Lowell’s Restaurant – Mendon, MA

I have to admit that I was not pleased with the choice of venues for our high school class sixty-second get-together.  A bit of nostalgia I suppose in the selection of Lowell’s Restaurant for the event. But the current establishment shares only the name, a town, and a few menu items with the former dairy bar of our youth—the place we went for Ice cream, burgers, and shakes.  I had been to the new location once and had sketchy memories of the layout.  We were seated then in a room that resembled a diner for its small, narrow dimensions.   How were they going to fit our group in there? Not that we are a large group, never has been.  Fewer than thirty of us graduated and we’re now of an age where mortality is a factor. We’ve lost a few, but those losses are still remarkably small. Some of the class is scattered too far for a luncheon date.

Fears unfounded, as we assembled, a dozen or so, in a dining room that I had not remembered. There was also an enclosed event room which I did not remember. Plenty of space. So much for my powers of observation and memory.  Hey! I’m getting up there in age and things aren’t working as well as they used to.

For those of you not from the area, Lowell’s is now a family restaurant, someplace you take the kids when you are giving mom a respite from the tedium of meal preparation.  I would describe it as “Pub Sheik”, not so fancy that you have to worry much about spills, but not the ruff and tumble of a true pub. They serve alcohol but there is no bar per se, but you need to check that point out for yourself as I’ve given you ample evidence to doubt my observational skills.

Despite the change in ownership and location, many of the menu items remain the same as the old Lowell’s Dairy.  There is good solid food here.  They usually do an excellent job on fish, always have and hopefully always will.  I went for the baked haddock, lightly breaded with butter.  Not sure who their seafood supplier is, but I can tell you it was fresh and tasty. Happy Nottobecooking, my trusty companion, went for the fish and chips a staple here as old as the name of the restaurant. She was a bit disappointed. The fish was not the light flakey texture we were used to, but mushy, obviously frozen. A real let-down.  Everyone else seemed satisfied if not entirely happy with their entrées.

Lowell’s is a place to get a decent meal whether you’re wearing jeans or a tux—an environment that you fit into like the proverbial old shoe.  Quite a few paces removed from fine dining, but good none-the-less. The experience turned out just fine for our gathering and was an enjoyable time and I suppose further support for the accuracy of the “grumpy” in my pen name for this blog, The Grumpy Gourmet.

Ambiance  =  7

Nothing special here to raise the rating here, your local family restaurant.

Service  =  8

They handled our lager group with ease despite the fact they had a significant function in progress in the special events room. 

Food Quality  =  7

Whether it was expectation that was not met or just me, but the food was only adequate, not outstanding.  I’m sure there were those in our group that would disagree with that assessment, but I think I am being fair in my analysis. Some ups and some downs rates as adequate overall.

Value  =  7

Fair pricing paired with adequate quality earns only a fair ranking here.

Covid Response   =  8 There was very little turnover that I could witness.  What I did observe was comforting.  The event in the activities room began to break up before we were done.  The staff assembled sprays and disinfectants in preparation of the sanitizing operation to come. Impressive.

Salt – 2 Torrington, CT

Finally, “clean” food comes to Torrington.  Yeah, I know what that the meaning and nuances of the term “clean food” entails, but it begs the question, what do the rest of us eat, dirty food, contaminated sustenance?  Hold on, hold on. I can hear the ground swell of all the vegetarians and vegans in the in the background inhaling to produce a collective, yes. 

Well, Grumpy is here to tell you that as long as I have canines and incisors in my mouth, I intend to exercise my prerogative to be a meat eater as and when I choose.  But you all need to know that I am choosey about the type and amount of animal protein I consume. Moderation is the key and there are times when those selfsame canines get a hankering to bite into a juicy steak or burger. I don’t resist the urge; it really is evolution.

Let me step down from my soapbox and get to the nitty-gritty, Salt 2.  Located next door to the Warner and directly in front of the Nancy Marine Theater, this new business is a surprise and a delight and brings food for everyone under the same roof.  We went with a group that ranged in taste from raging meat eaters to staunch vegan.  There was something on the menu for everyone, multiple choices in every category.

I got into the spirit of things and ordered a Buddha Bowl, I suppose best described as a salad of sorts but that does not adequately cover the meal.  A mix of spinach and arugula were the greens hiding a layer of cooked Farrow.  The whole dish was topped by stripes of chick peas, avocado slices, edamame, strawberries, and cooked beets with raspberry vinaigrette on the side. A mélange of flavors that all worked well with each other and were tied together neatly with the dressing.  The bowl appears small when served, but trust me, with the grains and other veggies you will not leave the table hungry. 

The Buddha Bowl is reason enough to try the place, but their menu is varied and as mentioned above, covers a wide range of tastes. Prompted by CoVid, the operation is streamlined. Wait staff is minimal and you can order by phone at your table using the presented QR code or request what you want from the front desk before entering the dining room.  I have to return just to try the phone ordering process.

The place is huge and the seating is open, by that I mean you select where you would like to sit.  You are given a number to display so that your order is delivered to the correct table. The size of our group mandated a server to take the order, but the usual number of wait staff Is not present. There is no hoovering waiter, no bus-boy and it can be quite an eerie change from the usual dining experience.  This is not to say that there is a lack of service. You will be checked on several times during the meal to see if everything is to your liking—attention, but not overbearing hoovering.  Just the way I like it.

A large bar occupies one side of the dining room. There is full service for alcoholic beverages.  They support a decent list of craft beers, both draft and bottles.

Definitely a destination dining spot.

Ambiance  =  8

A great place to go for unique food and dining experience. Warning, Salt 2 is a cross between a pub and a warehouse. The floorplan is open and the ceilings high.  I would guess the with a crowd the place could be loud.  There is outdoor dining on the sidewalk bordering Main Street.

Service  =  9

As mentioned above, Salt 2 is unique in that it is self-service as far as they can allow. An interesting model in the time of CoVid. I wonder how that model holds up in high demand situations?

Food Quality  =  9

Excellent food, prepared in unique ways.  A refreshing from the “burger and fries“mentality.

Value  =  9

Great food for a fair price makes for high value.

CoVid Response  =  9

The whole concept of Salt 2 seems to be focused on minimizing contact between patrons, between patrons and staff, and between patrons and physical articles such as menus.  The phone ordering system cuts out a lot of interaction with staff.  Of course, there is something to be said for a conversation with and the guidance of a well-informed service person. However, we may be looking at the future of dining out in Salt 2.

Salt 2 – Torrington, CT

Finally, “clean” food comes to Torrington.  Yeah, I know what the meaning and nuances of the term “clean food” entails, but it begs the question, what do the rest of us eat, dirty food, contaminated sustenance?  Hold on, hold on. I can hear the ground swell of all the vegetarians and vegans in the in the background inhaling to produce a collective, yes. 

Well, Grumpy is here to tell you that as long as I have canines and incisors in my mouth, I intend to exercise my prerogative to be a meat eater as and when I choose.  But you all need to know that I am choosey about the type and amount of animal protein I consume. Moderation is the key and there are times when those selfsame canines get a hankering to bite into a juicy steak or burger. I don’t resist the urge; it really is evolution.

Let me step down from my soapbox and get to the nitty-gritty, Salt 2.  Located next door to the Warner and directly in front of the Nancy Marine Theater, this new business is a surprise and a delight and brings food for everyone under the same roof.  We went with a group that ranged in taste from raging meat eaters to staunch vegan.  There was something on the menu for everyone, multiple choices in every category.

I got into the spirit of things and ordered a Buddha Bowl, I suppose best described as a salad of sorts but that does not adequately cover the meal.  A mix of spinach and arugula were the greens hiding a layer of cooked Farrow.  The whole dish was topped by stripes of chick peas, avocado slices, edamame, strawberries, and cooked beets with raspberry vinaigrette on the side. A mélange of flavors that all worked well with each other and were tied together neatly with the dressing.  The bowl appears small when served, but trust me, with the grains and other veggies you will not leave the table hungry. 

The Buddha Bowl is reason enough to try the place, but their menu is varied and as mentioned above, covers a wide range of tastes. Prompted by CoVid, the operation is streamlined. Wait staff is minimal and you can order by phone at your table using the presented QR code or request what you want from the front desk before entering the dining room.  I have to return just to try the phone ordering process.

The place is huge and the seating is open, by that I mean you select where you would like to sit.  You are given a number to display so that your order is delivered to the correct table. The size of our group mandated a server to take the order, but the usual number of wait staff Is not present. There is no hoovering waiter, no bus-boy and it can be quite an eerie change from the usual dining experience.  This is not to say that there is a lack of service. You will be checked on several times during the meal to see if everything is to your liking—attention, but not overbearing hoovering.  Just the way I like it.

A large bar occupies one side of the dining room. There is full service for alcoholic beverages.  They support a decent list of craft beers, both draft and bottles.

Definitely a destination dining spot.

Ambiance  =  8

A great place to go for unique food and dining experience. Warning, Salt 2 is a cross between a pub and a warehouse. The floorplan is open and the ceilings high.  I would guess the with a crowd the place could be loud.  There is outdoor dining on the sidewalk bordering Main Street.

Service  =  9

As mentioned above, Salt 2 is unique in that it is self-service as far as they can allow. An interesting model in the time of CoVid. I wonder how that model holds up in high demand situations?

Food Quality  =  9

Excellent food, prepared in unique ways.  A refreshing from the “burger and fries“mentality.

Value  =  9

Great food for a fair price makes for high value.

CoVid Response  =  9

The whole concept of Salt 2 seems to be focused on minimizing contact between patrons, between patrons and staff, and between patrons and physical articles such as menus.  The phone ordering system cuts out a lot of interaction with staff.  Of course, there is something to be said for a conversation with and the guidance of a well-informed service person. However, we may be looking at the future of dining out in Salt 2.

Nam – Vietnamese Kitchen

Vietnamese cuisine is bursting on the scene everywhere in the northeast at least, but nowhere like
Philadelphia. Last web check I did listed twenty-six establishments in the greater Philly area a veritable
explosion. And with good reason it is unique cuisine significantly different from Chinese and worlds
away from Japanese and some similarities to Thai but different.

During our time in Philly, we wound up at Nam Vietnamese Kitchen at 3816 Chestnut Street, in the
university city section. We ordered after passing the two available phones around as the menu was
scanned via a QR code at the table, a CoVid precaution eliminating the handling of hardcopy menus by
multiple patrons. The city seems to have embraced the concept. Next time I will remember to bring my
phone.

I settled on a combination dish of Lemongrass marinated chicken and garlic noodles. I’ve recently
learned from new Vietnamese friends that lemongrass is a popular seasoning in this style of cooking.
The flavoring is subtly pleasant without the astringency of that which come from the lemon fruit. A
delight to the taste buds. The garlic noodles were nicely spiced by not overly garlicy and paired well
with the delicate flavors of the chicken. The chicken itself was done just right, not overcooked and
tough, a delicious and tasty meal. The counterpoint of beets, egg and pickled green provided a stewpot
of flavors each distinct while lending to the whole.

They offer Pho, spring and summer rolls all staples of the cuisine. Didn’t sample the deserts as my granddaughter worked as the barista at the Paris Baguette right next door.

Everyone at the table agreed Nam was a keeper, a destination to be sought out on future trips to the
city. We hit it just right. Because of its location and the abundance of students, Nam can be busy when
the schools are in full swing. There were students coming and going all the time we were there and it
was summer. Would imagine the place would be packed if the schools were in full session.

Ambiance = 8

Clean and neat. An open kitchen at the rear of the narrow restaurant puts forth a mélange of mouthwatering odors. There is indoor and outdoor seating the outdoor tables effectively doubling the seating
capacity.

Service = 9

We were greeted by a pleasant and enthusiastic host. The staff seemed genuinely pleased to have us
there. That makes all the difference in the world.

Food Quality = 9

My first exposure to Vietnamese cuisine, and it was a good one. Everything was well seasoned, well
prepared and presented with a flair that is their own.

Value = 9

Good food, excellent quantity and at a fair price that spells value. I expect that having students as a
primary clientele tends to keep prices within reason.

Covid protocol = 7

Servers were not masked. Wasn’t required at the time, but most places were requiring their staff to be
masked. I mentioned the phone menu above something I think that should have been adopted more
broadly. They did seem to take cleaning and sanitizing seriously taking care to thoroughly wipe down all
surfaces