News from the local food scene
• Meals for sweethearts: Still haven’t made your Valentine’s Day plans yet? Visit hippopress.com for our annual Valentine’s Day dine-in and takeout listings at local restaurants, candy shops, bakeries and more. This year features perhaps a more diverse array of options, whether you’re looking for a romantic evening out or would prefer to order a special meal kit for two to be enjoyed in the comfort of your own home. For the most up-to-date availability, check participating eateries’ websites or call them directly.
• Tastes of the Southwest: A new Southwest-inspired eatery offering tacos, burritos, bowls, appetizers and a variety of signature cocktails has arrived in Salem. Trio’s Cafe & Cantina, which opened Jan. 18 in the Breckenridge Plaza at 264 N. Broadway, gets its name from a “trio” of generations of owners, according to general manager and Salem native Julie Manzer, which includes her parents and two daughters. Manzer, who previously owned the Purple Finch Cafe in Bedford, said Trio’s showcases her love of Southern California and Tex-Mex flavors, featuring items like a chicken fajita salad bowl, tacos with stewed beef, cheese and adobo sauce, and enchilada skillets with chicken, beef or pulled pork. The drink menu includes various Southwest-themed house cocktails, as well as fresh red and white sangrias, bottled beers, wines and seltzers. Visit trioscc.com or call 458-6164.
• State Liquor Commission opens Epsom outlet: The New Hampshire Liquor Commissionopened its newest Liquor & Wine Outlet store in Epsom on Jan. 21, according to a press release. The 12,000-square-foot store, located at the Epsom traffic circle, features a number of modern amenities, like temperature- and humidity-controlled wine vaults, an expanded spirits selection and oversized aisles for socially distanced shopping. According to the release, the NHLC is next set to open new stores in Littleton and New London by the spring, with another store at 850 Gold St. in Manchester by the end of the year. Visit liquorandwineoutlets.com.
• Wine and dine: Join the Lakehouse Grille (281 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith) for a multi-course Kendall-Jackson wine dinner in its Winnipesaukee Ballroom on Thursday, Feb. 11, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Beginning with a livestreamed overview of the evening’s featured wines with Kendall-Jackson winemaster Randy Ullom, the dinner will feature seven courses, each with wine pairings, including baby pickled beets, smoked trout, carrot tartlet, seared rabbit rillettes, a lemon, lime, vodka and gelatin refresher, braised venison short ribs, and chocolate candy egg souffle. The cost is $125 per person and registrations are required. Visit thecman.com or call 279-5221.