Next Saturday, Nashua’s 16th Annual Winter Holiday Stroll will be taking over Main Street from 5 to 10 p.m. Organized by the Great American Downtown, this event serves as a fundraiser for the non-profit organization, and is the biggest dining and shopping event of the year for downtown businesses. As always, there will be a raffle, where people can win tickets to Chunky’s, gift certificates to downtown restaurants and shops, and skiing/snowboarding packages, to name a few. New this year, however, is that the beer garden will be located on High St., and all ages are welcome (although 21-year-olds will be given wristbands). In regards to the food, “regular” food vendors will be next to Sovereign Bank or next to Saffron Bistro - however, 12 downtown restaurants have also signed on to serve their fare right outside their own eateries. Attendees can taste creations from the likes of Fody’s Tavern, Unum’s, Stella Blu, and San Francisco Kitchen, to name a few. For a full list of participating restaurants and Winter Stroll activities, click here. GAD picked the right year/economic climate to get local restaurants involved. Who plans to attend this year’s Stroll, and which restaurant’s food are you most excited to try?

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year (is anyone surprised?). Every year, I am surrounded by 20+ members of my family, stuffing our faces with homemade food, washed down with wine and Irish coffee. However, I understand that there are many families out there that aren’t this lucky - and too many people don’t have anywhere to go on Thanksgiving. This year, of all years, it is important to provide those in need with the things many of us take for granted; i.e., food on Thanksgiving. Harbor Homes on High Street relies on local residents to do just that. The company is holding their 9th annual Thanksgiving Dinner this year for individuals living in their cars, on the streets, or in shelters. However, Harbor Homes is in need of a few items in order to provide this meal. Items like pies and fruit (apples, oranges, pears) are in high demand. Harbor Homes is expecting to serve more meals this year than ever, so donating turkey, vegetables, desserts, or monetary donations in general are encouraged - they could even use some volunteers. The dinner will be held on Tuesday, November 24th from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. To donate, or for more information, call Harbor Homes at 882.3616.

All aboard, mercury munchers: there’s a sushi buffet in town. Thousand Crane II, one of the most recent additions to downtown (although it’s been in Manchester for seven years), offers a buffet of their fresh raw fish every Wednesday from 5 to 7 p.m. The best part? The fee is under $20 per person. The Chinese and Japanese eatery serves up their Nigiri, Alaskan King Maki, and Sampor, to name a few. The folks at Thousand Crane know their sushi, too - their spicy tuna roll, that I tried at the Taste of Downtown, was actually spicy and tasted like it was pulled from the ocean that day. Thousand Crane also lets fish lovers enjoy their sushi with citrus and vinegar based sauces, in addition to soy sauce. I’m liking the uniqueness. Anyone been to the sushi buffet before? Let us know if it’s worth the stomach space.

In lieu of the recent Fort Hood tragedy, there’s no better time to celebrate Veteran’s Day. Amidst all the gratitude our beloved military members will be receiving that day, they still have to eat; and one such restaurant is taking the initiative. Uno’s Chicago Grill is honoring our men and women of the armed services on Wednesday by keeping their wallets and stomachs full. Uno’s Chicago Grill is giving all members of the military (active or not) a free entree or individual pizza with purchase of an entree or pizza of equal or greater value. All Uno’s asks is that you show up in uniform, with a picture of you in uniform, or with your military or veteran’s ID. So eat up, military members, and thank you for all that you’ve done/you do for us.

I remember New York City for one thing: Chipotle Mexican Grill. The last time I was in the lit-up city, I gorged on a massive burrito that had to have weighed at least 20 lbs at this popular Mexican chain. The burrito I had, chocked full of rice, sour cream, black beans, and veggies, still haunts me in my sleep - that monstrosity was nothing but delicious. So when I found out that Chipotle is coming to Nashua, my jaw was glued to the floor. Can it be? Is this some horrible foodie rumor? No, folks - this one’s for real. The Mexican joint, at 225 D.W. Highway, will be open to the public on November 13th. The Chipotle crew is already doing their part in our neighborhood, too: on November 11th and 12th, the restaurant will be hosting Friendly Face-off Fundraisers for Nashua North and Nashua South High Schools. Nashua North’s event is on the 11th while Nashua South Schools’ will be held on the 12th, both from 5 to 8 p.m. For both events, attendees who give a $5 donation at the door will receive a gourmet burrito, tortilla chips, salad, salsa, and a drink. 100 percent of the proceeds will even be given to the high schools’ athletic programs, while the school that raises the most money will be rewarded a free burrito day at a later date. Any restaurant willing to devote two days to helping our schools gets a high grade in my book. Welcome to the neighborhood, Chipotle.

Here’s a reason to celebrate: Nashua’s downtown tapas bar is celebrating its first full year of business. Stella Blu not only has a new-and-improved website, but the popular small plates establishment is also throwing a party to commemorate a year of success. In order to toast such an occasion, Stella is holding a wine dinner on November 4th, featuring Merriam Vineyard’s vinos. This five course feast will feature dishes like Scallop Shumi, made with pureed scallops steamed in Asian wontons and dressed in fennel tarragon broth; as well as Duck Two Ways, with Chinese black tea smoked breast and confit of duck ravioli. To round out the meal, a sampling of house-made sorbets will be served. Hello, elegance - the folks at Stella know how to romance their customers on an anniversary. Tickets are $75, and include the five courses, the wines paired with them, a champagne greeting, and live music. Not bad for a night out, eh?

On Wednesday, I had the privilege of judging Nashua Crossings’ version of Iron Chef. The event not only allowed me to eat and critique six different dishes made with the “secret ingredient,” but it also allowed Benchmark Assisted Living’s top chefs to compete in order to raise money for a good cause: the One Company Fund. One Company is a “hardship fund” with the goal of supporting their associates that find themselves in a position of need resulting from circumstances that are out of their control. The evening involved two teams of chefs: the green team and the blue team. Competing chefs included Joe Gerber, Food Service Director of Nashua Crossing (green team), as well as Guy Hemond, Vice President of Dining Services for Benchmark. The secret ingredient of the evening was shrimp, and both teams brought their creativity and culinary skills to the challenge in an inspiring way. The teams each had to make three courses with the crustacean, and it’s amazing what they came up with. As a judge, I had to critique each dish on presentation, creativity, taste and organization on a scale of one through five, five being the best. I have to say, the judging was fairly easy - everything was delicious. From spicy shrimp with cheesy grits to shrimp paired with cranberry risotto and gouda, the chefs created a menu that was extremely diverse, innovative, and downright tasty. The best part, besides raising over $1,000 for the One Company Fund? The patients of Nashua Crossing seemed to be having a fun night out - a night I doubt they will ever forget.

Last week, I ate my way through my cousin’s wedding at several locations in Nashua. My cousin, Catherine, is originally from Georgetown, Mass. but decided to get hitched in our city after seeing Sky Meadow Country Club, where the ceremony and reception were held. Since there’s a shuttle that runs from Sky Meadow to the Crowne Plaza, many guests spent the weekend at the hotel, and we also had the rehearsal dinner there the night before the wedding. As a bridesmaid, I also joined the bride and bridal party at Aidan James Salon to get my hair done. The salon’s next door neighbor, The Seedling Cafe, provided us with a spread of goodies, including fresh fruit, organic plain yogurt, crunchy granola, and an array of baked goods. I’ve had much better food from Seedling, but the mimosas and high from the hairspray helped me choke down the morning meal. The rehearsal dinner at the Crowne was more impressive, however: cheesy lasagna, juicy chicken parmesan, garlicy zucchini, Caesar salad, and herb-tastic breadsticks were just a few of the hotel’s offerings, and each item stayed piping hot, despite the buffet-style serving. There was even an impressive dessert spread of delicate sweets like chocolate ricotta-filled cannolis and mini eclairs stuffed with creamy mocha cream.

At the wedding, I ate like it was Thanksgiving. The appetizers served at Sky Meadow were surprisingly divine, like the traditional bacon-wrapped scallops and the decadent coconut chicken strips. For dinner, my cousin and her new husband had us start with cream of broccoli soup, which was extremely flavorful, followed by just-a-filler salad. For the meal, I requested the chicken dish, which would have been delicious if I was starving. Not being a huge fan of heavy, fried foods, the chicken was just that: fried, and filled with artificial looking (and tasting) cheese and ham, with more successful steamed veggies and buttery mashed potatoes on the side.

Overall, Sky Meadow’s staff helped make my cousin’s wedding the perfect celebration, and I left full of food and happiness for my cousin, who couldn’t have married a better man.

Need to take a step back? Sal’s Pizza is taking us back in time this Saturday by cutting down the cost of their pies. To celebrate 20 years of business, Sal’s is selling their 19 inch cheese pizzas (that currently cost $9.99) for $5.55, the price of their pies when the eatery first opened. If you’ve ever noshed at Sal’s, you know how large their slices are - one slice is the equivalent to two or three “normal sized” pieces - so $5.55 is one deal this recession needs. Plus, a portion of the proceeds from Saturday’s festivities are donated to United Way. 30 local eateries are offering the discount (including Nashua, Merrimack, and Milford), but only a select few are hosting day-long activities such as face painting and children’s games. Some of those locations include Salem, Derry, Concord, and Chelmsford, Mass. For a full list of participating Sal’s, click here.

I’m Irish, therefore I’m extra critical of Irish pubs and the authentic meals they prepare. In this area, Peddler’s Daughter has always done it right. They not only know how to pour a Guinness, but their Irish Curry Stew, Shepard’s Pie, and Fish & Chips have always been cooked to St. Patrick-perfection. The other night, I met a good friend of mine from college at Peddler’s for a few Shipyard pumpkin brews and food, and I decided to stray from the Irish fare and go for an old-fashioned American sandwich: the Grilled Chicken Panini. Pressed between a fresh baguette was a thick slab of moist chicken, smoked bacon, cheddar cheese, and basil mayo. Without the dressed up mayonnaise, this sandwich could have easily been B-O-R-I-N-G, but the extra flavor from the basil made it something special. On the side, I had a generous portion of Peddler’s thick-cut French fries, which were well salted and came with homemade ketchup. My only gripe: the ketchup had the consistency of salsa versus smooth and creamy catsup. The chunky condiment also made it hard to dip the fries into it successfully. The meal overall was good and worth ordering again, but when at Peddler’s, I’m sticking to the Irish food next time.