MANCHESTER, NH – February means hearty comfort foods and the James Beard awards. For food lovers, this feels like the Oscars. This year, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Maine all represent. Big congratulations to Matt Louis of Moxy Restaurant in Portsmouth, a finalist for Best Chef: Northeast.
Also up for Best Chef: Northeast are:
In Maine: Mike Wiley and Andrew Taylor, Eventide Oyster Co. in Portland, and Keiko Suzuki Steinberger, Suzuki’s Sushi Bar in Rockland and Erin French, The Lost Kitchen in Freedom and Brian Hill, Francine in Camden.
In Vermont: Aaron Josinsky, Misery Loves Co. in Winooski.
In Massachusetts: Karen Akunowicz, Myers + Chang in Boston, and Cassie Piuma, Sarma in Somerville and Susan Regis, Shepard in Cambridge and Michael Scelfo, Alden & Harlow in Cambridge and Philip Tang, Banyan Bar + Refuge in Boston.
Also, up for Best New Restaurant are Shepard in Cambridge and The Honey Paw in Portland.
Congratulations to all the finalists. And folks, it would be wise to make your reservations before the winners are announced on April 26. The complete list is here.
New owner. Shorty’s Mexican Restaurant has been sold to Jon Carnevale, the former GM of Bedford Village Inn. Carnevale purchased the three locations from Rick Loeffler for an undisclosed amount. No word yet on what, if any changes, will be made to the restaurants.
Water damage. Mint Bistro has temporarily closed while they repair their ceiling. A pipe burst in a unit above the Elm Street restaurant, causing Mint’s ceiling to collapse.
Get the Sunday blues? Copper Door has a solution. Now through April 24, order $15 pitchers of a popular cocktail (changes weekly) and a menu of four $12 pizzas. There will be live music from 4-7 p.m.
LaBelle Winery
Snowshoeing at the Winter Family Fun Fest at LaBelle Winery
Family fun! LaBelle Winery’s Winter Family Fun Fest is February 27. Events include crafts, face painting, snowshoeing, winter birding and more. There will be bistro specials and maple sugar snow cups. A performance of E.E. Cumming’s The Little Girl Named I will happen at 12:30 p.m. and there will be a bonfire with s’mores at 12:45 p.m. All activities are free. For more information, call (603) 672-9898
Flaky goodness. Finesse Pastries is making February a little sweeter with pain au chocolat aux amandes (chocolate and almond cream croissants), available only through the end of the month.
Deal alert! Billy’s Sports Bar has all-you-can-eat American Chop Suey ($7.95) on Wednesdays.
Feeling under the weather? It’s no secret soup has magical medicinal powers and the Queen City has no shortage of delicious soups. Here’s a quick list of a few options; check out the traditional Greek egg lemon soup ($5.95) at Athens Restaurant and Brother’s Restaurant ($4.49). Golden Bowl offers up a wide variety of bowls of pho ($8.50-$9.95). Several local restaurants offer soups-of-the-day, including Suddenly Soupy’s ($4.30), Bridge Café ($4) and Angela’s Pasta & Cheese ($4.50), Airport Diner ($3.99), Brother’s Restaurant ($4.49), Goldenrod Restaurant ($3.49), and Puritan Backroom ($4.75). Strange Brew has a devoted following of its chicken and black bean chili. And on Elm Street, Baked serves up a menu of soups, including clam chowder ($5.25) and chicken tortilla ($5.25). On the West side, North Garden serves a traditional won ton soup ($4.50) and a hot and sour soup ($4.50), and Chen’s Garden offers a big selection of soup, including won ton soup ($4.50), chicken noodle ($4.50) or chicken with rice ($4.50) and miso ($4.50).
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