FEATURED FOOD - * COVER STORY *
And Nine Other Beloved Granite State Comfort Foods
Written By The Hippo Writers (news@hippopress.com)
Images: Stock Photo
There are few restaurant menus in New Hampshire that don’t feature the chicken tender in some way, shape or form — in fact, the Puritan Backroom’s tenders topped the “Best Menu Item” category in the Hippo’s readers’ poll this year. Those and the other nine foods featured here aren’t the only dishes that Granite Staters love, but they are ubiquitous and can be found, in their many variations, at all sorts of restaurants across the state. We talked to local foodies about why these 10 dishes are quintessential New Hampshire comfort foods and suggested a few places where you can find them. What do you think is an essential part of New Hampshire cuisine, whether comfort eats or fine dining? Let us know at food@hippopress.com
Chicken Tenders
What it is: Thin strips of tenderloin chicken marinated, breaded and fried.
What makes it an essential NH food: Chicken tenders may have originated in New Hampshire; Arthur Pappas, one of the third-generation owners of the Puritan Backroom in Manchester, said the restaurant was the first to make and market chicken tenders in 1974. “When [the owners at that time] were dealing with poultry products, they had a lot of pieces left over that they didn’t know what to do with,” Pappas said, “so they started frying them up, and that’s how they came up with the chicken tenders. We’ve been doing it now for 31 years.”
While different restaurants have different variations of chicken tenders, Pappas said it’s the comfort-food quality and the universal appeal of chicken as a meat in general that makes them such an essential dish. As for their popularity in New Hampshire and at the Puritan, where they are the most commonly ordered item on the menu by far, it may be a matter of tradition.
“People have their habits with where they eat,” Pappas said, “and because we were the first to do [chicken tenders], I think it’s one of those things where people always go back to the original, and they keep coming back.”
Three local spots where you can get them:
Puritan Backroom (245 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 669-6890, puritanbackroom.com) has fried chicken tenders and broiled chicken tenders entrees for $13.95. The fried tenders also come in Buffalo or spicy ($1 more) and coconut ($2 more). Takeout options include broiled tenders for $10.50 and fried tenders with the same flavor options as the entree in small ($7.50 to $9.95), medium ($8.95 to $10.95) and large ($15.50 to $17.95) sizes. There are also fried tender plates served with fries and coleslaw, ranging from $9.75 to $11.95
The Barley House (132 N. Main St., Concord, 228-6363; 43 Lafayette Road, North Hampton, 379-9161, thebarleyhouse.com) has chicken tenders with honey mustard or house barbecue sauce for $8 and Buffalo tenders
with blue cheese and celery for $10
Chicken N Chips (12 W. Hollis St., Nashua, 943-5840, chickennchips.us) has “Chick Stix” chicken tenders, offered as a five-piece ($6.99), 10-piece ($9.99), 15-piece ($14.99) and 20-piece ($18.99), and as dinners, either regular or buffalo, in small ($8.99) and large ($10.99) sizes. There are also Chick Stix family meal packs with sides for $33.99.
Shepherd’s Pie
What it is: A meat pie typically made with lamb or beef and a mashed-potato crust, filled with vegetables like peas, carrots, corn and onions, and blended with gravy or another kind of savory sauce.
What makes it an essential NH food: Roger Soulard, owner of North Side Grille in Hudson, said the restaurant’s “Lazy Man’s Shepherd’s Pie” has always been a favorite menu item for diners. “It’s a classic New England recipe, and I believe it’s definitely a New England thing because there are people from other areas who are like, ‘What is shepherd’s pie?’” he said. “It’s a hearty comfort food dish, and I feel like a lot of that kind of comfort food originated from the New England area.”
Since shepherd’s pie is such a traditional and popular dish in New Hampshire, many restaurants that offer it do a variation of the recipe to make it their own. The simple composition of meat, potatoes and vegetables allows chefs to get creative with different combinations of ingredients and flavors.
“It’s a basic dish — easy to make and easy to like,” Soulard said. “It’s a good dish to make with leftovers because you can make it with many other kinds of vegetables and ingredients.” As it is for many New Hampshire families, shepherd’s pie was a staple meal in Soulard’s family when he was growing up, and it remains one of his favorite dishes today.
“As a kid, I always requested it for my birthday dinner. It’s not that healthy of a dish, but with the hamburger and corn and all that salt and butter, I just loved it,” he said. “It hits the spot every time.”
Three local spots where you can get it:
The Wild Rover (21 Kosciuszko St., Manchester, 669-7722, wildroverpub.com) has a full-sized ($11.99) and halfsized ($9.99) shepherd’s pie made with Guinness-braised lamb and beef, peas and carrots, topped with champ and baked golden-brown
Revival Kitchen & Bar (11 Depot St., Concord, 715-5723, revivalkitchennh.com) has a shepherd’s pie made with braised local lamb, root vegetables, mashed Yukon potatoes, natural jus and crispy potatoes for $24, also offered in gluten-free
North Side Grille (323 Derry Road, Hudson, 886-3663, hudsonnorthsidegrille.com) has a lazy man’s shepherd’s pie made with Angus beef, onions, corn and brown gravy, topped with mashed potatoes and Parmesan cheese for $12.
Fried Clams
What it is: The belly of a clam extracted from its shell, dipped in a milk- or eggbased batter, breaded and deep fried. They are not to be confused with fried clam strips, which are made from the foot of the clam detached from the belly.
“Most people who eat fried clams don’t like the strips because it’s not conventional; it’s not the real clam,” said Ben Workinger, owner of the Lobster Boat Restaurant Merrimack location. “But it’s an acquired taste. Many people who aren’t on board with eating the clam belly love the strips. They have a whole different flavor.”
What makes it an essential NH food: Workinger said that, along with the lobster rolls, fried clams are the best-selling menu item at the Merrimack Lobster Boat Restaurant, particularly in the summertime when the restaurant can get clams fresh off the coast several times a week. “It just seems like the right thing to do in the summer,” he said. “There’s nothing better for a New Englander in the summer than getting a box of fried clams.” Naturally, the popularity of fried clams stems from the abundance of clams available in the region. They thrive in cold water and are therefore more prevalent along the northern half of the Eastern Seaboard, making them a unique food for New England.
“Hundreds of years ago, catching seafood was an easy way to keep your family fed around here,” Workinger said. “Now, fried clams have been around for so long that they’re a true New England tradition.”
Three local spots where you can get it:
Clam Haven (94 Rockingham Road, Derry, 434-4679, clamhaven.com) has fried clam plates and baskets served with french fries, onion rings and coleslaw, and fried clams as a side order in small, medium and large sizes for market price
Makris Lobster & Steak House (354 Sheep Davis Road, Concord, 225-7665, eatalobster.com) has a fried native clams plate served with french fries and coleslaw, and fried clams as a side order in half-pint, pint and quart sizes for market price
Lobster Boat Restaurant (453 Daniel Webster Highway, Merrimack, 424-5221; 273 Derry Road, Litchfield, 882-4988; 75 Portsmouth Ave., Exeter, 583-5183, lobsterboatrestaurant.com) has fried clams as a dinner appetizer for $9.99, as a dinner plate in small ($19.50) and large ($23.49) sizes and as a lunch plate served with french fries and coleslaw for $13.39 ($12.89 for seniors).
Frappe
What it is: Syrup, milk and ice cream (flavor of your choice) mixed together in a blender to make a thick drink (not to be confused with a milkshake, which contains milk and syrup only, or a thick shake, which is blended with iced milk rather than ice cream to make it thick).
What makes it an essential NH food: Rosanne Cote of The Brick House Drive-In Restaurant in Hooksett said the reason the term “frappe” was coined in New England may have been that many local ice cream stands and shops in the Granite State are closely knit together and have been around for generations.
“New Englanders love their ice cream,” she said. “We have a lot of places especially in the Manchester and Concord areas that make their own ice cream, and it’s just not like that anywhere else in my opinion.… My husband and I like to travel in the wintertime and we’ve noticed there aren’t as many of these kinds of ice cream shops that you see up here.” Traditional flavors like vanilla, chocolate and coffee are often the most popular to use for blending to make frappes, Cote said, but you can make one with any flavor of ice cream. Frappes you order at The Brick House Drive-In can be made using one to three scoops of ice cream, the same amount that comes on a cone, so there’s room for experimentation with flavor.
“Our younger customers may like to go for a moose tracks frappe or a cookie dough frappe,” she said. “You can pick any flavor of ice cream we have to make one.”
Three local spots where you can get a good frappe:
The Brick House Drive-In Restaurant (1391 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 622-8091, bhrestaurant.net) offers kiddiesized frappes with one scoop of ice cream for $3.90, or large-sized frappes with three scoops of ice cream for $4.80.
Hayward’s Homemade Ice Cream (7 Daniel Webster Highway, Nashua, 888-4663, haywardsicecream.com) has dozens of flavors of ice cream to choose from to mix in frappes for $6.25, or “X-thick” frappes for $7.25 that are also mixed with iced milk.
Arnie’s Place (164 Loudon Road, Concord, 228-3225, arniesplace.com) uses more than 20 homemade ice cream flavors to make two kinds of frappe options, including a “scooped” frappe for $5.25 and an “extra-thick” frappe for
$5.95.
Cider Donut
What it is: A donut that is made with apple cider as the liquid ingredient in the batter instead of water. Cider donuts are cake donuts, which are made with baking powder and are not to be confused with raised donuts, which use yeast.
What makes it an essential NH food: According to Ron Panneton, owner of the Chichester Country Store, the Granite State has always been a hot spot for apples and apple cider, and donuts were also a popular breakfast item on logging camps, so it only seemed natural to combine the two.
“New Hampshire is historically an apple-growing region,” he said. “We basically produce more apples than we consume, and we end up shipping apples out of the state so it makes for a New Hampshire growing tradition.” Panneton said although cider donuts are especially popular in the fall, the Chichester Country Store makes them fresh year round.
“During the apple growing season we sell [our cider donuts] to a lot of farm stands in New Hampshire from about the end of August to November, but we have donuts here [at the store] every day of the year,” he said.
Panneton makes the donuts from scratch using homemade ingredients rather than a pre-made mix. “You make a batch of donuts and then you get to finish them off in different ways,” he said, “so some might come honey- dip glazed, some may have a maple glaze that goes on the top that’s made with maple syrup, or even a chocolate dip that goes on the top. … You can also coat them in sugar or cinnamon, so that’s how you
can go beyond with different flavors.”
Three local spots where you can get good cider donuts:
Chichester Country Store (257 Main St., Chichester, 798-5081, chichestercountrystore.com) has homemade cider donuts for 99 cents each, $5.49 per half-dozen or $9.99 per dozen, with a variety of flavors that include chocolate glaze, maple glaze, cinnamon and more.
Sunnycrest Farm (59 High Range Road, Londonderry, 432-7753, sunnycrestfarmnh.com) bakes homemade cider donuts in its onsite bakery made with cider from apples grown on the farm.
Lull Farm (65 Broad St., Hollis, 465-7079, livefreeandfarm.com) has fresh cider donuts available in its bakery on the farm made with homegrown apples.
Spanakopita
What it is: A Greek pastry dish containing spinach, cheese and onions or scallions stuffed inside of a phyllo dough. Spanakopita is not to be confused with kreatopita, which normally contains beef or another kind of mixed meat in the dough in place of the spinach.
What makes it an essential NH food: The Granite State having a large Greek ancestral population has allowed a traditional dish like spanakopita to be introduced to new people, according to Peter Tsoupelis, owner of the Amphora Fine Greek Dining Restaurant in Derry. “We roll [the dough] individually and cook it to order,” he said. “We make them in triangles that are about slightly under an inch long, which are good for two-bite appetizers, so people try it for the first time that way and it just kind of takes off from there, they try other new Greek dishes.”
There are several variations of spanakopita, using different kinds of bread to make the dough and different types of cheeses to stuff it with. Tsoupelis said the dish available at Amphora contains feta cheese, sauteed onions and seasoned greens, mixed together like a salad before being rolled in the phyllo. “The cool thing about spanakopita is the original design for how it was made was meant to be a portable food suitable for travelling,” he said. “Rolling our own pastries individually and cooking them to order allows us to make regular-sized ones, which are typically 3-inch-by-3-inch triangles.”
Three local spots where you can get good spanakopita:
Amphora Fine Greek Dining Restaurant (55 Crystal Ave., Derry, 537-0111, amphoranh.com) offers a homemade spanakopita as a hot appetizer that is cooked to order and costs $3.25. The dish is made with phyllo dough, spinach and feta cheese and serves two people.
The Gas Lighter Restaurant (204 N. Main St., Concord, 228-8854) is a family-owned restaurant offering several homemade Greek dishes, including spanakopita.
Main Street Gyro (215 Main St., Nashua, 579-0666, mainstreetgyro.com) offers a homemade spanakopita as a side dish, made to order with phyllo dough, spinach
and feta cheese.
Greek Pizza
What it is: Mike Vagenas, a cook at Annula’s Pizza in Manchester, said Greek pizza generally has thicker crust compared to New York-style or Italian-style pizzas. It is rolled, not hand-tossed, and is cooked until its surface is nice and crispy. According to Scott Pappas at Pappy’s Pizza in Manchester, the preparation for his Greek pizza involves a lot more prep work than traditional Italian pizza, including overnight proofing the dough and the next day, after adding the sauce and cheese, letting it sit for a few hours before cooking it in the oven at 500 degrees for nine minutes. Not all pizza places make their own dough, however. The Greek pizza menu item, alternatively, is usually a type of pizza made with feta, spinach, black olives and tomato.
What makes it an essential NH food: Scott Pappas said Greek pizza was the most prevalent kind of pizza available in New Hampshire restaurants because of the significant Greek immigrant population that came to New England in the 20th century. Pappas said the Greek recipe used at Pappy’s is the same as the original recipe used at one of the only two Manchester pizza joints in town about 60 years ago. Greek pizza owners had to put in long hours to prepare their cultural import for Granite Staters to consume, according to Pappas. There’s an old joke that local Greeks like to share about that. “They said that God invented pizza places to punish the Greeks,” Pappas said.
Three local spots where you can get a good Greek pizza:
Pappy’s Pizza (1531 Elm St., Manchester, 623-3131, pappyspizzaonline.com) sells Greek pizza in 10-inch or 14-inch sizes or cheese and pepperoni pizza by the slice. Prices range from $6.40 to $18.95 for whole pizzas.
Tilton House of Pizza (298 Main St., Tilton, 286-7181, find them on Facebook) won the Hippo’s 2017 readers’ poll for Best Pizza, Dine-In in the Concord area.
Gianni’s Pizza Family Restaurant (19 Charron Ave., Nashua, 883-8228, giannispizza.net) sells Greek-style pizza in small and large sizes with prices ranging from $6.49 to $18.50.
Poutine
What it is: French fries covered in chicken gravy and cheese curds
What makes it an essential NH food: Poutine, pronounced “puts-IN” in French, is a working-class French-Canadian staple that originated in Quebec and has traveled down to New Hampshire, which has a strong French-Canadian immigrant presence. However, poutine didn’t follow those firstgeneration mill workers on the train down. Franco-American historian Robert Perreault says poutine is a modern invention that started showing up in the mid to late 20th century. “It’s not something traditional,” Perreault said.
It’s exact origins are debatable, but common stories point to certain small restaurants and diners in Quebec offering fries with curds and later with gravy as well. Perreault heard one story, possibly apocryphal, of a Quebec restaurant chain inventing poutine to compete with the advent of Kentucky Fried Chicken. Wherever it comes from, local French-Canadians have embraced it as a cultural mainstay.
Three local spots where you can get good poutine:
Chez Vachon (136 Kelley St., Manchester, 625-9660, chezvachon.com) is arguably the state capital of poutine, famous for its dish and variations with meats and vegetables. Try the Grand Poutine, with 5 pounds of poutine, for $23.99.
Kimball’s CAV’ern (351 Pembroke St., Pembroke, 485-7777, kimballscavern.com) sells a small poutine for $7.49 and a large for $9.49. Every Friday, small poutine is specially priced at $5.
Bellagio’s Pizza (150 Broad St., Nashua, 204-5510, bellagionashua.com) sells regular “Canadian poutine” at $7.99 for a small, $9.99 for a large. It also comes with steak, grilled chicken and bacon-jalepeno, each at $8.99 for a small, $10.99 for a large.
Steak Bomb
What it is: What makes a true steak bomb is up for debate, though most contain steak, peppers, onions, mushrooms and cheese on a sub roll. The kind of cheese (American, Swiss, provolone, cheddar) varies, and so does the bread type (sub rolls, wraps, pockets, par baked bread). Some also include mayonnaise, salami or pickles. “Almost any pizza place you go to will have its own variation,” said Courtney Dufresne, a chef at The Pizza Man in Hooksett.
What makes it an essential NH food: Nancy Stewart, owner of The Sandwich Depot, said her business sells steak bombs all day long, starting at 7 a.m., when truck drivers get off their night shifts, and ending when the shop closes, at 3:30 p.m., when the last downtown Concord workers are taking their lunches. The shop is busiest during weekdays, when people are working, and that’s when the most steak bombs get sold. She calls it a working person’s sandwich.
“I think New Hampshire is full of real people who work, and they get hungry!” Stewart said. “People come in here with work boots, but we also have attorneys coming in. … A steak bomb is something you wouldn’t cook at home, but it’s going to sustain you for when you go back to work.”
In 2007, the New Hampshire steak bomb also saw a great deal of press when one local shop claimed ownership and had the term “steak bomb” trademarked at the U.S. patent office, firing a letter to their nearest competitor to take “steak bomb” off its menu.
Three local spots where you can get a steak bomb:
The Pizza Man (254 W. River Road, Hooksett, 626-7499, thepizzamandelivers.com) It’s made with 12 ounces of shaved steak grilled with mushrooms, onions, peppers and salami and spiced with Italian seasoning, served on a roll with melted American cheese.
The Sandwich Depot (49 Hall St., Concord, 228-3393, thesandwichdepot.com) It’s made with thinly sliced lean steak with mushrooms, green peppers, onions and a choice of American, Swiss, provolone or cheddar cheese on par baked bread, toasted just before serving with all ingredients inside. Stewart said it can also be served in subs or wraps.
7 Star Pizza & Restaurant (235 Main St., Nashua, 889-8810, sevenstarpizzaandrestaurant.com) It’s made with steak, American cheese, mushrooms, onions, peppers, ham, salami and pepperoni.
Lobster Roll
What it is: A sandwich filled with lobster meat; it’s often soaked in butter or mayo and served in a steamed hot dog bun, but there are many sandwich variations. Some restaurants use additional ingredients, like diced celery, lettuce or lemon juice. They’re frequently served with chips, french fries or pickles.
What makes it an essential NH food: For one, it’s from the ocean, and because we live in a coastal state, it’s something that can be served 12 months of the year. It’s popular even in the dead of winter, particularly among people visiting the Granite State who want to get a taste of New England before leaving, said Ann Masterson, owner of Hooked Seafood Restaurant in Manchester.
“It’s especially popular for businessmen traveling through — they want to get their New England lobster,” Masterson said.Their restaurant serves a variety of lobster dishes, from a boiled dinner to lobster macaroni and cheese to lobster ravioli. The lobster roll is most popular at lunchtime. “I think it’s refreshing and light, and when you want seafood, lobster doesn’t taste fishy to me,” Masterson said. “It tastes clean.”
Three local spots where you can get a lobster roll:
Hooked Seafood Restaurant (606-1189, hookedonignite.com) It’s served on a toasted sub roll with lettuce, a quarter pound of fresh lobster claws and knuckles, celery, lemon, salt, pepper and a little mayonnaise, so as not to overpower the lobster flavor, Masterson said.
Surf Restaurant (207 Main St., Nashua, 595-9293, surfseafood.com) It’s a quarter pound of lobster meat warmed in drawn butter and served in a warm brioche roll with coleslaw.
Newick’s Lobster House (317 Loudon Road, Concord, 225-2424, newicks.com) It’s hand-cracked lobster meat lightly tossed in mayonnaise, available in a jumbo or an original (ciabatta) roll.