Ari H.'s Profile

Angie's is much more than a coffee shop: it's the only diner (err, dinette) in town. Smack-dab in the heart of Newburyport, Angie's is where breakfast is served all day and the lunch options are pretty good too.

I've sampled many things on the menu, but my favorites are the turkey hash (make sure to order a side of eggs and a side of turkey hash, or you'll get the turkey hash AND the hashbrowns), the Greek-style omelette (it comes standard with tomatoes and cheese, though I like to add loucanico), and the tuna salad (which has a healthy dollop of tuna).

If you don't like homemade ice cream, churned with 15% buttermilk from a local dairy farm, while doing whatever you do on your laptop with free wireless access and people-watching both in the calmly-painted store or outside through the windows overlooking Friend Street, then don't visit Maggie Sundae.

But if the above throbs your head, you know where to go.

They serve dog-friendly ice cream too.

Tendercrop Farm is as good as it gets for organic produce, free range poultry and meat, baked goods, fresh and dry plants and flowers for all seasons, and assorted gift shop foods.

I shop at Tendercrop about twice a month to load up on green peppers, scallions, tomatoes, vidalia onions, strawberries, blueberries, apples, chicken drumsticks, maple sausage, lean ground beef...

The prices are reasonable, if not dirt cheap compared to big box supermarkets and because everything is either grown on premises or shipped in from other farms, there are no artificial "enhancements" added to the produce to make them shine.

And it's an independent farm so every purchase adds dollars to the local economy.

Be sure to stop by the rear of the property to say hi to Buffy the Buffalo and whatever the white llama's name is.

I'm surprised nobody has reviewed the only Chinese/Thai/Sushi restaurant in downtown Newburyport.

The combination plates for lunch are a good deal at under $8 and the dinner entrees are tactfully-prepared with fresh ingredients and flavors.

For a Chinese and Thai restaurant, the food is delicious and worth a visit. I recommend the massaman curry, Thai salad with peanut sauce, chicken teriyaki, egg drop soup, and Moo Goo Gai Pan. You can order white rice or brown rice with every meal.

The sushi is OK but nothing spectacular; Hana Japan across town is much better for sushi preparation in my opinion, as that is a strict Japanese joint.

Oh, the scorpion bowls are also worth a try; share one with a friend!

Hopscotch opened two weeks ago as I write this review.

On their opening day, I entered around 11:30 to eat breakfast and learned they stopped serving at 11 to focus on the lunch crowd before closing for the day at 2.

Enough people complained and Hopscotch now offers breakfast alongside lunch all day. I ate there a few days ago and ordered a cup of chowder (no idea what kind, it tasted like popcorn floating in a milky broth) with a 4-cheese grilled cheese sandwich which was very tasty and cheesy!

I hear from others that the sandwiches and egg dishes are very good, so I'll definitely return. I'm not a fan yet but I like what I'm seeing.

Despite living a 5-minute walk from the restaurant, I waited two months to taste their wares. I incorrectly assumed the service and quality would need some time to work out any kinks.

Eating with a friend, we each ordered a small pizza pie: I tried the wild mushroom mix and she went with the barbecue chicken. The mushrooms were tasty, the crust was not too thick, but for the cheese and sauce combination, I've had better. My companion didn't enjoy her chicken pizza either.

We also tried a hummus appetizer which was odd to see in a Greek pizza joint. It was gross: black olives mushy from soaking in too much olive oil, dry pita, and hummus that is nothing compared to store-bought varieties.

The service was spot-on, though I didn't appreciate requesting the pizza come with red sauce instead of white sauce but neither the menu nor the server informed me of a $1.50 substitution charge.

I'll give the place another try, but for now I give them 2 stars.

The Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn apparently lacks many air-conditioned sit-down restaurants that serve breakfast on Sunday mornings.

I know because I walked about 45 minutes during a sticky humid morning looking for one until I spotted the El Dorado at the corner of Nostrand Ave. and Crown St.

The El Dorado is split into two; one part contains four booths and a walk-to counter to order the Caribbean and American food. The other part is a lounge with a juice bar and some couches/chairs. Each side has a wall-mounted plasma TV.

I ordered scrambled eggs, turkey bacon, and plaintains; my friend ordered a fried fish with rice; and I also tried a smoothy pineapple slush. The food was delicious all around and the total bill came to $12.

When I asked about the history, the girl behind the counter said it'd been around for years but under new management for the past year. Their business card advertises free delivery, a Friday happy hour, and Sunday seafood specials.

After spending the day driving with a friend from Boston to Brooklyn and unloading her belongings into a Crown Heights apartment, I found myself roaming the neighborhood on Saturday night at 11:30 in search of a bar.

All I wanted was a beer. At Tavern on Nostrand, I discovered the bartender (or was he manager?) Ray who told me he used to be a banker but switched careers and was able to converse in basic words in eight languages.

Ray was a class act when I walked in, wiped my sweaty forehead on my t-shirt and immediately poured me a glass of water. And re-filled it. when the glass got low.

The bar was closing at midnight, so five minutes before I ordered a beer - an Amstel Light - and nursed it for about a half hour while reading the Daily News. It didn't matter that the place was closing; he preferred me to sit and relax and give the bar future business than turning me down.

I left at 12:30.

Do I review a chain restaurant (and I don't mean the fast food ilk) independently or in comparison to meals at the other locations?

By choosing the former, this brewery gets 4 stars; if the latter, only 3 stars.

And here's why: As the other Yelper suggests, John Harvard's used to manage a mere two locations in Massachusetts: one in Harvard Square and the other in Shopper's World in Natick. A few years ago, the company took over an under-performing restaurant at the base of the Jiminy Peak ski resort.

Maybe it's still discovering itself. I don't know, but it doesn't have the same charm and character as the other Boston-centric locations.

I ate here with a party of 16. The meals were okay, nothing too special, although I must give kudos to the chef for their soup of the day: a creamy milk-based bisque with hints of apple, potato, and bacon. The apple did it for me and my mouth was an orgasm of fruity sensations. I shared the bisque with others at the table and we all enjoyed it wholeheartedly.

Definitely go to John Harvard's brewhouse for the drinks. The beers are very good and the bartenders also know how to concoct some tasty cocktails. There's a small wine list.

The food is so-so but like the apple bisque, you may be pleasantly surprised.

The service is top-notch. As for the other Yelper's thoughts of too many tourists, bring your camera and take pictures of people eating.

Despite their independently roasted, Fair Trade certified, and Kosher coffee, I don't drink the Joe so ordered a smoothie during a recent pit stop off Route 2 in western Massachusetts.

The 100% fruit and non-dairy smoothie was delicious and exactly what I needed for the hot summer's day.

Evident by their MySpace page linked above, Mocha Maya's is home to numerous musicians who play during nights or weekend afternoons. There is definitely enough space, and it's homey space that you would feel comfortable socializing with friends or people watching while enjoying your drink and noshing on a baked good, too.