I tried this Thai restaurant on Friday at dinner. It is near a Lechonera place between Pizza Bruno and South Crystal Lake Dr. I had the crispy spring rolls ($5), chicken satay ($8) and Tom Yum Shrimp ($6) to go. All were apps. All were nothing special. Egg rolls sized spring rolls with scant, cabbage filling. Most likely store bought. The usual vinegar based dip. Rubbery, stringy chicken (4) with no flavor. Freezer burn. Ok peanut sauce. Served on shredded white cabbage. Two tiny shrimp in the usual sour broth. Some peppers and onion. The menu has nothing uncommon on it. The place is a square shape. low ceilings. They seemed to have repainted. I believe it was a light gray. Seats about fifty. Empty near closing time. I think it was a pho place before this. Open for a month. You can skip it.
*Travel Notes - Vermont/New Hampshire/Maine: I flew (mid-afternoons/non stop) Jet Blue into Albany for $186. No issues. I rented a Honda Civic from Budget for $440/wk. No issues. They moved the Belmont to Saratoga this year, so, hotels rates and rental car prices were ridiculous. I drove 7E to Bennington VT and stayed at the lousy Starlight Inn (Expedia 6.6) for $97. I had fish and chips and mushy peas at Lil Britain. Most things were closed. Beer at Harvest Brewing. I drove a bit east on 9E to 8S to 100E to Brigham Young's Birthplace in Whitingham VT. You must go up a little hill near the post office. It is on the right side. Look for a small stone marker. Then back north on 100 past Jacksonville to 9E. I tried some whiskey and bought some moonshine at Metcalfe's Vermont Distillers in Marlboro VT. Further on 9E to Brattleboro and Keene and Concord. Then 4E to 125N to Rochester to 9E to Berwick to Wells ME. I stayed at the Ne'r Beach Motel (Expedia 7.6) for $93 plus $10 RF. Drove around.
Up 1N the next day. Lunch at McLaughlin's Lobster Shack Beachfront in Lincolnville. I had two types of oysters (Pemaquid Damariscotta River and Birchpoint Isleboro) and haddock chowder. In Orland (had to stop because of the name), I had mint chocolate chip ice cream at Carrier's Mainely Lobster. This was the first joint that had reasonable lobster pricing. I was already full though. On to Bucksport and 3E to Ellsworth. It turns south there for Mount Desert Island. That is Bar Harbor and Acadia NP territory. I stayed at the half off Main Street Motel (Expedia 9.2) for $68. It was good. I should tell you it had rained the whole time up until now. I had some ok white and terrible red wine at Bar Harbor Cellars. I had a $16 a pound (the best price I found the whole trip) STEAMED lobster and a pound of STEAMED mussels for $9 at the nearby C-Ray's Lobster. There were twenty mussels to the pound if they did it right. Still, three quarters of them were shriveled. Some one call the mussel police. What is going on? Why aren't they eating? Is this a farm raising development? It's a global mussel mystery. I drove back to downtown and saw the sunset at the park/ferry dock. Had beer at Fogtown Brewing Company. Walked around.
The next day I had a Sampler at Mainely Meat BBQ. Sausage/Pulled Pork/Ribs/Chicken/Potato Salad/Slaw/Corn Bread/Beans. I drove to the Hulls Cove Visitor Center at Acadia and through the middle of the park. Every parking spot at every stop was full. To Northeast Harbor and up and over to Southwest Harbor and the Lighthouse at Bass Harbor. I was just exploring. I hadn't been in this area for quite a while. I drove by some food truck called Charlotte's that had lots of reviews. Prices were too high for me. The road there was washed out. Had to take a different route to the lighthouse. Up the west side of the island and back to Bar Harbor. I stayed at the Bar Harbor Manor (Expedia 8.4) for $103. It was a bit closer in. I had beer at the Atlantic Brewing Company. Walked around.
The next day I had breakfast next to the first motel. A good sausage and cheese omlette at Everyday Joe's. I drove 3S to another park entrance (Sieur du Monts). FYI - the fee is $35 if you don't have an annual pass. Saw much more of the park. Overlook, Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, Otter Point, etc. Back up to the Visitor Center and then back south the same way as the day before. Very busy. I had lunch at The Colonel's in Northeast Harbor. This is considered the ritzy area. I had reasonably priced clam chowder (most wanted $10-$14), and an Autumn Turkey Club with FF. The club became dinner. I stayed at the Kimball Terrace Inn (Booking 8.2) for $117. I walked about. Gilpatrick Cove, etc. I then did the same drive as the day before, but, took Sargeant Drive out and in. You have to do this! It goes aside Somes Sound Fjord. I finished the Moonshine on the balcony that night.
The next day I stopped for breakfast at Seaside Deli and Sweets. Much to my surprise, they were selling stone crabs. $24 for twelve medium sized claws (no arms). Shells removed. I didn't know that they lived up there too. They must not have limits or the harvesting seasons are different. They said they get caught up in the lobster traps. Tasted the same. I ate them at a picnic table at Suminsby Park on Sargeant Drive. Just where the road loses the fjord view. Beautiful (free) experience. You have to do it! I got back in the car and tried another lobster pound on the way off the island. They weren't open yet. They had stone crabs too! Forget the name. Hotel guy told me about them. Back down 3W and 1S. Failed at finding another lobster place as cheap as C-Ray's that I hadn't been to before. Plus it started to rain again. Some other hoped for places were closed that day of all days. At Bath, I drove towards the water on some smaller roads (209, 24, 123) to places like Fort Popham SHS at Sebasco Estates and Bailey Island (Mackerel Cove). Three peninsulas in all. Back through Brunswick and Bowdoin College. There is a Harriet Beecher Stowe House there. Back onto 1S. Stopped in Freeport. Stayed at the crappy Casco Bay Inn (Expedia 9.2 - had to be manipulated) for $93. I chose Freeport for the breweries I always drive by. I had beer and terrible pizza at the Maine Brewing Company. Beer at the Good Fire Brewing Co. It was next to the motel. I drove down a road next to it a few miles and back.
The next day I stopped in Portland. Saw the Portland Expo and Sea Dogs Stadium (Hadlock Field). Ate a bad omlette on the wharf at Becky's Diner because they had free parking. Finally found this sushi place I ate at years ago called Mami. Back onto 1S to Saco. Onto 111 and 11 to Rochester. 202W to 9W. Stopped in Northwood NH for beer at Northwoods Brewing Company. Through Concord and up 3N to 127 to Daniel Webster's Birthplace in Franklin NH. East to 93N to Plymouth. Stayed at the crappy Pilgrim Inn (Expedia 7.2) for $107. It was almost impossible (again) to find anything reasonable in NH or VT not in Killington or Lincoln. I ate meatballs, potato skins and wedge salad at Lucky Dog Tavern.
The next day 25W to 118W to 4W to Lebanon VT. Up 14N (along the White River) past Sharon to the Joseph Smith Birthplace. Back to 4W through Woodstock to 100A to the Calvin Coolidge Birthplace Homestead in Plymouth Notch VT. $12. Then to Londonderry on 100S and 30W (above Stratton) to 7S and 7E (NY) to the airport.
I almost passed on this trip when my parking lot was full and had to go to the airport south lot. All of their other lots were also full. That and I swore Budget was going to screw me again on the rental because of the Triple Crown bs. Glad I pushed through. Glad the weather and hotel rates pushed me farther north in Maine. Gas was $3.20 to $3.60. As usual. missing meals were fast food or supermarkets.
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