The Publisher is just back from a road trip south to North Carolina, and when The Notester wondered aloud what kind of places he found along the way, he - after much persuasion - gave The Notester this list, in order, of comfort food for travelers:

Soup and grilled cheese at Harrigan's Family Restaurant in Montville, N.J. "I always stop here coming or going on I-287," said The Publisher. "Great food, lots of specials."

Chowder and mini-sandwiches at a Ruby Tuesday: "Somewhere on the road in Virginia."

Flounder at a small no-name place in the hills of Piney Creek, N.C.: "Great food, but I'll never find it again."

Chowder in a bread bowl at the Olde Hickory Tavern and Brewery on the square in Hickory, N.C.: "Nice place, nice town." A cheese steak sub at the Southside Diner in Harrisonburg, Va.: "You can usually count on truck stops for good food."

Bangers and mash at The Garryowen Irish Pub, and soup and a tuna melt at The Springhouse Tavern at Dobbin House, both in Gettysburg, Pa.: "Very authentic Irish pub grub, and the tavern actually had a spring bubbling away in a corner."

Mussles and crab bisque at Stoned Crab in Macungie, Pa.: "Always stop here for good seafood and great service."

Soup and a meatloaf sandwich at the Parthenon Diner in Branford, Conn.: "An extraordinary array of good food and several ethnic styles. I always stop here when I'm on this part of 95."

The Local Scene

The twin lobster dinner is 18 bucks and they have a 5-buck lobster tail at Fresh Catch on Union Street in Attleboro and on Chauncey Street in Mansfield. (freshcatchinc.com)

You can now get the Dawn Patrol Special as late as 9:30 a.m. at Morin's on South Main Street in Attleboro. It's two eggs with bacon, ham or sausage, homefries, toast and coffee, for 4 bucks. (www.morins1911.com and 508.222.9875)

The twin lobster specials continue at Fitzy's Pub on Man Mar Drive in Plainville. Keep an eye out for those 5-bucks-off coupons in the paper. (508.809.3533)

Lobster pie is on the menu at Hearth 'n Kettle on Route 1 in South Attleboro. (508.399.6677)

Specials at Bertucci's include rigatoni with broccoli and chicken and penne puttanesca, a spicy dish The Notester just loves. The cloest restaurants are in Noreth Attleboro and Mansfield. Dunkin' Donuts celebrates the opening of its 15,000th store this week with 15-cent specials. Hope you caught one.

The current specials at The Breakfast Place on Pleasant Street in Attleboro include dishes named after some of the popular waitstaff: the Steak Anne-Chilada, which is shaved sirloin with scrambled eggs, sauteed ppers and onions in a jalapeno and cheese tortilla, and Buddy's Brooklyn Bulky, scrambled eggs with ham, sauteed oinions and cheddar on a grilled bulk roll. (www.thebreakfastplacema.com and 508.226.5680)

They have a wine-and-dine for two special for 35 bucks at the Coachmen's Lodge on Wrentham Road in Bellingham. You can get it Wednesday through Friday, 4:30 to 9:30, and Saturday 4 to 6. (www.coachmenslodge.com and 508.883.9888)

They have 3-buck appetizer specials Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the bar and billiard room at Stoneforge Foxboro on Route 1.

North to Boston

The Cape Cod Chowder Festival is Sunday at the Cape Cod Melody Tent in Hyannia. Cape restaurants will be competing for the title and you'll get to taste them all, noon to 4, for 10 bucks, 4 for kids. (www.melodytent.org and 800.745.3000)

The first Taste of Park Plaza will be held 6 to 9 Tuesday, Aug. 4, at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers. Tickets are 25 bucks and allow you to stroll the plaza and sample dishes from Todd English's Bonfire Steakhouse, McCormick & Schmick's, M.J. O'Connors Irish Pub, The Melting Pot fondue restaurant, Swan's Cafe, Finale Desserterie, Au Bon Pain and Ben & Jerry's. Oh, and you have to be 21, at least. (www.ticketweb.com and 866.468.7619)

At UpStairs on the Square they're moving grills right onto Winthrop Street in Cambridge and doing upo steaks, ribs, chicken and corn on Friday and Saturday nights, July 3 and 4. (www.upstairsonthesquare.com and 617.864.1933)

Over at the Top of the Hub they're celebrating The Fourth with a five-course dinner that starts at 7 and costs 200 bucks. It inclkudes a simulkcast of the Boston Pops from ther Hatch Shell and a sky-high view of the fireworks at 10:30. ((617.536.1775)

They're raising money for a good cause Friday night at the Dedham Health and Athletic Complex at the BBQ Bash for Cancer. It starts at 7 and costs 50 bucks. (781.326.2900)

You have until July 31 to submit your summer cocktail recipe at Morton's The Steakhouse on Boylston Street in Boston. The winner gets a cocktail party for 10 at Morton's bar. Send them to cm.mbo@mortons.com. (www.mortons.com and 617.266.5858)

If you haven't heard, the Boston City Council has approved year-around sidewalk dining for restaurants. Until now, restaurants could only have sidewalk dining between the months of May and September.

In Little Rhody

There's a Keep the Boat Afloat fundraiser Tuesday, June 30, for the Blackstone Valley Explorer, a 49-passenger riverboat. The event is 6 to 10 at The Blackstone, Hope Artiste Village. Tickets are 20 bucks and include food, entertainment, a vendor market fair and a silent auction. (website www.rivertourblackstone.com and 401.724.2200)

They're having a beer dinner 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 22, at Gracie's on Washington Street in Providence. It starts at 6 and costs 80 bucks. (www.graciesprov.com and 401.272.7811)

Out-of-towners walked off with the best awards during the 28th Annual Schweppes Great Chowder Cook-Off June 6 at the Newport Yachting Center. Best Clam Chowder went to Tony's Cedar Key Clam Chowder, Cedar Key, Fla., with second place going to The Barking Crab of Newport and third to the Newport Marriott. Best Seafood Chowder was awarded to Michael's Seafood of Carolina Beach, N.C., with Pike Place Chowder of Seattle second and The Mooring in Newport third. (www.newportwaterfrontevents.com)

Look for things like Lemon Cream Wishes and Blueberry Dreams Waffle, Paradise Island Stuffed French Toast and a Cordon Blue Omelet on the new menu at T's Restaurants on Park Avenue in Cranston (401.946.5900) and on Post Road in East Greenwich (401.398.7877). (tsrestaurantri.com)

Every Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday you can get a lobster boil and sunset sail on the schooner Aurora at Regatta Place on Goat Island in Newport. The lobster comes with mussels, steamers and corn on the cob. It's 37 bucks and lobster. You dine on the harbor patio and then set off for the sail. (401.849.6683.x34)

Sunday through Thursday at Citron Wine Bar & Bistro on Memorial Boulevard in Providence you can get fixed-price meals for lunch and dinner. Lunch is two courses and 10 bucks. Look for roasted corn bisque with shrimp or goat cheese. (citronri.com and 401.621.9463)

Dinner for two and a bottle of wine is 30 bucks Tuesdays and Thursdays at Gianfranco's on George Waterman Road in Johnston. In between, on Wednesdays, it's mix-and-match Italian Pasta Night for 16 bucks. (401.349.4838)

Dinner for two on Mondays with a bottle of wine goes for 30 bucks at Bravo on Empire Street in Providence. Want another treat? Jumbo shrimp and oyesters are a buck a piece in the lounge 4 to 7 on Fridays. (www.bravobrasserie.com and 401.490.5112)

The two-course lunch for 19 bucks is back at Castle Hill on Ocean Drive in Newport. (www.castlehillinn.com and 401.849.3800)

Down the Cape

The Best Night of the Year is fast approaching and with the stellar line-up of chefs and restaurants signed on to participate this year, the event is bound to live up to its moniker. Held at the Willowbend Country Club in Mashpee, the fundraiser features appetizers from the likes of Bleu, Pain D'Avignon, Regatta of Cotuit, Siena Italian Grill and Wianno Grill (among plenty of others). As in years past, there'll be plenty of wine, and both a silent and live auction at the swanky little shindig, which runs from 6:00-9:00pm on Sunday, June 28th. Proceeds from each $150 ticket benefit the Cape and Islands United Way, which provides health and human service programs on the mainland as well as Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. For more details give the Cape and Islands United Way a call at 508.775.4746. You can also purchase tickets online.

Awards Corner

Sean O'Hara of Providence, executive chef at Sodexo USA in Franklin, has earned the certified executive chef designation from the American Culinary Federation.

Changing Tables

Chef and restaurateur Marissa Iocco, formerly of Galleria Italiana, La Bettola, South End Galleria, Bricco, Mare, Umbria and Trattoria Il Panino, has moved to Needham's Tuscan-influenced Spiga as executive chef. (781.449.5600)

John Bodi has been promoted to head chef of The Safari Lounge and Restaurant at Oceancliff Resort and Hotel on Ocean Drive in Newport. A graduate of Johnson & Wales, he has worked at Angels of Manhattan and Narragansett, Cedars Steakhouse at Foxwoods Casino and Capriccio of Providence. (401.841.8868)

Neil Manacle is the new chef at Fluke Wine, Bar & Kitchen on Bowens Wharf in Newport. He has worked at New York restaurants including Bar Americain, Mesa Grill and Bolo. He's a graduate of Johnson & Wales. (www.flukewinebar.com and 401.849.7778)

Bon appetit. And if you go, let The Notester know.

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