A Change of Eatery

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo early with the kickoff of Hartford’s Block Party season. Tonight, on Allyn Street, local bars Pour House and Pig’s Eye Pub will provide drinks and music outdoors all night long. You’re welcome…

Happy May Day!  It’s supposed to be a blissful sun-filled weekend, so hit the town for some seasonal recreation. Get ready for Carousel Opening Day at Bushnell Park!  

The Carousel Pavilion is located on Jewell Street at the Memorial Arch- so come by and take a ride on the park’s historic, antique, hand-carved wooden carousel. This lovely park attraction was created in 1914 with 48 horses and two chariots…awww…

$1 per ticket won’t break the bank. Learn more here: 

Sunday:

Head over to Rizzuto’s Wood-Fired Bar & Grill for their Big Kitchen Brunch, served Sunday from 11:00-2:30. Enjoy a buffet of mouth-watering breakfast delights like artisanal cheese, smoked fish, cakes and scones made from scratch by a pastry chef at Rizzuto’s. $20 adults, $10 children

111 Memorial Road, W. Hartford

Enjoy!!

…Another wonderful hole in the wall, tucked off a corner of Main Street, Manchester- my favorite hub of local weekend eateries. Main Street is a treasure trove for breakfast lovers, with The Sinnamon Shop, Landmark Cafe, Brass Key, Fani’s Kitchen and Sunny Side Up all within a quarter mile walk.

But I digress.

I roped in my delightful roommates and neighbor to accompany me on this most recent outing- and I’m glad to have been in such good company because we stayed far longer than I expected. Keep in mind, you might experience long, long waits even if you’re seated right away. There’s only one cook workin’ away behind the scenes, a flurry of arms and spatulas. So come prepared- either equipped with good company or a good book if you’re a table for one.

Slow service aside, the Sinnamon Shop is a cozy, sweetly aromatic breakfast spot with crepe style pancakes that’ll make you swear off the fluffy stuff forever. These plate-sized pancakes (daintily dusted with powdered sugar) were a tremendously delicious experience. I filmed a fun little video-testimonial clip with my camera (roommate Ash was enjoying so much she was eating with her hands) but the clip was sadly too dark to post.

Beyond the pancakes (and it’s SO hard to get beyond those pancakes), we enjoyed every morsel of the rest of our meal. I was craving a bacon, egg & cheese, and my friends opted for delicious omelets…and for the amount of time spent waiting for the food, our delectable spread was well worth the delay.

I think my whole meal (bacon egg & cheese on grilled eng. muffin + 1 massive pancake + coffee) was around $7…not bad!

Anyway, there you have it. The Sinnamon Shop

21 Oak Street (right off Main), Manchester CT

CLOSED SUNDAYS

Your assignment for Wednesday, April 21: Happy hour at Salute in downtown Hartford.

Here’s why: Aside from the outstanding menu, extensive wine list and inviting, contemporary interior, you’ll want to stop by Salute between 5:30-7:00 to support Everybody Wins! CT, an inspiring local nonprofit that provides reading enrichment programs for children by pairing them with volunteer readers (learn about the programs here). Since tomorrow’s Salute happy hour is sponsored by Everybody Wins! CT and AmeriPrise Financial,  EBW! will get $$ from AmeriPrise for each person that walks through the door.

So, there you have it. Short and sweet. Good food, good drinks, good cause.

Everybody wins, indeed!

http://www.salutect.com/index.html

If you’ve never been to Black Eyed Sally’s, you’re missing out on one of Hartford’s best spots for live music and cajun cooking. My friends and I stopped by Sally’s last night for a round of beers & appetizers. Three of us chose the Louisiana Gumbo, a beautifully spicy stew of chicken, crawfish and andouille sausage over rice. I’m normally a bit of a wimp when it comes to fiery foods, but the gumbo was the perfect level of spiciness (not the eye watering, sweating level)- and especially tasty when paired with a side of cornbread and honey butter. My roommate Ash was the odd one out in the group- in spite of our collective clamoring for gumbo, she went for a plate of cherry bomb wings– which, in her defense, were completely delicious.

I really wished I was hungrier last night because everything on Sally’s menu looks incredible: jambalaya, cornmeal catfish, southern fried chicken, honey barbecue salmon, mac & cheese with andouille sausage, an entire BBQ section. And. So. Much. More. I’m not too worried- I’ll be back soon.

While wrapping up our little meal, we caught a few beautiful, bluesy tunes from last night’s band- wish I could remember the singer’s name. Gorgeous voice and crazily talented with the harmonica!

What else do you need to know? Black Eyed Sally’s has a funky vibe, self described as a Southern juke joint atmosphere. They’ve been open in downtown Hartford for 14+ years. Blues Reviews magazine has rated Sally’s as one of the best blues clubs in the USA. Pretty impressive.

Decent beer list, appetizers are $5.95-$8.95. Take a look at the rest of the menu & see for yourself:  http://www.blackeyedsallys.com/menus.aspx

350 Asylum St, Hartford

You should probably know that I take my chicken wings very seriously. So I was elated to discover Sliders Bar & Grill in Berlin, which turned out to be the perfect  happy hour destination. I recently met up with some friends to take advantage of Sliders’ ½ price wings special, available every weekday from 4-6. I made it by 5:30 and the place was packed. Of course, there were no spots in the parking lot so I had to march up the street (in heels) in desperate pursuit of my beloved wings—hoping they were worth braving the unruly mob.

We had a wonderful waitress, a perfect table towards the front of the restaurant, and service was just fine considering how busy Sliders was. My friends & I each ordered wings in all different flavors so we ended up sharing 5 varieties: Hot buffalo, honey barbeque (mmm, mine), polynesian (delicious blend of pineapple & ginger), garlic & pepper, (dipped in butter, topped off with garlic & pepper) and mild buffalo.

Each more mouthwatering and enjoyable than the last. I especially loved the garlic wings, with their savory, crispy, garlicky coating.

This glorious spread is pictorial evidence of the best wings I have ever had. I didn’t expect this to be such a profound eating experience!  It’s really no surprise that Sliders has been voted the Best of Hartford (Advocate’s Readers Poll) for the last seven years and counting. Fun little fact: when Bon Jovi was in CT a few weeks ago, the band requested Sliders wings to be delivered to their private jet after their concert! They loved em.

Lucky for you, I’ve spared you from my gruesome aftermath photos of bones and scraps. Ah, what a fresh reminder that I’m a carnivore to the core.

Other noteworthy menu items: burger & chicken sliders, boneless wings, chili, tons of wraps, ribs, deli sandwiches…weekly lunch specials,  and an extensive drink menu. Take a look at the restaurant’s calendar for upcoming events, deals and sports games.

You can find Sliders in 3 locations- Plainville, Berlin & Plantsville, CT

http://www.slidersgrillbar.com/index.asp

So, now you tell me: what other wings spots am I missing out on in the area?

Need to catch up on some writing, blogging, bills, schoolwork…or any kind of work?

Kerri, over at realhartford.org (one of my fave local blogs) recently posted about some upcoming write-ins hosted by La Paloma Sabanera, a fabulous  (and award winning) Hartford coffeehouse.

Check out Kerri’s post here:  Coffee & Cramps

Writers are invited on April 18 and 25. La Paloma Sabanera is on the corner of Capitol Avenue and Babcock Street.

Seeing how I ALWAYS need to catch up on writing, blogging, bills, and schoolwork, perhaps I’ll see you there!