Good chicken parmesan (takeout)
 

Still trying to identify local restaurant specialties .... where's a good (best) place to get takeout chicken parmesan in Meredith/Moultonborough area? Thanks.

The Village Kitchen has chicken parm as its Tuesday night special. I find it excellent and a good bargain with no reason to discuss politics.

Just bring CASH, CHECK or your ATM card.

I've had chicken parm at the Bob House that I thought was as good as any resturant in the area.

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Ugh, not helpful at all but this post made me wistful for the days of Karen and Barry's in Meredith. Best chicken parm I've ever had anywhere.

Predictable
 

This is getting old, it seems a high number of food questions result in the VK being recommended as the “ best “. Folks , news flash . They have a ok, cheap breakfast , if you like eating on cafeteria plates and limited ambiance go for it. But if you really think this is the best the area has to offer you simply are not getting out enough . There are several spots in wolfboro that have great Italian food , same in Merideth , one right on the lake , Largo , there is the Italian Farmhouse. Let’s get creative.

There’s something for everybody.....and those who like the VK aren’t looking for linen tablecloths, lovely centerpieces, and violins in the background.It’s good food at reasonable prices, pleasant wait staff, and they are open year round. We have to have our eggs Benedict fix, among other favorites, and we just like it. We are not alone....there are many followers. Feel free to go elsewhere that better suits your tastes.

What Sue Doe-Nym said! There is something for everyone around the lake.

The Village Kitchen gets endorsed by many people on this site because it has a combination of good food, fair prices, and a welcoming friendly staff. The atmosphere is comfortable and the dining room is clean. I have never had a bad meal at the VK and I have enjoyed every visit.

Could you spend a lot more and maybe get a more upscale experience? Sure, and if that is what you are looking for, and it fits your budget, you should. It is not Boston, it is Moultonborough.

But for many people the VK is a great place to stop and enjoy. Obviously a lot of people feel that way because the VK has been successful for many years.

For chicken parm, I'd be thinking Lago, Giuseppe's, Osteria Pogio, and Nolan's. A little further would be Rossi's and the Italian Farmhouse.

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The original poster was looking specifically for chicken parmesan take-out in the Meredith/Moultonborough area, not an upscale dining experience anywhere around the lake. As a fan of chicken parmigiana generally, however, the broader information is interesting. The Bob House also has great chicken parmigiana, which is available on their regular menu, not just on Tuesdays.

I've never been to the VK but it sounds like a good place for me - though I do wish they had some vegetarian options for my wife.

I just checked out their website. I happen to enjoy sitting in booths (check), I lean toward basic well-executed comfort food (check), I will walk out of a restaurant that isn't clean and I'm reading that the VK places an emphasis on cleanliness (check) and, being a soup lover, I'm not interested in a place that doesn't serve it (check). Back in the day, my wife and I frequented a local CT pizza joint for nine years straight nearly every Friday night. Same booth, same pizza, same brews, jeans and t-shirt, and a wonderful staff that would greet us by name and ask - "the usual"? That's my type of experience.

I can understand why some prefer a more sophisticated night out but I'm betting many on this site prefer a more laid back one even if the VK isn't where they typically go. Jeez - I think I just talked myself into a visit to Moultonborough this spring. Keep the soup warm please.

As a postscript to my previous post: our anniversary (59!) was on Jan. 20th, and we jokingly talked about going to the VK, and taking silver candlesticks for the festivities....but the weather was crappy, so we stayed toasty right at home. We probably ate leftovers. 💥💥💥

Congrats on your 59th—that's awesome!

I'm still not going to the VK anytime soon—I've been half a dozen times, and I've been unimpressed each—but I love that it's special to you and others here.

As someone who loves in the area full-time, where would you go for chicken parm?!

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Chicken parm
 

Thanks for all the suggestions, folks.

Almost every restaurant serves chicken parm. What makes it different from place to place is the sauce. or as Italians call it, "the gravy". If you like the restaurants sauce you will probably like their chicken parm. I'm a regular at Lago's and love their sauce but I won't order their chicken parm because it's on the bone. I just don't like dealing with the bone, my pet peve. By the way, their meatballs are to die for!

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Hold up—their chicken parm is on the bone? Tell me more! In all our years, we've never eaten at Lago, but now I'm intrigued...

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It used to be a Statler chicken breast with a bone. Last time I was there, they had made the change to a boneless breast. It may be worth checking again as it has been a few months since I was last at Lago.

I love chicken parm but I would never order it there because it was on the bone. I will have to ask next time I'm there.

Chicken Parm
 

Okay, I love chicken Parm. My wife knows that I'll eat chicken parm most nights when we go out. I've been known to do it two nights in a row. That said, I haven't had a bad chicken parm in the lakes region. I have my favorite high end chicken parm and my favorite run of the mill chicken parm. It depends where I'm at.

Here are my favorites. I like all of them but they do have tiers. I have had all of these dining in and take out.

Tier 1. (My favorites)

1. Fratellos
2. Canoe (Never had it prior to Covid.....Now, I've had it maybe 5 times)
3. Lago
4. Giuseppe

Tier 2 (Simpler, yet tasty)
1. T-bones
2. 104 Diner

A whole other category....Subs.
1. Sub Crazy has a killer chicken parm sub and is my favorite


These are my personal favorites and may or may not match some of your favorites. I have not had a chicken parm in the lakes region that I would not eat again.

One other thing.....Since covid, we've done a lot of takeout. More than we've ever done prior. Our bill is about 1/2 when we eat in. (No drinks and rarely a takeout dessert). We do a lot of two-fers on the weekends. (Picking up Friday and Saturday night dinners in the same trip) I've found that chicken parm holds up really well for day 2.

It’s a little out of the specified target area but worth it.

If you want great parm (veal or chicken)

You have to try Rossi’s it’s near Rt 93 exit 23 Rt 104.

Oh and Italian Farmhouse in Plymouth has the best tiramisu.
They have good parm too but not as good as Rossi’s (they have the best sauce).
Great atmosphere and bread at Italian Farmhouse too.
Atmosphere is nothing much at Rossi’s, but the sauce is the best any where.
Rossi’s tiramisu is good but nothing like Italian Farmhouse. I’m often torn between the two :)

BTW Fratello’s and Italian Farmhouse are owned by common man.
So I’m sure Fratello’s is great too. Been meaning to get there.

I find that I gravitate to places that make their gravy as close to what I grew up eating. Different areas of Italy made gravy differently. My mother was from an area near Rome so her gravy was always thick and never varied from batch to batch so when I find a place that makes gravy with the same texture and taste it hits the sweet spot.
I'm not a big fan of marinara sauce on chicken parm so if it's made with a light sauce it's not to my liking.
Lago's gravy is pretty close to what I grew up eating! :)

I believe Fratello’s is affiliated with the Homestead chain, not Common Man.

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Good catch.

Anything affiliated with Homestead is great too.
I had googled it to check but the reference I found was wrong.

But just checking again I didn’t realize Lago was part of Common Man.

Any restaurant affiliated with either “chain” is worth checking out.

Fratello's was affiliated with Homestead. I think the owners are/were brothers but I think I recall the affiliation split. Technically may not be affiliated any more. Can't say for sure but that is what I recall.

Myrna's
 

Have had several great meals at Myna's Italian Restaurant across from the Margate although I have not had Chicken Parmagiana there.

They still show up together on the website.

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We've done curbside at the Homestead (Merrimack) and Fratellos (Manchester) several times and we like their food very much. They do a nice job packaging the food to go. And their mud pie is a wonderful treat with the pie in one container and the fudge topping in another ready for some time in the microwave to heat it up before drizzling it over the ice cream. Oh yeah we like Fratellos chicken parm too.

Yup, you're right. Got that wrong. Owned by McDonough brothers/family. Got that part right.

I've only eaten at Lago once--it's kind of far from us, and I'd have to put on a nice shirt (haha). But I was stunned at how good it was and at the creative preparation of classic dishes. I had a salad and steak. Maybe the best place on the lake for a special date

This is my concern—it appears too...fancy...for us. My kids are perfectly behaved at restaurants, so we can take them anywhere, but we're just not into that environment/culture/whatever.

I am surprised to hear about Canoe (above), though. We'd swapped to the Bob House a few years ago after Canoe updated their menu (and the prices to go along with it), but now I'm intrigued.

Honestly, outside of a few nights here or there, we've mostly stuck to grabbing gas station pizza and chicken at Greene's on our way to camp Friday nights. Once we're at camp, we pretty much stay at camp.

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It's not that fancy. I don't dress up to go there, usually in jeans and T shirt or sweat shirt.
The bartenders and servers have been there a long time and are very "get to know you" people. The food is always exceptional!
It's our "go to" place as it's only a mile from my house and we usually sit at the bar.
I will say that people complain about the reservation times. They are always busy and usually save table for guests that are staying at the inn. That frustrates people when the see empty table that are reserved.

Thanks for that—if it fits into our plan, we'll give it a go!

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You gotta call me when you're going and we'll meet you guys there

The Breeze

This thread insipred me make this, but I use pork tenderloin. Cut 1/2 thick, pound out flat, pan fry, cheese, sauce, bake, enjoy.

Right-My loyalty card is for Fratello's and Hoimestead. Fratello's website says both are proudly owned and operated by the McDonough Family. But I like Alex Ray's places too.

PM me your cell number. I'll shoot you a text next time we are going.

pork tenderloin
 

Great idea. I'm totally stealing that one. Pork tenderloin maybe the most underrated cut of protein out there.

I hear that quite a few places substitute pork for veal in veal parm.


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My mother always made all 3. Chicken Veal and Pork all delicious

I hope they do not sell it as veal parm?

Yes sold as veal parm. At least that is what I have been told from a restaurant owner.


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I would highly doubt that Fratellos, Italian Farmhouse, Lagos etc etc. would do that.

If you cannot taste the difference between veal and pork you taste buds are deficient. :laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:

Personally not a fan of veal because to me it tastes like nothing.

This has been going on for years with mislabeling fish

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/e...abeled-illegal

I like veal if it's sliced thin
I remember getting a veal parm sub in East Boston many years ago and it was absolutely the best veal I ever had. I can't remember the restaurant but any veal that I've had since hasn't lived up to that sandwich. [emoji24]
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Suprised
 

You all forgot about Lyons Den ? How is that possible ?

Best on this side of the lake for sure. Bet they'd make it with veal if you asked, but the chicken is awesome so why would you ?

I had a nice chicken parm over spaghetti tonight at the Village Kitchen, and while called the small portion for $6.50, it was quite large, I couldn't even finish it!

I prefer the large portion for a few dollars more, which provides enough leftovers for a meal the next day.

Now y'all got me thinking either a. I need to give the VK another look or b. What I define as "small" or "large" is significantly different...

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I was going to the Bob House tuesday, didn't realize it was closed, turned around and went to the Mug. I should have kept going to VK!
Although the burger at the mug was awesome. :):)
Went to the Bob House on Wednesday and got the chicken parm. It was huge and I hadn't eaten all day so there were no left overs.