Fieldtrip 1: Haddad's Ocean Cafe, Marshfield, MA

You may be wondering why there haven't been any posts in a while. That's because we ventured way out of Akron (13 hours out to be specific) for business and while on our trip we were able to sample some of the restaurants around Plymouth Bay, Massachusetts. This review is on one of those places we checked out, and its probably the best restaurant we ate at while we were there. I would also like to take this opportunity to put a plug in for Plymouth's British Beer Company. They don't serve food, but will be happy to give you a bowl of Cheetos. They do let you order in, a fantastic option, because once you are there, you won't want to leave. They have the best beer and bartenders in town, plus free Wi-Fi, so you can't go wrong.

Anyway, back to the task at hand, Haddad's Ocean Cafe. Its located on Ocean Street in Marshfield. Its not much to look at, in fact, I wouldn't peg it as remotely attractive. There are two doors into the place, and every time I go, I forget to enter at the left. However, this place is always packed, and I mean packed. It is mostly a local hangout so the clientele is made up of just regular people looking for a good, simple meal. The decor isn't impressive or catchy. I think it might be time to retire the old fishing boat posters. But that in itself gives a nice small town charm. I like to think that this place is a favorite with the fisherman. Because they are right at sea level they've had a couple of floods over the years, but the place always bounces back and is very clean.

The menu is simple, with a variety of seafood options (fried, baked, or steamed, with emphasis on the fried) and Italian pasta dishes as well. They also have a cheaper Senior menu too. Once again, at first glance, its not impressive. But, wow, the food is amazing. Everything is incredibly fresh and tasty, no matter what you order. This time I got the Lobster Casserole, since lobster prices are at their lowest in years and, heck, we're in New England. It was amazing. The lobster was generous and large with a right off the boat taste. They didn't use any fillers like most places, just the lobster. Someone else in our party ordered the Seafood Casserole which had shrimp, lobster, haddock, and scallops, and they were as equally impressed with the freshness and quality. I would also like to add that the Clam Chowder was the best I've ever tasted, and the onion rings aren't bad either. Portions are just right for each order, except the pasta dishes tend to be huge. They also have a great local beer selection. It was the only place I ate at where I left completely satisfied with my food.

Service is very friendly and accommodating, especially with large groups. Presentation is so-so, but I wouldn't say it deterred me from eating there. The only downside is that you have to get there early if you want a seat. Definitely make reservations for parties 8 or more, they do not take them for groups smaller than that. All in all, a rewarding and authentic experience! By the way, it was voted best seafood in the Boston area in 2008! 4 out of 5 stars. $$$ (remember, it's seafood)

For more on Haddad's Ocean Cafe see Hidden Boston.

See this review at urbanspoon.

Review: Steak on a Stone, Fairlawn

After hearing both good and bad about this restaurant, I decided to give it a shot last night. Right off, I should say that this place is a definite improvement over the old Don Pablo's that occupied this space, but I think they could have done better. First of all, the menu hints at desperation, with selections from all over the world. They style themselves Greek, but then offer American and Italian dishes in abundance as well. The appetizers we ordered were uninteresting, except for the cheese flambe. That dish ended up being a pile of grease after the ceremonial lighting and shout of "oopah!" (which seemed inappropriate for the occasion). Salads were fresh, thankfully, but once again uninteresting. The main feature is, of course, the volcanic stone dishes. They push the beef options, but also offer poultry, pork, and seafood. We went with the beef since that is their specialty, but other members of our party ordered chicken. Along with the entree, you decide on two sides. Some are styled after Greek food, but most are American. Nearly all are starch. The sides were cooked to perfection. Then you pick two dipping sauces for your meat. This by far is the most disappointing part of the meal. Although there are over a dozen sauce choices, most are made by adding one or two ingredients to chicken broth. Thus, all of them taste about the same. I find this to be a great shame. They really have an opportunity to make this a unique feature of the restaurant, but they blew it. The server then brings out your meal with the meat on the stone. He sears the beef at the table and then the customer is left with cooking each individual bite. Overall, this experience was interesting and somewhat tasty. However, sitting on the stone dries the meat out halfway through the meal, and a perfectly good cut of meat is ruined. When ordering, try to go with a fattier cut so to put this off as long as possible. Those that order anything but beef, have to wait for the server to cook the meat on the stone for them. Once again, remove the meat from the stone after its cooked, because it will dry it out. None of this was mentioned when we ordered, so we all ended up being disappointed. Our server was very personable and knowledgeable. However, the management staff tended to bother and loom over the diners, cracking jokes and acting a little creepy. Their over attentiveness again hinted at desperation. Presentation was somewhat sloppy. I had a fleck of raw meat in my vegetables and there were splatters of sauce all over the serving dishes. Our server was in dire need of a clean apron and napkin. There was also an over abundance of fruit flies in the dining area, possibly meaning there is something rotten in the kitchen? Lastly the decor is rather spartan, with only frightening looking fans hanging to break up the smoke. This wasn't very affective, and we all smelled like a smoke house when we left. Although the prices suggest a fine dining restaurant, the clientele clearly disagrees. Everyone in the room looked like they were dressed for a truck stop. We left at 8pm, and by that time most of the restaurant was empty. During our meal, only 1/3 of the tables were occupied. We won't be going back, but I wouldn't dissuade you from cooking on a stone at least once. 2.5 out of 5 stars. $$$

See this review at urbanspoon.com