I’m not one for fast food places but sometimes the idea of cheap, fast, and convenient has its appeal.  Dos Amigos, with locations in Dover, Portsmouth, and Rochester, has become one of my go to places.  Not only does it qualify as cheap, fast, and convenient but the food is fresh and real and the small chain is locally owned.

Tuesday nights Dos Amigos runs a $2 soft taco special.  What a deal.   I have a big appetite so I usually go for 3 tacos  and have a satisfying tasty meal coming in just over $6 with the tax.  If tacos aren’t your thing, then you can check out Monday’s $5 burrito special.

Dos Amigos locations are definitely not designed for high style or upscale ambiance but they provide a comfortable convivial place to eat in and they also do a brisk and mostly accurate take out business.

The menu offers tacos and burritos with chili, chicken, beef, and pulled pork for meat eaters, but also has a great variety for the vegetarian inclined, including bean, guacamole,  veggie chili, sweet potato, and spinace & tofu.

Joel Harris and Jay McSharry (Jumpin’ Jays, Radici) own the Dos Amigos chain, with the first location in Portsmouth since 2003; they have now expanded to 4 locations.  I keep dreaming that they open their fifth in one of those empty storefronts on Main Street in South Berwick.

Dos Amigos Burritos

Locations:
107 State St., Portsmouth, NH  Phone: 603-373-6001
286 Central Ave., Dover, NH  Phone: 603-834-6494
6 North Main St., Concord, NH  Phone: 603-410-4161
15 Wakefield Street, Rochester, NH  Phone: 603-948-1052

Don and I went on Saturday morning and got one of the Early Bird’s fresh blueberry muffins and some good Sumatran coffee.   The muffin is worth the trip.  If the 236 Diner was a real diner, these would be just the kind of muffins we would serve.

We especially enjoyed sitting at the table by the front window in the vintage orange swivel chairs, basking in the sun watching people come and go.  It was nice to see so many South Berwickians coming in, but also fun to see two bicyclists taking a break from a trip along the East Coast Greenway-Eastern Trail.

The Early Bird Cafe, 241 Main St., South Berwick, Maine.

Monday-Friday from 6:00 am – 2:00 pm, Saturday-Sunday 8:00 am – 2:00 pm, also open Thursday evenings for Hot Summer Nights concerts.

So if you are looking for a reason to get out for lunch or dinner, you just found it.  Tasty Thai offers reasonably priced, freshly prepared Thai food.  I am in love with their hot basil dishes, but everything is good.  Check out their website.

The space looks great; it is fresh and clean with a nice mix of history, contemporary, and funk.  The bare brick walls are a warm backdrop for colorful art, the new counter and lighting are sleek, and the 50′s kitchenette tables make it homey and quirky.

The food is as good as ever, but now served at a dining counter or with table service.  Most of all, Phil and Elizabeth and their staff with their talents as friendly, amiable hosts have retained the welcoming ambiance that has always been a hallmark of the Black Bean.  Don and I went for breakfast on Saturday morning and it instantly felt like a homecoming.  The Black Bean is truly one of those “third places,” not your home, not your work, but a place to go to socialize and be with community.  With great food, an attractive environment, and reasonable prices, it’s the place to be.  Thanks, Phil and Elizabeth!

Casual fare is pure from-scratch comfort with crab cakes with succotash and a big beef burger along with mac n’ cheese. The dinner menu has elements of that mingled with New England ingredients peppered with European concepts. …It’s one of those menus that makes it hard to decide what to order.

More than ever, Pepperland makes me think, “Here’s what we need right now.” It’s food that honors our local roots, yes, and we’re all into that now, but also takes cues from ethnic cuisines to make it more relevant to our melting pot of a world.

The prices are great and there’s something for everyone — kids love it too — order big or small, it’ll fill you up. Lindsey is right there to welcome guests and help decisions, to entice and introduce new ideas and revel in the old, offering the family touch we need now too. Comfort.

We are so lucky to have this neighborhood restaurant with its warm friendly atmosphere and innovative and delicious food.  Good beer too!

Read the whole review:
Dining Out: Pepperland Cafe, South Berwick, Maine
Pepperland Café offers great prices and a feeling of comfort

Pepperland Café, 279 Main St., South Berwick, Maine, (207) 384-5535
Hours: Lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday, Brunch on Sunday 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

First stop was the August meeting of South Berwick Networking (SBN).  SBN is an informal network of South Berwick area business owners that meets monthly.  This month SBN met at Dogs XO, just over the town line in Berwick on Rt. 236.  Owner, Eve Baltzell gave an overview of her business, a dog day camp that provides a safe stimulating environment for dogs during the work week.

Patti Fousek owner of CreativeMind Search Marketing, a search engine marketing company located in South Berwick, also gave an overview of her search engine optimization business.  As always, there was time for informal networking.  What a great way to meet other business owners in South Berwick and learn about all the entrepreneurial endeavors springing up around us.  Visit the South Berwick Networking web site to find out how you can get involved.

Next stop was GreenUp! South Berwick, a grassroots group of folks interested in creating a more sustainable community.  The group has been meeting for a few months brainstorming, learning from each other, and planning how to build a culture of sustainability.  Their first public effort will be a sustainability forum about how to save energy and money.  They will host a panel discussion that will provide information on insulation, home energy saving measures, energy audits, and more.  The forum will be held September 25 at South Berwick Town Hall.  Check out GreenUp! South Berwick’s blog for more information about the group.

Last stop was the Great Works Regional Land Trust Art for Land Auction.  Supporters of the Land Trust’s work to conserve important resources gathered to bid on art, donated by artists who also support the Land Trust’s work.  The festivities began with music, food, and drink but the real business of the night was the art.  The crowd engaged in spirited bidding, acquiring lots of great art during the course of the evening.  I learned this is no place for a timid bidder, I will have to practice for next year!

The Front Street Market at the Salmon Falls Mills in Rollinsford kicks off today from 9 am until mid afternoon.  Artists, craftspeople, and growers will be offering their wares, there will be music all day. Rollinsford Fire Department is providing a fire engine for children to explore from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Front Street and Lower Mill restaurants will be serving breakfast. Story-telling will be held in the new Rollinsford Public Library, located in the Lower Mill. Childrens crafts will be in the Upper Mill. FigTree Café (located daily in the Lower Mill) will provide a brisquet in the grill area from noon – 3 p.m.

Hamilton House offers the third concert in its Sundays in the Garden series:  July 20: Omalley’s Alley.  Including bassist Tom Martin and drummer Gene Guth of the popular seacoast R& B band Rhythm Method and guitarist Justin Walton of Dreadnaught,  this ensemble will reach into each other’s repertoire to give material by artists such as Booker T & the MG’s and George Harrison their unique stamp.  The concert begins at 4:00 p.m.  Admission is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, $4 for Historic New England members and children, free for Historic New England Garden and Landscape Members.  Concert goers are welcome to bring their own chair or blanket and picnicking is encouraged.  In case of rain, concerts are held in the garden cottage.

A portion of Route 91 will be closed to traffic starting July 23  through Aug. 30 for culvert work. Local traffic will have access to their homes but the road will be closed to through traffic from Pudding Lane at the York Corner end to Scotland Bridge Road. Traffic will be diverted down Route 1 to Beech Ridge Road and then to Scotland Bridge Road. The Town of York website has more details.

Nature’s Way Market is offering locally grown produce this summer.  Last night I had local baby squash and crispy cucumbers from local farms that I got at the Market. I can’t wait to see what’s coming next.

Feel like getting away from Maine this summer?  Head to the Jamaican Jerk Center, 1400 Route One in York (Cape Neddick) to be transported to the Caribbean.  This jerk stand serves up chicken, pork, and rib jerk (spiced and marinated meats) served with rice and plaintains as well as goat curry and Ackee and Saltfish, Jamaica’s national dish, if you are feeling adventurous.  Food is packed to go for take away or for eating at the picnic tables and hammocks set up around the stand.  The Boston Reggae band, Counscious plays every Saturday night until Labor Day.  It will make you dance, mon.

There’s a new restaurant in the Kittery Foreside area.  Tulsi serves up Indian specialties based on fresh and local foods in a sophisticated atmosphere decorated with the rich colors of Indian spices and bold abstract art.  It’s at 2 Government Ave. in Kittery.  I was delighted by their mussels served in a rich and spicy curry sauce accompanied by a warm crispy naan bread.  I also had a vegetable korma that had fresh corn in it.  Chef Rajesh Mandekar says they try to use as much local fish and produce as possible to create traditional Indian flavors with a Maine flair.

Check it out at www.sbshopandswap.com

Cliff Gilliam is the owner of Ye Olde Computer Shoppe which offers technical support solutions. He provides local in home and in shop computer repair & upgrade assistance to the Southern Maine and the NH Seacoast Region as well as training & online remote computer support nationwide.

and there are signs of spring.

Every year I eagerly await the opening of the Dairy Queen at the Kittery Traffic Circle as the definitive sign of spring. For some, the beginning of spring is the first crocus, or opening day at Fenway Park, or putting away the winter coat for good. For me it’s the first vanilla cone with chocolate jimmies. Spring came for me yesterday at lunchtime.

hhh 

Dairy Queen is located at 174 State Road, right on the Kittery Traffic Circle, Kittery, ME.

They have a varied menu with lots of specials with almost any kind of breakfast fare you could want. I have to admit that I have rather boring breakfast tastes, so my usual is two eggs over hard, home fries, and a blueberry muffin grilled. Sunrise does it perfectly.

Sunrise Grill is located just north of the Kittery Traffic Circle at 182 State Rd, Kittery, ME 03904 (207) 439-574.