Hayward's Restaurant ***

The other night we were in the mood for some local grub and Hayward's fit the bill. With the diner feel, you expect and get good old family cooking! My girlfriend ordered and loved her baked haddock dinner ($12.95) with a side of vegetables and tomato soup which was the soup of the day. It was hot and juicy enough to make your mouth water.

Chow Thai Cafe *****

We decided to go into Boston for a bite, but went through Charlestown instead. After driving by my old office, I remembered a Thai restaurant I used to frequent, Thai Chow Cafe. It was night and found parking - which sometimes is not easy to find. The Cafe has a small and comfortable atmosphere such as you'd find at a Starbucks, or better yet, your living room.

Wellington's Pub ****

And so it goes, my company decided to send me to the Verizon Enhanced Communities Executive Summit in Chantilly, VA. Of course, that means that I have to try the hotel's restaurant: Wellington's Pub! It's American, but in British styled decor. I arrived the night of March 25th and managed to get myself some delicious chicken rigatoni ($16) and a cup of crab chowder ($6) and a large ginger ale ($3).

Out of Asia ***

Last Friday my girlfriend and I were dying for Chinese food and decided to try Out of Asia. When we got there, there weren't a lot of people there at the time.  Out of Asia has a bar and numerous TVs which could be good when there's a game on. The table next to ours had two pieces of cardboard under two of the legs to prop it up and they kept duck sauces and wasabi on top of the table.

But I digress, we decided to split orders of Pineapple Coconut Fried Rice with Chicken ($7.95), Sauteed Garlic Noodles ($6.50), and Honey Glazed Chicken with Sesame ($11.75). We also ordered a shirley temple which was really packed with Grenadine - it was too sweet to really enjoy!

Century House Restaurant ****

This old staple in Peabody's is known for great food! Interestingly, a couple years back I helped a friend and his company do the cleaning at 5 AM! I remember getting up at 4 AM and getting myself there to vacuum the entire place. Who said I'm not a hard worker? Anyhow, we decided to get there with a restaurant.com coupon (of course) and order some of there grub.

Scratch Kitchen ****

I was planning on going to Scratch Kitchen for a week wondered that whole time why the name was Scratch Kitchen? Everything there was made from scratch. As soon as I walked through the door I noticed a lot of people and that was a good sign for me. There was an older fellow playing guitar in the back of the restaurant and they featured art from local artists. I found a wide arrangement of different beers, wines, and even sodas. They didn't only carry the Coke/Pepsi products which was nice.

Casa Antigua ****

It was a slow night when we entered the Casa Antigua. I tried the Plato a la Antigua ($10) along with the complimentary nachos for an appetizer. I liked the grilled chicken along side the beans and avocado slices in typical Mexican fashion, with fried shrimp sprinkled about; and a side salad.  The menu offers a host of dishes from various Latin American countries. Here's a link to their menu (PDF).

Longhorn Steakhouse ****

I went to the Longhorn and have to say that they serve some of the best food I have ever tasted. The Porterhouse steak was to die for - so tasty and cooked perfectly for me. This meal was ($25.49) and worth every penny.

The staff had a smile on their faces and I was treated with great hospitality. The manager even walked up and asked me how my meal was and if I had any suggestions. I told him not to change a thing.