Rick & Ann’s

Rick and Ann’s is too popular. Expect to wait for a table any day; and on weekends, it’s crazy. But once you have a seat, prepare for a meal of dignified fare that that seems just right here in the shadow of the grand old Claremont Hotel. It’s not Bay-Area-snazzy, but you won’t catch me complaining at the thought of fried chicken with macaroni and cheese and cornbread.

Breakfast (or brunch) is the meal most people come to eat. The muffin choice includes the likes of carrot/sunshine and bran, and there are fine scones, too. As much as I like the scones, it is the big hot meals that wow me. You’d be hard-pressed to find red flannel hash this good anywhere in New England, where it is a traditional post-boiled-dinner breakfast. It contains both sweet and new potatoes, pieces of bacon, and enough beets to turn it vivid red. With eggs and toast, it is part of a breakfast known as The Northeast. As a devoted waffle man, I also heartily endorse the thin, crisp gingerbread-corn waffles (regular buttermilk waffles also are available). Pancake lovers need to pay attention to the lemon ricotta pancakes, which are divine.