Recent Culinary Highlights: Iron Town Diner, Prince Pizzeria, A Tavola & the Clam Box

There's no Rant today as there's been enough bad news recently, so I just want to highlight some of the tasty delights I've recently enjoyed, giving some attention to excellent restaurants which are worthy of praise and your patronage.

Last week, I posted about the delicious French Toast Cheeseburger at Iron Town Diner in Saugus. It was a special request, and I returned to Iron Town with another special request, this time for a French Toast sandwich with a Fried Chicken Cutlet and cheese. Again, this was a very tasty sandwich, enhanced by the eggy taste and texture of the French Toast. The fried chicken worked well as the filling, and the French Toast didn't get soggy. Like the French Toast Cheeseburger, this was another winner of a sandwich. I'd definitely order this again, although I'm still not done trying out different fillings for a French Toast sandwich. Maybe next time, I'll try Pastrami & Swiss.

Last week, Prince Pizzeria also brought back their Pizza Buffet, all-you-can-eat pizza for only $12 per person. This is available only during lunch, from Monday to Friday, 11:30am-2pm. I was their first customer last Monday, as I was a huge fan of their pre-pandemic buffet and love their pizza. This buffet is slightly different from before, as it includes only pizza, not pasta or garlic bread, and the price is a few dollars more. It's still a very good bargain, and includes a variety of different pizzas, from cheese to mushroom, pepperoni to sausage, and more. 

A server now places the pizza slices on a plate for you, and you just have to tell them which slices, and how many, you wish. This new process seemed to work well, efficiently, and is more hygienic than an open buffet. You can go back and get more pizza, as much as you want. The restaurant was fairly busy last Monday and I suspect it will be popular all summer. With rising costs so evident in the food industry, it's great to still find a bargain for all-you-can-eat pizza. I know I'll be returning again soon.

Last week, I also thoroughly enjoyed a fantastic dinner at A Tavola in Winchester. It's one of my favorite Italian restaurants, and Chef Joe Carli is a talented and creative chef. I've written raves about this restaurant before as well. Our dinner last week began with Burrata with Honey & Thyme Roasted Peaches, a summery dish with creamy burrata, sweet peaches, and the herbal sweet of the honey. 

Chef Carli creates some amazing pasta dishes, and they are available as half-portions, so you can order them as an appetizer. With the burrata, we also had a half-portion of the Gnocchi, with saffron creamed corn & shaved Parmesan. The pillowy gnocchi went well with the subtly-spiced creamed corn and the sharp flavors of the parmesan. A killer dish! 

As an entree, I opted for another pasta dish, the Ravioli with a gorgonzola crema, Parmesan, and lemon.  Perfectly cooked pasta, in a delicious sauce, with a nice gorgonzola tang and subtle lemon notes. The Parmesan crumbles atop the ravioli added a nice texture and taste to the dish. And the sauce was great for dipping some of their freshly made bread. Another killer dish. 

A Special that evening was Seared Scallops with garlic scapes and tomatoes, and each of the large scallops was tender, slightly charred, and sweet, enhanced by the acidity of the tomatoes and the subtle flavors of the scapes. Another tasty summery dish. 

I highly recommend A Tavola and note that it also has a large patio so you can dine outside this summer. 

The Clam Box of Ipswich never disappoints, and this 3-Way Combo of Fried Clams, Fried Scallops and Fried Shrimp was a large mound of seafood, with French fries and onion rings. Everything was delicious, especially the tender, sweet scallops and the large native clams. It's my favorite clam shack, although I know others have their own preferences. I love their clean, crisp fried seafood, and their service is excellent as well. They are very customer-driven and have impressed me multiple times in the past. On many Fridays, they also offer Fried Lobster Tails, which are hard to find elsewhere. This summer, I highly recommend you dine here, for lunch or dinner.