Food Everybody Likes: American Pubs

I like pubs and microbreweries for their American comfort food and craft beers. Unlike bars, which can get so noisy you can't even talk to the person sitting next to you, pubs are cozier places to meet up. Many of them are also rich in character. These two are no exception:


Willimantic Brewing Company, Willimantic: www.willibrew.com/ (known affectionately by UConn students as "Willibrew")

The food: The menu is a nice mix of classic pub grub and upscale seafood and steak dishes. Their appetizers are just as good, especially the Canterbury Three Bean Chili, a spicy vegetarian dish with lime cilantro sour cream, green onions, and tortilla chips. It goes perfectly with one of the many beers brewed right on-site, changing each month: like "Smokey the Beer" (cherry wood-smoked beer), "Broaters" (oatmeal porter), or "Flowers Infusion" (chamomile, lavender, and honey beer). If you can't decide which beer to have (an understandable dilemma), try the Beer Sampler of five 4-oz. glasses.

The vibe: From the outside, the building looks like a bank or town hall. That's because the restaurant is housed in the historic granite 1909 U.S. Postal Office Building on Main Street, Willimantic. On the inside, you can choose to sit in either the pub or dining room. For a quieter atmosphere, choose the dining room; if you can find a seat in the busy pub, it's a fun environment. The restaurant is impressively furnished with deep mahogany wood furniture, memorabilia, and a large wall mural. Even better, you can see where the beer is made!

The value: Although on the pricier side, there are plenty of deals to be found here. There's a different special every night of the week: Martini Monday, Stein Day Sunday, etc. There are food specials as well, and once I got a steak with vegetables and mashed potatoes for only a little over $10.

Go for: Relaxation with friends on a Friday night after a long week of classes


Bidwell Tavern, Coventry: www.bidwelltavern.com/

The food: Although they have lots of tasty dishes, the Bidwell is known primarily for their award-winning wings. Now, the Storrs area has no shortage of good wings (it is a college town, after all). Bidwell's wings are right at the top of my list. They have such a great array of flavors: staples like Honey BBQ and Buffalo, but also Hickory Horseradish, Sante Fe, or Sesame Garlic Pepper. My personal favorite is the Honey Mustard. Although they're not boneless wings like Wings Over Storrs, they are perfectly spiced and have plenty of meat. If you're not in the mood for wings (hey, it could happen) you can order one of their yummy burgers, sandwiches, or quesadillas. In addition to all the local and international beers you'd expect, there's also a wine list.

The vibe: Entering the Bidwell I almost feel out of place not wearing a dress with a hoopskirt. It's that historic. Established in 1822, the tavern has a long history in Coventry as a gathering place for the locals on Main St. Now lots of UConn students come here, to talk about ideas or politics or just to hang out with friends. There's a dining room area, with lots of light from the large windows, and a darker pub area. Although it can get crowded here as well, there are some nooks and crannies where you can find more private seating.

The value: Good, as long as you're going to split the wings with friends!

Go for: A late night snack

In Season: Coventry Regional Farmers' Market

Today I made a zucchini omelet for breakfast and a few nights ago had that quintessential summer treat, corn-on-the-cob, as part of my dinner. Both veggies were fresh from the Coventry Regional Farmers' Market. There's nothing that quite says "summer" to me like corn-on-the-cob. Everyone has their own method of eating it--mine is with butter but no salt, in a haphazard fashion instead of the straight "typewriter" across--and there's no better place to get summer corn than from local farms.

I am very fortunate that the biggest and best farmer's market in the state is right around the corner from me, in Coventry. Most famous as the birthplace of patriot and spy Nathan Hale, the market takes place in the fields of his historic family homestead. It takes place very Sunday from 11-2, but the event is so popular that you really need to get there by 11 if you want any produce to be left--and to avoid the sweltering heat.

The market kicked off the first week of June and continues until November 20th. Each Sunday has a different theme, like "Beet-Nic Bash" or "Old Fashioned Corn Roast."

In addition to local produce, there's baked goods, jams, crafts, pasta, free ice cream, and a whole host of food vendors. I've had Indian food from Wings Express and Mexican burritos from Agave Grill. What I like best, though, is that almost every vendor offers free samples!

My favorite sample came from Savor Cookies, which have the most...interesting flavors: lavender, coconut ginger, and cinnamon orange but also savory flavors like roasted leek and smoked red onion. If you don't think that a leek flavored cookie would be good, think again!

And, since this is a fair, make sure to try one of the many original kettle corn flavors from Keifer's Kettle Korn.

Random question of the week: How do you like your corn best? How do you pick the best one? Post your thoughts in the comments...