The Massachusetts Department of Correction oversees the state’s prison system, including the Northeastern Correctional Center (NECC) in Concord, a minimum and prerelease facility that houses criminally sentenced men. While the main “Concord prison,” MCI-Concord, has been closed, NECC—also at the rotary—continues to operate, which includes running the Fife and Drum Restaurant, a culinary arts program for inmates to help them prepare for life postrelease by teaching skills and imparting experience. The restaurant is open to the public; I’ve heard it is the best lunch deal around and have wanted to check it out for a while.
On a recent late-spring day, I decided to give it a try. After reading the website about dress code and what to do and not do (do bring exact change, don’t wear jeans, be 18 or older), I set out. Despite my preparation, I couldn’t quite figure out where to park or which building held the restaurant. Parking by a working dairy barn, I found someone to ask and headed off, though I forgot to leave my phone and purse in my car as required.
At the check-in window, the guard explained that I really did have to go put my phone and purse back in the car, but bring my ID and then I could sign in and have lunch. Finally signed in, I clipped on my visitor badge and entered the Fife and Drum.
The space holds nine square tables that each seat four people. One table by the kitchen was filled with four diners, one of whom was the cashier—a woman with a money box. I gave her my $3.21 in exact change and she pointed out the large whiteboard with the menu. Each day, the restaurant offers soup and salad, a choice of two main courses, and two desserts. One can opt out of any of the courses. On the day I visited, the soup was chicken noodle and the salad was Caesar. Entrees were a choice of a Thanksgiving wrap, which the cashier recommended, or chicken saltimbocca.
I sat myself at one of the two empty tables; my “newbie” status must have been obvious, as a woman at the next table leaned over and told me the chicken was very good. So I went with her recommendation. She then explained she and her husband were regulars. Looking around the place, everyone seemed very comfortable and familiar with “the drill.” This was especially true of the table of five Concord firefighters who had pulled up a fifth chair so they could enjoy lunch together.
The soup and salad came quickly, served by a polite inmate who also brought my cutlery, which included a plastic knife for understandable reasons. With a very flavorful broth and nice pieces of chicken, the soup also featured carrot cubes and corn, which I ate around, not being a fan of corn in soup. Portions for the soup and salad were small, which was appropriate given the amount of lunch served and the price point, of course. The entree plate offered an ample serving of egg noodles topped with a chicken breast that itself was topped with the saltimbocca sauce. A serving of mixed vegetables completed the plate. In all, a tasty and filling meal.
Dessert choices were a blueberry turnover or snickerdoodle cookies. While the turnovers seemed to be very popular (I got a kick watching the burly firefighters delicately nibble at the flaky pastries), I went for the cookies. These ended up being the highlight of the meal. Pillowy and soft, they were very cinnamony, with what seemed to be an extra bit of cinnamon on the bottom. I could have polished off two more for sure, and when I next make snickerdoodles, I will do an additional dip of cinnamon on the bottom to try to replicate Fife and Drum’s.
As one would guess, this was not the most fabulous meal I’ve ever had, though in all, it was a super cool experience. There was a feel-good factor given Fife and Drum’s training mission. For sure, it’s the best meal deal around, lunch or otherwise. I asked why the odd pricing of $3.21. The man running the place explained with a bit of exasperation that the state sets the rate, gesturing and saying, “You get all this for that!”
Fife and Drum is open for only one hour four days a week. People arrived as late as 10 minutes before closing time and were seated (though they did appear to be regulars). I also think I saw someone pay with a $5 bill (instead of exact change), but again maybe that was a regular and concessions were made. Before visiting—and I’d recommend the experience—definitely check the website to get a full picture of visit regulations.
Alice Bartram leaves much of the cooking to her husband, though has many Instagram-saved recipes that she’ll get to one day as, really, she finds eating out more fun than cooking.
