Fody's adds flavor to history

There's a lot of history connected to Fody's. It's housed in the Tavern building, constructed in 1833, the oldest brick building in town. It has been used for a variety of purposes from a town hall to a church to a hotel and, more recently, restaurants, the most successful of which is Fody's, which is having its own historic moment -- a five-year anniversary, no small task in these tough economic times. But we know why.

Of course you can't eat ambience, but the atmosphere at Fody's is deliciously comfortable, warm and welcoming, and there's always live entertainment, including stand-up comedy, bands and karaoke.

Everything, from the dark wainscoting on the walls to the vintage fireplace and comfy seats, makes it a place you feel like hanging in for hours, especially as the weather chills.

The owners are smart, sticking to a small, but well-executed, menu. We must say while the entree items are a tad pricey, ranging from $18-$26, the portions are big, and Fody's offers a reasonably priced tavern menu and great weekly specials: $4 burgers Sundays, a buy-one-get-one entree deal Tuesdays and half-off appetizers Wednesdays (the day we visited).

In that spirit, Mr. and Mrs. T for T shared a bottle of Bollini Pinot Grigio ($24) and dug into the half-price apps with the help of Junior and Auntie T for T.

We shared a Cheddar Fondue (usually $12, but $6 on half-price Wednesday) and Cajun Beer Battered Shrimp ($12, but $6 on half-price Wednesday).

We loved what we were given to dip in the fondue -- fried pita bread, roasted asparagus, carrots, potatoes and fresh pear and grape tomatoes -- and our server was generous in bringing more pita chips without our even asking. The cheese fondue itself was a tad on the bland side and could have used a bit of wine and some more seasoning.

The shrimp, however, were outstanding -- four giant (pardon the oxymoron), fresh shrimp fried perfectly in a slightly sweet batter with a tangy dipping sauce. The coating was golden brown and not at all greasy, and the prawns themselves were still juicy. We could have chowed down on these all day.

While we all considered ordering one of the entries -- the Panko Crusted Ahi Tuna with ginger soy reduction, couscous salad and vegetable ($26) and Oven Roasted Cod Fillet with corn and saffron-infused mashed potatoes and citrus sake beuerre blanc ($22) sounded very tempting, we were more in the mood for the simpler items on the Tavern Fare portion of the menu.

Mr. T for T, still inspired by the shrimp, ordered Beer Battered Fish and Chips ($16), some of the best fish and chips we've ever had, including the real thing in England. The big chunks of white fish -- we think haddock -- were, like the shrimp, battered and fried to perfection, leaving behind lots of crunch to complement the juicy, fresh taste of the fish. The chips -- or fries -- were also excellent and cut from real potatoes and fried enough to be thoroughly cooked, but not greasy. They reminded us of the Maine french fries sold at county fairs.

Auntie T for T had the Shepard's Pie ($12), which she found a bit bland, but which the rest of us liked, especially the creaminess of the mashed potatoes and the addition of a little melted cheese on top.

Mrs. T for T, on our very-attentive server's suggestion, ordered the Lobster BLT ($19), with the same great french fries.

The menu promised 10 ounces of lobster, and we think there might have been more fresh, sweet lobster served on big slabs of toasted and buttered Italian bread with bacon, lettuce and tomato. It was huge. It was satisfying, and it was worth every penny.

Fody's has also kept to the simple-is-best philosophy for its dessert menu. All items are $6, including Grandma's Apple Pie, Cheesecake with a brittle walnut crust, Chocolate and Espresso Tort and Creme Brule.

Since the menu urges diners to save room for the brule, we did, and that day's flavor was a banana brule. It was good, but not the best we've had, and we couldn't taste the banana at all.

But overall, we loved our meal at Fody's. It was relaxing and comfortable, and we left full and with plenty of leftovers.

**** Fody's Great American Tavern

9 Clinton St., Nashua.

577-0915, www.fodystavern.com.

<b>Food:</b> ***½

<b>Service:</b> ****

<b>Value:</b> ***

<b>CUISINE: </b>American eclectic.

<b>Prices: </b>$8-$25.

<b>Hours:</b> 4:30 p.m.-1 a.m. daily. Food served until 9:30 p.m.

<b>Handicapped Accessible: </b>Yes.

<b>Vegetarian Friendly: </b>Yes.

<b>Alcohol:</b> Yes.

<b>DRESS:</b> Casual.

<b>WOULD WE GO BACK? </b>Yes.

***** = Perfect

**** = Excellent

*** = Good

** = Fair

* = Poor

<i>Overall rating is not necessarily an average of Food, Service and Value ratings.</i>