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  

Depot Street Tavern - Milford, MA

We visited the highly recommended Depot Street Tavern located at 45 Depot Street in Milford, MA on this cool rainy day.  The tavern is located in a building rich in local restaurant lore.  Prior to being purchased by Adam Hicks, who is also the chef, the tavern was formally a restaurant landmark that served the Milford area for decades.

Entering the tavern we were surrounded by the impressive collection of local memorabilia, most of it belonging to Adam, that decorate the walls and the open beamed ceiling.  The inclement weather did little to hamper the enjoyable dining experience being enjoyed by the bustling lunch crowd who were either sitting at the bar or at comfortable tables. 
     

We were greeted by Jennifer, who seated us and let us know that she would be our waitress.  She asked if she could take our drink order and when we said we’d all like a beer, she directed us to the nicely prepared, hand written wood framed draft beer menu on the wall featuring the 12 craft brews being poured that day.  Each beer is identified by its brewery, name and ABV.   20 varieties of bottled beer are always available along with an impressive selection of red and white wines.
 

We ordered a round of Flying Dreams Porter, Ipswich Oatmeal Stout, Epic Tart n’ Juicy IPA and Six Point “The Crisp” Lager.  When Jennifer served the beer we identified ourselves as the Brew and Chew Guys and asked if we might get the opportunity to chat a bit with Adam when he had a few minutes.
 

Turning our attention to the menu, the tavern has something for just about everyone! A full breakfast menu (Saturday and Sunday mornings), starters, soups and salads, sandwiches (called handhelds here), main dishes, desserts and a kids menu.  We noticed the prominently displayed menu board that is updated daily with offerings from most menu sections and includes daily specials.
 

Between the four of we chose the Crispy Chicken Cordon Bleu Panini from the selection board, the Chipotle Philly Chicken Chimichanga from the handheld menu and the fish and chips from the Mains.  All were excellently prepared, presented and very delicious.

We were fortunate to spend a few minutes with Adam, who thanked us for stopping by.  His passion for his restaurant and his community is obvious from the moment you meet him.  While we did not get the opportunity to meet her, Jess Bean is Adam’s business partner.  Together they have amassed over 40 years of culinary experience.  Adam prides himself in supporting local vendors by using their ingredients and products including dairy, breads, fruits, produce, pastries and seafoods in his dishes.  Same goes for local craft breweries (24 by count) by offering their draft beers 12 at a time on a rotating basis.

The tavern is open weekdays from 11 AM – 9:30 PM (closed Tuesdays) Breakfast is served on Saturday and Sunday mornings, with a Sunday Brunch from 10 AM – 2 PM.

The Depot Street Tavern is top shelf in all areas and a for a casual friendly dining experience, it is not to be missed.  Arrive early because the lines can be long…but well worth the wait!

For more information visit their website at www.depotsttavern.com or their Facebook page at Depot St Tavern.

Munich Germany - Oktoberfest and Technical University of Munich (TUM)

With late summer vacations still being enjoyed by the Brew and Chew guys, we just could not get together for our monthly lunch visit.  However the homebrewer of our team, Charlie, vacationed in Germany making a stop at the Oktoberfest Beer Festival in Munich as well as visiting the “Technische Universität München” (Technical University of Munich) research brewery so this month’s post is about his visit.

This year was the 184^th Oktoberfest that ran for 18 days in September and October.  It was attended by an estimated 6.2 million visitors from countries all over the world who consumed an estimated 7.5 million liters of beer that was served in beer tents (actually freestanding buildings).  There were 14 large tents and 20 small tents.  The mood was very festive and friendly with many attendees dressed in traditional German outfits

There were 6 beers from Munich area breweries served in the tents.  Decorative horse drawn wagons could be seen throughout the grounds delivering beer stored in wooden barrels.  All festival beers must be brewed according to the “Reinheitsgebot” (German Beer Purity Law), which permits only water, hops, and malt as ingredients.  Other non-barley-malt beer styles such as wheat beers are permitted, but must be top-fermented.

We found seating in the large Spatenbrau tent and enjoyed a liter or two of the traditional Oktoberfest beer delivered to our table by frauleins who amazed us with the number of steins they were able to carry!  The beer, gold in color with medium body and bitterness had a slight malt aroma and was tasty and refreshing.  All this with live music provided by a traditional German band located in the center if the tent.

Oktoberfest is not just a beer festival, it is also a full-fledged amusement park complete with roller coasters and other thrill rides.  Numerous vendors pitching their wares lined the walking areas between tents.   

On to the university for a tour of their research brewery.  TUM as it is known is located at the site of the Weihenstephan Brewery in Freising Germany, just north of Munich.  The brewery was founded in the year 1040 so they know just a little bit about making beer!  The research brewery is where students learn the art and science of brewing beer starting with the basic brewing process (wort creation, fermentation, bottling and aging) and can attain advanced brewmaster degrees in a variety of disciplines up to the PhD level! 

My host was Max, who is employed at TUM and a family member of the couple we traveled to Germany with. Max holds a PhD from the University with his doctoral thesis in advanced yeast strains and cultures.  I believe the term brilliant applies here!

Additionally, TUM is the location where German breweries take their beers to be tested for quality.  Not in the sense of how good tastes, but where or not it meets the national brewing requirements required to be awarded the seal of “Geschützte Geografische Angabe” (loosely translated as Protected Geographical Specification).  This is a round seal that is displayed on the beer label informing the consumer that the beer has passed the bar!

TUM also is the initial source for the Weihenstephan Brewery to trouble shoots any brewing irregularities that may occur.

We closed my visit and said good bye to Max with lunch at the Bräu-Stüberl beer garden located on the TUM grounds. We dined on beef goulash, potato dumplings, red cabbage and of course a Weihenstephan Hefeweizen.  Both the food and the brew were outstanding! 

A day to remember!

Pillory Pub - Plymouth, MA

Pillory Pub is located at 72 Water Street in Historic Plymouth Massachusetts.  The pub is just a stone’s throw away from the famous Plymouth Rock Monument.  Street parking is available as well as several parking lots within easy walking distance.

As we walked in, several patrons were tossing a game of darts, other groups were seated at the nicely set up bar area imbibing cold summer beverages watching the wide screen TV, while others including several families were enjoying their lunch seated on comfortable pub style chairs in the dining area.  At the front the pub is an additional row of chairs in the open air area of the pub that face directly out to the harbor.

The Pillory décor is very pub like and family friendly at the same time.  Wall hangings representing vintage beers and craft breweries, Massachusetts town signs and plaques representing local organizations are placed around the pub, all under slow moving ceiling fans.

Seated at our table we immediately noticed the great beverage menu located behind the bar that is hand written on a chalkboard featuring an impressive offering of 16 draft beers ranging from local craft breweries to  American adjunct lager beers (ie: Bud Light, Pabst Blue Ribbon, etc.).  Their ABV content, sizes and cost accompany each beer.  An additional area of “Craft Cans” and bottled beers completed the menu.  There are also card menus for summer drink specials and drinks celebrating Pillory’s 5 year anniversary.  A nice selection of wines, ciders and hard seltzers is available for the non-beer enthusiast.  Free WiFi is available with the password written at the top of the menu.  Very impressive!

Our Waitress, Toni, brought us the food menus and took our draft beer orders of Mayflower New World IPA, New Belgium Fat Tire, Bad Martha Vintage Summer Ale and Shark Tracker Lager.

Pillory’s food menu offers a variety of starters, salads, munchies, wraps and sandwiches, along with several lobster dishes, but simply put, the hot dog is king!  Over a dozen styles are available and after making some tough decisions, we settled on Reuben Dogs, German Shepard Dogs, Coney Island Dogs and BLT Dogs.  All are prepared with creative condiment combinations that represent the name of the dog and were delicious!  Side dish selections included chips, cole slaw, or baked beans.  We all chose the beans that had a tremendous spicy flavor that perfectly complimented the dogs.  We must admit that we doubled down on our order when Toni stopped by to see how we were enjoying our lunch!

Pillory Pub is famous for their hot dogs for sure, but additionally, the friendly staff, relaxing environment, reasonably priced menu items and extensive beer offerings make it a fun and relaxing place to enjoy your lunch while overlooking Plymouth Harbor. 

For more information and to check on upcoming entertainment and events visit their Facebook Page at The Pillory Pub

Blackie's Bulldog Tavern - Smithfield, RI

Blackie’s Bulldog Tavern is located 181 George Washington Highway in Smithfield Rhode Island.  As you enter the ample parking area you will immediately notice the impressive outside patio area on the left side of the tavern.  Once inside, the lunch scene was bustling with customers ranging from families with children, to business people, to tables of friends like us.  Blackie’s also has a private dining room located upstairs that is available for booking your party of up to 49 people.

   

As we were brought to our table in the separate dining area we passed several fun to read signs with entertaining quotes placed at strategic locations in the tavern as well as the bar that is home to a wonderful selection of local and national craft beers on tap.  Our waiter, Jeff, brought us the “Blackie’s Brewski’s” menu.  In addition to checking out the craft beers on tap, all of which accurately described their character, ABV and mouthfeel, we discovered that there are also over two dozen craft ales, IPA’s, lagers, wheats, stouts and porters available to be enjoyed.  Blackie’s also offers a selection of lighter beers from their “Usual Suspects” menu.   A wide range of wines and cocktails are also available on the menu.

We ordered Left Handed Milk Stout, Lagunitas IPA Whaler’s The Rise Pale Ale and Wachusett Blueberry Ale to enjoy while we turned our attention to the food menus which include cooked on premise smoked meat offerings, a unique “Paleo” menu and a “Kiddo’s” menu.  As Jeff served our drinks we commented on how well done and vast the food and Brewski menus were.  We then ordered our lunch selection of Reuben sandwiches for Ken and Charlie that are uniquely made with chopped (not sliced!) corned beef, sauerkraut, provolone on crunchy marbled rye; The Mushroom Marsala Burger for Gray, featuring (Pancetta Italian Bacon), provolone and several tasty spreads; and English style beer battered fish and chips for Jim featuring hand cut “skin on” steak fries and chopped slaw.  We finished off our lunch with two delicious desserts, the carrot cake ice cream sandwich and the seasonal cheesecake.  All of our selections were excellent.

While we ate, we were visited by both Angie, the co-owner and executive chef and Katy, the tavern’s beer manager, Angie is rightfully proud of her “expect the unexpected” approach to designing and preparing her dishes, using local products and ingredients and hand crafting every meal that is ordered.  Katy explained that the tavern strives for “Creative Inconsistency” with a mix of beer styles from local and national breweries to expose customers to many great beers that may not be household names and yet pair well with the wide variety of creative dishes that are designed and prepared by Angie.

Visiting Blackie’s Bulldog Tavern is a great experience for all. As Angie and Katy say, Blackie’s is for all ages….from 7 to 97!

 

For more information about Blackie’s visit them on Facebook at blackie’s bulldog tavern

Tavern 6 two 1 - North Smithfield, RI

Tavern 6 two 1 is located at 621 Pound Hill Road in North Smithfield Rhode Island.  As we went inside, the owner Monica greeted us with an enthusiastic smile.  Our table overlooked a recently completed outside eating area.  Multiple wide screen TV’s excellent for watching sporting events are located throughout the Tavern.  TV’s next to the outside seating area can be innovatively rotated to allow viewing from either inside or outside tables

  

The craftbrew focused décor sets the tone that the Tavern is THE place to go for some great beers.  Framed black and white photographs of local breweries are strategically placed high on the walls. Empty growlers, also from local breweries, are placed on shelves surrounding the tables serving as vases.

The Taverns reasonably priced menu features a variety of starters, soups and salads, sandwiches, wraps, burgers and entrees complete with suggested wine pairings.  Pizza and calzones are also offered.  6 two 1 also has a promotion schedule from Sunday through Thursday offering food and drink combination specials.  

Our waitress brought us the beer and ale menu, which is one of the best we have seen to date!  Offerings were listed by style and had uniquely featured icons of pint glasses, bottles and cans representing how each beer was served.  The Alcohol by Volume or APV (the percentage of alcohol in the beer) and International Bittering Units or IBU’s (a gauge of the beers bitterness) figures were printed next to each offering.  The beer selection is unusually plentiful with16 drafts being poured today.   We selected Newport Storm Summer Wheat, Harpoon IPA and Ithaca Flower Power IPA.  None disappointed and were truly refreshing on this 92 degree New England day!

Lunches were ordered from both the sandwich and entrée menus. Ken chose the Chicken Bacon Wrap, Charlie ordered the Chicken Caesar Wrap, Jim had Fish & Chips and Gray the Chicken Parmesan Sandwich.  All foods are cooked to order with fresh ingredients and were very good.  The cole slaw side was very unique featuring large cuts of cabbage with creamy and delicious dressing.

In summary, Tavern 6 two 1 is bright and cheery inside and out with a friendly waitstaff and an enthusiastic and engaged owner.  The outstanding beer menu and suggested wine pairings with the menu offerings are sure to please even the most discriminating beer or wine enthusiast.  

For more information and to read the many patron reviews visit their Facebook Page Tavern 6 two 1