Has anyone ever really looked at the mural at The Tap?
I was hanging out in the dining room the other night, waiting for a turkey wrap, when my eyes drifted upwards and I began admiring the sweet ‘staches on the dudes at the bar. Then I noticed the nude on the wall behind them. Then my eyes drifted to the scene painted on the street and…wait- is that a 1980’s muscle car!?
This can only mean ONE thing: The Tap is some sort of portal for time travel.
If Doc Brown was from here, of COURSE the time machine would've been an Iroc.
Now that I know the secret, it was tempting to go back in time and warn myself not to eat all those fries, but if Back to the Future taught me anything, it was to be very careful not to interact with my past/future selves. Wouldn’t want to cause a major paradox!
You may remember I’ve bemoaned downtown Haverhill’s lack of a good brunch before. I mean, as much as I love Village Square, there are some Sunday mornings that simply require something a bit fancier…and, let’s be honest, a mimosa.
So, when I was at The Peddler’s Daughter Saturday night and noticed a flier on the wall announcing brunch from 12 – 3pm on Sundays, I could not have been more excited. So excited, in fact, that I went right home to bed so that I could wake up, rush back to Peds, and stuff it in my face. (My back-to-back Foursquare check-ins did not go unnoticed by Bob Simonds who asked “did you sleep there?” Har har)
The Peddler's Daughter, 45 Wingate St.: Sunday brunch savior.
I did have self-pride enough to not sit in the same booth that had been the scene of the previous night’s debauchery. And I decided to save the mimosa for next time, opting instead for water and coffee. So, this was no brunch of shame.
Here’s the menu, with options for everybody, and reasonable prices, too!
Free Range Omelet: Vine Ripened Tomato, Fresh Imported Mozzarella, Fresh Torn Basil, Fresh Seasonal Fruit Salad
$7.95
Grand Marnier French Toast: Thick Slab Applewood Smoked Bacon, Vermont Maple Syrup
$7.95
Build your own Free Range Omelet:
Diced Tomato, Purple onions, Mushrooms, Bacon, Spinach,
Aged Cheddar or Big Eye Swiss Served with Fresh Seasonal Fruit Salad
$7.95
Irish Scrambled Eggs: Oak Smoked Salmon, Scrambled Eggs, Toasted Irish Brown Bread, Fresh Seasonal Fruit Salad
$8.95
Hangover Burger:
8oz Angus Burger, Sunnyside Egg, Applewood Smoked Bacon, Big Eye Swiss, House Cut Fries or Sweet Fries, Homemade Ketchup
$8.95
******************
Hairy Mary Bloody Mary: Absolut Citron Vodka, Ped’s House Mix, Celery Stalk
$7.95
Loosy Goosy Mimosa: Cristalinno Cava, Fresh Orange Juice
$7.95
16oz Can Narragansett: No Explanation needed
$2.50
I’m usually an omelet aficionado, but I just had to try the Irish scrambled eggs, while my partner-in-dine Forrest tucked into the Grand Marnier french toast, heartied up with a side of corn beef hash.
Yes, the mug and glass were purposefully posed.
The portions were just right to bridge the breakfast – lunch gap, and everything was super tasty. The only thing I didn’t like about our brunch? It was a bit lonely. Look at all the empty tables!
Looking for a few good brunchers.
Come on, you guys. Haverhill once gave us brunch but we didn’t show it the love it needed and look what happened. Now, we have a second chance at something very special. Let’s make it work this time!
If loving brunch is wrong, I don’t want to be right.
Evenfall, a Haverhill Fever favorite due to its $1 Bar Bite Mondays and occasional hot single men events, is also home to some pretty killer ravioli, which are all made by hand. Don’t believe me? Check out the video Spiro recently posted on the Evenfall blog, @ Spiro’s Table:
If you haven’t tried Evenfall yet, or even just haven’t visited in a while, maybe these glamour shots of some of the featured dishes on their most recent menu will inspire you.
Crispy vegetable spring rolls with asian slaw
Organic baby greens salad topped with gruyere cheese
Aussie lamb rack with crispy mushroom croquettes and Farmer Dave's baby tatsoi
And check out this more candid shot of their new venison dish which features strudel and carrot puree.
Look at all that delicious color!
And now I need to stop. I had to loosen my belt just looking at these photos!
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This morning I got a hot tip that the downtown Haverhill Subway was FINALLY set to open for the first time today. (For months people have been asking me for the details on when this might go down.) The news came just as my stomach growled- plus, considering what it looked like before I was dying to see what they did with the space- so I headed down around lunchtime to see if the rumors were true.
Downtown Haverhill's new Subway
Rumor confirmed! The open sign was lit up and there was already a crowd inside…and as I shuffled up the snowy sidewalk I realized it was composed of the mayor, the franchise owners, and some chamber of commerce officials, along with a giant pair of scissors and some ribbon. Apparently I’d REALLY stumbled upon the opening! I was beckoned inside, and got the first unofficial photo of the ribbon cutting ceremony:
You know your blog has made it when you get to witness a ribbon cutting ceremony.
(SHOCKING REVELATION: Haverhill’s ceremonial scissors don’t actually cut anything- they’re just for show!)
A Subway Is Born:
Now, I haven’t been inside an eat-in Subway in a while, but I must say, compared to the old newspaper themed interiors I’ve seen this one looks pretty swanky. There are a few tables in the storefront windows, and a larger dining area in what used to be the back room before when it was a cupcake shop.
The irony of the faux brick wallpaper is not lost on me.
Also, I think the franchise owners have a real talent for hiring the right people. I visit their Bradford store occasionally and the woman working behind the counter always compliments me on my habit of totally piling on the veggies, so I wind up walking away feeling like a total winner, as opposed to someone who’s too lazy to make my own damn sandwich. The people working this new store seemed super friendly too. (though they did have all the bigwigs watching)
After all that pomp and circumstance, I managed to be the second person in line to buy a sub. So, all in all a fun little lunchventure full of excitement and ceremony, and extra pickles.
A grisly discovery was made last night following the disappearance of one of the plywood gingerbread men set up in Columbus Park for the holidays: the 7-foot tall cookie humanoid was found face down in the snow, the victim of an apparent decapitation.
Columbus Park, scene of the crime
Not since San Francisco’s Mission District was rocked by the kidnapping of sandwich shop icon Mr. Pickle has a community been more outraged by an act of human-on-plywood violence. Naturally, Fox News is all over this horrific story.
Bob Simonds came upon the remains of the gingerbread man last night. (His name is being withheld, pending notification of his family.) WARNING: Graphic image could be disturbing to young gingerpeople.
He had so much to live for.
What a bummer! Personally, I’m holding out hope that this wasn’t an act of malicious gingerbreadicide, but rather the result of a freak accident. Errant snow plow? Or maybe, just maybe, someone walking through downtown got REALLY hungry. Either way, the city of Haverhill is proving that these kinds of crimes against downtown beautification are going to be taken very seriously.
Sure, sure, Haverhill’s been experiencing a few setbacks on the ol’ cool-ometer lately. But, all along I’ve clung to what shimmering bits of hope for this city’s future as a kick-ass place to live that I can- a chief one among them being the availability of a totally decent falafel. Naturally then, when Chris reported earlier this month that J.J.’s Kabob and Pizzaria had closed, I was pretty crushed.
Luckily, fate was quick to intervene and a couple weekends ago, between an epic business trip to California and a much-needed vacation sans Internet, I took note of something peculiar going on down Salem St.
Bradford Country Store: 558 Salem St.
Not only was the Bradford Country Store covered in signs proclaiming it under new management, but, um, well, it was night time (as in nearly after dark!) and the Bradford Country Store actually appeared to be OPEN.
This realization barely had a moment to crystallize in my mind when my husband casually mumbled “oh yeah, that place is open again,” and just like that Sunny D commercial from the 80’s, he rambled off a list of completely unappealing offerings before saying the most magical words I have heard come out of his mouth since “I do.”
I had to see for myself…immediately. My fellow Haverhillians, yea verily, I have been to the Bradford Country Store and I have tasted the falafel, and it is good!
Falafel!
A finer falafel I can’t imagine. Unlike J.J.’s, the Bradford Country Store offers up deep fried chick pea patties with no annoying crunchy bits inside! And the wrap had just the right amount of tahini sauce and plenty of fresh salad crammed inside. Heavenly!
I also took a sample bite of their kibbe and it was also pretty awesome, too. Now I can’t wait to try out their shawarma and fattoush. Their more conventional sandwiches sound great, too. “The Bradford” is roast beef piled high and topped with BBQ sauce, and while I’m not into the ingredients, it’s oddly satisfying to know there’s a sandwich named after my street.
bRADford has officially obtained a trifecta of good eats: Village Square, Bradford Country Store, and Evenfall could easily round out a gut-busting day of self-indulgent gorging, no trip across the bridge required!
I was a little underwhelmed by the amount of tents, but the quality of the food from vendors such as Wally’s definitely met expectations. I highly recommend checking out the market while there is still a good amount of summer left.
The ubiquitous summer corn on the cob
Check out the official website to get the low-down on the upcoming musical acts and other festivities.
