Best of Manchester 2003

Ladislau Lala of Lala's Hungarian pastries. Picture by Keith Demanche.

By Amy Diaz
Hippopress.com

We asked, you answered
For the second year, HippoPress called on readers to pick the people, places and things that are the jewels in the Queen City crown. We've tallied the votes and consoled the also-rans. From DJs to desserts, from poutine to politicians, here are your picks for the Best of Manchester 2003.

Art Gallery
1. Currier Museum of Art
201 Myrtle Way, 669-6144
With high-profile traveling exhibits like "New York, New Works, Now!" sharing the roof with local artists, the city's premier gallery, no, wait, the city's premier museum, continues to capture the hearts of art lovers.

2. Art 3 Gallery, 44 W. Brook St.,
668-6650

Bakery
1. Michelle's Gourmet Pastries & Deli
819 Union St., 647-7150
From cakes and pies to tortes and tiramisu, this neighborhood shop offers a variety of tempting desserts for carry out or to eat on the way home (a selection of espresso drinks fits nicely with the muffin offerings-try the honey oat cranberry muffin for a surprising breakfast treat). Leave your diet, take the canolli.

2. La La's Hungarian Pastry, 836 Elm St., 647-7100

Bar for Live Music
1. The Black Brimmer
1087 Elm St., 669-5523
You want Goo Goo Dolls? You want Nickleback? You want Dave Matthews? Let the Brimmer be your jukebox. Manch's main meeting spot offers a schedule of reliable cover bands providing dance-friendly tunes most nights of the week.

2. Strange Brew Tavern, 88 Market St., 666-4292

Barbershop/ Salon
1. Not So Plain Jane's Salon
155 Dow St., 622-5971
Curl up and dye-no problem for Not So Plain Jane's. Situated in a mill building at Commercial and Dow streets, Jane's offers the full scale of men and women's hair styling-from "a little off the top" to "make me look like…"

2. Salon Beauchesne, 32 Hanover St., 621-0500

Beer Selection
1. Strange Brew Tavern
88 Market St., 666-4292
It's the Epcot Center of barley and hops! Strange Brew offers 42 beers on tap and at least another 40 more in the bottle. Our sudsy little friends hail from the Czech Republic, Belgium, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Ireland well as hemispheric neighbors Mexico, Canada and Jamaica. (Microbrews from Vermont as well as foamy goodness from the Granite State also make the cut). Mmmm, beer.

2. Milly's Tavern, 500 Commercial St., 625-4444

Breakfast
1. Andy's Place
342 Cypress St., 645-1889
Elliot Hospital adjacent, this diner is a weekend morning hot spot. (Wake up early to enjoy that Sunday coffee before the crowds.) Hot items on Andy's menu include the Montreal omelet (three eggs with steak, cheese, onions, and mushrooms) and four varieties of skillets. Breakfast also comes with a basket of assorted baked breads and mini-muffins.

2. Red Arrow Diner, 61 Lowell St., 626-1118

Burger
1. Billy's Sports Bar & Grill
34 Tarrytown Road, 622-3644
Billy's staff serves up about 100 burgers daily to happy meat eaters, about half of which are the Billy burger. What makes the Billy burger special? The standard half-pound of beef gets a good slathering of barbecue sauce and is joined on bun by Canadian bacon and Swiss cheese.

2. Puritan Backroom, 245 D.W. Highway, 669-6890

Chicken Tenders
1. Puritan Backroom
245 D.W. Highway, 669-6890
This is the stuff right here. These chicken tenders feature a coating that nicely mixes the traditional salty breading with a sweet honey kick. No need to dress these chickadees up with a lot of condiments-although the Puritan sends a sweet duck sauce along for the culinary ride-the Backroom's tenders shine even au naturel.

2. T-Bones Great American Eatery, 25 S. River Road, Bedford, 641-6100

Chinese Restaurant
1. Szechuan House
245 Maple St., 669-8811
The dine-in and take-out menus feature Szechuan, Hunan and Mandarin dishes. Including Chinese food favorites such as sesame beef, orange chicken, spicy bean curd, Hunan pork, and sweet and sour chicken. Most of Szechuan's dishes cost $11 or less.

2. Aloha Restaurant, 901 Hanover St., 647-2100

Coffee
1. Dunkin Donuts
How can something this ubiquitous help but be everybody's favorite-by default if nothing else. In defense of the omnipresent chain, they offer not only coffee with the convenience of drive-through but also some highly edible coffee cake and blueberry muffins. And, of course, what would an office meeting be without a box of glazed and crayon-hued sprinkle-covered Munchkins?

2. Fusion, 967 Elm St., 647-4344

Columnist
1. John Clayton
The Union Leader
He didn't just write the book on Manchester, Union Leader columnist John Clayton wrote several books on the Queen City. The biographer of our hometown for many many years, Clayton's the unofficial mayor of the city's social scene.

2. Jody Reese, HippoPress

Dance Club
1. Omega Restaurant & Lounge
494 Elm St., 668-7997
One of the city's newer restaurants, Omega is all about getting people in motion. Its location right across from Verizon makes Omega the beginning and the end.

2. Brass Monkey, 1181 Elm St., 624-6800

Deli
1. Suddenly Susan's Gourmet Deli
28 Hanover St., 625-1850
A little bit of everything tasty could be the motto for this Hanover Street institution. Friendly service, weekly specials, and healthy, made-to-order selections offer the best alternative to the usual fast-food burger and fries lunch.

2. Angela's Pasta and Cheese Shop, 815 Chestnut St., 625-9544

Date Places
1. UnWined
865 Second St., 625-9463
In dim lighting, everybody looks more attractive. Into this warm, dusky environment mix in some comfy-hip sofas and coffee tables or intimate settings of stools and high tables. Add a selection of mood enhancing wines and made-for-sharing cheese and bread plates and you get some idea of what makes this wine bar (hidden away in an unassuming strip mall) such a perfect setting for romance.

2. Cotton, 75 Arms Park Drive, 622-5488

Desserts
1. Lala's Hungarian Pastry
836 Elm St., 647-7100
At Lala's, you get more than Ladislau Lala's homemade European pastries, you get history as well. Really, just ask him. Dobos pastry, for example, was invented by Joseph Dobos of Budapest in 1876. If the vanilla creamy goodness of Dobos does not suit your fancy, try tiramisu, chocolate minions or cream horns.

2. Michelle's Gourmet Pastries & Deli, 819 Union St., 647-7150

Diner
1 Red Arrow Diner
61 Lowell St., 626-1118
The diner that all other diners want to be when they grow up-the Red Arrow offers the sort of no-fooling-around, ketchup-and-grease goodness that you just can't replicate without the round stools and the crowded booths. Always open, the Red Arrow is ready to serve up pancakes and eggs, grilled cheese and fries, or pie and ice cream long after its hoity-toity neighbors have gone home to bed.

2. Shirley D's Diner, 113 Elm St., 623-9065

Dive Bars
1. Uptown Tavern
1301 Elm St., 666-0909
You can never be bored at the Uptown. Also, you'll have to try really hard to be lonely at the Uptown. Whether people-watching from the bar or people-hitting-on a few steps away from the bar, the Uptown never fails to provide an evening of entertainment. And where else in the city will you find girls with light-bulb-festooned T-shirts selling trays full of Jell-O shots?

2. The Wild Rover, 21 Kosciuszko St., 669-7722

Fries
1. McDonald's
People, please. We can do better than this. Sure, those beef-flavor coated paragons of the drive-through world will satiate that occasional fast-food craving. But the Golden Arches' golden snacks ain't what they used to be (the fries have gotten "healthier" due to the use of a less junk-food-ilicious oil). Besides, why reward a company that finally got its not-meeting-quarterly-profit-projections comeuppance?

2. Caesario's, 1057 Elm St., 669-8383

Gym
1. Gold's Gym
89 Dow St., 641-6500
All the gym amenities come with the added benefit of being available 24 hours on weekdays. But, of course, working out is only half the draw. At Gold's, you gotta look good to work on looking good. Who says the bars are the only place to meet people?

2. YMCA, 30 Mechanic St., 623-3558

Happy Hour
1. Strange Brew Tavern
88 Market St., 666-4292
Deals to be had every night at the Strange Brew. Some of the most tempting: 20 percent off on Monday nights for friends of the business; appetizer buffet from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday nights; half price drinks for all the gals as part of Thursday's ladies night and $2 well drinks and draft beers along with half priced appetizers on Tuesday nights from 6 p.m. to closing.

2. The Wild Rover, 21 Kosciuszko St., 669-7722

Ice Cream
1. Puritan Backroom
245 D.W. Highway, 669-6890
Baklava ice cream-doesn't that just say it all? A cone from the Puritan is one of the highlights of a Manchester summer but all the creamy heaven doesn't completely hibernate during the snowy months. Even though you can't enjoy a scoop of chocolate mint chip or black raspberry outdoors, the Puritan's ice cream menu is available both in the Backroom and at the take-out counter.

2. Goldenrod Restaurant and Drive-In, 1681 Candia Rd., 623-9469

Italian
1. Piccola Italia Ristorante
827 Elm St., 606-5100
Piccola grabs you with the display of rich desserts near the door and doesn't let go until you clean the manicotti from your plate. The selection of top notch chicken, veal, steak, and seafood dishes is made all the more delicious by the cozy, neighborhood atmosphere-from the waiter who belts out Italian love songs to the owners who treat every customer like a personal friend.

2. Bernardo's Italian Restaurant, 1707 S. Willow St., 623-3838

Jeweler
1. Bijoux Extraordinaire
624-8672
When you are looking for that certain special something for that certain special someone, look no further. Classy, eclectic, perfectly beautiful jewelry with an original flair is what makes this jeweler stand out. They also offer classes for those who like to learn about the gems and stones they wear.

2. Bellman Jewelers, 1650 Elm St., 625-4653

DJ
1. DJ Titus
Okay, you voted for him, now help us find him. We've heard the name, and you must have too, but where and what this mysterious DJ spins is a mystery. DJ Titus come forth.

2. DJ Macaroni

Live Local Music
1. Mama Kicks
And kick they do. A Black Brimmer favorite-the group plays there every Wednesday-Mama Kicks has been around for ages and knows what their audience wants. Lisa Guyer, Gardner Berry and David Stefanelli are all you will ever need to get a musical fix.

2. My Sister Will

MCTV Show
1. Board of Mayor and Aldermen
meetings
OK, so Bob Baines isn't exactly sneaking up on "Joe Millionaire" in the ratings department. But the playback of city meetings can offer valuable insight to citizens on how decisions that affect their lives are made. Also, screaming back at your TV? Fine. Screaming at the actual politicians in chambers? Not so much.

2. Joe Kelly's "Kind and Gentle Show"

Mexican
1. La Carreta Mexican Restaurant
545 D.W. Highway, 628-6899
It may be a long way to the Rio Grande, but La Carreta offers a short trip to some solid Mexican food. Kick off a meal of tacos, enchiladas or arroz con pollo with some damn fine chips and salsa. Or, head right to the bar for a wide selection of margaritas, daiquiris and other tropical buzz-inducers.

2. Shorty's Mexican Roadhouse, 1050 Bicentennial Drive, 625-1730

Neighborhood Market
1. Sully's Superette
432 S. Main St., 625-9331
This market has been a neighborhood staple for three generations and is best known for its selection of fresh meats, from steaks to roasts. Also, Sully's provides the quick shopper with a good selection of all the essentials, plus a bakery with fresh bread and a none-too-shabby selection of desserts.

2. Bunny's Superette, 75 Webster St., 622-5080

Outdoor Dining
1. Jillian's Billiard Club
50 Philippe Cote Dr., 626-7636
Jillian's porch (with a view of the scenic freeway overpass) provides a good spot to cool off after a summer evening of pool. Also, adding fresh air to the everybody-looks-better-in-dim-lighting principle, is there anything more flattering than a hair-rustling breeze and a little back lighting courtesy of the moon?

2. Fratello's Ristorante Italiano, 155 Dow St., 624-2022

Park
1. Wagner Memorial Park
("pretty park")
Prospect and Maple streets
This park is so darn pretty, that that's its unofficial name. The location of weddings and midnight strolls for countless North Enders, "Pretty Park" features a gazebo to take in the nature.

2. Livingston Park, D.W. Highway

Performing Arts Venue
1. Palace Theatre
80 Hanover St., 668-5588
The picturesqueness of the Opera Block blends with the stately interior of the Palace to form one of the city's most attractive and grand yet still intimate venues. At 864 seats, the Palace allows music and theater audiences alike to get close to the action.

2. Verizon Wireless Arena, 555 Elm St., 644-5000

Photography
1. Rheault Photographers
72 Hanover St., 627-7991
From weddings to proms to everything in between, Rheault Photographers owner Roland Lemire does it all at this Hanover Street mainstay.

2. Croteau Photography Inc., 941
Elm St., 644-8897

Pick Up Place
1. Uptown Tavern
1301 Elm St., 666-0909
Who says there's no place to meet people? After an evening at the Uptown, you'll have a whole passel of new friends. Getting picked up at the Uptown is all about endurance-dangle the bait long enough, something will inevitably bite.

2. The Black Brimmer, 1087 Elm St., 669-5523

Pizza
1. Alley Cat Pizzeria
486 Chestnut St., 669-4533
The home of the 20-inch pizza delivers its feline-themed pies to most of Manchester and is available by take-out to everyone else. The menu includes the AristoCat (feta and spinach pizza), the Tom Cat (with meatballs), the Black Cat (Cajun chicken with red onions), the El Gato (hamburger, corn chips, onions, green peppers, black olives, tomatoes, and hots), and the Cat's Meow (a choice of any five toppings).

2. Luisa's Italian Pizzeria, 673 D.W. Highway, 625-1331

Place to Break-Up
1. By phone
No scene, no water thrown in face, no need to dress up or shell out for dinner. The phone break-up is a no-nonsense, universal, down-to-business way to tie up loose ends. And if you get the answering machine, so much the better.

2. The mall

Place to Go After Midnight
1. Red Arrow Diner
61 Lowell St., 626-1118
Manchester may not roll up the streets at 6 p.m. but after about 10 p.m. the pickings can get pretty slim. Need fries, need a slice of pie, need a well-lit place to hide out after dumping someone on their voice mail? After about 1 a.m., it's all about the Red Arrow.

2. Home

Place to Jog
1. Riverwalk
You can get it all with a run along the Riverwalk-the Millyard, the Merrimack River, and maybe, if you're lucky, you'll spot the elusive Dean Kamen getting in his helicopter. Great for meeting people in the summer and leaf peeping in the fall.

2. Massabesic Lake

Politician
1. Bob Baines
Manchester mayor
Currently serving his second term as mayor, Baines says he will run again this year. What better place to earn experience for his mayorship than in the world of teenagers-for nearly 20 years, Baines was the principal of Manchester High School West.

2. None

Poutine
1. Chez Vachon
136 Kelly St., 625-9660
Because sometimes it's not enough to just eat French fries. Sometimes you want the full-on, ready-the-ambulance dish of fries topped with curd cheese and gravy. A regular order of poutine at Chez Vachon gets you a nine-inch plate of this French Canadian not-so-delicacy; a large gets you 11 inches. For variety, try Vachon's poutine with tomato and mushroom, hamburger, Italian sausage, turkey, bacon, imported ham, or sirloin steak tips.

2. Tony's Grinders and Restaurant, 542 Elm St., 699-8337

Radio Program
1. Mike and Moe in the AM
(WGIR 610 AM)
It's Mike Ball and Maureen "Moe" Egan in the morning, from 5:30 to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday. It's news, it's talk, it's news-talk. Oh, and humor too. "She does the news and I make her laugh," Mike Ball said of the show. The duo have been together for just over a year.

2. Car Talk on New Hampshire Public Radio

Restaurant (Overall)
1. Bernardo's Italian Restaurant
1707 S. Willow St., 623-3838
Traditional Italian fare, a comfortable environment and friendly service blend to create one of the Queen City's stand-out dining spots. In addition to pasta made fresh on the premises, Bernardo's features a martini menu that would make James Bond salivate.

2. Puritan Backroom, 245 D.W. Highway, 669-6890

Sandwich
1. Nadeau's Subs
776 Mast Road, 623-9315;
100 Cahill Ave., 669-SUBS
Looking for that perfect New England delicacy-the sub? From the hearty "steak bomb" to a simple turkey with lettuce and cheese, Nadeau's has it all. Fresh bread, spicy fries and all the fixings you want with your sub. It doesn't get better than this.

2. Suddenly Susan's, 28 Hanover St., 625-1850

Seafood
1. Tinker's Seafood
545 Hooksett Road, 622-4272
If it's in the ocean and you can fry it, Tinker's has it on their menu. Bringing in the crowds for both dine-in and take-out, Tinker's offers all the maritime favorites from lobster-steamed or as a roll-as well as a selection of broiled fish and shrimp.

2. Starfish Grill, 33 Commercial St., 296-0706

Spa
1. Not So Plain Jane's Salon
155 Dow St., 622-5971
Hair is only the beginning. Owner Nick Castrogiovanni, who bought Not So Plain Jane's in 1994, and his staff offer a variety of primping, from manicures and pedicures to facials to full body exfoliation, mud masks, and massages.

2. Arcadya Salon & Day Spa, 889
Cilley Road, 644-1355

Sports Bar
1. Billy's Sports Bar & Grill
34 Tarrytown Road, 622-3644
Sure, the crowd of excited fans and a generally jovial atmosphere make Billy's a great spot to view the day's game (whether it's the Sox, the Monarchs or the Pats). But it's the bar's 50 televisions (including TVs in the bathroom) that truly score a goal. The TVs are tuned to customer requests, making any sports-related event fair game for the bar's tubes.

2. Cahoots Sports Bar & Grille, 20 Old Granite St., 626-4898

Thai
1. Tiya's
8 Hanover St., 669-4365
Open for lunch on weekdays and dinner on Friday and Saturday, Tiya's offers a seemingly upscale but comfortable and reasonably-priced Thai dining experience. From standbys such as pad thai to their strange and delicious steamed buns to their spicy soups that can salve any winter ailment, Tiya's can make your noon meal a highlight of your day.

2. Lakorn Thai Restaurant, 470 S. Main St., 626-4545

Radio Station
1. WGIR 101.1 FM
For when loud and angry is the only music that will do, WGIR offers all the Korn, Disturbed, Saliva, Seether, and Nirvana you could ever want (as well as mixing in a little Metallica and AC/DC from back in the day). And with a staff that stays hip to the local scene, the station even slips in a few tunes from the Godsmacks of tomorrow.

2. WZID 95.7 FM

Theatre Company
1. Palace Theatre
80 Hanover St., 668-5588
From musicals to dramas to children's productions, the Palace offers a constant supply of entertainment for the theater-phile. Next on the plate of the Palace Professional Productions: the musical "A Chorus Line," which begins a four-performance run in April.

2. Acting Loft, 153 Concord St., 666-5999

Vegetarian
1. Suddenly Susan's
28 Hanover St., 625-1850
Winner of Best Deli earlier on the list, the vegetarian menu is what really makes Susan's shine. The list of veggies is too extensive to list, and combined with whatever bread or wrap you like, or in its natural salad state, eat healthy, eat right-eat here!

2. Cactus Jacks, 782 S. Willow St., 627-8600

Wine List
1.UnWined
865 Second St., 625-9463
A firm believer in spreading the gospel of wine, owner Scott Kinney and his staff at UnWined are happy to give customers a few lessons on the art of picking out and drinking a nice bottle. As with wine bars abroad, Kinney says, his bar offers predominantly native wines-mostly from California and other West Coast vineyard hot spots (UnWined does offer some foreign vintages as part of its monthly featured wines).

2. Bernardo's Italian Restaurant, 1707 S. Willow St., 623-3838

Place We Forgot
1. Best New Restaurant:
Zingarella's Italian Grille
170 Route 101, Bedford, 471-1888
Anthony Guerriero of the Cafe Amore in North Reading, Mass., opened this Bedford eatery featuring Northern Italian cuisine. An accordion player on date nights, plus a selection of eye-popping desserts could help Zingarella's grow into one of greater Manchester's top dining spots.

2. Best Barbecue: KC's Rib Shack and Down n' Dirty BBQ

Thing We Forgot
1. Best Sports Team: Monarchs
Presently the city's only major professional sports team, the Monarchs could get some competition if the New Haven Ravens eventually roost in the planned baseball stadium near the river. Until then, proudly wave that purple and gold.

2. Best New Product: Segway

Amy Diaz can be reached at hippo@hippopress.com.