Featured: Airport Food Worth Dropping In For

You’re out for a country drive on Saturday, cruising along a main road, miles from anywhere, and you’re wondering “what’s for lunch?”. Yet the miles roll by, the villages are small, and no restaurants to be seen – even the SatNav doesn’t show any of those little knife and fork symbols. What to do??

Wait. What’s this? An airfield symbol and a knife and fork together? Airport diners can be hit or miss – lets give it a try….. (yeah, we were hungry).. A little red house beside the hangar, a gaily painted caboose to one side, a tent with tables and chairs to the other side, and a few more chairs around a fire pit. We walk up the ramp and note the decorations (a Mexican diner???), walk up to the hostess stand (please wait to be seated)… Really?!? Seemed kind of sleepy to us, so we announced our presence, and in short order, the staff hopped into action. So, How’d it go?…

Decent chips and salsa, excellent guacamole, spiced carrots, great chimichanga and quesadilla – yup – worth stopping. As we enjoy our food, more locals start to roll in – seems it’s a popular watering hole, and then the phone rings, and rings again – wait! Reservations, at a diner? Most definitely! Turns out this little gem is a favorite of small plane owners across the Northeast, and they often call ahead to ensure a table, especially in the evenings.

We’re at the Lil’ Red Baron Mexican Restaurant, at Parlin Field, a few miles north of Newport, NH, right beside Route 10. If you’re cruising along Rt 10, or overhead, try dropping in – I think you’ll like it. (If you can’t get to them, that caboose could be bringing ice cream and/or tacos to your next event – yum!)