Nolan's at Sandy Point restoring prior glory

[Alton-Acton]

Went to NSP last night hoping to experience a little of the charm, service and great food we've had time and again in Wolfeboro. Really bummed, we got none of that. It is a total head scratcher that the folks running a successful restaraunt (Nolan's Wolfeboro) would put their name on a place where they didn't have menu control. The result is big plates of below average food with no freeshness or personality... Food which bears no resemblance to the name on the sign.

Our dinner included seafood, steak, a sandwich and a pasta dish... So a wide cross section...Maybe we got the wrong dishes but ours was a diner I'll quickly forget. I have to say that I don't understand the quest for nostalgia, things may have been great in that different time, but forcing a menu on the new operators of the restaraunt will be the reason this location doesn't work for more than a season or two at a time.

I was told that last night was the last night of the season... What... on August 28th... That's nuts. Earlier this year NSP stopped serving lunch... Unfortunately things don't appear to be going that well. My prediction is that it'll be hard for NSP to succeed with the menu they've had forced on them.

We desperately want NSP to become a crazy success... I want to complain about long weekend waits. I don't think that'll happen until the menu is completely rebuilt around Nolan's style fare. I don't think that'll work until people want to go there twice a month... Not just once in a great while. I don't think that'll happen while folks are still trying to capture a great meal they used to get way back when. The old kitchen and team were great, the new kitchen and team (Nolan's) are great - but they are NOT the same, it's crazy to say they have to be.

Let Nolan's be Nolan's.

My two cents.

[Old Hubbard Rd]

Originally Posted by Alton-Acton

Went to NSP last night hoping to experience a little of the charm, service and great food we've had time and again in Wolfeboro. Really bummed, we got none of that. It is a total head scratcher that the folks running a successful restaraunt (Nolan's Wolfeboro) would put their name on a place where they didn't have menu control. The result is big plates of below average food with no freeshness or personality... Food which bears no resemblance to the name on the sign.

Our dinner included seafood, steak, a sandwich and a pasta dish... So a wide cross section...Maybe we got the wrong dishes but ours was a diner I'll quickly forget. I have to say that I don't understand the quest for nostalgia, things may have been great in that different time, but forcing a menu on the new operators of the restaraunt will be the reason this location doesn't work for more than a season or two at a time.

I was told that last night was the last night of the season... What... on August 28th... That's nuts. Earlier this year NSP stopped serving lunch... Unfortunately things don't appear to be going that well. My prediction is that it'll be hard for NSP to succeed with the menu they've had forced on them.

We desperately want NSP to become a crazy success... I want to complain about long weekend waits. I don't think that'll happen until the menu is completely rebuilt around Nolan's style fare. I don't think that'll work until people want to go there twice a month... Not just once in a great while. I don't think that'll happen while folks are still trying to capture a great meal they used to get way back when. The old kitchen and team were great, they new kitchen and team are great - but they are NOT the same, it's crazy to say they have to be.

Let Nolan's be Nolan's.

My two cents.

Do you think it could possible have something to do with the fact that getting good reliable staff in nearly impossible right now?? College kids have gone back to school and finding locals that are interested in cooking in hot kitchens etc is been VERY DIFFICULT in the Lakes Region and elsewhere. Of course the owners want to make it a success but IMHO the owners can not take every shift and step in and cook etc when a staff member is slipping.

[noreast]

Originally Posted by Old Hubbard Rd

Do you think it could possible have something to do with the fact that getting good reliable staff in nearly impossible right now?? College kids have gone back to school and finding locals that are interested in cooking in hot kitchens etc is been VERY DIFFICULT in the Lakes Region and elsewhere. Of course the owners want to make it a success but IMHO the owners can not take every shift and step in and cook etc when a staff member is slipping.

Sure, But, It's not the customers responsibility to be satisfied. If you want to stay in business you have to figure it out. It's not easy, just the way it works.

[JADAQ]

I'd be willing to bet you won't see Nolan's return for another season...
Inconsistent hours, poor reviews, empty parking lot on a July Saturday night just to name a few.

Went by tonight and closed.... Wow, really! Not a way to run a seasonal business...

[tis]

Originally Posted by JADAQ

I'd be willing to bet you won't see Nolan's return for another season...
Inconsistent hours, poor reviews, empty parking lot on a July Saturday night just to name a few.

Went by tonight and closed.... Wow, really! Not a way to run a seasonal business...

I agree with you. I bet they don't return.

[TheTimeTraveler]

Originally Posted by Alton-Acton

Went to NSP last night hoping to experience a little of the charm, service and great food we've had time and again in Wolfeboro. Really bummed, we got none of that. It is a total head scratcher that the folks running a successful restaraunt (Nolan's Wolfeboro) would put their name on a place where they didn't have menu control. The result is big plates of below average food with no freeshness or personality... Food which bears no resemblance to the name on the sign.

Our dinner included seafood, steak, a sandwich and a pasta dish... So a wide cross section...Maybe we got the wrong dishes but ours was a diner I'll quickly forget. I have to say that I don't understand the quest for nostalgia, things may have been great in that different time, but forcing a menu on the new operators of the restaraunt will be the reason this location doesn't work for more than a season or two at a time.

I was told that last night was the last night of the season... What... on August 28th... That's nuts. Earlier this year NSP stopped serving lunch... Unfortunately things don't appear to be going that well. My prediction is that it'll be hard for NSP to succeed with the menu they've had forced on them.

We desperately want NSP to become a crazy success... I want to complain about long weekend waits. I don't think that'll happen until the menu is completely rebuilt around Nolan's style fare. I don't think that'll work until people want to go there twice a month... Not just once in a great while. I don't think that'll happen while folks are still trying to capture a great meal they used to get way back when. The old kitchen and team were great, they new kitchen and team are great - but they are NOT the same, it's crazy to say they have to be.

Let Nolan's be Nolan's.

My two cents.

I agree with much that is said here by Alton-Acton. I also think that when NSP reopens in the summer of 2017 that it will be totally reincarnated to be much like their current Wolfboro operation, including a Pizza oven.

It will be very interesting to see if the woman who owns Nolans decides to take this route and tries to duplicate her current successful operation in Wolfboro rather than looking back at recreating past glory from the former Sandy Point operation.

I think this summer has proven that Sandy Point's previous glorious past can not be brought back to what once was and it's time to call it a day and get a fresh start.





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[Macavity]

To me, the WB location has always had less of a "labor of love" feel to it than a "big ROI," which is better suited to production pizza than to artful Italian cooking, anyway. Haven't been to Sandy Point.