Eating in Church is sometimes ok.. .

Taking communion is really the only time it's cool, that is unless you happy upon a few of the good places in the area that are in fact converted churches. There are two I know of off the top of my head, and I tried one for the first time (in it's current set-up) this week. The Mission Oak Grill in Newburyport was a FAR cry from what I expected.

Admittedly, I should have expected the restaurant would be considered 'fine dining', but the main dining room was far more formal then I would have expected. Though lovely, my friends and I were a little casual and decided we'd be more suited to the bar area, even if it is just a designated area of the main dining room off to the side. Bar = casual. At least in New England! So, we sat a a high top and were provided a martini/wine menu, dining menu and bar menu. Needless to say, plenty of options to choose from and a wide variety of food types from seafood to land lubbers fare. However, what caught our attention at this swanky place was the bar menu's 1/2 off deal! Between 5-7 on weekdays, the bar menu is 1/2 off.. and the bar menu entrees are ample, shareable in some instances. And so, we tried the haddock kabobs (a whimsical presentation of skewered, friend fish and french fries; the chicken club sandwich which was definitely big enough to split, and the meatball slidders which I was not willing to split.. I mean - each slider (3) came with a different topping: roasted red pepper, buffalo mozzarella, and pesto. I would hate to have missed out on trying any of those. And so, I was good and cleaned off the plate - complete with delicious and crisp french fries. It was an unexpected treat for bar food, and the prices were extrememly friendly too! Definitely work checking out.

Another church renovation worth noting briefly, is the HOLY GRAIL PUB in Epping, NH. It's no longer "new" though it's not as well known as many of the newer restaurants in Portsmouth or other seacoast NH towns. But that is probably a good thing because it's tough enough to get in as it is! Some time ago I met a friend at the bar for a beer. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, the staff friendly, and the beer selection impressive. I definitely intend on returning for a meal sometime soon and will be sure to include a more thorough opinion on the establishment when I do, but to warrant a mention just for a beer? It has a lot of promise!