Tag: 211216

Album Reviews 21/12/16

Tulip Tiger x Garrett Noel, Synth Xmas II (Give/Take Records)

Funny, right after I wrapped up this week’s Playlist thingie, in which I bemoaned the fact that no public relations goblins had sent me any holiday albums to review this year, this one just came in, from a bicoastal lo-fi hip-hop collaborative duo. Just to put things in context, big-beat aficionado Tulip (Augustus Watkins) is based in Los Angeles and Prague, modern psychedelia guy Noel’s from Baltimore, and this is their take on a set of eight old Christmas classics, “reimagined in tranquil, instrumental, electronic arrangements.” Very true, that; the guys have selected from the chillest of vintage chestnuts: “O Come All Ye Faithful” and “Silent Night” to name two, rendering them in tasteful 1980s-synthpop cheese and adding things like glitchy noises, bell samples, etc. The overall effect is cloudy, woozy and, well, edgy, evoking high-end backgrounding for fashion outlet malls; in other words, it’s very unobtrusive but redolent of seasonal spirit. Very nice. A

PLAYLIST

• The new albums set to be released on Dec. 17 are in our scope today, folks! I haven’t even looked at the list yet, because that has as much appeal to me as watching my dentist prepare his syringe of Novacaine. Like, I know it’s coming, and there will be “bootleg” albums for collectors and massively expensive box sets for people who’d rather have albums than a car, but what’s odd to me is that I haven’t been made aware of any new holiday albums as of yet. OK, lemme go look at the list of — holy crow, there are almost no new albums coming out on the 17th, let alone holiday albums! What the heck am I supposed to do here? You know, that always happens during these last weeks of the year, and the only bands putting out albums are metal bands, because there’s a new metal album born every minute. With the big holidays coming so soon, the editors should just let me fill up this column with jokes, nursery rhymes and bedtime stories, so at least there’d be — wait, wait, I found one, Califas Worldwide, from California quartet Hed PE, a the band that’s known for “its eclectic genre-crossing style, predominantly in the fusion of gangsta rap and punk rock it has termed ‘G-punk,’ but also for its reggae-fused music.” Great, whatever, I’m just glad I have something music-related to talk about in this music column (I’ll bet next week is going to be even worse). So there’s a single, called “Not Now,” which features the mad metal-rappin’ skillz of some collective (or just one dude, it’s impossible to tell from their Facebook, which, trust me, annoys me a million times more than it does you) called The Final Clause of Tacitus. So the overall effect of the song is Rage Against The Machine with no budget; it’s not bad I suppose, but I’d have to say — oh, you don’t care about this either, it’s not Tom Morello or anything, just some guys who sound like they won a football pool and decided to spend it doofing around in a recording studio while the engineer ate Funyuns and took naps. Let’s forget this and try to find something normal, not that I think there’s a snowball’s chance of that happening.

• Praise be, gang, there’s another one, titled Food For Thought, from some rapper lady named Che Noir! Unless the Brooklyn Vegan blog-site has no idea what it’s talking about (which is always a possibility), she is from Buffalo, New York, a place that Trip Advisor says is mostly inhabited by clinically depressed football fans and Loch Ness Monsters. OK, let me get down with this awesome tune. Hmm, that’s original, she starts out her rap by saying “Yeah,” you know, in this really rappy tone, and then she’s spittin’ mad words and swears. She’s pretty edgy I suppose, but her voice is gentle-ish, like if Dionne Warwick were a rapper. The beat is this dumb 1980s synth-cheese thing. I don’t hate it, mostly because I just feel sorry for it. Aaaand we’re movin’, folks, let’s keep trying to find something normal.

• OK, I give up, there’s not even a heavy metal Christmas album, just no albums at all. Looks like I’ll just do a bedtime story and then tuck you in. OK, so this little bear got lost in the woods looking for special mushrooms, see, and — wait! Wait! Look! Looky yonder! You’ll never believe it, a new album from 1950s rock ’n’ roll icon Chuck Berry, Live From Blueberry Hill! Why am I being given this gift of column-filling news? Well, it’s because the 17th would have been Chuck’s 95th birthday! It’s dumb but I’ll take it, this wonderful collection of live versions of “Roll Over Beethoven,” “Sweet Little Sixteen” and “Johnny B. Goode,” I will take it, as a Christmas miracle! God bless us, guys, every one!

RETRO PLAYLIST

I’ve obviously slacked this year as far as throwing you nice people a few recommendations for holiday music buying. I almost forgot again this week, which would definitely been bad, but by chance I happened upon a column I’d written this very week in 2009, and it started out with a suggestion for, of all things, a country music compilation, to wit: “Howzabout this for a compilation: Dim Lights, Thick Smoke & Hillbilly Music: Country Hit Parade 1951. Comes out on Tuesday [11 years ago, mind you], which gives you no time to find it, but you should try, so that you can hear awesome old garbage like “Shot Gun Boogie” by Tennessee Ernie Ford. We’ve all gone old-school anyway, so why not just reboot the whole thing and start off with bands that had to sing into toasters while sticking their fingers into light sockets so the tape-gizmo thing would record it, because they did not have our awesome technology, which has turned us all into people nobody can trust.”

Boy, could someone tell me when I’m acting cynical, would you folks, I can’t stop myself. But then again, I have every excuse in the book, because 99 times out of a hundred, holiday albums are usually just comprised of old bands doing versions of old carols you’re already sick of hearing. See, what I listen to myself this time of year is music that’s either Christmas-y sounding or actually peripheral to my chosen pagan frostbite-holiday. For the former, you can’t beat Enya’s Paint The Sky With Stars, a compilation of her more popular “hits.” As you may or may not know, she multi-tracks her voice hundreds of times in the studio, which means we’ll never see her play live, because you’d need 100 singing Enyas to accomplish it. But the music itself is reflective, pretty and spiritual. My holiday-sounding faves are “Anywhere Is” and “Storms in Africa,” but almost all are very nice.

As for the latter, the Boston Ballet Orchestra’s version of The Nutcracker is a CD I keep in the car every year, from Thanksgiving to Dec. 26. The CD is missing a few things, like the teddy bear’s dance, but other than that it’s such a peach, especially if you’ve ever seen it live. It seems to be out of stock at bostonballet.org, but it’s worth hunting down.

If you’re in a local band, now’s a great time to let me know about your EP, your single, whatever’s on your mind. Let me know how you’re holding yourself together without being able to play shows or jam with your homies. Send a recipe for keema matar. Message me on Twitter (@esaeger) or Facebook (eric.saeger.9).

Sugar and spice

’Tis the season for holiday beers

I used to be obsessed with holiday brews. As in, there wasn’t enough holiday beer in the world to satisfy me.

There was just something about the slightly sweet, slightly spicy style that drew me in and helped me to appreciate the holiday season. Let’s be honest, we’d all like to be in a good mood for the holidays and the right beer can help. Why not have a beer that tastes like Christmas in a glass?

I’m calling it a style but I’m not sure you’ll find “holiday brew” listed in the dictionary of beer styles. To me, these are beers that can run across styles and to categorize them would be to ask yourself, “does this beer put me in the holiday spirit?” If you answer yes to a particular brew, then, bingo.

These are beers that tend to feature a hearty malt character amplified with cinnamon, brown sugar, peppermint, vanilla and nutmeg — and, I don’t know, maybe chocolate. You’ll find holiday beers that are wheat beers, amber lagers, stouts, porters, sours, brown ales, bocks and dunkels, and there is probably some brewer right now trying to offer patrons a holiday IPA.

I wasn’t alone in my obsession. To this day, one of my college buddies receives an annual shipment of Harpoon Winter Warmer from his mother on his doorstep in California.

Then again, holiday beers aren’t for everyone. I can never forget the look of utter disgust — classic bitter beer face — on an acquaintance’s face as he tried to get through a sip of some holiday beer, wondering aloud, “What is that?” (The “that” in holiday beers is always nutmeg.)

I’m not as obsessed with holiday beers as I used to be, probably in part because there’s just so much incredible craft beer available that it’s hard to be too focused on one style, regardless of the season. Plus, more and more craft brewers are cranking out delicious, decadent stouts boasting huge flavors of chocolate, coffee and vanilla that aren’t necessarily holiday brews but are awfully hard to ignore at this time of year.

For a while it at least seemed like craft brewers weren’t really exploring holiday beers in earnest. That might not be reality, but it seems to me the style has received much more attention from brewers in recent years. That’s good news.

Here are four New Hampshire-brewed holiday beers to enjoy right now.

Footy Pajamas Belgian Style Holiday Ale by Henniker Brewing Co. (Henniker)

Dark fruit, spices and brown sugar: you can sip this 8.7 percent ABV brew slowly by the fire and let the beer and the flames warm you right up.

Monks Vice Belgian Quad by Loaded Question Brewing Co. (Portsmouth)

This isn’t brewed specifically for the holidays as far as I know, but with big flavors of complex caramel up front, it seems perfectly suited to this time of year. The brewery says the finish is “reminiscent of crème brulée from black strap molasses.” This is another slow sipper you can savor with friends and family.

Smuttlabs Peppermint Porter by Smuttynose Brewing Co. (Hampton)

This is basically a glass full of peppermint patties.

The Great AK; Dunkles Bock with Gingerbread by Northwoods Brewing Co. (Northwood)

I haven’t tried this one but it is now on my list for the holidays. Tabbed as the brewery’s “ode to the Master Woodsman of the World,” the beer is brewed with gingerbread and actual gingerbread men, resulting in “aromas of dates, plums, toffee and cinnamon.” Frankly, it sounds delicious.

What’s in My Fridge
Samuel Adams Holiday White Ale by Boston Beer Co. (Boston) Probably 15 to 20 years ago, if a beer was described as “citrusy and hazy,” this is what you’d expect. Nowadays, someone says citrusy and hazy, and approximately 1,000 percent of the time that person is talking about an IPA. This is a delightful brew; flavored with holiday spices and orange peel, it has a smooth, festive flavor with borderline nonexistent bitterness you can enjoy all winter long. Cheers.

Featured photo: Footy Pajamas by Henniker Brewing Company. Courtesy photo.

Baked falafel burgers

Falafel is one of those dishes that seems like it’s healthy, but that isn’t always the case. Although falafel is mainly composed of garbanzo beans, quite often they are deep fried and topped with heavy sauces. Now, there is nothing wrong with a little decadence, but at this time of year there is so much indulgent eating, a healthier alternative is greatly appreciated.

Thus, today I have a recipe for baked falafel burgers. This simple-to-make dish is about as healthy as can be. There is no oil added to the burger, and they are baked instead of fried. However, all of this healthiness does not equal a boring dish. These burgers are bursting with flavor from the addition of two different fresh herbs as well as a dried spice.

Serve these “burgers” in a piece of pita bread and add lots of veggies, and you have an incredibly healthy meal. To keep it even healthier, skip mayonnaise and opt for something lighter, such as Buffalo sauce. You can even make your own two-ingredient condiment: 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt mixed with hot sauce (you choose the amount). This recipe should be enough to top all four falafel burgers.

Serve these falafel burgers with some baked green bean fries or a fruit salad, and you have a delicious, health-conscious meal for four!

Baked falafel burgers
Serves 4

15-ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed & drained
½ cup fresh parsley
1 cup fresh cilantro
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons cumin
¼ cup walnuts
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
Salt & pepper
Optional:
Hamburger buns or pita bread
Lettuce, tomato and condiments

Combine garbanzo beans, parsley, cilantro, minced garlic, cumin and walnuts in the bowl of a food processor.
Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and pulse.
Add remaining lemon juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, blending until smooth.
Divide mixture into 4 equal portions, and form into patties.
Place on a small greased baking sheet.
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Remove falafel burgers from the refrigerator, and bake for 30 minutes.
Serve in a pita or on a bun with desired toppings and condiments.

Michele Pesula Kuegler has been thinking about food her entire life. Since 2007, the New Hampshire native has been sharing these food thoughts and recipes at her blog, Think Tasty. Visit thinktasty.com to find more of her recipes.

Photo: Baked falafel burger. Courtesy photo.

In the kitchen with Martin Kelly Jr.

Chef Martin Kelly Jr. oversees kitchen operations at Stones Social (449 Amherst St., Nashua, 943-7445, stonessocial.com), an eatery known for its creative comfort foods served in a casual, quick-service setting. Stones Social is the latest project of Stones Hospitality Group, which also owns two sister restaurants in Massachusetts — Cobblestones of Lowell, which has been serving elevated tavern fare since 1994, and Moonstones, a restaurant featuring globally inspired small plates that opened in Chelmsford in 2008. Originally from Tyngsborough, Mass., Kelly had been working at Moonstones for about two and a half years just prior to the pandemic when he was brought up to help open Stones Social in late June 2020. The menu includes everything from lighter bar snacks, soups and salads to burgers, wood-fired skillets and a wide array of house cocktails, plus “Throwback Thursday” wood-fired pizza specials and “Social Sunday” specials with smoked meats.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

A pair of tongs, and at least one dry towel. … I’m a little obsessed with dry towels. You can ask anybody that works with me.

What would you have for your last meal?

I’ll keep it simple and just say a whole steamed lobster and a whole lot more butter.

What is your favorite thing on the menu at Stones Social?

I’d say it’s a four-way tie. … I’m going to have to go with our Buffalo tenders, our Stones No. 1 Burger, the faux French dip sandwich, and either our half or full bucket of fried chicken.

What celebrity would you like to see eating at Stones Social?

This is an easy one. Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

The Nashua Garden on Main Street. I love that place. Their sandwiches are so abnormally large but they are always delicious.

What is the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?

Fast, quality comfort food, and that’s the atmosphere we’re trying to cultivate here. … We want food to be getting to the table fast, and for people to not even realize that it’s only been maybe four minutes since they were up at the counter to order it.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

A real simple dish that my mom made for me all the time, which is cajun shrimp, sausage and spinach sauteed over white rice. I could eat plates and plates of it.

Miso Sriracha sauce
From the kitchen of Martin Kelly Jr. of Stones Social in Nashua (great for dipping or as an add-on to burgers)

2 cups mayonnaise
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons miso paste
¼ cup Sriracha

Mix ingredients in a large bowl with a whisk until thoroughly combined.

Featured photo: Martin Kelly Jr. Courtesy photo.

New Year’s eats

Celebrate 2022 with a special meal or dining party

Ring in 2022 with a special multi-course meal, a midnight Champagne toast, or just a night out at one of these New Hampshire restaurants, bars and function centers open on New Year’s Eve, Friday, Dec. 31. A few local eateries are also open for brunch on either New Year’s Day, Saturday, Jan. 1, or the following morning on Sunday, Jan. 2. Did we miss any restaurants offering New Year’s specials? Let us know at [email protected].

• 815 Cocktails & Provisions (815 Elm St., Manchester, 782-8086, 815nh.com) will host a New Year’s Eve party on Friday, Dec. 31, at 9 p.m. Tickets are $150 and include drink and food specials, an open bar, an unlimited photo booth and a Champagne toast at midnight.

• 900 Degrees Neapolitan Pizzeria (50 Dow St., Manchester, 641-0900, 900degrees.com) will be open during its normal hours on Friday, Dec. 31, from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

• Alan’s of Boscawen (133 N. Main St., Boscawen, 753-6631, alansofboscawen.com) is holding a New Year’s Eve party on Friday, Dec. 31, featuring a buffet that will be served from 4 to 9 p.m., in addition to live music from Stray Dog. Tickets are $15.

• Auspicious Brew (1 Washington St., Suite 1103, Dover, 953-7240, auspiciousbrew.com) will hold a family-friendly New Year’s Eve party on Friday, Dec. 31, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Food will be available from Dos Mexican Eats and classic and hard kombuchas will be on draft. Tickets are $10 and will also include house made hot cocoa, craft opportunities, a festive photo station and more.

• The Barley House Restaurant & Tavern (132 N. Main St., Concord, 228-6363, thebarleyhouse.com) will be open during its normal hours on Friday, Dec. 31, from noon to 10 p.m.

• Bedford Village Inn & Restaurant (2 Olde Bedford Way, Bedford, 472-2001, bedfordvillageinn.com) will serve a special four-course prix fixe dinner menu on Friday, Dec. 31, with seatings from 4 to 9 p.m. The menu will include your choice of an appetizer (Dunk’s mushroom toast, yellowfin tuna poke, a Vermont cheese board, New England oysters, butternut squash risotto or lobster bisque); a salad (watercress and firecracker mizuna or Boston bibb); an entree (grilled filet mignon, smoked New Bedford sea scallops, Moroccan-spiced Australian grass-fed lamb rack, pan-seared Faroe Island salmon, cornbread-crusted Icelandic cod loin, Robie Farm pork tenderloin or maple-roasted acorn squash); and a dessert (midnight chocolate cake, peach Champagne sorbet, Godiva creme brulee, pumpkin cheesecake or apple raisin strudel). The cost is $95 per person. The BVI’s Lobby Bar will also be open on Friday, Dec. 31, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. A special brunch will then be served on Saturday, Jan. 1, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Lobby Bar will also be open that day, from 8 to 10:30 a.m. for breakfast and from 4 to 9 p.m. for lunch.

• Belmont Hall & Restaurant (718 Grove St., Manchester, 625-8540, belmonthall.net) will be open on Friday, Dec. 31, until 2 p.m.

• Bistro 603 (345 Amherst St., Nashua, 722-6362, bistro603nashua.com) will be open on Friday, Dec. 31, from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., and on Saturday, Jan. 1, from 10 a.m. to close (likely around 10 p.m. for the kitchen and 11 p.m. for the bar). On Friday, Bistro 603 will host a New Year’s Eve Bash, featuring live music by the Massive Groove Band beginning at 9:30 p.m., as well as a special features menu, a late night buffet, a midnight Champagne toast and more.

• Buckley’s Great Steaks (438 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 424-0995, buckleysgreatsteaks.com) will be open on both Friday, Dec. 31, and Saturday, Jan. 1, from 4 to 9 p.m. each evening.

• Cask & Vine (1 E. Broadway, Derry, 965-3454, caskandvine.com) is celebrating nine years in business with its annual end-of-year anniversary party on Friday, Dec. 31, beginning at 5 p.m. They’re taking reservations now for $25 per person, which will be applied to your bill at the end of the evening, with a complimentary toast at midnight. Go to caskandvine.com/nye.

• Castleton Banquet and Conference Center (58 Enterprise Drive, Windham, 898-6300, castletonbcc.com) will host a special New Year’s Eve party on Friday, Dec. 31, from 7 to 10 p.m., featuring a three-course meal, an open bar, a 50/50 raffle, a Champagne toast at midnight and more. Tickets are $200 (event is 21+ only).

• CJ’s Great West Grill (782 S. Willow St., Manchester, 627-8600, cjsgreatwestgrill.com) will be open on Friday, Dec. 31, until 10 p.m.

• Colby Hill Inn (33 The Oaks, Henniker, 428-3281, colbyhillinn.com) will serve a special New Year’s Eve sparkling wine dinner on Friday, Dec. 31, from 7 to 10:30 p.m. The six-course prix fixe meal will feature pairings of Sea Smoke wines — courses will include foie gras torchon, New Hampshire oysters, petite rabbit and mushroom cassoulet, petite tournedos with lobster tail, a white winter festival dessert featuring a coconut cup, white chocolate gelato and crisp meringue, and a plate of mignardises. The cost is $150 per person. Overnight packages at the Inn are also available, which will include a complimentary Champagne brunch and late night treats, as well as a late 1 p.m. checkout the next day.

• Copper Door Restaurant (15 Leavy Drive, Bedford, 488-2677; 41 S. Broadway, Salem, 458-2033; copperdoor.com) will serve a special New Year’s Eve prix fixe dinner menu on Friday, Dec. 31, from 4 to 8 p.m. at both locations, featuring meals of two, three or four courses. Options include sesame tuna risotto, crispy pork and beef meatballs, fish chowder, sausage and kale soup, shaved Brussels sprout and arugula, grilled filet oscar, braised short rib, soy honey glazed salmon, seafood-stuffed haddock, truffled mushroom ravioli, duck confit risotto, sugar cookie cupcakes, German chocolate cake, and vanilla Funfetti cheesecake. The cost is $69 for a two-course meal, $79 for a three-course meal and $89 for a four-course meal. Reservations are highly recommended. The Copper Door’s regular menus will also be available from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at both locations. Live music will be featured from 6 to 9 p.m.

• Copper Kettle To Go (39 Main St., Wilton, 654-2631, copperkettletogo.com) will serve a special New Year’s Eve buffet dinner on Friday, Dec. 31, at 8 p.m., featuring a dip station with Buffalo chicken, spinach and onion dips, as well as other items like crab rangoons, egg rolls, macaroni and cheese, butternut squash ravioli and more. Tickets are $40 per person and also include a Champagne toast at midnight.

• CR’s The Restaurant (287 Exeter Road, Hampton, 929-7972, crstherestaurant.com) will be open on Friday, Dec. 31, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch and from 5 to 9:30 p.m. for dinner.

• The Crown Tavern (99 Hanover St., Manchester, 218-3132, thecrownonhanover.com) will be open on Saturday, Jan. 1, from 4 to 9 p.m. Reservations are recommended.

• Epoch Gastropub (The Exeter Inn, 90 Front St., Exeter, 778-3762, epochrestaurant.com) will be open on Friday, Dec. 31, from 3 to 9 p.m., serving a special New Year’s Eve prix fixe menu alongside its normal menu. The meal will include your choice of a first course (grilled local oysters or red beet salad), an entree (braised short rib, pan-seared salmon or beet rissoles), and a dessert (citrus creme brulee with fresh oranges, or dark chocolate mousse with candied walnuts and coffee ice cream). The cost is $55 per person.

• Fire and Spice Bistro (70 Route 108, Newfields, 418-7121, fireandspicebistro.com) will be open on Friday, Dec. 31, serving dinner from 4 to 10 p.m. Local acoustic guitarist Chris O’Neill will perform live from 5 to 10 p.m., and the bar will remain open until 12:30 a.m.

• Firefly American Bistro & Bar (22 Concord St., Manchester, 935-9740, fireflynh.com) will be open on Friday, Dec. 31, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. On Saturday, Jan. 1, Firefly will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for brunch and from 4 to 9 p.m. for dinner.

• The Foundry Restaurant (50 Commercial St., Manchester, 836-1925, foundrynh.com) will be open on Friday, Dec. 31, from 4 to 9 p.m., and for brunch on Saturday, Jan. 1, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring an all-you-can-eat buffet for $35 with prime rib, a build-your-own waffle bar, $5 mimosas, live music and more.

• Granite Restaurant & Bar (The Centennial Hotel, 96 Pleasant St., Concord, 227-9005, graniterestaurant.com) will be open during its normal hours on Friday, Dec. 31, from 5 to 9 p.m.

• LaBelle Winery Derry (14 Route 111, Derry, 672-9898, labellewinery.com) will hold a special three-course plated dinner and celebration for New Year’s Eve on Friday, Dec. 31, from 6 to 10:30 p.m. Seatings will take place in the vineyard ballroom, adjacent to Americus Restaurant, and the evening will also feature a live performance by the Freese Brothers Big Band and a stroll through LaBelle Lights. The meal will feature house-made pork dumplings, a baby kale salad with pomegranate seeds, blue cheese, roasted cashews and a winter citrus vinaigrette, a surf and turf entree of hoisin-glazed short rib and yuzu-glazed shrimp with baby bok choy and sticky rice cakes, and chocolate pot creme for dessert along with fortune cookies. The cost is $100 per person and includes the dinner, a greeting wine pass, access to a cash bar, and admission to LaBelle Lights after the live performance.

• Mile Away Restaurant (52 Federal Hill Road, Milford, 673-3904, mileawayrestaurantnh.com) will serve a multi-course meal for New Year’s Eve on Friday, Dec. 31, featuring your choice of an entree (sliced roasted tenderloin of beef, duck Grand Marnier, nut-crusted chicken, chicken piccata, pork forestiere, schweineschnitzel, roasted vegetable lasagna, baked stuffed Jumbo shrimp, baked stuffed scrod or maple-glazed salmon); and a dessert (chocolate mousse cake, flourless chocolate cake, bourbon bread pudding, cheesecake, lemon mascarpone cake, or sorbet). All dinners come with appetizers like tomato bisque, Swedish meatballs and a fresh fruit plate with sorbet (or you can substitute shrimp cocktail, escargots and onion soup gratinee), and a Caesar or garden salad. Entrees also include your choice of a baked potato, Swiss potato or rice pilaf, and your choice of butternut squash, pickled beets or applesauce.

• MT’s Local Kitchen & Wine Bar (212 Main St., Nashua, 595-9334, mtslocal.com) will be open on both Friday, Dec. 31, and Saturday, Jan. 1, from 4 to 9 p.m. each evening.

• New England’s Tap House Grille (1292 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 782-5137, taphousenh.com) will hold a special New Year’s Sunday brunch on Sunday, Jan. 2, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., featuring a prime rib and turkey carving station, build-your-own omelets and crepes, a raw bar, and a bloody mary and mimosa bar. The cost is $29 for adults and $14.95 for kids.

• Osteria Poggio (18 Main St., Center Harbor, 250-8007, osteriapoggio.com) will host a special New Year’s Eve gala on Friday, Dec. 31, at 7 p.m., featuring passed appetizers, Prohibition-style cocktails, music, dancing, a photo booth and prosecco toast. Tickets are $40 per person.

• Piccola Italia Ristorante (815 Elm St., Manchester, 606-5100, piccolaitalianh.com) will be open on Friday, Dec. 31, from 4 to 10 p.m., and on Saturday, Jan. 1, from 4 to 9 p.m.

• Raleigh Wine Bar + Eatery (67 State St., Portsmouth, 427-8459, raleighwinebar.com) will serve a special four-course New Year’s Eve dinner on Friday, Dec. 31, with optional wine pairings. Two seatings are available, at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Featured items to choose from will include endive salad, elk tartare, roasted squash, coal-roasted quail, root vegetable gratin, magret duck breast, coal-roasted sea bass, chocolate cake, and crème fraîche cake with pistachio praline. The cost is $120 per person with Champagne toast (additional $45 if wine pairings are included). Reservations require a $25 deposit per person.

• The Red Blazer Restaurant & Pub (72 Manchester St., Concord, 224-4101, theredblazer.com) will be open on Friday, Dec. 31, until 7 p.m.

• Saddle Up Saloon (92 Route 125, Kingston, 347-1313, saddleupsaloonnh.com) will host a special New Year’s Eve party on Friday, Dec. 31. Dinner will be served at 7 p.m., featuring your choice of prime rib, half-roasted chicken or baked haddock (each entree also comes with mashed potatoes and veggies). Local cover band Bite the Bullet will then perform from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. The cost is $50 per person and also includes a Champagne toast at midnight, followed by a pizza buffet.

• The Shaskeen Irish Pub and Restaurant (909 Elm St., Manchester, 625-0246, shaskeenirishpub.com) will host a special New Year’s Eve party on Friday, Dec. 31, featuring a buffet from 8 to 10 p.m., a midnight Champagne toast, and music by Chris Bennett, a.k.a. DJ Myth. The cost is $50 per person.

• Stalk Restaurant (286 Central Ave., Dover, 343-2600, stalkrestaurant.com) will host a special five-course prix fixe menu for New Year’s Eve on Friday, Dec. 31, with two seatings available (5 to 5:30 p.m. for the first seating and 7:45 to 8:15 p.m. for the second seating) with two and a half hours allotted per reservation. A variety of items will be available to choose from, like pan-seared scallop, red beet salad, Atlantic cod chowder, udon noodles, duck confit ravioli, pinot-braised short rib and more. The cost is $85 per person and includes complimentary prosecco. Wine pairings and cocktails are also available at an additional cost.

• Surf Restaurant (207 Main St., Nashua, 595-9293; 99 Bow St., Portsmouth, 334-9855; surfseafood.com) will be open on Friday, Dec. 31, and Saturday, Jan. 1, from 4 to 9 p.m. both evenings, at its Nashua location. Its Portsmouth location will be open on Friday, Dec. 31, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and on Saturday, Jan. 1, from 3 to 9 p.m.

• T-Bones Great American Eatery (25 S. River Road, Bedford, 641-6100; 404 S. Main St., Concord, 715-1999; 39 Crystal Ave., Derry, 434-3200; 77 Lowell Road, Hudson, 882-6677; 1182 Union Ave., Laconia, 528-7800; 311 S. Broadway, Salem, 893-3444; t-bones.com) will be open on Friday, Dec. 31, until 10 p.m., at all of its locations.

• The Wild Rose Restaurant (Stonehurst Manor, 3351 White Mountain Hwy., North Conway, 356-3113, thewildroserestaurant.com) will serve a special New Year’s Eve dinner menu on Friday, Dec. 31, with seatings at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. The meal includes your choice of an appetizer (bacon-wrapped scallops, shrimp cocktail, Jonah crab cakes, forest mushroom pot sticker, or crab and lobster bisque); a Caesar salad; your choice of an entree (pit smoked and aged prime rib of beef, lobster ravioli, filet of cod with a lobster cream sauce, grilled New York strip steak, crispy half-roasted duck, shrimp, scallops, lobster and Jonah crab meat in a garlic basil Parmesan cream sauce, or grilled rack of Australian lamb); and a dessert (blueberry cheesecake, flourless double dark chocolate torte, limoncello cake or vanilla creme brulee). The cost is $78 per person and also includes signature sourdough bread, a seasonal vegetable, and coffee and tea.

• XO Bistro on Elm (827 Elm St., Manchester, 560-7998, xobistronh.com) will be open during its normal hours on Friday, Dec. 31, from noon to 10 p.m. They’ll also be open on Saturday, Jan. 1, from 4 to 10 p.m.

• Ya Mas Greek Taverna & Bar (125 Bridge St., Pelham, 635-4230, yamasgreektaverna.com) is throwing a special New Year’s Eve dinner party just down the street at Chunky’s Cinema Pub (150 Bridge St.), alongside a screening of the 2013 film The Great Gatsby, scheduled for Friday, Dec. 31, at 9 p.m. The evening will include a five-course menu, followed by a Champagne toast and a big-screen viewing of the Times Square ball drop at midnight. The cost is $90 per person and includes the dinner, the movie and the toast (optional wine pairings are also available at an additional cost).

• Zachary’s Chop House (4 Cobbetts Pond Road, Windham, 890-5555, zacharyschophouse.com) will be open on Friday, Dec. 31, from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

Rooted in deliciousness

Vegan coffee and breakfast cart launches in Manchester

When Madeline Rossi and her wife Olivia Lenox bought a small mobile food trailer over the summer, their original plan was to bartend at weddings. That all changed when the Manchester couple learned about a new food truck park and residency being planned for The Factory on Willow, a newly unveiled apartment complex from an old Queen City shoe factory.

Breakfast “buzzito,” featuring house made plant-based maple “sausage,” tofu scramble and house made cashew cheddar. Photo courtesy of New Roots Coffee Cart.

New Roots Coffee Cart, now open Monday through Friday, became the first vendor to sign up for the pilot program. Rossi and Lenox partner with several local businesses to create a menu that’s 100-percent vegan, featuring coffees and teas, pastries, and breakfast and lunch options made from scratch. It’s also an extension of their plant-based meal prep business, New Roots Meals, which offers weekly deliveries of items from a rotating menu.

Rossi and Lenox are no strangers to food trucks — though both are New England natives, the pair met while working at a food truck pod in Portland, Oregon, where Lenox at the time had co-owned Flourish Plant-Based Kitchen with a friend. They launched New Roots Meals in late 2020 after returning east to be closer to family members.

All of their meals are cooked on Sundays at Jerome’s Deli in Manchester, which Rossi and Lenox continue to rent out as a commissary space. Orders placed by Friday at 8 p.m. through their meal prep business are delivered on Mondays within a 30-mile radius of Manchester and on Tuesdays on the Seacoast, between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. each day. The menu changes bi-weekly.

“We do coffee strictly at the truck, and then have two constant breakfast items. Those are prepped every week at Jerome’s and brought to the truck, and they are also on our breakfast menu for meal prep,” Rossi said. “Our lunch specials are also prepped at Jerome’s but then those are only at the food truck. So basically there’s a bit of crossover in both areas.”

Orange cinnamon oat milk matcha latte, with vegan cranberry orange scone sourced from Seacoast baker Nommunism. Photo courtesy of New Roots Coffee Cart.

The truffle hash, one of the regular breakfast options available on the cart and among its top sellers, features tempeh “bacon” from BOStempeh of Somersworth, along with truffle russets, black beans, pickled red onions, chives and a cilantro-garlic aioli. You can also order a breakfast “buzzito” that’s available all the time, which has plant-based maple “sausage,” a tofu scramble and a house-made cashew-based cheddar wrapped up in a flour tortilla.

“The lunch specials always change … and it’s just whatever we decide we want to make for that week,” Lenox said. “It’s always a panini because we have a panini press.”

In preparation for the cart’s launch, Rossi and Lenox received training from A&E Coffee & Tea, whose drinks they now carry with oat, soy and coconut milks and several house-made syrups.

“[A&E] helped us pick a house blend, which was really cool,” Lenox said. “We also started wholesaling from The Local Moose. They just started to roast their own beans too.”

The cart’s menu also features bagels sourced from Bagel Alley of Nashua, and a variety of croissants, scones, doughnuts and more from Nommunism, a Seacoast-based pastry company.

Rossi said their next step is to expand New Roots in the form of a brick-and-mortar cafe by next spring. They envision offering espresso drinks and more vegan menu items at that space, and even possibly hosting open mic nights, vegan documentary screenings and other events.

“We’ve definitely fallen in love with coffee … and so I think we’re looking to do kind of like a cafe vibe, but more with a lot of food options,” Rossi said.

New Roots Coffee Cart

Where: The Factory on Willow, 252 Willow St., Manchester
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. (online ordering for pickup also available)
More info: Visit newrootsmeals.com/coffeecart or follow them on Facebook and Instagram @newrootscart

Featured photo: Peppermint mocha, with house blend A&E iced coffee, house made peppermint and mocha syrup, plant-based milk, coconut whipped cream and a cacao nib and candy cane topping. Photo courtesy of New Roots Coffee Cart.

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