Camarons Acapulco at Pancho's & Gringo's- Brookfield, Ct.

Shrimp wrapped in bacon, perfectly spiced, laying on a bed of queso sauce. What's not to love about it? Pancho's & Gringo's is fast becoming our favorite Mexican place and a dish like this just explains why. 

Chili's Sweet and Smoky Burger- Poughkeepsie, NY

We used to go to Chili's all the time and never had a bad experience, but when we started to focus on local restaurants we drifted away. Today we decided to stop by the Poughkeepsie location for lunch and we realized why we liked it. The food and service were excellent at reasonable prices. If anything, I think they got even better since we were last at a Chili's restaurant.

I went with the Sweet and Smoky burger at $10.79 and swapped out the fries for a side salad for an extra buck. It was fresh and a good sized salad. Teresa went with one of the lighter dishes, the Mango Chicken at $10.19 and she said it was very good.

The burger was excellent. Here's what comes on it direct from the corporate website, "Topped with melted pepper Jack cheese, applewood smoked bacon, NEW spiced panko onion rings, fresh leaf lettuce, tomato, NEW mango-infused smoky BBQ sauce & NEW Chili's Signature sauce. Served with a side of mango-infused smoky BBQ sauce." I ordered it medium and it was a bit closer to medium-well, but the juices were still dripping out. It was nicely seasoned and the combination of all of the ingredients worked very well. 

We will be going back to a Chili's. One thing I remember is that they are consistent across the chain.

The Habit Burger Grill- Fair Lawn, NJ

The Habit Burger Grill is a West Coast chain, started in 1969, that is slowly making its way east. There are now two in Jersey and I was invited to the grand opening of the one in River Edge, but we couldn't make it. Today we were near Ikea and decided to hit the Fair Lawn location. To sum up the visit, it was great and this chain has real potential to give its competitors a run for their money.

The inside is modern without being over the top trendy. You place your order and are given a buzzer, then you find a table. In about five minutes or so the food is ready. 

I decided on the Double Char Cheeseburger meal with bacon added at $9.75. Teresa ordered the single Char Burger and a side salad which came to $5.50. Both were quite delightful with quality meat cooked and seasoned perfectly on a toasted bun. 

The fries were just right, crispy on the outside and soft in the middle served hot and seasoned with just the right amount of salt. 

The Salad was a nice size and even the croutons were seasoned, I think I detected a touch of rosemary but I may be wrong. 

Overall, really good burgers and fries at low prices. Our whole meal came to $16.32 with tax. The same thing at similar places would have hit twenty bucks easily. 

So, how does the food compare to the competitors? I would say they are way better than Five Guys, much better than Shake Shack,  a bit better than Jake's, and on a par with Smashburger. Smash has more options, but Habit is cheaper. We will return and we will be going to the River Edge location. 

Red Robin- Danbury, Ct

Smoke and Pepper Burger

We stopped by the Red Robin at the Danbury Mall for lunch the other day. I never realized there was one at the mall and once I found it, I wanted one of their new craft burgers. Red Robin is one of the few chains I like and one of the reasons is that while they have good fires, they are very accommodating in substituting other things for them. I like to get the side salad and Teresa likes the steamed broccoli, both of which are bottomless. 

I got the Smoke and Pepper which was topped with black-pepper bacon and extra-sharp Cheddar on a toasted ciabatta bun with house-made Smoke & Pepper ketchup for $13.49. It was quite tasty and filling. 

Teresa ordered the DGB burger with oven-roasted tomatoes, savory roasted garlic aioli and fresh arugula tossed in citrus olive oil dressing on a toasted ciabatta bun for $12.99. She said it was good and so was the broccoli.

Overall, consistent with Red Robin quality. Now that I know it is there, we'll be back. 

DGB Burger

The Habit Burger and Grill- New location in River Edge, NJ

Just thought I'd share this item that came my way. The Habit Burger Grill is opening a new location in New Jersey soon. Unfortunately I won't be able to get there for the grand opening, but it looks interesting and I'll be popping by in a couple of weeks and let you know what I think, and provide my own pictures. 

photo courtesy of The Habit Burger Grill 

The Habit Burger Grill to Open Second New Jersey Location

in River Edge

River Edge, New Jersey  (February 2015) -- The Habit Burger Grill’s ("The Habit"), delicious Charburger has been habit-forming across the West Coast since 1969 and soon lines will be forming in River Edge, NJ as it opens its second East Coast location. The burger centric fast-casual restaurant chain opened its first East Coast location in Fair Lawn, NJ in August 2014.

The Habit will open its doors on Wednesday, February 18, at 1081 Main Street, River Edge, bringing the total number of its restaurants nationwide to 113.

The restaurant will open for business officially at 10:30 am on Wednesday, February 18.

Some Habit food facts:

• Burgers are always 100% fresh ground beef, not frozen 
• Burgers are char-grilled over an open flame for extra flavor
• Tuna steak sandwiches are made from line caught, sushi-grade albacore  
• Lettuce, tomatoes and onions are cut fresh daily
• Tempura green beans, French fries, onion rings and sweet potato fries are 100% trans-fat free, cooked in soybean oil
• Fresh chicken breasts are hand-filleted and marinated in-house
• Tri-tip Steak is trimmed and marinated in-house
• Salads are fresh, made to order
• House-made ranch dressing is prepared fresh daily in the restaurants
• Every Habit offers a complimentary condiment bar featuring an assortment of peppers, lemons, limes and a range of sauces for guests to spice it up.

Breweries, Wineries and Distilleries.

Over the years I have been focusing on the burgers in this blog and I realized that it was time to take a closer look at some of the micro-breweries popping up in the Hudson Valley, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. This means a few road trips over the spring, fall and summer to visit, sample, and report on some neat places. To help me out I'll be bringing along some friends and relatives and we won't really be rating the spirits, but rather giving our thoughts on them. As I visit places, I'll be adding links here.

Besides micro-breweries we'll be hitting a few wineries and distilleries along the way. Before you go any further, I have to admit that I am not by any stretch of the imagination a connoisseur or expert on any of these topics. What I'll write is simply my impressions. 

If you are a brewery, winery, or distillery in any of the areas mentioned above and want to be featured, drop me an e-mail.

Smashburger- Paramus, NJ

Smashburger is definitely my favorite chain now, even though we've only been to one location. Today we popped into the other one on rt. 17, the one in Paramus. The service was polite and friendly and the food excellent. I got the New Jersey burger and it was magnificent. With it I ordered a side salad at three bucks and it was a nice salad. Yes, I do love their fries, but I am losing some weight (25 pounds so far) and fries are off limits for a few months. Teresa got the black bean burger with a side salad as well and she liked it. 

If you have not yet been to a Smashburger, do so and soon. 

Hanna's Middle Eastern Restaurant- Danbury, Ct

Beef Gyro Platter

 We stopped by Hanna's a few weeks ago and found out that they close from 2:30 to 5:00 between the lunch and dinner services. Bummer, as I was in the mood for some good Middle Eastern food.  Danbury has a rather large Middle Eastern population and Hanna has a good reputation so I wanted to try them. This time we arrived at noon and it was certainly worth the return trip. 

The restaurant is small, seating forty tops, and well appointed. When we were there four other tables were occupied and something smelled good. We looked over the menus and I decided on the gyro platter at eleven bucks. It was quite good and even came with a small house salad with a nice tangy dressing. The gyro meat is not made in house, but it was of good quality and they cooked it just right. The taziki sauce was just right as well, creamy with just the right amount of garlic. 

Teresa went with the special of the day, a chicken and Lebanese couscous stew at eleven bucks. I tasted it and it was good, and very hearty. She was pleased and next time she wants the moussaka. It came with a salad as well. They also gave us a basket of really nice, thin pita bread. 

Overall, good food at reasonable prices with excellent service, well worth the return trip. They even have a market next door where you can buy Middle Eastern foods. We'll be going back again. 

Nikki's Fresh Gourmet- Wilmington, NC

Nikki's has a few locations in the Wilmington area and we went to the one on Racine last year, and we liked it. Being downtown on a chilly afternoon, and hungry, we decided to try the one on Front Street. It turned out to be a good decision. 

I ordered the special rolls at fifteen bucks, my daughter got the salmon bento box, my grandson got the black bean burger, and one granddaughter got the tempura, another the quesadilla. Two wraps finished out the order. I mention all of the orders to give you an idea of the range of selections available. Also, everything was quite good.

Overall, nice place with good food and good service. We'll go back again.

Red Robin- Wilmington, NC

I like Red Robin, yes I know it is a chain and I normally stay away from chains but I do like them. I find them generally consistent and a good value, plus when they screw up something they make up for it and are genuinely concerned. We stopped by the Wilmington location with a large group for a celebration and were not disappointed.

I had their new premium smoke and pepper burger at $13.50 and substituted the bottomless fries for an unlimited side salad (I am cutting back on what I eat and while I like fries, I find them to be unfulfilling calories). I ordered the burger medium, and it came out a perfect medium which is a feat that many high-end restaurants are incapable of. The ciabatta bun was fresh, the peppered bacon tasty and properly cooked, the cheddar cheese plentiful and perfectly melted. It was a very good burger worthy of the price and as good as any high-end burger I've ever had. 

We had six adults and three children, plus a baby who didn't eat, and the tab was just over eighty bucks including tip. Not bad at all. The service was excellent, Kayla was very attentive and efficient. There was one mixup on a burger and they apologized, replaced it, and comped it. That's why I like them, they really care about getting it right and pleasing the customer. 

Overall, Red Robin may be a large chain, but they are one of the few that get it right and I will continue to patronize them for a reasonable meal.

Tower 7- Wrightsville Beach, NC

Tower 7 on Wrightsville Beach is part of a small chain of four restaurants, well five restaurants counting the coffee bar in the Tower location. I'd been to three of them, both of the K38's and Las Olas at Mayfaire and liked them, so today we stopped by Tower for lunch with two of our children to complete the set. It was a good choice. 

I ordered the fish bowl which had some perfectly fried tilapia in a taco bowl with lettuce, cheese, cabbage, avocado, and a neat dressing for ten bucks. It was filling, but not heavy in taste. Teresa got the vegi bowl at ten bucks and it was good as well. Rachel had the burrito, a huge one, and Mark got the poor surfer's plate. All told it was just under forty bucks with tax.

The service was good and friendly, the food was good, and the ambiance nice. Tower has the feel of a nice surf themed beach bar serving good food. My favorite of the chain is Las Olas, but this is a real close second. Stop by and see what I mean.

Carytown Burgers and Fries- Richmond, Va.

We stopped by Carytown Burgers and Fries on our way down the behated Interstate 95. It's a bit off the main road in a shopping mall in a confusing maze of one way streets. The restaurant a bit eclectic, bordering on eccentric. You order and pay downstairs and tell them if it is takeout or dine in. If it is dine in they bring it to you at the table. It took less than fifteen minutes from order to delivery, and they were fairly busy at the time.

I got the blue cheese burger with the "works", lettuce, tomato, onions, ketchup, mustard and mayo. It had plenty of blue cheese on it and the burger was pretty good. The bun was a bit stale. Teresa went with the regular burger with the "works" and she said it was okay. The total bill was under fifteen bucks, not bad. 

Caleb's American Kitchen- Lahaska, Pa.

We've passed by Caleb's many times and I often wondered what it was like. Well, today we decided to stop in and see. On the outside it looks small and simple, on the inside it seems bigger and the decor is somewhere between casual, trendy, and sophisticated. You know, the kind of place where you could go in jeans and a t-shirt or a suit and tie. 

I ordered the tilapia fish tacos at sixteen bucks. There were three of them with a side salad and they were quite good. Teresa went with the burger at fourteen bucks and substituted a side salad for the fries. I tasted it and it was a good quality of meat cooked and seasoned perfectly. 

Overall, Caleb's is a nice place with good food. Stop by and see what I mean.

Ship Lantern Inn- Milton, NY

In a word, amazing. The building which houses the Ship Lantern Inn predates the Revolutionary War and it has been a restaurant since 1925. A restaurant that has stood the test of time for 89 years must be doing something right. We were last there years ago, and I remembered it as having been excellent. Well, when we went for lunch today with my mother-in-law it was a wonderful experience, even exceeding my memories.

The dining room we sat in had a slate floor, wood walls, plenty of glass and a wooden beamed ceiling giving that slightly rustic colonial feel amplified by the roaring fire in the large fireplace. The waiters, men who have been there for many years, were dressed in tuxedos. On the walls hung nautical themed images and model ships reflecting the seafaring past of the Poughkeepsie area, there is even a ship's wheel in the entryway. I would call it a sort of rustic elegance wherein all of the elements worked well together and were not at all incongruous.

We were given three menus, the regular one, the specials, and the prix fixe menu. There were far too many dishes that interested me, but we all chose to go with the four course prix fixe menu at $24.50 each. We each had the soup du jour, a crab bisque, which was hearty and delicious. This was followed by a nice salad. Oh, and there was a delightful bread on the table as well. 

For the main course Mom and I went with the petit filet mignon with a béarnaise sauce, potatoes, spinach, green beans, and a mushroom quiche. Mine came out a perfect medium-rare and melted in my mouth, Mom's was a perfect medium-well just the way she likes it. Teresa went with the gnocchi dish and it was also delightful. 

Desert was included, so Teresa and I both had the chocolate pecan torte and Mom ordered the profiteroles. All were perfect. The prix fixe was an amazing value and we all left full, and satisfied. 

So overall; excellent food, charming atmosphere and impeccable service. The dishes came out perfectly spaced to allow for maximum enjoyment. The Ship Lantern Inn is the way a top level Continental restaurant used to be years ago without being stuffy or pretentious in the least. It is the epitome of class.

If you have not yet been there I suggest you do so, and soon. The Ship Lantern Inn is now on my list of favorites and we shall be returning soon, and often. There are so many items on that menu I want to try.

Derby Restaurant- Poughkeepsie, NY

The derby Restaurant in Poughkeepsie has been around since 1934, the first saloon to open in the city after prohibition. As such it has tons of character with a long bar, tons of wood, and plenty of room. The current owners have been there for about six years or so and they have improved the menu to make it more bistro. 

We stopped early on a Saturday afternoon and they had just opened so we had the place to ourselves. After quickly looking over the menus, I decided on the basic burger for nine bucks with cheddar cheese and added a house salad instead of the fries for an extra buck and a pint of Guinness. Teresa went with a rueben with a house salad for twelve bucks. We went for salads instead of fries as we are watching what we eat lately and didn't want to load up on calories from fries. 

The salads were quite large and fresh with a nice tangy balsamic vinaigrette. Teresa said her rueben was good and not greasy in the least bit. 

My burger was quite delightful. It was quality meat cooked to the medium that I ordered, perhaps even a bit below that medium, which is becoming a rarity of late. Sorry, no bad pun intended. The brioche bun was fresh, and the bacon was nice and crispy. Delicious and even though the juices were flowing from the meat, there was no greasy taste at all. It was a darn good burger.

Service was great too. Beth was friendly and attentive and after she commented on my camera we talked and I found that she is quite an accomplished photographer. 

Overall, a nice dining experience and we'd go back again.