Loco Coco's in Kittery, Maine, Alexander's Restaurant in Rollinsford, NH, Christopher's Third Street Grille in Dover,NH and Telly's in Epping, NH
*Photographs by Jack Bingham
 It’s not surprising that stepping into Loco Coco’s in Kittery, Maine, feels like you might be at a little café south of the border. Although the main food area is geared primarily to quick bites and takeout, the bar—and now the outside deck—are full service spots where you can order off the menu and sip one of their special margaritas. (I loved both their jalapeño and their mango margaritas.) Luis Valdez, who owns the hopping little cantina with Ramona Robinson, is originally from Tijuana, Mexico, and later moved to San Diego. The recipes used at Loco Coco’s have been in his family for many years, and their special touches carry a true Southwestern flair.
“We offer quality, authentic Mexican cuisine,” says Laura Melkonian, general manager. “All of our sauces and salsas are made right here. Our ingredients come from California and Mexico. We make our own chips and taco salad bowls. We offer four to five different salsas—mild, such as the avocado, a medium chipotle, a medium chilaca, and a hot habañero. All are made with chili peppers, except of course for the avocado.”
The menu is extensive but tacos remain among the most popular items, including fish, chicken, shrimp, vegetarian, and barbequed pork. The fish taco especially continues to be sold in massive quantities. Beer-battered fried pollock, cabbage, sour cream, avocado, their special “zesty sauce,” and pico de gallo combine in a taco shell to form a delicious combination. Equally popular are the quesadillas, burritos, and enchiladas. The steak burritos are almost too large for one person.
 Loco Coco’s offers three kinds of enchiladas. A plate of Enchiladas Rojas features three corn tortillas rolled with chicken or cheese, topped with a mild red sauce and shredded lettuce, fresh salsa, avocado slices, sour cream, and dry ricotta cheese, and served with beans and rice. Enchiladas Con Mole is a true Mexican treat. This enchilada offers you a choice of chicken or cheese; topped with the classic sauce traditionally made from chilies, ground nuts, and chocolate, along with the other traditional accompaniments. Enchiladas Verde feature a tomatillo sauce made from the small Mexican green tomatoes—related to our traditional tomatoes but with hints of herbs, lemons, and apples.
Soups and salads are also available. In winter, both the black bean and green chili soup are popular choices for fighting off the chill, while gazpacho is a summer favorite. For salads, the chicken and lime offering has a definite following, but versions with garlic and shrimp and steak are also recommended. The classic taco salad is definitely a meal in itself with its mix of lettuce, rice, beans, jack and cheddar cheese, fresh salsa, guacamole, and sour cream in a taco shell. It’s also available with steak, barbecued pork, or grilled shrimp.
Desserts include coconut pudding and a traditional Mexican flan (baked custard coated with caramel sauce) that is wonderfully light and sweet.
The bar is famous for its margaritas, which are made from Loco Coco’s own homemade sour mix with hand-squeezed juices.
“A lot of our business is repeat,” says Melkonian. “We know people’s names and faces. We do deliveries to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard every day, so we serve people at work, and then we may see them later on for happy hour or for dinner. We aim for personal service and I think that has struck a chord. Despite our rapid growth, we want to maintain that friendly, neighborhood atmosphere that’s made us popular.”
Loco Coco’s is located at 36 Walker Street in Kittery, and is open seven days, 11:00 a.m. till closing. Call (207) 438-9322, or visit www.locococos.com for more information.
 On Route 4 in Rollinsford, New Hampshire, Alexander’s Restaurant has been a roadside fixture for the past 27 years. Founded by Alex Eliades, it changed hands in May of 2007 when Coreen Guerino purchased the eatery. For Guerino, it was “the right time” to try her hand at the restaurant business. She and her family had long dined at Alexander’s and liked the atmosphere. When the opportunity arose, she leaped at the chance to be the new owner.
“We haven’t made a lot of changes,” she says. “Our Executive Chef Dan Drake has been with the restaurant for 20 years so our food quality is really consistent. That’s important. We have a lot of repeat business, and we plan to keep most of the same dishes that guests have enjoyed over the years. I have added some new things—items that were popular specials are now available more often.”
Among the new favorites are Pork Bragioli, which is a tenderized pork cutlet stuffed with salami, prosciutto, provolone, egg, garlic, and Italian spices, baked in a tomato sauce. Also back by popular demand are the Roasted Leg of Lamb, Chicken Marsala, and more salads, including a fresh mozzarella and tomato salad, and a gorgonzola and tomato salad. Menu classics include Eggplant Parmesan, which frequently sells out, and their Roasted Veal, which is offered year-round. The dish features oven-roasted veal, which has been slow-roasted for three hours with garlic, olive oil, and rosemary and is served in its own juices with sautéed mushrooms.
“We make just about everything from scratch,” says Guerino. “Even our veal is trimmed and tenderized in-house. We also strive for authenticity. We use cheeses, pasta, tomatoes, and olives right from Italy.”
It wouldn’t be a night out without dessert, and Alexander’s aims to please. Topping the list of temptations are homemade cannolis, spumoni, tiramisu, homemade chocolate cake and carrot cake, chocolate cream pie, and cheesecakes, including a delectable blueberry-amaretto combination.
Visitors to Alexander’s will find the same welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere they’ve enjoyed for two decades. Guerino has added some cosmetic touches—a new coat of paint, fresh flowers, and white linen tablecloths, but the essence of the restaurant remains the same. “We want people to feel comfortable here,” she says. “If folks haven’t tried us before, we hope they will. And if they’ve enjoyed us previously, we want them to come back.”
Alexander’s is closed Mondays, open Tuesday through Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Friday 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Saturday 4:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., and Sunday noon to 8:00 p.m. For more information, call (603) 742-2650.
 In Dover, New Hampshire, Christopher’s Third Street Grille is quickly becoming the place to go. Located (as advertised) on Third Street, near the Strand movie theater, Christopher’s has only been open a year but already has attracted a solid fan club. The modest-sized eatery has a cozy interior with intimate tables, golden walls, and large windows that face the bustling Dover cityscape.
“We focus on steak and seafood, nothing fancy,” says Christopher Lund, the owner and executive chef. “I wanted to create something that combines great service with great food. My goal has been to bring a good restaurant with affordable pricing to Dover.”
Among the dishes most in demand are the crab cakes that are bursting with jumbo crabmeat, topped with a red pepper aioli, and served with a basil-tomato relish. Showcasing the diversity of the menu, other favorites include Chicken Kiev and Southwest Salmon. Chicken Kiev presents two chicken breasts stuffed with garlic herb butter, breaded and lightly fried, served over rice pilaf and topped with a béarnaise sauce. Southwest Salmon marries East and West, by seasoning Atlantic salmon with mesquite, then flame-grilling. The salmon is served on a bed of black bean rice and topped with pico de gallo and tortilla strips.
Also available are Roast Duckling à l’Orange, Sizzling Rib-Eye Steak, and Pan-Seared Sea Scallops, served with a creamy pesto sauce, rice pilaf, and oven-roasted plum tomatoes.
A favorite appetizer—but hearty enough for a meal—is the Hot Sausage Soup, which combines hot sausages and fresh vegetables like tomatoes, onions, and peppers in a spicy broth topped with tortilla strips and Mexican cheeses.
Desserts include Key Lime Pie, Pecan Pie, New York Cheesecake, and an especially dangerous item called Warm Chocolate Pudding Cake. “It’s like a molten chocolate lava cake topped with caramel and chocolate sauces and whipped cream,” smiles Lund.
Christopher’s Third Street Grille is located at 16 Third Street in Dover. Hours for lunch are Monday through Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., dinner is Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday 4:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday 4:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., and Sunday noon to 8:00 p.m. The restaurant is closed on Tuesdays. For more information, visit www.christophersthirdstreetgrille.com, or call (603) 740-0044.
 Since 1983, Telly’s Restaurant in Epping, New Hampshire, has been providing that perfect location for a night out, with or without the family. The restaurant has a casual, relaxing ambience and extensive menu. Co-owners Vlasios and Kosta Danos were practically raised in the restaurant. Their parents bought the location in 1983, and the brothers grew up working there. “We have a lot of dedication to this place, that’s part of what makes it special,” says Vlasios Danos. “We cater to families because we have a tight-knit family. Our background has shaped what we do. We’re close to each other and close to our customers.”
Food choices are abundant because, Danos says, he likes all kinds of food and never knows what he might be in the mood for. “I figure other people probably feel the same way, so why not give them lots of choices?” he laughs.
Telly’s offers seafood, steak, pasta, sandwiches, salads, and pizza. It’s not unusual to see spring rolls offered side by side with steak tips and Eggplant Parmesan.
Among the customer favorites are Chicken Saltimbocca, which is chicken sautéed with portobello mushrooms, layered with prosciutto ham and provolone cheese, then finished in a marsala wine sauce. On the lighter side, a chicken, cranberry, and apple salad is perfect as an opening course or on its own. The salad includes slices of flame-broiled marinated chicken over baby greens with sliced apples, cranberries, glazed walnuts, and crumbled blue cheese, and is served with a cilantro-lime vinaigrette. Danos describes their sirloin steak as “awesome. It is a significant portion of meat—a 14-ounce center cut of aged New York sirloin, which we prepare simply, and serve with Red Bliss mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables. We let the quality of the steak speak for itself.”
Telly’s pizzas command their own following, and the pizza menu alone is packed with choices. “We roast the veggies and meats ahead of time,” says Danos. “The pizzas come in 12-inch and 18-inch sizes, and are hand-tossed. Every ingredient used on them is fresh. All the varieties are very popular but I’d say the Garden Pesto, with artichoke hearts, basil pesto, tomatoes, and fresh garlic topped with mozzarella and asiago cheese is a clear winner.” The more adventurous may opt for the Italian Deluxe, which features alfredo sauce, broccoli, and grilled chicken; the South of the Border, a spicy mix of barbecue sauce, barbecued chicken, jalapenos, and caramelized onion topped with pepperjack cheese; or the Greek, which blends fresh spinach, feta cheese, olives, garlic, diced tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese into one fragrant pie.
Pasta selections include Grilled Chicken and Wild Mushroom Ravioli; Seafood Diablo, a spicy mix of shrimp, scallops, and mussels tossed in a red sauce; classic lasagna, Chicken Cacciatore, and Sautéed Salmon with spinach and red peppers in a lobster butter cream sauce served over goat cheese ravioli.
 Telly’s is equally lavish with their dessert choices, many of which change with the seasons. Among the current offerings are crème brûlée, several varieties of cheesecake, and rhubarb layered with strawberries and vanilla bean whipped cream.
A kids’ menu is also available for both main dishes and dessert.
With its big brick pizza oven, warm golden walls, hardwood floors and soft lighting, Telly’s is special enough for a date night, but friendly enough for families with children, which is just how the brothers like it. They also strive to keep prices affordable so that anyone can find something on the menu they can afford. “Everyone likes to eat out, and everyone deserves the opportunity. Bring the whole family,” says Danos. “We have couples who came here on their first date, and are coming back today married and with their kids. We’re that kind of place—something for everybody.”
Telly’s is located at 235 Calef Highway in Epping, and is open seven days, from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. For more information (and complete menus), visit www.tellysrestaurant.com, or call (603) 679-8225.
Crystal Ward Kent is Contributing Editor to Taste magazine and has written for Taste since its inception. She is a frequent contributor to numerous regional magazines, including Yankee, Accent, and New Hampshire Home.
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