October 8, 2014 New Trade
I met my two old friends over at Trade for dinner. We grabbed a great seat by the window and gabbed the night away.
Trade is owned by Eric Papachristos, Sean Griffing and chef Jody Adams. You may know Jody as a James Beard winning chef and the co-owner of Rialto in Cambridge. Griffing is a 15 year veteran of the Boston restaurant scene and Papachristos is a self made restaurateur. Jacki Morisi has just moved over to Trade as the new events manager – she comes from Rialto, where she was the marketing and communications manager.
We start with curry cauliflower with red onion, raisins and yogurt ($7). The presentation is lovely and the dish has a warmth to it – the yogurt was a really nice addition to complete the dish.
Chicken meatballs with smoked corn, charred tomato vinaigrette and pine nuts ($11) were a table favorite. Classic yet bold in flavors.
Fried polenta bites with chorizo aioli, cilantro and preserved lemon ($9). These were delicious – I loved the texture of the polenta.
Baked rigatoni with spicy lamb ragu and provolone ($22) had perfectly al dente pasta. The ragu wasn’t too game-y as sometimes lamb can be. It felt like comfort food without that heaviness that can sometimes come with it.
The chocolate decadence cake with caramel, creme fraiche and 5-spice ($8) went quickly. The cake was dense but not heavy. It paired well with caramel and the 5 spice wafer was a nice mix – sweet and spicy.
Trade
540 Atlantic Ave, Boston, MA
Tags: casual dining, celebrity chef, fort point, outdoor seating, restaurant
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October 7, 2014 Bread and Salt at Wink and Nod
I met Melissa over at Wink and Nod to check out Josh Lewin’s Bread and Salt. From the moment you meet Joe, who greets you outside at the front door, you feel like you are part of a private supper club. As you descend the stairs and walk into the restaurant, you see a dimly lit room with comfy sofas and armchairs. Is this the bat cave? I already know I want to come back soon and we haven’t even eaten dinner yet.
They have recently added bread service – and you’ll be glad they did. Here is the soda bread with a schmear of lobster butter which may rival my all time favorite honey butter from Sweet Cheeks. They also make a delicious saffron roll.
I’ve met Josh a few times and he knows Melissa too, so he comes out to the table and chats for a bit. He brings us delicious Pani Puri with Tamarind Chutney, Truffle Oil, and Potato Purée. I try to be lady like and make it into two bites, but really, it’s a one bite kind of thing.
We start with a lovely peach with ricotta salad with a honey film- I’m trying hard to hold on to the last bits of summer!
The lobster curry ($13) is an excellent dish made with spiced corn broth, pork rinds, pickled onion, puffed rice.
The insanely talented Sous Chef, Kate Holowchik, comes out next to say hello and brings us some scallops with grapefruit and avocado – such a wonderful dish- sweet, creamy and perfectly acidic.
The hand rolled pasta is cooked perfectly al dente and comes topped with mushrooms and rabbit cakes.
Peaches & Corn. This dessert features popcorn panna cotta and peach sorbet with cornmeal crumble and bay leaf mousse for a slight savory note that cuts through.
Not pictured (because we were too eager to eat), the fernet bon bons. Kate Holowchik stabilizes the alcohol first before adding it to the ice cream base so that more alcohol can be added and you get an intense fernet flavor – not to mention a buzz!
Monday nights join Bread and Salt for their night market menu from 8pm-12am. They print up menus that look like newspapers with the evenings selections. Most are small plates/bites, all priced at under $20. The also have #winktiki Mondays, where guest bartenders come in and serve drinks – this particular evening, Angel’s Envy was getting mixed up in cocktails.
Bread an Salt
Located at Wink and Nod
3 Appleton Street, Boston, MA
Tags: casual dining, restaurant, south end
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October 6, 2014 Livia’s Dish
We met Ruth and Joe, my cousins, in Worcester for our monthly meal together. We headed out to a new spot, Livia’s dish.
We are usually horribly late, but today we are here first. We sit and look over the menu while we wait for our dining companions to arrive.
The decor inside is simple and a bit dated, but the food is pretty good, and the price is right!
The nutella French toast ($7.99) was enormous, and I couldn’t even get halfway through it! As I mentioned before, the price is right, four of us for breakfast and the bill was less than $50! Service was good – they allowed us to sit and chit chat well after the time when they close for lunch. If you’re ever in Worcester and looking for a casual bite, stop in!
Livia’s Dish
1394 Main Street, Worcester, MA
Tags: breakfast, casual dining, restaurant, worcester
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October 3, 2014 Honey Harvest Dinner at Miel in the Intercontinental
I had anxiously been awaiting this years honey dinner since I missed it last year. The Intercontinental Hotel has 8 beehives up on their roof. If you are at Miel for dinner, you can check out the observation camera by the host stand and see activity in the hive.
Guests were greeted with a honey infused champagne cocktail.
The cocktail reception started at 6pm. Servers came around with a green cleanse and a peekytoe crostini. The creaminess of the avocado paired nicely with the saltiness of the crab.
There was an observation hive on display for guests to view. Did you know that in the summertime bees cool down their hive and in the wintertime they heat up the hive to a constant temperature?
This is how the trays come out of the hive – they harvest honey twice a year at the Intercontinental.
The color of the honey depends on the nectar source – they plants and flowers bees visit. Honey color can vary from almost colorless to a deep brown. Generally, lighter colored honey has a milder flavor and darker honey has a bolder flavor.
The other appetizer was a chilled honey and lemon glazed jumbo shrimp.
I was pleased to see my friend Noah, of Best Bees, at the event. Noah’s company took over the care of the bees this year for the hotel. See my previous post on Best Bees here. Noah gave a a brief overview about bees – including information on the different types of bees and which cities are the most “bee friendly”.
The first course was a shaved pear, fennel, zucchini salad with truffle honey dressing. A really nice way to start the meal, a little sweet with a little tang.
The entree was Georges Bank scallops and squab, wrapped with Maine smoked bacon with celery root gratin, vegetable tagliatelle and a honey beure blanc. The beure blanc sauce was divine – rich and flavorful. The scallops were a tad overdone, but still quite tasty. The squab, or pigeon, tastes like dark meat chicken. The bacon added a nice salty quality to the dish.
Dessert was a goat cheese ice cream with warmed seasonal berries and honey. This was probably my favorite part of the meal. The goat cheese ice cream was cool and light – not too goaty. To me, nothing is better than honey and fresh berries. Dinner was $65 per person and Miel will be doing more of these types of dinners in the future. They have a wine dinner coming up, a cheese dinner, a seafood dinner and a steak dinner all on the books. Check out their website and social media channels for more information.
Miel at the Intercontinental Hotel
510 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, MA
Visit their website here
Tags: event, financial district, fine dining, outdoor seating, restaurant
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October 2, 2014 Cafe Madeleine
On our way out of town on a Saturday morning, we stopped back in at Cafe Madeleine to try some of their delicious pastries. The almond croissant was by far my favorite. Just perfect – the right amount of sweetness, a little crunch to the outside while being soft and light on the inside. I probably could have eaten three of these.
The cinnamon roll was different than I thought it would be – only because when I think of a morning bun, I think of Joanne Chang’s version from Flour. Still a tasty treat, but not top of my list.
I picked up a bag of macarons for later – they came in a variety of flavors: lemon, salted caramel, rose, and chocolate. A nice treat – chewy with filling that was bold but not overwhelming. You can also buy these individually.
The signature madeleines were tasty, a hint of sweetness in these spongy cakes – just lovely with a cup of tea.
I can’t recall the proper name for this apple dessert, but it was outstanding. While I love summer and berry season, I really look forward to fall and apples – apple pies especially. This dessert had a lovely eggy consistency with a sweet finish.
Cafe Madeleine
517 Columbus Ave, Boston, MA (South End)
http://cafemadeleineboston.com/
Tags: bakery, casual dining, south end
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October 1, 2014 Pickle Jar
My favorite time to go to the Cape is in September. The tourists are gone for the most part, the beaches are empty, the air is crisp and best of all, you can get a table as a walk in. The Pickle Jar opened in February of 2013 in the old Laureen’s space.
My friend Ziggy is opening up his own pickle business, Fox Point Pickles – don’t hate me, I swear I was just checking out the competition! Check him out though, seriously, he is insanely talented. To start, we all share the pickle jar ($7) that was an assortment of pickled veggies: cauliflower, carrots, olives, mushrooms, onions etc. Really delicious.
For lunch we had the special – the lobster hand roll ($16). Lobster tossed with fill aioli and lemon juice and rolled with lettuce, cucumbers and pea shoots in a lavash. A lighter, seemingly healthier version of a lobster roll.
The egg salad sammie ($7) was a twist on a classic with sliced hard boiled egg, lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts with dill aioli.
The Firehouse sandwich was the star of the afternoon ($10) with house smoked chili rubbed boneless pork, wilted kale, pickled carrots, smoked cheddar and BBQ sauce on a toasty house roll. The pork was flavorful and I loved the pickled carrots on top. The sandwich was much heavier than the other two options we ordered, but it was so worth it.
The Pickle Jar
170 Main Street, Falmouth, MA
http://www.picklejarkitchen.com/
Tags: cape, casual dining, outdoor seating, restaurant
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September 30, 2014 Caffe Nero
Caffe Nero is the newest coffee shop to hit the scene. The European based chain opened it’s first location by the Loews movie theater in Downtown Crossing.
They have an extensive drink menu – serving premium Italian espresso.
Customers order in line and then find a seat in either a booth, the long communal table, a leather chair by the fire, or a two top in the corner.
Sandwiches are pre-made and can be toasted up in the panini press. Here are some of the sandwich choices:
Caffè Nero Breakfast Sandwich
Baked Frittata made with fresh eggs, roasted tomatoes, bacon with emmental cheese and arugula served on a toasted ciabatta.
Caprese on Baguette
Fresh mozzarella, garden fresh tomatoes, basil leaf and extra virgin olive oil.
Prosciutto de Parma with Mascarpone
The crown jewel of hams with a touch of mascarpone pressed on a baguette.
Roast Turkey and Brie with Cranberry Chutney
A pressed roast turkey with cranberry chutney, brie & caramelized onions on a baguette.
Roast Beef with Caramelized Onions & Grainy Mustard
Tender roast beef & sharp cheddar cheese topped with sweet caramelized onions and Dijon horseradish spread served on a baguette.
Roasted Vegetable Focaccia
Focaccia pressed with roasted peppers, eggplant, squash and zucchini and an olive tapenade spread drizzled with pesto aioli.
Ham and Cheese Baguette
Rosemary ham with emmental cheese withbutter on a baguette.
Tuna Salad Sandwich on Ciabatta
All white tuna tossed with celery and mayonnaise served with baby field greens on a ciabatta.
BLT
Bacon, lettuce and tomato with pesto aioli served on a ciabatta.
Artisan Italian on Focaccia
Rosemary ham, hard salami and mortadella topped with provolone and olive salad.
The have an enticing case of sweets to choose from.
Caffe Nero is a more upscale version of Starbucks – with leather seats and a warm fireplace.
We both ordered the Caprese on a baguette with fresh mozzarella, garden fresh tomatoes, basil leaf and extra virgin olive oil. Pretty tasty – but I think I would have liked it not toasted.
Limoncello Mascarpone Cake – my downfall. So impossibly light and delicious – I may be drooling as I am writing this. It is sweet, but only just enough. I have dreams about this cake.
What is your favorite coffee shop?
Caffe Nero
560 Washington Street (Downtown Crossing), Boston, MA 02111
Tags: back bay, casual dining, chinatown, coffee shop, lunch, restaurant
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September 29, 2014 Scissors and Pie
Scissors and Pie is the new pizza place on the block. Located on Newbury Street in the Back Bay – these guys are doing things a little different. When you go into the restaurant, you’ll notice that they make their pizzas in trays. All “slices”, or “petzos” as they call it, are cut to order, with – you guessed it….scissors. You tell them how little or how big of a piece you would like – then, you pay by the weight of the pizza. Scissors and Pie was generous enough to come into our company for a tasting. They brought a traditional Margherita topped with their signature tomato sauce, fresh handmade mozzarella, aromatic basil and finished off with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Scissors and Pie’s version of the pepperoni (since they don’t have pepperoni), this meaty pie was pretty spicy. What really makes this pizza is the dough, it’s light with a crisp crust and a chewy interior.
The parmiggiana topped with their signature tomato sauce, fresh handmade mozzarella, roasted eggplant, freshly grated parmesan cheese, aromatic basil, extra virgin olive oil with a drizzle of home made garlic sauce. This was a crowd favorite.
The salsiccia e broccoli with fresh handmade mozzarella, imported sausage, fresh broccoli, red pepper flakes and spicy oil. Probably my favorite out of all of the slices – this kind had a really nice kick.
The bufala, pomodorini e scaglie di parmiggiano with fresh handmade mozzarella, plump local cherry tomatoes, fresh arugula, freshly grated parmesan cheese, fresh hand made bufala mozzarella, home made pesto, and a sprinkle of home made garlic sauce. Their version of a vegetarian pizza.
Scissors and Pie
225 Newbury Street, Boston, MA
http://www.scissorsandpie.com/
Tags: back bay, casual dining, pizza, restaurant
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September 26, 2014 That’s Nuts!
As some of you may know, I’m not a health nut (no pun intended). I recently met up with Craig from Organic Living Superfoods and he gave me some samples to try. Craig and I originally met at a #GoodOnes event. I was pleasantly surprised at how the products tasted – not at all what I expected and I might even like them (gasp!). There goes my street cred. Just kidding.
Here’s what their website says about their sprouted nuts:
Our nuts are soaked and dried (sprouted) at low temperatures (at around 115 degrees Fahrenheit) to activate live enzymes aiding in digestion and absorption of nutrients. The existing healthy fats naturally found in nuts are transformed into healthier amino acids that the body can easily make use of, and complex starches are broken down into simpler carbohydrates. The result is a “pre-digested” fiber-rich food packed with vitamins, minerals, protein, and sometimes even essential fatty acids depending on the nut.
By soaking the nuts, it also helps to wash away the nutritional inhibitors and toxic substances that are naturally found in them – such as enzyme inhibitors, phytates (also known as phytic acid), polyphenols (or tannins), and goitrogens.
Soaking and sprouting nuts replicates germination, which activates and increases the amount of nutrients found in them – particularly your A, B, C, and E vitamins. It also helps promote the growth of vital digestive enzymes needed to break down nuts inside the body. As a result, your body will not have to spend time and energy creating these digestive enzymes – and can instead focus on conducting its other many functions to help maintain good health.
Pomegranate pistachios and almonds: covered with a deliciously-fruity mix of pomegranate arils, dried apples, bring cherries and dates.
Kog almonds: these raw & sprouted almonds are flavored with kale, onion, and garlic. They pack an onion-y punch.
Cinnamon walnuts: sprouted walnuts coated with blended up bananas and dates. They smelled delicious but the cinnamon flavor was mild.
Superberry cashew: covered in Acai powder, Maqui powder & Aronia Berries. They tasted like regular cashews AND they’re packed with antioxidants, that’s a win win in my book.
Tamari almonds: they smelled quite spicy but had a delicious flavor – might have been my favorite of the bunch.
Fruit and nut cluster: cashews, almonds, mango, strawberries & dates.
Check out my previous post here.
Disclaimer: Organic Living Superfoods provided me complimentary samples, all opinions are my own.
Organic Living Superfoods
http://www.organiclivingsuperfoods.com
Buy online or find them at a local retail location near you.
Tags: good ones
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September 25, 2014 State Park
Julia and I met in Cambridge for an event and headed over to State Park afterwards for dinner. State Park is a new restaurant opened by the team behind Hungry Mother. State Park is a drastic contrast to the more upscale Hungry Mother, just around the corner – some might even consider it a dive bar. You walk into a dark room filled with dark wood paneling, a pinball machine, a pool table and a jukebox. There is a greenhouse room off to the side and picnic tables outside. All tables are seat yourself.
The service was a bit slow and we couldn’t figure out who our server was for most of our meal, but that was ok – we were busy catching up. We started with the fried cheese curds served with ranch dressing and bbq marinara. Pretty darn delicious.
I had the Memphis bbq spaghetti with garlic bread ($11) which had a bit of a bite to it. The garlic bread was lightly toasted and had a generous amount of garlic – YUM!
Julia had the catfish plate with greens and hush puppies. She loved the hush puppies and the catfish, but wasn’t impressed with the sauce on the greens.
Great place to go with friends, hang out and drink beers. Food wise, I think I’ll stick with Hungry Mother.
State Park
1 Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA
Tags: cambridge, casual dining, restaurant
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A Little Bit About a Lot of Things 