New Woodshed posting

[secondcurve]

Originally Posted by LongBay

I have not been to the Woodshed in years and based on the reviews I have read this past year, I will take a pass. Lately, I have been passing on a lot of restaurants in the Lakes Region of NH. With a 9% food tax, I plan to spend my money from now on back home eating in Boston where the food tax rate is 6.25% and you have hundreds of restaurants to choose from.

Interesting approach but it must make for some awful unpleasant weekends in NH!

[WakeboardMom]

Originally Posted by secondcurve

Interesting approach but it must make for some awful unpleasant weekends in NH!

I don't completely agree. With our hectic weekday schedules, once we get to the house at the lake, we don't like to leave. While we do enjoy an occasional night out, we try to do it when we can sneak up on a weeknight.

On a Saturday night, we like to have guests. We serve appetizers and martinis (that don't cost $9 each) on our lakefront patio, and dinner is enjoyed watching the sunset from dining room that overlooks the lake.

: ) To each his own, but to forego dining out on a Winnipesaukee weekend is far from unpleasant. ( :

Edit to say: As a mom of kids who worked as waitstaff at various establishments around the lake, I APPRECIATE those of you who frequent the restaurants and tip generously!!! ; )

[Pineedles]

$9.00 martinis? Wow, I'm coming over for cocktails. What kind of gin do you use? Or do you use Chateau Lafite Rothschild '61 for vermouth?

[WakeboardMom]

Originally Posted by Pineedles

$9.00 martinis? Wow, I'm coming over for cocktails. What kind of gin do you use? Or do you use Chateau Lafite Rothschild '61 for vermouth?

See examples below. And then, c'mon over...are you a good tipper?



http://www.durbinspub.com/food/spirits/martinis.html

[sa meredith]

Originally Posted by Pineedles

$9.00 martinis? Wow, I'm coming over for cocktails. What kind of gin do you use? Or do you use Chateau Lafite Rothschild '61 for vermouth?

A $9/10 martini is fairly common, IMO. Top shelf anyway. Just the way it is now. Order a Bombay, or a Tanqueray #10, and it's going to set you back 10 bucks easy. Even a Goose, staight up, is 9/10...

[Pineedles]

Originally Posted by WakeboardMom

I don't completely agree. With our hectic weekday schedules, once we get to the house at the lake, we don't like to leave. While we do enjoy an occasional night out, we try to do it when we can sneak up on a weeknight.

On a Saturday night, we like to have guests. We serve appetizers and martinis (that don't cost $9 each) on our lakefront patio, and dinner is enjoyed watching the sunset from dining room that overlooks the lake.
: ) To each his own, but to forego dining out on a Winnipesaukee weekend is far from unpleasant. ( :

Edit to say: As a mom of kids who worked as waitstaff at various establishments around the lake, I APPRECIATE those of you who frequent the restaurants and tip generously!!! ; )

I missinterpreted your statement. I thought you were talking about at home you were serving the $9.00 martinis. I agree that commercial establishment's cost is up there.

[Frdxplorer]

Originally Posted by WakeboardMom

I don't completely agree. With our hectic weekday schedules, once we get to the house at the lake, we don't like to leave. While we do enjoy an occasional night out, we try to do it when we can sneak up on a weeknight.

On a Saturday night, we like to have guests. We serve appetizers and martinis (that don't cost $9 each) on our lakefront patio, and dinner is enjoyed watching the sunset from dining room that overlooks the lake.

: ) To each his own, but to forego dining out on a Winnipesaukee weekend is far from unpleasant. ( :

Edit to say: As a mom of kids who worked as waitstaff at various establishments around the lake, I APPRECIATE those of you who frequent the restaurants and tip generously!!! ; )

I think you're on to something here, and it might be the reason for what I think is an overall decrease in restaurant quaility around the lakes region. I have been saying for some years that I think those with places up here tend to stay in... especially with the many new houses being built around the lake with gourmet kitchens. If you pay a lot of money to put in a kitchen capable of serving many guests, why bother with the crowds and mediocre food when you go out. Of course, places like the Inn that are very reliant on tourists only need to get people through the door once. They can probably live on toursists and not be as concerned with the "regulars"

[upthesaukee]

The Woodshed is about as far from my house as any other well known restaurant and well respected restaurant. That being said, it limited our number of visits, but we always enjoyed our visits there. However, because of the long drive, we have not been there in more than just a few years, and with postings of the inconsistencies in quality and service during this time, we decided that the journey may not be worth it.

We now tend to only go to those special places for special events, and even at that, we may choose to Do It Ourselves at home. When our daughter and granddaughter both wanted lobster and steamers for their birthdays (dates are three weeks apart), we choose a date in between both, got the lobsters and steamers at a great price, used the LP cooker, had salads, corn, and drinks for far less than it would have cost to go out. A little extra time and work, had the picnic table covered in newspaper, and an easy clean up made for a great day. We had the meal during the day, cleaned up, and headed out in the boat.

So Wakeboard Mom, I agree you may well be onto something, and unlike you, I live here year round. We love to go out to eat, but cost and in some cases, unfortunately, the quality of food and/or service limits the times we choose to go out to nice restaurants.

[Sunrise Point]

I agree with WB Mom and Ford Ex. when we are up at the lake, we tend to stay pretty close to home. My "gourmet" kitchen is a 1935 original camp kitchen with about 12 sq. feet of counterspace and a stove and sink. Somehow the food and drink always seems to taste great out on the porch (no credit to my cooking skills!).

We have a few favorites that we go back to again and again. They are not high-end or gourmet establishments by any means, but then we chose them because of the atmosphere, cleanliness and overall dining experience. Some personal favorites are:

Georges
Mames
Village Kitchen
Castle in the Clouds
Town Docks

There are literally dozens more that we are looking forward to trying based on what we read in the forum.

As far as the Woodshed is concerned, we went there a few times as a rare treat, and were pleased with the food and service. However,we have not been there in the last 2 years and now hesitate to go back based on what we have read here. Hopefully they will get their act together soon.

[LongBay]

Terry,

Thank you for the "Rossi" recommendation . I will have to give it a try some time soon.

Yes, there are some very nice places in the Lakes Region I will continue to dine at when I head up to the Lake Region on weekends. If you want a great breakfast or lunch, you should try Kitchen Cravings in Gilford. Everything is home made, very tasty, served in large portions, and the owners are local. If you don't see it on the menu chances are they can whip it up for you. Another restaurant I give a thumbs up on is T-bones. We always get great service. My wife and I like sitting in the lounge looking out onto the bay. The last time we were there a bald eagle was soaring overhead and looking down at his next good meal too.

I also have family members who own a restaurant, I am a great cook (so a lot of people tell me) and once worked in a restaurant to appreciate the good, the bad and the ugly.

[WakeboardMom]

Originally Posted by upthesaukee

The Woodshed is about as far from my house as any other well known restaurant and well respected restaurant. That being said, it limited our number of visits, but we always enjoyed our visits there. However, because of the long drive, we have not been there in more than just a few years, and with postings of the inconsistencies in quality and service during this time, we decided that the journey may not be worth it.

We now tend to only go to those special places for special events, and even at that, we may choose to Do It Ourselves at home. When our daughter and granddaughter both wanted lobster and steamers for their birthdays (dates are three weeks apart), we choose a date in between both, got the lobsters and steamers at a great price, used the LP cooker, had salads, corn, and drinks for far less than it would have cost to go out. A little extra time and work, had the picnic table covered in newspaper, and an easy clean up made for a great day. We had the meal during the day, cleaned up, and headed out in the boat.

So Wakeboard Mom, I agree you may well be onto something, and unlike you, I live here year round. We love to go out to eat, but cost and in some cases, unfortunately, the quality of food and/or service limits the times we choose to go out to nice restaurants.

I live here year 'round as well, just don't sleep here 7 nights a week. On the way to Moultonborough tonight we may stop at Giuseppe's or the Bob House. On NYE we dined at Lago's (a bit disappointing) and watched the fireworks in Meredith Bay. My daughter, who is on break from Keene State, worked a few shifts at her restaurant last week.

Summer weekend evenings are best spent at home. ; )

(LOL...at home for dinner...and the occasional Saturday night at the Paradise after dinner! ; )