tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-324149582024-03-07T11:00:10.514-05:00one food guyEat First. Take Names LaterOne Food Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17751317097804402723noreply@blogger.comBlogger222125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32414958.post-85342873181806789642012-12-04T12:56:00.001-05:002012-12-04T12:56:13.618-05:00Eat, Sleep, New YorkVacation is a time for rest, relaxation, and <b>eating</b>. When J told me she'd be heading to New York for some meetings earlier this year, I took a week off from work to accompany (chauffeur) her and planned my own little eating adventure. Armed with a healthy appetite and some cold hard cash, I was prepared to eat until I could eat no more, and then have some dessert.<br />
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We stayed at the <a href="http://www.distrikthotel.com/" target="_blank">Distrikt Hotel</a> in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood which was centrally located and near the 42nd Street subway station making it a perfect location for me to eat my way around the city. It was also conveniently located a few short blocks from one of my favorite restaurants in New York, <a href="http://hellskitchen-nyc.com/" target="_blank">Hell's Kitchen Restaurant</a>, a modern Mexican spot that I estimate I've eaten at close to thirty times. Anyway, as soon as we checked in the tour began. J had some meetings to attend to so I headed straight to <a href="http://shakeshack.com/" target="_blank">Shake Shack</a>. There are always long lines at Shake Shack no matter the location; there are five in Manhattan, one in Brooklyn and one in Queens at Citi Field, home of the New York Mets. There are also Shake Shacks in Washington, D.C., Westport, CT, Miami, FL, Kuwait City, Kuwait and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. There are also Boston locations in the works! </div>
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I'll be honest with you, my relationship with Shake Shack started off rather cool and I'm not referring to the fact that my first visit was in the middle of winter nearly two years ago, which it was. No, I'm referring to the fact that I simply did not think Shake Shack was all that great, especially after waiting in line, in the cold, windy expanse of Madison Square Park, for more than thirty minutes. Sure it was good, the fries were crispy, the burger fresh, but it was just a fast food burger after all, right? Wrong. Shake Shack is to New York as <a href="http://in-n-out.com/default.asp" target="_blank">In-N-Out</a> is to Southern California, seriously. They use 100% all-natural Angus beef that is free of hormones and antibiotics, humanely raised and source verified. All, yes 100%, of Shake Shack's electric usage is offset through wind power and renewable energy certificates. Each Shack is also constructed from recycled and sustainable materials; tabletops are sourced from reclaimed bowling alley lanes! Shake. I'm happy to wait in line now whenever I'm in New York, and am ecstatic about the opening of Boston's first <a href="http://shakeshack.com/" target="_blank">Shake Shake</a>!<br />
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On this most recent trip I paid a visit to the Theater District Location on 8th Avenue at 44th Street, and of course there was a long line out the door. From the time I stepped in line to the time I received my burger and fries, I waited thirty minutes. And yes, I do believe the wait was worth it. Tasty burger, tasty fries, stop one on my eating tour of Manhattan complete.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/6896175018/" title="Shake Shack Line"><img alt="Shake Shack Line" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7112/6896175018_277a34c017.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/7042273607/" title="Shack Burger and Fries"><img alt="Shack Burger and Fries" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7116/7042273607_2cddc5987d.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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From Shake Shack I headed to dinner with J and and some of her business colleagues; I didn't pick the restaurant and I'll simply say it wasn't very noteworthy, I don't even remember the name of the place OR what I ate. Like I said, not very noteworthy. I almost considered heading back to Shake Shack for a late night burger, but I didn't, there would be plenty more eating the next day.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Day two</b></span> of my epic 2012 New York City eating tour began with a run in Central Park and a a stop into <a href="http://stumptowncoffee.com/location/manhattan/" target="_blank">Stumptown Coffee Roasters</a> in the Ace Hotel for a cappuccino. Just like Shake Shack, there was a long line of people waiting to order, winding into the hotel lobby. I don't remember where I first heard about Stumptown - they are a coffee roaster and cafe chain based in Portland, OR - but this was my first of many visits. Once ordering and receiving my beautiful cappuccino, I understood why the line was so long. Perfectly creamy, homogenous foam, rich, strong espresso, an absolutely perfect start to my day and quite possibly the best cappuccino I'd ever had. I returned to Stumptown each of the next three days to be begin my feeding frenzy.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/7042275575/" title="Stumptown Coffee Roasters"><img alt="Stumptown Coffee Roasters" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7206/7042275575_3d746cc183.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/7053413373/" title="Ordering line at Stumptown"><img alt="Ordering line at Stumptown" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7267/7053413373_3ff6284255.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/7042274819/" title="Cappuccino Art at Stumptown Coffee Roasters"><img alt="Cappuccino Art at Stumptown Coffee" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7053/7042274819_d9a90b2c0a.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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Fully caffeinated, I walked across town to Pulino's Pizzeria for some breakfast pizza. I did my research ahead of time and knew that I'd be able to eat early at Pulino's. If I was going to fit in my entire agenda I would have to have breakfast at Pulino's. The restaurant was empty when I arrived, having opened only a few moments earlier. I sat down with a view of the open pizza kitchen and ordered a cup of coffee. I was having breakfast after all, and what's breakfast without coffee? Pulino's has six breakfast pizzas on the menu but just one really caught my eye. I ordered a small Pere e Miele, a honey roasted pear, ricotta and almond pizza. The crust was crispy and chewy, the pears sweet and tender, the ricotta spread generously and the almonds perfectly sliced with just the right amount of crunchy bite. This pizza would be great for dessert too, but on this day, it was the perfect breakfast pie. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/7042282475/" title="Pulino's"><img alt="Pulino's" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7108/7042282475_f4a7149d39.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/6896184640/" title="Duel fuel ovens in Pulino's"><img alt="Dual fuel pizza ovens in Pulino's" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7112/6896184640_0b3d9f7619.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/7042279993/" title="Pere e Miele Pizza at Pulino's"><img alt="Pere e Miele Pizza at Pulino's" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7219/7042279993_1fc0f88585.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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Now overly caffeinated with some food in my stomach it was time to move on. Just before 12 noon I headed over to <a href="http://momofuku.com/new-york/noodle-bar/" target="_blank">Momofuku Noodle Bar</a> and what a surprise, there was a line to get in. Momofuku opened at 12 noon and there was a short line of people in front of me waiting to eat. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/7042284709/" title="Line to get in to Momofuku Noodle Bar by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Line to get in to Momofuku Noodle Bar" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7036/7042284709_55a256bcc3.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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It was a short wait for the doors to open and once inside I was promptly seated at the bar with a nice view down the line of the open kitchen. By the time I ordered a few minutes later, the place was almost completely full. Momofuku Noodle Bar is busy for a reason, the food...is...amazing. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/6896188444/" title="Momofuku Noodle Bar by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Momofuku Noodle Bar" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7240/6896188444_feb5c94793.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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I had a hard time making a decision between the famous pork buns and the
grilled octopus. I wish I had tried the pork buns but am so so glad I
ordered the grilled octopus. The octopus was cooked absolutely
perfectly, like blow your mind perfect. Served with scallion kimchee,
salsify, California carrot foam, arugula, Chinese sausage and cara cara
orange. Wow. This dish left me nearly speechless. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/6896188920/" title="Grilled Octopus at Momofuku Noodle Bar by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Grilled Octopus at Momofuku Noodle Bar" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7094/6896188920_e3a1ac93a5.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/6896189410/" title="Formerly Grilled Octopus at Momofuku Noodle Bar by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Formerly Grilled Octopus at Momofuku Noodle Bar" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7246/6896189410_c042ef470d.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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I also ordered a hot bowl of Prawn Ramen, one of the daily specials. This ramen was made with red miso and served charred arugula, napa cabbage, a soft boiled soy egg and nice, big, head-on prawns. This was as fine a bowl of ramen as I've ever head but seriously, I wish I had another plate of the grilled octopus. I also tried their soft-serve flavor of the day, beet-lime, with a vanilla twist. The soft serve came in a small dish with pistachio crumble at the bottom. The beet-lime soft serve was quite tangy, with a hint of sweetness, like beets and limes. The sweet vanilla twist, ordered upon recommendation, offered a nice foil to the tartness of the beet-lime. The pistachio crumble offered a nice textural contrast and infusion of salty goodness. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/7042286923/" title="Prawn Ramen with Red Miso at Momofuku Noodle Bar by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Prawn Ramen with Red Miso at Momofuku Noodle Bar" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7131/7042286923_5f0e6a2101.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/6896191344/" title="Beet-Lime Soft Serve at Momofuku Noodle Bar by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Beet-Lime Soft Serve at Momofuku Noodle Bar" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7118/6896191344_4cd0e623a8.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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Totally satisfied with my <a href="http://momofuku.com/new-york/noodle-bar/" target="_blank">Momofuku</a> experience, I was on a mission to keep this amazing euphoric food high going. Staying in the East Village neighborhood, I headed to <a href="http://www.crifdogs.com/" target="_blank">Crif Dogs</a>, a place I learned of while watching an episode of <a href="http://www.travelchannel.com/tv-shows/the-layover/episodes/new-york-1" target="_blank">The Layover</a> with Anthony Bourdain hanging out with David Chang (of Momofuku). They visited Crif Dogs and PDT and I immediately wanted to go. Unfortunately PDT didn't open until later in the day but I did get a change to try a Crif Dog, and wouldn't you know it, there was a line when I got there. A short line, yes, but a line nonetheless.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/6896187108/" title="Crif Dogs - Eat Me by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Crif Dogs - Eat Me" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7261/6896187108_9c04631b17.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/6896191846/" title="Crif Dogs by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Crif Dogs" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7043/6896191846_ea8ece50ae.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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After a thorough review of the many hot dog choices, I opted for the Spicy Red Neck, a house made hot dog, bacon wrapped and smothered in chili, jalapenos and coleslaw. Had I been drunk I might have proclaimed this to be the best hot dog I've ever had, but in a totally sober state, coming down from a Momofuku high, I was underwhelmed. Not one flavor stood out in the piled high hot dog. Flat on flavor, I moved on, only slightly disappointed that a place touted by Bourdain AND David Chang left me wanting something else. The day was still young though, and I had plans to meet friends in Brooklyn for some more good eating. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/7042289709/" title="Spicy Red Neck at Crif Dogs by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Spicy Red Neck at Crif Dogs" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7195/7042289709_cc90f85954.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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After a much needed nap I hopped on the Q train in Times Square and headed to Brooklyn to meet my friends at the Atlantic Terminal; they were coming in from Long Beach on the Long Island Rail Road. Before heading to dinner we stopped into <a href="http://gorillacoffee.com/" target="_blank">Gorilla Coffee</a> in Park Slope for a quick caffeine fix. I've been a fan of Gorilla Coffee for a few years and always pay them a visit when I'm in Brooklyn visiting J's family. They sell a great cold brew and are quite skilled with their latte art.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/7042290975/" title="Latte Art at Gorilla Coffee Brooklyn by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Latte Art at Gorilla Coffee Brooklyn" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7222/7042290975_e4e785db2e.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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Fully caffeinated, we headed to <a href="http://www.chavelasnyc.com/" target="_blank">Chavela's</a> in the Prospect Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn. I don't remember how I found this place but the food was great and the margaritas cold. I ordered some grilled street corn, Elotes Callejeros, served with chipotle mayonnaise and cotija cheese, and a few tacos. I ordered a few margaritas, rocks and salt, to wash it all down and that about cooked me for the day. I headed back to Manhattan to sleep off my food coma and prepare myself for another day of eating. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/7042291309/" title="Grilled Street Corn at Chavela's Brooklyn by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Grilled Street Corn at Chavela's Brooklyn" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7225/7042291309_82762ae4ea.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/7042291625/" title="A Trio of Tacos at Chavela's Brooklyn by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="A Trio of Tacos at Chavela's Brooklyn" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7077/7042291625_6882001ef8.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<b>Day 3</b> began just as day 2 with a run through Central Park and, you guessed it, a cappuccino at <a href="http://stumptowncoffee.com/location/manhattan/" target="_blank">Stumptown Coffee Roasters</a>. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/7042291995/" title="Latte Art at Stumptown Coffee Roasters by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Latte Art at Stumptown Coffee Roasters" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7200/7042291995_b35a72ef71.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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Still in a mild food coma from day 2's feeding frenzy, I was hopeful that a little runner's high and some Stumptown caffeine would power me through another day of eating. With high hopes I headed to <a href="http://motorinopizza.com/" target="_blank">Motorino</a> in the East Village, a wood-fired pizza joint known for what I can now attest to, absolutely amazing Neapolitan-style pizza. Oh, and there was no line and no waiting. It was also 11am. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/6896199018/" title="Motorino East Village by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Motorino East Village" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7098/6896199018_abc277f5df.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/7042292385/" title="Motorino by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Motorino" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7277/7042292385_14f738b7a5.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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I ordered the superb Soppressata Piccante pizza with fior di latte, chili flakes, garlic and oregano, and it came with a nice fresh mixed green salad with red onion, parsley, mint, balsamic vinegar and sea salt. As good as the breakfast pizza was at Pulino's the day before, this pizza at Motorino was that much better. Perfectly charred crust, high quality, fresh ingredients, an amazing pizza that made me forget how much I ate the day before. I ate it all. Oh yeah, I ordered some tiramisu as well which was pretty freaking awesome. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/6896197530/" title="Soppressata Picante at Motorino by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Soppressata Picante at Motorino" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7139/6896197530_7893a9c9bc.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/6896196216/" title="Herb Salad at Motorino by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Herb Salad at Motorino" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7083/6896196216_dfd6224f48.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/7042295751/" title="Tiramisu at Motorino by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Tiramisu at Motorino" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7103/7042295751_dbfa08c71c.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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Thoroughly stuffed at this pointed, I walked across the city from Motorino in the East Village to the <a href="http://thehighline.org/" target="_blank">High Line</a> over in Chelsea. The High Line is an old elevated freight line that was converted into a public park. The High Line runs along the Hudson River from Gansevoort Street to West 30th with some really stunning views of the city. I walked the length of the boardwalk hoping to burn some calories and continue my eating tour of New York. Which I did when I found myself heading to Eatalyon Fifth Avenue, six long city blocks from the High Line.<br />
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When I turned the corner onto Fifth Avenue, I saw something that until now had eluded my on my trips to New York, the <a href="http://www.calexicocart.com/" target="_blank">Calexico Food Cart</a>! Calexico has four carts with locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn and sell gourmet Mexican street food. I love me some Mexican street food and ordered up a couple tacos before heading into to <a href="http://www.eataly.com/" target="_blank">Eataly</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/7042299209/" title="Calexico Food Cart by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Calexico Food Cart" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7183/7042299209_9708ae64d4.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/6896202534/" title="Tacos from Calexico Cart by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Tacos from Calexico Cart" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7230/6896202534_ecf7ff08cb.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.eataly.com/" target="_blank">Eataly</a> is like a big Italian Marketplace with a bakery, a deli, a grocery, and several restaurants. I've been a few times for charcuterie, crudo and pizza but never up the rooftop beer garden, <a href="http://www.eataly.com/birreria" target="_blank">Birreria</a>, which is where I was headed on this day. Up to the roof top I went and grabbed a seat at the bar. Since this was a weekday, in the middle of the day, it was not busy. I ordered a couple beers and got into some pretty interesting <a href="http://twitter.com/onefoodguy" target="_blank">Twitter</a> conversations. Bierreria brews a few of their own beers, unfiltered, unpasteurized and cask conditioned, and I ordered two. In one of the casks at the time was the Barista robust porter brewed with cold extracted Guatemalan coffee, it was rich, smooth and delicious. I also tried the Gina American pale ale which they brew with fresh Italian thyme. It was a unique beer, hoppy, herbal, refreshing, and currently available. I believe this is one of the beers that they regularly brew.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/6896204296/" title="Birreria by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Birreria" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7185/6896204296_d186dfa535.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/7042299943/" title="Barista Porter at Eataly Birreria by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Barista Porter at Eataly Birreria" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7269/7042299943_06b4de93d7.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/6896203162/" title="Gina Thyme Pale Ale at Eataly Birreria by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Gina Thyme Pale Ale at Eataly Birreria" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7211/6896203162_b7ef718260.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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On my way out of Eataly, the <a href="http://www.eataly.com/gelato" target="_blank">gelato</a> bar called out to me like a Siren's song. Unlike Homer, this burnt caramel gelato did not spell trouble for me; it was, however, enough to put me back into a food coma that I knew I had to sleep off if I was going to make it to dinner with J in a couple hours.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/6896204612/" title="Burnt Caramel Gelato at Eataly by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Burnt Caramel Gelato at Eataly" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7242/6896204612_401c64a39c.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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After a quick snooze I headed to <a href="http://hellskitchen-nyc.com/" target="_blank">Hell's Kitchen Restaurant</a>, a place I used to eat at every week when I was working in Manhattan, a place where I've eaten just about everything on the menu, a place that has outstanding modern Mexican food and the best sangria I've ever had - a secret recipe that I may or may not have. My favorite meal at Hell's Kitchen is their pan seared Chilean sea bass served with grilled chayote, sweet plantain puree and a deliciously spicy salsa verde. Nearly thirty visits to the restaurant and never a bad meal. Always consistent and of high quality, I went with a special on this night, trusting Chef Jorge Pareja. I ordered the Posole with pork, hominy, chilies and avocado. Pleased I was, satisfied with another fantastic day of eating that ended with an amazing meal at one of my favorite restaurants.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/7042302057/" title="Posole at Hell's Kitchen Restaurant by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Posole at Hell's Kitchen Restaurant" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7255/7042302057_d767dceba3.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div>
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Two and a half days of solid eating and one more sleep before heading home. Our plan was to leave the city around noon once J finished up with her meetings. So, while she was working I headed to <a href="http://stumptowncoffee.com/location/manhattan/" target="_blank">Stumptown</a> one more time for another perfect cappuccino and a triple chocolate donut, chocolate cake, chocolate chips, chocolate frosting. Chocolate love. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/6896205274/" title="Cappuccino and Triple Chocolate Donut by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Cappuccino and Triple Chocolate Donut" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7199/6896205274_4a2fd65390.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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We picked up a couple sandwiches at <a href="http://www.bierkraft.com/" target="_blank">Bierkraft</a> in Brooklyn before hitting the road. A favorite spot of ours in Park Slope, Bierkraft sells great craft beers to go, and also pours many on draft. They've also got a great deli with sandwiches like this one, our favorite, the Serrano with manchego, arugula, balsamic vinegar and fig jam.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/7042541541/" title="Serrano and Manchego from Bierkraft by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Serrano and Manchego from Bierkraft" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7115/7042541541_87946db35d.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div>
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Goodbye New York. Until next time. One Food Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17751317097804402723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32414958.post-72283645896184367222012-07-03T11:29:00.000-04:002013-06-26T13:40:18.399-04:00Whole Grain Oatmeal Pancakes: Take 3The third times a charm, as they say. I've been making these pancakes in one way, shape or form for the last three and a half years making slight adjustments here and there and experimenting with different flavor combinations. My most recent modification to the recipe makes these pancakes completely dairy free. Well I guess they were always dairy free since I usually used hemp milk to make my them, but now I use no milk at all, from a cow or alternative sources like hemp, soy, or almond. That's right, there is NO MILK in these pancakes and they are amazing. <br />
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The last time <a href="http://onefoodguy.blogspot.com/2009/05/pancake-breakthrough.html">I wrote about these pancakes</a> I shared a tip I learned from watching an episode of Bobby Flay's Throwdown in which they whipped their egg whites to add loft (fluffy airiness) to the pancakes. I still recommend this technique for larger batches of pancakes that include two or more eggs, but I'm usually just making these pancakes for my me and my wife so I just whisk the egg vigorously before incorporating the other wet ingredients.<br />
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And now, the newest tip I want to share with you for making amazing, light and delicious pancakes, replace the milk/milk alternative with soda water. Yes, that's right, soda water! The carbonation will add some loft and lightness to the pancake batter and its neutral flavor will allow the other ingredients in this pancake recipe to shine. My favorite add-ins include bananas and chopped walnuts, fresh blueberries, fresh strawberries, and fresh or thawed, frozen peaches and crystallized ginger. I also like to top my pancakes with more fresh berries, like raspberries or blackberries, and a handful of granola along with real butter and 100% Vermont maple syrup. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0VnNmWTivvPpIeNaEXLM47k6_Kmukor5x_LRgx5iA2XwlsDeRKcRwwQ6QNFdxF-V5CqD9G3q-ug5ZS-kU5E1cozzvPtszjVz-AKb3sfCVLj3Ixr-8fT4a2KFDxuG72WYza0V6/s1600/pancakes3.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img alt="Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0VnNmWTivvPpIeNaEXLM47k6_Kmukor5x_LRgx5iA2XwlsDeRKcRwwQ6QNFdxF-V5CqD9G3q-ug5ZS-kU5E1cozzvPtszjVz-AKb3sfCVLj3Ixr-8fT4a2KFDxuG72WYza0V6/s400/pancakes3.JPG" title="Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes" width="400" /></a></div>
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I've also tried the recipe with rolled oats and all whole wheat flour. They came out great this way too if you want to skip the all-purpose flour but you'll likely need to add a little more soda water. The recipe below is the one I use when I'm cooking just for me and J but it can easily be doubled, tripled, quadrupled, whatever. If you double or triple the recipe, I highly recommend separating the eggs and whipping the egg whites before incorporating all the wet ingredients. You can also adjust the add-in proportions to suit your tastes, or skip them all together. Enjoy! <br />
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<span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Whole Grain Oatmeal Pancakes<br />
</span>Serves 2 (makes approximately six 4.5" pancakes)<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />
</span><span style="font-style: italic;">Base ingredients</span>:<br />
</span>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 85%;">1/2 cup rolled oats (Quaker Old Fashioned oats)<br />
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 85%;">1/2 cup whole wheat flour</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 85%;">1/2 cup all purpose flour</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 85%;">1 tbsp. baking powder</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 85%;">1/4 tsp. cinnamon</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 85%;">1/4 tsp. ground ginger</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 85%;">1/4 tsp. nutmeg (optional)</span><span style="font-size: 85%;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 85%;">1/4 tsp. salt</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 85%;">1 large egg</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 85%;">2 tbsp. vegetable oil </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 85%;">1 tsp. vanilla</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 85%;">1-2 tbsp. honey or agave syrup</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 85%;">1 cup soda water </span><span style="font-size: 85%;"> </span></li>
</ul>
<i><span style="font-size: 85%;">Add-in suggestions:</span></i><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 85%;">1 to 1 1/2 bananas, sliced</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 85%;">1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: 85%;">OR </span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 85%;">1/2 to 1 cup strawberries, cored and roughly chopped</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: 85%;">OR</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 85%;">1 cup blueberries</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: 85%;">OR</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 85%;">1/2 cup peaches, roughly chopped</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 85%;">1/4 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: 85%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Directions</span></span>
<br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-size: 85%;">Preheat a griddle over medium heat</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 85%;">Whisk together the oats, flours, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger and salt</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 85%;">Using the same whisk in a second bowl, whisk together the egg, oil, , oil, egg yolks, vanilla, and honey</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 85%;">Pour the wet into the dry mixture and stir until just combined</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 85%;">Mix in any add-ins like bananas and walnuts, or blueberries, or any other fruit you like</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 85%;">Pour batter into skillet using about 1/3 cup of batter per pancake, the batter will be thick<br />
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 85%;">Once bubbles form on the outside of the pancake and do not fill in again - it is time to flip them over<br />
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 85%;">Flip once, finish cooking, then serve with butter and pure Vermont maple syrup</span></li>
</ol>
One Food Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17751317097804402723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32414958.post-73210518191191739802012-04-26T14:40:00.000-04:002012-04-26T15:13:48.439-04:00Mayonnaise - The Condiment You Love to HateI want to hate you, mayonnaise, really I do. You are pure fat. Sometimes when I see you in a gallon jar, or worse, a five-gallon bucket, it makes me a little sick. But then you show up on a BLT and you're quite tasty. But on a turkey sandwich, yeah, you're pretty gross. Corned beef, yeah, you're pretty disgusting on a corned beef sandwich too. But if you add a little horseradish to yourself, wow, you're pretty tasty on a roast beef sandwich.<br />
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How is it possible to hate you, mayonnaise, when you are the binding in potato salad, tuna salad and chicken salad. You try to disguise yourself as remoulade and tartar sauce and let me say you've done a nice job with your costume. Remoulade is practically required with crab cakes and fish and chips with OUT tartar sauce, that would be blasphemy. Even aioli, a close cousin of yours, is delicious on paninis and French fries. You're even pretty tasty on French fries all by yourself. But let's be honest, remoulade and aioli are just you, mayonnaise, dressed up for the Prom.<br />
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Sure, you clog arteries, probably cause heart disease, certainly add to the obesity epidemic, and to that I'm sure you say loudly, "EAT ME IN MODERATION! And please, don't put me on a salami sandwich, that's what mustard is for."One Food Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17751317097804402723noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32414958.post-74180826201901375262011-11-14T13:48:00.002-05:002011-11-14T18:13:28.146-05:00Service can make or break a meal.When a professional kitchen puts out good food on a consistent basis, the success of every meal becomes the responsibility of front-of-house staff. A great bartender, a knowledgeable server, efficient service, all these make for a memorable meal. When bartenders give a little attitude about a drink they don’t know how to make, when a cold dessert spoon is brought to the table for a hot soup, when a cocktail is placed on the table and the glass is chipped, these things obviously have a negative impact on a meal. On the other hand, when a bartender is not familiar with a drink but still says, “sure, we can figure that out” and asks questions about the ingredients or looks it up on a smart phone, when table service is so efficient and flawless you hardly recognize the presence of wait staff, when small mistakes are acknowledged and corrected quickly, these are signs of a great restaurant that pays attention to detail. <br />
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After eating out twice this weekend I experienced both ends of the spectrum. A fantastic meal with stellar service from the moment we walked in the door to the moment we left, and a meal rife with service gaffes from start to finish with some pretty good food in the middle. <br />
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While I don’t ordinarily write negative reviews I know this restaurant can do better, and has done better during several of the previous times I’ve dined there. I’ll first tell you about the less than favorable experience I had at Sel de la Terre Natick. My wife and I arrived early; we were meeting friends, so we went to the bar for a drink and an order of SDLT’s famous rosemary fries. It was at least a few minutes before either bartender acknowledged our presence and when one finally did, she was certainly friendly, waving from halfway across the bar like we were old friends as she came over to talk to us. <br />
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I asked if she could make an Old Cuban, my favorite cocktail at the moment and one I was introduced to at Eastern Standard. The bartender said she had no idea what it was and when I mentioned that I’ve had it at a few places in Boston and maybe it’s a Boston thing, she responded with what I perceived to be an attitude saying, “well I’m from Boston and I’ve never heard of it.” She made no effort to inquire about its ingredients and that was that. So, I asked for a cocktail menu and asked her to put in an order of fries. J and I order a couple drinks, and waited for our friends to arrive, the fries never did and we settled the bill, no fries, to move to a table in the dining room.<br />
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Our server at the table was nice, telling us about the specials and taking orders for another round of drinks. I ordered a martini, when my drink arrived I noticed the rim of the glass was chipped, after I took a sip. I informed our server and he replaced the drink right away with a fresh one. That’s great but the glass should have never made it to the table – the service bartender or the server should have noticed the chip. The next gaff came when the soup I order arrived at the table, without a spoon. I asked the server for a spoon and he disappeared for a couple minutes. He finally returned to the table from the kitchen with a spoon, an ice cold spoon which I presume he grabbed from a reach-in cooler where spoons intended for dessert are stored. There were a couple other issues with the meal that can be chalked up to miscommunication but I feel like a more attentive server would have cleared things up with questions before it go that point. At the end of meal the food was good, very good even, and we enjoyed a side of the rosemary fries that we ordered at our table. With better service this would have been a very enjoyable evening, instead, we talk about how the food was good but the service really fell short. With that said I would still go back to Sel de la Terre Natick because I know from personal experience they can do better, they have done better, and the food is quite good. Although I must say they outsource their bread service now and the quality has really suffered. <br />
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Now on to the better dining experience of the weekend, dinner at The Regal Beagle in Brookline. I’ve heard good things about the Beagle since they opened two years ago. Arriving around 7:30pm, our party of four was told the wait would be about an hour so we headed to the back where the small bar was crowded. One of the two bartenders saw us right away and handed us cocktail menus. After looking at the menu for a moment I asked the bartender if he knew how to make an Old Cuban, he said, “no but we can figure it out, we’ll make you whatever you want.” I think he overheard me describe the drink to one of my friends and I also think he looked up a recipe on his iPhone. Either way, he figured out it, recommended making the cocktail with a 23 year old Ron Zacapa rum from Guatemala and managed to make a fantastic Old Cuban. I was very impressed by his willingness to make something new to him and at how great it was. Score 1 Regal Beagle bar, 0 SDLT bar. After a couple more cocktails our table was finally ready. Once seated, we were greeted right away by our server; she was friendly, knowledgeable of the menu, and willing to make suggestions and help us make decisions when we asked. All four of our meals were excellent, appetizers and entrees were great. And, we were having such a great time we had some desserts too, equally as good. The one slip up that our server made was that she forgot to bring a green tea we had ordered with the rest of our dessert, and when reminded she quickly returned with the tea saying that since she forgot the tea was on her. She acknowledged the mistake, took responsibility, and made it right. Well done! <br />
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So two different restaurants, both with very good food and clearly very qualified kitchen staff, however one meal was okay and the other was outstanding. Service can make or break a meal but can never make up for bad food. Do you agree?<br />
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Are you in the restaurant business? How do you make sure your staff is ready for anything? Do you empower them to make decisions that could impact the restaurants bottom line?One Food Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17751317097804402723noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32414958.post-74066047142754204192011-08-24T13:47:00.001-04:002011-08-26T09:17:53.684-04:00A Tale of Two BurritosI've been a fiercely loyal fan of <a href="http://annastaqueria.com/">Anna's Taqueria</a> for as long as I can remember. My first taste was many years ago at the Harvard Street <a href="http://annastaqueria.com/locations.htm">location</a> in Brookline, long before they expanded not only the size of that location but their footprint in the city. Super chicken with black beans, sour cream and jalapenos was my go to burrito. I'd mix it up occasionally with a super steak, but that was rare. Going to <a href="http://annastaqueria.com/">Anna's</a> has always been about the experience, at peak periods it's akin to Seinfeld's Soup Nazi. From the tortilla steamer on down the line, your burrito, taco or quesadilla is built right in front of you. Watch your burrito built up and expertly rolled before taking a seat to eat. <br />
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I've never lived very close to any of the <a href="http://annastaqueria.com/">Anna's</a> locations so stopping in was always a treat. It was almost always on a weekend, until I started working in Cambridge, a mere ten minute walk from the MGH/Beacon Hill location. <a href="http://annastaqueria.com/">Anna's</a> is now an almost weekly staple in my lunch diet, and I am fiercely loyal. I've been vocal about my lack of love for Boloco, Qdoba will do when there is no Anna's around, and Chipotle, well, they are a former McDonald's start up, don't get me going on how I feel about McDonalds. I've also moved on from chicken and almost exclusively order the carnitas, its the best I've had, anywhere, until recently.<br />
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There are many other independently owned and operated taquerias in Boston. <a href="http://www.laverdadtaqueria.com/">La Verdad</a> turns out some of the best, no, the best tacos in the city and incredibly reasonable prices, $1 a piece on Tuesday's when the <a href="http://www.redsox.com/">Red Sox</a> are out of town during the baseball season. There is also <a href="http://www.elpelon.com/">El Pelon</a>, an institution with a following as fiercely loyal as those that love <a href="http://annastaqueria.com/">Anna's</a>. Unfortunately their Fens location suffered a great fire shutting it down some time ago. I hear they are about to open back up in the very near future but they also opened a new location on Comm Ave across from Boston College. I never visited <a href="http://www.elpelon.com/">El Pelon</a> in the city before the fire, and never visited the Boston College location, until last night.<br />
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On my way home from the city, having forgone dinner for a couple after work cocktails at Eastern Standard, I decided to detour onto Comm Ave and stop in for a burrito at <a href="http://www.elpelon.com/">El Pelon</a>. Let me first by stating that there is no experience at <a href="http://www.elpelon.com/">El Pelon</a>, I don't know what it was like at the Fens spot pre-fire, but at the Boston College location, the burritos are rolled behind a high counter top. There is no watching the assembly of your burrito, there is no experience. However, the carnitas burrito, with hot sauce, no sour cream, was great. Seriously. I felt like I was cheating on <a href="http://annastaqueria.com/">Anna's</a> because I enjoyed it so much. The carnitas was tender, not a dry piece to be found. It was big, spicy, and delicious. But again, no burrito experience.<br />
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In this tale of two burritos, <a href="http://annastaqueria.com/">Anna's</a> wins. I have only this one <a href="http://www.elpelon.com/">El Pelon</a> experience so I can't speak to the consistency of their flavors, texture and rolling, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and say that since they too have very loyal followers, they're doing something right. The edge goes to <a href="http://annastaqueria.com/">Anna's</a> though, for the great burritos AND the great burrito experience.<br />
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Stop in to any one of <a href="http://annastaqueria.com/">Anna's</a> <a href="http://annastaqueria.com/locations.htm">locations</a> and see for yourself. You won't be disappointed. For comparisons sake, head over to <a href="http://www.elpelon.com/location.html">El Pelon</a> too. When you've tried both, let's talk. One Food Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17751317097804402723noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32414958.post-30363141426840680482011-06-24T15:49:00.000-04:002011-06-24T15:49:10.184-04:00Guest Post: Russell House Tavern ReviewFor the first time in One Food Guy history I have a guest editor, Chad Lingle, professional eater, artist, photographer, and owner of the Real Estate and Property Management firm <a href="http://www.artisanboston.com/">Artisan Properties</a>.<br />
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Before getting to Chad's review of the amazing Russell House Tavern, let me tell you how we got here. Earlier this year J and I were at <a href="http://coppaboston.com/">Coppa</a> with Chad and his wife Leah, demolishing plate after plate of amazing food, fawning especially hard over the amazing charcuterie and beautiful might-cost-more-than-my-car Berkel hand slicer. While on the subject of the charcuterie, J and I gushed to them about how great the charcuterie is at <a href="http://www.russellhousecambridge.com/">Russell House Tavern</a> and that they should go. Fast forward a couple weeks and I receive an email from Chad while I'm sitting outside a Starbucks in Frankfurt, Germany, sipping on a cappuccino, killing time before my flight to Bangalore, India. Side note - I abhor sitting in an airport for hours and hours on a layover so I hopped on the S-Bahn to downtown Frankfurt for a few of hours of fun. Chad tells me about this amazing meal he had just had at <a href="http://www.russellhousecambridge.com/">Russell House Tavern</a>, really it was more of a short story than an email but it was a pleasure to read and he has graciously agreed to edit it for your reading pleasure.<br />
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When you're finished, go eat at <a href="http://www.russellhousecambridge.com/">Russell House Tavern</a>.Seriously. Go. Or go now and read Chad's story later. Whatever you decide, just be sure to eat at <a href="http://www.russellhousecambridge.com/">Russell House Tavern</a>. Maybe I'll see you there.<br />
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And now, Chad's Russell House Tavern Review:<br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>I was really looking forward to eating at Russell House Tavern all last week and now it seems I'll be spending all of this week looking back and reminiscing! Visions of smoked pork loin are dancing in my head - seriously. So I actually have a lot to say about this place & since it is still fresh in my mind/belly & since you asked... here's my take:</i><br />
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</i><br />
<i>Ok, so let me preface this by saying on the spectrum of good-to-great, there really can't be any disappointments. But since good was the worst the RHT seemed to be able to do, the only qualified disappointment of the night came at the very beginning of the meal with the Lamb Trio Cassoulet. Overall the meat was perfectly savory, but there just didn't seem to be enough of the dark lamb meat (belly/shoulder/sausage) to balance out the small abundance of white beans. It was like an NBA team photo in the 1950s.</i><br />
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</i><br />
<i>The Crispy Pig's Head Cake (besides being fun to say) was awesome. It makes me want to write the word awesome with periods in between every letter. It's a super-inventive take on head cheese that's so distinguished it should rightfully spawn its own evolutionary branch of pig-food. It was served warm with a perfectly crispy, breaded, puff-pastry style shell with possibly the most beautiful poached egg I've ever seen plopped on top. Whoever thought to add the egg deserves a raise. The creaminess it added to each lightly fried breaded bite was godly. Plus there was some Maple syrup involved in the Aioli so, while it went perfectly well with beer and a 5 o'clock shadow, I think they may have created the most perfect breakfast food - ever.</i><br />
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<i>Figs N' Blankets could alternately be called candy for carnivores. Little roasted figs wrapped in the RHT's house Guanciale were such an extremely good balance of salty and sweet that they definitely set the record for least time at the table. They lasted like 4 seconds.</i><br />
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</i><br />
<i>I wouldn't have picked this place for raw bar offerings, but at the behest of one of my table mates, we ordered 12 (6&6) of their 2 oyster offerings. Misty Points and some other kind of Points (I was too busy with the Pig's Head Cake to pay attention to that part). They were sweet, a little briny - everything they were supposed to be. I even enjoyed their pickle mignonette but didn't order more, because I've heard oysters can be an aphrodisiac and I was at a table with 3 other dudes who probably didn't need any encouragement.</i><br />
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</i><br />
<i>The stand out award of the night (sorry Pig Cake) goes to the Tavern Pizza with house-made Cotechino Sausage & house-made Ricotta. It was so perfect I don't even want to write about it. It must be eaten to be appreciated.</i><br />
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</i><br />
<i>Next, the Crispy Long-Island Duck Confit and Ozark Heritage Pork Trio battled for space on the table. The Duck was perfect, & exactly what you would expect it to be. It came with a little side stew of pork belly, roasted chestnuts, and figs with some crispy sage. It was just some straight-up farm-style goodness. The Pork Trio included a smoky-tasting Loin (yum), already-fell-off-the-bone Butt, and some more Pork Belly. Unbelievably the most memorable part of the Trio dish was its pancake-shaped base of grits. The pale & creamy grits were nearly invisible against the white plate - hidden under a small salad of greens, but once we found it - whoa baby. I could have eaten a mixing-bowl full of 'em. Mmm...</i><br />
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</i><br />
<i>With the first round of pizza-pie making such a good impression on us, we couldn't leave without digging in to some more of the cheesy stuff. So, we ordered (at our delightful server Maria's suggestion) the Andria. This concoction was so full of Very Local Buratta that it bordered on fondue. I'm told there was some sweet garlic and even more figs on there, but really it was just a lot, a lot of Buratta - which is a good thing really.</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>We rounded out the night with an order of their Redondo Black Serrano Ham which came with a torched square of Manchego. The cheese was topped with some caramelized honey which made for a crunchy top to one of my favorite cheeses. Along with little toasted brioche points... this was like some other-worldly deconstruction of the best ham & cheese sandwich of all time. I plan to begin reconstruction efforts at home asap.</i><br />
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</i><br />
<i>Feeling cordial, full and friendly (a few glasses of Old Rasputin Imperial Stout @ 9% ABV will cause friendliness) we actually spotted an old pal who, as it turns out, is now the GM of the place. A real blast-from-the past... He stopped by the table to say hello before heading off to the awaiting company party at RedLine. So we say our goodbyes and send him off to his fête but he finds out it is my table mate Alex's birthday and proceeds to send half of the dessert menu over to our table.</i><br />
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</i><br />
<i>Round 2's first victim was the Flourless Chocolate Chili Cake with chili salted caramel and Mexican chocolate ice cream. Now, chili-spiced chocolate can sometimes walk the fine line between artfully decadent dessert and some overweight tourists' "look what we brought back from our trip to Cancun" disaster. What the kitchen (more specifically Jessica Pelletier) at RHT produced was sublime. A dense but not fudgy; sweet (without being cloying) little chocolate mini-cake with just the perfect amount of spice to let you know it was there.</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>Another great take on a traditional favorite was the Carrot Cake Bread Pudding with raisins, toasted walnuts and a cream cheese swirl. Wowsers... I mean, has there ever been a concoction so excellently suited for bread pudding as carrot cake. I think not.</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>Finally we make it to our last dish; the Layered Ginger Spice Cake. The thing was big. Layered with a coffee buttercream and an espresso reduction - this Ginger definitely had a soul. The buttercream alone was enough to curl your toes and by the time we got down to deftly scraping the espresso reduction off the plate with our spoons I was in heaven.</i><br />
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<i>So I went there with a few friends with the simple intention of doing some hearty eating. I left the place that evening with the distinct feeling that I was somehow a better, happier person than the one that had walked in a few hours earlier. It could have been Old Rasputin whispering in my ear, but I do know that I left thoroughly impressed with the restaurant & I hope to return soon.</i>One Food Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17751317097804402723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32414958.post-56899071406254929002011-06-17T15:05:00.006-04:002011-06-20T22:56:44.252-04:00Good Friends, Great Sandwiches - All Star Sandwich BarThey say a good sandwich is like an old friend and old friends are usually the best friends, right? Well at <b>All Star Sandwich Bar</b> in Cambridge, MA that is definitely the case. Brothers Johnny and Kosta Diamantopoulos treat all their guests as old friends and serve up some of the best sandwiches in the city and beyond. I've considered them friends since my second visit to the restaurant more than a year ago and have enjoyed dozens, yes dozens of amazing sandwiches since then. It's always a pleasure to see Kosta and Johnny and the staff is ALWAYS warm, friendly and efficient. <a href="http://onefoodguy.blogspot.com/2010/03/hall-of-fame-sandwiches-at-all-star.html">Read what I had to say about my first two visits to All Star Sandwich Bar.</a><br />
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As for the sandwiches, they are divine. Regular menu options are always a solid choice, especially sandwiches like the <a href="http://onefoodguy.blogspot.com/2010/03/hall-of-fame-sandwiches-at-all-star.html">Atomic Meatloaf Meltdown</a>, The Texas Reuben, The Po Boy and the Veggie Cubano, but the daily blackboard specials with sandwiches called the Funky and Extra Funky are what really sets the All Star sandwich apart from the rest. My very first All Star sandwich was the Extra Funky offering on February 26, 2010, a jerk grilled chicken breast sandwiched between two perfectly grilled slices of sourdough bread with jack cheese, sliced pineapple, chayote slaw and mango habanero barbecue sauce. One bite of this sandwich and I was hooked. Sandwich number two was the Atomic Meatloaf Meltdown. Number three, a Texas Reuben. Four, a fried oyster Po' Boy, and the list goes on. I'm pretty sure I've eaten at least a dozen, maybe two dozen sandwiches at All Star, many of them more than once.<br />
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Along with great sandwiches Chef Johnny also makes a popular chili and some great sides too. Hell Fries and Hell Rings are good choices, hand cut fries or onions rings dusted in cayenne and doused with delicious and spicy Inner Beauty mango habanero barbecue sauce. Gravy fries, cheese fries, chili cheese fries and poutine are available every day and blackboard special sides have included amazing scallion and jalapeno hush puppies with Tabasco remoulade, fried hearts of palm with goat cheese and marinara, and curried chickpea-battered fried cauliflower with mint yogurt dipping sauce. <br />
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Once a great local find, this place has been put on the national map as a destination for serious and casual eaters alike. Chef Johnny can be seen on <a href="http://how2heroes.com/videos/profiles/about-johnny-diamantopoulos" target="_new">how2heroes</a> demonstrating some skills in the kitchen and this Monday night, June 20, at 10pm, All Star Sandwich Bar will be featured on the relatively new Food Network program, <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/meat-potatoes/meat-for-lunch/index.html">Meat and Potatoes with Rahm Fama</a>. Chef Fama and his crew were at All Star back in March to film and Chef Johnny made a special Extra Funky sandwich that day, the Rahm Fama Lama Ding Dong with Dr. Pepper braised short ribs, fried cheddar, and sweet potato bacon mash, I was there and it was GREAT!<br />
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<b>Rahm Fama and Kosta talking Sandwiches</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5843202490/" title="Kosta and Rahm Fama by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Kosta and Rahm Fama" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3294/5843202490_f7b97130de.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Chef Johnny making an Atomic Meatloaf Meltdown for the camera</b><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5842657691/" title="Chef Johnny at All Star Sandwich Bar by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Chef Johnny at All Star Sandwich Bar" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2556/5842657691_791685e73b.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
Tune in Monday night to see the whole show. Now enjoy some of the great sandwiches and sides I've had at All Star Sandwich Bar:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Extra Funky - Rahm Fama Lama Ding Dong</b><br />
Dr. Pepper Braised Short Ribs, Fried Cheddar, Sweet Potato Bacon Mash</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5843202132/" title="The Rahm Fama Lama Ding Dong Extra Funky by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="The Rahm Fama Lama Ding Dong Extra Funky" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2491/5843202132_cb9c88b72a.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Texas Reuben</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4713686001/" title="Texas Reuben at All Star Sandwich Bar by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Texas Reuben at All Star Sandwich Bar" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4058/4713686001_037828ba7a.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Fried Oyster Po' Boy</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4948294947/" title="Fried Oyster Po' Boy at All Star by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Fried Oyster Po' Boy at All Star" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4147/4948294947_5cd4e3f918.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Chile Relleno Burger</b> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Homemade chorizo sausage, fried poblano pepper, corn salsa, pepper jack on grilled brioche.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4948296347/" title="All Star Chile Relleno Burger by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="All Star Chile Relleno Burger" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/4948296347_1cbfa2648e.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Extra Funky - </b>Guava Pasilla Chile Braised Pork Shoulder </div><div style="text-align: center;">with Jack Cheese, Crispy Fried Poblano Peppers, Avocado, Pico De Gallo</div><div style="text-align: center;">Sweet Corn Queso Fresco Crema on Grilled Sesame Telera Bread</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5477365172/" title="Extra Funky at All Star Sandwich Bar by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Extra Funky at All Star Sandwich Bar" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5295/5477365172_362910e9e7.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Hell Fries</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4948295749/" title="Hell Fries by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Hell Fries" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4079/4948295749_f1c0a137ea.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Rings of Fire</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4948294713/" title="Rings of Fire at All Star by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Rings of Fire at All Star" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4150/4948294713_851dd8ce9b.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Fried Hearts of Palm with Goat Cheese and Marinara</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4948295919/" title="Fried Hearts of Palm by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Fried Hearts of Palm" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4102/4948295919_e2ca6865b7.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Crispy Fried Chickpea Battered Cauliflower with Mint Yogurt Dipping Sauce</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5477463714/" title="Curried Chickpea Battered Fried Cauliflower by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Curried Chickpea Battered Fried Cauliflower" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5172/5477463714_21f48778e8.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Fried Green Beans with two Dipping Sauces</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5843202296/" title="Fried Green Beans by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Fried Green Beans" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5066/5843202296_456cd5a617.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>All Star Sandwich Bar</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">1245 Cambridge Street</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Cambridge, MA </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Ph. 617.868.3065</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.allstarsandwichbar.com/">http://www.allstarsandwichbar.com</a></span>One Food Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17751317097804402723noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32414958.post-16280346958864249062011-02-25T09:33:00.000-05:002011-02-25T09:33:20.356-05:00P is for Passion, and Pizza!Friday night is <a href="http://onefoodguy.blogspot.com/2008/06/constructing-almost-perfect-pizza.html">Pizza Night</a>. I've been making pizza for years, all the while perfecting my technique for stretching dough, topping dough, transferring said dough to a hot stone in the oven, and mastering the time and temperature needed for near perfect pizzas. Not every pizza I've made is a masterpiece and since I buy my dough from a store not every dough ball is the same out of the bag, but I'm getting ready for that day in the not too distant future when I build a wood fired pizza oven in my back yard. Until that time I'll continue to make the best pizzas I can taking inspiration from local pizzerias like <a href="http://www.emmaspizza.com/">Emma's Pizza</a> and <a href="http://www.zarestaurant.com/">Za Restaurant</a> as well as blogs like <a href="http://www.thewednesdaychef.com/the_wednesday_chef/2008/06/amy-scattergood.html">The Wednesday Chef</a> and <a href="http://slice.seriouseats.com/">Slice</a>. <br />
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I always try to use the best ingredients possible, almost always making my own sauce and buying fresh and sometimes organic toppings when possible and reasonable. I do still buy my dough from either Trader Joe's or Whole Foods even though I have a bag of <a href="http://www.fornobravo.com/brick_oven_cooking/pizza_ingredients/flour.html">Tipo 00 flour</a> in my pantry. Tipo 00 flour is an Italian flour that is higher in gluten (protein) than all-purpose flour and is also milled more finely. These properties allow for easier dough stretching and help create a chewier, crispier crust than doughs made with all purpose flour. The doughs from Trader Joe's and Whole Foods also have very different properties. The Trader Joe's dough is more prone to tears while I'm stretching it but it is much easier to stretch into a really thin crust. I primarily use Trader Joe's dough and have gotten quite good at stretching it without tearing. The Whole Foods dough is much more elastic and much less likely to tear while stretching but it is also much more difficult to stretch it really thin, if you like doughy pizza, try the Whole Foods dough. The Whole Foods dough is also much more prone to bubbling while it bakes. I prefer the Trader Joe's dough, do you have a favorite? Do you make your own dough?<br />
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To cook my pizzas, I place a pizza stone in the bottom third of my oven and crank the heat up around 500 degrees. The stone I have now is from <a href="http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/baking-and-pizza-stone/">Williams-Sonoma</a> and is my third; it's by far the best I've had, going on six years. It's very important to put the stone in a cold oven and allow it come up to temperature with the oven. Putting a cold stone in a hot oven will inevitably lead to it's demise, sometimes in spectacular fashion with it cracking into dozens of pieces. Experimenting with different locations has led me to believe that in my oven, the lower third produces the crispiest crusts, which is what I'm after. Placing the stone higher in the oven will cook the top faster leaving a chewier, sometimes limp dough depending on what's on top of it. Experiment for yourself to find the ideal location for your pizza stone. My pizzas almost always take between 8 and 10 minutes to cook, again, depending on what toppings are on the pizza. For transferring the dough to the oven, I dust a wooden pizza peel (paddle) with corn meal. <br />
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Maybe someday I'll open a pizza place of my own, one can dream, can't he? Until then, I'll make pizzas in my oven, and soon, I hope, in my very own backyard, wood-fired, pizza oven. To see my next pizza creation, follow me on <a href="http://twitter.com/onefoodguy">Twitter</a> but until then, enjoy some of the pizzas from my very own Pizza Hall of Fame.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Bacon, Yukon Gold, Manchego, Cilantro, Basic Tomato Sauce, Truffle Oil<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5471593582/" title="Bacon and Potato Pizza with Truffle Oil by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Bacon and Potato Pizza with Truffle Oil" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5139/5471593582_4fdc50a045.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Smoked mozzarella, Cured Black Olives, Rosemary Sauce<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5471527228/" title="Smoked Mozzarella and Cured Black Olive Pizza by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Smoked Mozzarella and Cured Black Olive Pizza" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5176/5471527228_4743c40fba.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Applegate Farms Pepperoni, Provolone, Basic Tomato Sauce<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5470908409/" title="Pepperoni and Provolone Pizza by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Pepperoni and Provolone Pizza" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5137/5470908409_35bcfa68c8.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Caramelized Onion, Sweet Potato, Baby Spinach, Buffalo Mozzarella, Crumbled Goat Cheese, Basic Tomato Sauce</span><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5470581107/" title="Valentine's Day Pizza by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Valentine's Day Pizza" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5093/5470581107_32b4d30d02.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Apple, Pear, Caramelized Onion, Honey, Goat Brie, Walnuts, Olive Oil<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3601854191/" title="Apple, Pear, Caramelized Onion, Honey, Brie and Walnut Pizza by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Apple, Pear, Caramelized Onion, Honey, Brie and Walnut Pizza" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3406/3601854191_a8c046973f.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Shredded Buffalo Chicken, Red Onion, Scallion, Manchego, Basic Tomato Sauce<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5470799795/" title="Buffalo Chicken Pizza by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Buffalo Chicken Pizza" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5017/5470799795_906c285094.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Shredded BBQ Rotisserie Chicken, Red Onion, Scallion, Manchego, Barbecue Sauce<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5471570200/" title="Barbecue Chicken Pizza by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Barbecue Chicken Pizza" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5057/5471570200_af73ebb6d5.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Caramelized Onion, Arugula, Brown Turkey Figs, Crumbled Goat Cheese, Olive Oil, Aged Balsamic<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5470702823/" title="Fig Pizza by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Fig Pizza" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5257/5470702823_7289dc9fe8.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Melted Leeks, Thyme Roasted Cremini, Buffalo Mozzarella, Pecorino, Rosemary Sauce<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5471255856/" title="Leek, mushroom and buffalo mozzarella Pizza by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Leek, mushroom and buffalo mozzarella Pizza" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5140/5471255856_b4988b2711.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Goat Gouda, Crumbled Goat Cheese, Cracked Black Pepper, Rosemary Sauce<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5471203198/" title="Goat Gouda and Crumbled Chevre Pizza by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Goat Gouda and Crumbled Chevre Pizza" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5060/5471203198_a38ca2abea.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Lemon-Garlic Green Olives, Sheep Feta, Crumbled Goat Cheese, Cracked Black Pepper, Garlic Olive Oil<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5470595547/" title="Garlicky Green Olive Pizza by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Garlicky Green Olive Pizza" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5298/5470595547_c38f82ec32.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Truffled Shitake Mushroom, Buffalo Mozzarella, Fresh Sage, Olive Oil, Truffle Oil<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4202402248/" title="Truffled Shitake Mushroom Pizza by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Truffled Shitake Mushroom Pizza" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2743/4202402248_634a4faf97.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pepperoni, Manchego, Pecorino, Oregano, Basic Tomato Sauce<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/2595952693/" title="Pepperoni Pizza with Manchego by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Pepperoni Pizza with Manchego" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3280/2595952693_7ef72dde9f.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
Do you have a favorite pizza? Please leave a comment a share your passion for pizza!One Food Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17751317097804402723noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32414958.post-46097673967818305432011-01-03T12:10:00.000-05:002011-01-03T12:10:00.197-05:00A Fine BLT at Emma's PizzaThe BLT. A sandwich so simple yet so delicious. It would be easy to simply say "everything is better with bacon" and be done with it, giving the BLT the sandwich crown. I mean it's true, everything IS better with bacon but the truth is it is not just the bacon that makes a BLT so good. It's the fresh, crisp lettuce, the juicy, plump tomato, the sinful, rich mayonnaise, and finally, the crispy, smokey, salty bacon. Oh, the bacon! <br />
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The best BLT I have had in recent memory can be found at <a href="http://www.emmaspizza.com/">Emma's Pizza</a> in Kendall, Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Emma's is known for its incredible <a href="http://onefoodguy.blogspot.com/2009/10/creative-cuisine-at-emmas-pizza.html">thin-crust pizzas</a> but also offers an assortment of salads and sandwiches worthy of their own recognition, including their BLT. Emma's BLT is constructed with extra-thick, double smoked bacon, house-roasted tomato, Boston Bibb lettuce and a smear of Ken's extra-thick mayonnaise on grilled <a href="http://www.iggysbread.com/" target="_blank">Iggy's</a> sourdough.<br />
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You should go to Emma's for the pizza, and stay for the BLT. Tell them One Food Guy sent you. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4408674090/" title="BLT at Emma's Pizza by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="BLT at Emma's Pizza" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4001/4408674090_018df6fe0f.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>One Food Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17751317097804402723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32414958.post-29927206938515234222010-12-30T12:05:00.000-05:002010-12-30T12:05:00.543-05:00More Food and Culture from BerlinOur free time in Berlin was extremely limited so Jenny and I compiled a short list of places we wanted to see and things we wanted to do. First and foremost was to get some <a href="http://onefoodguy.blogspot.com/2010/12/street-food-in-berlin.html">currywurst</a> which we were able to accomplish almost immediately after leaving our hotel on day one. Next was the Jewish Museum which was educational, emotional, and quite moving. Some of the exhibits were so powerful they left us both speechless. While in the museum, it started snowing outside! It was only the first week of November and neither of us was prepared for the cold weather! The Jewish Museum is a must visit if you travel to Berlin. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The Jewish Museum</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5304512501/" title="The Jewish Museum by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="The Jewish Museum" border="0" height="500" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5250/5304512501_e01b799cc1.jpg" width="375" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
Inside The Garden of Exile</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5305107012/" title="In The Garden of Exile by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="In The Garden of Exile" border="0" height="500" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5005/5305107012_a0aeb20ca0.jpg" width="375" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
Inside The Garden of Exile</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5305107782/" title="In The Garden of Exile by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="In The Garden of Exile" border="0" height="500" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5168/5305107782_603d02119a.jpg" width="375" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
The Garden of Exile as seen from inside The Jewish Museum</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5305109528/" title="The Garden of Exile by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="The Garden of Exile" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5006/5305109528_9182f68043.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
The Memory Void</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5304515227/" title="The Memory Void by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="The Memory Void" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5206/5304515227_3b1607f37f.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
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After spending the afternoon in the Jewish Museum, Jenny and I headed over to Potsdamer Platz in Berlin center where Winterwelt, or the Winter World Christmas Market was in full effect. The sights, sounds and smells were a treat. We started our late afternoon tour of the market with a hot cup of glühwein mitt schuss, which is hot mulled wine with a shot of rum! Now that the sun was down it was quite cold out and the glühwein warmed me up from the inside. I love glühwein! <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4202340186/" title="Glühwein Hut near Potsdamer Platz by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Glühwein Hut near Potsdamer Platz" border="0" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4037/4202340186_25e7dee5ed.jpg" width="375" /></a></div><br />
After taking the chill off with another glass of glühwein, Jenny and I started exploring the Winter Market. The Winterwelt Christmas Market on Potsdamer Platz is such a fun place to visit. Open from the end of October to the beginning of February, Potsdamer Platz is truly transformed into a winter wonderland with an ice skating rink, a tubing hill, and lots and lots of vendors selling everything from incense to bratwurst, especially bratwurst! In the three days we were in Berlin, I must have eaten at least five or six of these delicious sausages, smothered in spicy German mustard! <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4201585621/" title="Bratwurst at Potsdamer Platz by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Bratwurst at Potsdamer Platz" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2732/4201585621_1d101855be.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4201585401/" title="Bratwurst Vendor at Potsdamer Plaz by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Bratwurst Vendor at Potsdamer Plaz" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2760/4201585401_a9f73084cd.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4202341248/" title="Bratwurst Vendor at Potsdamer Plaz by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Bratwurst Vendor at Potsdamer Plaz" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2661/4202341248_be60323c22.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4202340686/" title="Bratwurst Vendor at Potsdamer Plaz by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Bratwurst Vendor at Potsdamer Plaz" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2492/4202340686_2ab3644e7b.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5305112268/" title="Tubing at Winterwelt"><img alt="Tubing at Winterwelt, Potsdamer Platz" border="0" height="500" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5085/5305112268_9f2d6326e0.jpg" width="375" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5304518801/" title="Tubing at Winterwelt, Potsdamer Platz"><img alt="Tubing at Winterwelt, Potsdamer Platz" border="0" height="500" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5287/5304518801_b6896c3e69.jpg" width="375" /> </a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">All good trips must come to an end and our trip to Berlin was no exception, but it wouldn't end before one last bratwurst and one final beer, enjoyed at the airport before heading home. Another treat on our journey home included a view of the Fernsehturm Tower in Berlin, as well as the London Eye Ferris Wheel and Buckingham Palace all from out the airplane window. To view my entire photo set from Berlin, please visit my <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/sets/72157623670108591/with/5305106326/">Flickr set</a>.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5304539429/" title="Last Brat in Berlin by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Last Brat in Berlin" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5086/5304539429_1f209afc68.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5304539977/" title="Last Beer in Berlin by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Last Beer in Berlin" border="0" height="500" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5082/5304539977_61de4ca521.jpg" width="375" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5305133862/" title="Last Beer in Berlin by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Last Beer in Berlin" border="0" height="500" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5046/5305133862_8146b2bb88.jpg" width="375" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5305134922/" title="Last Beer in Berlin by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Last Beer in Berlin" border="0" height="500" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5249/5305134922_c9ac30eafa.jpg" width="375" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5304541715/" title="Fernsehturm in Berline by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Fernsehturm in Berline" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5244/5304541715_38e676e9da.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5305136256/" title="The London Eye by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="The London Eye" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5242/5305136256_c2fea6c79d.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5304542961/" title="Buckingham Palace by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Buckingham Palace" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5009/5304542961_913bea80ab.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>One Food Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17751317097804402723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32414958.post-49284812563309626772010-12-29T12:47:00.001-05:002010-12-29T13:30:23.544-05:00Street Food in BerlinWhen I booked a trip to Berlin, Germany last year with one of my colleagues, all she could talk about leading up to the trip was currywurst! <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Currywurst" target="_blank">Currywurst</a> is a popular fast-food dish found throughout Germany and is particularly common from street vendors in Berlin. It is basically a grilled pork sausage, cut up into pieces and covered in a curry flavored ketchup and dusted with curry powder. Since we were in Berlin for a just few days and will be working most of the time, our first mission was to find currywurst and it didn't take long. On our way into the city on our only free day, we came upon a currywurst cart. It was cold and raw in Berlin that day, but fortunately the cart also had an enclosed picnic area with propane heaters for us to enjoy our street treat. We ordered some pommes frites as well, European style with ketchup and mayonnaise. This was just the fuel was needed for a jam-packed day of Berlin fun.<br />
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With mission number one checked off our list early, we spent the rest of the day at the Jewish Museum, Potsdamer Platz, and the KaDeWe. Stay tuned for more on our time in Berlin. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4201580157/" title="Currywurst Cart in Berlin by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Currywurst Cart in Berlin" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2720/4201580157_75976d3f90.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4201579377/" title="Currywurst Cart by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Currywurst Cart" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4045/4201579377_516c80222f.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4201580485/" title="Look at that Grease! by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Look at that Grease!" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/4201580485_a0c320900e.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4202337086/" title="The Making of Currywurst by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="The Making of Currywurst" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2764/4202337086_aba2f57b9e.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4202338030/" title="Currywurst on the streets of Berlin by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Currywurst on the streets of Berlin" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2769/4202338030_40ae2ed425.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4201583093/" title="Currywurst Cart by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Currywurst Cart" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2520/4201583093_2693cf38da.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4202338950/" title="IMG_8181 by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_8181" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2524/4202338950_a72d0c5efe.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>One Food Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17751317097804402723noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32414958.post-4229604768755771182010-12-28T13:14:00.000-05:002010-12-28T13:14:00.654-05:00Eating in the Swiss Alps, Part 2<a href="http://www.arosa.ch" target="_blank">Arosa</a>, a mountain resort town in the easternmost <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantons_of_Switzerland" target="_blank">canton</a> of Switzerland, Graubünden, is popular in both the summer and winter for recreation. Last winter, I spent a weekend there with friends for a couple days of skiing and some really great mountain food! The first meal pictured below is of alpler magronen, also known as aelpler makkaroni; as I mentioned in part 1, this traditional Swiss mountain food is a macaroni and cheese-like dish consisting of pasta, potato, bacon/ham, and cheese served with a side of apple sauce. I enjoyed this incredible, hearty dish at Carmenna-Hütte on the side of the mountain. <br />
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On our second day of skiing, we stopped into another mountain-side restaurant, Alpenblick, where I ate half of a rotisserie chicken that was cooking right outside on the restaurants deck. This was quite possibly the best rotisserie chicken I have ever eaten. This was a locally raised chicken, roasted with fresh rosemary and served with a delicious salad of lambs lettuce and shredded carrots, fennel and roasted beets. I also had a couple glasses of jagertee (jaeger-tay), a delicious blend of hot, black tea and rum with some other tasty spices - the name is slightly misleading, there is no Jaegermeister in this drink. This was a perfect warming drink that I actually prefer to glühwein, another favorite winter drink of mine popular in Germany. Glühwein is hot, mulled wine.<br />
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Enjoy the pictures!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4342688837/" title="Arosa, Switzerland by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Arosa, Switzerland" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2711/4342688837_63c657a09c.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4342690637/" title="Carmenna-Hütte by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Carmenna-Hütte" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4010/4342690637_b161d8ac99.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4342694091/" title="Carmenna-Hutte by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Carmenna-Hutte" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4067/4342694091_29880ff1e4.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4343427662/" title="Carmenna-Hütte by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Carmenna-Hütte" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2755/4343427662_67304e82b6.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4342690479/" title="Dog Station at Carmenna-Hütte by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Dog Station at Carmenna-Hütte" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4031/4342690479_e16fa871f5.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4343428500/" title="Aelpler Makkaroni mit Apfelmus by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Aelpler Makkaroni mit Apfelmus" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4039/4343428500_6b7f33d079.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4343429110/" title="Aelpler Makkaroni mit Apfelmus by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Aelpler Makkaroni mit Apfelmus" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2696/4343429110_5d91b0b5b9.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4342692563/" title="Aelpler Makkaroni mit Apfelmus by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Aelpler Makkaroni mit Apfelmus" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4065/4342692563_b5d3830391.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4343429582/" title="Aelpler Makkaroni mit Apfelmus by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Aelpler Makkaroni mit Apfelmus" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4065/4343429582_4f8f2bc85d.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4343430066/" title="Aelpler Makkaroni mit Apfelmus by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Aelpler Makkaroni mit Apfelmus" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4038/4343430066_f804599b56.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4342693829/" title="Aelpler Makkaroni mit Apfelmus by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Aelpler Makkaroni mit Apfelmus" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/4342693829_4cfa5e49b4.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4342688689/" title="Arosa, Switzerland by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Arosa, Switzerland" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4028/4342688689_40f5d4cb60.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4343425308/" title="Arosa, Switzerland by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Arosa, Switzerland" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2802/4343425308_6495d682b2.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4342688089/" title="Arosa, Switzerland by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Arosa, Switzerland" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2790/4342688089_de6cb90b7b.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4342687967/" title="Arosa, Switzerland by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Arosa, Switzerland" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2748/4342687967_473fa5e0b4.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4342687121/" title="Arosa, Switzerland by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Arosa, Switzerland" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2754/4342687121_910286463a.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4342684613/" title="Alpenblick in Arosa by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Alpenblick in Arosa" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4036/4342684613_64f0c93c9c.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4342684277/" title="Rotisserie Chickens outside Alpenblick by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Rotisserie Chickens outside Alpenblick" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4004/4342684277_65674505a7.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4342685075/" title="Jagertee at Alpenblick by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Jagertee at Alpenblick" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4046/4342685075_087272758e.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4343421990/" title="Poulet at Alpenblick by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Poulet at Alpenblick" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2654/4343421990_238a6c5649.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4343422208/" title="Poulet + Salat at Alpenblick by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Poulet + Salat at Alpenblick" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2769/4343422208_dd14f512b3.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4342685733/" title="Poulet at Alpenblick by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Poulet at Alpenblick" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4015/4342685733_93835e56bb.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4342686005/" title="Salat at Alpenblick by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Salat at Alpenblick" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4070/4342686005_b529ede7cf.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4342686267/" title="Poulet + Salat at Alpenblick by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Poulet + Salat at Alpenblick" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2681/4342686267_1448605e4b.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4342686523/" title="Poulet + Salat at Alpenblick by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Poulet + Salat at Alpenblick" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4022/4342686523_2875f7e35d.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4342686731/" title="Poulet + Salat at Alpenblick by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Poulet + Salat at Alpenblick" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4012/4342686731_e1053c2a7a.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4343420234/" title="Arosa, Switzerland by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Arosa, Switzerland" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2708/4343420234_08c8585744.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4337944474/" title="Arosa, Switzerland by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Arosa, Switzerland" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4006/4337944474_34226a53e1.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4337191809/" title="Arosa, Switzerland by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Arosa, Switzerland" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4004/4337191809_8551f7f73a.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4342694955/" title="Arosa, Switzerland by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Arosa, Switzerland" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4059/4342694955_1257df3df8.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4343431532/" title="Arosa, Switzerland by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Arosa, Switzerland" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/4343431532_9b9ed9bc83.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>One Food Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17751317097804402723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32414958.post-58227434347556370732010-12-27T13:10:00.001-05:002010-12-27T13:10:00.138-05:00Eating in the Swiss Alps, Part 1My real job takes me to a lot of places and one of my favorites is Switzerland. On one trip to the country I spent a weekend in the Alps for some skiing, some fun, and a lot of great food. On what was my first foray into the Swiss Alps I visited Melchsee-Frutt and Andermatt. Pictures of the beautiful mountains and delicious food follow below. Mountain food in Switzerland is simple, satisfying, and sustaining, but most importantly it's delicious! On this trip I learned about rösti and Älpler Magronen, a delicious Swiss macaroni and cheese-like dish consisting of pasta, potatoes, ham or bacon, cheese, and onions. The version I ate at the top of Andermatt was good (see below), but on a later trip up into the Alps in Arosa I would have what may go down as the best Alpler Magronen of all time. More on my trip to Arosa in another post. For now, enjoy my visit to Melchsee-Frutt and Andermatt. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Melchsee-Frutt</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3239905616/" title="IMG_5575 by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5575" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3444/3239905616_cdb082d31c.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Kalbsbratwurst mit Zwiebelsauce und ein butter-rösti<br />
[Veal sausage with onion sauce and buttered potatoes]<br />
Gasthof Waldhaus Stöckalp - Melchsee-Frutt</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3239917476/" title="IMG_5580 by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5580" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3467/3239917476_4b523f8ed8.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Apfelstrudel [Apple Strudel]</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3239081857/" title="IMG_5582 by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5582" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3525/3239081857_5d93161770.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Andermatt</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3238841833/" title="IMG_5602 by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5602" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3496/3238841833_4af0174df8.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3239684918/" title="IMG_5603 by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5603" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3353/3239684918_9013d61765.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3238861827/" title="Andermatt by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Andermatt" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3516/3238861827_d5c8687454.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3239705168/" title="Andermatt by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Andermatt" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3361/3239705168_3f6f943bfe.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3238878807/" title="View from the top of Andermatt by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="View from the top of Andermatt" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3083/3238878807_8957945360.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3238904087/" title="Andermatt by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Andermatt" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3356/3238904087_1d4529e670.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3239764964/" title="IMG_5625 by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5625" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3329/3239764964_b67b5643e2.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3238943569/" title="View at Lunch on Andermatt by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="View at Lunch on Andermatt" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3513/3238943569_046e3748b0.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Älpler Magronen high up on Andermatt</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3239776632/" title="IMG_5629 by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_5629" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3478/3239776632_fb0f0ae2e7.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3238968387/" title="From the top of Andermatt by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="From the top of Andermatt" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3427/3238968387_2d97c3cf38.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3238984805/" title="Andermatt by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Andermatt" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3090/3238984805_a191fa4964.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>One Food Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17751317097804402723noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32414958.post-46879744509723356042010-09-26T17:56:00.000-04:002010-09-26T17:56:11.775-04:00A Paella History LessonI don't remember when I first ate paella, but I do remember my first memorable paella experience. The year was 1997 and J was in her last year of school at the University of Rhode Island. She was living in a beautiful condo with a few of her friends right across the street from Narragansett Beach. I was already a working stiff in Boston and went down for a visit one fall weekend. While sitting out on her deck, enjoying the views of Narragansett Bay, we met one of her neighbors, Rob. He lived alone in the condo next door and if I had to guess was in his early 40s. Rob had some friends in from out of town and after introductions we were offered some of their homemade sangria. One of Rob's friends, Pepe, a large Spanish man, had hands so big he could hug you with them. Yes, his name was Pepe and we vividly remember his handshake. That's not all we remember from that night, we were invited over for more drinks and stayed for dinner, take-out from a local restaurant called The Spanish Tavern. <br />
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The Spanish Tavern, closed several years ago, was famous for their mixed seafood paella and that is just what Rob ordered for dinner. Served in a disposable, aluminum pan, not unlike a lasagna pan, this paella was a beautiful sight. The rice, seasoned and colored with classic Spanish saffron, was cooked perfectly. Mixed in with the rice were fresh mussels and clams, tender calamari and shrimp, boneless chicken, and delicious, salty chorizo, a spicy Spanish sausage. But that's not all; the pièce de résistance of this paella was a whole steamed Maine lobster, split in half, resting on top of this already perfect pan of paella. This amazing meal may not have been the first time I ate paella but it was certainly one of the most memorable times. <br />
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Then there was Mexico in 2005. J and I were celebrating our one year anniversary at the Iberostar Paraiso Beach Resort on the Riviera Maya. One afternoon while lounging on the beach, we noticed a HUGE pan of paella being cooked over an open fire. This paella pan, a traditional paella pan, must have been five feet across. The paella lunch was part of a weekly beach party held at the resort that included live music and a bikini contest, which I did not win. With all these wonderful paella memories, it's surprising that I've never attempted to make paella, until now.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5027610000/" title="Paella on the beach in Mexico by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Paella on the beach in Mexico" height="480" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4108/5027610000_947ea1a141_z.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div><br />
Paella is generally considered the national dish of Spain. However, if you ask a Spaniard, they will tell you the dish is from Valencia, Spain's third largest city on the Mediterranean coast. The word paella was used to describe the wide, flat pan that this rice dish is made in, but came to describe the actually food as well. Considered by many a laborers meal, paella was originally made in the fields of Valencia. Classic Paella Valenciana is made with chicken, rabbit, snails and beans, all items generally available in and around the fields of Valencia with snails being the most common because of their availability and cost (free if foraged.) Chicken and rabbit, while still common, were saved for more special occasions. <br />
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The paella that most people think of when they hear the word paella is Paella Marisco, or seafood paella. This variation, while not the original, is still considered a classic, traditional, Spanish dish and contains contains seafood like shrimp, mussels and calamari and can also contain meat like chicken and chorizo. For my recreation of the classic Spanish paella, I am making a Paella Marisco containing chicken, chorizo, calamari, shrimp, mussels, and clams. This is the dish I remember from The Spanish tavern, without the lobster which is definitely not a traditional Spanish ingredient. And one more thing, paellas are traditionally cooked outdoors over an open fire, so I'll be cooking my paella over a charcoal fire in my Weber Kettle grill. I also do not own a classic paella pan, so I'll be using a large saute pan.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Chimney starter used to start charcoal fire</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5026518434/" title="Chimney Starter by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Chimney Starter" border="0" height="480" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4132/5026518434_490bfb87cb_z.jpg" width="640" /> </a><br />
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Two level fire (hot side and cool side) built in grill<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5025902983/" title="Charcoal Grill by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Charcoal Grill" border="0" height="480" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4148/5025902983_87e3920826_z.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br />
<br />
Black forest bacon rendered down<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5026520240/" title="Black Forest Bacon by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Black Forest Bacon" border="0" height="480" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5026520240_2c6a0f4a38_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Diced onions sweated in bacon fat<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5025904191/" title="Onions in Bacon Fat by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Onions in Bacon Fat" border="0" height="480" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/5025904191_bd26cb1ac5_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Chicken added to onions to cook<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5025904679/" title="Chicken with Onions in Bacon Fat by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Chicken with Onions in Bacon Fat" border="0" height="480" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4124/5025904679_9d8b6f1902_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Diced tomatoes added to chicken and onions<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5025906023/" title="Added tomatoes by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Added tomatoes" border="0" height="480" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4085/5025906023_1d4358da40_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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After chorizo cooked for a few minutes, rice added and coated well with mixture. Water added next<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5026522514/" title="Added rice by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Added rice" border="0" height="480" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4085/5026522514_b687669eef_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">After about 15-20 minutes of cooking, calamari and shrimp are added. Mussels and clams are added a few minutes later for the 4-5 minutes of cooking.</div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5026522944/" title="Added seafood for last 5-10 minutes of cooking by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Added seafood for last 5-10 minutes of cooking" border="0" height="480" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4105/5026522944_6f218073e2_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Seafood Paella, garnished with diced red pepper and a lemon wedge<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5025907035/" title="Seafood Paella by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img ="" alt="Seafood Paella" border="0" height="480" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4109/5025907035_1fffd5ca06_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5026523570/" title="Seafood Paella by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Seafood Paella" border="0" height="480" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4081/5026523570_e394987bff_z.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">One important part of classic paella is the crispy bottom of the pan. To get this crispy bottom, it is important that you do not stir the pan once the seafood is added to the mixture. If you must stir in the seafood, be careful not to scrape the bottom or else you will disturb the much sought after crispy bottom layer! </div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/5025910013/" title="The Crispy Bottom of Classic Paella by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="The Crispy Bottom of Classic Paella" border="0" height="480" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/5025910013_ddd4e08c0e_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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</div><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Paella Marisco </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Adapted from <a href="http://spanishfood.about.com/od/maincourses/r/seafoodpaella.htm" target="_new">Lisa & Tony Sierra, About.com Guide</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Serves 6</span> <br />
1 yellow onion, diced<br />
2 medium tomatoes, diced<br />
1/2 lb bacon, diced <br />
1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite sized chunks<br />
1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized chunks<br />
1/2 lb chorizo sausage, sliced into disks<br />
<br />
1/2 lb calamari (squid) cleaned and sliced into rings<br />
3/4 lbs raw shrimp, medium <br />
2 cups medium or short grain rice<br />
4-6 cups water (I added 6 cups and it was a little too much.)<br />
1 teaspoon Spanish Saffron<br />
1 dozen or more mussels<br />
1 dozen or more littleneck clams<br />
<br />
1 red pepper seeded and diced<br />
Salt and pepper to taste<br />
Lemon wedges <br />
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1. Light a full chimney of briquette or hardwood charcoal<br />
2. When charcoal is lit, about 10 minutes, create a two level fire in your charcoal grill<br />
3. Place pan on hot side of the fire and add bacon to pan. Cook until fat is rendered and bacon is crispy. Remove bacon from the pan and save for something else.<br />
4. Saute onions in bacon fat until translucent, about 3-4 minutes<br />
5. Add chicken to pan and cook until chicken starts to brown, another 3-4 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to season the chicken. <br />
6. Add diced tomato to pan and stir<br />
7. Add sliced chorizo to pan and cook for a 2-3 minutes<br />
8. Add two cups of medium grain rice, bomba rice is best if you can find it. Stir until coated with from fat and juices in pan.<br />
9. Add water, saffron, salt and pepper to taste. Stir, and cover to bring to a boil. Traditionally, paella is cooked without being covered but I wanted to get the water boiling quickly.<br />
10. Cook for about 10-15 minutes, then add in calamari and shrimp and cook for 3-4 minutes.<br />
11. Add mussels and clams to top of pan and cover, cooking another 4-5 minutes or just until mussels and clams have opened. The mussels will open first, with the clams taking a couple minutes longer to cook.<br />
12. Taste rice, adjust the seasoning if necessary.<br />
13. Serve, garnishing with lemon wedges and diced red pepper.One Food Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17751317097804402723noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32414958.post-38010607283584927472010-09-25T13:51:00.000-04:002010-09-25T13:51:47.208-04:00The Most Crowded Place on EarthTo really experience a new city, you should visit one of its public markets. Having visited public markets in the US I know they can be quite crowded on the weekends, but in a country like India with a population of nearly 1.2 billion people, I had no idea what I was in for when I visited the Krishnarajendra Market in Bangalore last summer. The Krishnarajendra Market, also know as the Bangalore Central Market or City Market, is an enormous public market with entire floors dedicated to food, flowers, cooking equipment and parts for heavy machinery, really! At times while I was walking through the market, it was obvious that I was in one of the most crowded places on earth! <br />
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It would really be hard for me to do the market justice with words, so please, enjoy these pictures and try to imagine what it was like walking through Bangalore's Central Market. It was an experience of a lifetime and one I hope I will never forget.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3868414833/" title="IMG_7570 by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7570" border="0" height="480" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2561/3868414833_5ea1f1ae9e_z.jpg" width="640" /> </a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3869195734/" title="IMG_7568 by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7568" border="0" height="480" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2433/3869195734_cf79fd630e_z.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3869027440/" title="IMG_7552 by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7552" border="0" height="640" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2433/3869027440_b590fb5fe2_z.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3869024124/" title="IMG_7551 by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7551" border="0" height="640" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3534/3869024124_c312a41afa_z.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3869340790/" title="Betel Lead Vendor at City Market, Bangalore by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Betel Leaf Vendor at City Market, Bangalore" border="0" height="480" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3527/3869340790_568acc7370_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3869340412/" title="Roses at City Market, Bangalore by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Roses at City Market, Bangalore" border="0" height="640" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3474/3869340412_10ce2c3dc1_z.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3868420171/" title="Krishnarajendra Market by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Krishnarajendra Market" border="0" height="480" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2433/3868420171_dd792593c3_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3868419445/" title="Krishnarajendra Market by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Krishnarajendra Market" border="0" height="480" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3476/3868419445_a180b063a6_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3869200074/" title="IMG_7588 by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7588" border="0" height="480" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2575/3869200074_f34ceede25_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3869199172/" title="IMG_7580 by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7580" border="0" height="480" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2437/3869199172_9bb0fe95b0_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3868417447/" title="IMG_7579 by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7579" border="0" height="640" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3474/3868417447_bea535552e_z.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3868417161/" title="IMG_7578 by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7578" border="0" height="480" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2671/3868417161_63358732e0_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3868416829/" title="IMG_7577 by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7577" border="0" height="640" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3520/3868416829_ae6d7be9bf_z.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3868416597/" title="IMG_7576 by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7576" border="0" height="480" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3261/3868416597_511e9e6eac_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3869197712/" title="IMG_7575 by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7575" border="0" height="480" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2456/3869197712_e2e76ce8a9_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3868415559/" title="IMG_7572 by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Cilantro (Coriander)" border="0" height="480" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2576/3868415559_dcba77c559_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3868415145/" title="IMG_7571 by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7571" border="0" height="480" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2576/3868415145_50c749257e_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3869048978/" title="IMG_7562 by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7562" border="0" height="480" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2495/3869048978_1256b08c75_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3869005790/" title="IMG_7547 by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7547" border="0" height="480" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2502/3869005790_793fbb7cb3_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3869003082/" title="IMG_7546 by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7546" border="0" height="480" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3071/3869003082_00277c2e0e_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3869201254/" title="IMG_7605 by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7605" border="0" height="480" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2571/3869201254_ed9dc405ac_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/3868276239/" title="IMG_7564 by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_7564" border="0" height="640" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3530/3868276239_7049b6757d_z.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>One Food Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17751317097804402723noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32414958.post-7297219340674862772010-09-18T13:45:00.007-04:002010-09-24T18:53:41.505-04:00Reflections: My Life in FoodI've always been an eater, so have you if you think about it. We started out on a liquid diet, advanced to pureed solid foods, and soon after discovered SpaghettiOs and hamburgers. I would be willing to bet that each and every one of us has at least a few memories that involve food. I know I have many, here are just a few.<br />
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Growing up in a Kosher home meant no shellfish, no crustaceans, and certainly no pork. Classic dishes like meatloaf, tuna casserole, and chicken and rice were what we ate for dinner. Family vacations, however were different. Many years ago my family went up to a New Hampshire mountain house with several of my parents friends and their kids, some of whom were also my friends. I remember this house very vividly even though this vacation was many many years ago, maybe twenty-five years ago, or more - I'm thirty-five years old if you're paying attention. So this house, I could tell you about the kitchen, the sunken living room, the finished basement with a game room or the loft on the third floor where many of us kids slept. But what I want to tell you about is one food memory...the bacon!<br />
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Yes, the bacon. I know, Kosher home and all which meant we are a conservative Jewish family who kept Kosher...except on vacation. I had obviously tasted bacon before, maybe at a friends house, maybe out for breakfast, so I knew what I was in for when I saw my dad unpacking the groceries in the kitchen of this house and out came a few packages of Oscar Meyer bacon! I remember a lot about that long weekend spent up in this beautiful mountain home, but my most vivid memory is of the bacon, not of breakfast - I couldn't tell you what else we ate - but of the bacon! I loved vacations for the bacon! Yes, we had a Kosher home, but would you say that we didn't actually keep Kosher because of our out-of-home indulgences?<br />
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Fast forward to my high school years. I was an active, three sport athlete and very fit. I was constantly eating, which in hindsight may have been the beginning of who I became as an eater. Is it wrong that I actually liked school lunches? French bread pizzas, chicken patties, and bacon burgers with lettuce, tomato and mayo. Mind you the bacon burgers were not hamburgers with bacon on them. Rather, they were some sort of all purpose patty that resembled a sausage patty in color and texture, tasted of no real bacon, but had a flavor that I liked. I was also a big fan of the salad bar, yes my high school had a salad bar. If I remember correctly, school lunch was like a $1.50 or maybe a $1.75, it was in the early 90's, and the salad bar was not sold by weight. I would fill my plate with salad, a couple scoops of tuna salad, and grab a couple slices of bread, all part of the salad bar. I would make a tuna sandwich and eat my salad, and drink 2 8oz. cartons of whole milk. I would also eat a snickers bar and sometimes a mountain dew after school, right before practice - football in the fall, and track and field both in the winter and spring. I will never forget that salad bar, I was even quoted in my class video year book saying I would miss the salad bar most, because "the sign [at the salad bar] said 'keep portions to a minimum' but I would take as much as I wanted and they never said anything!" Things would change when I got to college. <br />
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Syracuse University, a five hour drive from my home in the western suburbs of Boston, is where I went from being active and healthy to being sedentary and overweight. When the snow started falling on the hill, in October of 1993, I stopped going to the gym, and like many students who attend college in cold climates, started drinking beer to stay warm! My meals weren't very healthy either. Eggs and toast for breakfast, almost every day, and grilled cheese and tater tots for lunch, at least a few times a week. I'd wash it all down with a couple glasses of mountain dew. No one was there to tell me I shouldn't be eating that every single day, so I did. I also liked to cook Velveeta shells and cheese in the electric hot pot that I had. I wouldn't always clean the pot after I ate and learned that the cheese sauce must have been loaded with preservatives because it didn't mold...after weeks in the pot still sitting on my shelf. I moved off campus my junior year, although off campus at Syracuse is still walking distance to campus, so I kept the dining hall meal plan and my meals remained much of the same. I gained 35 pounds in college. I was fat. <br />
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My diet didn't improve much in the first few years after college either. Bacon, egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches from Dunkin' Donuts or Honey Dew Donuts - picked up on my way to work in the city and eaten in the car. Fried buffalo chicken sandwiches for lunch. I was not working out, not running, cycling or anything else, and eating poorly; I was still gaining weight. Another ten pounds before I reached my tipping point. <br />
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In 2001, I remember this clearly, I was away for a weekend visiting with a friend out of town. Getting ready to leave his apartment, I was changing my shirt when he said, "you got soft." That was my tipping point. I changed my eating habits, no more bagels, no more pizza, no fried foods. I joined a gym and worked out five to six days a week. Spinning, running, lifting weights, I was determined to get healthy and fit once again. I started feeling better and losing some weight after a few weeks, I was determined. My breakfasts became smoothies made of yogurt, orange juice, strawberries and bananas. I would occasionally treat myself to a croissant or cheese danish too. I was not on a diet, after all, I was making my own rules. Lunches were balanced meals, carbs, protein, fat. I was eating well. Five months passed and people at my office were noticing a change. I lost 40 pounds! I bought new clothes, down from an almost 38 inch waist to a 34. And since I had a consistent work out routine, I started introducing some of the foods I had stopped eating into my meals. I was eating pizza again, and enjoyed an occasional bagel, or two. I was simply making smarter choices. Nine years later and I have maintained my weight loss and my healthy lifestyle. I have become a first class eater. <br />
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<a href="http://onefoodguy.blogspot.com/2006/08/sublime-beginning.html" target="_new">August 4, 2006</a>, that is the date of my very first post. My motivation to begin writing as <b>One Food Guy</b> is threefold. First, something has always drawn me to food and cooking. I loved to cook and having worked in professional kitchens and waited tables for several years earlier in my life, thought I had an interesting perspective. Second, I was fresh off a five month consulting gig in Manhattan that had me living in the Grand Hyatt hotel and eating three meals a day on an expense account (I gained about ten pounds but ran them right off when my schedule returned to normal.) Babbo, Esca, Morimoto, Tao, Sushi Samba, Craft, Asia de Cuba, and more. I ate very well. And third, the August 2006 issue of Food & Wine Magazine. <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/shoot-first-eat-later">Two</a> <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/shoot-first-eat-later/sidebars/2">articles</a> on food photography and blogging were all the inspiration that I needed. I started finding more blogs and stumbled on the burgeoning LA food blogger community. <a href="http://eatdrinknbmerry.blogspot.com/">Eat, Drink, & Be Merry</a>, <a href="http://oishiieats.blogspot.com/">Oishii Eats</a>, <a href="http://dailygluttony.blogspot.com/">Daily Gluttony</a> (now <a href="http://www.rantsandcraves.com/">Rants & Craves</a>), and <a href="http://immaeatchu.blogspot.com/">immaeatchu</a> were some of the first few blogs I started following, and they are all still part of a thriving LA food blog community. There were very few, none that I knew of, Boston bloggers back in 2006 and I was trying to fit in.<br />
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I started off by sharing some tips on <a href="http://onefoodguy.blogspot.com/2006/08/how-to-grill-steak-well-not-well-done.html">how to grill a steak</a>, and reviewing <a href="http://onefoodguy.blogspot.com/2006/08/new-york-state-of-mind.html">some</a> <a href="http://onefoodguy.blogspot.com/2006/08/restaurant-week-in-boston-henriettas.html">restaurants</a>. I <a href="http://onefoodguy.blogspot.com/2006/10/its-all-in-planning.html">planned</a> a <a href="http://onefoodguy.blogspot.com/2006/10/dinner-for-five.html">dinner party</a>. I even created a weekly feature called Tuesday's Tasting that was all about reviewing an item from Trader Joe's freezer case. I shared my experience of <a href="http://onefoodguy.blogspot.com/2006/11/birth-of-foodie.html">working one night on the line in a professional kitchen</a> and tried a recipe for <a href="http://onefoodguy.blogspot.com/2006/11/renas-aubergine-in-tomato-sauce-greek.html">aubergine in tomato sauce</a> that I found on <a href="http://chezpim.typepad.com/">Chez Pim</a>. I was starting to find my voice and in mid-2007 <a href="http://www.thepinkspoon.typepad.com/">Ryan the Girl</a> from <a href="http://www.foodbuzz.com/">Foodbuzz</a> found me. In September of 2007 I became a <a href="http://www.foodbuzz.com/foodies/us/massachusetts/boston/profile/one%20food%20guy">Foodbuzz Featured Publisher</a>.<br />
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A lot has happened in my food life in the last three years. I have traveled around the world, eating in <a href="http://onefoodguy.blogspot.com/2008/08/eating-tandoori-chicken-in-chennai.html">India</a>, Germany, <a href="http://onefoodguy.blogspot.com/2010/02/down-by-english-seashore.html">England</a>, <a href="http://onefoodguy.blogspot.com/2008/02/haggis-neeps-and-tatties-oh-my.html">Scotland</a>, <a href="http://onefoodguy.blogspot.com/2009/10/making-of-crepe-in-paris.html">France</a> and <a href="http://onefoodguy.blogspot.com/2008/08/straussensteak-at-helvetia-luzern.html">Switzerland</a>. I have eaten some amazing meals and challenged myself with some <a href="http://onefoodguy.blogspot.com/2009/01/fear-factor-west-coast-style.html">interesting</a> <a href="http://onefoodguy.blogspot.com/2009/05/i-dont-feel-any-smarter-after-eating.html">food</a>. But I have not yet reached my potential as a food writer.<br />
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As a Foodbuzz featured publisher, I'm now participating in Foodbuzz's <a href="http://www.foodbuzz.com/project_food_blog">Project Food Blog</a>. Two thousand bloggers compete against each other in ten challenges resulting in one winner and a $10,000 prize! One of my biggest challenges over the last year has been making the time to write. I have enjoyed some great meals, tried some fantastic recipes, and traveled to some outstanding places on our planet where the food always shines. So follow along as I re-immerse myself in One Food Guy and reintroduce you to my world as seen through food.One Food Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17751317097804402723noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32414958.post-60676756359287481902010-08-04T09:03:00.001-04:002010-12-23T10:52:48.552-05:00Join the Global Fight Against Cancer - Donate to The Jimmy Fund Now!This weekend I'll be <b>riding my bike 192 miles</b> in my fourth annual <b>Pan-Massachusetts Challenge</b>. The PMC, as it is known, is a charity bike ride raising money for life-saving cancer treatment and research at the <a href="http://www.dana-farber.org/" target="_new">Dana-Farber Cancer Institute</a> through donations to <a href="http://www.jimmyfund.org/" target="_new">The Jimmy Fund</a>. One hundred percent of all rider-raised donations go directly to the Jimmy Fund, there is no event overhead thanks to thousands of volunteers and hundreds of corporate sponsors! <br />
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As an active cyclist, I am not as challenged by the cycling as I am the fund raising! With a $4,200 commitment pledged the day I register, I must raise the money or have my credit card charged for the balance. The ride is in four days and I still need to raise nearly $2,000! <br />
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Will you join in the global fight against cancer and make a <b>donation</b> to The PMC and The Jimmy Fund? Will you go out for steak tacos instead of a steak dinner and <b>donate the difference</b> to The Jimmy Fund? Will you buy a beer instead of a martini and <b>donate the difference</b> to The Jimmy Fund? Will you order a salad instead of a three course meal and <b> donate the difference</b> to The Jimmy Fund? Will you eat in instead of going out altogether and <b>donate the money you saved</b> to the Jimmy Fund? <br />
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To make a <b>100% tax-deductible donation</b> online, please visit <b>http://www.pmc.org</b> <br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">From the Pan-Mass Challenge web site:</span><br />
<blockquote><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Cancer Facts & Figures</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by either the runaway growth of cells or the failure of cells to die normally. Cancer can arise in any organ of the body and strikes one of every two American men and one of every three American women at some point in their lives.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Each year, nearly 1.4 million new cases of cancer are diagnosed in the United States, a figure that does not include the 900,000 cases of skin cancer diagnosed annually. Cancer is the second leading cause of death (after heart disease) in the United States, accounting for 560,000 deaths every year. While more than 3 million people are diagnosed with cancer around the globe each year, the figure most likely represents just a percentage of people who have the disease but remain undiagnosed due to decreased access to health care in different parts of the world. There are more than 100 different varieties of cancer, which can be divided into six major categories. Carcinomas, the most common type of cancer, originate in tissues that cover a surface or line a cavity of the body. Sarcomas begin in tissue that connects, supports or surrounds other tissues and organs. Lymphomas are cancers of the lymph system, the circulatory system that bathes and cleanses the body's cells. Leukemias involve blood-forming tissues and blood cells. As their name indicates, brain tumors are cancers that begin in the brain, and skin cancers, including dangerous melanomas, originate in the skin. Cancers are considered metastatic if they spread via the blood or lymphatic system to other parts of the body to form secondary tumors.</span></blockquote>One Food Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17751317097804402723noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32414958.post-8178713930054356522010-05-12T08:43:00.002-04:002010-05-12T09:23:44.325-04:00Strawberry Watermelon Breakfast JuiceI am fortunate to have received a <a href="http://www.vitamix.com/" target="_blank">Vita-Mix</a> blender as a gift last December along with a great book full of juice and smoothie recipes. For Mother's Day this past weekend I decided to make a fresh juice for everyone to start the brunch I was hosting at my house.<br />
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J found a juice recipe that sounded simple to make and delicious to drink, Watermelon Breakfast Juice. With just four ingredients (watermelon, ginger, mint, and lime juice,) it couldn't get any easier. So on Sunday, I followed the recipe and got some great feedback from my family: "it could be a little colder" - so I added some ice in the second batch - "too much ginger" - so I grated a little less in the second batch, and it was delicious. Everybody was happy. This juice was a hit and I've made it twice since then, with some modifications.<br />
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When brunch was over on Sunday, J and I were left with an abundance of watermelon - I bought a whole watermelon and only used about a third of it for the juice on Sunday, and an abundance of strawberries - due in part to my lack of planning. I asked my sister to bring dessert without any specification, so she brought angel food cake, strawberries, and whipped topping. And I asked my sister-in-law to bring fruit, again without much specification, so she brought a couple pounds of strawberries. Do you see where I'm going with this?<br />
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I decided to modify the watermelon breakfast juice recipe to try and use up some of the strawberry bounty in my kitchen, so now it's<br />
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<b>Strawberry Watermelon Breakfast Juice</b> <br />
3 1/2 cups watermelon, cubed<br />
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice (~1 juicy lime)<br />
7 or 8 fresh strawberries, untrimmed<br />
1 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped (optional, but recommended)<br />
1/2 to 3/4 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated<br />
1/2 cup ice <br />
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Add watermelon, lime juice, strawberries, mint, ginger and ice to a blender and pulse until smooth. Do not blend for too long or it will get frothy. There is also no need to trim the leaves from the strawberries but do be sure to wash them first. For those with a powerful blender like a <a href="http://www.vitamix.com/" target="_blank">Vita-Mix</a> or <a href="http://blendtec.com/" target="_blank">Blendtec</a>, you probably dont even need to chop the mint or grate the ginger, but I do recommend it for better blending. I pulsed the juice six or seven times on the variable speed setting of 7 on my <a href="http://www.vitamix.com/" target="_blank">Vita-Mix</a> and the juice came out perfect. <br />
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This recipe makes about two tall glasses of juice, or approximately 32 ounces.<br />
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Final thoughts: this juice is fantastic with or without mint, I've made it both ways; I do, however, think the mint balances everything out and adds some depth to the flavor of the juice. I also think this juice would be great with some vodka, rum or tequila, although I have yet to try it. Let me know what you think.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4600688061/" title="Strawberry Watermelon Juice by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Strawberry Watermelon Juice" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1081/4600688061_8ac4124b2f.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>One Food Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17751317097804402723noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32414958.post-57568028477920261832010-05-10T13:28:00.002-04:002010-05-11T16:18:28.001-04:00Transendental Dining in The Eliot HotelWhen is the last time you've been to a restaurant for which you had high expectations and those expectations were not only met, but exceeded to the point where you were left speechless by some of the plates set in front of you? For me, it was a few months ago when I ate at <a href="http://unisashimibar.com/">Uni Sashimi Bar</a>.<br />
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Considered one of the best restaurants in Boston, if not the country, <a href="http://unisashimibar.com/">Uni Sashimi Bar</a> is tucked inside the <a href="http://www.eliothotel.com/">Eliot Hotel</a> in Boston's Back Bay neighborhood. Owned by James Beard award-winning chef Ken Oringer, chef Chris Chung was heading up the sashimi bar at the time of my visit. Since then, chef Chris Gould has taken over the reigns has been doing a fantastic job. <br />
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On this night at <a href="http://unisashimibar.com/">Uni Sashimi Bar</a>, Chef Chung transported me and my fellow diners to Japan for an amazing feast of fresh Japanese seafood prepared with both subtle and bold flavors. Chef Chung masterfully sliced and prepared flown-in fresh Japanese fish like pink sea breem, Japanese sea robin, and Japanese greenling. I had never heard of these fish or the incredible Japanese pen shell, a giant type of razor clam with which I would instantly fall in love. In addition to the incredible raw fish preparations, I also tried a few tempura preparations. First, the highly regarded and oft-reviewed rock shrimp tempura served with spicy red pepper aioli and Korean pepper threads, and then, the tempura of seasonal vegetables with soy-dashi dipping sauce and miso aioli. The tempura batter on both of these preparations was very light and well seasoned. Both the shrimp and vegetables were fried to perfection.<br />
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Of all the great Japanese fish I ate on this night, my favorite dish may have been Chef Chung's Scottish Salmon preparation of perfectly sliced salmon sashimi served with homemade Chinese black bean tapenade and fresh ginger. The salmon was the freshest, most perfect melt-in-your-mouth salmon I have ever had, and the black bean tapenade was a delicious blend of fermented black beans, fresh ginger and garlic. <br />
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Another dish that really blew me away was the taragai and uni. Taragai is the Japanese pen shell (giant razor clam) and uni is the roe of the sea urchin. The pen shell as I mentioned is a giant razor clam from Japan that reminded of both a scallop (sweetness) and a clam (texture). The uni, slightly warmed, was super fresh, delivered earlier that day from a fishery in Maine. The flavors and textures of this dish were amazing. The sweetness of the super fresh uni and the texture of the slightly sweet pen shell worked so well together.<br />
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In addition to having the freshest available fish and shellfish, Uni also has some pretty outstanding cocktails. Prepared by the bartenders in Clio, another Ken Oringer restaurant inside of the Eliot Hotel, the hand-crafted cocktails did not disappoint. I tried an original creation, allowing the bartender to craft my cocktail based on a few simple instructions, make it with good gin, not too sweet, and stiff. Whatever I was served (I failed to write it down) was outstanding. My friend tried the Enter the Dragon cocktail (Stoli Ohranj vodka, Cointreau, kalamansi lime juice and cayenne pepper) which was also excellent, spicy, tart, and sweet.<br />
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I highly recommend a visit to <a href="http://unisashimibar.com/">Uni Sashimi Bar</a> whether it is for a special occasion or just a night out on the town. Follow them on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Boston-MA/Uni-Sashimi-Bar/48221002185?v=info">Facebook</a> for information on their Maki Monday and Sake Bomb Tuesday specials that make it fun and affordable to eat there on a regular basis.<br />
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Offerings at Uni change regular with what is fresh and available, here is what I ate on my visit:<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>* Anago Tempura (Salt Water Eel) with green tea salt and shirred egg</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Duck egg is removed from the shell, gently cooked with butter, yogurt and fleur de sel, then returned to the shell creating this amazing, custardy, incredibly delicious compliment to the beautifully fried, unbelievable fresh salt water eel that was dusted with green tea salt.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>* Taragai & Uni (Japanese Pan Shell and Sea Urchin) with XO Sauce, myoga & garlic soy</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Outstanding dish, salty, sweet, fresh, amazing textures. Tairagai, or Japanese Pen Shell is a giant Japanese razor clam. It had textural qualities of both a scallop (sweetness) and a clam (texture). The Uni was slightly warmed and the combination of flavors and textures in this dish were out of this world. The Uni was from Maine. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Rock Shrimp Tempura with spicy red pepper aioli and Korean pepper threads</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Lightly battered, perfectly cooked rock shrimp. The spicy aoili was slightly spicy and delicate, a perfect emulsion.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Tempura of Seasonal Vegetables with soy-dashi dipping sauce and miso aioli</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The soy-dashi dipping sauce was a perfect accompaniment for the lightly battered, tender vegetables. The miso aioli was slightly sweet. The two dipping sauces offered a choice of salty, sweet, and incredible umami flavors to the already nicely seasoned vegetables.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>* Tuna Ceviche (Yellowfin Tuna) with coconut, chilies and lemongrass</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Perfect pieces of tuna dressed in wonderfully sweet, slightly spicy, and incredibly fresh sauce of coconut milk, fresh chilies and lemongrass. Topped with fried ginger and fresh scallions, this was delicious. While the amazing tuna would have been perfect by itself, the addition of the sauce made me very happy. I would have been almost as happy with some tuna sashimi and a glass of the coconut, chile, lemongrass sauce to drink on the side. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>* Scottish Salmon with Chinese black bean tapenade and fresh ginger</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The most perfect piece of salmon sashimi I have ever had and the most fresh and unique black bean tapenade. To make the tapenade, Chef Chung combines Chinese fermented black beans with fresh ginger and garlic. So good.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>* Ainame (Japanese Greenling) with shiso, asian pear puree, romesco & benetade</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Sweet, nutty, delicious.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>* Houbou (Japanese Sea Robin) with candied yuzu kosho, radishes and myoga</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Citrusy, very mild fish, great combination of flavors.</span><br />
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<b><br />
Uni Sashimi Bar</b><br />
370 Commonwealth Avenue<br />
Boston, MA 02215<br />
Ph. 617.536.7200<br />
<a href="http://www.unisashimibar.com/">http://www.unisashimibar.com</a>One Food Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17751317097804402723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32414958.post-71124419373340604322010-03-22T07:24:00.011-04:002010-03-22T11:17:48.175-04:00Hall of Fame Sandwiches at All Star Sandwich BarI remember hearing about All Star Sandwich Bar when Chris Schlesinger, of East Coast Grill fame, opened it back in 2006. It wasn't until a few weeks ago that I finally walked through the doors to this casual sandwich bar in Inman Square. Now, owners/brothers Kosta and Johnny Diamantopoulos are serving up incredible sandwich after incredible sandwich. It was February 26th when I walked into the restaurant for my first of two sandwiches, an Extra Funky.<br />
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In addition to the sandwiches served up from the regular menu, All Star has daily sandwich specials. One of those daily specials is the Extra Funky Sandwich which on February 26th was jerk grilled chicken with jack cheese, sliced pineapple, chayote slaw, and mango habanero bbq sauce on sourdough. Grilled on a flattop and served with a homemade coleslaw of finely sliced cabbage and carrot. The chicken was grilled perfectly and was incredibly juicy; the sliced pineapple complimented the sweet and spicy bbq sauce, and the chayote slaw added great texture. For my very first All Star Sandwich, this was a winner!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4402851204/" title="Extra Funky Sandwich at All Star Sandwich Bar by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Extra Funky Sandwich at All Star Sandwich Bar" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2741/4402851204_75824b289c.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4402851280/" title="Extra Funky Sandwich at All Star Sandwich Bar by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Extra Funky Sandwich at All Star Sandwich Bar" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4024/4402851280_42d900f12c.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
I also ordered a plate of Hell Fries; a huge plate of hand-cut french fries dusted with cayenne and doused in Inner Beauty Hot Sauce. The fries were fresh and crispy, sweet and spicy, and really really good. Garnished with cilantro, the single order is easily enough four people, I think I ate half of my plate nearly inducing instant food coma. Fortunately I had a glass of their fresh squeezed lemonade, refilled once by the friendly staff while I sat and enjoyed my lunch (more on the staff later.) <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4402851146/" title="Hell Fries at All Star Sandwich Bar by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Hell Fries at All Star Sandwich Bar" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4002/4402851146_7683d1f612.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
After my first great sandwich at All Star, I was prepared to write my review. Hold on you might be saying, for one of the most common complaints that professional food critics and restaurant owners alike have about food bloggers is that they/we write reviews after trying a place only once. I'm certainly guilty of writing reviews after only one visit, but I will never write a bad review after only one visit. I would have had no guilt posting a rave review of All Star Sandwich Bar after only one visit, but I went back and I'm glad I did. Without my second visit, I would never have known that they have table service.<br />
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During my first visit to All Star Sandwich Bar, I ordered from the take-out counter. I didn't know it was the take-out counter at the time, I just thought it was where you placed your order whether you decide to eat in or take your food away. So when I sat down to enjoy my Extra Funky sandwich and plate of hell fries, I thought I was just getting good service when asked if I wanted a refill on my lemonade. My ignorance also explains why one of the kitchen staff asked if I was eating in with a bit of surprised tone, "Oh! You're eating in?" It might also explain why my french fries were in what appeared to be a to-go container. But I digress.<br />
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So, yes, All Star Sandwich Bar has table service AND a take-out counter. On my second visit, I sat at a table and received exceptional service. As for what to eat, it was an easy decision. After <a href="http://twitter.com/onefoodguy">tweeting</a> about my great lunch in February, All Star picked up my feed and commented on their <a href="http://www.facebook.com/AllStarSandwichBar">Facebook fan page</a>. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ZDih_v_VKEGNgZYSt0ECnkaELDt0KzOHeWOnGR0UK93GPffMEcQ70aAg_FYH5sbysGBmNBb5JUCNwh1F0kEaoVDNH-aUoiX7hHNDADXI9UC9PW7XV2dZ41WMkRwYDsr5DjBl/s1600-h/all-star_facebook.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ZDih_v_VKEGNgZYSt0ECnkaELDt0KzOHeWOnGR0UK93GPffMEcQ70aAg_FYH5sbysGBmNBb5JUCNwh1F0kEaoVDNH-aUoiX7hHNDADXI9UC9PW7XV2dZ41WMkRwYDsr5DjBl/s400/all-star_facebook.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
So of course I ordered the Atomic Meatloaf Meltdown. Best meatloaf sandwich I've ever had, and I have had a few in my days on this planet. The Atomic Meatloaf Meltdown sandwich is a thick slice of grilled meatloaf with jack cheese, Inner Beauty Hot Sauce and red onion jam on grilled sourdough bread. The meatloaf was juicy and firm, like a good meatloaf should be, and full of delicious, grilled meaty flavor. The Inner Beauty hot sauce, if you've never had it, is a spicy hot sauce made from a combination of scotch bonnet peppers (HOT!), yellow mustard, orange, papaya and pineapple juices, and some other tasty stuff - created and bottled by the aforementioned chef Chris Schlesinger. The red onion jam added a nice sweetness to balance out the spice. I didn't think that this was too hot, actually, I was hoping for some more heat. With a name like "Atomic" I expect it to be hot. In an email exchange with owner Kosta, he explained that not everyone loves the heat like I do, and next time I should ask for extra sauce. Fair enough.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4407908277/" title="Atomic Meatloaf Meltdown at All Star Sandwich Bar by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Atomic Meatloaf Meltdown at All Star Sandwich Bar" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4033/4407908277_d9367074d5.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4407908321/" title="Atomic Meatloaf Meltdown at All Star Sandwich Bar by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Atomic Meatloaf Meltdown at All Star Sandwich Bar" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2697/4407908321_c66675bef8.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4407908357/" title="Atomic Meatloaf Meltdown at All Star Sandwich Bar by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Atomic Meatloaf Meltdown at All Star Sandwich Bar" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2717/4407908357_dc86f36f9f.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
Two visits, two great sandwiches. Great service, great creativity. All Star Sandwich Bar is a winner and I am going to do everything I can to eat my way through the menu. I know that will be difficult with daily specials changing, well, daily, but my stomach is begging me to try. With muffalatas, cubanos, gobblers and BLTs on the regular menu, I might need some help deciding what to eat next! In addition to the great sandwiches, they offer soups, salads and an assortment of sides including <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poutine">poutine</a> and hush puppies. All Star Sandwich Bar also sells beer and wine, including Narragansett tall boys! <br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>All Star Sandwich Bar</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">1245 Cambridge Street</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Cambridge, MA </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Ph. 617.868.3065</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.allstarsandwichbar.com/">http://www.allstarsandwichbar.com</a></span>One Food Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17751317097804402723noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32414958.post-39201224782749402102010-03-02T23:05:00.000-05:002010-03-02T23:05:58.023-05:00Dating and Tacos on WFNX RadioThis morning was a major milestone for me and this here blog! I was invited up to the <a href="http://wfnx.com/">WFNX</a> radio studio to talk about food and restaurants on the morning program, <a href="http://wfnx.com/shows/mornings/default.aspx">The Breakfast Show</a>. It was great meeting Keith Dakin, Fletcher, and the WFNX legend Henry Santoro; all great guys and my time in the studio was fun. My air time was split into two segments; the first was spent discussing restaurants to go to for a first date and restaurants that would be great for a double date. In the second segment we talked tacos!<br />
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If you missed The Breakfast Show this morning, you can listen to my segment on the <a href="http://wfnx.com/shows/mornings/archive/2010/03/02/podcast-the-one-food-guy-3-2-10.aspx">WFNX Breakfast Show Podcast page</a>.<br />
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So where do I think the fine people of greater Boston should go out to eat on a date? My first pick is <span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="http://www.washingtonsquaretavern.com/">The Washington Square Tavern</a></b></span> in Brookline's Washington Square. I learned about Washington Square Tavern nearly eleven years ago, shortly after they opened in 1999, and have been eating there ever since. With an affordable, approachable, and well thought out wine list to go along with great food, this is a perfect date restaurant. I have always been pleased anytime I order fish, but their chicken and steak offerings are also great. I would be completely remiss if I didn't also mention their "Famous Choice Sirloin 1/2 lb. Burger", it is a definite contender for one of the best burgers in the city. Please note that Washington Square Tavern does NOT take reservations, be prepared for a lengthy wait during prime weekend dinner hours.<br />
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My second pick for a restaurant to take a date to is <b><a href="http://toro-restaurant.com/">Toro</a></b> in Boston's South End. With a long list of creative and classic cocktails, you'll have plenty to drink while waiting for a table; like Wasthington Square Tavern, Toro does NOT take reservations. Toro, opened and owned by one of Boston's best chefs, Ken Oringer, has another well known chef running the kitchen, Jamie Bisonnette. The kitchen team at Toro has taken Spanish tapas to a whole new level with great success. A lot of people say that the best way to judge a sushi restaurant is by how good their tamago (sweet egg omelet) is. Well the same analogy could be used to judge a Spanish tapas restaurant by how good their Tortilla Espanola is; the Spanish egg, potato and onion omelet at Toro is incredible and the rest of the food follows suit. Want to play Russian roulette with your food? Try my favorite item on the menu, the pimientos del padron. These small peppers are lightly roasted and dusted with sea salt, some of them are hot, some are not - how lucky are you!? Looking for a little more adventure? Try the mollejas (crispy veal sweetbreads with blood orange and cinnamon,) morcilla (house cured blood sausage,) or Asado de Huesos (roasted bone marrow with radish citrus salad and oxtail marmalade.) If your looking for something a little less Fear Factor, try the Gambas al Ajillo (griddled garlic shrimp) or Maíz Asado con Alioli y Queso Cotija, La Especialidad de la Casa (the house specialty, grilled corn with alioli, lime, espelette pepper and aged cheese.) There is plenty for everyone at Toro whether you are adventurous or not. If you like to share small plates, you would be remiss if you did not try Toro at least once.<br />
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Looking for something from the sea? Head to <a href="http://www.neptuneoyster.com/"><b>Neptune Oyster</b></a> on Salem Street in the North End, just be careful if you drive, most of the on street parking in the North End requires a resident permit; I found out the hard way <a href="http://onefoodguy.blogspot.com/2007/03/neptune-oyster-worth-wait.html">the first time</a> I was there.With a dozen different oysters on their raw bar most of the time, this is one of the best places to go for oysters. Yes, I know there are plenty of other places for oysters, including B&G Oysters in the South End, but Neptune is without a doubt the place to go. In addition to the great oyster selection, there is also a great wine list to pair with them. The appetizer options include some great salads and the entrees are all about the fish. They do have a burger and a steak on the menu, but if you skip the fish here you are really missing the boat. At $25, the lobster roll is priced in line with the other great lobster rolls in the city; trust me when I say it's worth it. Once again, Neptune Oyster does NOT take reservations.<br />
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Once you've made it past a few dates you might consider a double date with a couple other friends. For something a little more casual, check out <a href="http://www.franklincafe.com/"><b>Franklin Cafe</b></a> (South End, Southie and Cape Ann in Gloucester) or <b><a href="http://www.paramountboston.com/">The Paramount</a></b> on Charles Street in Boston. J and I love the Franklin Cafe in the South End; we haven't visited the Cape Ann location or the relatively new South Boston spot. Known for their creative cocktails and their modern twist on comfort food, the Franklin Cafe has always delivered when I've eaten there.<br />
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If you're looking for some upscale fish tacos or a great plate of steak tips, check out The Paramount. The steak frites is also a winner here. If your date night carries over to breakfast, The Paramount has great brunch too. Actually Toro and Washington Square Tavern also have great brunch, so do your homework and pick a place that matches your mood for the night.<br />
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If its uber-casual that your looking for or if you are on a really small budget, go out for tacos! My favorite for tacos and burritos is <b><a href="http://www.annastaqueria.com/">Anna's Taqueria</a></b>. I'm a super chicken guy through and through but their Mexican plates, quesadillas and tacos are great choices too. If your in the Fenway area, check out <b><a href="http://www.laverdadtaqueria.com/">La Verdad</a></b>, another Ken Oringer spot. Try the carne asada tacos, my favorite here, or the lengua (beef tongue.) The texture of the tongue is really unique and the meat is incredibly tender. It's a treat if you've never tried tongue before. If your on a date and its already going south, order a few tacos from the taqueria and call it a night. Otherwise have a seat in the restaurant, order a few cocktails, and enjoy some fine Mexican food.<br />
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Finally, not mentioned during the segment on The Breakfast Show this morning, <b><a href="http://tremont647.com/">Tremont 647</a></b> has $2 tacos on Tuesdays each week. Chef Andy Husbands and his great kitchen team make some really outstanding tacos each week. The fried plantains and guacamole are also excellent. Not Tuesday night? Enjoy the constantly changing menu and sign up for their newsletter to stay up to date on the <a href="http://tremont647.com/events.php">special dinners/events</a> they host every month. <br />
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There you have it, with more detail than what you may have heard on <a href="http://wfnx.com/shows/mornings/archive/2010/03/02/podcast-the-one-food-guy-3-2-10.aspx">WFNX this morning</a>.<br />
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Here are all the details:<br />
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<b>The Washington Square Tavern</b><br />
714 Washington Street<br />
Brookline, MA<br />
617.232.8989<br />
<a href="http://www.washingtonsquaretavern.com/">http://www.washingtonsquaretavern.com</a><br />
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<b>Toro</b><br />
1704 Washington Street<br />
Boston, MA<br />
617.536.4300 <br />
<a href="http://toro-restaurant.com/">http://toro-restaurant.com/</a><br />
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<b>Cuchi Cuchi</b><br />
795 Main Street<br />
Cambridge, MA<br />
617.864.2929<br />
<a href="http://www.cuchicuchi.cc/">http://www.cuchicuchi.cc/</a><br />
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<b>Neptune Oyster</b><br />
63 Salem Street<br />
Boston, MA<br />
<a href="http://www.neptuneoyster.com/">http://www.neptuneoyster.com/</a><br />
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<b>The Franklin Cafe</b><br />
Three locations, see web site<br />
<a href="http://www.franklincafe.com/">http://www.franklincafe.com/</a><br />
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<b>The Paramount</b><br />
44 Charles Street<br />
Boston, MA<br />
<a href="http://www.paramountboston.com/">http://www.paramountboston.com/</a><br />
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<b>Anna's Taqueria</b><br />
You'll find me in the Coolidge Corner and Beacon Hill spots<b> </b><br />
<a href="http://www.annastaqueria.com/">http://www.annastaqueria.com/</a><br />
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<b>La Verdad</b><br />
1 Lansdowne Street<br />
Boston, MA<br />
617.421.9595 <br />
<a href="http://www.laverdadtaqueria.com/">http://www.laverdadtaqueria.com/</a><br />
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<b>Tremont 647</b><br />
647 Tremont Street<br />
Boston, MA<br />
617.266.4600<br />
<a href="http://tremont647.com/">http://tremont647.com/</a><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/tremont647">@tremont647</a>One Food Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17751317097804402723noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32414958.post-28806518170740868852010-03-01T21:55:00.000-05:002010-03-01T21:55:54.517-05:00One Food Guy on the WFNX Radio Breakfast Show<div style="text-align: left;">For those still awake and paying attention, I will be live on the radio tomorrow morning, Tuesday March 2nd, on the <a href="http://www.wfnx.com/">WFNX</a> 101.7 FM <a href="http://wfnx.com/shows/mornings/default.aspx">Breakfast Show</a> in Boston. Tune in to the <a href="http://www.wfnx.com/">WFNX</a> radio <a href="http://wfnx.com/shows/mornings/default.aspx">Breakfast Show</a> between 8am and 9am - better yet, listen to the whole show from 6-10am. For those of you not in Boston, you can listen live online at <a href="http://www.wfnx.com/">http://www.wfnx.com</a></div><br />
Follow WFNX on Twitter <a href="http://www.twitter/com/wfnx">@wfnx</a> and The Breakfast Show <a href="http://www.twitter.com/fnxbreakfast">@fnxbreakfast</a><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4399541597/" title="One Food Guy on WFNX Breakfast Show by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="One Food Guy on WFNX Breakfast Show" border="0" height="370" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4048/4399541597_31126c4a91.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>One Food Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17751317097804402723noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32414958.post-53661989512368172872010-02-18T11:37:00.002-05:002010-02-25T16:23:27.027-05:00Burgers and fries, that's about it.When you do something well, why do anything else, right? While I don't buy into that school of thought, the people over at Five Guys Burgers and Fries certainly do, and they have made it their mantra. What they do is burgers and fries, and nothing else. Well almost nothing else; you can also order a hot dog with or without cheese or bacon, or cheese and bacon. Okay, so this place isn't serving up a healthy dose of good for you, but damn if they don't do burgers and fries really well; that is, they only cook their burgers well done. It's their policy and they don't stray from it, but they believe that by cooking their burgers well done every time, they are ensuring a consistent product and in their eyes, the juiciest, tastiest burger they can make. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4030163304/" title="Waiting in Line at Five Guys by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Waiting in Line at Five Guys" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3511/4030163304_968f25b96b.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4030163598/" title="Five Guys Burgers and Fries by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Five Guys Burgers and Fries" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2551/4030163598_efeccd044a.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Here's a little history list on the franchise before I get to the good stuff. The first Five Guys opened in Arlington, VA back in 1986 and growth at the beginning was slow. Over the next 15 years, five more Five Guys opened in the Washington, DC area. While they worked on perfecting their burgers they also began developing a cult following. Since then, Five Guys has opened over 450 franchises in 30 states and claims that there are over 250,000 ways to order one of their burgers. Only fresh ground beef is used, never frozen, and all of their french fries are hand cut daily from hundreds of pounds of fresh potatoes that can be seen in sacks taking up space around the restaurant. Sounds a little like In 'N Out Burger, without the drive-through. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4029409461/" title="Potatoes at Five Guys by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Potatoes at Five Guys" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3534/4029409461_7cbbd6b4c1.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">With over 250,000 burger combinations, ordering is actually quite simple. You have the hamburger and the cheeseburger, with or without bacon. It is important to note that both the hamburger and cheeseburger on the menu come with two burger patties; if you want a single, order the little hamburger or the little cheeseburger, also available with or without bacon. Once you have your basic burger order, it's time to go crazy with the toppings. You have your choice of mayo, relish, onions, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, ketchup, mustard, jalapenos, green peppers, A-1 sauce, bar-b-q sauce, and hot sauce. Add a regular fries (big) or a large fries (huge) in either Five Guys style (salt and pepper blend) or Cajun style.<br />
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On my visit to Five Guys with J, we were unaware of the regular (double) vs. little (single) size so we both ordered regular burgers; mine with cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, grilled onions, ketchup and mustard, and J's with lettuce, tomato, pickles, grilled onions and ketchup - no cheese. We also split a regular fries, which is actually quite large. Yes, this burger was good and the fries were crispy and well seasoned. However I am not much of a fast food guy so this greasy burger left me feeling sluggish after; we're talking serious food coma.<br />
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Yes, the veggies were fresh, the burger was juicy, and the fries were good, but the caloric count of my meal based on the nutritional information found on Five Guys web site was nearly 1300 calories! What a gut bomb. I'm not a calorie counter, never have been, never will be. I also don't watch what I eat too closely. I exercise regularly, I'm relatively fit, and I eat what I want within reason. But I usually stick to healthy foods that are either good for me or make me feel good; and this meal was neither. I'm not saying Five Guys isn't good, quite the contrary, Five Guys is quite good at what they do. If you like these fast food style burgers then you are not going to find anyone within 10 miles of a Five Guys that does what they do better.<br />
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I say go to Five Guys, order a burger (a little burger if you do have a big appetite) and some fries and form your own opinion. At the very least you'll probably have a pretty darn good meal for short change. </div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4030163946/" title="Order Up at Five Guys by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Order Up at Five Guys" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2493/4030163946_3c744881ef.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4029409137/" title="Cheeseburger at Five Guys by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Cheeseburger at Five Guys" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2789/4029409137_54d3b9dd35.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4030163640/" title="Regular Fries at Five Guys by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Regular Fries at Five Guys" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2757/4030163640_75e5fb8d2b.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
Oh yeah, one more thing. All burgers are made to order so while you're waiting, enjoy some free peanuts, they're pretty good.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4030163472/" title="Peanuts at Five Guys by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Peanuts at Five Guys" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3516/4030163472_f305a4c65a.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>One Food Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17751317097804402723noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32414958.post-54680234394227946912010-02-17T08:34:00.010-05:002010-02-22T10:45:17.758-05:00A New BEST at Myers + ChangLooking to get out of the house this past Saturday, J and I headed into the city [Boston] for some lunch and an afternoon of fun. Craving sandwiches we decided to head to <a href="http://www.myersandchang.com/">Myers + Chang</a> for some of their famous banh mis only to find out when we arrived that they were only serving dim sum. Although we were both craving a banh mi, we would soon find out that we were in for a treat by lunching on their amazing dim sum.<br />
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We both started with one of the house-made sodas on the menu, J with a lychee-vanilla soda, and me with a mint lime rickey. J's lychee-vanilla soda was delicious, not too sweet, and my mint lime rickey was a bit like a mojito, without the rum. We then ordered several dishes off the dim sum menu, still unaware of the amazing food we were about to eat.<br />
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The first dish to hit our table was the Thai ginger chicken chicken with rice vermicelli. Served in a Chinese take-out box, the chicken was tender and rice vermicelli perfectly cooked. A good start to our meal for certain, but the best was yet to come. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4358812073/" title="Mint Lime Rickey by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Mint Lime Rickey" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4045/4358812073_0c257d106b.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4358811985/" title="Thai Ginger Chicken with Rice Vermicelli by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Thai Ginger Chicken with Rice Vermicelli" border="0" broder="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2686/4358811985_83e60540b5.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
Next to hit the table were Mama Chang's pork dumplings. Three deep fried pork dumplings, crispy on the outside, deliciously tender and flavorful on the inside, served with a slightly sweet and savory dipping sauce. J and I both prefer our dumplings steamed but these were really good.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4358812249/" title="Mama Chang's Pork Dumplings by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Mama Chang's Pork Dumplings" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2679/4358812249_fd706a943c.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div><br />
At this point the plates were coming at us fast and furious and our table was filling up. Our table was now covered in plates of garlicky and spicy chicken wings, salt + pepper calamari, braised short rib with Asian pear bao, 5-spice grilled tofu bau, and the most amazing, incredible, delicious, wok-roasted lemongrass mussels.<br />
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The garlicky and spicy wings were, as the name would suggest, garlicky and spicy. These excellent chicken wings were meaty, perfectly cooked, and drizzled with sriracha, our favorite condiment. I could eat these wings all day long and would have ordered more were it not for all the other delicious plates on our table. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4359553344/" title="Garlicky and Spicy Chicken Wings by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Garlicky and Spicy Chicken Wings" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2781/4359553344_f7b5aa8a08.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
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The salt + pepper calamari was also perfectly cooked. Lightly dusted with some salt and pepper then very lightly fried. At least I think they were fried, does anyone know any different? The calamari is served atop a spicy aoili and garnished with cilantro. A perfectly simple preparation with a most delicious result. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4358812869/" title="Salt + Pepper Calamari by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Salt + Pepper Calamari" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2567/4358812869_cd075a7646.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
Next up were a couple baos, the word bao means bun in Chinese. Now you may know that I am not a big consumer of pork, but one of my absolute favorite dim sum items is char siu bao, preferably baked but steamed is great too. Char siu bao is a steamed or baked bun filled with barbecue pork and I absolutely love the flavor of the bbq pork and the bun. At <a href="http://www.myersandchang.com/">Myers + Chang</a>, they maked steam bao and stuff them with your choice of braised short rib with Asian pear, 5-spice grilled tofu, soy braised chicken, roasted duck, or crispy pork belly. J and I ordered one braised short rib with Asian pear bao and a one 5-spice grilled tofu bao. <br />
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The braised short rib with Asian pear bao was the winner of these two. Incredibly tender, flavorful short rib on a perfectly steam bun. The 5-spice grilled tofu bao had good flavor from the sauce but really didn't excite us too much. At this point in our meal, all we could talk about were the incredible, amazing, best we've ever had, wok-roasted lemongrass mussels!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4359553620/" title="Braised Short Rib with Asian Pear Bao by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Braised Short Rib with Asian Pear Bao" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/4359553620_21bba9c2a2.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4359553892/" title="Five-spice Grilled Tofu Bao by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Five-spice Grilled Tofu Bao" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2741/4359553892_30cfcc7ac5.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div><br />
Yes, the dish we likely would have missed had we been able to order banh mis from the regular lunch menu are the wok-roasted lemongrass mussels. I can make some pretty awesome mussels myself, I even once considered them the <a href="http://onefoodguy.blogspot.com/2008/02/best-damn-mussells-period.html"><b>Best Damn Mussels, Period</b></a>. However, now, I have to give that title to <a href="http://www.myersandchang.com/">Myers + Chang</a> for absolutely knocking it out of the park with these incredible, amazing, wok-roasted lemongrass mussels. These mussels have such incredible flavor from a combination of lemongrass, garlic, ginger, salt, pepper, lime, chili, cilantro and fish sauce but what really set these mussels apart is the cooking method. The wok-roasting over incredibly high heat imparts this amazing charred/grilled flavor that would simply not be possible on your average home cooktop. I'm seriously considering buying an outdoor, propane-fired burner capable of up to 65,000 BTU's just so I can make these mussels at home. The average home cooktop is capable of less than 10,000 BTUs with more expensive models having high output burners capable of up to 18,000 BTUs. Most restaurants have commercial cooktops capable of 20-50,000 BTUs while others even have dedicated wok burners capable of up to 250,000 BTUs! Until I have a worthy burner, I'm just going to have return to <a href="http://www.myersandchang.com/">Myers + Chang</a> for my mussels fix. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4358812607/" title="Wok Roasted Lemongrass Mussels by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Wok Roasted Lemongrass Mussels" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4041/4358812607_c075b5501c.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">There are many reasons why J and I want to return to <a href="http://www.myersandchang.com/">Myers + Chang</a> including trying the banh mis but it is definitely the wok-roasted lemongrass mussels that will keep us coming back for more. <a href="http://www.myersandchang.com/">Myers + Chang</a> can be found at <i><b>1145 Washington Street </b>in<b> Boston's South End</b></i> neighborhood. </div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4358813399/" title="Myers + Chang by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Myers + Chang" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4009/4358813399_026e744e97.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/4/335495/restaurant/South-End/Myers-Chang-Boston"><img alt="Myers & Chang on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/335495/minilogo.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></a>One Food Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17751317097804402723noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32414958.post-60887470074514063332010-02-16T08:19:00.001-05:002010-02-16T08:19:00.260-05:00Down by the English SeashoreOne of the most famous meals associated with England is fish and chips, originating in London in the mid 1800's. When I travel to England, I make it a point to have some fish and chips, and on my most recent trip to the southern shore of England, I feasted on it. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hastings,_England">Hastings, England</a> is a very small seaside town about two hours southeast of London and to this day still has the largest beach-based fishing fleet in all of England. Once an important fishing port, Hastings is now better known for other things, like chess. With lots of little inns and restaurants, Hastings remains a vacation destination and a place for international students to come and study English in one of several international language schools.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4201624141/" title="Hastings, England by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Hastings, England" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2583/4201624141_eb6f038d03.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4201624461/" title="Hastings, England by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Hastings, England" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2590/4201624461_dc524fe3e1.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4202380784/" title="Hastings, England by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Hastings, England" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/4202380784_1dbe5b31cc.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4202382458/" title="Hastings, England by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Hastings, England" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4005/4202382458_bacef38658.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
I was in Hastings for a few days on business and most of my personal time was spent seeking out fish and chips. With no fewer than twenty-five fish-and-chips shops (known as chippys or chippers) in this small seaside town, my mission for eating fish and chips should be an easy one to complete. I visited two on this trip as well as another seafood bar right down on the water. The variety of seafood available is impressive, with some of the available options seeming a bit unusual to outsiders like me. Options like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockle_%28bivalve%29">cockles</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jellied_eels">jellied eels</a>.<br />
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While on my first mission for fish and chips, my friend Jenny and I made a quick stop at Shores Seafood Bar for a snack. Jenny opted for some cockles which are small, saltwater clams, and I being a bit more adventurous opted for the aforementioned jellied eels, freshwater eels chopped, boiled in fish stock, and chilled in an aspic jelly. The cockles were quite good actually, salty, tender, and flavorful. The jellied eels, however, were fishy and quite challenging. The spine of the eel is intact in the middle of the eel and the exterior texture of the eel, the skin, is rather chewy. I'm glad I tried the jellied eels but won't be ordering them again. Our mission for fish and chips continues...<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4202384462/" title="Shores Seafood Bar by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Shores Seafood Bar" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2695/4202384462_53964af239.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4201627181/" title="Cockles at Shores Seafood Bar by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Cockles at Shores Seafood Bar" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2637/4201627181_f61baf268f.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4202383878/" title="Jellied Eels at Shores Seafood Bar by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Jellied Eels at Shores Seafood Bar" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2519/4202383878_b5b77f73d2.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
On the recommendation of the guy at Shores, we ended up at the Promenade Fish Bar just down the street. Promenade Fish Bar & Restaurant is located just across from the beach and on this rare, dry, sunny and warm day in southern England, we each ordered some battered cod and chips and ate outside on the patio. With the taste of jellied eels still a recent memory, this fried cod and chips was just what the doctor ordered. Perfectly fried, beer battered cod and real English chips, generously salted and doused with malt vinegar, just like the English do. You won't find many people in these parts eating their chips with tomato Ketchup. Its fish and chips with malt vinegar or nothing around here.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4202387286/" title="Promenade Fish Bar & Restaurant by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Promenade Fish Bar & Restaurant" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2756/4202387286_375c4678d9.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4202385130/" title="Promenade Fish Bar & Restaurant by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Promenade Fish Bar & Restaurant" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2726/4202385130_5614fab6f7.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4202385474/" title="Promenade Fish Bar & Restaurant by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Promenade Fish Bar & Restaurant" border="0" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4002/4202385474_fc13f70fd0.jpg" width="375" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4201629161/" title="Fried Cod and Chips by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Fried Cod and Chips" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2750/4201629161_7ff8bd7a03.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4202386912/" title="Fried Cod and Chips by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Fried Cod and Chips" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2631/4202386912_27e399ef1d.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
With our first fish and chips mission complete, Jenny and I went about our business in Hastings and continued our Tour de Chippys the next day. With the usual rainy, cold English weather back in place on our last day in Hastings, we opted for some take-away fish and chips from another local chipper, Smiffy's Chippy. Smiffy's batter is a bit crispier than Promenades, less beer and more breading; still outstanding fish and chips. At Smiffy's, Jenny and I both opted for fried haddock and chips since Smiffy told us the haddock had just come in off the boat. Fresh fish! Smiffy's fried haddock and chips were also salted well and once again doused in malt vinegar. I don't necessarily agree with the message printed on Smiffy's take-away bag, "The healthiest meal for all the family", but I will say that this was some real fine fish and chips.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4202382772/" title="Smiffy's Chippy by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Smiffy's Chippy" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4001/4202382772_e76f7a1f91.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4202383030/" title="Fried Haddock and Chips from Smiffy's Chippys by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Fried Haddock and Chips from Smiffy's Chippys" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2677/4202383030_1b9e31af8e.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4201626251/" title="Fried Haddock and Chips from Smiffy's Chippys by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Fried Haddock and Chips from Smiffy's Chippys" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2631/4201626251_517555e7cd.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/onefoodguy/4201626587/" title="Fried Haddock and Chips from Smiffy's Chippys by One Food Guy, on Flickr"><img alt="Fried Haddock and Chips from Smiffy's Chippys" border="0" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2681/4201626587_e7761d342f.jpg" width="500" /></a> </div>One Food Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17751317097804402723noreply@blogger.com3