Central House Tavern and Restaurant - Westborough, MA

The Central House Tavern and Restaurant is located at 44 South Street in Westborough, MA.  There is street parking and a public lot next door. Most recently owned and operated by the Van Dam family since 1974, The Tavern has roots going back 60 years when Agnes and Effie Moynihan opened their doors.  Interestingly, only men were allowed to enter the bar room.  The Van Dam’s changed all that, even building a ladies room.  The Tavern remains in the family today, managed by Dan Flood, a Van Dam grandson.

The building is a 3 decker on the corner of South Street and Cottage Street.  The Tavern is on the first floor.  Heading inside, we noticed the classic beadboard walls that complimented the thick pine table tops and chairs. There is a floor to ceiling fieldstone fireplace just beyond the bar.  A cast iron steam heat radiator was nestled against a wall.  We sat at a table near the bar, where eight drafts were being offered today.  A full bar is also available. 

There is also an adjoining room, a dining area, with an upright piano and dart boards hung on the wall along with two Cricketeer chalk scoring boards.  Truly a multi-function room! Big screen TV’s are located in both areas.  The walls are sports themed, including a picture of Ted Williams and Rocky Marciano, two Boston area sports legends!

Our server, Dan, took our orders. We started with the Broccoli Bites appetizer and the following beers;

Two Hearted Ale from Bell’s Brewery, Comstock, Michigan is an American Style IPA (clear) named after a river in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.  It weighs in at 7.0% ABV and has a nice balance of hop aroma and taste with enough malt base making it a very drinkable beer.

Cloud Candy IPA from Mighty Squirrel Brewing Company, Waltham, MA. This is a New England style IPA (hazy) with a deep orange color, tropical fruit aroma and slightly sweet taste. At 6.5% ABV, It features a nice head and moderate carbonation.

Goody Two Shoes German Style Kolsch by Exhibit “A” Brewing Company, Framingham, MA.  At 4.5% ABV it is almost a session beer.  Clear light blonde in color, there is a hint of lemon in the aroma and at the finish.  A very satisfying Kolsch.

The Broccoli Bites, prepared with chopped broccoli in fried dough were served with Jalapeño ranch dressing and paired very well with our beers.  A great appetizer! The lunch menu offered a variety of sandwiches. We chose Pastrami and Swiss sandwiches served on thick toasted white bread and Fries…tender, moist and delicious!  The Central Burger; hand formed beef patty, thick and mouthwatering. Served with bacon, Swiss cheese and fries.

And speaking of fries, these were some of the best we’ve had in our travels.  Hand cut and fried with parsley flakes and just the right amount of seasoning.

Chef Leslie came by our table to chat and we complimented him on his culinary expertise.  We easily saw how dedicated he is to his profession and the pride he puts into his creations.  He informed us that The Tavern also offers Sunday Brunch from 10 AM to 1PM.   A Catering / Function menu is also available.

We found our lunch very relaxing in The Tavern’s casual atmosphere and enjoyed engaging with the friendly staff who really know there stuff.  They make you feel right at home.  With creative and delicious menu offerings and a very impressive offering of local craft beers, it is easy to see why The Central House Tavern and Restaurant has remained a local favorite to the folks in Westborough and throughout Metrowest.

Visit www.thecentralhousetavern.com for more information about the Tavern, or their Facebook page at The Central House

The Horseshoe Pub & Restaurant - Hudson, MA

The Horseshoe Pub & Restaurant is located at 29 South Street in Hudson, MA. Owned and operated by the Pizzimento family since 1980, the pub has been open for 39 years and is a fixture in the town.  Ample parking is available in their private lot.

 

After entering we explored the bar area that prominently displays the 80 taps for the draft beverages being offered today, and every day!  Nice combinations of low and high top tables along with seating at the bar are available here.  Another dining area features cozy booths that will please those who prefer wine.  Each booth display style names from Burgundy to Zinfandel!  Other tables in this area surround a massive brick fireplace.  There is also an upstairs function room that we would learn has the capacity to host events for up to 100 people. There is also an outdoor seating area enclosed in decorative wrought iron fencing.

     

But beer is king at the Horseshoe Pub and Restaurant!  Many signs and framed wall décor celebrate local and international beers and breweries. We decided on the bar area and were greeted by pub staffer Danielle, who guided us to a window table that gave us a great view of the beer taps.  We reviewed the draft offerings and found over a dozen styles of beers, cider and even Mead! (An ancient alcoholic beverage created by fermenting honey.)  Simply put if you like beer, there is something on the menu for you!  A wide selection of bottled macro beers is also available.  For the non-beer drinker a full liquor service and wine selection is available.

Our beer selections today all hailed from three New England States. Mass Whole Lager is from Wormtown Brewery in Worcester, MA.  A session beer at 4% ABV, it’s light and refreshing and brewed with hops and barley grown in Massachusetts.  S.W.A.G Summer Wheat Ale is from Black Hog Brewing Co. in Oxford, CT.  Brewed with grapefruit peel that is evident in the aroma, it comes in at 4.7 ABV.  Hazy gold in color the wheat base is managed well with the citrus component.   #9 is brewed in South Burlington, VT at Magic Hat Brewing Company.  This pale ale is one of the brewery’s It boasts hints of apricot in aroma and mouthfeel with a dry finish. ABV is 5.1%.  Scrag Mountain Pils is a Czech style pilsner brewed by Lawson’s Finest Liquids in Waitsfield, VT.  There is a hint of sweetness that is well balanced by the hops.  Medium bodied and flavorful at 4.8% ABV, it is brewed using local water deep below Mt. Scrag in Waitsfield.

The pub’s menu is vast including multiple selections of appetizers, soups, salads, burgers and sandwiches. A variety of beef, pork chicken, seafood and pasta dishes round out the menu.  Several menu items use beer in the preparation like the Guinness Beef Stew and the salad dressing that uses raspberry lambic in the oils.

Danielle served our lunch orders while we enjoyed our brews. We selected the Shepherd’s Pie. A delicious combination of ground filet mignon, peas, corn and caramelized onions, topped with mashed potatoes and cheese that is skillet baked.  We always like to check out a restaurants style of the Reuben Sandwich. The pub prepares theirs with hand carved corned beef with sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing; it is piled high on marbled rye and served with French fries. All the ingredients were well balanced with bread that really held the sandwich together. Thumbs up here!  The tasty French Dip Sandwich also served with French fries and a side order of au jus, features a more then generous portion of tender sliced roasted prime rib topped with a melted mixture of Swiss cheese and Dijon horseradish on a garlic bread roll. 

As we were finishing up our lunches, we chatted with owner Nick Pizzimento about how much we enjoyed his food and beers.  He mentioned that when his father started the restaurant in 1980 he offered basic burgers and sandwiches with three beers on tap. Nick came on board in 1990 helping his father out.  Together they soon added three more draft taps and expanded the menu from the original 10 items. Fast forwarding to today they built a major addition to the building (the way it appears today), continued adding more and more taps, until they reached the current number of 80, and as mentioned above expanded their menu. Nick’s dad is now retired, but still keeps an eye on things! Today Nick and his wife Paula operate the pub. They are active in the community and have supported the Spirit of Hudson Beer Festival for multiple years.  They will host an Oktoberfest at the Pub starting this September. Live acoustic music is featured on Friday nights

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The Horseshoe Pub and Restaurant is open seven days a week and offers an amazing selection of beers and great food.  They make you feel right at home from the moment you pass through the door to the time you leave.  As Nick and Paula like to say, the beer gets you through the door, but the food keeps you there. We could not agree more!

For more information about the pub, visit their website; www.horseshoepub.com or at their Facebook page; Horseshoe Pub & Restaurant  

Gray's Family Tavern - Cumberland, RI

J Gray’s Family Tavern is located at 405 Mendon Road, Cumberland, RI 02864.  Driving into the parking lot you will notice a great landmark for the Tavern, a black silhouette of a prancing horse adorning the chimney on the front side of the building.

The Tavern has multiple dining areas.  You enter into the main dining room that offers an array of four place tables and coordinated chairs that can easily be combined to accommodate larger groups.  The décor features well placed highway signs for Historic California Rt. 66 and Rt. 122 in Cumberland which is actually Mendon Road.  A nice touch is two wall clocks are set to multiple time zones.   A private function room adjacent to the dining room is available to host gatherings of up to 80 people.  The cathedral ceiling in the bar area features a multitude of sports media!  Player jerseys from the Boston Bruins and other teams are mounted high on the wall and team banners from the Boston Celtics, Red Sox and Patriots are draped from the ceiling.

We chose the fourth dining area, a glassed-in lounge.  The tables and chairs are identical to those in the dining room and are a nice compliment to the fireplace and the potted plants placed effectively on the shelf surrounding the area.  A few team pennants for the Red Sox and Patriots on the wall continue the sports themed décor.  A very unique adjustable ceiling mounted sun shade was in use creating a comfortable lighting level on this sunny June day.

Gray’s was pouring a nice combination of craft and macro beers as well as ciders today. We chose Loose Cannon IPA from Heavy Seas Beer out of Baltimore, MD.  At 7.25 % ABV, it is a triple hopped strong beer that does not overpower because of a blended use of malt in the brewing process.  Golden in color, it possesses a floral and grapefruit aroma and a nice creamy head.  Seasonal Summer Ale from Boston Beer Company, Boston, MA. is legendary at Sam Adams.  The original recipe remained unchanged for over two decades. It was modified this year adding pureed oranges, limes and lemons for a more rounded citrus flavor without abandoning the original profile of the beer.  At 5.3% ABV it remains an extremely drinkable hot weather beer.  Redbridge Gluten free Beer is from Anheuser Busch located in St. Louis, MO.  Beers qualify as gluten free by using Sorghum Malt in the brewing process instead of barley based grains.  This style is quite popular in South Africa.  Redbridge has a hoppy aroma reminding you of an IPA, but surprises you with a sweet mouthfeel ending with a hoppy finish.  At 4.00% ABV it qualifies as a session beer.  Give it a try!   In addition to beer and wine, a full service bar is also available at Gray’s.
   

We enjoyed our beers with the Tavern’s Buffalo Chicken Dip appetizer, a tasty baked blend of chicken, cream cheese and hot sauce.  It paired very well with all of our beer selections.

In addition to their wide selection of starters, the Tavern’s menu offers something for everyone!  Soups and Salads, Sandwiches, Flat Bread Pizza, Quesadillas, a Vegetarian Menu, Steak, Chicken and Seafood dishes, Pasta, Kids Meals and desserts.  There is also a late night menu served late hours Friday and Saturday nights when Gray’s hosts live entertainment.
  

After considerable thought, we decided on the Spicy Pastrami Reuben Sandwich served on rye bread, cole slaw and Russian dressing which is a nice variation to a traditional corned beef reuben. The Grilled Buffalo Bleu Burger served on a generous bulky roll that easily contains this healthy sized sandwich.  Adding buffalo sauce really amped up the flavor and showed the creativity of the chef!  We added our own level of creativity by ordering the Classic Gray’s Burger and loading it up with the available bacon, mushroom and cheese toppings. We chose fries with both burgers that were crisp and deliciously seasoned.  All of our dishes were prepared perfectly to our orders.

Co-Owner Jay LaScola stopped by our table to check how we were enjoying our lunch and stayed to chat for a while.  We asked about the origin of the Tavern’s name.  He represents the “J” in the name; “Gray” comes from his business partner Gary Gray.  Jay started in the restaurant business when he was 15 years old. Before opening the Tavern in 2011, he was the executive chef at several restaurants. He is proud that Gray’s staff is made up of many family members (his Mom makes all the desserts!) and that customers are treated as family as they enjoy Gray’s  Traditional American Cuisine.

We couldn’t agree more!

For more info about Gray’s visit their Facebook Page at J Gray’s Family Tavern

The Lobster Trap - Bourne, MA

Just a short ride over the Bourne Bridge, one of the gateways to Cape Cod, the Lobster Trap is located at 290 Shore Road in Bourne MA, in a rustic Cape style building, right on the shore of the Back River.   Starting as a seasonal fish market in 1969, the restaurant is now open year round.  Plenty of parking, including valet is available. There is outside patio seating with nice views of the river available including a unique table for eight built around a live tree growing through the middle! A small railroad bridge spans the river decorated with bight nautical letters that we would learn spells out what else, LOBSTER TRAP!

We first noticed the huge “Welcome” sign at the far end of the spacious dining room, a cast iron ships wheel made in Maine mounted between two wooden piers.  The building features rugged post and beam construction and wide board flooring.  The décor is all about the Cape, including many nautical and seafood signs and buoys, well placed on the walls and beams.  Hand written chalkboards inform diners of daily specials and current draft beer offerings.

We chose to sit in the pub area just behind the ships wheel.  An array of tap handles are mounted on top of a beam directly over the bar.  Just below we could see that eight draft beers were being poured today.

The Lobster Trap menu includes a raw bar serving oysters, clams and shrimp and a nice selection of salads, starters, sandwiches, and rolls.  Entrees and sides consist of a wide variety of fried seafood and other main fares ranging from lobster to grilled and broiled seafood and steaks.  A kids menu rounds out the offerings.

 

We ordered our beers, an order of onion rings as an appetizer, and our lunch selections.  The Lobster Trap has collaborated with Mayflower Brewing Company in Plymouth, MA to create the Crusher Claw IPA, a New England style IPA offered only at the restaurant. At 6% ABV, smooth and refreshing, it is citrusy with great hop character without the bitterness.  We also selected All Day IPA by Founders Brewing Company in Grand Rapids, MI.  A flavorful well balanced 4.7% ABV session beer that as its name indicates will not overpower you.  It’s a tasty balance of malt and hop bitterness. Whales Tale Pale Ale from Cisco Brewers on Nantucket Island is an English style ale with mild floral and malty aroma.  At 5.6% ABV, its amber in color with a contrasting white head.  A very drinkable beer with a touch of bitterness and maltiness at the finish.

Lunch arrived while we were enjoying our beers and the great tasting onion rings, and was well worth waiting for. The Lobster Roll was huge and delicious!  The meat was prepared cold with mayonnaise surrounded by lettuce on a on a fresh Brioche roll. We enjoyed it with a side of coleslaw. The Sword Sandwich was prepared with Cajun spiced swordfish and thousand island dressing served on grilled focaccia bread with lettuce, fried onion bits, and french fries - a great selection of ingredients. Fish and Chips is one of our favorite dishes and the Lobster Trap’s recipe was excellent.  Lightly battered fresh haddock was crisp on the outside, moist and fork tender on the inside, and was accompanied by generous portions of french fries coleslaw and tartar creamy sauce.The Lobster Trap is famous for its seafood, but we thought we’d also try something from the mainland!  The Angus beef Cheeseburger is a half pounder served with American cheese, lettuce and tomato on a fresh grilled roll.  We added onions and bacon and French fries.  It was cooked spot on to our order and a challenge to finish!

In addition to in house dining and take out, the restaurant still maintains its roots as a fish market.  The Lobster Trap is open year round closed only on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.  If you are on Cape Cod in search of a restaurant offering fabulous seafood, great craft beers, friendly staff and atmosphere galore, The Lobster Trap is not to be missed.

For more information visit their website at www.lobstertrap.net, or on Facebook at The Lobster Trap

Red Rock Grill & Bar - Upton, MA

The Red Rock Grill & Bar and Good 2 Go Café and Creamery are located at 66 West Main Street in Upton, MA.  Approaching the entrance from the onsite parking lot, we noticed that there are two outside patio areas and were intrigued to see a volley ball net in the distance.  More on all this later!

Red Rock features a relaxed, welcoming environment with a stylish décor, offering lunch, dinner and brunch (10 AM to 3 PM on Sunday), featuring a wide assortment of starters, salads, burgers and sandwiches, full entrees and sides. There is also a kids menu. We were seated at a table in the bar/pub area and were immediately brought a bowl of popcorn to munch on while reviewing the great selection of local craft beers on tap. A unique “Special Libations” chalkboard displaying the Cocktail, Wine or Beer being featured today, was hung alongside the bar.  There is also a full menu for beer, wine, martinis and cocktails.  We decided on the following beers, all are brewed in New England.  

True North, Cerveza; Ipswich, MA.  A Mexican style lager at 4.3% ABV.  Very refreshing session brew light in color with a crisp finish. Start Line Citra Hop Load IPA; Hopkinton, MA.  As its name indicates, Citra hops are used resulting in its pleasing grapefruit citrusy aroma and bold flavor   Coming in at 7.1% ABV it is a great American IPA.  Black Hog Granola Brown Ale; Oxford, CT. With a nutty aroma and slightly sweet and malty mouthfeel, it’s like a liquid granola bar!  At 5.0% ABV, dark brown in color and a complimentary tan head, it is a very flavorful offering! White Lion Kolsch; Springfield MA.  A light and fresh German style beer.  It’s crystal clear and light yellow in color with a pure white head.  At 5.0% ABV, it is a satisfying summer brew.

We enjoyed Chicken Pot Pie Spring Rolls with Chicken Gravy from the Starters menu with our beers.  For lunch we ordered a house favorite, the, Red Rock Meatloaf served with mashed potatoes, pumpernickel toast, a roasted tomato and a robust  stout  gravy; a Reuben Burger with pastrami, roasted onions, Swiss cheese and thousand island dressing.  All were certainly tasty examples of their “Spirited Comfort Food”. 

While we ate, Sherry Berger, one of Red Rock’s owners stopped by to say hello.  We introduced ourselves and let her know how much we were enjoying ourselves and complimented her on the outstanding menu and craft beer selection.  We were fortunate to have Sherry stay a while with us as she gave us an overview of her business. 

Sherry and her husband, Russ, were experienced Boston restaurateurs for years before moving to Upton in 2006.  They opened this totally renovated “Rustic Chic” eatery on Valentine’s Day in 2011.

A lot is going on at Red Rock Grill & Bar! There are two outside patios.  One with a seating capacity for over 30 people with a fireplace, and a second patio complete with a wood fired oven.  Thursday and Sunday are dedicated pizza nights on that patio and close by are the volleyball court and the cornhole games.

There is a fruit and vegetable garden on the hill behind the restaurant growing blueberries, blackberries and strawberries as well as tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant and rhubarb.  The garden has a seating area that overlooks Lake Wildwood where kayak rentals are available. Sherry and Russ are also honeybee keepers that yield about 70 pounds of honey per year that they sell at the restaurant. 

Good 2 Go Café and Creamery offers eat in or take out homemade soups, sandwiches and paninis.  Choose from over 30 flavors of locally made ice cream as well as fresh baked cupcakes and cookies.  You can even design your own ice cream sandwich!  Just select two of their cookies, your ice cream flavor and you are good to go!

In addition to pizza nights, Red Rock hosts or has hosted other special events. An IPA Taste Off where local brewers brought in their IPA’s that were sampled and rated by patrons (200 signed up! Eight were selected via a drawing.) The winning brew earning featured draft status at the bar. Paleo Thursdays features dishes with ingredients our ancestors would have either hunted for or gathered.  Specialty dinners where multi course dishes (non-menu items) are carefully paired with craft beers or wine as appropriate.  They’ve even hosted a Scotch dinner!   Capping it all off, live music is available on weekends on the patios or inside depending on the season.

Sherry says “We like to keep things fresh!”  We all agreed that she and Russ have more than accomplished that at Red Rock Grill & Bar!

For more information, visit them on the web at www.redrockgrillandbar.com  or on Facebook at Red Rock Grill and Bar.

The Gavel Public House - Wrentham, MA

The Gavel Public House is located at 36 South Street in downtown Wrentham, MA.  The blue umbrellas of the outside seating area can be seen to the right of the entrance behind a white picket fence.  Two gavels (what else!) encase the restaurant’s name on a sign mounted high above the door.  Street parking is available in front and close by.

A sign just inside the entrance informed us to please feel to seat ourselves, but on the way to our table of choice we were greeted by several staff with smiles and a “welcome”.  We noticed the large chalkboard on the rear wall displaying daily specials, featured craft beers and the password for the free WiFi.  A nice touch was that also on the board was a recommendation to visit a local business that was having a plant sale!

    

The dining area includes standard height and pub style tables that surround the bar where several diners were enjoying their lunches.  We stepped out onto the three level outside seating area, complete with its own bar.  It’s just a few steps down from the restaurant and features a separate cornhole game and ping pong area on the lower level.  Ideal for all, but particularly appreciated by families with children! 

     

The tasteful décor has a local feel to it, featuring signage of the local high school football team’s accomplishments as state football champions.  In keeping with the restaurant’s name, a framed wall hanging of a 1956 patent for a judge’s gavel also graces the wall.  Very appropriate as the restaurant is in close proximity to the Wrentham District Courthouse.

     

A well rounded selection of craft and macro beers is offered on a rotating basis.  Twelve drafts were being poured today. Our server, Hailey, took our drink order. We decided on three session beers.  All are under 5.0% ABV.  Golden Road Wolf Pup IPA, from Los Angeles, CA.  Slightly hazy, it has a smooth combination of citrus and tropical notes.  Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy from Chippewa Falls, WI. Perhaps the original wheat beer that started the shandy/radler movement.  Jack’s Abby House Blood Orange Leisure Time Wheat from Framingham, MA.  Also a Radler, its bright orange in color with fresh citrus aroma and mouthfeel.  Another great lager from this local brewery.  We also ordered one of our favorite appetizers from the Gavel’s wide variety of starters, Canadian Poutine, a delicious combination of potatoes, gravy, cheddar cheese and chopped scallions.

Gavel’s extensive menu selections also include soups and chowders, salads, pub pizzas, full entrees, burgers, sandwiches, wraps and desserts.  For our main fare we ordered the Gavel Steak Burger with smoked bacon and cheddar cheese, The Big Texan Steak Burger with barbeque sauce, bacon, cheddar cheese and beer battered onion rings, a Pastrami Reuben sandwich, with Black Angus pastrami on marble rye with sauerkraut and thousand Island dressing and the Buffalo Chicken Wrap, prepared with either grilled or crispy buffalo chicken (we chose grilled), lettuce, red onion, bleu cheese and ranch dressing.  All of our selections were served with lettuce, tomato and a pickle, along with a choice of one side dish.  All of the food was excellent, prepared to perfection and well presented. 

Hailey asked how we were enjoying our meal.  We told her everything was spot on and introduced ourselves to her.  She was quick to mention that John Cox, one of the principals at The Gavel, was onsite and that she would ask him to drop by our table.

 

John came by a few minutes later (after tapping a keg!), and gave us an overview of his business.  We found out that the building was originally operated as an ice cream parlor and that he and his team completely renovated the structure, adding the outside seating area.  He is rightfully proud of the transformation that has made his restaurant the very popular upscale gastro pub that it is today.  They take great pride placing the highest priority on the quality of their food and beverages as well as customer service.  An important part of that is managing their beer selection, which features offerings by local brewers.

 

The Gavel Public House makes you feel welcome from the moment you arrive.  Open seven days a week from 11:30 AM to 1:00 AM, with the kitchen open until 10 PM.  There is live entertainment every Thursday evening, and occasionally on weekends.  For more information visit their website at www.gavelpublichouse.com or on Facebook at The Gavel Public House

Patriot Tavern - Walpole, MA

The Patriot Tavern is located at 100 Main St. (Route 1A) in Walpole, MA.  Off street parking is located in their lot to the right of the building. One immediately notices the Tavern’s sign as you approach the entrance.  The words Food and Ales surround the Tavern’s name.  We knew we were about to enter our kind of place.

The Tavern is divided into two sections, a dining area to the left, and a pub area to the right.  We chose the pub area and were seated at a window table featuring bar height chairs. On the way to the table we passed the draft beer taps that featured a great selection of craft beers which we were about to explore and enjoy.

 

Once seated, we had the chance to appreciate the decor of the Tavern. The walls were a nice combination of decorative stone and bead boarding.  The wide board flooring is reminiscent of the pre renovation structure.There are four widescreen TV’s mounted at ceiling height in the pub area, providing excellent viewing from any location. Soft sconce lighting on the walls and recessed lighting over the old-fashioned bar, that still proudly displays the nicks and dings of days gone by, are a nice compliment to the overall pub feel of the Tavern.  An outside dining area is set to be opened for the season, now that the warmer weather has reached New England.

Our waitress, Lynne, greeted us and provided us with a rundown of the craft offerings being poured today. Along with a Spicy Fried Pickles starter, we ordered our beers;

Ballast Point Sculpin IPA, San Diego, CA (7% ABV). Sculpin is named after the poisonous Sculpin fish!  It’s multi-fruited aroma and crisp hop notes make this a great year-round brew. 

New Belgium’s Fat Tire, Ft. Collins, CO (5.2 ABV). Inspired by the co-founder of the brewery’s bicycle trip across, where else, Belgium!  Medium bodied and amber in color, it provides a tasty blend of maltiness and mild hop bite.

Shock Top Belgian White, St. Louis, MO. (5.2 ABV).  An unfiltered Belgian style wheat beer, spiced up with citrus peels and a little coriander for flavor and aroma. Refreshing to the pallet, it is usually served with a slice of orange.

Mayflower New World IPA, Plymouth, MA (6% ABV).  Brewed with a combination of pale and wheat malts and a blend of Pacific Northwest hops, New World delivers enhanced fruit aromas that carry through to the flavor.  It has classic IPA taste without overpowering bitterness.  For non-beer fans, a full liquor license, wine menu, and soft drinks are available.

Patriot Tavern’s menu is wide ranging, with a great selection of starters, salads, Angus beef burgers, sandwiches, full entrees and desserts.  A children’s menu is also available along with a daily specials menu. Pizza is also on the menu, made with special dough infused with Shipyard Export Ale!

Our beers and starter were served, and we dug in!  The pickles were full dill slices fried in a medium spicy batter.  They were delicious with the Chipotle dipping sauce.  

For lunch our choices were, The Old Glory Burger with lettuce, tomato, onions and american cheese along with fries and a pickle.  The burger was cooked to perfection and delicious.  The Cape Cod Reuben sandwich, fresh fried haddock served between marble rye with 1000 island dressing and cole slaw.  A great creation that was mouthwatering.  The Corned Beef Reuben Sandwich, lean corned beef, 1000 island dressing and swiss cheese on marble rye bread, fries and a pickle.  Delectable!  From start to finish, we all enjoyed every aspect of our well paired lunch.  When we complimented Lynne on how great the food was, she thanked us and returned to our table with the Tavern’s chef, Brian, so we could meet him and thank him personally.

Lynne and Brian told us about a couple of special weekdays at the Tavern.  Monday is $5.00 burger day.  All burgers on the menu are $5.00 each with the purchase of any beverage.  Tuesday is Taco Trivia day, featuring 3 soft shell tacos for $5.00 with the purchase of a beverage. Live entertainment comes to the Tavern on Friday and Saturday nights.  They even hosted a family friendly Kid’s Karaoke contest!

In addition to the great food and drink, and a friendly and informative staff, The Patriot Tavern impressed us with its well thought out layout, ambience and customer friendly activities.  For more information visit their website at www.patriottavern.net or on Facebook at Patriot Tavern  

Skipjack's and Jack's Abby Beer Dinner - Foxboro MA

We attended a beer dinner hosted by Skipjack’s at Patriot Place in Foxboro, Massachusetts.  Skipjacks teamed up with Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers in Framingham Massachusetts for this 3 hour event on the evening on March 27, 2018.
     

For readers who are not familiar with a beer dinner, it is an event that features menu samplings from the host restaurant that are paired with specific and recommended beers from the participating brewery.

Arriving at Skipjack’s, we checked in at the front desk and were escorted to a separate room where the dinner was being served. The room was about three quarters full when we arrived.  It was open seating and we found a table located near the front of the room where the host, Cam, from Jack’s Abby had just finished setting up for the event.  All tables were full in a matter of minutes.  The dinner was a three-hour event, so we never felt rushed and were given time to fully enjoy the beer and food.

Waitstaff from Skipjack’s came to our table and served us 4 pint glasses of Jack’s Abby’s House Lager to kick off the evening. This was a perfect choice because it is a light and smooth lager with a clean finish and comes in at 5.2 ABV.
 

Cam got everybody’s attention and welcomed us to the event. He spent a few minutes introducing us to Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers and how much he was looking forward to the evening and pairing their beers with five separate courses from Skipjack’s kitchen.  He did a great job visiting each table to chat and answer any questions about the beers.  Just as he was finishing, the first course was served, a delicious grilled flatbread with caramelized shallots, fig jam with blue cheese, and arugula lettuce. Individual servings of Mussels sautéed in the House Lager with Portuguese chorizo sausage, onions, lemon, garlic & hot sauce completed the course.

Next up was Jack’s Abby’s Blood Orange Wheat, a Radler style (a mixture of beer and citrus juice) session beer.  Low in alcohol at 4.0 ABV, it was a great complement to the field greens, arugula, orange segments, spiced pecans, and citrus vinaigrette. We all agreed this would be a definite winning prelude to a summertime meal.

Course number three consisted of beer glazed scallops in a delicious beer based broth with shallots, tomatoes, garlic, white beans & baby kale. It was excellently paired with Jack’s Saxony, a 5.0 ABV Vienna style Kellerbier lager.  Kellerbiers, originating in Europe, are unfiltered and cloudy in appearance. Malty, with a hint of fruit in its aroma, it was very pleasing on the pallet.

India pale Ale’s or IPA’s are all the rage in craft beers today. Jack’s Abby brews only lagers, a distinctly different brewing process then ales.  Ales typically ferment in a week to 10 days, where the lagering process can take 4 to 6 weeks in a much cooler environment, resulting in a smooth full flavored beer.  Having said that, the next beer of the evening was Jack’s Abby Hoponius Union IPL (Indian Pale Lager). With a well thought out combination of yeast and hops resulting in satisfying hop bitterness and fruity aroma, at 6.5 ABV it is full flavored and was a great compliment to the seared duck breast, German style red cabbage, and fingerling potatoes in an orange sauce.  Another fabulous pairing.

All good things do come to an end, including beer dinners. The last course of the evening was a fabulous homemade chocolate bread pudding with Porter Berry Compote (fruit cooked in heavy syrup).  It was paired with Jack’s Framinghammer Baltic Porter.  Described as Big, Bold, & Black, it is all of those, and then some. Coming in at a robust 10.0 ABV, dark and stout like, it offers a nice combination of roasted malt and hop bitterness, perfect with this decadent chocolate-based dessert.

Our compliments go out to the chefs, management and awesome waitstaff at Skipjack’s, as well as to Cam from Jack’s Abby and their team back in Framingham.

All attendees went home with official Jack’s Abby pint glasses.  If you have never been to a beer dinner, do yourself a big favor and attend one soon.
 

For more information on Skipjack’s, visit their website at www.skipjacks.com or on Facebook at Skipjack's Patriot Place

For Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers, go to www.jacksabby.com  or on Facebook at Jack's Abby Craft Lagers

Stone's Public House - Ashland, MA

Stone’s Public House, located at 179 Main St. in Ashland, MA, was originally an historic hotel dating back to 1832, built by local businessman, John Stone who offered travelers from near and far rooms that fit their budget ranging from large in size to a basic room with a bed on the upper floors.

At the front door, we were offered a choice of dining areas - either in a traditional dining room, or a pub setting complete with fireplace and a beamed ceiling from the original building.  An outside dining area is available during the warmer weather.
 

We chose to be seated at a table in the pub. The natural wood fireplace was blazing and inviting on this winter afternoon. We immediately noticed the handwritten beer menu hung directly over the 24 tap handles displaying that number of draft offerings being poured today.
 

Behind the taps there is a unique backdrop, a blue door framed in a section of lath and plaster wall from the original construction.  The door is from room 28, one of the original rooms in John Stone’s hotel.  Very impressive!

Our waitress Maddie came by, greeted us with a friendly smile and provided us menus, but we had already decided on our beers.  We chose Miles to Go Pale Lager (6.2 ABV) by Two Roads Brewing in Stratford, CT. This is an easy drinking unfiltered German style lager with balanced herbal hop notes; All Day IPA (4.7 ABV) by Founders Brewing Company in Grand Rapids, MI.  A flavorful session beer with a well thought out balance of malt and hop bitterness with great IPA taste that will not overpower you; Hefe Weissbier (5.4 ABV) all the way from Weihenstephaner Brewery in Freising, Germany who has been brewing beer since the year 1040!   With its pleasing clove spice aroma and white foam head, it finishes with a hint of banana; Stranger Than Fiction Porter (5.5 ABV) from Collective Arts Brewing in Hamilton, Ontario.  Loaded with great roasted malt/chocolate flavor and thick creamy head, it’s clean and smooth.
  

We asked Maddie for the most unique appetizer that Stone’s offers and she immediately said Poutine, which is a Canadian delicacy of french fries, melted local farmers cheese and bacon served over a healthy ladle of beef gravy. Sounding like a perfect pairing for our beers - we said bring it on!  This appetizer was amazing and was, in fact, a perfect choice for our beer selections.

Stone’s menus offer a wide variety of a la carte selections with sides; sandwiches; small and large plate dinners, desserts and a children’s menu.  Brunch is served on Saturday and Sunday.  We chose Warm Corned Beef on Rye sandwiches with hand cut fries and a salad, and the Toasted Ham & Cheddar sandwich with Dijon mustard, tomatoes and red onion with fries.  The food was well prepared and delicious.

As we were eating our lunch, Andrea, the bartender on duty today, stopped by our table to ask how we were enjoying the food and our beers.  We complimented her on the overall ambiance of the restaurant, the superb poutine, great sandwiches and of course, the excellent selection of local craft beers.  When we asked how Stone’s decides which beers are offered Andrea mentioned that they have a bar committee.  The committee is comprised of Stone’s management and all of their bartenders who meet to decide on the products that they bring in to offer to their guests.  The drafts are offered on a rotating basis and Stone’s works enthusiastically with local craft breweries encouraging them to bring in samples to possibly have them offered in their rotation.  The results of their efforts are obvious.  16 of the 24 drafts are from New England Brewers.  Props to Stone's!  

In addition to beer and an extensive wine selection, there is a full liquor license with a separate menu of unique cocktails such as the Stone’s Corpse Reviver, named after its founder, whose spirit is rumored to still inhabit the restaurant!

While Stone’s has a substantial base of local regulars, it is also a destination Gastopub, serving high end beer and food attracting customer from well outside the Ashland area.  With an extremely friendly staff, live music on the weekends, great food and drink, Stone’s has it all covered!

As a suggestion, when you visit Stone’s, be sure to reserve an extra chair at your table in case John Stone happens to drop by to say welcome to the Public House!

For more information, visit their website at www.stonespublichouse.com or on Facebook at Stone’s Public House.

The Chieftain Pub - Plainville, MA

The Chieftain Pub at 23 Washington Street (Route 1) in Plainville, MA was our lunch destination for January.  The Pub, owned and operated by the Cahill family, has been at this location since 1995.  All of us have dined here in the past but this is the first time together as the Brew & Chew Guys.

 

Entering the pub, there is a full dining area next to the windowed front of the building with a pub area with great ambiance complete with Irish music playing in the background.  We could have been in Dublin!  For the warmer weather there is an outside seating area.

   

We chose the pub. The first thing we observed was the creative décor.  There are Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFB) banners hanging from the ceiling, ornate pewter plates, autographed pictures of local athletes on the wall.  License plates and beer company wall hangings.  The list goes on. 

Being beer people, we spotted the two matching ornate brass draft beer stations on the bar.  

Seated at our table we looked over the food and beverage menus.  On the wall near the wide screen TV’s there is also a very creative beer offerings menu handwritten on a very large chalkboard shaped like a pint of Guinness!  Close by is another menu displaying today’s lunch specials.

We were attended to by two very friendly Chieftain employees, John and Katie, who took our beer orders.

Castle Island IPA is brewed locally in Norwood, MA.  At 6.5% ABV with great hop aroma without the bitterness, it is smooth and flavorful. 

Tom Crean’s Irish Lager is brewed in Ireland. Coming in at 3.4% ABV, it qualifies as a session beer. It’s a very smooth drinkable beer, blonde in color that is easy on the palette.

Smithwick’s Irish Red Ale, brewed by Guinness, with its bold amber color and creamy head presents a nice mix of bitterness and malt.  It’s rated at 4.5% ABV.

All paired very well with the excellent calamari appetizer, served with just spicy enough jalapeno peppers and marinara sauce.

Fourteen draft offerings were being poured that day.  A full bar service, a wide wine selection, as well as a large variety of soft drinks are also available.

For lunch, we chose The Blademeat Spiced Pork Sandwich with a choice of two styles of French fries, the spiced variety are robust! The Lismore Shepherd’s Pie is a great combination of beef carrots and onions topped off with mashed potatoes.  The pub is renowned for its seafood dishes and the Fish & Chips featuring North Atlantic haddock French fries and cole slaw certainly did not disappoint.

Lynn Cahill, one of the owners of the pub, stopped by our table to see how we were enjoying our lunch.  Lynn and her sister Olivia are co-owners of the pub, taking it over from their parents who opened the Chieftain in 1995.

Their parents came to America from Ireland where they operated a pub founded in 1973.  Lynn said she and Olivia aspire to offer their patrons a great place to “eat, drink and have fun”.  With live music on the weekends and fun activities like Musical Bingo and Irish Breakfast offered on Saturday mornings, they have definitely accomplished that goal.

For more information about the Chieftain visit their website at www.chieftainpub.com or on Face Book at The Chieftain Pub

Liz's Diamond Bar & Grill - Hopedale, MA

Liz’s Bar and Grille is tucked away at 1 Menfi Way, adjacent to the runway of the Hopedale Industrial Park Airport in Hopedale, MA.  Ample parking is available.  To whet their patron’s appetites, the entry way features a colorful hand written menu of weekly specials displayed on a Goose Island Brewery chalk board easel.  There was a busy lunch crowd seated at both the bar (which is surrounded by widescreen TV’s) and tables, probably enjoying some of those specials! 

  

We were seated at a table overlooking the outside dining area.   Even though it was a chilly December day, one can only imagine sitting out there enjoying a nice meal and a couple of brews in the warmer weather and perhaps watching a few planes take off or land!

Liz’s has a very substantial beer menu with 16 draft offerings and 20 varieties of bottled beer, ciders, hard teas and lemonades.  They also have a nice selection of wines and a full liquor license.

We were fortunate to be greeted at our table by owner Liz who took our beer and lunch order.  We chose Wormtown Blizzard of 78 brown Ale, Goose Island IPA, Bass Ale and Ithaca Flower Power IPA.  We also ordered one of her unique appetizers, fried green beans and for lunch the Rachel Burger, Grilled Pastrami and Swiss Sandwich, Buffalo Chicken Wrap and the Fish & Chips.

The beers and appetizer were served and as we munched on the fried green beans deliciously served with a just spicy enough chipotle dipping sauce and sipped our beers, we looked around at the décor and it was easy to see that Liz’s is a bar and grille that encourages patrons to enjoy music and participate in a variety of competitive activities.  There is a large stage and dance floor, dart boards and a pool cue rack mounted to the wall next to the dance floor.  A multitude of trophies were on display.  Tastefully located vendor related mirrors and signs add to the pub like atmosphere.

Liz returned with our lunches and asked how we liked the appetizer.  Receiving four thumbs up from us, she spent a few minutes with us giving us an overview of her business and the available activities she organizes and hosts.  

In reference to the stage and dance floor, we asked if she offered live entertainment and discovered that indeed she did on Friday and Saturday nights.  She mentioned that a pool table joins the cue rack occupying the dance floor area the rest of the week for organized pool leagues   Liz went on to explain that there are also dart leagues and Texas Hold’Em poker tournaments taking place on scheduled evenings from Sunday to Thursday.  For large groups there is a function room with a capacity of 150 people.

Liz hosted a holiday Toys for Tots night earlier in December working with the US Marines.  They amassed two full truckloads that will be distributed to needy children.  After the toy collection, the Marines and their significant others dined at Liz’s.  They all raved about how great the food was!  This was music to Liz’s ears as spreading the word about her food is one of her main business goals.  We told her she could add us to her list!  Additionally, all the extra in-house events and activities Liz hosts are helping her achieve that goal as well, by getting customers to spend more time at her establishment and sample more from her menus.

For a fun place to have a great lunch or dinner along with some great beers, Liz’s is not to be missed!  You might even get a chance to play a few games!!

For more information on Liz’s Diamond Bar and Grille, check them out at www.lizsdiamond.com or on Facebook @lizsdiamond