Tag: great restaurants

The Barnacle Restaurant, Marblehead Ma.

Looking for a quintessential New England seafood restaurant? Looking for a great restaurant in Marblehead, Ma? If so, The Barnacle Restaurant is just what you are looking for. I have been going to The Barnacle for too many years than I care to admit and it never disappoints. Located in old town Marblehead, Ma., overlooking Marblehead Harbor with stunning views of The Marblehead light and the beautiful Fort Sewall Park with all its amazing history.

The Barnacle is nothing fancy and it is close quarters but don’t let that scare you away. The drinks are cold and the food is fresh and fabulous. The deck has wonderful views on a beautiful day but sitting inside on a rainy, windy day watching the waves might almost be better.

Everyone in my family has their favorites. I can never decide between the fish and chips or the crab cakes. Hubby and daughter love the fried shrimp and the fisherman’s platter. But all of us love the chowder and shrimp cocktail! So lets just say we order it all and share.

I would usually say this is a summer destination, but The Barnacle is fantastic all year round, no matter the weather. And after you have filled your stomach to excess, go for a walk around old town and check out the sights.

To me, food is as much about the moment, the occasion, the location and the company as it is about the taste.

Heston Blumenthal

The Barnacle Restaurant is located at 141 Front Street in Marblehead, MA and is open 7 days a week. Next time you are in the area be sure to check it out. For more like this, check out my Restaurant Reviews page on my blog Sunday Chefs.

Rintintin – Eclectic dining in New York’s Nolita neighborhood.

Looking for a great restaurant in New York? Maybe some eclectic dining in New York’s Nolita neighborhood? Rintintin located at 14 Spring Street in the Nolita section of New York City is an adorable little eclectic spot that will not disappoint. A short walk from Sara D. Roosevelt Park and the Elizabeth Street Garden. They are open every day for Lunch, Brunch, Dinner, Late Night and Drinks.

Every meal should be a small celebration

-Fannie Farmer

Our family is so happy that our oldest has moved to New York and is living her best life. We are thoroughly enjoying learning our way around and finding lots of little exciting dining spots to explore. This one day, we spent a long day walking and exploring on a beautiful Saturday in New York City. We were looking for a place to sit, rest and have some drinks, my daughter mentioned that Rintintin was a place she always wanted to try. But as a poor New York twenty something she never did. But with mom and dad there it was perfect timing. Safe to say, she was thrilled when we very quickly agreed.

We were lucky that it was beautiful out and a table was just opening on their pretty little outdoor dining area. I have to say, I love all the outdoor dining leftover from COVID. I hope that restaurants keep it up.

We ordered a hummus platter that came with veggies, warm pitta bread, olives, pickles and three kinds of hummus. We also tried the fig crostini. Warm bread with goat cheese and fresh figs all drizzled with honey was truly to die for. I have dreams about it. Even the fresh basket of hand cut french fries was amazing. We just got appetizers, but next time we will be doing the brunch as the the customers at the next table said that it was fantastic.

I hope you go out and try Rintintin in Nolita the next time you are in the area. I love nothing more than sharing great restaurants and recipes on my blog Sunday Chefs. I will be returning to Rintintin again.

Restaurant Review – Luciano’s, Wrentham MA

Restaurants in Wrentham, Ma. appear to be on my list of favorites lately. Luciano’s is one of them. My husband and I recently celebrated our wedding anniversary. Where to go? Saw a Facebook post from Luciano’s in Wrentham, MA with a picture of their baked stuffed lobster and I was sold. We have been to Luciano’s before, but not since before Covid, so this was going to be a treat.

Established in 1991, Luciano’s is hidden away in a very unassuming location on Rte. 1 in Wrentham, MA. When you enter you are brought back to a classic Italian steak house of old. Great bar with weekend entertainment and a classic, sophisticated ambiance. This was just the “lets get dressed up and celebrate” location that we were looking for.

As we were being seated it occurred to me, “What if the baked stuffed lobster was a special that night and not available tonight…. I should have called first!”

Our waiter was wonderful and told us the long and complicated list of specials (Baked stuffed lobster was there!!). Explaining them all perfectly. I ordered a chardonnay and my husband got the house red wine. I don’t usually go for red wine, but the waiter’s recommendation was fantastic. The waiter noticed me stealing sips and brought a glass for me, so my husband could be left in peace with his drink. This is the kind of service and attention to detail that Luciano’s is famous for. We started our meal with the focaccia and Italian bread with olive oil for dipping. I could have had this for my meal alone it was so good.

For the appetizer we got the classic shrimp cocktail to share. It was prepared perfectly and served ice cold. For something so simple it is so easy to get wrong. They did not get this wrong. It was wonderful. We knew we were getting big meals, so we did not want to fill up on appetizers.

Ordering for me was easy and I told the waiter it was the Facebook post that got me here. He let me know that I would not be disappointed. He was correct. I cannot even remember how long it has been since I had a baked stuffed lobster. A very classic dish that isn’t on a lot of menus these days. It was my late mother’s favorite and I cannot help but have fond memories of this wonderful woman while I am eating it. Anyone who knows me knows that I feel food is love and food is memories and this meal checked off quite a few of those boxes.

The lobster came and to say I was speechless was an understatement. A two and a half pound lobster, prepared and stuffed to perfection. I actually couldn’t even finish it. The waiter chuckled at my reaction. I brought the leftovers home and my college student, home for the summer, finished it in a flash.

My husband got the Veal Saltimbocca Alla Romana and was thrilled with it. I am not a huge fan of veal normally, but I would order this. It was an amazing dish. I had every intention of getting dessert because it was a special occasion but I was just too full to get anything else.

Going to Luciano’s was the perfect choice for this special occasion. The waiter even noticed the breast cancer pin on my purse and asked if I was a survivor. I am and this year will be five years since my diagnosis and we had a very sincere chat and I appreciated his thoughtfulness. As we were waiting for the check, there were a few elderly ladies sitting across from us having a grand celebration of some sort. One woman had a walker and was tired and was having a hard time using the walker on the carpet. This wonderful man that was our waiter (I wish I could remember his name), had her sit in a chair and he slid the chair across the rug until she was in a place to use the walker more easily. He was charming and made her feel special and she had a great smile on her face throughout the whole adventure.

I cannot recommend Luciano’s in Wrentham, MA any more highly. It is the perfect special occasion restaurant. But let’s be honest, life is short, every day should be a special occasion.