While diligently taking it excessively easy this memorial day weekend, we accepted an invitation from spleen to motor up to Portsmouth NH for the afternoon. Of course, how could we refuse, seeing as how Portsmouth features THE FRIENDLY TOAST? *swoon*
Leaving aside the decor (excessively red, excessively retro, excessively bad-art), and the waitstaff (excessively sexy and retro/arty), this place has firmly grasped a few essential truths about food.
First, the pinnacle of the sandwich maker's art: The Mr. Haegar. Monstrous slices of homemade white bread, filled with cheddar, pickles, tomato slices, mustard and horseradish cream sauce, and grilled in butter. Served with onion rings, mmmm. This thing is a beast, a titan of filling tastiness -- it is the absolute best approach to a grilled cheese that ever was. The mustard and the horseradish kick it over the edge, by bridging the creamy cheese and the tangy pickle (and lots of it, woohoo!). Even though it is a foodgasm, I can only eat half the sandwich, so the fact that it keeps well in the fridge is a sweet bonus.
However, my inability to fully consume the sandwich's glory may have had something to do with the enormous plate of cheese fries that preceded it. Blue cheese and provolone cheese fries, broiled to a perfect gooey, crunchy brown and served with strawberry habanero sauce. Blue cheese. Plus melty provolone goodness. Need I say more?
The frappe machine was busted this day, but we'll be having at the frosty treats next time, because they looked *good*. Those Friendly folks have a way of mixing up crazy flavors in the best of ways.
And just because really good is never enough, our waiter put on my favorite Ramones album of all time and played it in its entirety. Bliss.
(postscript: I can't speak for the others, but we ate at 2pm, and neither tallasiandude nor i was even remotely hungry at 10pm, when we met a friend for "dinner." Bloated? Yes I was. But no regrets.)
Posted by foodnerd at May 30, 2004 10:23 AM