Nashua’s Spring Feast Week has officially come to a close, and I tried my best to take advantage of the deals downtown restaurants were offering. Thursday night I hit up Unum’s, where the prix fixe menu was generous in portions and delicious in taste, though the service was slightly slow due to the unexpected volume in customers. However, our waiter (his name was Walter) was too friendly and knowledgeable to get agitated with. Tonight, I hit up Stella Blu with some fellow Twitter-ers (is that the right lingo?), and had some amazing scallops with risotto and shrimp wrapped in fried wontons with spicy/sweet dipping sauce. Yum! However, my visit to Cooking Matters yesterday for lunch was my first time in the gourmet food store/cafe, and I must say, I was impressed. Although the specialty food items, like the barbecue sauces and spices, were a bit overpriced ($9 for salad dressing, anyone?) the soup and sandwich I ate were outstanding. I ordered the special soup of the day, Thai Chicken, and the broth was infused with just the right amount of curry and coconut milk, familiar Thai flavors, with large, moist chunks of fresh chicken, giant mushrooms and a variety of other veggies. My half sandwich was also a special for Feast Week, with prosciutto, mozzarella, tomatoes and baby spinach sandwiched between two fresh pieces of ciabatta. The price of my lunch, with the 20% Feast Week discount, was also a few bucks cheaper than the salad dressings.

Anyone else take advantage of Feast Week?

This crisp, spring weather has me thinking of a few very specific food items I’d like to shove down my gullet, but margaritas and fresh, spicy salsa with some nice salty tortilla chips is what I crave most days. Fortunately for me, my next 5 & Dine article is on chimichangas, so my Mexican craving will soon be curved. And fortunately for all of us Mexican food cravers, a new joint is coming to 1001 Elm Street in Manchester. Jalapenos Mexican Grill is “coming soon” to Elm, according to their website. Not sure exactly when this new eatery will be opened, but keep close watch to their site for opening day. I eat jalapenos like a pregnant woman eats pickles, so I am pretty psyched about the name alone. What’s your favorite Mexican restaurant in the area?