McGillicuddy’s in New Paltz on Friday Night - 11/7/2014

Cuddy’s

Meg: 4 Crabby Patties

It all started off with some pink lemonade - I was asked by the waiter if I cared whether it was pink or not. Surprisingly, I did not care! The next part of my meal was the wings. I decided to go up a step, and order Three Alarm instead of Volcanic. I am going to go back down a step - they were so hot, I cried! Although they were very tasty.

Then, I ordered a cheeseburger - PLAIN - with French Fries. The French Fries were very good - although they did NOT calm the heat from the wings. Also, they were not salty enough at all! I then proceeded to actually tasting my burger. I picked it up and the hot meaty juice fell on my lap and burned me. It actually hurt a lot! But after I recovered from my injury, I highly enjoyed the burger - and thought that the cheese was the best part. A little “overly grilled” for my liking - but definitely not the worst I’ve seen under that label.

All in all, it was very much a decent meal. Slightly better than average. My lemonade, French Fries, and cheese were DEFINITELY the best part - not to mention the buns on the hamburger. Despite being burned, eating some charcoal, and crying of wing sauce, I’d say it was quite a good meal - and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Glenn: 4.75 Crabby Patties

Our family has been going to McGillicuddy’s on Friday nights as our go-to place in New Paltz since we moved here in 2000. Nothing has changed. It was awesome then - and it is awesome now!

After a long week of professoring, there’s nothing better than some wings, a burger, and a beer at this perfect pub. Meg insisted on three-alarm wings - and yeah, they were HOT!!! We actually left one on the plate without finishing it - this is not typical for Meg or me! But hey, Meg wanted to see what life was like beyond volcanic - so now we know!

Our waiter was cheerful and efficient - and my food was perfect Friday Night comfort food. The burgers at Cuddy’s are always just about perfect - and my burger tonight was no exception. It reminded me of a small version of the giant 2-pound burger that I finished at Cuddy’s this past summer in my effort to beat the Cuddy’s burger challenge - juicy, tasty, and delicious - except not quite as daunting! (oh, and by the way, while I did finish the burger in my attempt to beat the challenge in summer, I left about 4 fries on my plate, thereby failing to beat the challenge - but hey … I tried!).

In any case, while the wings were a tad hot, the food was pretty near perfect overall. And the ambience - classic pub in our classic upstate town - was even better. And the company, my favorite restaurant-reviewing companion, was the best!

I expect to be at Cuddy’s for many more Friday night meals in the years to come!

Ruth and Wimpy’s – 10/11/2014 - a taste of Downeast!

Ruth and Wimpy's - Hancock, ME

Meg: 3.5 Krabby Patties

I did only send back one item … my chocolate milk. It might have been considered “regular milk” for it was paler than I am! The waitress was very nice – and got me completely new “bottled” chocolate milk. AKA – the real deal! And she was not at all offended that her chocolate milk was really just milk.

As for the appetizers, I must admit that it was some of the best garlic bread that I ever had! And it wasn’t burnt or crunchy – like some garlic breads are. It was soft, and slightly underdone. The Buffalo chicken dip was fine. “Decent” at best. Although it did taste good, and did have what some would call a “kick,” it was not legitimately spicy – or hot at all! Buffalo chicken dip is supposed to be an item that makes you run into the kitchen for more water or milk. But THIS Buffalo chicken dip was only slightly above average on the hotness scale – about where “mild” wings are.

When my meal actually came, I was surprised at the size of my cheese steak. It was nowhere NEAR the size of the ones you get in Philly. Everyone else at the table gasped at how BIG it was – but I remember my visit to Philadelphia – and this one was simply not as big. It was really an exceptional cheesesteak, though. And everything from the cheese to the bread was better than average. The French Fries were also pretty good. But they tasted a little bit TOO MUCH like “potato” because of how thick they were. French Fries are not supposed to taste like potatoes – they are supposed to taste fried. The French Fries were really good, though – especially as steak fries.

The wait staff was very quick and helpful. And the restaurant itself was very unique and distinctive – with the huge lobster outside, which made this restaurant have a very rustic feel that most would enjoy.

There were signs all over the ceiling with hypocritical messages that were not funny, in my opinion – but I just wanted to take the opportunity to correct them. An example was a sign that said this: “No pets allowed” - with a sign just under that said “please keep your pets on a leash.” I didn’t like how this was supposed to be a joke. It was obviously a mistake and I just wanted to cover one up. And I couldn’t believe that people were taking it as a joke.

Besides that, the restaurant had a great feel – and pretty good food!

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Glenn: 4 Krabby Patties

Well I have to say, I love this place! The ambience, the location, and the clear “we are really in Downeast Maine” thing going on are just awesome. And the giant lobster out front – apparently named Wilbur – really speaks to me! We went there for my mother-in-law’s birthday with a party of 8. The kids and I had snuck in the restaurant earlier in the day to deliver a great chocolate cake – to be delivered as a surprise!

Well I have to say, from the appetizers to the meals – and great candle-lit cake, this evening was a win! Everyone enjoyed the classic appetizers such as the Buffalo chicken dip and the thin-sliced and crispy onion rings. Yum! The wait staff was prompt and helpful and the ambience, characterized by hundreds of license plates from all over the place - covering the walls – was perfect.

For the first time ever, I ordered stuffed baked lobster. I was in Maine – so I felt that lobster was necessary – but I wanted something a little bit easy to eat. This was a nice compromise! And the lobster was perfectly done. Yum!

Others at the table enjoyed items such as a great Autumn-themed sandwich and a huge dish of chicken parm – that was very filling (for my son), but looked barely touched!

If you want a fun and easy restaurant experience – with solid food and decent drinks – in Downeast Maine – then Ruth and Wimpy’s is for you!

(and big thanks to my awesome father-in-law, Bob, for footing the bill – and to my awesome mother-in-law, Gill, for providing the cause for celebration!).