I've been a fiercely loyal fan of Anna's Taqueria for as long as I can remember. My first taste was many years ago at the Harvard Street location 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 Anna's 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.
I've never lived very close to any of the Anna's 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. Anna's 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.
There are many other independently owned and operated taquerias in Boston. La Verdad 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 Red Sox are out of town during the baseball season. There is also El Pelon, an institution with a following as fiercely loyal as those that love Anna's. 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 El Pelon in the city before the fire, and never visited the Boston College location, until last night.
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 El Pelon. Let me first by stating that there is no experience at El Pelon, 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 Anna's 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.
In this tale of two burritos, Anna's wins. I have only this one El Pelon 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 Anna's though, for the great burritos AND the great burrito experience.
Stop in to any one of Anna's locations and see for yourself. You won't be disappointed. For comparisons sake, head over to El Pelon too. When you've tried both, let's talk.
Showing posts with label boston. Show all posts
Showing posts with label boston. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Monday, May 10, 2010
Transendental Dining in The Eliot Hotel
When 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 Uni Sashimi Bar.
Considered one of the best restaurants in Boston, if not the country, Uni Sashimi Bar is tucked inside the Eliot Hotel 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.
On this night at Uni Sashimi Bar, 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.
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.
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.
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.
I highly recommend a visit to Uni Sashimi Bar whether it is for a special occasion or just a night out on the town. Follow them on Facebook for information on their Maki Monday and Sake Bomb Tuesday specials that make it fun and affordable to eat there on a regular basis.
Offerings at Uni change regular with what is fresh and available, here is what I ate on my visit:
* Anago Tempura (Salt Water Eel) with green tea salt and shirred egg
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.
* Taragai & Uni (Japanese Pan Shell and Sea Urchin) with XO Sauce, myoga & garlic soy
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.
Rock Shrimp Tempura with spicy red pepper aioli and Korean pepper threads
Lightly battered, perfectly cooked rock shrimp. The spicy aoili was slightly spicy and delicate, a perfect emulsion.
Tempura of Seasonal Vegetables with soy-dashi dipping sauce and miso aioli
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.
* Tuna Ceviche (Yellowfin Tuna) with coconut, chilies and lemongrass
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.
* Scottish Salmon with Chinese black bean tapenade and fresh ginger
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.
* Ainame (Japanese Greenling) with shiso, asian pear puree, romesco & benetade
Sweet, nutty, delicious.
* Houbou (Japanese Sea Robin) with candied yuzu kosho, radishes and myoga
Citrusy, very mild fish, great combination of flavors.
Uni Sashimi Bar
370 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
Ph. 617.536.7200
http://www.unisashimibar.com
Considered one of the best restaurants in Boston, if not the country, Uni Sashimi Bar is tucked inside the Eliot Hotel 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.
On this night at Uni Sashimi Bar, 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.
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.
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.
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.
I highly recommend a visit to Uni Sashimi Bar whether it is for a special occasion or just a night out on the town. Follow them on Facebook for information on their Maki Monday and Sake Bomb Tuesday specials that make it fun and affordable to eat there on a regular basis.
Offerings at Uni change regular with what is fresh and available, here is what I ate on my visit:
* Anago Tempura (Salt Water Eel) with green tea salt and shirred egg
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.
* Taragai & Uni (Japanese Pan Shell and Sea Urchin) with XO Sauce, myoga & garlic soy
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.
Rock Shrimp Tempura with spicy red pepper aioli and Korean pepper threads
Lightly battered, perfectly cooked rock shrimp. The spicy aoili was slightly spicy and delicate, a perfect emulsion.
Tempura of Seasonal Vegetables with soy-dashi dipping sauce and miso aioli
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.
* Tuna Ceviche (Yellowfin Tuna) with coconut, chilies and lemongrass
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.
* Scottish Salmon with Chinese black bean tapenade and fresh ginger
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.
* Ainame (Japanese Greenling) with shiso, asian pear puree, romesco & benetade
Sweet, nutty, delicious.
* Houbou (Japanese Sea Robin) with candied yuzu kosho, radishes and myoga
Citrusy, very mild fish, great combination of flavors.
Uni Sashimi Bar
370 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
Ph. 617.536.7200
http://www.unisashimibar.com
Monday, March 01, 2010
One Food Guy on the WFNX Radio Breakfast Show
For those still awake and paying attention, I will be live on the radio tomorrow morning, Tuesday March 2nd, on the WFNX 101.7 FM Breakfast Show in Boston. Tune in to the WFNX radio Breakfast Show 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 http://www.wfnx.com
Follow WFNX on Twitter @wfnx and The Breakfast Show @fnxbreakfast
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
A New BEST at Myers + Chang
Looking 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 Myers + Chang 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 Myers + Chang, 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.
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!
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 Best Damn Mussels, Period. However, now, I have to give that title to Myers + Chang 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 Myers + Chang for my mussels fix.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 Myers + Chang, 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.
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!
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 Best Damn Mussels, Period. However, now, I have to give that title to Myers + Chang 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 Myers + Chang for my mussels fix.
There are many reasons why J and I want to return to Myers + Chang including trying the banh mis but it is definitely the wok-roasted lemongrass mussels that will keep us coming back for more. Myers + Chang can be found at 1145 Washington Street in Boston's South End neighborhood.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Happy New Year
As 2009 comes to a close I want to say that I'm going to make more time to write about my food travels and my food experiences in 2010. I still have a lot to share from the last year and a half. Some of the highlights from 2009 that you can expect to read about in the next couple months include my food experiences in India which include one wedding, two homemade meals, and a visit to Bangalore's central market. I also have some great restaurant reviews for A.O.C. Bistro and 'Snice in the Park Slope neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY, as well as Uni Sashimi Bar in Boston, MA.
With that I bid a fond farewell to another amazing chapter in my life of food. I wish all of you a very happy, healthy, and successful 2010 and beyond. And remember, if it's on the menu, try it! Be adventurous in life and at the dinner table. Cheers!
With that I bid a fond farewell to another amazing chapter in my life of food. I wish all of you a very happy, healthy, and successful 2010 and beyond. And remember, if it's on the menu, try it! Be adventurous in life and at the dinner table. Cheers!
Friday, November 21, 2008
Mr. T says Brine your Turkey
Don't be a fool, brine your turkey! I wrote about brining turkeys a couple years ago in the infancy of this here blog. With just a few more readers now, it's time to revisit the topic. So ladies and gentlemen listen up, if you want a delicious, moist, wow-your-guests turkey, then you MUST MUST MUST brine! The basics: brine is a salt water solution. Wikipedia has this to say about brining:
I pity the fool who doesn't brine their turkey!
Brining makes cooked meat moister by hydrating the cells of its muscle tissue before cooking, via the process of osmosis, and by allowing the cells to hold on to the water while they are cooked, via the process of denaturation.Look, all I know is that brining is the only way to a truly delicious, juicy turkey. I used to use a brine recipe from Wolfgang Puck, but this year I'm going with a recipe adapted from Grill 23 chef Jay Murray here in Boston. My wife J clipped the recipe out of Boston Magazine for me and it looks too good to turn pass up. Here is the recipe, reproduced without permission:
Turkey BrineIf you're like me and don't have the patience for the cooling and chilling part of the brine process, follow this simple tip I picked up from my good friend at the Food Network, Alton Brown. He shared this amazing tip with me a few months ago: make the brine with half the water called for and once the salt is dissolved, take the brine off the heat and add the remaining water as ice . Five pounds of ice will melt into 4 quarts of water, also known as one gallon of water. The ice will instantly cool the solution. Now give that turkey a bath and have a happy Thanksgiving!
Adapted from Grill 23 chef Jay Murray
10 qt. water
2 1/2 c. kosher salt
2 c. maple syrup
20 cloves garlic
3 oranges, halved
5 bay leaves
1/4 c. mixed peppercorns
1/4 c. coriander seeds
2 tbsp. smoked paprika
6 sprigs fresh rosemary
1. In large pot over high heat, combine water, salt, maple syrup, and garlic. Squeeze orange halves to extract juice; add juice and fruit to brine. Add spices and herbs.
2. Boil mixture five minutes. Remove from heat, let cool to room temperature, then chill at least two hours before adding turkey.
3. Brine meat in refrigerator for at least eight hours and up to 12.
4. Drain, dry completely, then roast according to recipe of choice
I pity the fool who doesn't brine their turkey!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
I could live on sushi
I love sushi! There, I said it. I really love sushi! And for the record, I love my wife, too, but right now it is all about the sushi. I've been craving it for weeks and I finally got my fill last week. J and I went to Fugakyu Cafe in Sudbury and like always, it was great.
There are dozens of great sushi restaurants all over the Boston area; some I've been to like Fugakyu, Oishii, and Sushi Man and some I haven't like Uni and O Ya. Speaking of O Ya, I've heard it has the best sushi around right now, so it's on my list of to eat at places and I will go as soon as I save a little money, it's expensive! I'm also very fortunate that out in the western suburbs of Boston where I live there are second locations of Fugakyu and Oishii; Fugakyi Cafe is where I went last week, and Oishii Too is there in Sudbury as well.
One of my favorite suburban sushi spots is Sushi Man To Go in Chestnut Hill. Sushi Man To Go has a small sushi bar with eight seats and a few tables that could probably seat a total of twelve. Most of their business is take-out and their sushi is amazing. When eating at the small restaurant you are treated to some deliciously salty edamame, on the house. My favorite sushi at Sushi Man is actually temaki which are hand rolls. The spicy scallop, spicy salmon, and spicy tuna temaki hand rolls (three different rolls) are outstanding, loaded with lots of fresh fish, avocado, cucumber, spicy mayo, and lots of tobiko.
Here are some pictures from my dinner last week at Fugakyu Cafe:
This photo is of the sushi deluxe platter with salmon (sake), tuna (maguro), yellowtail (hamachi), octopus (tako), giant surf clam (mirugai), and some crab stick (kanikama). Everything was so fresh and melt-in-your-mouth delicious!
This photo is of the white caterpillar maki, an inside out roll with fresh water eel (unagi) on the inside with avocado and cucumber and scallop (hotategai) on the outside with spicy mayo and tobiko, and the fugakyu maki, which is tuna, fried sweet potato, tobikko, salmon, octopus, cucumber & spicy mayo all wrapped inside of rice and seaweed (nori).
Here are some pictures of the sushi at Sushi Man To Go in Chestnut Hill, on Route 9 almost opposite the Atrium Mall:
Pictured here are a spicy tuna hand roll (temaki) on the right loaded up with lots of fresh, spicy tuna, rice, and orange and green tobiko, and two of my favorite rolls on the left - the venus roll, spicy scallop and tobiko wrapped inside of rice and pink soy paper, and to its left, I forget the name but it's fried sweet potato and fresh water eel (unagi) wrapped inside seaweed (nori) and rice.
Here is a plate of fresh tuna sushi (maguro nigiri) and egg omelet sushi (tomago nigiri). It is said that many people judge a good sushi restaurant by the quality of their egg omelet (tomago); if they make a good omelet, then chances are good that they can make good sushi - Sushi Man's tomago is excellent!
There are dozens of great sushi restaurants all over the Boston area; some I've been to like Fugakyu, Oishii, and Sushi Man and some I haven't like Uni and O Ya. Speaking of O Ya, I've heard it has the best sushi around right now, so it's on my list of to eat at places and I will go as soon as I save a little money, it's expensive! I'm also very fortunate that out in the western suburbs of Boston where I live there are second locations of Fugakyu and Oishii; Fugakyi Cafe is where I went last week, and Oishii Too is there in Sudbury as well.
One of my favorite suburban sushi spots is Sushi Man To Go in Chestnut Hill. Sushi Man To Go has a small sushi bar with eight seats and a few tables that could probably seat a total of twelve. Most of their business is take-out and their sushi is amazing. When eating at the small restaurant you are treated to some deliciously salty edamame, on the house. My favorite sushi at Sushi Man is actually temaki which are hand rolls. The spicy scallop, spicy salmon, and spicy tuna temaki hand rolls (three different rolls) are outstanding, loaded with lots of fresh fish, avocado, cucumber, spicy mayo, and lots of tobiko.
Here are some pictures from my dinner last week at Fugakyu Cafe:
This photo is of the sushi deluxe platter with salmon (sake), tuna (maguro), yellowtail (hamachi), octopus (tako), giant surf clam (mirugai), and some crab stick (kanikama). Everything was so fresh and melt-in-your-mouth delicious!
This photo is of the white caterpillar maki, an inside out roll with fresh water eel (unagi) on the inside with avocado and cucumber and scallop (hotategai) on the outside with spicy mayo and tobiko, and the fugakyu maki, which is tuna, fried sweet potato, tobikko, salmon, octopus, cucumber & spicy mayo all wrapped inside of rice and seaweed (nori).
Here are some pictures of the sushi at Sushi Man To Go in Chestnut Hill, on Route 9 almost opposite the Atrium Mall:
Pictured here are a spicy tuna hand roll (temaki) on the right loaded up with lots of fresh, spicy tuna, rice, and orange and green tobiko, and two of my favorite rolls on the left - the venus roll, spicy scallop and tobiko wrapped inside of rice and pink soy paper, and to its left, I forget the name but it's fried sweet potato and fresh water eel (unagi) wrapped inside seaweed (nori) and rice.
Here is a plate of fresh tuna sushi (maguro nigiri) and egg omelet sushi (tomago nigiri). It is said that many people judge a good sushi restaurant by the quality of their egg omelet (tomago); if they make a good omelet, then chances are good that they can make good sushi - Sushi Man's tomago is excellent!
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Baseball and Tacos
With all the recent talk of tacos, I was inspired to finish my post on La Verdad, Boston chef Ken Oringer's Taqueria Mexicana located on Lansdowne Street, just past the centerfield grass of Fenway Park, home of the 2007 World Champion Boston Red Sox!
On my first visit last summer I tried a carne asada taco (grilled skirt steak, carmelized onions, guacomole, salsa ranchero) and a pastor traditionale taco (pork adobo, roast pineapple, lime, cilantro, onion). With prices ranging from $2.25 -$2.50 for most tacos, they are reasonably priced. Sure you could get a limp, tasteless soft taco for $.99 at one of those national chains, but why would you want to when you can have taco perfection at La Verdad?
The grilled skirt steak in the carne asado taco was tender and seasoned to perfection and the salsa ranchero was bursting with flavor, tasting fresh and complimenting the steak quite well. The adobo pork in the pastor traditionale taco was also cooked perfectly, and the roasted pineapple added just the right amount of sweetness to balance out the fresh, bright flavors of the cilantro and lime.
The next time you're in the Fenway area, stop into La Verdad for a couple tacos and tell them One Food Guy sent you. They might look at you like they have no idea what you're talking about, but at least you'll be getting some good tacos. Better yet, make a trip to Lansdowne Street just to go to La Verdad for some tacos. Go Red Sox! Eat Tacos!
On my first visit last summer I tried a carne asada taco (grilled skirt steak, carmelized onions, guacomole, salsa ranchero) and a pastor traditionale taco (pork adobo, roast pineapple, lime, cilantro, onion). With prices ranging from $2.25 -$2.50 for most tacos, they are reasonably priced. Sure you could get a limp, tasteless soft taco for $.99 at one of those national chains, but why would you want to when you can have taco perfection at La Verdad?The grilled skirt steak in the carne asado taco was tender and seasoned to perfection and the salsa ranchero was bursting with flavor, tasting fresh and complimenting the steak quite well. The adobo pork in the pastor traditionale taco was also cooked perfectly, and the roasted pineapple added just the right amount of sweetness to balance out the fresh, bright flavors of the cilantro and lime.
The next time you're in the Fenway area, stop into La Verdad for a couple tacos and tell them One Food Guy sent you. They might look at you like they have no idea what you're talking about, but at least you'll be getting some good tacos. Better yet, make a trip to Lansdowne Street just to go to La Verdad for some tacos. Go Red Sox! Eat Tacos!
Monday, November 05, 2007
Tacos Schmacos
So Taco Bell got their money's worth in advertising with their Steal a Base. Steal a Taco promotion. They gave away their free tacos, people waited in line for almost an hour in some places I hear. People, it was a 77¢ taco!
Anyway, I said I was going to go but I never did. There is a lot of controversy over all of the essentially free advertising that Taco Bell got with the announcers and players talking about the promotion throughout the World Series. So with that, I'm done. Taco Bell you can give away your free tacos but I will no longer be your messenger.
Red Sox World Champs!!
Anyway, I said I was going to go but I never did. There is a lot of controversy over all of the essentially free advertising that Taco Bell got with the announcers and players talking about the promotion throughout the World Series. So with that, I'm done. Taco Bell you can give away your free tacos but I will no longer be your messenger.
Red Sox World Champs!!
Friday, October 26, 2007
History of the FREE TACO Promotion
This years "STEAL A BASE. STEAL A TACO" promotion is not the first time that Taco Bell has run a FREE TACO promotion.
You may remember the 40'x40' floating "Free Taco Here" target that was placed in the South Pacific awaiting the Mir space station as it was brought back to earth in 2001.
You may also remember the first time that Taco Bell capitalized on the strength of the MLB World Series Brand. On Tuesday October 26, 2004 during Game 3 of the World Series between the Boston Red Sox and the St. Louis Cardinals, Taco Bell placed a 12'x12' "Free Taco Here" target left of center field in Busch Stadium's Homer's Landing.
And here we are in 2007, Jacoby Ellsbury of the Boston Red Sox steals a base in Game 2 of the 2007 World Series and America wins a FREE TACO! Interesting how it was also the Red Sox in the World Series in 2004 when the last MLB FREE TACO promotion took place.
Go Red Sox!!
You may remember the 40'x40' floating "Free Taco Here" target that was placed in the South Pacific awaiting the Mir space station as it was brought back to earth in 2001.
You may also remember the first time that Taco Bell capitalized on the strength of the MLB World Series Brand. On Tuesday October 26, 2004 during Game 3 of the World Series between the Boston Red Sox and the St. Louis Cardinals, Taco Bell placed a 12'x12' "Free Taco Here" target left of center field in Busch Stadium's Homer's Landing.
And here we are in 2007, Jacoby Ellsbury of the Boston Red Sox steals a base in Game 2 of the 2007 World Series and America wins a FREE TACO! Interesting how it was also the Red Sox in the World Series in 2004 when the last MLB FREE TACO promotion took place.
Go Red Sox!!
Free Taco for Everyone!!!
Thank you Jacoby Ellsbury!! Your stolen base in the 4th inning of last nights World Series Game 2 has secured a free taco for everyone in America!! FREE TACO!!
Red Sox win the game 2-1 to take a 2-0 lead in the Series. The teams are heading to Denver, CO today for game 3 tomorrow night, and we can all get a free taco! Here are the details:
There are certainly better tacos than what one can get at Taco Bell, but a FREE TACO is a FREE TACO is a FREE TACO!! I'll be at Taco Bell on Tuesday for my FREE TACO, you can count on it!
Go Red Sox!!
Red Sox win the game 2-1 to take a 2-0 lead in the Series. The teams are heading to Denver, CO today for game 3 tomorrow night, and we can all get a free taco! Here are the details:
Fans can visit any participating Taco Bell on Tuesday, October 30, 2007 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (local time) and claim their free taco
There are certainly better tacos than what one can get at Taco Bell, but a FREE TACO is a FREE TACO is a FREE TACO!! I'll be at Taco Bell on Tuesday for my FREE TACO, you can count on it!
Go Red Sox!!
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Oh No! There's Rice in my Beer!
An article on Boston.com today about Budweiser using genetically altered rice in it's beer production got me thinking. First of all, why is Budweiser using rice to brew beer? "The company says it adds rice to give Budweiser its crisp taste, clarity, and brilliance." Then I watched the YouTube video, too funny. Enjoy!
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Eating Guide to Boston's Neighborhoods - Part II
Boston has some phenomenal restaurants spread out all over the city and western suburbs with so many of them concentrated in the city's unique neighborhoods. Come with me on this multi-part eating guide to some of Boston's many neighborhoods then follow me west as I visit the 'burbs.
Part II - The North End
The North End is Boston's first neighborhood. Much of neighborhood today is built on landfill, not unlike Boston's Back Bay, named aptly for the body of water it once was. Today, the North End is Boston's Italian neighborhood with a storied past. At one time, the neighborhood was "a haven for gamblers, criminals, whores and often drunken and violent sailors."
The North End is now known for its narrow, one-way streets, its severe lack of parking, and its restaurants. The North End is the place to go for some of the best Italian food in the Northeast. This is most definitely a neighborhood sustained by food. There are enough restaurants that you could try two a week for an entire year and still miss a few. I'll be honest, I'm a novice when it comes to dining in the North End. I've been to some winners for sure, but there are so many places to choose from and so few places to park, I don't visit the neighborhood often enough (mostly because parking sucks.) Here is what I know:
Neptune Oyster 63 Salem Street, Boston, MA 02113
I reviewed Neptune Oyster a few months ago. It's a star among stars in the North End restaurant scene. A dozen oysters to choose from in the raw bar as well as apps and entrees that shine all on their own. An absolute must for an oyster or seafood lover.
Carmen 33 North Square, Boston, MA 02113
It's been several years since I've been to Carmen but I remember it being fantastic. The bar is small and the restaurant is smaller. Close in size to Neptune, if not a little smaller. The bar has some delicious antipasti offerings such as grilled vegetables and marinated olives. Make reservations or be prepared to wait a long time. On a side note, one night while waiting at the bar for a table, a super nice woman told me and J about two of Trader Joe's greatest frozen items, the French-cut rack of lamb and the spinach and tofu egg rolls. Unfortunately the spinach and tofu egg rolls have been discontinued.
Trattoria Il Panino 11 Parmenter Street (Corner of Hanover), Boston, MA 02113
A North End institution, Trattoria il Panino e Giardino puts out consistent, high quality Italian food night after night. Always a good meal, and ALWAYS a long wait.
Pizzeria Regina 11 1/2 Thatcher Street, Boston, MA 02113
Waits are sometimes unbearable here, but the pizza is great. Don't waste your time getting Regina's Pizza at a mall food court, get the real deal here in the North End of Boston.
Pat's Pushcart Restaurant 61 Endicott Street, Boston, MA 02113
It has probably been 12 years since I've been here, but I had a great time when I went. It's about as classic and home-cooked as you can probably get. I remember the chicken marsala being outstanding. When I was there they had the red and white checkered plastic table clothes out. I love it!
Cafe Vittoria 290-296 Hanover Street, Boston, MA 02113
One of the most popular after dinner hangouts in the North End, for visitors to the area at least, is Cafe Vittoria. The locals can probably point you to a quieter cafe off the main drag, but I like this place. Great espresso and cappuccinos, great tiramisu and canolis, and a nice selection of Limoncellos and other digestifs.
Some places that I want to try:
L'Osteria
Lucca Restaurant & Bar
Ristorante Fiore
Sage
Sel de la Terre
Taranta Ristorante
Remember when you're visiting the North End that parking on Hanover Street is Resident Only (Sticker) after 8pm. Park in the Financial District and walk the ten minutes, take a taxi, or take the T to Haymarket. Walk into any restaurant in the North End and I'll bet you'll get a great meal. Buon appetito!
Part II - The North End
The North End is Boston's first neighborhood. Much of neighborhood today is built on landfill, not unlike Boston's Back Bay, named aptly for the body of water it once was. Today, the North End is Boston's Italian neighborhood with a storied past. At one time, the neighborhood was "a haven for gamblers, criminals, whores and often drunken and violent sailors."
The North End is now known for its narrow, one-way streets, its severe lack of parking, and its restaurants. The North End is the place to go for some of the best Italian food in the Northeast. This is most definitely a neighborhood sustained by food. There are enough restaurants that you could try two a week for an entire year and still miss a few. I'll be honest, I'm a novice when it comes to dining in the North End. I've been to some winners for sure, but there are so many places to choose from and so few places to park, I don't visit the neighborhood often enough (mostly because parking sucks.) Here is what I know:
Neptune Oyster 63 Salem Street, Boston, MA 02113
I reviewed Neptune Oyster a few months ago. It's a star among stars in the North End restaurant scene. A dozen oysters to choose from in the raw bar as well as apps and entrees that shine all on their own. An absolute must for an oyster or seafood lover.
Carmen 33 North Square, Boston, MA 02113
It's been several years since I've been to Carmen but I remember it being fantastic. The bar is small and the restaurant is smaller. Close in size to Neptune, if not a little smaller. The bar has some delicious antipasti offerings such as grilled vegetables and marinated olives. Make reservations or be prepared to wait a long time. On a side note, one night while waiting at the bar for a table, a super nice woman told me and J about two of Trader Joe's greatest frozen items, the French-cut rack of lamb and the spinach and tofu egg rolls. Unfortunately the spinach and tofu egg rolls have been discontinued.
Trattoria Il Panino 11 Parmenter Street (Corner of Hanover), Boston, MA 02113
A North End institution, Trattoria il Panino e Giardino puts out consistent, high quality Italian food night after night. Always a good meal, and ALWAYS a long wait.
Pizzeria Regina 11 1/2 Thatcher Street, Boston, MA 02113
Waits are sometimes unbearable here, but the pizza is great. Don't waste your time getting Regina's Pizza at a mall food court, get the real deal here in the North End of Boston.
Pat's Pushcart Restaurant 61 Endicott Street, Boston, MA 02113
It has probably been 12 years since I've been here, but I had a great time when I went. It's about as classic and home-cooked as you can probably get. I remember the chicken marsala being outstanding. When I was there they had the red and white checkered plastic table clothes out. I love it!
Cafe Vittoria 290-296 Hanover Street, Boston, MA 02113
One of the most popular after dinner hangouts in the North End, for visitors to the area at least, is Cafe Vittoria. The locals can probably point you to a quieter cafe off the main drag, but I like this place. Great espresso and cappuccinos, great tiramisu and canolis, and a nice selection of Limoncellos and other digestifs.
Some places that I want to try:
L'Osteria
Lucca Restaurant & Bar
Ristorante Fiore
Sage
Sel de la Terre
Taranta Ristorante
Remember when you're visiting the North End that parking on Hanover Street is Resident Only (Sticker) after 8pm. Park in the Financial District and walk the ten minutes, take a taxi, or take the T to Haymarket. Walk into any restaurant in the North End and I'll bet you'll get a great meal. Buon appetito!
Happy Anniversa-three from Great Bay
May 31st was my anniversa-three, my third anniversary. Cute, right? Give the credit to my wife. Anyway, we went to Great Bay in Kenmore Square's Hotel Commonwealth for dinner. Great Bay is the third restaurant in the Michael Schlow empire. Having taken J to Radius, Schlow's first success, for her birthday a few years ago, I had high expectations for Great Bay. Radius is fantastic. Unfortunately on this evening, those expectations were not met.
We each started off with a cocktail. J had a Ghost of Mary, spicy tomato water with Ketel One Citroen garnished with a tomolives and a sweet 100, and I forget what I had, but it was good. I had heard good things on Chowhound about the spicy halibut tacos from their island bar menu, so we tried them. The plate came with four small crunchy taco shells filled with fresh halibut, tomato salsa, pickled onions and avocado. They were good, but something was missing. Instead of the mouth full of flavors I was expecting from the tender halibut ceviche, it was a little flat. I got lime, halibut, then avocado. Stayed tuned for my review a fantastically prepared halibut ceviche that I had at Rendezvous in Cambridge's Central Square neighborhood.
J had a sole dish for her entrée, which was very good, and I had a parsley crusted cod dish which was under seasoned and really didn't taste like much. To be honest, neither dish was all that great, both certainly less then the spectacular that I expected. J liked her sole, and I agree it was good, but for the money I was disappointed, yes this place is expensive. Sorry, no pictures, this was a special night for us and the camera stayed home.
I will, however, give Great Bay an A+ for service. They offer valet parking at the front door for $14 and we were seated right away when we walked in the door. We had a reservation and it was a Thursday night, the restaurant was not busy. Finally, like I said, it was our anniversary. When I made the reservation using Open Table, I sent a note to the restaurant informing them of our special day. We were seated at a nice corner table in the restaurant and were treated to a great dessert, a warm chocolate bread pudding on the house, to finish our meal. The icing on the proverbial cake was that they wrote Happy Anniversary in chocolate sauce around the rim of the dessert plate. This apparently is a Schlow signature, we got a Happy Birthday dessert plate when we went to Radius.
Thanks for the dessert, Great Bay, but we may not be back any time soon. At least not for dinner. Great cocktails, great service, great dessert, but I was unimpressed with the tacos and the entrées.
We each started off with a cocktail. J had a Ghost of Mary, spicy tomato water with Ketel One Citroen garnished with a tomolives and a sweet 100, and I forget what I had, but it was good. I had heard good things on Chowhound about the spicy halibut tacos from their island bar menu, so we tried them. The plate came with four small crunchy taco shells filled with fresh halibut, tomato salsa, pickled onions and avocado. They were good, but something was missing. Instead of the mouth full of flavors I was expecting from the tender halibut ceviche, it was a little flat. I got lime, halibut, then avocado. Stayed tuned for my review a fantastically prepared halibut ceviche that I had at Rendezvous in Cambridge's Central Square neighborhood.
J had a sole dish for her entrée, which was very good, and I had a parsley crusted cod dish which was under seasoned and really didn't taste like much. To be honest, neither dish was all that great, both certainly less then the spectacular that I expected. J liked her sole, and I agree it was good, but for the money I was disappointed, yes this place is expensive. Sorry, no pictures, this was a special night for us and the camera stayed home.
I will, however, give Great Bay an A+ for service. They offer valet parking at the front door for $14 and we were seated right away when we walked in the door. We had a reservation and it was a Thursday night, the restaurant was not busy. Finally, like I said, it was our anniversary. When I made the reservation using Open Table, I sent a note to the restaurant informing them of our special day. We were seated at a nice corner table in the restaurant and were treated to a great dessert, a warm chocolate bread pudding on the house, to finish our meal. The icing on the proverbial cake was that they wrote Happy Anniversary in chocolate sauce around the rim of the dessert plate. This apparently is a Schlow signature, we got a Happy Birthday dessert plate when we went to Radius.
Thanks for the dessert, Great Bay, but we may not be back any time soon. At least not for dinner. Great cocktails, great service, great dessert, but I was unimpressed with the tacos and the entrées.
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Chickity China the Chinese chicken
I live in Boston (well a suburb really) so naturally I read Boston.com for my news. This mornings front page news story has to do with chicken, "Chicken from China?"
I never buy cooked chickens, unless of course it's off the rotisserie at Whole Foods. But the fact that anyone in the U.S. wants to import cooked chickens from China scares me. Read the article, you'll agree. Many of the agriculture practices are suspect in China; unregulated antibiotics, growth hormones, fertilizers and pesticides are not uncommon whereas in the US they are strictly monitored and/or forbidden.
As a lean, high-in-protein food source, I eat a lot of chicken. First it's cooked chickens, next it's something else. Stay tuned.
Related stories:
China detains 2 in tainted pet food case
China issues draft rules for pork products
I never buy cooked chickens, unless of course it's off the rotisserie at Whole Foods. But the fact that anyone in the U.S. wants to import cooked chickens from China scares me. Read the article, you'll agree. Many of the agriculture practices are suspect in China; unregulated antibiotics, growth hormones, fertilizers and pesticides are not uncommon whereas in the US they are strictly monitored and/or forbidden.
As a lean, high-in-protein food source, I eat a lot of chicken. First it's cooked chickens, next it's something else. Stay tuned.
Related stories:
China detains 2 in tainted pet food case
China issues draft rules for pork products
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Virtual Wine Tasting @ Tastoria
Ever heard of DailyCandy? They describe themselves as "a free daily e-mail newsletter and website... the ultimate insider’s guide to what’s hot, new, and undiscovered — from fashion and style to gadgets and travel," as well as food and wine! They publish articles for eleven U.S. cities including Boston, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. They also have London edition.
Today's Boston Edition of the DailyCandy features a company called Tastoria. Tastoria is a wine media company that produces and broadcasts Virtual Wine Tasting Events over the Internet. If you live in the Boston area, several retailers provide the six wines that will be tasted during each event. The DailyCandy email says you can have the wine shipped to your door, but I haven't found any information about that on the Tastoria web site.
Anyway, very cool idea. DailyCandy is a great source of information and Tastoria seems like a great way to try new wines and have fun with some friends. Once you get over the geek factor of participating in a wine tasting event over the Internet, I'm sure you'll have a great time. And if nothing else, you'll have tried six new wines and depending on how many friends you invited over to share, you might be drunk too. Happy Tasting!
Today's Boston Edition of the DailyCandy features a company called Tastoria. Tastoria is a wine media company that produces and broadcasts Virtual Wine Tasting Events over the Internet. If you live in the Boston area, several retailers provide the six wines that will be tasted during each event. The DailyCandy email says you can have the wine shipped to your door, but I haven't found any information about that on the Tastoria web site.
Anyway, very cool idea. DailyCandy is a great source of information and Tastoria seems like a great way to try new wines and have fun with some friends. Once you get over the geek factor of participating in a wine tasting event over the Internet, I'm sure you'll have a great time. And if nothing else, you'll have tried six new wines and depending on how many friends you invited over to share, you might be drunk too. Happy Tasting!
Monday, April 23, 2007
Bugs Bunny and Carrots....
You might be thinking to yourself, how does today's post have anything to do with food? Well, it's a stretch, but Bugs Bunny eats carrots, and there is nothing lie ballpark food. In honor of the Red Sox' weekend sweep of the dreaded Yankees, please enjoy this short classic cartoon.
VIDEO NO LONGER AVAILABLE - SORRY!
VIDEO NO LONGER AVAILABLE - SORRY!
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Eating Guide to Boston's Neighborhoods - Part I
Boston has some phenomenal restaurants spread out all over the city and western suburbs with so many of them concentrated in the city's unique neighborhoods. Come with me on this multi-part eating guide to some of Boston's many neighborhoods then follow me west as I visit the 'burbs.
Part I - The South End
Boston's South End is a diverse neighborhood populated with its fair share of young professionals and an active gay and lesbian community. There are many art studios, dog parks and plenty of fantastic restaurants to keep you busy for a long time. Here are some of my favorites:
Tremont 647: Executive Chef/Owner Andy Husbands "serves up boldly flavored American cuisine, with inventive global influences." Chef Husbands believes in supporting local producers and purveyors and changes his menu every two months to keep up with whats freshest at the moment. When you go, try the Momos and the Banana Leaf Wrapped Halibut, two of Chef's signature dishes. Note that the banana leaf wrapped fish sometimes changes, I've had it with Chilean Seabass before, and it's always delicious.
If you really want to treat yourself, make a reservation for the chef's table and get the chef's tasting, you will not be disappointed! The chef's table is actually two seats positioned at the end of the open kitchen, right next to the grill station. Go for the wine pairing as well and have a good time. Go hungry, and take a cab. Parking can sometimes be a problem.
Tremont 647
647 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02118
Ph: 617-266-4600
Franklin Cafe: Executive Chef David Dubois has created a modern American menu that can stand up with the best of them. What I love about the Franklin Cafe is that its comfortable. When I go there I feel all warm and cozy sitting in the high back booths, enjoying a glass of wine from their limited but well thought out wine list, and a perfectly prepared dinner, whether its the olive crusted local cod, the bone-in filet or the miso grilled salmon. The menu changes frequently so pick something that sounds good and it will be. The Franklin Cafe has been growing in popularity over the years and they don't take reservations. Go early or be prepared to wait. Parking in this neighborhood can be difficult since most of the spots are Resident Only, see their web site for some tips. One more thing, they are open late serving dinner until 1:30am, the bar is open until 2am.
Franklin Cafe
278 Shawmut Avenue
Boston, MA 02118
Ph: 617-350-0010
Red Fez: Specializing in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine, this is a great place to go with friends. The menu is divided into three parts, mezze (appetizers, or small plates,) salads, and entrées. The hummus and baba ghanoush at the Red Fez are great for starting things off. Don't miss the roasted beet salad with goat cheese and arugula either. Try the sheefa or the mussels for some hot mezze and you can't go wrong with anything lamb here, they know how to cook it well. There is a large bar with lots of TVs, usually showing local sports, and parking is a breeze with a large lot right behind the restaurant.
Red Fez
1222 Washington Street
Boston, MA 02118
Ph: 617-338-6060
Masa: Take a trip to the Yucatan without ever leaving Boston. Chef Philip Avilies is right on with this Southwestern, Tex-Mex establishment. With over seventy, yes seventy kinds of tequila and salsa dancing and lessons every Thursday night, it's actually not all about the food here. Although it could be. Start with the Mixto Ceviche or the Spicy Ahi Tuna Cabo Rolls and indulge in the roasted salmon with chipotle and horseradish crust or the southwestern style steak frite with chile dusted fries, chile lime arugula salad and Guajillo bourbon sauce. With all the tequila they have in house, they also make a fantastic margarita. Visit for brunch if your in the mood for a lazy southwest Sunday morning. Reservations are recommended.
Masa
439 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02116
Ph: 617-338-8884
Some other places I've been to that you should check out:
28 Degrees One Appleton St Boston, MA Ph: 617-728-0728
B&G Oysters 550 Tremont St Boston, MA Ph: 617-423-0550
The Butcher Shop 552 Tremont St Boston, MA Ph: 617-423-4800
The Dish 253 Shawmut Ave Boston, MA Ph: 617-426-7866
And some places that I still want to try:
Bob's Southern Bistro
Mistral
Pho Republique
Toro
Coming soon... Part II - The North End
Part I - The South End
Boston's South End is a diverse neighborhood populated with its fair share of young professionals and an active gay and lesbian community. There are many art studios, dog parks and plenty of fantastic restaurants to keep you busy for a long time. Here are some of my favorites:
Tremont 647: Executive Chef/Owner Andy Husbands "serves up boldly flavored American cuisine, with inventive global influences." Chef Husbands believes in supporting local producers and purveyors and changes his menu every two months to keep up with whats freshest at the moment. When you go, try the Momos and the Banana Leaf Wrapped Halibut, two of Chef's signature dishes. Note that the banana leaf wrapped fish sometimes changes, I've had it with Chilean Seabass before, and it's always delicious.
If you really want to treat yourself, make a reservation for the chef's table and get the chef's tasting, you will not be disappointed! The chef's table is actually two seats positioned at the end of the open kitchen, right next to the grill station. Go for the wine pairing as well and have a good time. Go hungry, and take a cab. Parking can sometimes be a problem.
Tremont 647
647 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02118
Ph: 617-266-4600
Franklin Cafe: Executive Chef David Dubois has created a modern American menu that can stand up with the best of them. What I love about the Franklin Cafe is that its comfortable. When I go there I feel all warm and cozy sitting in the high back booths, enjoying a glass of wine from their limited but well thought out wine list, and a perfectly prepared dinner, whether its the olive crusted local cod, the bone-in filet or the miso grilled salmon. The menu changes frequently so pick something that sounds good and it will be. The Franklin Cafe has been growing in popularity over the years and they don't take reservations. Go early or be prepared to wait. Parking in this neighborhood can be difficult since most of the spots are Resident Only, see their web site for some tips. One more thing, they are open late serving dinner until 1:30am, the bar is open until 2am.
Franklin Cafe
278 Shawmut Avenue
Boston, MA 02118
Ph: 617-350-0010
Red Fez: Specializing in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine, this is a great place to go with friends. The menu is divided into three parts, mezze (appetizers, or small plates,) salads, and entrées. The hummus and baba ghanoush at the Red Fez are great for starting things off. Don't miss the roasted beet salad with goat cheese and arugula either. Try the sheefa or the mussels for some hot mezze and you can't go wrong with anything lamb here, they know how to cook it well. There is a large bar with lots of TVs, usually showing local sports, and parking is a breeze with a large lot right behind the restaurant.
Red Fez
1222 Washington Street
Boston, MA 02118
Ph: 617-338-6060
Masa: Take a trip to the Yucatan without ever leaving Boston. Chef Philip Avilies is right on with this Southwestern, Tex-Mex establishment. With over seventy, yes seventy kinds of tequila and salsa dancing and lessons every Thursday night, it's actually not all about the food here. Although it could be. Start with the Mixto Ceviche or the Spicy Ahi Tuna Cabo Rolls and indulge in the roasted salmon with chipotle and horseradish crust or the southwestern style steak frite with chile dusted fries, chile lime arugula salad and Guajillo bourbon sauce. With all the tequila they have in house, they also make a fantastic margarita. Visit for brunch if your in the mood for a lazy southwest Sunday morning. Reservations are recommended.
Masa
439 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02116
Ph: 617-338-8884
Some other places I've been to that you should check out:
28 Degrees One Appleton St Boston, MA Ph: 617-728-0728
B&G Oysters 550 Tremont St Boston, MA Ph: 617-423-0550
The Butcher Shop 552 Tremont St Boston, MA Ph: 617-423-4800
The Dish 253 Shawmut Ave Boston, MA Ph: 617-426-7866
And some places that I still want to try:
Bob's Southern Bistro
Mistral
Pho Republique
Toro
Coming soon... Part II - The North End
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Neptune Oyster - Worth the Wait
Anyone who knows Boston knows that that North End, Boston's Italian neighborhood, is notorious for it's narrow streets, lack of parking, and great restaurants. The previous two attempts that J and I made to go to Neptune Oyster in Boston's North End ended in dizzying frustration from driving around the block looking for parking, and empty stomachs. Earlier this month we made our third attempt to get to the restaurant. The third time is the charm as some say. As soon as we pulled out of the Tip O'Neill tunnel, thank you Big Dig, and onto Hanover Street, we scored a parking spot before reaching the end of the first block. Finally, a parking spot in the North End; we were going to Neptune Oyster.
The restaurant is tiny and there really isn't much of a waiting area. When J and I got there, the place was packed. No room for us inside the door so we stood outside and waited.
The restaurant is longer than it is wide with an L-shaped booth-like bench stretching along the entire left side of the space and half of the back wall. Several tables were jammed together in front of the bench with chairs on the other side. With seating for twenty-six at the tables and another ten at the bar, which ran along the right side of the restaurant, this place might be considered large by some North End standards. The very front of the restaurant, just inside the etched glass window fronting the sidewalk, was the raw bar where J and I watched the show. Rows and rows of shellfish, and a woman shucking oysters like she was pouring water into a glass. Smooth, effortless, perfect.
After about ten minutes outside and another twenty minutes inside, we sat down at a table. J and I started our night off with two glasses of NV Borgo Magredo Prosecco and a dozen oysters. Four Wellfleet, medium sized, salty, and sweet; four kumomoto, small, sweet, plump, and creamy with hints of cucumber; and four Fanny Bay, medium sized, plump, low salt, sweet, and buttery with a melon finish. Neptune Oyster has a dozen different oysters to choose from as well as littlenecks, cherrystones, and shrimp cocktail braised in Harpoon beer.
Moving on to course two, we shared Neptune's Bottarga Salad. Bottarga is cured fish roe and is delicious. This salad was fantastic with Boston lettuce, red grapes, fennel, caramel onions, white anchovy, grape seed oil and a Parmesan dressing.
With dinner we drank a bottle of Carpe Diem Chardonnay from the Firepeak vineyard in Edna Valley, California. J ordered Neptune's Gloucester Cod Loin served with stewed tri peppers, oregano, mustard, freshly grated horseradish and a grapefruit vinaigrette. The plate was garnished with supremes of grapefruit.
I ordered the Fillet of Salmon with a sauté of crispy duck, pea tendrils, avocado, ginger and soy. Both of our entrees were truly spectacular, but J's cod loin dish may very well be the best dish of the year. The cod was cooked to perfection and the spicy horseradish was balanced so well by the sweet, tart grapefruit, the mustard and the oregano. The cod dish was definitely the star of the meal.
Now for the best part of the evening. We return to the car to find a carefully placed PARKING TICKET on the windshield! Sometime between the last time I was in the North End and last Friday night, Hanover Street converted all the on-street parking to Residents Only after 8pm.
Oh well. Neptune Oyster is awesome and worth a parking ticket. I'll make sure not to park on Hanover Street the next time I go.
The restaurant is tiny and there really isn't much of a waiting area. When J and I got there, the place was packed. No room for us inside the door so we stood outside and waited.
The restaurant is longer than it is wide with an L-shaped booth-like bench stretching along the entire left side of the space and half of the back wall. Several tables were jammed together in front of the bench with chairs on the other side. With seating for twenty-six at the tables and another ten at the bar, which ran along the right side of the restaurant, this place might be considered large by some North End standards. The very front of the restaurant, just inside the etched glass window fronting the sidewalk, was the raw bar where J and I watched the show. Rows and rows of shellfish, and a woman shucking oysters like she was pouring water into a glass. Smooth, effortless, perfect.
After about ten minutes outside and another twenty minutes inside, we sat down at a table. J and I started our night off with two glasses of NV Borgo Magredo Prosecco and a dozen oysters. Four Wellfleet, medium sized, salty, and sweet; four kumomoto, small, sweet, plump, and creamy with hints of cucumber; and four Fanny Bay, medium sized, plump, low salt, sweet, and buttery with a melon finish. Neptune Oyster has a dozen different oysters to choose from as well as littlenecks, cherrystones, and shrimp cocktail braised in Harpoon beer.
Moving on to course two, we shared Neptune's Bottarga Salad. Bottarga is cured fish roe and is delicious. This salad was fantastic with Boston lettuce, red grapes, fennel, caramel onions, white anchovy, grape seed oil and a Parmesan dressing.
With dinner we drank a bottle of Carpe Diem Chardonnay from the Firepeak vineyard in Edna Valley, California. J ordered Neptune's Gloucester Cod Loin served with stewed tri peppers, oregano, mustard, freshly grated horseradish and a grapefruit vinaigrette. The plate was garnished with supremes of grapefruit.
I ordered the Fillet of Salmon with a sauté of crispy duck, pea tendrils, avocado, ginger and soy. Both of our entrees were truly spectacular, but J's cod loin dish may very well be the best dish of the year. The cod was cooked to perfection and the spicy horseradish was balanced so well by the sweet, tart grapefruit, the mustard and the oregano. The cod dish was definitely the star of the meal.
Now for the best part of the evening. We return to the car to find a carefully placed PARKING TICKET on the windshield! Sometime between the last time I was in the North End and last Friday night, Hanover Street converted all the on-street parking to Residents Only after 8pm.
Oh well. Neptune Oyster is awesome and worth a parking ticket. I'll make sure not to park on Hanover Street the next time I go.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Birth of a Foodie
The date was March 21, 2003 and my birthday was a few days away. I'd had some good birthdays in the past, but this night was about to top the list.
My girlfriend J, who is now my wife, took me to dinner at Tremont 647. A "fun and funky restaurant serving up bold American food" in Boston's South End neighborhood. Do not confuse the South End with South Boston (also called Southie) which is another Boston neighborhood although not quite as gastronomically gifted as the South End, but I digress.
J had heard that Tremont 647 was a great eat in Boston, so she booked the chef's table for the chef's tasting. Five courses paired with wine all while sitting at the end of the open kitchen looking down the line. Our seats were directly facing the grill. Being up close and personal with the chefs is an important detail that will become clear later.
After having a couple signature cocktails at the bar, a Tremont Tang martini and a Pineapple Martini, both mixed with house-infused vodkas, we took our seats at our table ready for a culinary treat.
Our first course was delivered by the executive chef/owner himself, Andy Husbands. The dish was pineapple fried rice served in the pineapple shell with lightly grilled shrimp. A nice glass of [will insert name of wine later] to pair and we were off to a good start.
Salt and pepper seared sea scallops served simply with a dollop of caviar came next with a glass of [will insert name of wine later]. This makes two. The dish was created by Jason Santos, chef de cuisine.
While scarfing down the scallops J and I noticed a MAMMOTH steak getting tossed on the grill. I'm not just talking about a big steak here. I'm talking about a Porterhouse the size of an NFL football. A monstrosity that dwarfed all other morsels on the grill. A ginormous hunk of meat at least three inches thick. J and I marveled at the beast while chatting with Matt, the grill master. Tremont 647 has a great grill that's hardwood-charcoal fired, giving everything a little more of that fire-kissed flavor we all love. We talked with Matt about food and knives and techniques and whatnot. Matt could tell I was interested in food, and said, "You know, sometimes Andy has his friends come in and help out on the line. If you're interested I'll say something to him." My eyes lit up..."Sure, that'd be great!" We forgot about that giant side of beef just for a moment, we would soon find out it was meant for us.
Andy set down course three for us. It was the most fun plate of the evening. A lobster roll, rather a "Revere Beach Lobster Roll" as Andy called it. A classic lobster roll, lightly dressed lobster meat served in a buttered, split-top hot dog bun. This classic was served with a generous pour of [will insert name of wine later], and an invitation from Andy to spend a night in his kitchen.
Remember that prodigious porterhouse I mentioned earlier? It was plated and set down in front of us for course four. Holy cow, pun intended. This was the biggest piece of meat I'd ever seen and it was delicious. A glass of [will insert name of wine later] was perfectly paired up and now all that remained was dessert.
For J, a trio of sorbets rounded out the tasting. For me it was Tremont's homemade sugared donuts served in a paper bag along side some homemade vanilla bean ice cream.
The foodie in me was emerging. Five courses of fantastic food, wonderful wine, and an invitation to cook in a professional kitchen. Check back soon for details of my One Night in the Kitchen.
Sorry, no food pictures. This night happened long before I conceived One Food Guy. The restaurant pictures are courtesy of Tremont 647's Photo Gallery
My girlfriend J, who is now my wife, took me to dinner at Tremont 647. A "fun and funky restaurant serving up bold American food" in Boston's South End neighborhood. Do not confuse the South End with South Boston (also called Southie) which is another Boston neighborhood although not quite as gastronomically gifted as the South End, but I digress.J had heard that Tremont 647 was a great eat in Boston, so she booked the chef's table for the chef's tasting. Five courses paired with wine all while sitting at the end of the open kitchen looking down the line. Our seats were directly facing the grill. Being up close and personal with the chefs is an important detail that will become clear later.
After having a couple signature cocktails at the bar, a Tremont Tang martini and a Pineapple Martini, both mixed with house-infused vodkas, we took our seats at our table ready for a culinary treat.Our first course was delivered by the executive chef/owner himself, Andy Husbands. The dish was pineapple fried rice served in the pineapple shell with lightly grilled shrimp. A nice glass of [will insert name of wine later] to pair and we were off to a good start.
Salt and pepper seared sea scallops served simply with a dollop of caviar came next with a glass of [will insert name of wine later]. This makes two. The dish was created by Jason Santos, chef de cuisine.
While scarfing down the scallops J and I noticed a MAMMOTH steak getting tossed on the grill. I'm not just talking about a big steak here. I'm talking about a Porterhouse the size of an NFL football. A monstrosity that dwarfed all other morsels on the grill. A ginormous hunk of meat at least three inches thick. J and I marveled at the beast while chatting with Matt, the grill master. Tremont 647 has a great grill that's hardwood-charcoal fired, giving everything a little more of that fire-kissed flavor we all love. We talked with Matt about food and knives and techniques and whatnot. Matt could tell I was interested in food, and said, "You know, sometimes Andy has his friends come in and help out on the line. If you're interested I'll say something to him." My eyes lit up..."Sure, that'd be great!" We forgot about that giant side of beef just for a moment, we would soon find out it was meant for us.
Andy set down course three for us. It was the most fun plate of the evening. A lobster roll, rather a "Revere Beach Lobster Roll" as Andy called it. A classic lobster roll, lightly dressed lobster meat served in a buttered, split-top hot dog bun. This classic was served with a generous pour of [will insert name of wine later], and an invitation from Andy to spend a night in his kitchen.Remember that prodigious porterhouse I mentioned earlier? It was plated and set down in front of us for course four. Holy cow, pun intended. This was the biggest piece of meat I'd ever seen and it was delicious. A glass of [will insert name of wine later] was perfectly paired up and now all that remained was dessert.
For J, a trio of sorbets rounded out the tasting. For me it was Tremont's homemade sugared donuts served in a paper bag along side some homemade vanilla bean ice cream.
The foodie in me was emerging. Five courses of fantastic food, wonderful wine, and an invitation to cook in a professional kitchen. Check back soon for details of my One Night in the Kitchen.
Sorry, no food pictures. This night happened long before I conceived One Food Guy. The restaurant pictures are courtesy of Tremont 647's Photo Gallery
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