An Epicurean Rendezvous with Andrew

Union Oyster House - Boston, MA
http://www.unionoysterhouse.com/
  

     Coming from the west coast, Andrew was on the hunt for some good clam chowduh. I hadn't a clue where to go, but after doing some research he had decided Union Oyster House was to be our final destination. Established in 1826, Union Oyster House is America's oldest restaurant and is nestled in a little cluster of restaurants and bars that line Union Street next to Feneuil Hall. I had walked by numerous times after they had closed and all I could see was a small counter up front by the window covered in cracked oyster shells, cut lemons, and oyster shrapnel. Finally... I got to ago inside. Unbeknownst to me, this place actually had three floors. Or two and a half rather. Andrew and I were led up to the second floor where I instantly felt like I was on a ship crossing the Atlantic in the 1800s. The ceilings hung maybe a foot above my head and wood beams crossed the length of the room over head. All of the booths were tiny. Fit for 4 at most. The place also seemed almost dark because it was so dimly lit. Small yellow jar-like lanterns hung above every table just barely illuminating the small space. Pictures of old ships and shipping paraphernalia hung sporadically on the walls. The whole mood this place created was magical and seemed to transcend you to a different time and place.

 
     We were here for clam chowder, and that cornbread I had seen in pictures online. But I couldn't find the cornbread on the menu. I was about to get fussy. Finally we were greeted by a big soft spoken woman with a heavy Boston accent. Perfect. You would've thought the gates of heaven had opened when she asked, "Would you both like some cornbread?" YES. Ohyesohyesohyes. It came to our table nice and warm. After shooting a quick picture we dug in.... and time stood still. This was not your normal cornbread. Oh no. This cornbread rose to a completely different level. Super moist, sweet but not too sweet, lightly crisped edges. Though it wasn't necessary, the cornbread was perfected complimented with a little butter. . We had to have more. She brought us each another huge chunk before our chowder even came.

     The chowder was deeeelish! They weren't skimpy on the clam meet (always a bummer when that happens), the potatoes were nice and soft, I think it had corn in it, and it was just downright stellar. OH! And if you broke off a piece of cornbread and let it soak in the chowder for a minute... well you might as well have just died and gone to heaven. Once we were finally done and Andrew had broken his gluten free diet, we were about to head out. But not without more of that cornbread. Our lovely waitress sent us home with two free chunks of cornbread and recommended we grab a recipe for it at the front desk on the way out. Victory. Five stars Union Oyster House.

Saus - Boston, MA 

http://www.eatfrites.com/

     Soooo we walked right out of Union Oyster House and right into Suas next door. Since Andrew spent so much time in Belgium I had to take him to this place called Saus. I've blogged about it before. Saus supposedly has Belgian style street food, including mainly twice fried fries and waffles (however Andrew says the ones we got weren't Belgian). We got a small batch of fries and 2 different sauces. One was their own homemade mayo which was actually pretty delicious. Different that the Hellman's you buy in the store. Maybe more of a bite? I'm unsure. Yummy though. The second one we got was a truffle ketchup. Weird. Good, but weird. Can't say I've ever had that truffle-y flavor mixed with ketchup, and can't say I'd definitely get it again. Andrew did get a really tasty ginger ale there though. It was light. Not overly sweet like most. Completely refreshing. 

Mike's Pastry - Boston, MA

http://www.mikespastry.com/

     We're terrible. I know. Right out of Saus and right into Mike's Pastry. Since I've drooled over Mike's cannolis before, I'll make it quick. I got 3 things. A florentine cookie chip thing. Basically butter, honey, sugar and almonds... dipped in chocolate. A little piece of heaven. I also got a pistacio cookie that was pretty sweet. Maybe too sweet. Not as good as the one I got at Modern Pastry just down the road. Mike's chocolate sandwhich was good though. Two simple shortbread cookies dipped in chocolate, surrounding a little splooge of chocolate in the middle. 

     Andrew got a chocolate cannoli and a lobster tail. Not a real lobster tail, but rather a puff pastry filled with this amaaaaazing cream and covered in chocolate. It was a little bomb of delicious. This was our view while eating th

Marcy's Breakfast and Lunch - Portland, ME

     It was cold, and Andrew and I hobbled in to Marcy's on the corner of Oak and Free. The place was tiny but packed with the locals. On a mantle that circled the room sat lava lamps, old telephones, trolls, coffee mugs, and pretty much anything that didn't have to do with anything else. A scrawny middle-aged lady just workin' to pay the bills and loving it was our delightful waitress. She loved us. Why? Because we ordered a lot of food. Maybe she loved everyone, because that just seemed to be her personality. First of all, as we waited for a table Andrew and I know we had to have one of their homemade muffins. The huge explosions of fruit and grain sat perched above the counter on display for hungry people such as ourselves. Our waitress suggested we get them grilled and butter. By all means, please make my muffin even more unhealthy for me. What the heck. It. Was. Amazing. I got blueberry and Andrew got raspberry and we split them. Both were fabulous. You know how sometimes when you eat muffins you save certain parts for last because they look like they might be the best bite? Well, in this case, the entire muffin was the best bite. Perfectly crisped on the edges from the grill, with just a perfect amount of butter made these muffins a success. Great success.
 
      For the meal I got one of their specials. It was a pot roast hash. It was the bomb (underused phrase). I don't care if it was their lunch-leftovers-from-the-night-before-gone-breakfast. It was fabulous. Potatoes, carrots, onions and huge chunks of roast topped with 2 eggs over easy and an english muffin. I wiped that plate clean....and then ate some of Andrew's hashbrowns, and ham... and eggs... and crack blueberry pancakes. He was "so full" and looked like he was going to fall asleep. Those of you that know Andrew know the look I'm talking about. Marcy's was cheap, friendly, and most of all, delicious. Definitely make it a breakfast stop if you ever head to Portland.





Standard Baking Co. - Portland, ME

     After cruising the shoreline for a while, Andrew and I needed a warm break. We headed into Standard Baking Co., a brick building tucked back from the street, for a little treat. It was warm and smelled like amazing breads and pastries. And everyone was so friendly. But then again, why wouldn't you be friendly if you worked at a bakery. I'd be so fat and happy. Anyway, there were too many delicous options. I wanted them all. I went with what was called a chocolate cork. It literally was a 4 inch tall chocolate cylinder. It was going to be good. It had chocolate. It was like a brownie smushed into a tube shape. The chocolate was dark, dense, and sweet and rich. So good. Not sure if I could have eaten another, which is saying a lot coming from me. It was one of those things where you stop, close your eyes, and savor the taste of every small bite. So great. Andrew got something called pain au chocolat. It was a big croissant that was filled with small chunks of what we think was dark chocolate and perhaps something else. The pastry was light, sweet, and flakey, while the chocolate was rich and so delicious. Standard Baking Co., you are far from standard. You are extraordinary.

Pizzeria Regina - Boston, MA

http://www.reginapizzeria.com/index.php

     It was our last free night to do whatever. Andrew was no longer gluten free, so we hit up Regina's once we got back from Portland. He needed to try this dough. We were seated almost right away (much different than the time that Malcom and I went) and ordered a 10inch (trying to be responsibele) #11 - The Giambotta. It had pepperoni, Regina sausage, salami, mushrooms, peppers, onions, and Mozzarella cheese (with anchovies on half). It was fabulous! I absolutely love the Regina sausage, their mushrooms are always fresh, the salami had such a great flavor and the veggies were just barely cooked. Still a little crisp/hard like I like 'em. The anchovies were different, but we figured we'd give it a try anyway. They were really salty (understandably so), and I don't think I'd get anchovies on a pizza again. Still glad I tried it though. Pretending we were full, we scooted out of there on the hunt for some dessert. Oh... and we forgot to take a picture of the pizza until after we had eaten it all. Oops. 

Bova's Bakery - Boston, MA

http://bovabakeryboston.com/

     Another location Jimmy and I had indulged in once before. Home of  "The North End's famous Italian Bread." I took Andrew and got this little square pastry that was made of phyllo dough and housed a bunch of candied pecans in the center. So much sweetness and goodness . I could've eaten the paper it was sitting on. Andrew got a baklava but said it wasn't the best. Oh well. On to gelato!

Gigi Gelateria - Boston, MA

http://www.gelateriacorp.com/

     Finally, a new place. I'm no gelato connoisseur, but I want to be. We headed to Gigi Gelateria in the north end to get in those last few cals our bodies were needing (joke). The place was quiet. Almost creepy quiet and you could tell the workers just wanted to go home. We didn't care. There were so many choices, but finally we settled on a simple chocolate and lemon. The chocolate was so smooth and rich and creamy. Just what I was looking for. The lemon was refreshing yet sweet and sour. The perfect end to a perfect food exploration week with Andrew.

Always Accept Food From Strangers...

East Side Pockets - Providence, RI
http://eastsidepocket.com/      


     If ever I have tasted something so similarly delicious to that of my Grandmother's food, it slid down my gullet yesterday at East Side Pockets in Providence, RI. Let me tell you. Brown and RISD students really have it good. They're right by the water, and they have East Side Pockets. Owned and operated by adorable little Mediterranean men since 1997, East Side Pockets is definitely a local favorite. It was prime lunch time and the place was packed, but they had no difficulty churning people out of there. I wanted falafel. I needed falafel. But with a 2k looming right around the corner, I knew fried food was not in the books. As I stood longingly gazing upon the buckets of falafel behind the counter, I was hit with a sudden wave a its delicious scent. A tall, round man stood next to me with one falafel ring dipped in humus and tucked in a piece of tissue paper. If that falafel had eyes, they would've been locked with mine at that very moment. He saw me. He saw me eyeing his prize. The man behind the counter had given it to him for free for being such a loyal customer. Round man (the professor type) asked me nicely, "Would you like to try it?" Believe me. I fought it. The largest mental battle of my day waged on in my head. Mom said never to take food from strangers, but he seemed so nice. The falafel seemed so hot. The line was long. I was hungry. He hadn't taken a bite yet. He was very persistent. He asked me three more times, and yes... I gave in. Crisp on the outside, soft on the inside. The little guy looked like a doughnut (the falafel, not the generous stranger), but I got no hummus with it. There was no way I wasn't going to experience the entire package. Once I approached the counter, I ordered the Gryo Pocket and asked if I could try one falafel. He happily gave me the same setup as round man. This one was mine, and the first bite was heaven. The HUMMUS. Oh my word, the hummus about sent me to the floor. Not a clue what made it so good. It was just smooth. The falafel was hot, and I mean hot. Savoring each bite like it was the last, I grabbed my gyro and headed to meet Andrew by the window. 

       Now, normally when you get a gyro (at least the gyros I've had before) they come in a smaller sized wrap, say 8 inches in diameter and the wrap is thicker and a little chewy. You spend more time chewing than you do anything else. Not this one. The wrap itself was the good stuff. It was thin (but still had 2 layers like a normal pita pocket), browned a little more in some areas, and was about 14 inches in diameter. It was like the pitas my grandma buys. The whole gyro had to be at least a foot long and it was not skinny. It was stuffed with their greek seasoned gyro meat, lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, banana peppers, hummus, tabouleh, tahina and their yogurt cucumber sauce. Each slice of gyro meat had a slightly crisp edge and was hot, but the hummus and veggies were cool. Instantly I was lost in its majesty. So many flavors. The cucumber sauce was unlike any other cucumber sauce I've tried before. I seem to recall others having more of a sour taste. But not this one. It was mild, but the flavor was still there. The blend of the hummus, tahina and yogurt cucumber sauce was phenomenal. It was the figurative topping on my gyro cake. I told myself from the start that I wouldn't eat it all. I should've known better. I had no elbow room. This place was slammed and no one was leaving with leftovers. There were signs telling me I'd fall through with previous declaration of limitation. Long story short, I licked the paper. There was nothing left. Not a scrap. I felt fresh and was full. Happily settled in my little post-gyro state of bliss and bewilderment, Andrew and I slipped out the door and were on our way. Props to you East Side Pockets. You've achieved the dream. Or rather, helped me achieve my gyro dream. 

Heaven on Earth

Bagel Sandwich on Roids – 578 Washington #3, Brighton, MA

“Heaven on earth.” Generally an overused phrase. I guarantee you that the idea of heaven on earth you just created in your brain is different than mine. There’s no shame in that though. Let me give you a glimpse into the simplicity of my morning heaven. Step 1: Cut a hole the box… just kidding. Unrelated completely.

            Once again, it was Saturday morning. Time for a treat. I knew uncalcified fetus was on the menu, but wasn’t sure how to dress it up. I had a poppy seed bagel that was nearing the end of its life, so that needed to be included. Simply put, I fried up a few pieces of bacon, fried an egg in the thin coat of extra bacon grease and toasted and buttered the poppy seed bagel. Get this… bagel, egg, bacon, crumbled feta cheese, chopped green onion, bagel. I left planet earth. I’m sure of it.

Everything but the____ cookies - 578 Washington St #3, Brighton, MA

           How often do you get invited to a cookie swap? I'd say not often. At least, I've never been invited to one. I always seem to end up with tons of carrots, and I don't eat them fast enough. Plus, I LOVE carrot cake and I LOVE cookies. There had to be some way to mix the two together. I found a recipe online that did just that....plus chocolate. These cookies were amazing. I have no idea how they were supposed to turn out, but they were very fluffy. Almost cakey. Delicious. And they were very mountainous. They didn't spread out much, perhaps due to the lack of butter. There were so many different flavors in each bite. Raisins, carrots, chocolate, oats. Yumm :]

1 ¼ cups whole-wheat flour
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup oil
1/4 cup light brown sugar
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
¾ cup finely grated carrots
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped

Add 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips if you're feeling rebellious!

1) Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2) Combine the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

3) Mix together the oil with the sugar, honey or syrup, and carrots until the sugar is dissolved.

4) Stir in the dry ingredients until just combined. Add the raisins and nuts and mix until they’re distributed throughout.

Drop tablespoons of the dough on to a cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Notes: I didn't use the walnuts, simply because I didn't have them. I used soybean oil. The good thing about these cookies is that they're not so bad for you. They have less sugar and fat that most cookies, and they're filling. Perhaps due to the oats. Speaking of oats, I accidentally bought the steel cut oats that are more like oat bits rather than flattened oats. They still turned out well though, in case you happen to make the same mistake. 

Windsor Café – Boston, MA

            Unfortunately, I had been to China Town before but had never eaten there. Supposedly you’ve got to be real careful though because some places will make you blow the bowl. I read in the Boston Improper about this place called Windsor Café that supposedly had the best Dim Sum in Boston. I still didn’t really know what dim sum was other than something with dumplings and asian type things. People rave about it all the time though, and I think it’s what all the real Asians get at restaurants when us whiteys get General Tso’s Chicken. Who is General Tso anyway? And what did he do to get a delicious chicken dish named after him? New life goal. Please bear with me as I attempt to explain what I think I ate and how I think it tasted. Truthfully, there was a lot of uncertainty involved in this meal. Pleasant uncertainty, of course.

            So I met Brian downtown, and we headed to Windsor Café. It was a tiny little restaurant nestled between 3 or 4 other asian restaurants. The street was tiny and smelled like garbage. I wouldn’t have had it any other way. It’s all part of the experience, right? The whole place was full of Asians. Just what I hoped. They had “communal tables” in which you sit down and other people you don’t know sit with you. It was actually kind of cool. Two Asians sat next to us, and they ate like kings. I was jealous of their superior chopsticks skills.

            As I came to learn, dim sum is the asian version of tapas. Tapas and I get along great, so my relationship with dim sum would probably be similar. The staff was relatively on the ball, even though we could never understand what they were saying when they asked us questions. You just gotta go with it.

Naturally I wanted to get the weirdest things on the menu. My first choice was beef stomach. Which stomach? Not sure. Some of the chunks of stomach had a different texture than others. I assume maybe that’s because the chunks were from different stomachs. Either way, the stomach came in a very light and mildly spicy broth. I say broth because it wasn’t the consistency of what I would consider a sauce. It looked like a mix between a fungus, seaweed, and a sea sponge. Seemed to taste like all three too. It was very chewy, but not to the point of frustration. The spice came from some red chilies that they added. Overall, pleasantly surprised with the stomach to stomach interaction.

            Another dish we got was a lotus seed dumpling. Yes, lotus the flower. I definitely didn’t know you could eat a lotus. But this was delicious! A lotus seed paste sat in the middle of a super fluffy bun like dumpling. The dumpling itself was a little sweet and had been steamed. The lotus seed paste was relatively smooth with a little bit of grit was it had a light, sweet taste. No overwhelming flavor punch. It was just simple and sweet.

            I also chose a stuffed eggplant dish. A couple chunks of thick eggplant came sitting in a brown liquid/oil. I have no idea what the liquid was, but it complimented the eggplant well. The eggplant was stuffed with shrimp and something else that I couldn’t pinpoint. I think they must have baked or roasted the eggplant because the outside was lightly crisp and the inside was super soft. It didn’t seem fried though. It was different than any other eggplant I’d eaten before.

            Another one of my choices was a pork sausage dumpling. Each little dumpling had a tiny pork sausage (I think it was pork… who really knows though) in it. It was a little spicy but tasted great tucked inside a sweeter dumpling.

            Beef balls. Not beef testicles. Just beef balls. Literally they were balls of beef sitting in a shallow pool of broth with some…. Seaweed? Leeks? Green onions? Not a clue. They were pleasantly salty. Pardon my comparison, but they looked like the ball of seagull vomit that came hurling at my chest nine years ago at the Arts Beats and Eats festival. Except this time I didn’t cry when I took it to the face.

            You’d think a turnip cake might be similar to a carrot cake. Nope. Not even. So the turnip cake came in two square patties. The outside was moderately crisp and the inside was hot. I want to say it had a consistency similar to that of a crab meat/tofu mixture. Weird, I know. But you could cut it with a fork. There wasn’t too much going on in each patty, but there were small slivers of turnip hidden throughout the cake. It had a slight rooty flavor, but I think most of the flavor came from the crisped edges. Mmm!

            The last dish we got is a mystery. Brian says chicken something, but I thought it was something with vegetables. Either way, I wasn’t disappointed with anything we got, so this must’ve been good.

Great Taste Bakery – Boston, MA
http://www.bostongreattastebakery.com/

            After lunch we went to this pastry shop called Great Taste. I got some huge puffy custard pastry that I waited to eat until I got to the Prudential Center mall (I needed to go do a workout right after lunch, but I HAD to work off some of the food first. I figured a stroll around the mall might do the trick). I popped it out of the bag once I got into the mall, but quickly realized this bun of glory was not something that deserved to be slighted. It deserved my full attention. Walking and eating it was too much to think about, so I sat down on a bench, braving all the jealous stares. The pastry itself was so light and was flaking all over me. Another reason I had to sit down. There was no way I was going to let all those flakes go to waste if I was walking. This way I could catch them all in my lap and still get to eat them. The pastry wasn’t jammed full of custard. I wasn’t sure if it would be like a custard doughnut or not, so this was a surprise. In the middle of the pastry was a huge air pocket. A custard layer lined the bottom of this pocket. Sneaky. At first I thought they forgot to add the custard. Silly. Shows how much I know. The thing had to be 500 calories. Worth it.

Patrick’s Special Guac – 578 Washington #3

            Cottage cheese is totally underestimated. Generally, I eat cottage cheese by itself. Don’t get me wrong; it’s delicious, but I don’t know what else I would pair it with. I don’t know of any dishes that require it. It’s kind of a weird food. My recent realization of how underestimated it is stemmed from a guacamole experiment I took part in thanks to Patrick. He says, “I’ve got a pretty great guacamole recipe.” I think, “Guac is rather simple and straightforward. How crazy could his recipe be?” Ready for it? Cottage cheese. Is this common? Do other people know about this mystery ingredient? I had no idea. I still wasn’t sure how I felt about it until the complexities of the whole guacamole ensemble caressed my tongue. It was amazing! Something about the subtle cheesiness of the cottage cheese mixed with the freshness of the avocado and cilantro, sourness of the lime, and spice of the peppers just made the whole thing complete. Oh and the garlic. I had never used so much garlic in guac before, and it really made a difference. I think letting the guac cool in the fridge for a while helped the garlic flavor penetrate throughout. The best bites were those that had a huge chunk of garlic in them. I totally and definitely recommend using cottage cheese next time your ready to overhaul your guacamole recipe. Here’s the full “recipe.” Just spitball it.

2 avocados

2 chopped red chilis

Diced tomatoes

Diced onions

Tablespoon of minced garlic

Salt and pepper

2 cups cottage cheese

Lime juice

Cayenne pepper

Cilantro

A couple notes: I used a little yellow onion because that’s what I had. I’d suggest a red onion. That’d be killer. I also added cilantro to his original recipe because I think it’s a critical ingredient in guac. I searched 5 different stores and couldn’t find red chilis. Come on. Instead, I chopped up some dried jalapenos that I had and added a little chili powder. I’m sure it’s not nearly the same, but sometimes you just have to improvise. Also, I’d suggest fresh lime juice. Squeeze it yourself. It’s so much better. I found that this guacamole was best tucked inside a pita. Super filling too. I love when friends share good recipes.

Hoy Hing - Brighton, MA

             It was a Sunday, and I was working late. My month long craving for mediocre asian food still had not been satisfied... and it had been a rough weekend. But Karl came through for me when I got out of work. Ellen had been talking about how Hoy Hing was hoppin'. Some chinese place right down the street. The general and I had been separated for far too long, and it was time for a reunion. You can get a "Special Meal Dish" for 6.75 that comes with General Tso's Chicken, white or pork fried rice, and an appetizer. Amazing deal, right? I still don't understand how the special meal dish differed from the specialities, chef's specialities or the combination platters, but it was irrelevant. This was going to be beyond satisfying. I got crab rangoons as my appetizer and pork fried rice. The crab rangoons could've been a little more crisp and crabby. Not as good as Golden Wok, but completely acceptable. I'm not so sure what it is with asian food and dying pork bright red, but there were little red chunks of pork in my rice in addition to some onions and other random things. It was simple, but great. Now the general tso's chicken wasn't no Golden Wok General or Rice Kitchen General on a Saturday night, but it seriously hit the spot. Whatever that goo is that he's so famous for was great. The chicken was mildly meaty, yet provided a satisfying fried flavor and crispness. Ellen said their portions fed her for three days. I finished mine in 15 minutes... tops. 

Cranberry Sauce gone Cranapplepom Sauce

Cranapplepom Sauce - 578 Washington St #3, Brighton, MA

I love cranberry sauce, but I wanted it to be different. I wanted there to be more and I wanted there to be more than just cranberries. Apple sauce could make it good. Pomegranate seeds could make it better! Here goes....

1 12oz package of fresh cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 1/2 cup apple sauce
3 tbs pomegranate seeds
grapefruit/orange/lemon zest
cinnamon
allspice
nutmeg

Boil 1 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar, stirring to dissolve. Add in cranberries and return to a boil. Once it's boiling again, reduce to simmer for 10 minutes or so. At this point sprinkle in some cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. I really have no idea how much. Either way... it'll spell amazing. Once all the cranberries seem  to have popped/after around 10 minutes, remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. The sauce will thicken up on its own. At any point, add in 3 tbs pomegranate seeds and apple sauce. Also add some grapefruit/orange/lemon zest if you wish.  The pomegranate seeds add a tiny little crunch with a different burst of flavor. The zest adds a little sweet yet sour.

Regina, who are you and are you looking for a roommate?

Bazaar - Allston, MA
http://www.bazaarboston.com/

     For my post 6k treat I went back to Bazaar, the Russian grocery store I fell in love with not too long ago. I was on the hunt for a potato. Not your normal potato. I asked the ladies behind the counter what was in it. They conversed back and forth for about a minute and came back to me with "cocao moose thing." I said, "I'll take one." It was a painful ride home. I wanted to wait to eat it. In my first bite I knew there was something in here they weren't telling me about. Rum. There had to be rum. I swear. The chocolate tower was super dense. More dense than chocolate moose, but less dense than fudge. Ok, that's a rather large range... but still. The outside was covered in slivered almonds and on top there was a dollop of a sweet cream with what I think was a white chocolate/chocolate swirly chip thing resting against it. The cream was so delicious. I kind of wish there was more of it. It was a nice light, sweet contrast to the dark, dense chocolate it was on top of. I have no idea why this was called a potato. Maybe it's time for some research.

Tasca - Brighton, MA

http://www.tascarestaurant.com/

   I've always heard so much about tapas, but I've never had it before. Basically, tapas are small plates of food originating from Spanish cuisine. This sounded ideal to me because when I go out to eat, everything on the menu always looks so good and I hate deciding. This way, you get to order lots of different things in smaller portions. Malcom knew the bartender, so we were hoping for a sweet deal. 

     Simply walking into Tasca was a treat. The lighting was very very dim (I couldn't really take pictures) beautiful music played in the background, Spanish style paintings and decor adorned the wall, and all the classy people really set the mood. For drinks we started with Sangria. I'm not a wine person, but seriously... this was the best sangria I've ever had. This had red wine in it and was even better than the white sangria from Ecuador. It was deliciously sweet, but not too sweet. Chunks of apples and oranges floated on the top. Malcom got nearly all the fruit though. Unfair. Ann continued refilling out mishapen clay pitcher over and over (and we didn't pay a dime). 

     Onto food! There were 34 options to choose from. I am not kidding when I say every single dish sounded mind blowing. To start, we knew we had to get the Gambas al ajillo. It had mini shrimp that came in a sizzling tiny cast iron skillet. The shrimp were drowning in a garlic oil with slivered garlic cloves and a red chili pepper. It sounded amazing. Smelled more amazing. And tasted even more amazing. There was so much flavor in each little shrimp. I'm sure it all had to do with the heavenly liquid they had been cooked in. We kept dipping bread in the oil and topping it with chunks of garlic. Sensual breath ensued.

     Another dish in our first round was the Confit de pato; fall off the bone succulent roast duck leg served over braised red cabbage and apples. The meat was so amazingly moist but not greasy and.... well... fell right off the bone. Not sure what it was braised with, but the red cabbage and apples added a slight sweetness to each bite of duck. Definitely the best duck I've ever had, even thought I haven't eaten much duck. 

     Grilled brie. Who has ever eaten grilled brie? I wouldn't have ever thought of it. A mammoth chunk of grilled brie was served with a homemade raisin and apple chutney and a grilled baguette. Supposedly the chutney was something the chef just came up with one day and decided it was so delicious, that it is now served with numerous dishes of theirs. It was sweet, cinnamony, and was delightful when you topped it on a smooshed chunk of brie on the bagette. The brie took on a whole different taste and texture than any other brie I've had before. It was warm (warm cheese, weird? naw) and slightly gooey, yet held a rather solid consistency. Easy to spread. Mmm...

     At this point, it was time to order more. I had delicious escargot at Clarkston Cafe in Clarkston, MI once, but I hadn't tried it anywhere else. This dish was called caracoles and was just as amazing. I love the little dish it comes in with the tiny hole. I also love salt. The escargot were baked in a garlic herb butter with cognac. I can't say I knew there was cognac in it at the time so that flavor wasn't too prevalent. The garlic however... very noticeable. And you can never go wrong with butter. Each little guy was just a flavor bomb. 

     Our next dish was a sort of flank steak in a red sauce. Not your typical pasta sauce though. It was creamy and full of onion slices and portobella mushrooms. Truth be told, nothing super special about the meat other than it was so tender. The mushrooms were actually my favorite part. Mmm fungus. 

    Two more. Another dish we got was the Pulpo a la Gallega. Octopus. I thought I had octopus before, but once the tube feet started falling off the meat into my mouth, I knew this was a new experience. This had definitely never happened before. It was served with olive oil sauteed potatoes. There was a slight "smoked Spanish paprika" flavor but not too much. The meat seemed a little bland (especially in comparison to all the other things we had eaten) and seemed to be missing something. Once we added the lemon juice it was a little better. My favorite part was, however, the chewing on the little tube feet. 

      The final dish was the lamb sausage because... well I love lamb. You can never go wrong with lamb. It came in the form of a long slice. I think it was the type of lamb you get when you order a gyro and they shave it off that block of lamb meat. What's that called? Either way, this was different. They edges were a little crisped. It gave a little burnt/browned flavor. There was also an AMAZING mint paste or something on the meat. The freshness of the mint mixed with the lamb was simply phenomenal. I seriously couldn't believe what was happening  in my mouth. The lamb was also served with an Israeli couscous. It was different than normal couscous in that each little call was larger and more mushy. Sounds odd, but the flavors they added into it were delicious. Let me tell you... I feel like some serious science of flavors and thought was put into this dish. Perhaps jesus himself was an influence. Had to be. 

     Overall.... ABSOLUTELY AMAZING RESTAURANT! Ann gave us such a great deal, I was full, I had tried a million different things, and everything was downright delicious. Five stars Tasca. 

Treats on Washington - Brighton, MA

    A muffin from Dunkin wasn't going to cut it. I started off on a walk down Washington looking for a cafe with a nice pastry selection. I happened upon Treats on Washington. My dreams of a muffin quickly vanished as soon as I saw their cinnamon rolls. They had one covered in icing, but I went with the sticky pecan one. The nice man behind the counter warmed it up for me. It was so amazing! I noticed there was something different about it though. Turns out there was some sort of orange zest/marmalade in it. It added such a neat citrusy taste to such a sweet roll. Inventive! 

    I also got a peanut butter cookie, but it was dry. No big deal. 

Cafenation - Brighton, MA

http://www.cafenation.com/

My muffin hunt turned more into a cafe hopping adventure. Believe me, I was satisfied... but I had to walk across the street to Cafenation. The place was jam packed and I had to see what the deal was. Looks like they made some bomb breakfast sandwiches and crepes, but I got some rosemary roasted potatoes. They came steaming hot and were cooked perfected. Not too done, yet slightly crispy on the outside with a hint of rosemary. Carbo-load. 

Boca Grande Taqueria - Brighton, MA

http://bocagrande.ypguides.net/

    I'm telling you... I gained six pounds in a day and a half due to my post 6k weekend. And it was worth every pound. Finally had to try the homemade tamales from Boca Grande everyone raves about. Generally, when I think of tamales I think a tiny tubular things with a pork paste in them. Still delicious, but nothing like what I was just about to consume. I asked for the red pork chili tamale. The man pulled out a small football shaped tamale out of the steamer, unwrapped the string tied around each end, cracked open the corn husk, and cut down the center of the tamale. Instantly heat and aromas escaped the cornmeal covered pig. I was pumped. Inside was an abundance of what looked like shredded pork. He proceeded to pour on a mild salsa different than a normal salsa. It wasn't chunky really. More liquidly than anything. On the side he added some diced tomatoes and onions or something. The cornmeal surrounding the pork was literally a good inch think. Thousands of calories I assume. But when you mixed the cornmeal, pork, salsa and a little dollop of sour cream.... mmm! Ridiculous.   

Pizzeria Regina's - Boston, MA

http://www.pizzeriaregina.com/

    Finally! Pizza time! I could've gone a million different places. But this had to be good. It had been eons since I had pizza, and I had wanted to go to the original Reginas in the north end since the first week I moved here. The original opened in 1926 and is considered the original curbside to go pizza place. It was 2pm on a Saturday, and the line wrapped around the building and I thought I may not make it in time for work. Malcom and I were literally almost at the back of the line and there were HUGE parties in front of us. We thought we'd never get in. After about 25 minutes, one of the workers went down the line looking for the next party of two. We got to cut in front of, I'd say.... 30 people. It was sweet. 

     We quickly ordered the Sausage Caciatore. It had sliced sausage links, mushrooms, roasted onions and peppers and fresh parsley over their own marinara sauce with pecarino romano and mozzerella cheeses. THIS WAS THE BEST PIZZA I HAVE EVER EATEN. Hands down. How do I even describe this?? Hmmm well, the crust wasn't super thick on the bottom, but the crust around the edges was nice and thick and full of bubbles. I love the bubbles. Supposedly they're still using their 80 year old recipe with a special natural yeast. Whatever it is, it's godly. The sauce was mildly sweet but had a great zing to it at the same time. The sausage slices were huge and plentiful. One thing that made this pizza stand out more than any other pizza I've ever eaten was the size of the peppers and onions. They didn't cut them up small... at all. Sometimes the pieces of pepper were large enough to be considered a full bite in itself. On one piece, 5 chunks of onion were slightly fanned out spanning the entire slice. The whole milk mozzerella cheese was just full of flavor and seemed to have melted differently than most cheeses you see on pizza. Everything about the pizza was amazing. I had to pick up each slice by sliding it onto my hand. My hands have never been so dirty  from eating pizza and I was 100% ok with it. It was completely possible to just get lost in each bite. So many great flavors and textures. Regina... who are you and are you looking for a roommate?

HOCR Bender

John Harvard's - Cambridge, MA
http://www.johnharvards.com/index.shtml

     The Ringhams really are great people. After Dave and I raced in the Head of the Charles on Saturday (which was awesome btw), his parents took us plus Karl and Gelinas out for foods in Harvard Square. We went to a bar/restaurant called John Harvard's. Established circa 1638, this place is know for it's "Honest food, real beer." Supposedly it's rather well known, because it was practically in a basement but was crowded. The lighting was really dim, the music was at a respectable level, the MSU game was on and I wanted cheese sticks. I ordered this beautiful platter that had fried ravioli, mozzarella sticks, and fried zucchini. It was exactly what I wanted but couldn't get myself to put in my body before HOCR. The mozzarella sticks were absolutely perfectly fried. Crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside, but not so hot that the melted cheese burns your face off when you bite into it. The ravioli was delicious too. The cheese inside was the perfect temperature too. It was basically just like normal ravioli but with a little crispness on the outside. Muah!
    For dinner I got a half pound smokehouse burger and big fat steak fries. Let me just say, I think this was the first time I think a restaurant has ever cooked the burger like I ask. I like it a little pink, but most places seem to think that still means well done. Regardless, this burger was amazing! Everything on it seemed to have a smoked flavor without being overwhelming. Adorning the precious burger was a little smoked gouda, chipotle mayo, and beer braised carmelized onions  I really liked the way the slight heat of the mayo complimented the whole ensemble. It all worked so well together. On numerous occasions, I found myself just starting into the deep abyss of the burger in awe of it's deliciousness.

Jim's Deli - Brighton, MA
http://www.jimsdelibrighton.com/

     I've been wanting to go to Jim's Deli since we moved into our new apartment in Brighton. I bike by it everyday and it just seems like one of those amazing family owned places that has a bunch of loyal customers. I had also been wanted a big fat sub with tons of meat and melted cheese. I called before I left and Jim assured me they could toast the sub and melt the cheese. It was not an issue I was taking lightly. Upon entering the little deli, I was surprised at how it was laid out. It kind of seemed like a high school cafeteria with trays and baskets of silverware. You line up along the counter, tell the man what you want, they dish it out and you proceed down the counter to the drinks, cookies, and register. However, the food here was nothing like the kind from your typical cafeteria. I ordered a sub with corned beef and pastrami and had them toast the bun, grill the thick sliced deli meats, and melt the cheese on top. While it was all cooking, I couldn't help but eye the huge bbq briskets (cooked for 5 hours in the oven, Jim said), the roasted chickens, and the italian sausages nestled in a bed of cabbage, onions, and peppers. I wanted it all, but knew I'd spend $30 here if I didn't restrain myself. I did let them convince me to get the homemade mac and cheese though. It was delicious. Really creamy with those spiral noodles and browned cheese on top. MMM! The beautiful man at the register also convinced me to get a huge blueberry muffin, which Jim cut in half, buttered, and stuck on the grill for me. The edges crisped up so nicely and gave a little burnt butter taste. It was fabulous. Finally my sub came out and I took all my food to the sunlit booth by the window. The sub literally only had meat, cheese and spicy mustard. At first I contemplated taking it back up and asking for some lettuce and tomato, but there was just so much flavor packed in the meat, cheese and mustard sitting in between the toasted bun, that I decided I wanted nothing else to distract me from it's flavor. It was exactly what I had wanted. The atmosphere was homey, so I just sat there for a while basking in the sunlight and the glory of being full for once. Definitely going back.

So much food, so little time.

Smoken Joe's - Brighton, MA
http://smokenjoesbbqboston.com/


     Well, I've got a good deal of deliciousness to catch up on. I can't seem to stay on top of it (that's what she said). This may have been a bad choice. But it was Saturday night after a long week of difficult practices. I had ribs on the brain all week. My body just yearned for sweet bbq. I got out of work late, met up with my roommates and Alyse, and we scurried over to Smoken Joe's on Washington. We tried to get there before 9 so we didn't have to pay cover because a band was playing (ended up having to pay just for being there... caution). Either way. Corn bread was calling my name. The sweet potato fries looked amazing. The smell of beef brisket lingered in the air. This place had to do it right. I could just feel it. It took Alyse and I forever to decide. Did I want the 2 or 3 meat platter. Ugh. I went with the two. One of the meats I chose was of course the ribs. They were Memphis style pork ribs rubbed with Joe's special rub, smoked with hickory chips in their open pit until tender. They fell off the bone just like I like them. There wasn't too much sauce. It was perfect. Exactly what I had been looking for. The second meat was called "burnt ends." Basically it was the ends of a beef brisket chopped, re-smoked in Memphis sauce and piled on a piece of Texas toast. The toast didn't do much for me, but there was so much flavor in each chunk of meat. I would definitely recommend it. Sweet bbq, yet just enough of the burnt flavor to not be overwhelming. And the meat was tender as ever. This meat overload came with cornbread, and of course I chose the two sides with the most cals. Sweet potato fries and mashed potatoes (I thought about the mac n' cheese but the waitress said it wasn't homemade... lame). Overall win... except for the lead singer of the band. She was... well... not pleasing. She seemed to like Frake though. Made him uncomfortable. Hehe.


T's Pub - Boston, MA
http://www.tspub.com/

     I need to go back a couple Mondays ago. I had been dreaming about wings for two weeks. I seriously.... found the best place to get wings. I'm not joking. Now, I've had good wings, but these set a new standard. I had been hearing about this place called T's Pub. It's a bar that serves 25 cent wings on Monday nights. I had heard they were good, but for 25 cents, figured they would be decent but not amazing. I am very happy to say I was way wrong. 20 wings. I took 5 home. I can eat a lot. Goes to show you how big they were. They were probably some of the largest wings I have ever eaten.

     The only downside is they only have 3 kinds of wings. Buffalo, teriyaki, and T's style. The T's style was my favorite. Old Bay style, rubbed wand roasted wings, lemon wedge and ranch dipping sauce. I don't care for ranch... but oh my heavens. The outside was absolutely perfectly crispy and the inside was so moist and amazing. Sometimes you can tell when restaurants use cheap chicken because it's super fatty and greasy, but these weren't. Another plus side to these was that they weren't covered in batter. Their crispness came from the skin. It was unlike any other wing I've ever had. Buff's Pub (supposedly the best wings in Boston) has nothing on T's Pub. 






Sweet Basil Orzo - 578 Washington St. #3, Brighton, MA

     In my quest to find lower calorie, filling meals, I picked up some orzo. Not so low cal, but I had heard it was good. It was the night before pieces so I wanted to eat some iron and I had a lot of spinach. If you don't know, orzo is a kind of pasta in the shape of a large piece of flattened rice. I think it has a really cool texture and is delicious. More surface area than pasta. More taste opportunities. I don't really have an official recipe for this, because I kind of threw it together. I shall call it sweet basil orzo.


1/2 cup orzo
balsamic vinegar
fresh basil and parsley leaves
pine nuts
butter
fresh grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
spinach
orange pepper
olive oil
garlic




1) First heat a pot of water and cook your orzo as the instructions call for, or basically as you would normally cook pasta. At the same time in a skillet, sautee some orange peppers in a little olive oil. 
2) In a small pan, melt a little butter and slightly brown a tablespoon or so of pine nuts. Make sure you watch them closely because they burn really easily. 
3) In another small saucepan, heat up a couple tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. I'm not sure if there is a technical way to reduce the balsamic vinegar, but that's what you're aiming for. I kind of heat it up quickly and then turn down the heat a little to let it continue to reduce and thicken up. 
4) In a mini cuisinart, combine the browned pine nuts, a handful of basil and parsley leaves, your reduced balsamic vinegar, a handful of chunks of parmesan cheese, a minced garlic clove, salt and pepper. I added a drop of olive oil too. Puree it until you have a nice, mildly thin paste. 
5) At this point, add the spinach to the pan of orange peppers and just let it wilt a little. 
6) Once the pasta, peppers, and spinach are all ready, combine the sweet basil paste with the orzo and mix until it spreads evenly throughout. I saw sweet because the reduced balsamic vinegar is now mildly sweet and delicious. Kind of like candy. Next, add in the peppers and spinach for a yummy, healthy, and filling dish. 


Lemon Cajun Whiting - 578 Washington St #3, Brighton, MA
  

     Fish have really been getting the shaft in my diet. I was starting to feel bad. I bought some Whiting filets and thought about how to prepare them all day at work. By the time I got home it was too late and I was too lazy, so the fish would have to wait until the next day... which turned out to be for the better. Before I left for work the next day I pulled a filet out to thaw. I put it in a plastic bad and just started adding things that seemed like they may be delicious. 


Whiting filets
Lemon wedges
Basil and parsley
Cajun
Cayenne pepper
Salt and black pepper
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Olive oil
Dried chilis


Here is a spotty narration of what I did. I first cut up a couple lemon wedges, squeezed the juice into the bag, and threw the rinds in anyway. I also added cut up basil and parsley (yes I know I use a lot of basil and parsley in my dishes... it's what I have, ok?), a sprinkle of cajun, cayenne pepper, fresh ground black pepper, salt, onion powder, a little garlic powder and a dash of olive oil. Right before sealing up the bag, I remembered I still had some dried chili peppers from my uncle. Last time I used these babies, Marc and I could breathe fire after making our own chili paste for some Schezwan noodles. That was after not removing any of the seeds. I learned my lesson that time, so I removed the seeds this time... well.... a few of them, chopped up the pepper and added it to the bag. It had to be a little hot, I thought. I let all the spices and such sit on the thawing fish in the fridge while I was at work. Anticipation built throughout the day. When I got home the fish was all thawed and ready for the grill. I diced up a few onions and mushrooms to put on the grill too and cooked up a Harvest Grain Blend I bought at Trader Joes. It has red and green quinoa, baby garbonzo beans, and Israeli couscous. Delicious and different. Simply enough, after 15 minutes or so on a medium to high heat, the fish was flaky and done. I can't say I've ever had fish like this before. It had the acidity of the lemon, yet spicyness of the peppers and cajun/cayenne pepper. But it wasn't overwhelming in the least. It was almost refreshing and very clean tasting. I was unsure about how I'd like the skin on the one side of the filet, but putting it on the grill gave it such a good smokey/slightly burnt taste. Yummy I say! 


Post Head of the Kevin Lamb Stew - 578 Washington St #3, Brighton, MA

     I knew I wanted to make soup on Saturday, but had no idea what kind. It was going to have potatoes, carrots, and barley, but I wasn't sure what type of meat. I wanted something on a bone. Ya know... for that whole adding more flavor idea. Once I had all my main ingredients from Trader Joes and Whole Foods, I was on the hunt for a butcher shop. While I didn't find an actual butcher shop... oh boy... did I find a goldmine. It's called Bazaar and it's a Russian grocery store with Eastern European influences. It was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! There we soooo many different types of cheeses, fresh breads, cakes and pastries, sausages, candies, meats, fish, and hot dishes. They're prices for produce were so much cheaper than other grocery stores. I couldn't read  what at least half of the products were because they were all in Russian. This place was blowing my mind. I was a kid in a candy store. I found a cheese called Uglich Cheese and had to get it because it was basically my last name with just the first 2 letters switched. Along with this cheese I bought 3 links of smoked sausage and fresh "Crusty" bread. Putting all three together in one bite later at home was just phenomenal. THEN I found lamb ribs and knew that's what I wanted for my stew. On to the recipe. Well... there really isn't much of a recipe. 


Head of the Kevin Lamb Stew


Lamb Ribs
Carrots
Potatoes
Celery
Cabbage
Yellow onion
Garlic
Bay leaves
Salt and pepper
Fresh basil and parsley
Rosemary
Barley

     First, put on a pot of water and heat to a low boil. I added the 6 ribs right from the get go to create a yummy broth. Add in a couple halved garlic cloves, a ton of rosemary, salt and pepper, and 2 bay leaves. Let the meat and broth simmer for 2 hours or so. Cut up the potato into inch cubes and the onion into larger pieces. I feel like there should be a word for exactly how to cut them up, but I'm not a culinary expert yet. Cut the carrots into 3 inch long pieces and then slice each piece at a diagonal. Also cut up the celery into inch long pieces and rip up the cabbage into slightly large pieces. It will break up as it cooks. Add the potato, carrots, cabbage and celery to the pot after your broth has been simmering for the 2 hours. Side note: the ribs I used actually had a lot of fat in them, so before I started adding vegetables I pulled off some of the fat, but left the meat on the bones. Wait another hour or so and add in the basil, parsley and cabbage. Finally, 40 minutes before you're planning to serve the soup, add in a cup or two of rinsed whole barley. The barley is going to expand, so add as much as you plan to have in proportion to the amount of broth you currently have. Salt and pepper to taste, if you wish. This recipe is very much so an "add as much as you think you'll need/want" kind of recipe. That's one thing I'm starting to learn about soup. It's pretty hard to screw up. Another side note: Since there seemed to be quite a bit of fat/oil from the ribs, I removed the thin layer of chilled oil/fat the next day after it had been refrigerated. I'd suggest finding meat with not a lot of fat. Either that or remove some of the fat before you add the meat to the pot. Enjoy!