Where would you go?????

[Johnresa]

This Saturday me and the SO have decided to rent a car and do sort of a two person chowdown at several different places in Massachusetts before heading to Providence to go to Dave and Buster's. The thing is we have NO CLUE where to go...lol. We like all different types of food and we are always seeking a unique and different experience. Some places I thought about were:

All Asia in Saugus
Great Wall in Bedford
Minado in Natick
Woodman's or The Clam Box
Kelly's Roast Beef in Medford

Okay I got brain freeze......

We would like some type of roadside ice cream place to head to as well.
We want to got to at least 4 or 5 different places...all uniquely different.

Where would u go??????????????????????????????

[pondrat]

Do not....I repeat do not go to Minado in Natick as a choice for such an interesting culinary walk-about. The experience will indeed be "different" but not in the way you were hoping. I'm still trying to get the fish smell from clothes from the last (and I mean last) time I was there. The only thing worse than really bad sushi...is all you can eat really bad sushi.

[Bob Dobalina]

Here's my suggested itinerary -

Start at Newmarket Square with a Speed's dog (maybe split one?)
Then hop on Rt. 1A to Floating Rock or Kelly's on Revere Beach
Continue to drive north at an easy pace, stopping at any other places that strike your fancy, as appetites permit, making sure to stop at the Clam Box in Ipswich.
Until you get to Newburyport, where you stop in to Gram's ice cream for a scoop of hazelnut cappuccino. (I think BostonBob3 may be stopping there and can hopefully back me up on what I thought was the best scoop of ice cream I've had in a long while.)

On your drive back, you come back down Rt. 1 (not A) most of the way, again stopping along the way if you have room, until you can detour back to Eastie, for some Santarpio's.

Here's a map of your itinerary - enjoy! ;)

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&h...

[Johnresa]

You know...you just jogged my memory....lol. I knew there was someplace I wanted to try...SPEED'S. I think I will start there and end at Santarpios....what a good idea

[enhF94]

not a big deal, but you can shorten URLs by using a service such as http://bit.ly or http://tinyurl.com - the web boards will truncate the URL for you with ellipsis, but the RSS reader won't, and may explode some folks' web browsers.

[Bob Dobalina]

Thanks for that tip - I don't RSS so would not have known.

[LindaWhit]

Thanks as well - I'ved used it a couple of times on CH since I read your hint. Very helpful! Always wondered what tinyurl was about...and just never attempted to go to the website to see. Lazy me. :-)

[MC Slim JB]

If you take the slow road, Floating Rock in Revere in along that general path.

[erwocky]

I like the Floating Rock idea. I did this a few weekends ago, hit Betty Ann's for donuts and watched the planes take off from Constitution Beach in Eastie. Then up to Revere Beach to see the sand sculptures and a great lunch at Floating Rock. Then up to Ipswich for blueberry picking and a stop at the Clam Box. Oh, and then take-out from Santarpio's on the way home. Oof, getting heartburn just thinking about it. But anyway, that was my eating tour of the north shore.

[Johnresa]

We have decided not to go to Providence. Sooooo...that being said there is no particular route we are traveling. I am about 99% in favor of The Clam Box and White Farms so anything on the route there from Boston would be great.

[Joanie]

You could get donuts at Kane's in Saugus and/or breakfast at the Agawam Diner in Rowley. Not far from there is a mini golf and driving range with Richardson's ice cream, altho I guess your ice cream choice has been made. Or go into Gloucester proper for breakfast at Sugar Magnolia and donuts at Donut Jim's (great bagels too). Swing up further for dogs at Top Dog in Rockport. You could also go to the Lobster Pool or of course add some of the other Rt. 133 clam places on the agenda.

I agree w/ Harp on the quality of Kelly's. The beach scene is fun but the food I think is better at the indoor locations.

[pollystyrene]

I think Kelly's in Revere is a good idea, and the Clam Box. Nearby, in the same town of Ipswich is White Farms, which has homemade ice cream.

[Johnresa]

I love this idea. I may just go to White Farms and the Clam Box........

I think I just might.......

[Eatin in Woostah]

Where are you starting out and what route are you taking to Providence? That could help us to organize a logical agenda for you.

Few random thoughts. I would go to Stoughton House of Pizza and have linguica pizza. Also, Joan and Ed's Deli in Natick for apple streudel cheesecake, and George's Coney Island in Worcester for a couple of chili dogs.

[greygarious]

Since you're up for serious mileage, I'd go to Benson's Ice Cream on 133 in West Boxford, and take a cooler with some ice-packs. They make their ice cream on-site with ripe local fruit. This time of year it will likely be peach and/or blueberry. The fruit ice creams cost a little more than their other homemade flavors, but this is the best that fruit ice cream can be. Although it's on 133, it's almost in North Andover, so not very near The Clam Box (I prefer CB and Farnham's to Woodman's). But if you're going to Ipswich/Essex, do try Benson's. BTW, a Kelly's-fan friend of mine insists that the original Revere location has better food than the satellites.

[Harp00n]

"Revere location has better food than the satellites"

With all do respect to your friend, etc. I hear that oft' repeated saw over and over again and just don't see it. I grew-up with the original but the Natick and RT.1 Saugus locations' fare tastes just as good, IMO, and I hit them all fairly regularly. Maybe that perception comes from imbibing too much BBQ sauce or that they just really, really like seagulls. :)

Harp

[cassis]

Great Wall in Bedford is pretty pedestrian, I'm sure you can do better. How about Tea Tree 2 (?) in Framingham, or Beijing Star in Waltham? Sort of on the way to Providence. And if you go to Providence, may I suggest Apsara or Apsara Palace, both vietnamese.

[TomH]

Yeah, I am definitely not a huge fan of Great Wall. Last two times I ate there (we have a client that is local and it is convenient) the food was, overall, nothing spectacular.

[capeanne]

Wow what u have listed is a true geographic challenge especially before a trek south to PVD. and have u seen the price of gas lately ??? maybe focus on 4 or 5 spots on the way to PVD.. There is a great ice cream place in Easton ( near the 5 corners in Stoughton ) name escapes me , but since I am a City and North Shore girl I am sure other hounds can suggest other spots in that geography ( Sharon Stoughton Canton Norwood Easton) that might fill the bill. And save u a tank o gas

[Johnresa]

What can I say I am feeling adventurous...lol. For once I will not think about the gas prices and think only of the food

[LindaWhit]

Are you talking about Crescent Ridge in Sharon near Cobb's Corner? My sister and BIL live nearby and LOVE going there in the summer!

http://www.crescentridge.com/dairybar.cfm
http://www.crescentridge.com/directio...

That would be a great place to stop on the way down to PVD.

[capeanne]

Yep thats it and always a good scoop