Lucked Out Dining: New Castle (NH), Ogunquit (Me), North Hampton (NH)

[lexpatti]

Wow, we lucked out with great dining this weekend.

Headed to Wentworth by the Sea (New Castle) for a one night stay, got there in time for an awesome lunch at Latitudes (part of Wentworth). Started with the most unbelievable bread basket and olive oil dipping. Bread was three kinds: Asiago, SourDough and a Calamata. The olive oil is infused with herbs grown on the property and the grinder on the talbe was filled with herbs grown as well on the property. Server filled the dish with oil then grinded this phenominal herb mix into the oil. They sell (and of course I buy) the herb mix and it's: rosemary, red & black peppercorns, sea salt, fennel, corianda, thyme. This first impression of Latitudes is going to stay with me for a long long time, I would drive out there just to have this bread basket, oil and herbs. We split a dozen oyster from spinny creek, unfortunately this was the only negative to the meal - too small, nothing to them. For my meal: a wonderful grilled shrimp and local goat cheese flatbread (with of course this wonderful herb mix) - I'm hooked on this stuff - it's going on my next homemade pita chips YUM!!!! Hubby got: Bite Size Angus Burgers - Three Ways
Smoked Gouda and BBQ Mushrooms; Great Hill Blue Cheese and Apple Wood Smoked Bacon
Arugula, Grilled Summer Tomato and Basil - excellent and with these nice homemade mini buns. So we're off to a fantastic start of our mini get-a-way!!!

Thank you to those that wrote about Gypsy Sweethearts in Ogunquit - loved this place. We started with a special app: stuffed oysters, with a herb/cheese/breadcrumb topping - excellent. And mine was even better: Lobster Quasadilla with cream havarti and avocado salsa (although at first it lacked the seasoning, but after squirting some lemon and added salt and pepper, perfect). Hubby doesn't use salt and I use too much so many of thier dishes needed my dose to make it perfect (but great for those watching salt). Entres were fantastic: Hubby got pork shanks in a hot sauce (but not overpowering) with grilled polenta and coleslaw (sides were nothign to rave about but the bone in pork shanks were fantastic). Mine was better: Chile Crusted Oven Roasted Rack of Lamb...green pumpkin seed sauce with roasted garlic bread pudding. Oh yea, like 8 lambs, cooked perfectly with nice pink, tender, delish. The green pumpkin seed sauce grew on my, at first wasn't impressed. The garlic bread pudding was to die for, usually bread pudding is in the sweet catagory - this was a fantastic side, moist warm garlic soaked bread then baked. I have to play with this at home, it was really great. Also go a nice side of spinach with pine nuts, garlic and raisins, very tasty. We split an outradious dessert: Goat cheese cake Tart. They get their goat cheese from a local farm and are having a blast playing with it, this was a somewhat new creation. It was fantastic, light, smooth, just sweet enough. Our server was excellent - knew the menu, not too intrusive but very attentive. (John, I believe was his name)

So we're trying for three perfect picks for our one night away!!! We leave New Castle to head to Manchester to run an errand and we're looking for breakfasst, anywhere is fine just some good coffee and a half way decent breakfast and decide to run down Rt. 1 in hopes of running into something. Nancy's Place in NorthHampton was our lucky find. Wow, the place was hopping, cute little place. I knew I was in heaven when I read the specials: Carrot Cake Waffles, Lobster Benedict, Lobster and Asparagus Crepes, etc............ This is one of those, "if your anywhere in the distant vacinity, go"!!! Hubby got that carrot cake waffle and since I'm feeling guilty about my expanding waistline, I choose Vegies Benedict (like that hollandaise isn't going to expand my waistline even further). It was fantastic, one of the best hollandaise sauce too. It was filled with asparagus, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes. - and fantastic red bliss homefries. Coffee was fantastic as well, and the servers wonderful. Oh, did I say we split this really tasty blueberry muffin that had just come out of the oven?

What a perfect way to spend the night away to celebrate our anniversary!!!

We are definately going back to all three places.

[othervoice]

Dear lex,
You'r making me drool...the carrot cake waffles sound incredible.

[lexpatti]

Best waffles hubby ever had in his 50 years on earth!!! :-)