmered in a rich sherry cream” but once it arrived and I took my first bite I was very disappointed. The only way I can describe the taste is to reference it to the imitation cheese inside of pre-packaged cheese and crackers.  I was expecting creamy tasting bisque – not cheesy tasting bisque.  I searched around my bowl and could not locate a single morsel of lobster, either.  My husband tasted the bisque and completely agreed with my opinion.  At least my husband’s quahog was reasonably good (although it was exactly like the Whaler’s quahogs that you can buy at the grocery store).



Stuffed Quahog

While we were waiting for our entrees to arrive, I could not help but over hear the conversation at the table behind us. There was a woman that had barely touched her meal (she had ordered Crab Meat Stuffed Shrimp) and when the waitress asked her about it, she said that she didn’t like the meal at all. The waitress offered to replace the meal with a different entrée but the woman did not want a replacement (perhaps because the other three people that she was dining with had already completed their meals).  At the time, I thought it was odd that someone would just send an entire meal back and not ask for a replacement…until my own meal arrived.

Scallop and Scrod Casserole

The presentation of my meal was nice, with fresh sea scallops and native scrod, topped with garlic compound and seasoned bread crumbs, in a casserole dish and oven-baked red bliss potatoes and asparagus (the asparagus had an up-charge of $3 but the only other choices for a vegetable were coleslaw and butternut squash, neither of which I enjoy) added to my plate on the side.  However, the taste of my meal was not very good at all.  The seafood was fresh but the preparation needed improvement. The seasoned bread crumbs tasted like dry seasoned bread crumbs out of a can with no additional preparation involved.  I pushed all of the topping to the side and ate the three scallops and small piece of fish that was in my casserole dish.  I also ate only a few bites of my oven-baked potatoes and about half of my asparagus since these sides were not great, either. 



English Fish & Chips

My husband’s fish and chips included one large piece of fish on top of a plate of French fries and served with coleslaw.  I ate a few of his (seemingly once frozen) French fries and had a bite of his fish. His meal was better than mine and in fact, the most enjoyable part of my meal was the few fries that I ate from his plate (and the two drinks that I had throughout the evening).

Part of the reason that I could barely finish the side dishes on my plate was because of the conversation I was now hearing from the table beside us (not the table behind us with the bad-tasting shrimp, but the table beside us with the bad-tasting butter).  There was a woman at the table that had ordered surf and turf and asked for a dish of melted butter on the side (to dip her steak into). She had a few bites of her steak and was insisting to her friends that it tasted like gorgonzola cheese.  After a few bites, she finally figured out that it was the butter that was off-tasting.  She smelled the butter and commented to the waitress that it was rancid!  Luckily she had not poured the butter over the steak and she was able to salvage her meal when a new dish of butter was brought to her.  Between the woman who returned the shrimp, the awful tasting bread crumbs on my seafood and the rancid butter at the table beside us, I was not very interested in finishing up my food.

At Fathoms, the drinks were good and the waitress, Aubrey,  was friendly but I can’t say that I will be back there again for a meal since the food was far from delicious. We paid our bill, which totaled $55.31 including tax, left a tip for the waitress and left, admiring the impressive bar on our way out. 

Not Your Average Joe's - Dartmouth, MA

I received my annual members-only birthday gift from NotYour Average Joe’s so we decided to use my gift this week. To become a member, simply sign up for their e-mail club (either in the restaurant or on-line) and you will automatically receive a birthday email that you can print and bring to the restaurant.  The email entitles you to any entrée AND dessert of your choice for your birthday.  There are two things that I love about this gift.  First, it is truly for the birthday guests’ meal – not the lower priced meal.  Second, they allow you three weeks to use it so you are not limited to this free meal just on your special day. 

I know that Not Your Average Joe’s is typically very busy on a Friday night and the wait time can be in excess of an hour. I also know that you can make reservations (which I forgot to do) or call ahead to put your name on the list.  We called the restaurant at 5:40 p.m.knowing that we planned to arrive at approximately 6:30. p.m.  I was told the wait was 45 minutes to an hour.  This was going to work out perfectly! 

We arrived at 6:30 p.m. as planned and were told it would just be a few minutes before we were seated.  Unfortunately, we still waited an additional 45 minutes for our table.  While we were being seated, the hostess apologized for our long wait and handed us menus.  Immediately after we were seated, our server, Amanda-Lyn, arrived with a basket of their “famous” bread and poured olive oil into a plate of parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper. While mixing the oil with the cheese, she asked us if we knew what we wanted for drinks.  Since I was having a “birthday dinner” I thought I would review the specialty drinks for something a bit more special so she gave us a few extra minutes to review the drink menu. 

Before Amanda-Lyn left our table, the manager walked over and apologized for our long wait. He said that we should never have waited that long (I assumed because we had called ahead and were given an estimated time).  I hadn’t minded the wait but he then proceeded to offer us a free appetizer for our troubles.  Of course!  I told him that I would love a free appetizer and I was also celebrating a birthday and had my email for a free entrée and free dessert!  The manager made a couple of suggestions for an appetizer and we quickly decided on the Buffalo-Caribbean Chicken Tenders ($8.99).  I wasn’t sure what to expect but when I read the menu it said that the chicken tenders are hand-breaded and tossed with their addictive mango-buffalo barbeque sauce, served with pineapple-jalapeno salsa and blue cheese dip.  Sounds delicious so I think we made a great choice.

Pineapple Painkiller

After reviewing the cocktails on the menu, one particular drink sparked my interest.  A Pineapple Painkiller ($7.99)!  I have been feeling a bit under the weather with a cold coming on so I thought anything with painkiller in the description was bound to help.  This drink had house-infused pineapple-jalapeno tequila, muddled pineapple, freshly squeezed OJ and cream of coconut, sprinkled with nutmeg.  Sounded too intriguing to pass up so that’s what I decided on.  Amanda-Lyn said that it was her favorite drink and warned me about the jalapeno before confirming my choice. My husband ordered a Long Island Iced Tea ($6.99) because he knew that they were good here.

 


Buffalo-Caribbean Chicken Tenders

Our Buffalo-Caribbean Chicken Tenders arrived before we even placed our meal order and I was happy with our choice.  These tenders were seasoned with just the right blend of sweet and spicy.  I thought these were better than the more traditional buffalo chicken tenders that are usually served at restaurants and could see why it was described as “addictive” sauce.  We placed our meal order and then we easily finished off this dish while enjoying some bread dipped in the cheesy olive oil.

 

Short Rib Stroganoff

I typically order the Balsamic Glazed Salmon ($17.99) when I eat at Not Your Average Joe’s but I really wanted to try something new.  After reviewing all of the entrees, I decided that I would order the Short Rib Stroganoff (as long as they could prepare it without the glazed carrots) for $16.99.  Perhaps I went for this choice because it sounded like a fabulous comfort food – just what I needed to help me feel better from my cold (that and, of course, my Pineapple Painkiller)! The Short Rib Stroganoff was described as Joe’s take on a European tradition with short ribs braised in red wine, served over fettuccine with sugar snap peas, caramelized pearl onions, roasted mushrooms, glazed carrots and a dollop of sour cream-horseradish sauce.  Before I ordered it I asked if it could be prepared without the carrots.  She told me that all dishes were made to order so they could add or omit any ingredients.  I also told her that I was unsure about ordering it because I typically go for the salmon.  My final decision was made when she told me that she would exchange the stroganoff for the salmon if I didn’t like it.  It was like “food insurance” – how could I go wrong?

My husband apparently wasn’t very hungry because he only ordered the entrée sized Waldorf Salad ($11.99). This salad had shredded chicken, granny smith apples, Craisins, red grapes, caramelized pecans, smoked mozzarella and romaine, with creamy sherry vinaigrette. 

I ordered a second Pineapple Painkiller and a couple of glasses of water while we were waiting for our meals to arrive.  Even though the wait to be seated is long, the food comes out of the kitchen very quickly.  As soon as my stroganoff was placed in front of me I knew it would be delicious.  The beef was so tender and flavorful and the snap peas were sweet and crisp.  After my first bite I was glad that I didn’t get the salmon.  My husband had a few bites of my beef and agreed with how good it was.  He commented about his salad only to note that it was just a typical salad – nothing special about it.  With my delicious meal in front of me, I wasn’t even tempted to take a bite of his salad so I can’t comment first hand. 

I finished my meal and while I didn’t think I could eat another bite, we decided to go ahead an order my free dessert (although Amanda-Lyn did say we could take it to go).  I narrowed my choice to the Hot Apple Cinnamon Sticks ($6.50) or the Crème Brulee Cheesecake ($6.99) and then left it to my husband to decide (since I knew he would be splitting it with me).  He chose the cheesecake. This, as they described it, was a blend of the most popular desserts – creamy cheesecake with a caramel drizzle, fresh whipped cream and raspberries.  The cheesecake arrived with a lighted birthday candle to make my night special.  I made a wish, blew out my candle, and dug right in.  Heaven on a plate – need I say more?

The total bill for the evening would have been $72.69 including tax but with my free birthday entrée and dessert, along with the free appetizer that we were offered for waiting so long, the bill was reduced to $37.41 (we then tipped on the full price).

The service and food were great at Not Your Average Joe’s – making it worth the long wait.  Anyone planning to visit this restaurant should definitely make a reservation or use the call ahead seating option unless you want to wait for more than an hour to be seated.  Don’t forget to sign up for their e-mail club, too!  What’s not to love about a free entrée and free dessert for your birthday? 

 

Fernando's Grille & Bar - New Bedford, MA

The last time we went to see a production at Your Theatre,Inc., which is located on Rivet Street in New Bedford, we drove past Fernando’s Grille and Bar (418 Rivet Street) and was impressed by the outside alone.  I had never heard of this restaurant and it looked to be a fancy place so we made a note that we would visit at some point to give it a try.  This week, we were heading back to Your Theatre, Inc. for another production and this gave us the perfect opportunity to dine at Fernando’s.

We arrived at 6:30 p.m. and we were greeted by a hostess at the main entrance. She offered to seat us at a high table in the bar area. When we told her we would prefer to wait for seating in the dining area, she advised that it was a 45 minute wait.  The high table in the bar it is!

As soon as we were seated, a basket of rolls was brought to our table along with a bowl of olive oil seasoned with parsley and crushed red peppers. There were also a few small containers of butter, if we preferred that instead.

In addition to the wine menu and food menu, we were also given a list of specials for the evening. Appetizer specials included Bruschetta, Caprese Salad and Tomato Basil Soup. Dinner specials included Swordfish, Stuffed Haddock, Salmon, Lobster Ravioli, Roasted Duckling and Veal Chops.  Before I had an opportunity to review the actual menu, the waitress arrived to take our drink order.  I had my typical Malibu and Diet Coke ($5.50) and my husband ordered a Long Island Iced Tea ($9.00).

While waiting for our drinks to arrive, we finished reviewing the menu.  There were several choices that looked delicious, making it difficult to decide. I was torn between the Stuffed Haddock special ($17.95), the Lobster Ravioli special ($18.95) and the Grilled Atlantic Salmon ($18.95) from the main menu.  I decided to choose the Stuffed Haddock, filled with seafood stuffing finished with lobster champagne saffron sauce. I think it was the description of the sauce that helped me make my choice. 

My husband finally gave in to a craving he had been having for a few weeks and ordered Chicken Parmigiana ($13.95) for his entrée.  The menu described this dish as a lightly breaded chicken breast with fresh basil tomato sauce, reggiano parmesan and aged mozzarella cheese.

Our drinks arrived, we placed our orders, and we had an opportunity to take a look around the restaurant.  Our seating did not allow us to get a complete view of the dining area but we did have a great view of the bar, which spanned the entire length of the back room. Red backlighting created a nice ambiance and showcased a beautiful display of wine bottles on each side of the bar. The liquor bottles were also illuminated with lighting that changed color and showcased the frosted bottles. Looking up, I noticed the ceiling was ornamented in terra cotta colored stamped tin designed with angel harps, wreaths, and other ornamental designs. The ceiling was a perfect complement to the dark walls that were painted in grays, greens and purples. Natural hardwood flooring that was throughout the restaurant completed the look.

Noticing the time was 7:15 p.m., I started to worry if we would make it to the 8:00 p.m. show that we planned to attend.  Almost on cue, the waitress stopped by to tell us that our meals would be next out of the kitchen.  True to her word, our meals arrived less than five minutes later. 

Chicken Parmigiana

My husband’s Chicken Parmigiana looked so delicious that I immediately reached over and had a bite of the linguini pasta that was on his plate.  I did, however, wait patiently for him to cut into his chicken before I asked for a bite of that. It tasted as good as it looked. The chicken breast was lightly breaded and perfectly cooked with a thin layer of melted cheese on top.

My meal also looked delicious and was served with red bliss mashed potatoes and roasted butternut squash.  Although I was not given a choice of sides, I will say that the mashed potatoes were very good and had a hint of parmigiana cheese that added to the flavor.  I took a bite of my butternut squash before giving it to my husband. While I’m not typically a fan of squash, I have to admit that the maple and cinnamon on this roasted squash made it taste more like a dessert than a vegetable. 



Stuffed Haddock

The star of my meal was of course the Stuffed Haddock.  The haddock was fresh and flaky and was covered in a delicious, creamy sauce that was as good as it was described. The seafood stuffing had a bit of spiciness, which I liked, but couldn’t figure out where the spice was coming from.

We finished our meals and promptly paid when our check arrived (it was now 7:40 p.m. – only 20 minutes until show time)! The total cost for the evening, including tax, and another drink for my husband, was $58.21. Fernando’s looks fancy on the outside but they offer reasonable priced, delicious meals with a great atmosphere. Both my husband and I agreed that we would have no problem dining there again!

Spicy Lime - New Bedford, MA

My brother had been talking about his love of Thai food and wanted to introduce me to a “hole in the wall” Thai restaurant in New Bedford that he had discovered. About a month ago we made plans to visit the Spicy Lime together and the date finally came.  We headed off to 522 Pleasant Street, found parking on a nearby side street, and walked to the restaurant.

Lime Ricky

The Spicy Lime is nothing more than a store front in downtown New Bedford with no more than a dozen tables to seat guests. Given the small space, the décor was bright and welcoming with grey and white walls ornamented with appropriately themed murals.  The tables where nicely set with glass tops and white linens to give a crisp, fresh look to the space.

Although the seating was limited, there was a table for four available when we arrived. In addition to our menus, we were given a beer and wine list to review.  Instead of ordering beer or wine, we all opted for non-alcoholic beverages. My brother and I both ordered the Ice Ginger Tea ($2.50), my brother’s spouse ordered a Hot Ginger Tea ($2.15) and my husband ordered a Lime Ricky ($2.95).  The Ice Ginger Tea was fabulous with a refreshing hint of fresh ginger that hit the back of your throat when you were drinking it. I didn’t try the hot tea, but did have a sip of my husband’s Lime Ricky, which was served in some very festive plastic stemware.  I was expecting it to taste very sweet but instead it had a pleasant lime taste and was also quite refreshing.

Since my brother and his spouse had already been to the Spicy Lime, they were familiar with the menu. My brother also knew that there would be specials posted on a blackboard at the entrance so he walked over to take a look. The two specials for the evening were Mango Duck and Pumpkin Curry (with chicken, pork, tofu or vegetables).

In addition to reviewing the entrees on the menu, we also reviewed the appetizers and decided to order a couple of appetizers for us to share.  We wanted to order Chicken sa-te ($6.50) and Fried Crispy Spring Rolls ($5.50) but they were out of the Spring Rolls so we made a quick, alternate decision, and chose the Fried Gyoza (pronounced gyaw-zah) for $5.50.

All of the Curry, Stir Fry, Noodle and Fried Rice entrees were served with your choice of chicken, pork, tofu or vegetables for a total cost of $10.95, with shrimp or beef for $11.95, or with roasted duck or a combination of seafood for a cost of $15.95. There were some additional entrees on the menu and these, along with the specials, were priced a bit differently.

The waitress arrived to take our order and my brother decided on the Pumpkin Curry special, with chicken, for $14.95. His spouse ordered Pad Thai, with shrimp, for $11.95.  For my entrée, I chose the Ginger Scallop meal for $14.95 and my husband ordered the Crispy Chicken Fried Rice ($10.95).

While most entrees were served with jasmine rice, brown rice could be substituted for $1.00.  Both my brother and I chose this rice substitution and ordered the brown rice.

Gyoza (Fried)

What we thought was the first of our appetizers, the Fried Gyoza, arrived. These were crispy pork and veggie dumplings served with soy ginger sauce. There were a total of six gyoza served on the plate with a white paper doily for added presentation.  We each tried one of these fried dumplings and agreed they were enjoyable. While I could have eaten a second one, we let my brother and his spouse have the remaining two dumplings from the plate. After finishing this appetizer, the second of our servers removed our plates along with the empty plate from the gyoza.  After waiting several minutes, we collectively decided that our other appetizer, the Chicken sa-te, must have been forgotten.  Since we suspected our meals would arrive at any time, we opted to not offer a reminder but instead just wait for our meals.



Pad Thai with Shrimp

After a relatively long wait (apparently the servers are also the chefs and are multi-tasking), each of our meals arrived separately, with the Pad Thai coming out first. This entrée was described as Thai signature pan fried rice noodles with egg, bean sprouts, scallions, carrots, zucchini and ground peanuts.  I had only one small bite of the noodles so I didn’t experience the entire dish but was told that it was delicious!



Pumpkin Curry

The next meal to arrive was my brother’s Pumpkin Curry.  Chunks of fresh pumpkin were the star of this curry dish!  Again, I only had a small bite of the chicken from this entrée but my brother loved his meal. To eat this, he added some brown rice to his plate and then spooned the Pumpkin Curry on top.  This meal looked hearty and satisfying and there was enough for him to share some with his spouse.



Crispy Chicken Fried Rice

My husband’s meal arrived next. His meal consisted of two crispy, fried chicken breasts on top of vegetable fried rice, drizzled with sweet and sour sauce. While his meal tasted uniquely different from the others, the chicken was perfectly crisped and had a sweet taste, contributed by the sauce.  The only comment about this dish was my husband thought there could have been more sweet and sour sauce on the chicken.  Perhaps he can ask for some extra sauce if we visit Spicy Lime again.

Ginger Scallop

My entrée was the last to arrive.  Personally, I think they saved the best for last!  My Ginger Scallop dish was described as crispy, lightly battered scallops topped with baby corn, onions, mushrooms, broccoli and fresh ginger.  This dish, although it had different vegetables than described, was outstanding.  There were six large, fresh scallops that were perfectly tempura fried and sitting within my delicious ginger sauce and vegetables.  My brother and his spouse each tried some of my meal and agreed that it was delicious. I added some brown rice to my plate and enjoyed every last bite!



Fried Bananas with Coconut Ice Cream

While my husband and I don’t normally order dessert, my brother raved about the Sticky Rice so of course we had to order some.  The server described the two desserts that they were offering that evening.  Sticky Rice with Mango ($6.95) and Fried Bananas with Coconut Ice Cream ($6.95).  I love all things coconut so we decided to order one of each dessert. The banana dish consisted of four banana pieces, battered and fried with a scoop of toasted coconut ice cream.  A drizzle of honey finished off the dish.  The fried banana reminded me of warm banana bread and the ice cream was rich and delicious.  I insisted that my brother’s spouse try a bite of the toasted coconut ice cream and I think I have converted him to a coconut lover!



Sticky Rice with Mangoes

Fresh mango slices surrounded the Sticky Rice on our second dessert.  After trying a bite of the Sticky Rice I completely understood why my brother loves it.  My husband didn’t try either of the desserts so between three of us, we finished them up and ended our meal.

For a hole in the wall restaurant that I have never heard of, Spicy Lime didn’t disappoint me.  I give kudos to my brother for the great suggestion, and the great company.

The total bill for the four of us, including tax, was only $89.13.  I thought this was very inexpensive since we had even splurged for dessert.  When trying to find Spicy Lime on-line, I noticed that it does not have a website, but you can find them on Facebook!

Pa Raffa's Italian Restaurant - New Bedford, MA

Pa Raffa’s in New Bedford is an old favorite for when I’m craving pizza, which was the case on this night.  Before we even arrived I knew what I would be ordering.

 

We were seated in one of the smaller booths located in the center of the restaurant.  This is not the most comfortable of the tables, but there were not many other seats available so we didn’t ask for a different table.  Pa Raffa’s is definitely nothing fancy and the décor hasn’t changed in years. A complete remodeling could do wonders for the restaurant but apparently something is working for them since they are always busy. It doesn’t seem that anyone minds the old, outdated booths, tables and decorations!  Apparently I don’t mind either since we continue to go back!

The waitress arrived to take our drink order and, knowing that they didn’t have Malibu Rum, I ordered a Parrot Bay and Diet Coke ($4.25).  My husband ordered a beer – Sam’s Seasonal on tap ($3.75).

Pepperoni Pizza

I knew that I was having a dinner salad with cheese ($3.35) and a Pepperoni Pizza ($7.95)!  My husband was not as decisive as I was so he opened his menu to read through the choices.  He had been wanting chicken parmesan for a while and considered ordering this but opted for a hot tuna grinder ($6.30) and an order of sweet potato fries ($5.50) instead.

Super Thin Crust

Within minutes my salad arrived along with a basket of bread.  I almost always order my salad with just oil and vinegar but I decided to get blue cheese dressing instead.  The dressing was good as far as blue cheese dressing goes but I’ll stick to the oil and vinegar next time.  I think the big mound of pizza cheese on top of my salad made the blue cheese too thick and rich for the salad.

Hot Tuna Grinder

It didn’t take long for our meals to arrive.  My pizza never disappoints!  Very thin crust and loaded with lots of pepperoni!  I shook a bit of crushed red pepper on top and dug right in.

My husband’s grinder was not very exciting, but he seemed to enjoy it along with his basket of sweet potato fries.  I can never resist eating a few fries from his plate so I ate some of those, too.

Sweet Potato Fries

The total bill for our meals, including tax, came to $37.82. We did, however, order a linguica pizza to go (for my daughter), which cost an additional $8.55.  

Pa Raffa’s is not for a fancy night out but when I’m craving a pepperoni pizza, I am always more than happy to go to Pa Raffa’s! 

The Roasted Pig - New Bedford, MA

Since we were fans of Café Funchal (which closed), my husband made the suggestion to go to The Roasted Pig (98 Nash Road, New Bedford) since this restaurant was bought by the owners of Café Funchal. I must say, this was a great suggestion!

When we arrived near Nash Road we automatically looked for on-street parking and found a spot on a side street next to what appeared to be the main entrance of the restaurant and proceeded to walk to that entrance. Well, that entrance was closed and had a sign directing us to the side entrance.  While walking to the other side of the building we noticed that The Roasted Pig did have a small parking lot but it was already filled up since it didn’t offer many spaces. Regardless, this is New Bedford, and on-street parking is common.

As soon as we walked in I immediately noticed how clean the restaurant was. The dining area was off to the left of the building and a large bar, with three large wide-screen televisions, was to the right.  The décor was modern with hardwood floors, tiled walls, and shiny tables spanning the length of the dining room.

We arrived at approximately 6:45 p.m. and we were seated immediately in a table at the center of the restaurant.  When I opened my menu I noticed the extensive martini list and thought I might try something a bit different to drink.  After scanning the 39 different martinis (all ranging in price from $5 - $7), the Pink Panther Martini (coconut rum, vodka, peachtree schnapps, triple sec, grapefruit juice and grenadine) sounded delicious.  When Carla, our waitress, arrived to take our drink order I asked if I could have the Pink Panther in a tall glass as a mixed drink instead of a martini.  “Absolutely” was my answer so I was looking forward to trying this.  My husband ordered a Long Island Iced Tea ($6). When our drinks arrived we were also served a basket of bread and a plate of assorted olives.  The bread basket had both Portuguese rolls and hard, crusty bread (they reminded me of oversized croutons).

I took a sip of my drink and it was delicious!  I thought I had made a great choice.  My husband commented that his drink was also very good.  So far we were satisfied.

The menu was very similar to the old Café Funchal menu and truthfully I had been missing Café Funchal’s Pasta and Clams dish ($14.95) so when I saw this I immediately made my decision.  This pasta dish contained fresh littlenecks simmered in white wine, scallions and garlic finished in a garlic butter sauce tossed over a plate of linguini. 

 

My husband chose the Chicken Mozambique ($12.95). This was not the usual pasta dish, but rather a bowl filled with roasted potato cubes and chicken smothered in sauce and topped with spicy banana peppers. I tried a bite of his dish and was actually a bit jealous. I wished that I was eating that entire bowl because his meal was so delicious!  It wasn’t that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy my pasta and clams, but his Chicken Mozambique had such a great flavor to it. 

 

I asked for a received some additional Portuguese rolls to finish out our meals and stole a few more bites of my husband’s meal before he sopped up the rest of the sauce with the last of his bread.

We ran into our neighbor, who arrived just as we were finishing our meals, and bought him and his guest a drink and made a recommendation on the Chicken Mozambique (which he did end up ordering).  With their drinks included, our total bill came to $45.37.  I will definitely be visiting The Roasted Pig again – and probably ordering the Chicken Mozambique!

Freestone's City Grill - New Bedford, MA

We have been to Freestone’s City Grill in Downtown New Bedford many times for lunch but I can’t recall the last time we have been there for dinner so we thought we would give it a try.  It was a rainy evening and we found ourselves in some construction traffic by the waterfront, not making for a pleasant drive to the restaurant.  Regardless, we had already committed and thought it couldn’t possibly be very crowded since there weren’t any special events happening in the city!

Wrong!! Thirty minute wait.  As hungry as I was, we left our name – it was better than trying to think of somewhere else to go.  The bar was crowded so we decided to step outside to wait.  Even though it was raining, it was rather warm for mid-October. We walked outside for about ten minutes and then decided to wait in the doorway and read all of the signage that was neatly displayed. As you can imagine, I was very pleasantly surprised when we heard our name called after only fifteen minutes. 

The hostess brought us all the way through the restaurant to a small table in the back room.  Freestone’s is located in an old bank building and has what appears to be the original ornate woodwork throughout. There was a huge mantel covering an entire wall in the back room where we were seated and a mural painted on the opposite wall.  The interior of Freestone’s is very appealing, but it was also very loud – perhaps due the acoustics in the building.  Although it was loud, it still felt warm and welcoming.

Our waitress arrived and asked if we wanted drinks and appetizers.  Since we had already had a chance to look at our menus, my husband asked for a cup of chowder ($3.99) with his drink (Sam’s Seasonal Ale - $4.25). I ordered a Malibu and Diet Coke ($5.75) and inquired if any of the meals that I was considering came with a dinner salad.  I was deciding between the Baked Stuff Cod ($18.99), the Grilled Atlantic Salmon ($17.99) and the Teriyaki Sirloin ($15.99). All three of my choices came with a choice of two sides, one of which could be a garden salad so I went ahead and got a salad with blue cheese dressing.

When our chowder and salad arrived, we had made our entrée decisions. I chose the Baked Stuffed Cod, described as fresh-cut cod stuffed with their homemade seafood stuffing, baked with garlic butter and topped with seasoned cracker crumb mix.  For my second side, I chose a baked potato.

My husband ordered the Grilled Meatloaf Dinner ($12.99). The meatloaf was a New Orleans style meatloaf with andouille sausage and bacon. His entrée was served with garlic mashed potatoes and smothered with sauteed onions and gravy (he asked for it without onions). The waitress told my husband that he made an excellent choice and that she personally loved the meatloaf because of the delicious crunchy topping.

While I was really looking forward to a great meal, I was actually a bit disappointed once we tried our entrees. The portions were generous, but the meal itself was nothing great. While I was eating my Baked Stuff Cod, I couldn’t help but think it was lacking in something – a sauce perhaps, since both the cod and the stuffing were on the dry side. My husband’s meatloaf, while smothered in gravy, was also a bit on the dry side. The bite that I tried had a smoky bacon flavor, but I wasn’t impressed.  I had also made it a point to try a bite from the top to get some of that crunchiness that the waitress spoke about, but I didn’t taste that, either. 

 

I ordered a second drink and we asked for two glasses of water to finish off our meals.  I wasn’t impressed by dinner at Freestone’s but will not discard them as an option for lunch. We have had a number of delicious sandwiches at Freestone’s and unless you are looking for a place to hang out, but not necessarily have a great meal, I suggest staying away at dinnertime.

Me & Ed’s Family Restaurant – New Bedford, MA

I couldn’t stop my craving for barbeque ribs and wanted to avoid a chain restaurant.  I had heard that Me & Ed’s (located at 30 Brock Ave.) had good ribs but I hadn’t been there in years so I wasn’t sure. I mentioned it to my husband and although he wasn’t convinced they specialized in ribs, we thought we would give it a try regardless.

When we walked into the restaurant, the first thing that stood out was the old, dated décor. Stucco walls with exposed wooden beams! The second thing that stood out was the strong smell of malt vinegar. While we were walking toward our table, which happened to be in the far corner of the restaurant, I noticed why I could smell so much vinegar. Almost every table had some form of fried seafood in front of them – and they were obviously dredging their dishes in vinegar.  Okay, so seafood must be their specialty and not ribs.  After taking a quick glance at the menu, and the long list of seafood specials that accompanied it, I confirmed my suspicion.  I went there for ribs – but should I conform and order seafood?  This was going to be a difficult decision. 

Caramel Apple Pie Martini



However, first things first.  I needed to decide what to drink. There were some seasonal cocktails on the specials menu and the Caramel Apple Pie Martini ($6.75) sounded delicious.  This martini was made with Absolut Vodka, Butterscotch Schnapps, Apple Schnapps and a hint of cream served with a cinnamon sugar rimmer. My husband decided on a Long Island Iced Tea ($6.25).

While waiting for our drinks, I carefully reviewed the menu to see if there was something that would sway my mind away from the ribs. There were so many choices and I do love seafood but the ribs also sounded delicious and why fight the craving?  I decided on the full rack of Pete’s Baby Back Ribs ($19.99).  These ribs were described as slow-cooked and oh-so-tender fall-off-the-bone baby back pork ribs, slathered with their special BBQ sauce.  This entrée was served with a salad and choice of side.  The side choices were garlic red skin mashed potatoes, baked potato, French fries, butternut squash, vegetable of the day, spaghetti, ziti, steamed broccoli and rice pilaf.  Since I was eating ribs, French fries were the only logical choice in my mind. I ordered the fries and chose blue cheese as my dressing for the salad.

My husband ordered a cup of their “famous recipe, homemade,award winning” chowder ($3.29) and a Boneless Buffalo Chicken Pizza (hold the onions).  It seems we were both very hungry that night since he ordered the large pizza for $9.99 (the small was only $1 less).

 

When our drinks arrived, we were also brought a basket of bread. The bread was grilled with butter and was piping hot.  I couldn’t resist digging in!  After eating the bread and looking around the restaurant I started to think that this is a great place if you’re looking for some comfort food in a family friendly atmosphere.  I was still struggling with the stucco walls, though!

The salad and chowder arrived. Of course I had to take a bite of my husband’s chowder and I have to say, I can see where this would have won an award. Anyone that loves a nice, thick, rich creamy clam chowder would fall in love with this.  Again, this reminded me of some good old comfort food.  My salad, on the other hand, was nothing more than a bowl of lettuce with a few shredded carrots on top.  At least the dressing was good – it was a nice thick blue cheese dressing.



Boneless Buffalo Chicken Pizza
 

Before too long, our entrees arrived.  My plate had two half-racks of steaming hot ribs smothered in barbeque sauce.  The side of fries was served on a second, smaller plate.  My husband’s pizza was a thin crust pizza made with blue cheese dressing (instead of sauce), boneless buffalo wings and topped with cheese.  His only comment about the pizza was that since the blue cheese was cooked on the pizza, the flavors of the blue cheese and the buffalo sauce blended together. He prefers the hot, spiciness of the pizza dipped into a side of cool blue cheese dressing. I took a bite of his pizza and completely understood what he meant.

 


Pete's Baby Back Ribs
 

The ribs were true to their description and fell right off the bone as I was eating them.  If I had anything to criticize it would be that a few of them were a bit charcoaled on the edge. This didn’t stop me from eating the entire plate full (with a little help from my husband).  Thank goodness I was given a few wet naps to wipe my hands when I was finished!  I was glad I chose the ribs and didn’t give in to the seafood.  But, we’ll need to visit again since there were so many seafood entrees that looked delicious. Baked Stuff Scrod with Newburg Sauce, Haddock Oscar, Honey Pecan Salmon, Native Swordfish, and Fish and Chips are just a few of the seafood entrees that caught my eye!

Since my husband helped me eat my ribs, he still had half of his pizza left to bring home. The waitress took the pizza to box it up and brought us our bill.  Luckily I double checked the bill before we paid because she inadvertently charged us for the chowder twice. She was very apologetic and quickly corrected it.  The total bill with tax (minus the extra chowder) was $49.51.  

 

Based on this visit to Me & Ed’s, I would recommend this restaurant if you are looking for family-friendly, comfort-food kind of dining (and don’t have a major aversion to stucco)!

 

End Zone Sports Pub - New Bedford, MA

At my husband’s suggestion, we dined at the End Zone Sports Pub on Friday, September 28^th.  When we arrived, parking was difficult since all of the lots were already filled.  We drove around the block and found on-street parking not too far away.  Considering the crowded parking lot, I expected to have a long wait.  I was starving and didn’t want to wait very long for a table.  Twenty-minute wait!  I could handle that but wasn’t convinced that it would be only twenty minutes since there were a lot of parties waiting ahead of us.  Regardless, we gave our name to the host. Just for kicks, I also started the stopwatch on my phone. 

There were two empty seats at the bar so we decided to have a seat and order a drink while we waited. We paid for our drinks ($10.50) at the bar and waited for our table. Eleven minutes later, according to my stopwatch, our name was called.  That was definitely a pleasant surprise.  We brought our drinks with us and were seated in a booth in the center of the restaurant.  There was plenty of seating with four rows of booths just beyond the large bar with visible T.V.’s from each booth.  Since this is a Sports Pub, the theme, as you would expect, is completely about sports.

The End Zone has a relatively large menu (which can be found on menujoy.com) consisting of a little bit of everything. There were appetizers, burgers, sandwiches, pizza, steak, seafood, chicken and more on the menu.  They also had an extensive list of specials on the board to choose from. It was a difficult decision, but I was finally able to decide on the Carne d’Espeto (tenderloin tips marinated in wine and Portuguese sauce, served with rice pilaf and fries) for $14.99. My husband ordered a cup of Scallop and Bacon Chowder ($3.25) from the special board and a Buffalo Chicken Sandwich ($8.99).  He was given the choice of hot or mild and he chose mild. As usual, I also ordered a dinner salad ($2.99) with blue cheese dressing.

After taking our order, the waitress brought us a basket with two mini Portuguese rolls and returned shortly after with our chowder and salad.  I took a bite of the chowder (before my husband could add the crushed oyster crackers) and thought it was absolutely delicious.  It was a rich, creamy chowder loaded with scallops and potatoes. The bacon added a salty flavor but was not over-powering.  I wished I had ordered a cup for myself – especially since my dinner salad was not very good at all.  The salad was basically a plate of iceberg lettuce with shredded carrots and a few cucumber slices, red onions and croutons thrown on top.  I ate what I could of the lettuce (some if it was browned) and looked forward to my meal arriving.



Carne d'Espeto

My Carne d’Espeto sat on top of a heaping mound of rice and steak fries!  They also didn’t skimp on the hot finger peppers that were placed on top of my dish. The tenderloin tips were grilled as requested (medium doneness) but there really wasn’t anything special about the taste. I can’t say the meal was bad.  Average and a good meal for the price is how I would describe it.  I ate all but three of the tenderloin tips but could barely make a dent in the rice or the fries.  I would take the remaining tips home and have them for lunch the next day.

 



Buffalo Chicken Sandwich

My husband’s sandwich was a very typical sports pub meal.  My husband described it as “good, but not very buffalowy” (he should have ordered it hot instead of mild).  His sandwich was also served with a mound of steak fries and also included a side of blue cheese dressing and a dill pickle.

 

The End Zone gives you lots of food at a reasonable price. It’s certainly not gourmet, but it isn’t bad food.  If you’re looking for a sports bar experience, then I would recommend trying the End Zone Sports Pub (218 Coggeshall Street, New Bedford, MA).

Our total bill (with another drink included) was $37.69 after tax.  Menu Joy does have a coupon available for $5 off a food purchase of $30 or more but it is only valid Sunday through Thursday so I didn’t print it out and bring it with me.