Holiday Shopping

This weekend, businesses in several north central Massachusetts towns are partnering to host Christmas in the Country, an event designed to highlight what a number of local stores have to offer. Participating local craft and farm shops will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on December 1st and 2nd to welcome those who are seeking a unique holiday shopping experience. It sounds like a great excuse for a scenic drive around the area! Anyone who visits all of the shops involved will be entered to win one of several prizes. Two of the thirteen participating businesses, Country Mischief and Hartman’s Herb Farm, will also be offering lunch. I put together a map of all the businesses involved for those who are interested – perhaps I’ll see some of you out there this weekend!

Kalimba Grille

Jim Tully clearly isn’t a quitter. After unreasonable corporate policies forced him to close his Quiznos franchise at 89 Whalon Street in Fitchburg, he opened his own independent restaurant at the site. The result, Kalimba Grille, is a testament to what perseverance and a willingness to learn from experience can accomplish.

The food at Kalimba Grille is truly outstanding. The restaurant’s slogan is “the best burger in town,” but my husband and friends tell me that the Kalimba burgers are actually some of the best they’ve had anywhere, ever. I’m not a red meat eater myself, but apparently the secret lies in the all natural beef from Wolfe’s Neck Farm used to make the burgers. “The Kalimba,” consisting of two eight-ounce burgers, bacon, cheddar, lettuce, tomato, onion, and Kalimba sauce is highly recommended, and there are lots of other creative burger options too, like the garlic bacon burger and the Tuscan burger.

Fortunately, there are many other non-burger items to choose from as well. They’ve got an array of appetizers such as mozzarella sticks, boneless buffalo wings, onion rings, and jalepeno poppers – thanks to the sampler platter they offer, I’ve been able to try them all! My favorite choices at Kalimba though are the salads. The greens are actually green and fresh (something that’s sadly unusual at restaurants these days), and the grilled chicken breast that tops several of the salads has a wonderful smoky grilled flavor. Kalimba also features some great ice cream, perfect in the form of a frappe with your meal or in a warm brownie sundae for dessert.

Not only is the food at Kalimba excellent, but the service is prompt and professional. I’ve been consistently impressed by the staff’s friendliness. Kalimba also has a BYO policy, a large screen TV, and new booths (to replace some of the not-so-comfortable stools that Quiznos featured), making it a great spot to relax over a meal. I’m grateful that the owner decided to give Fitchburg another chance for his new business, and I hope everyone out there will go check it out for themselves!