Berlin Turnpike Trivial Resturant Persuit.

Re:Berlin Turnpike Trivial Resturant Persuit. (wingmanBBF)

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 19:43:03 GMT

I think the fingerling steak was Dodsons...but was there a competitor on (3)72 named Dotson's? If memory serves the fingerling seak was a Berlin version of the Philly Cheese steak..with White American Cheese and onions only an option???

Re:Berlin Turnpike Trivial Resturant Persuit. (wingmanBBF)

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 19:35:18 GMT

Great thread for an old Wethersfield boy whose grandparents lived in Kensington.
The only place I haven't seen in the thread was in what is now, Centerfolds..a "chef"owned place called Joseph's...My singular memory was eating there one night when every other possibility was packed or closed...(Must have been a Monday night or we would have been at Verdolini's in Meriden. My father was more loyal to that place than most men are to their wives).
We were the only customers in the joint. Joseph was a very rotund guy in whites with a three-foot chef's hat. He was the only staff....the mediocre entrees are a long faded memory, but his Boston Cream Pie was incredible. Mom asked what his secret was....His reply........"I always make sure it's fully thawed before I serve it."

Re:Berlin Turnpike Trivial Resturant Persuit. (bgreeno)

Sun, 20 Jan 2013 09:12:21 GMT

Oh, the Hickory Hearth... located on the northbound side of 5/15, just north of what is now Sage Park.(Berlin) Good food. Open late. Open during much of the 1960's.
Another place not many will remember, because it wasn't there very long, is the "Moo Shop". Kinda like Sesame's but no car-hops. It was located just north of rt.175, northbound side. (Wethersfield) I think it came and went in a year(?) early 60's.

Re:Berlin Turnpike Trivial Resturant Persuit. (bgreeno)

Sat, 19 Jan 2013 12:00:49 GMT

New guy here with e few that I haven't seen mentioned. The Hickory Hearth in Berlin and Freda Farms in Newington. They are both long gone. I remember Freda Farms as a truck stop type business located on the northbound side (I think it was where Turnpike Motors is now located).
I also remember Uncle Ezras in a building that was right between A&A Garage and Tom & Pats, on the corner of Kitts Lane and the Berlin Tpke. That building was expanded and is now a little "strip mall" of assorted businesses. I'm guessing that Uncle Ezras was out of business around 1959/1960.(?)
Prior to the opening of Interstate 91 in 1965, the Berlin Turnpike carried a great deal of the north-south traffic through Conn. I remember going out to the pike in June to watch the motorcycles traveling to Laconia, NH. It was quite a show.
I'll have more input later. Thanks for the thread!

Re:Berlin Turnpike Trivial Resturant Persuit. (Mother Mary)

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 09:31:34 GMT

Does anyone remember Tina's Diner, it was the first diner on the left hand side of the turnpike coming from Hartford. Across the street was Howard Johnson's, further
down was the Italian Kitchen , formerly the Cricket, there was the Jolly Fisherman,it had a large fish on the top of the building & last was Gallo's Terraces, it then became Depasquale's. The Red Coach is now Carmen Anthony's. That is all I can remember for now.

RE: Berlin Turnpike Trivial Resturant Persuit. (CalamusNomen)

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 21:50:45 GMT

Wow! Try to imagine my panic when I joked about maybe hallucinating Davy Jone's Locker if the link I provided didn't take you anywhere. Okay, I realize now that I can't include links here, but for a second or two ...

The reference was in the 06-11-2009 edition, titled Memories of the Pike - should be pretty easy to find.

RE: Berlin Turnpike Trivial Resturant Persuit. (CalamusNomen)

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 21:35:25 GMT

I believe it was where the two newer Mickey Finn's stores are now, near the Rt 72, Rt 9 connectors. I found a vague reference to it in an issue of the Berlin Citizen, so at least I can be sure I didn't hallucinate it. Unless this link doesn't take you anywhere ...

RE: Berlin Turnpike Trivial Resturant Persuit. (Bigbird13)

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 09:14:37 GMT

Where was Davey Jones Locker?

RE: Berlin Turnpike Trivial Resturant Persuit. (CalamusNomen)

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 05:00:03 GMT

Starting from Meriden going north: Amber Lantern (before my time,but found a postcard of it), Silver Diner, Chateau Bianca, Toy Sun, Puritan Maid, Davy Jones Locker, Old Cromwell Inn, Berlin Pizza ("HOT SAUSAGE" in huge red neon letters on the side), Mister Steak, Two Guys (not really a restaurant but it had a coffee shop with "Automat" style self serve compartments).

RE: Berlin Turnpike Trivial Resturant Persuit. (Bigbird13)

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 15:51:00 GMT

To resurrect an old thread, some other old eateries on the "pike" I remember, "home of the fingerling sandwich" wasn't it Dotson's?
Also prior to Doogies hot dogs, it was Sal's Which moved a block south from it's original location, prior to Sal's it was Tom and Pat's....anyone remember Pete.
How about The Surrey Restaurant, Walton Farms, Freda's Dairy, the Sesame car hop, Tom and Pats, Hardees, Carrols, and Mr. Steak ?
Anyone remember the "bunny burger" from the Makris Diner?

RE: Berlin Turnpike Trivial Resturant Persuit. (mjambro)

Sun, 24 May 2009 15:19:43 GMT

Doogies is relatively new. Previously, it was a Sals who not only made great grinders, but outstanding onion rings. Sals moved up the street after his original location was destroyed in a fire (between Mertit & McDonalds from what I recall).

Prior to being Sals, it was a small take-out Hot Oven Grinder spot where you'd order grinders by the day of the week. Sunday was sausage, Monday meatball, etc. In the 50's, they'd line up 10-20 deep to place orders for pickup or dine at outdoor picnic tables. That was back when they'd line up 10-20 deep at six registers at McDonalds.

Brings back memoroes of my first fast food job at Howdies (West Hartford). On the first night, I continually poured sodas non stop for two hours trying to keep up with the demand.

RE: Berlin Turnpike Trivial Resturant Persuit. (ann peeples)

Sun, 24 May 2009 13:57:33 GMT

Awesome!!! The biggest lobster I have had here in the midwest was 3 lbs.I can only imagine the size of that bad boy...

RE: Berlin Turnpike Trivial Resturant Persuit. (sk bob)

Sun, 24 May 2009 13:01:22 GMT

that claw is making me hungry

RE: Berlin Turnpike Trivial Resturant Persuit. (Heartburn)

Sun, 24 May 2009 12:51:24 GMT

Finally got around to take a picture of the claw from the 27 pound lobster
We bought it at the Lobbsterman around 1960
Never tried to post a picture bebore
Hope it works

RE: Berlin Turnpike Trivial Resturant Persuit. (andoverctpatsy)

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 21:50:39 GMT

We came from Andover and went to the Chinese Hitching Post for special things.
The Diner was on the way home from NY visits.
There was a Table Talk Pie place we use to go too and a Rail Road Salvage store a couple of great rest stops.
Thanks for the Memories.
I wish it was like that today.

RE: Berlin Turnpike Trivial Resturant Persuit. (Jimeats)

Mon, 04 Dec 2006 08:00:30 GMT

Aw gee! And just when it was getting really interesting.

RE: Berlin Turnpike Trivial Resturant Persuit. (sk bob)

Sun, 03 Dec 2006 19:48:06 GMT

Dead and now offically buried.

RE: Berlin Turnpike Trivial Resturant Persuit. (sk bob)

Tue, 31 Oct 2006 21:11:57 GMT

well it looks like this thread is dead,to bad, what a gastronomical location that was.
with the exception of 2 or 3 places the rest are chains... typical, people want the same no matter where they go in this country to bad.
a line from the movie Demolition Man..."All resteraunts are Taco Belle,they're the only ones that survived the franchise wars"

RE: Berlin Turnpike Trivial Resturant Persuit. (sk bob)

Thu, 26 Oct 2006 21:57:48 GMT

DePasquales was where Circut City is now.
Hey, wake up Roy!!!
"hurry on down to Hardees,where the burgers are charcoal broiled"

RE: Berlin Turnpike Trivial Resturant Persuit. (sk bob)

Thu, 26 Oct 2006 21:49:06 GMT

good to hear from you Sagud, the Hawthornes still there, stillgood prime rib.
the Lobsterman is gone,too bad,great seafood to go or eat in. Man I would have liked to see and taste that 27 lb'er
glad to see you could make a contribution on this thread, lets hear more.

RE: Berlin Turnpike Trivial Resturant Persuit. (Heartburn)

Sun, 22 Oct 2006 12:23:34 GMT

I moved from Connecticut in the 60's,but as I remember,was not the Hawthorne Inn on that byway
Wonder if it still there?
They had the best prime rib.
I can remember buying a 27 pound lobster at the Lobsterman place.
They had to cook it before we took it home.
We didn't have a pot large enough
I still have the large empty front claw hanging in the den
The lobster cost 50 cents a lb because at the time no one wanted one that big
Sagud

RE: Berlin Turnpike Trivial Resturant Persuit. (sk bob)

Sun, 22 Oct 2006 11:53:21 GMT

sorry to take so long, been busy
RedCoach was also, I think the name was Allstars in the early 90's they had an old dragster for the saladbar.
Mary's was where Berlin Pizza is now,they also had strippers in the bar, latter it was Elm Caterers

RE: Berlin Turnpike Trivial Resturant Persuit. (Roy)

Fri, 13 Oct 2006 22:01:06 GMT

Red Coach before Piccadilly was the Seafarer for a while. If you miss it, they have reopened on Route 63 in Woodbridge a couple of years ago.
Mary's diner I don't know the location though the name is familiar.

RE: Berlin Turnpike Trivial Resturant Persuit. (sk bob)

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 22:39:30 GMT

sorry roy i had to do something to get a reaction, what was the redd coach before it was the piccadily pub?
where was Mary's Diner?

RE: Berlin Turnpike Trivial Resturant Persuit. (Roy)

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 21:51:50 GMT

Hey Bob, there are some repeats here...I covered DePasquales on 8-29 post and the Red Coach saga on 8-28. Lord Cromwell was previously Vaccaro's.

RE: Berlin Turnpike Trivial Resturant Persuit. (sk bob)

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 21:04:59 GMT

alone again...naturaly.
DePasquales was where circut city is now.
Lord Cromwell was down in Meriden on the nb side where the s&m club was in the 2 story stone bld. is.
Gabbys Pizza was in Wethersfield on the nb side right after you crossed over Cedar st. There is an office there (brown building) with the letters BPI on it.
Lobsterman was where there is a monro muffler place next to T Bowl
somebody tell me where Red Coach Grill was and what it's been since.

RE: Berlin Turnpike Trivial Resturant Persuit. (sk bob)

Sat, 07 Oct 2006 23:01:43 GMT

Dalisas After Dark was a niteclub located in the basement of whats now the Shriners hall, which shares the parking lot of the gruntmore.

RE: Berlin Turnpike Trivial Resturant Persuit. (Roy)

Fri, 06 Oct 2006 22:57:57 GMT

Bob, we're not dead yet! Unfortunately, I have nothing further to add and apparently was mislead by my wife about the location of Manero's according to your last post. I personally don't remember the location. Was there ever an eating spot at the Grantmoor (Gruntmore)?

RE: Berlin Turnpike Trivial Resturant Persuit. (sk bob)

Thu, 05 Oct 2006 20:33:48 GMT

Hey,where did everybody go? looks like i'm on my own,but i'll continue any way (typing practice).
Maneros was never at the painters union place,that was always a car dealership. Marc Datsun,Macs car city,aVolvo dealership.
The Potlatch was originally The 1200 House Restaurant.
Shakeys Pizza, latter Fast Eddies Cafe,(named after the guy that owns Delisous Dogs in Berlin) is now Atlanta Bread Co.
next door was originaly a Mr. Steak, later Carringtons, now a bank.
Emersons Wild Animal Farm? that was where the big DOT bld. is now.
more later-BOB

RE: Berlin Turnpike Trivial Resturant Persuit. (sk bob)

Fri, 29 Sep 2006 17:00:06 GMT

anybody know some pictures of these old places?