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April 14, 2019  

“Jumpin’ Jack’s Java” The ONLY (& Best) Place To Eat When You Are At ‘Hampton Beach’, New Hampshire.

by Anura Guruge

Jumpin Jack's Java

Jumpin Jack's Java

Click to access their Website … with their MENU.

Click to ENLARGE. You just can’t beat the location. [From Google Maps.]

We discovered this magical place, serendipitously, when we visited ‘Hampton Beach‘ on New Year’s Day 2019. It was open and it looked very welcoming. And you couldn’t beat its ‘Ocean View’ location. We were blown away. Great food. Very nice, helpful couple running it. A great experience. Made our Day — and it was our Wedding Anniversary.

We definitely wanted to go back. And we did, on Saturday, April 13, 2019.

After what has been a lousy, cold and miserable Spring, the temperature was supposed to shoot up to 70°F on Saturday — with blue skies at the coast. We decided to go to Hampton Beach again and eat at “Jumpin Jack’s Java“. Sure glad we did so.

Another outstanding experience. We had salads and Teischan a ham & cheese sandwich. The food was beyond plentiful, well prepared & yummy. Attractively priced too.

As we had done previously we were lucky enough to get a window seat overlooking the beach. It does NOT get any better than that.

The couple that run it (and own it too) are SPECIAL. Very personable and pleasant. They work hard. Judging from the memorabilia on the wall and the flag they fly he is an ex-Marine (or they have a son or sons in the Marines).

Great place. Very warm and welcoming. Bright and airy.

Very generous too. As we were leaving they gave us a container of free muffins! That was awfully nice of them. Made our day again.

It really got up to 70°F. There were people sunbathing in bikinis. It was a nice day at ‘Hampton Beach’.

Please try out “Jumpin Jack’s Java”. You will thank me for telling you about this exceptional place.

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by Anura Guruge

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April 6, 2019  

“Rusty Moose” Restaurant In Alton [N.H.] Definitely Closed — Empty Inside; “Dockside”, At The Bay, For Sale.

by Anura Guruge

Click to ENLARGE.

Click to access post.

Click to access listing.

I had heard rumors that the ‘Rusty Moose‘ had closed. But, I had to go by, personally, and peer in through the glass door, as i did this morning, to make sure. Yep, they are GONE. It is empty inside as you can see from the 2nd photo.

Shame — though we have never eaten there. Were foiled TWICE and I never gave it a third chance. Plus, to be honest, it always looked a tad on the ‘short-of-headroom’ side for I. I am marginally claustrophobic. I prefer large, open spaces to ones that feel crowded. Though I have never been inside, I drive by it enough. And it always struck me as being ‘minimalistic’. All that said I am sorry to see it go. For a start, I know a few local kids who were given the opportunity to perform their music there. That was good. I feel bad for these kids. Now the only local venue open for them is “JP China“.

Just one other thing I would like to add. So, when I went to check it out. No NOTICE on the door. The roadside sign is still there uncovered. I think that that is a tad churlish. They should give the public an early heads-up that they are CLOSED. Nothing more annoying that driving up to a restaurant, hoping to have a meal, to find it CLOSED — and closed for good. I will be happy to give them — or buy them — a blue tarp. Just tie it over the sign.

Had seen in the paper that the “Dockside” building is for SALE. So, not sure whether they will be opening this Summer.

I have also heard rumblings that the restaurant at ‘Sandy Point’ will not be open this Summer. Yikes.

These restaurants closing in Alton is a SHAME. Not counting McDonald’s, Subway and Dunkin we only now have TWO proper sit down restaurants in Alton: the very dependable JP China and Ackerly’s. Yes, there is that small, joint on the docks BUT they do NOT serve non-whites! So, that is a problem for I. No, they don’t have a sign that says “Whites Only” but when I try to go in they make it very obvious that they would rather not have me there. That is OK. They own it. Plus, to be honest I would rather go to JP China.

So, that is the score. That Alton is not thriving like Meredith or even Wolfeboro bothers I. But, what can I do.

Related posts:
Check Category ‘Alton‘.

by Anura Guruge

March 29, 2019  

“Sunshine Oriental Restaurant”, Concord (N.H.) — Good Alternative To The “Red Apple” When On A Diet.

by Anura Guruge

Click to access their Website.

Click to ENLARGE.

‘Dim Sum‘ on a par with Boston Chinatown — and we are multi-decade veterans of dim sum.

Extremely friendly & cheery staff — so much so that Teischan (13), who is extremely critical of restaurant service, WANTED me to write this review so that I can say good things about the staff! That is a first. Usual she can always find fault and loves to write comments — though I continually admonish her: ‘Be kind. Be kind.’ So, for her to ask me to write a review, on my blog, to praise the place — is rare and noteworthy praise indeed.

They don’t have an alcohol license! That was incongruous. I like a fancy, sweet cocktail with my Chinese BUT it is good for me to abstain. Chance to prove that my alcoholism isn’t terminal as yet. SMILE.

Yesterday was the 4-week anniversary of my debilitating knee injury, and 3-weeks since my surgery. I realized I had NOT eaten ANY Chinese since my fall. I think the last time I had had Chinese was February 17, 2019, when we did go to Boston Chinatown, for Dim Sum, for Chinese New Year. For I (& Teischan) to go that long without Chinese is atypical. So, I wanted some Chinese while we were in Concord (N.H.) for some appointments. But, I did NOT want to go to the “Red Apple“, hitherto the ONLY Chinese place we have ever eaten at in Concord. I am trying to lose weight. Not running and not shovelling snow is not doing any favors to my ever expanding girth. Hence, “Sunshine Oriental Restaurant”.

It was good. HUGE, ultra-generous portions. Cheap too — and that is the BEST word, i.e., ‘cheap’.

Yes, they are mainly a take-out joint and we were the only diners there, at 6pm, yesterday. But, nice enough place.

The Dim Sum was good. Very good. The sticky rice, per their claim, is authentic — and Teischan is a sticky rice connoisseur.

We will probably go there again. I am not sure I am up to facing the “Red Apple”.

Related posts:
Search “Warren’s”.

by Anura Guruge

March 22, 2019  

“Warren’s Lobster House”, Kittery, Maine — Reflections Of The Sign II.

by Anura Guruge

Click pictures to ENLARGE.

 Attribution will be ENFORCED!

It was raining and snowing all day. So, there were big puddles in the parking lot.

I noticed the reflection in a puddle as soon as I walked out of Warren’s. I had to take a picture.

Then I noticed that I can get the actual sign too. So, I did.

In February 2018 I had taken some other pictures of this sign reflected off car windows. So, this would complement that collection. Enjoy.

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by Anura Guruge

March 22, 2019  

My New Pet Peeve: Men Wearing Hats At ‘Decent’ (i.e., ‘Not Cheap’) Restaurants.

by Anura Guruge

Click to ENLARGE.

Click to ENLARGE, read and LEARN.

This was at “Warren’s Lobster House“, in Kittery, Maine — Teischan’s favorite restaurant, right now, because of the salmon. We go there quite often — including today.

Friday night.

What really got me going was this unsightly obese guy with a BIG cowboy hat. Warren’s is famous for its salad bar. Seeing him promenading around the salad bar in his hat was pathetic.

Then I noticed all the OLD MEN in baseball caps. They should no better.

Where have all the standards gone?

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Category “Rants”.

by Anura Guruge

January 12, 2019  

‘Durgin Park’, Boston — Last Day, Last Meal, January 12, 2019 — Yes, We Were THERE!

by Anura Guruge

Click pictures to ENLARGE.

Attribution WILL be enforced.






The usual benu (being sold as a souvenir for $5) and the photocopied menu used today.

Yes, we were there and it was SPECIAL. Glad I made an effort to get down to ‘Quincy Market‘ for the DAY. Yes, it was poignant too. There are folks losing JOBS! The kind of elderly (i.e., MY AGE) waitress who served us, with aplomb, ‘Allison’, had been there for 20-years. She wasn’t too happy. I took care of her with my TIP. {Smile} And she smiled too when she saw it. There were hugs all over the place.

We got there early. It was likely to get MOBBED later in the day. We heard from folks that THEY (i.e., Durgin Park) ran out of food at 5pm last Sunday!

I knew they opened at 11:30am. So, I planned to be there for that. I expected a LINE and there was one, BUT it wasn’t as long as I had expected.

We left home at 8am! It was bitterly cold. We parked at the Boston ‘Museum of Science‘ (where we get discounted parking because we are members) by 9:40am. We took the MBTA to ‘Quincy Market’. We were there by around 10:15am. There was NO LINE. So, we ‘did’ the ‘Market’. ‘Faneuil Hall‘ was closed because of Trump’s Shutdown.

By 11am there was a line forming. We joined it at 11:15am. There were about 30 people ahead of us. Around 11:25 they opened the doors. They felt sorry for us. IT WAS COLD. They let 50 folks in. We were in that batch. The kitchen was not as yet open but you could start with drinks.

It was GOOD. Great atmosphere. Everybody was reminiscing.

It was WAY TOO early for I. I don’t normally have my first meal of the day till 1:40pm. So, I just ordered a few appetizers and even then we brought much of it home. But, no matter. What counted was that we were THERE.

I was never a regular patron. So, I can’t claim to have a special relationship with ‘Durgin Park’. But, I did go there, for dinner, for the first time 32-years ago. September 1986. I remember that. I have eaten there AT LEAST 10-times. Most likely more. So, I am not a total stranger either.

Well … another bit of history gone. But, I can say, with PRIDE, that I was THERE.

Flag flying upside down in the wind! Symbolic.

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by Anura Guruge

January 10, 2019  

Boston’s ‘Durgin Park’ Restaurant Is Closing Down, This Saturday, January 12, 2019, After 192-Years!

by Anura Guruge

WOW!

Click to ENLARGE and read here. From ‘boston.com’. Google for more.

Click to access their impressive, photo-rich Website.

Click to ENLARGE and read here. Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durgin-Park

I stumbled upon this sad news accidently. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Had to Google it myself.

Wow. Talk about the sad end to a legendary property. A true part of Boston’s colorful history.

I first went to ‘Durgin Park‘ 32-years ago, in September of 1986. I am sure I was told that it was Boston’s OLDEST restaurant. Well, they have modified that claim.

I am surprised that they are struggling. They always looked full. Yes, I haven’t eaten there in some years. I confess to that.

It was such a fun place. Great atmosphere.

I am sad. I can’t believe that they couldn’t have kept it going.

Oh, dear.

Related posts:
Search ‘Boston‘.

by Anura Guruge

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