THE KITCHEN & THE THIRSTY DOG

THE KITCHEN and

The Thirsty Dog

Fans of The Kitchen in Longmeadow are getting ready for a change. And those looking for a new restaurant to try will now have one to add to their list. The Kitchen, if it hasn’t already, will be transitioning in November to The Thirsty Dog Bar and Grill under the sole ownership of David Blais. Blais worked in the corporate world for many years before deciding six years ago to leave it all behind to pursue what had always been his passion – cooking. “I didn’t have any experience and wanted to buy a food truck. So, I went to see Bobby Barkett, who opened The Kitchen back in 2014, and told him what I was thinking of doing. He invited me to work with him for a while to see if it was something I would really enjoy doing. Eventually I did buy that food truck and went on to run little kitchens inside Two Weeks

Notice Brewing Company and The Daily Pint in Wilbraham,” Blais said. But Blais wanted more. “I was running back and forth between the two kitchens, and it was getting to be too much for me. I wanted something I could call my own. That’s when I approached Bobby about a co-partnership in The Kitchen, which led to a discussion about my sole ownership of his restaurant,” he said. Blais explained that he will be taking the restaurant from the classic diner that The Kitchen has been for the past eight years to a classic neighborhood pub concept of The Thirsty Dog. “I love the idea of having a neighborhood pub that serves to bring the community together. It’s somewhere you can go with friends and neighbors to hang out and support and watch on our big screen television your local teams like the Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics as well as to come for other entertainment,” he said. There will be live acoustic music on Thursday and Saturday from 7-10 p.m. and the opportunity to warble a tune or two on Wednesdays during karaoke with Amanda Rowe and Matt Gibbs. Also coming soon will be an opportunity to test your knowledge on a special trivia night. A newly added jukebox will keep the music playing for those who want to hear their favorite tunes. Featuring a luncheon-style pub menu, The Thirsty Dog serves up a heaping helping of nachos, wings, fries, onion rings, tater tots, mac and cheese, burgers and hot dogs. There are also deli sandwiches ranging from corned beef to pastrami and turkey to ham, as well as the ever popular and tasty BLT and grilled cheese, alongside an array of salads and more to choose from. And now that the cooler weather is here, there are soups such as cheeseburger chowder, chicken noodle, squash bisque, clam chowder and others. Early Sunday breakfast includes a full menu of egg sandwiches, pancakes, waffles, French toast, omelets with all the fixing’s one could choose, and the typical breakfast plates of eggs, toast and coffee with add-ons such as fresh ham, corned beef hash, sausage or bacon, home fried potatoes, bagel muffin, and more. “There will be several new additions coming to our menu such as fish and chips, Guinness beef stew, and a variety of gourmet grilled cheese such as one with Havarti cheese and blueberry, another with cheddar mac and cheese, and one with fig jam and goat cheese. We will also be evolving our Sunday breakfast into a hip brunch atmosphere with music and mimosa flights and

other cool changes. And while we don’t have any desserts on the menu, we will be partnering with someone to bring some sweet treats in for those who want them,” Blais said. As for the “bar” in Thirsty Dog Bar and Grill, Blais noted he will be promoting local brewers and spirit makers to his thirsty customers. The Thirsty Dog owner also plans to expand an already busy catering operation. “It is an important revenue stream for restaurants trying to bounce back from the effects of the [coronavirus] pandemic on their business and a summer season which is traditionally a slow time for them,” he said. The Thirsty Dog owner noted their catering business covers a broad spectrum from menus to services to sites. “We offer a variety of menus to choose from beyond our pub menu, full entrees including steak and lobster, for example, or a more relaxed barbecue, whatever the customer desires. We will go to the customers house or business and set up and serve for them or simply set it up, or they can come pick everything up from us. And, if someone has rented a site for their event, we can work out of there for them,” Blais said. “Right now, we are closed on Monday and Tuesday and welcome anyone who wants to rent our facility for a function,” he added. Current hours, which over time will change, are Wednesday through Friday from noon to 11 p.m., Saturday from 5 to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. “I invite everyone to come out and visit us at The Thirsty Dog where a causal, comfortable, welcoming atmosphere awaits them with super nice people behind the bar and table servers just waiting to make your visit a pleasurable experience,” Blais said.

THE NEWLY NAMED THIRSTY DOG BAR AND GRILL IS LOCATED ON 791 WILLIAMS ST. IN LONGMEADOW. FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TAKE-OUT SERVICE, CALL (413) 754-3770 OR VISIT MYLONGMEADOWKITCHEN.COM WHICH WILL SOON UNDERGO A REVAMP.

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