#alfresco, #seasidedining, Food Blog

Mermaidz on The Deck

2018-07-15 14.20.08.jpg

Introduction

We are now well into the lazy, hazy, crazy daze (er, days) of summer, and the Gertz Girlz have heard the siren call of the sea (or in this case, the Merrimack River)! For this dining adventure, we channeled our inner mermaidz and headed to The Deck in Salisbury, MA. The day started overcast, which isn’t a bad thing on a humid day; sitting beside the water under a big umbrella with refreshing beverages makes for a cool, relaxing way to pass the hours. But to make it extra special, we were joined by our very first honorary Gertz Girl–and intrepid mermaid–Cheryl Notartomaso! As the afternoon wore on, the clouds burned away and left us with a perfect day for dining alfresco.

Gertz Girl Cheryl.jpgCheryl Sez:

First I have to thank the Dee, Lisa and Eva for letting me be their first honorary Gertz Girl!

The Deck is always a great place to visit on a sunny summer Sunday afternoon and the company of the girlz made it all that much better.

When you first arrive the valet is ready to open your car door and park your car and reminds you to give your server your ticket when you are paying the check and it will be waiting for you when you are ready to leave. I like that! I was seated right way at a nice table with a view and our server arrived quickly to take a drink order while I waited for the girlz to arrive. Being in the hospitality business my entire career, great customer service is paramount and keeps customers coming back. I felt the service was on par from start to finish.

IMG_6153
Caesar Salad with Chopped Kale and Seared Scallops

Our starter of Blue Corn Chips and Guacamole was just enough to hold me over until my ‘go to’ Caesar Salad with chopped Kale and Seared Scallops arrived. The salad, tossed with just enough creamy Caesar dressing and shaved parmesan was abundant and full of flavor. The fresh seared scallops were cooked perfectly, crispy on the outside and sweet and tender on the inside. As an ‘add on’ it was totally worth the $12 price. I have visited the Deck in the past and I have had the Caesar with Grilled Shrimp and it never disappoints.

While the menu is a bit limited there is always something that even the most finicky eater can find, and if not just sit back order a cool beverage and enjoy the beautiful view in the day time or at sunset.

Gertz Girl DeeDee Sez:

More often than not, I have a hard time deciding what to order. I try to study the menu online and narrow it down beforehand so I don’t irritate the wait staff or my dining companions. What can I say? I hate to regret a choice, which is probably why I don’t have tattoos. Anyway, The Deck has a limited menu which helps, but honestly, they could have put a bowl of Alpo in front of me and I would have been happy. Not sure it would have paired well with my Pinot Grigio, but…it’s about the atmosphere! The fragrant breezes! The water views! And of course, and most importantly, the company!

2018-07-15 15.03.21_Cropped.jpg
Cheryl and Dee

I was thrilled to welcome Cheryl as our first honorary Gertz Girl. She and I met through work in 2001, becoming fast friends, but life has since moved us along divergent paths, so it was a real treat to spend this beautiful day with her–along with Lisa and Eva, of course! And it was like a mini staycation for me as well; I haven’t been near the water since 2006. Sad, but true.

Oh yeah, so the food! I was torn between the Seared Scallops starter as an entrée, the Fish Sandwich and the Stuffed Portobello Mushroom. Cheryl kindly offered me one of her scallops. Thank you, Cheryl! It was perfectly seared and sweet, and I will most definitely order it on another visit, but I decided on the Fish Sandwich. I’m not a big fish eater, oddly enough, but since mushrooms grow in the woods, and particularly as I watched the boats bob in the marina, I thought it more fitting to go with seafood. When in Rome…

IMG_6273.JPG
A table with a view!

It was a generous portion, and the haddock was gleaming white, moist and flaky. The coating was light and not a bit greasy, but it was also a tad bland. I would have liked it more with some salt and pepper–or dare I suggest, a smidge of Old Bay seasoning?–mixed into the batter. The lettuce and tomato brightened the sandwich but the tartar sauce could have been thicker.

2018-07-15 13.56.31.jpg
Fish Sandwich

I also could have done with a slice of American cheese to make it a kicked up Filet-O-Fish, didn’t think to ask. These are quibbles; the sandwich was thoroughly enjoyable and satisfying. The brioche bun was nicely toasted. The fries were perfectly salted. I avoided the pickle, figuring it wouldn’t mesh with the wine, which was light, crisp and DeeLish!

Gertz Girl LisaLisa Sez:

Summertime and the living is easy. Whoever wrote that nailed the feeling we all had the afternoon we landed on The Deck! Warm sun, blue skies, and incredible views all taken in under cheerful red umbrellas. I was coming off a tsunami of fried food that weekend – the usual suspects of breaded clams and scallops. I perused the menu at The Deck and went for something light. I ordered the Sesame Salad with the addition of grilled shrimp.

IMG_6157_Cropped.jpg
Sesame Salad with Grilled Shrimp

The salad is comprised of Napa cabbage, mixed greens, peanuts, red pepper, bean sprouts, chick peas, and carrots, with cilantro and a light dressing of ginger tahini. Crunch, crunch, and more crunch! I think this would satisfy any herbivore’s craving for a substantial salad by itself. But this mermaid was happy she ordered the grilled shrimp on top. The shrimp were just right, firm to the bite with a tender finish. Altogether very satisfying on a warm day.

2018-07-15 13.33.35 HDR.jpg
Cheryl and Lisa (before the clouds burned away)

Lest I forget – the Mojito cocktail was pretty much the perfect accompaniment to both the salad and the festive ambiance offered at this seaside restaurant. If people-watching and boat-watching are your thing you will enjoy The Deck, which also has the added bonus of sitting beside a drawbridge which opens and closes regularly to let the taller vessels pass through.

Gertz Girl EvaEva Sez:

Truth be told, I am a REAL mermaid and therefore I don’t eat my fellow sea creatures! I haven’t knowingly eaten seafood ever, although apparently my cruel parents duped me into eating it when I was little by ordering “Chicken Calamari” with a wink at the server. That said, I am most happy near any ocean, and I was content to be with the other mermaidz no matter what they ordered! So I went with the BLT.

IMG_6159.jpeg
World’s Best BLT, according to Eva!

Which is the biggest understatement in the world, because it should really be listed on the menu as World’s Best BLT !  There’s a lotta magic going in that-there sandwich which involved salty, thick bacon and just the right amount of fresh tomato and an amazing aioli mayonnaise to give it a kick. SO delicious! Alas, I also went at the fries pretty hard and so decided to take half the sandwich to go…that was a mistake.

Gertz Girl LisaLisa Sez:

I mean my salad was terrific. But at 10pm that night the World’s Best BLT was calling my name (if you get my mermaid drift). So I owe Eva the other half of that sandwich and it will be a wonderful excuse to go back!

 

Gertz Girl EvaEva Sez:

(Some mermaidz can’t be trusted with leftoverz).

Gertz Girlz Final Dish:

Newburyport is one of our favorite towns in New England, and some Gertz Girlz may even move there eventually. But if there’s one thing better than eating at a great restaurant in Newburyport – it’s eating at a great restaurant as you gaze adoringly across the river AT Newburyport. There’s a lot of summer left and before it’s gone, we strongly suggest you make your way to The Deck!!

More info: thedecksalisbury.com

 

Food Blog, Uncategorized

Birdz of a Feather

IMG_5524.JPG

Introduction

The Gertz Girlz are bird lovers. You might even say extreme bird lovers. One of us is the loving mother of a 29-year-old cockatiel. Another not only finds daily joy in feeding birds, but she even had the nickname “Birdie” at one time. For these, and other more gastronomic reasons, it seems fated that we would eventually pay a visit to The Purple Finch Café in Bedford, New Hampshire.

Gertz Girl DeeDee Sez:

Yes, I’ve been a parrot parent to my cockatiel Arnie since he hatched on April 15, 1989. Tax Day. And he’s been taxing me ever since! But I love him dearly. And now I can say I love the Purple Finch Café!

 

DSCN0080_Altered
Arnold Edgar Gertz (aka Arnie) loves himself some Dunkin’ Donuts Everything Bagel.

Gertz Girl LisaLisa Sez:

This café has consistently won the Best Breakfast Place for the last several years (voted via customer polls) in the Manchester area. I kept reading about them in both NH Magazine and The Hippo, two local publications that take food pretty seriously. We took advantage of their “call ahead” service and set off on a beautiful Sunday morning recently. Walking into a busy café, made cheerful with splashes of purple and lime green throughout, we noted stencils of little purple finches which charmingly make appearances  throughout. In addition to tables in the dining area, you can also request a seat at the breakfast counter which has a large tv screen, where on this morning you could watch Ina Garten cook up a storm, while you ate your own delicious meal.

IMG_5526.JPG
The Purple Finch has garnered a few awards, and rightly so!

One of the highlights of our visit was possibly the friendliest and most pleasant servers we’ve ever encountered – a smiling woman named Linny. She came to our table right away and let us take our time with the menu, answering questions and bringing our beverages to us in seconds. The menu takes a while to peruse as you have your choice of both breakfast and lunch menu items.

At 11am it’s usually a toss up for me. I decided on the Avocado Toast $8 (A slice of wheat toast topped with mashed avocado, sliced tomato, a poached egg, feta crumbles & scallions. Served with a cup of fresh fruit). Except could I make a few changes? Special orders don’t upset them. I swapped out the fresh fruit for a side of their amazing Sweet Potato Dots (think tater tots only healthier) which come with a little cup of real maple syrup for dipping. Also, could you hold the feta crumbles? No problem.

IMG_5532.JPG
Avocado Toast with Sweet Potato Dots

When our food arrived, I got exactly what I ordered PLUS “would I mind trying a new dish the chef is trying out and telling us which of the two you prefer?” Being the helpful human being that I am, I was happy to oblige. The experimental dish was similar but more interesting: An English muffin topped with mashed avocado, field greens flavored slightly with a light Greek dressing, topped with a perfectly cooked poached egg. Outstanding.

IMG_5534.JPG
The Arcadian Avo, a brand new dish not yet on the menu! No doubt it will be soon!

I let Linny know it was my favorite of the two and asked what the name of it was. The newborn didn’t have a name yet, so Linny rushed back to the kitchen to ask the Chef and came back triumphant – “The Arcadian Avo”. Pass the cigars, this one is special! So glad we could be there for this proud moment.

Gertz Girl DeeDee Sez:

As I mentioned in our Parker’s Maple Barn entry, when out for brunch I go for Eggs Benedict whenever possible. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Purple Finch has not one, but three types of Eggs Bennie (WOOT! WOOT!) but for this visit I decided to fight the urge and try something different.

How do I love brunch? Let me count the ways! Choices, choices and more choices! Purple Finch doesn’t disappoint with its inventive yet down-to-earth menu and there were so many dishes that attracted me. Among many contenders, the finalists were Breakfast Nachos, the Cowboy Breakfast Burrito (yes, big Mexican food fan), The Breakfast Caprese and the Chicken Corden Bleu Stacker.

And the winner is (insert drumroll)…the Breakfast Caprese!

IMG_1289.JPG
The Breakfast Caprese

If you’re a fan of the salad, you’ll love the sandwich, unless you’re a vegan or vegetarian. This is an egg sandwich that made me think of what might happen if a BLT and a caprese salad had a baby. Served on a grilled ciabatta roll, the tomatoes were bright red and juicy, the field greens crisp and varied, the bacon thick and spot-on crispy. Instead of fresh mozzarella, they use a basil infused cream cheese, which I think helps make it easier to handle. It’s not super large, but things tend to slide around in a stacked sandwich with a lot going on. This one held it together well; though I did have to ask for extra napkins, I didn’t look undignified getting it into my mouth.

IMG_1288_Cropped.jpg
The Caprese Sandwich with Shredded Hash Browns.

The shredded hash browns I ordered from a choice of sides were crispy on the top and tender on the bottom. Potato perfecto! They weren’t seasoned, which I prefer. I like to control my own salt and pepper.

As Lisa mentioned, our waitress was friendly and enthusiastic. I got the feeling that she eats at Purple Finch on her days off! I know I would. I could easily try EVERYTHING on their menu, and that has never happened in all my many, many years of dining out. DeeLish!

Gertz Girl EvaEva Sez:

I really liked this place. It’s clean and bright and they even have a small coloring corner set up to keep the little kids quiet so I can focus on my Instagram scrolling.

 

 

IMG_5527.JPG
Happy Kiddie Koloring Korner!

The menu has some great choices. I ordered the Finch-wich: A breakfast sandwich with fried egg, cheddar cheese, sausage patty and hashbrowns on a grilled bagel. It usually comes served with the house-made Sweet Potato Dots, but I swapped those out for a side of seasoned homefries and bacon. Delish! The sandwich with those crispy hashbrowns is a brilliant combo and the thick bacon was a solid 10.

IMG_5536.JPG
The Finch-Wich Sandwich

Gertz Girlz Final Dish:

After we left the Purple Finch Café, we took a peek at their Take-Out Menu which we grabbed on the way out. We discovered the genesis of the café – Jeff and Julie, who met in the food industry while they were working their way through college at UNH, and decided to build a breakfast-serving nest together six years ago. Kudos to the Lovebirds!

There are many more items we want to try including a soup special, Scallop & Bacon Chowder, and every one of their unique sandwiches and salads! When the weather gets chilly we’d like to try The Harvest French Toast – Three slices of golden French toast topped with fire roasted cinnamon apples, cranberries, walnuts, powdered sugar and whipped cream!

We will be returning to the Purple Finch Café because of the great experience and, because, you know “Birdz of a Feather?!”

More info: purplefinchcafe.com

Food Blog, Uncategorized

California Girlz

IMG_2643_Cropped.jpg

Introduction

The youngest Gertz Girl will graduate high school next year and has her heart set on a career in film production. So, for February break we jumped on a plane headed for the west coast. There is something very hip about California and you feel it as soon as you step out of the airport. You may arrive feeling like the Clampetts (Google it if you’re under 40), but you leave feeling cool as Compton (Google it if you’re over 40). Cue the song from 2Pac and Dr. Dre  – “Let me welcome everybody to the Wild, Wild West.”

Gertz Girl Lisa.jpgLisa Sez:

The best part of this trip was going to be the warm weather and exploring all the differences between Cali and New England. The weather decided to disappoint us with the first cold spell in decades. We got over it. We also got to laugh at people wearing ski hats and Uggs in 65 degree weather. It was a wonderful four days and the stellar food scene played a big part of that. Here are some of the highlights of our trip:

The Hudson Restaurant: Located in West Hollywood (my hipster 80-year-old mother corrected me to call it “WEHO” like the locals). This super hip, but casual restaurant caters to a young adult clientele. Everyone who works here looks shiny and stylish. We arrived early on a Saturday evening, and realized the restaurant is built around actual trees that are located throughout and go through the ceiling! After a long day of travel, I was initially annoyed at the volume of the music but that passed – because it was just the most AWESOME playlist I’ve heard in a restaurant. We were served some delicious food and it was such a fun vibe that I was soon singing along to BBBBenny and the Jets – only to be joined in unison by two guys dining a table away. Happy is The Hudson!!!  Good food and service too! www.thehudsonla.com

IMG_2664.JPG
Eva checking out the Hudson menu.

Bristol Farms Market:  There are a few of these scattered around Los Angeles but the one on the corner of Fairfax and Sunset Boulevard is like an intimate cross between Whole Foods and Trader Joes. I cannot express how much I love this store. A profusion of flowers greet you outside. Once inside, I developed a serious crush on Peet’s Coffee and a beautiful French bulldog named Rose.

IMG_8658_Cropped.jpg
Our new friend Rose, the French Bulldog. Elle est un joli chien!

This place was within walking distance from our vacation rental and thank you very much! I experienced an amazing and warm Croque Monsieur for breakfast, and also learned there is something called a Poke Bowl (pronounced Pok-Ay), a culinary idea that I really hope soon makes its way to New Hampshire. All kinds of fresh raw and cooked fish can be combined with lots of fresh veggies, nuts, and sprouts to create your own bowl of delicious nutrition. Yum!!! www.bristolfarms.com

IMG_8648_Cropped.jpg
Luscious cakes, cupcakes, cake pops, and macarons at Bristol Farms Market.

Catch L.A.: This was our splurge night out. It’s an Oh-So-Pretty restaurant with an Oh-So-Pricey menu. Upon arrival to the large ground floor vestibule, two very good-looking gentlemen greet you. They verify your reservation, then one of them escorts you to the elevator and sends you to up to the beautiful rooftop restaurant. Selfies abound up there amidst greenery and twinkly lights. We stuck with small plates like the skewered chicken meatballs and I had the best sushi of my life, the Catch Roll (crab+salmon+misohoney), which was accompanied by another handsome young man who provided a sushi fire show with his hand torch. A shout out goes to Cory, our very personable waiter! Check out their lit website www.catchrestaurants.com

Catch LA Meatballs_Crop_Adjust_COMBINED.jpg
Pretty rooftop seating and chicken meatball skewers with a mustard seed ponzu.

In-N-Out Burger: Goes without saying that everyone must try this ubiquitous chain. We went to the one in Westwood before we checked out the UCLA campus. I’m completely intrigued by In-N-Out restaurant and may actually dedicate a whole blog post to them. Suffice to say we left satisfied, and it was the cheapest date we had in Los Angeles. Kudos. www.in-n-out.com

In N Out Burger_Cropped.jpg
Have YOU heard of the Animal Burger? It’s NOT on the menu…

Pink Taco:  A friend whose husband grew up in California texted me while I was out there, “Josh says to try hole-in-the-wall Mexican.”  We had to clarify if it was an actual name of a restaurant. It wasn’t.  Apparently, any Mexican food in L.A. will be better than any Mexican food in New Hampshire. My beautiful niece Jill resides in Los Angeles, and suggested we meet at Pink Taco. www.pinktaco.com

Pink Taco Exterior
Arriving in style at Pink Taco!

It does not fit the hole-in-the-wall category but we were just fine with it. Again, there were trees in the middle of the dining room, which I find so charming. In addition, the food and atmosphere were festive but relaxed, the Happy Hour margaritas awesome, and the restaurant interior was one of the most seriously pink and funky places I’ve been to. A major bonus – my niece arrived with her charming boyfriend and her well-behaved chihuahua Ziggy, and the hostess didn’t bat an eye. He stayed at our table happily eating bits of chicken burrito (I mean Ziggy here). So basically, it felt like we were dining in Mexico with a Chihuahua. I told you, California is cool.

IMG_2748_Eva_Pink_Adjusted_Zombie.jpg
Eva and cheese quesadillas.                             Tee shirts for sale, modeled by a Day of the Dead doll.
IMG_2746_Drink_Adjusted.jpg
The Cadillac Margarita.

The Griddle: This renowned breakfast joint IS a hole-in-the-wall, with a daily line of people waiting patiently to get in. We lucked out on a Tuesday morning and were seated right away by a vivacious young waitress who thought maybe I was someone famous!? Hmm…way to score a good tip! We ordered our eggs and pancakes and noticed a tableful of LAPD officers tucking into their breakfasts with intensity.  Our plates arrived and OMG these were huge portions! It was tasty too. We salute The Griddle! www.thegriddlecafe.com

Breakfast at The Griddle_Adjust
Lisa is embarrassed to admit this was her portion. But she didn’t finish it!
IMG_8949_Cropped.jpg
Eva’s pancake. One is more than enough!

Rite-Aid: Yes, you read that right. I have to include the West Hollywood Rite-Aid in this post. Let me just say this is proof that Los Angeles has it over us big time. This was a Rite-Aid on steroids, including a coffee and Cubano sandwich bar. I went in for Tylenol and left with a fresh pistachio frozen yogurt, a bottle of Grey Goose vodka and a pair of yoga pants! Enough said!!

FroYo at RiteAid_OLOVES.jpg
Pick your flavor, pick your toppings…at Rite-Aid?         Artisanal olives in ‘tea’ sleeves. Only in CA!

Gertz Girl Eva.jpgEva Sez:

Oh, and by the way I fell in love with L.A. and will be pursuing my career dreams there. Here’s a sample of my inspiration from this trip! Eva’s LA Video 

 

Someday I’m gonna be a STAH on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!

Eva Avenue of the Stars.jpg

Gertz Girl DeeDee Sez:

You Bitchez! I’m SOOOOOO jealous I wasn’t there 😉

 

 Gertz Girlz Final Dish:

The rumor is you have conquered L.A. when you conquer their notoriously challenging freeways. I was asked how I did driving on “The 405” and “The 101”.  Please give this Boston driver a big fat break. I mean we are not on bucking broncos here and you have five lanes to play with. I can handle Storrow Drive at 50mph so I’m pretty sure the California drivers were more scared of ME in my rental car. We can cue Dr. Dre again: “Let me welcome everybody to the Wild, Wild West!”

Food Blog, Uncategorized

Parker’s Maple Barn

P1200073

Introduction

If you’ve lived in New Hampshire for at least 15 years (as we have) and still haven’t visited Parker’s Maple Barn Restaurant, we suggest you do. Visiting on a balmy day in mid-October is also a smart move. This rustic eatery nestled in Mason, NH definitely falls under the category of “Destination Restaurant.” A mile-long winding road was raining autumn leaves and pine needles in full sunshine, and brought us abruptly to Parker’s. As Dee said, “you know that you’ve arrived.”

Authentic in its rustic vibe, Parker’s has created an outdoor waiting experience that is part aromatherapy (the maple hits you as soon as you open the car door), charming, whimsical and relaxing. The restaurant, gift shop, outdoor coffee bar, and multiple woodsy seating areas make for an eye-catching exterior. Plentiful parking, including a spillover lot across the street let us know that Parker’s was established and popular. We arrived at noon on a Sunday and there was a 1.5 hour wait (no reservations). We had anticipated this and so should you. Breakfast is served all day, so act like royalty and order what you desire no matter the time.

After a 90 minute wait, we were immediately rewarded with a generous hot beverage service.  The good coffee (according to Lisa) was placed on our table in a carafe – no waiting for refills! If you are a tea drinker, like Dee, you can expect a carafe of hot water, and a tea chest with plenty of regular and herbal choices. We received quick service from a friendly, seasoned (and clearly exhausted) waitress. The food was worth the wait – it was a concise menu with many original temptations.

Gertz Girl DeeDee Sez:

As the name suggests, the restaurant is a large barn-like building decorated with wooden signs and whimsical folk art. There are plenty of rustic outdoor seating options (tree stumps, stone benches) while you wait for your table. But it isn’t autumn in New England if yellow jackets haven’t crashed the party. They chased us out of a covered bridge (another seating option that is no doubt packed when it’s raining), down a path and into the kitschy gift shop. We took a quick look, but opted to enjoy the fresh air and expansive grounds instead.

If you are “hangry”, DO NOT sit in the restaurant’s indoor waiting area. With so many customers, the barn-style door opens and closes with jarring frequency and almost everyone entering or exiting lets it slam shut. It will get on your nerves.

But let’s talk food! When out for brunch, my go-to dish is Eggs Benedict. My expectations are never high, mainly because Eggs Bennie is hard to mess up. Overcooked eggs are always the biggest disappointment, with rubbery ham and overly lemony Hollandaise tied for second. But when our waitress put down my plate, I marveled at how picture-perfect they looked. Honestly, look at this!

IMG_0961

Perfectly poached orbs enrobed in a glistening, sunny sauce. Big points for providing a steak knife; this was a first. I have never understood how restaurants think it’s easy to cut through ham and English muffins with a butter knife.

And for the first time ever, I experienced that perfect Eggs Bennie bite. First silky and creamy, followed by salty and tender, and finally gooey and chewy. Heavenly. The home fries weren’t bad, either. But the side of bacon was just okay. I know there’s no such thing as bad bacon (except bad for you), but I think they are missing a great opportunity to offer a maple-candied option, since it’s all the rage these days.

Gertz Girl LisaLisa Sez:

Have you ever been offered “Breakfast Appetizers?” Me neither. How fun! I mean Deep-Fried Blueberry Bites? We might do this on our next visit, but at 1:30 we were in the mood for a lunch appetizer–Spicy Maple Chicken Tenders. The five oversized tenders were amazing. Like something you would get in a great urban Asian restaurant–very lightly breaded, subtly sweet and spicy, and truly tender. One of the lucky Gertz Girlz got to take some home for midnight snakz.

IMG_0960

There were some seasonal specials that sounded incredible and involved pumpkin and cream cheese, but I ordered the Maple Ribs with Eggs Any Style, Home Fries and Toast. I hit on the ribs first. Wow! No sticky bbq-like sauce – just pure delicate maple flavor on tender pork that practically jumped off the bone. A little shout out to the whole wheat toast – it was extra thick and flavorful and a great vehicle for the perfectly cooked over-easy egg yolks.

IMG_0093 (1)

Gertz Girl EvaEva Sez:

I guess beverages are important to the Gertz Girlz! The waitress kept refilling my ice water which scores points with me, as one of my nicknames is “The Camel.” I was really excited to see a Thanksgiving Sandwich on the menu as it’s one of my favorite meals. It was fantastic and stacked with juicy, roasted turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce. I was just a little disappointed by the appetizer plates (kinda chintzy). Food this good deserves to be served on fancier dishes!! (Side note: The other Gertz Girlz didn’t realize until now that Eva is a bit of a dish snob!)

IMG_0100

Gertz Girlz Final Dish:

Between the “forest bathing” we did beforehand, and the wonderful dining experience we had afterward, the Gertz Girlz are so glad we made the drive to this unique New Hampshire establishment! Dee bought a beautifully decorated tin of Parker’s maple syrup for $11 and she and her husband enjoyed it on French Toast last night. It was divine. And if you visit between March and mid-April, treat yourself to a tour of the Sugar House while you wait to be seated.

More info: www.parkersmaplebarn.com