Rusty Moose

[Argie's Wife]

The Rusty Moose has relocated to Alton and is supposed to be opening in March. The owners bought the farmers' market that is near Hannafords and they've been remodeling it. I've been following them on Facebook for sometime now, as this area gets a little tedious for watering holes and munchies in the winter months. I'm hoping they post a menu or more info soon...

(Disclaimer: I'm not affiliated with the restaurant or have any financial interest. I do admit to have gastric interest in it. )

[mcdude]

Opening March 5!

[mcdude]

....now they're aiming for March 17th. Hoping for a little luck of the Irish, no doubt.

[mcdude]

.....appears that March 17th has come and gone.....but the bar has been installed!

[upthesaukee]

went to Hannafords yesterday and they were still working there...contractor vehicles parked there.

Besides, they have an out...they didn't say this year's St. Patricks Day, did they???

[mcdude]

....perhaps they got side-tracked when they started drinking green beer to "test" the new bar?

[mcdude]

the Baysider 3/28

ALTON — A couple
months ago, the restaurant
that Stephen Paul was operating
called the Rusty Moose
Restaurant at the Gunstock
Inn had to close its doors, as
things weren’t working out
with the building.
But now, Paul has found a
new location. He scoured the
Lakes Region for possible
spots to re-open the restaurant
and after talking with
Dean Puzzo, they worked out
a deal.
In a couple weeks, the
Rusty Moose Restaurant will
open its doors. The restaurant
is located at Homestead
Place, between the McDonald’s
and Hannaford’s near
the traffic circle.
The restaurant will serve
“family American fare” and
will start with just under 40
seats. But Paul is hoping to
add an outside deck in the
spring and expand the septic
system in the summer
months to add additional
seating.
The restaurant will also
have a bar, serving craft
beers, bottled domestic
beers and high end whiskeys
and other various spirits.
The place will have a very
“rustic” feel to it with tabletops
featuring natural wood
carvings. Paul plans on serving
lunch and dinner on
Tuesdays through Thursdays,
breakfast, lunch and
dinner on Fridays and Saturdays
and an “anything
goes” menu on Sundays
from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
“We want to be a place
where you can come and
kick your shoes off,” Paul
said. “We are a restaurant
with a bar.”
The menu will feature
kids’ meals averaging about
$6 a meal and other meals
ranging from $8.99 to $26.
Some of the house specials
include prime rib, New York
strip steak, a full slider
menu feature nine different
offerings and six-inch bar
pizzas.
Paul has been using local
contractors during the construction
of the building,
which he is hoping finishes
up in the near future.
“There haven’t been any
real challenges in getting it
going, just reality,” Paul said
about starting up a new
restaurant.
The restaurant will feature
live acoustic music and
other entertainment and he
plans on having the restaurant
open year round.
“I want the restaurant to
be a part of the town,” Paul
said about offering people in
Alton a new place to dine.
He is looking forward to
holding monthly specials
and providing the community
with affordable delicious
meals.
“I want to keep it local,
seasonal and fresh,” Paul
said about the menu.
For more information
about the restaurant, you
can find “Rusty Moose
Restaurant” on Facebook.

[Legionnaire70]

Any new info on an opening date?

[upthesaukee]

The guy who put in the ceilings said that they were having a welcome aboard party for the employees in early May.

[mcdude]

Just waiting for final inspections. May 18th has been mentioned.....

.

the bar

dining room

[BroadHopper]

Is that where Jack Hackett's reknown Foxy Restuarant use to be? That was a popular place back in the days. Jack was known for his parties at his place in Gunstock Acres as well as the restuarant.

[upthesaukee]

Rusty Moose is just off the Alton Circle between McDonalds and Hannafords and next to the big yellow building next to Rte 28 (this building is the "Homestead" which has several businesses in it) .

The structure for the Rusty Moose has been a Farmer's Market for the past several years.

[Slickcraft]

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

Is that where Jack Hackett's reknown Foxy Restuarant use to be? That was a popular place back in the days. Jack was known for his parties at his place in Gunstock Acres as well as the restuarant.

No, Foxy John's was just across the New Durham line. The Rusty Moose is off the Alton Circle between McDonald's and Hannaford.

[Legionnaire70]

Updates? Are they open yet?

[mcdude]

They're down to the final inspection and expect to make a big announcement this week!

[mcdude]

Rusty Moose Restaurant


Mothers Day reservations are being accepted 855-2012 please call during business hours(no messages please phone calls only)Limited seating available. Ask to speak with Stephen.

...looking forward to hearing your reviews!

[upthesaukee]

Originally Posted by HRC&ME

Will be open to the Public starting Thursday 5/9 opening at 11am.

First of all, welcome to the forum.

Secondly, you beat me to it!!!! Looking forward to another place to eat and drink in Alton. Woo Hoo!!!

[RLW]

May I also

HRC&ME, I just noticed that you are fairly new to posting on the forum and glad you have joined us. Have fun and enjoy the Winni Forum while making many new friends.

Best of luck and we look forward to stopping and having a meal with you.

[Argie's Wife]

Argie is in an acoustic duo called Two Bricks Short, and they played at the Moose tonight.

I went in with the youngest Arglet around 6:30pm to have dinner and watch the show. We waited for about 20 mins and then were told it would be about an hour wait. Because of the time and the possible added waiting time, we opted to grab dinner down the road and return for dessert. (It was past our usual supper time and the kids were getting a little anxious - they were hungry.)

We got back to the Moose around 7:45, and the crowd had thinned out - no wait this time.

The first thing I noticed about the place was that it's not very big - you can seat about 40 people, total. The other thing I noticed is that it is decorated up very nicely. The lighting is really interesting there, and there's just the right amount of rustic decor and modern/industrial looking decor there. I love the ceiling fan in the restaurant - I don't know how to describe it, but it's like a pulley/gear fan - it's just cool. There's also neat lighting and shelving at the bar. They've done a really nice job with the place.

We ordered fried donuts (yes, I know... I asked for the calories to be removed), sodas and decaf coffee. Argie and his band mate had meatball sliders and fries. They really liked their sliders, but everyone LOVED the donuts. They were warm, crunchy, sweet - drizzled in chocolate syrup and powdered sugar. Argie and I split the order - it was three small donuts, but they were just GOOD - like, guilty-pleasure good. I remarked to the waitress that I thought they should do them with maple syrup and bacon... (no calories there, either, right?) and I think they're going to try it.

We looked over the menu and selections when we got there - it's a pretty extensive menu so far, in my opinion, but I've heard it said that they're going to expand on the menu. They had some appetizer with shrimp tonight that was something like $5, but I heard it was out of stock later, as we were waiting. The prices seem pretty reasonable for the America-style fare they have and seem to range between $8-$26 (I think). I've heard from a couple of friends that they do a very good cheese burger. My bill for the dessert and coffee, with tax, was $7.

I think the only improvement I'd suggest, at this point, is some benches outside in the summer, so people can comfortably wait for their table, as the restaurant is small.

All in all, we had a pleasant experience. I wish the Moose the best success!

[Slickcraft]

AW; thanks for the review. My wife drove by last week and commented on it not being a very large place but we are looking forward to giving it a try. I can't say that I would be a fried doughnut fan but we do like a good draft beer. Was there any of that in sight?

[mcdude]

Originally Posted by Slickcraft

AW; thanks for the review. My wife drove by last week and commented on it not being a very large place but we are looking forward to giving it a try. I can't say that I would be a fried doughnut fan but we do like a good draft beer. Was there any of that in sight?

Slickcraft - looks like it in this pic!

[Slickcraft]

Thanks dude, my bad for not scrolling down to your photos. Looks like Long Trail Ale and maybe other choices.

[Argie's Wife]

Yes, they have draft beers. I didn't sample any because I was "on duty" with the Arglets. Lemme know when you're going and I'll join ya!

[mcdude]

From the Baysider 5/16

THE RUSTY MOOSE RESTAURANT opened its doors to the public last Thursday, and the restaurant was
busy throughout the day and the evening.

Rusty Moose officially opens

BY TIM CROES

Staff Writer

ALTON — Last Thursday, this reporter got the chance to visit the Rusty
Moose Restaurant on the official opening night and can report that the name fits the feel of the restaurant. It has a very rustic feel inside, with the copper bar top,beverages served in mason jars,wood cut table tops and lighting that makes you feel welcomed. The menu offers a variety of American fare, and this reporter wanted to sample the pulled pork sandwich, but due to the fact they were out of pulled pork, went with a halfpound burger. The burger was delicious and it was washed down with a cold beverage.

The bar offers a variety of micro-brew selections, wines, spirits and high-end whisky offerings. The meals range from $8.99 to $26, and owner
Stephen Paul plans on serving lunch and dinner on Tuesdays through Thurs-

days, breakfast, lunch and dinner on Fridays and Saturdays and an “anything goes” menu on Sundays from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The restaurant is located at 15 Homestead Place in between McDonald’s and Hannaford’s
and for more information, call 855-2012,

Tim Croes can be reached at tcroes@salmonpress.com

[patman]

We ate lunch there on Saturday...very good! I was afraid that it would be packed since it was just after noon, and there was a lot of traffic between bike week and the Kingswood graduation exodus, but amazingly we were one of the few groups there. My son and I had the burger, and my wife had a pulled pork sandwich. All were excellent, the service was fast and attentive, and the place was spotless and nicely decorated. I was fascinated by the antique (or just antique looking?) two bladed ceiling fan in the back room. The hanging light fixtures were cool also. Nice touches!

We'll be back...

[patman]

Bump... Wow...nobody else, huh?

We went there for dinner last Tuesday night, and discovered they were having a "2 for $15" special on a couple of pasta dishes. My wife and I both chose the "chicken Marsala with mushrooms" dish. (I think the other choice was pasta with marinara sauce and cheese, don't remember exactly.) It came with a salad to split between us, bread, and of course the main dishes. Everything was very good, and the total was just under $22 including a soda and a coffee.

[Merrymeeting]

Things in life that make you say, "Hmmm?" I just got home from dinner there and intended to resurrect this thread and someone else had beaten me to it!

There were 3 of us and it was our first time there. All were very happy with their meals.

The place was bigger inside than we had expected. It's not a place I would choose for a fine dining experience. But as a pub/comfort food stop, it definitely met and exceeded our expectations. A good selection of local micro brews on tap, very tasty fried green beans, and dinners that were cooked just right.

I had a bacon cheeseburger, served on a large, fresh, english muffin. My companions had the ribs special. All very good.

Our only regret was not having room for the triple chocolate cake that was offered for dessert!

[Slickcraft]

Next time get that triple chocolate cake to go. About now you probably wishing that you did.

We stopped by a while after opening, time we made another visit.

[Lakesrider]

Thanks I might try it Friday night.....

[Slickcraft]

We stopped for lunch yesterday, both had a very good sandwich and a draft beer. My grilled flatbread sandwich had grilled chicken, pesto sauce and roasted red pepper (maybe Swiss as well) and was very tasty. It came with chips a pickle for $8 which I consider a fair price for a tasty lunch.

To our surprise we were the only customers at noon time. Yes it was a cold day after a storm but all that shoveling should have made a few of you hungry.

As dat dude has mentioned elsewhere, on Tuesday they have a $15 dinner for two. We asked about it: they serve a choice of two pasta meals out of a rotating collection of about 15. One red sauce and one white each with meat and veggie available. Also a bowl of salad to share. We were told that it is popular with good turn out, may give it a try.

[Slickcraft]

This week's mail flyer:

[mcdude]

The Rusty Moose has been featuring entertainment most week-ends. Feb 1st (Saturday) Brad and Paolo performing a duo before Paolo goes back to Italy. For all you Guitar guys, Paolo opened for Tommy Emmanuel in Italy. These guys are going to bring the Moose's roof down!!!

[mcdude]

THIS SUNDAY BLUES BRUNCH 9AM-2PM
ARTHUR JAMES, MEMEBER OF THE NH BLUES SOCIETY
LIVE MUSIC 10AM-2PM

[ghfromaltonbay]

I noticed in their Baysider ad that the Rusty Moose is serving breakfasts on Sat. from 7 to 11 a.m. and they have a Sunday brunch with entertainment every other week. It's good to see an alternative spot now that the Main St. Café is closed.

[patman]

I think we've made it here for 3 of the last 6 Tuesday night specials, most recently this week. I have to say:

1) The food is fantastic
2) The portions are generous
3) The price is amazing
4) The place is empty. Given 1-3...WHY?!?!?

You folks are FOOLS for not trying this!!!

'Nuff said.

[mcdude]

Work on the new patio has begun!

[KarenM]

Ahhhh, so that's what they are up to! I should have figured it out when I saw Keith working his magic. Of course, I could have just asked!!

I went to the Rusty Moose for the first time today to catch up with an old friend. I wish I got the name of our server, she was wonderful! She greeted us with a warm smile, was attentive without interfering with our conversation, and treated us as if we spent $100 instead of the $21 tab we ran up! I really was impressed! I had a nice glass of Malbec, my friend enjoyed a beer (she recited the draft beer list with a brief description of each) and we shared DELICIOUS fried green beans. I would return just for those! Even with our small tab, we were never rushed.

[mcdude]

..........

[NanaMac]

Went to the Rusty Moose for a second time last night. First visit, we had beer-batter onion rings that were to die for; if you like onion rings, they are a must!
We also had very delicious burgers and fries. This time, we decided to try their Tuesday night pasta special, two for $15. We started with the onion rings, of course! Although the table near us had nachos that looked great!Then, we chose the chicken pasta special. We shared a fresh salad and our meal. The gravy (sauce) was freshly made and delicious! Our server was very warm and friendly! It was a very enjoyable evening. It was not crowded, which was surprising for the service, food and pricing were all top-notch!
I may regret writing this, as it could be very busy our next visit.

[patman]

Closed...

All the signage is gone.

[Slickcraft]

Originally Posted by patman

Closed...

All the signage is gone.

Yes, too bad. Many times we stopped for lunch and we were the only ones there or maybe two others. Good food, reasonable pricing and a pretty good location. We never understood the absence of customers.

[mcdude]

Is it for sale or lease?