A Change of Eatery

Photo by Nick Caito

For all his love of cheese and burgers, until recently Nick Caito had never been to Shady Glen. It took me months to get over my disbelief, and when I finally did, I made it my goal to be there when he experienced the greasy satisfaction of this beloved Manchester landmark.

If you’ve never been, Shady Glen dairy store is a wonderland of burgers and homemade ice cream with the atmosphere of a strange 50′s diner. Whenever a friend makes their first visit to Manchester, I like to include Shady Glen as a stop in my tour of the town for a cruel & delicious initiation.

It’s not a fancy place by any stretch of the imagination. You select your meal from menus posted on the walls (on the walls that aren’t adorned with kitschy gnome murals). I’d normally categorize the burgers as “no frills” because they don’t offer a wide array of toppings and add-ons that other surrounding burger joints do– only the optional lettuce/tomato and quad condiment platter of ketchup, mustard, onions & relish. But these burgers do indeed have an edible golden frill.

Photo by Nick Caito

Photo by Nick Caito

Shady Glen’s signature fried cheese forms a deliciously ugly halo around burgers that otherwise lean towards the thin and plain end of the spectrum. Four slices of cheese are placed on top of the burger, their edges left to cook on the grill. This odd, cheesy wreath is what keeps many of us coming back.

To be honest, on one of my last visits, I simply ordered a plate of fried cheese and a decaf coffee. I’m not necessarily proud of it, but this is who I am sometimes. Shady Glen, for me, is about the cheese.

If you’ve never been- get yourself to Shady Glen…& tell me all about it.

840 Middle Turnpike E
Central Manchester, CT 06042
(860) 649-4245

Willimantic Chocolate Festival

If you feel like getting out of the Hartford area this weekend, head to Willimantic for their 7th annual chocolate festival.

On Saturday, February 12th, 30+ local businesses on Main Street will open their doors to provide menu specials, games and activities during the Main Street Chocolate Chip Stroll, as well as chocolate-themed samples ranging from fudge to chocolate soda, beer and more. The event will be held from 11AM-3Pm.

I might bop around Main Street for a minute, but I’m really committed to checking out Nora’s Restaurant on North Street for one particular special: Cupid Crepes with Nutella, Strawberries and Cream. Anything with Nutella automatically has my heart.

The Chocolate Festival will also include a series of events and family activities over the weekend and on Valentines Day.

The full schedule is available at http://www.romanticwillimantic.org./

AND, if you’re looking for other Valentines Day dining specials in CT, check out Leeanne Griffin’s article in the Hartford Courant’s A La Carte Blog:

Valentine’s Day Dining Specials

meaning business

It exhausts me to even think about describing my food-focused weekend jaunt to Philly. As many of you know by now, I eat well and my memory can’t contain it all at once for sheer fear of sensory overload. Anyway, I took a little trip on Friday to see the delightful Kelly Vass (@foodinphilly) and was lucky enough to visit a few of her hot spots around the city.

I’ll do my best to recap and let the photos speak the rest.

This was my first excursion to Philly so I didn’t know what to expect. We started with a stroll through Reading Terminal Market, which was basically baptism by fire. In other words, food porn to the max. Everything you could possibly crave in one place.

market of my dreams

chocolate cheesesteak

We later met my friend Tim for brunch in Northern Liberties, and he guided us to Darling’s Diner in his neighborhood. I ordered and melted over a slice of homemade, award-winning Bananas Foster Cheesecake. At Tim’s prompting, I also got a side of scrapple, justifiably referred to America’s haggis. Scraps of pork stewed with cornmeal and shaped into loaves, then sliced and fried. Sorry haters, I loved it.

scrapple: America's haggis

banana foster cheesecake

Later in the day, we stopped by Philly Cupcake to pick up some treats– including a cardamom rose cupcake with pistachio marzipan and strawberry buttercream. Cupcake truck, you got nothin on that.

For a midnight snack after ice skating with some Villanova friends, Kelly took me to the famed Pats King of Steaks (across from its Philly rival Ginos) for arguably the best cheesesteak in the city. I’d never had one before and it was the messy, cheesewhiz filled delight of my heart.

Topping off a truly mouthwatering weekend, we ended with breakfast at Nudy’s Cafe and enjoyed cinnamon bun french toast. Just…wow. There are no more words for this one.

Overall, this weekend made me realize how many inappropriate and overly sensual things I say about food, so I’m lucky to have been in such great company.

Oh and Philly still has Cinnabon. So lucky.

If you find yourself in the city, definitely hit up these spots!