11/30/12-Matthew's Restaurant, Unionville, CT

A lovely dining experience!

Tom and I decided on dinner here before taking in a theatre performance. Finding the restaurant is tricky since it is in an odd location, but follow the signs to the parking lot around the back of the building which will bring you to the restaurant's door. They have a patio, which I'm sure is lovely in warm weather but since it was late November, a table indoors for us. The waitstaff was very attentive, filling water glasses and bringing fresh ciabatta style bread to our table. They have a Louisiana-style grill menu for the specials this month, which is fitting since the owner has roots there. Speaking of, Matthew himself was seen making tableside caesar for another party and was consistently involved in the dining room, checking on customers and helping his staff--always nice to see this.

For my dinner, I decided to go with the Louisiana mixed grill--herb crusted lamb chop, andouille sausage with house mustard sauce and a petite filet, cajun blackened with a demi glace, all served with chive whipped potatoes and fresh veggies. Wow. This plate had it all! The filet was my favorite--cooked perfectly to my order of medium rare, with a nice flavor from the blackening. The chive whipped potatoes were a perfect accompaniment, and the carrots and asparagus was also a nice touch. Tom went with the NY strip steak--also cooked perfectly to his liking. The steak was very tender and he had a great portion of sauteed spinach and potatoes.

I wish we weren't full by the end of this delightful meal because I wanted to have those beignets, but maybe another time. Service was professional and very efficient in taking care of the dining room patrons, topping off an excellent experience. Would definitely come back!

11/29/12-Michael's Deli, Cheshire, CT

Had some job training near home today, so got to have lunch with the hubby on my break. We decided to check out Michael's Deli. It had a comfortable, homey feel to it with a few tables for the lunch crowd. There are specials posted on their website everyday, so I already had an idea of what I wanted today. We shared the cheeseburger soup--chock full of ground beef and diced tomatoes that gave it a nice, hearty texture and flavor. I had the chicken caesar asiago wrap--not sure where the asiago was since it appeared to have american cheese, so the wrap was average, nothing special. Tom had the Junior's favorite--grilled chicken, roasted red peppers, pesto mayo, provolone cheese and greens--very enjoyable!

A nice place to stop instead of the usual lunch choices. Business was steady the entire time, which is always a good sign!

www.michaelsdelicheshire.com