Nashua tavern feels like something special

Fody's, on Clinton Street in Nashua, has served as City Hall, a Congregational church, an upscale restaurant and hotel, and a brothel. It opened as Fody's in 2004. It is also the oldest brick building in the city.

Fody's Great American Tavern
9 Clinton St., Railroad Square
Nashua
Open every day for dinner
603-577-9015; Fodystavern.com

Once you reach Fody's, which sits behind the Chandler Memorial Library in Nashua, you enter through a long hallway that bends to the right and pushes you into the restaurant.

I use the term "restaurant" loosely because it isn't your typical eatery. Fody's is the oldest brick building in Nashua. It once served as Nashua's City Hall, a Congregational church, an upscale restaurant and hotel, and, from 1959 to 2002, it was a brothel. In 2004, it opened as Fody's.

We chose a table right in front of the windows and enjoyed peering out on Main Street.

The last time I felt this secluded in a restaurant was in Montreal. Fody's was like a small cafe where you can be anonymous. We felt like we had stumbled upon something special, and even before dinner arrived, we knew we would come back.

Fody's offers one of Nashua's most active entertainment schedules, with live acts on Wednesdays to Saturdays, along with stand-up comedy and cabaret-style theater shows. However, the bar scene doesn't get hopping until the restaurant closes at 9:30 p.m., so if you are looking for a fun night out, eat first and stay late.

OK, let's talk food. We were greeted by James, who was not only our waiter but also the bartender for the night.

For our appetizers, we decided to try the potato skins ($7) and the Scottish rolled smoked salmon ($8). With those ordered, James brought warm Asiago cheese bread rolls and a generous cube of butter. If the rolls were any indication of the meal, then I knew we were in the right place.

The skins were topped with melted cheddar. They were quite good. A generous amount of dill and onion cream cheese filling was in the salmon; it was a great pairing, minus the bagels.

It was time to try the entrees: shepherd's pie ($12), ale-battered fish and chips ($16), and grilled rib eye steak ($25).

The shepherd's pie was for my 3-year-old. The pie was layered with hamburger, corn, and mashed potatoes. My husband referred to it as "good pub grub." But it was so much more, and my daughter ate all that she was served, which says a lot.

I have never had a better basket of fried fish. Fody's uses cod and serves it with homemade fries. The cod was light, as was the batter. There were enough fries on my plate to feed a family of five. Needless to say, we left some of those behind. But the fish, it was gone in a matter of minutes.

The rib eye steak was served with purple potato salad and fried green beans. It was cooked to order, medium rare, and as many already know, it's hard to go wrong with a rib eye. My husband enjoyed the potato salad and had no complaints.

In fact, we all agreed that we ate too much, but it was well worth it. Unfortunately we didn't leave room for dessert.

The homemade desserts on the menu looked like yet another reason to come back.

MEG VILLENEUVE