The ultimate German beer paddle
Because nothing says “Happy Birthday” like schnitzel, wurst and big-ass mugs of beer, we took Kat out for an early 29th celebration this past weekend at Munich Haus in Chicopee.
German food lovers in greater Springfield are blessed, having three such restaurants nearby: Student Prince in the city, Hofbrauhaus to the west.
Friday was a busy food day for Fun With Carbs. First I covered an event where a grown man stuffed his face with four pounds of cheeseburger. Then I switched gears and crossed state lines to cover the WGBY Wine Lovers Weekend in Springfield, co-sponsored by Table & Vine.
This event is a real treat for Western Massachusetts wine lovers and foodies. First, the tickets are affordable ($40 for WGBY members, $45 for nonmembers.) The admission price entitles you to hundreds of wine, champagne and beer tastings. That alone would be worth it, but it also includes tons of gratis food tastings. (No expensive food-for-purchase ticketing system like some larger festivals. )
Count 'em. Nine patties.
When you’re a food blogger, it’s your job to eat a lot. And sometimes it’s your job to watch others stuff their faces, as we did yesterday afternoon at Doogie’s in Newington. Rock jock Zuko from Hartford’s 106.9 WCCC took on the “Whacky Burger” challenge at the restaurant.
The burger, pictured at left, consists of three pounds of beef. That’s nine 1/3-pound patties. Also: French fries, onions, peppers, secret sauce and three types of cheese.
You can read the entry (with video and more photos) over at A La Carte. It was entertaining, to say the least!
Let’s chalk this up to a “curiosity bump”: Domino’s Pizza reports that its new recipe, coupled with a straightforward ad campaign, has helped the chain more than double its fourth-quarter profit.
Sigh.
You know how I feel about the new recipe. Then again, I technically contributed my own $6+ to this profit gain.
We’ll see if Domino’s can maintain these numbers throughout the year. From what I’ve read, customers are pleased with the garlic-butter crust and the excellent online-ordering widget (which I liked, myself.) But after hearing from several Valley Independent Sentinel readers, who are blessed with proximity to plenty of places serving outstanding New Haven-style pizza, there are plenty of Connecticut diners who wouldn’t dream of touching the stuff.
I am now blogging at A La Carte, a new daily restaurant blog for ctnow.com. Click on over and check it out!
Already, we’ve covered some delicious stuff: Bun Lai welcoming children and families for a free sushi lunch at Miya’s, approval for the state’s first Sonic Drive-In in Wallingford, a week-long three-course lunch special for just $20.10 at ON20 and a new happy hour deal at the Cheesecake Factory. I’m also working on a St. Patrick’s Day/Irish menu roundup, and I’ll be covering a Whacky Burger eating challenge at Doogie’s Friday afternoon.
If you hear of any restaurant openings/closings/menu changes/events/you name it, feel free to email me anytime. much appreciated!
Leeanne Griffin is a freelance writer and food enthusiast.