Food at Drink.

I've been to Drink, Barbara Lynch's subterranean bar that pays homage to great cocktails, courtesy of John Gertsen, a few times before, but only ever, ahem, drank there.

This past Thursday, after the Boston magazine party upstairs at FP3, we headed down to Drink and decided to order lots of food (we were a big-- and hungry-- group).

I didn't take any photos, so I figure I'd just sum it up like so:

Great choices:

Gougeres: little flaky cheese puffs - SO GOOD we were all tempted to each order a bucket of them

Proscuitto di Parma with cauliflower: delicate and savory; almost seductive in its slippery texture

Steak tartare: sooo meatyyyy (any The Soup/Joel McHale fans out there?? ;) But seriously, really good steak tartare.

Okay choices:

Grilled cheese sandwiches with carmelized onion: didn't blow me away, but weren't bad either.

Didn't love:

Buttermilk biscuits with ham and jelly: I was hoping for Hungry Mother type little bites of heaven but instead these were dry, bulky things. Sigh, I need to go back to HM soon.

My drink was amazing, per usual. If you're not familiar with Drink, the idea is that there is no cocktail menu-- you just say something you like (e.g. I like XYZ herb and XYZ booze) and they make you something, from scratch. No mixers or soda here. On Thursday, I requested Mai-Tai-esque and received something with all that lovely boozyness of a Mai-Tai, minus that sickening sweet aftertase.

I am torn on this place-- I kinda wanna hate it since it's so "I'm SO cool and trendy" but I kinda always have a good time when I go...any other places you go to that are like this for you? Maybe the Liberty? But I like Drink better than the Liberty...hmm....

Sibling Rivalry with my Sibling

A few weeks ago, Dish Bro and I meandered through the South End on a beautiful summer night. Our first stop was Masa for some margaritas, savoring warm weather while we could. We of course ordered Masa's sampler platter, as well, which is something I love sharing with out-of-towners to start off the night. But for dinner we wanted to try something different, and so after perusing some menus of area restaurants, Dish Bro chose Sibling Rivalry for its curious, inventive menu choices-- and its irrestistible potential for a great, and punny, Dish This blog post header (see above).

Too bad the food wasn't very good.

The first time I had been to Sibling Rivalry, I was getting over a sickness that left me with very little sense of taste. However, upon visiting this second time, I saw that there isn't really anything that great to taste anyway.

Sibling Rivalry, if you're not familiar with the concept, pits two brother chefs against each other with ingredient/type of food "head to heads." A great concept, for sure.

My brother and I did our own "head to head" and each started with one chef's interpretation of "crudo." I chose the Ancho chili steak tartare with pickled cabbage, tomatillo relish, avocado, and cilantro.

I should have been obsessed with this dish-- cilantro, avocado, and pickled anything are amongst my favorites. So how does a dish with so many strong flavors and interesting textures become just blah?? Mushy, uninteresting, blah.

Dish Bro fared better with his tuna tartare with sticky soy glaze and spicy aioli:

Still, this dish's outdated presentation prompted a lengthy discussion of the merits of all these squiggly sauces. My brother's main point-- Why provide multiple sauces anyway? Shouldn't the chef just commit and choose one that I should eat with it? I guess if they complement, a la ketchup and mustard, it's okay, but this didn't seem deliberate.

We didn't go head to head for our entrees, though. Dish Bro chose the crusted Alaskan halibut with English peas, crab ravioli, and leek-lemon-tarragon butter sauce.
I didn't sample this (as I was too stuffed to even barely make a dent in my own entree) but Dish Bro definitely wasn't wow-ed.

For my "entree" I actually chose an appetizer-- the Moroccan-style lamb with brik cumin, soft poached egg, curried lamb jus, and cool cucumber salad. This was probably the most flavorful choice of the night, though an odd flavor profile for a new-American restaurant (didn't really seem to meld with the theme of the rest of the menu).
While I would not return to eat here, I do want to point out that we had a fantastic server (so personable, very knowledgeable) and my brother enjoyed his watermelon cocktail:
Final verdict: Are there better choices in this 'hood? Hell yes. Head nearby to Franklin Cafe or Metropolis Cafe for similar menu items, better quality, and more reasonable prices.

Dinner at Stephi's on Tremont

Here's my SAT-style analogy to sum up my thoughts on Stephi's on Tremont (sorry if this brings back stressful memories for anyone!)

Stephi's: young professionals (yuppies?)::
Cheesecake Factory: teenagers/college students

My reasoning: It's a nice place to gather. It won't offend anyone, and the menu has something for everyone. It's priced as a moderate-luxury. It has a nice, pleasing, yet non-descript atmosphere. It has nice-tasting comfort food. It feels trendy (even if it's not really all that exciting). It has large portions.

Agree/disagree???

In the meantime, let's recap what we ate. I met Lynn, my bestest, childhood friend that I ate at Panza with, at Stephi's on Tremont on a muggy day last week. Earlier in the day, I had tweeted (I hate using that word) that I was headed there and got a recommendation from amazing foodie blogger MCSlimJB and amazing, non-foodie blogger The Missus. Luckily, Lynn was game for trying BOTH of their suggestions, so I didn't have to choose just one!

Before we dove into our recommended entrees, we started with the baked warm Vermont goat cheese with roasted garlic and kalamata olives, with crunchy French bread ($12).

(Sorry for the terrible photo-- bad lighting for iPhone camera pics...) This was a pleasant surprise for me. While I had expected a wedge of goat cheese and some bread, this mini-skillet reminded me of one of my favorite, now non-existent, appetizers at Eastern Standard-- the baked raclette! Instead of the little cornichons floating in the bubbly cheese, Stephi's version had kalamata olives (nice addition of tartness) and huge chunks of roasted garlic.

Next up: the MCSlimJB rec-- the Newbury Street Chunky Chicken Salad ($14). Our waiter nicely split this on two plates, so this photo is actually a half portion.

My favorite part of this was the soda bread. I wasn't CRAZY about the chicken salad on its own, but thank God for slices of luscious August tomatoes and that super tasty soda bread. A bite with all four elements-- bread, tomato, chicken, salad-- made for quite a nice summer dish.

We also tried The Missus's recommendation, the pan roasted New England cod over sweet corn and bacon chowder with herb roasted potatoes, topped with crispy onion strings ($24).
This was soooo rich and sooo Stephanie's. Comfort food to the max. Undo your first button on your pants, lean back and sigh, food. How can you go wrong with bacon and corn chowder with potatoes though? I barely remember this being a fish dish, ha.

All in all, I enjoyed Stephi's. Would I run around telling everyone they MUST go there, like I did with Hungry Mother and Mike & Patty's? No. But if someone was looking for a safe choice in the South End with a chic scene? I'd certainly think to send them there.

Cocktail of the Week: the Hot 'n Dirty

We were en route to see Jim Gaffigan at Foxwoods, and we were late. Stuck in traffic in Mashantucket, Connecticut, Skylar, Michelle, and I realized as we watched the minutes tick by that we would have to have the fastest dinner of all time at Alta Strada, Michael Schlow's Italian restaurant at MGM Grand Foxwoods (you can read about my first experience there back in December here).

When we finally sat down, I took a courtesy-peek at the drink menu even though I knew what I wanted --a dirty martini. But then I saw it-- the Hot 'n Dirty-- a martini with olives and pepperoncini.

It was heaven. It had the saltiness of the standard dirty martini, mixed with the sassy heat from the pepperoncini.

I'm not sure if this drink is at the Wellesley location (anyone been before?), but if you happen to be at Foxwoods, definitely stop by Alta Strada for a little hot 'n dirty...

Cocktail of the Week

Summertime to me is the perfect time to experiment with yummy cocktails. So, in honor of the best three months of the year, each week I'll be sharing one of my favorite cocktails with you.

First up: this incredibly refreshing jalapeno and cucumber margarita at Masa in the South End.(Thanks, Jamie, for Price-is-right-style showing off the drink)

While the jalapenos may scare you into thinking this drink is super spicy, it actually is not that hot. It tastes more like a cucumber lemonade, with a kick ;)

Now the habanero watermelon margarita (another fave) at Masa...that's another story. You need a glass of milk to chase that thing with!

In any case, this drink is a perfect way to kick off the season. Try it with one of Masa's tapas combo plates in the bar area for just $10 (10 tapas for $10-- or 10 for $5 during happy hour!).

Did you know...

...that the Orinoco in Brookline Village has a liquor license and serves amazing mojitos?? And that in fact there is a whole section of the drink menu devoted to them?? I stuck with the authentico (dark rum, mint), while Sebastian tried one with shaved coconut.

I've written about Orinoco before (actually, twice before), but I cannot recommend this restaurant enough. Last Friday, Dish Mom and Dad, and Sebastian and I headed to the Brookline Village one. This outpost has the same party atmosphere as the South End location, but with a little more room to breathe. Plus, it has an awesome bar. If I lived in this neighborhood, I'd be on one of those bar stools daily.

I insisted we get those bacon-wrapped, almond stuffed dates again (heavenly) and of course sweet plantains, but this time I tried a new entree, the Pabellón Criollo ($13.50)-- shredded beef, white rice, black beans, and sweet plantains. While this sounds pretty basic, getting a forkful of every element on the plate was like foodie nirvana.

Here's a photo of the atun, adobo-rubbed tuna with frisee and radish:

Gorgeous.

$5 Entrees at Match!

Diva on a Dime reports that on Thursday nights, Match, the chic, mini-burger haven at the intersection of Newbury Street and Mass Ave, offers $5 entrees for the ladies from 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. The Diva herself had a fabulous time; sounds like something Dish Gal needs to check out!!

Hot Spots

Stuck in a dining rut? Sick of the same old Boston places? Here are some fun places Dish Gal has visited recently and enjoyed:

Persephone. Michael Leviton’s high-end- boutique- meets- restaurant is a locavore’s dream: Fresh ingredients, inventive pairings, and fantastic service all combine for a delicious night out. Plus, its semi-hidden Fort Point location makes you feel like you’re exploring a new city.

Deep Ellum. Dish Gal could be convinced to travel to Allston (I’ve become such a Boston snob now that I live in the 02113! haha) for this bar/restaurant that has an awesome outdoor patio in the back, plus an extensive beer list. LOVE that it’s getting closer to alfresco dining every day…

Middlesex Lounge. Do they even serve food here? I don’t know and don’t even care, because the music is so good it makes me not want to ever live somewhere far from this place.

A Very Whisky Saturday

In the summer, you can get pretty creative with drinks. For Sebastian's birthday last year we made mojitos with mint, freshly squeezed lime juice, and rum I brought back from Puerto Rico. Margaritas, even with store-bought mix, make drinking around the house seem so festive. Even a corona with the addition of a fresh piece of lime seems celebratory, in a way.

But when winter rolls around, it's easy to get stuck in a rut. When I'm cold, I reach for one thing-- red wine. But generally one or two glasses makes me wanna go to bed, not go out and party. So this past weekend, Sebastian and I decided to shake things up and throw a whisky party, courtesy of one great bottle of Canadian Club 12 year whisky.

The first thing I liked about this whisky was the reaction I got from guys about it. Usually when I invite guys to come over for cocktails, they 1) make fun of me for saying "come over for cocktails" and 2) tease me for drinking girlie drinks. This time? Everyone was so impressed! Apparently, guys love whisky. Score 1 for me.

My friend Jamie was also impressed by my whisky drinking, because upon hearing about our party, she spontaneously decided to come up from NYC for the weekend! Score 400 for me! Sooo much fun. She came over early and helped me create my homemade sour mix I made for the whisky. One word of advice about this-- we should probably have made it BEFORE we got dressed. By the end of it, we were COVERED in lime and lemon juice. I wonder if anyone noticed during the night? Hmm....

In any case, we totally winged it, but the mix turned out great!
Dish Gal and Jamie's Sour Mix recipe:

3 cups hot water
1 cup sugar
juice of 3 lemons
juice of 3 limes

We made our whisky sour drinks with 1.5 ounces whisky, and about 1 cup of the mix.

Our friend, let's call him Charles, used to bartend, and came up with this yummy drink that was a hit as well:

Charles' Drink
1.5 ounces Canadian Club whisky
1 cup Diet Ginger Ale
splash of sour mix

A friend enjoys the whisky...

Some of the boys enjoyed the whisky straight, noting how smooth it was. Julia Scribner (let's call her J.Scrib from now on as to not confuse her with Dish Gal's "Julia") brought over some lemonade, which also tasted nice with it.

All in all, a great Saturday, and a great way to shake things up on a cold winter night.

Stella review

Stella...Stelllllllaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. I’m sure this popular South End restaurant is sick of this Streetcar Named Desire reference. But in my mind, I always think of this memorable Seinfeld scene, sure to make your Friday a bit more entertaining:


Anyway, Z and I trudged through the snow the other night to Stella, as I had a crazy craving for a savory pasta dish. I’ve been to Stella a few times before, under much different circumstances each time. The first time was with my parents around when it first opened, as my mom had been given a gift certificate there. I remember thinking it was SO chic, so Sex and the City (back when it was still the best show ever, not an awkwardly drawn out movie series). I don’t remember what we ate (shocking! I know.) But I do remember that I was very excited that they featured a cocktail with my favorite beverage ever: Fresca.

The next time, I suggested it to my girlfriends, since I was psyched to show them I had found such a “hidden gem.” I remember I had the honey-glazed salmon that is still on the menu today. For me at the time, the $24 price tag was a lot of money (these were still my Cheesecake Factory days), and I didn't fall head over heels with the dish.

I returned with Z about 6 months ago, late one Friday night as he hadn’t eaten dinner, and it was one of the places I knew had a late night menu. We sat at the bar, as he enjoyed one of the yummiest pizzas I’ve had in awhile (I of course stole some bites). I marveled at all the attractive gay men who kept pouring into the beautiful space.

Sebastian and I returned a few weeks later, but this time, everything seemed a little blurrier, as I enjoyed a few of their delicious dirty martinis. The flamboyant bartender loved when I ordered them.

So back to my pasta dish from this past week. I got the linguini with asparagus cream, truffle, and a poached egg on top ($18). It was spectacularly rich, the exact dish you would want on a night when the snow will not stop falling. We sat at the bar, and the service was spot-on. Water glasses always filled, plates cleared, an attentive but not obnoxious bartender.

As this was an impromptu date night, I didn't have my camera, but here's a blurry photo of my pasta dish:

I swear it was more appetizing looking than this. Check out their website if you don't believe me. Anyway, here's Z's honey-glazed salmon with spaghetti squash:

And he started with some spicy mussels with saffron cream and roasted peppers ($12):

My conclusion about Stella? While it certainly has a fun bar scene, and that pasta dish hit the spot, there's something about it that keeps me from putting it in my "favorites" category. I can't put my finger on it, but while The Franklin makes me want to run around and tell everyone how amazing it is, Stella gets a, "Oh yeah, that place is pretty good," verdict. B+.

CODA in the South End

Last night, I headed out in the snow (yet again...) and made my way over to CODA in the South End with a posse including Sebastian, Michelle, Maeve, and Sebastian's boyfriend, let's call him "Jake." Luckily, CODA is right around the corner from the Back Bay T stop, so the trudging through the snow dunes was kept to a minimum.

The restaurant was very inviting, especially on such a snowy night. Long and narrow, one side of the restaurant is high table, two-tops, the other, a lengthy bar. Our table was all the way in the back, in a dark corner that would be great for a date when you're in that stage where the darker, the better. But in this case, it just meant I couldn't read the menu and needed the light of my cell phone to figure out what to order. Wow, what a Dish Dad moment ;)

We started off with a round of cocktails. The drink list was awesome-- Maeve and Michelle started off with the Winter Sangria - which was a traditional sangria with a hint of cozy, log-cabin wintertime in the form of a cinnamon stick. While they embraced winter, I got ready for my trip to Miami with the "Poor Tom," which was basically a mojito, with lemon instead of lime, lots of fresh mint, and St. Germain. I also was considering getting a Strongbow (cider from England) which I looooved while abroad. Maeve also later tried the "raspberry lime rickey", a throwback to childhood days with Stoli Razberi and lemon-lime soda.

When it came time for meal time, we decided to do it "Toro-style" i.e. tapas-style, ordering just from the appetizer part of the menu, and sharing everything. My favorite was unexpected: the Asian beef skewers with udon noodles. While not the most beautiful of things (see photo), these were tender and in a delicious marinade.

Photos by Jake's blackberry (need to start remembering my camera!!!)

Another hit was the stuffed portobello mushrooms with goat cheese and asparagus. These were HUGE, a veritable goat cheese bonanza. Again, not the most pleasant thing to look at, but it tasted good.

We also got some "Asian-style" calamari; this was my least favorite of the appetizers. While the plate and marinara dipping sauce was massive (see picture below), it contained not that much calamari (most was filler greens, as you can see). The calamari that it did contain did not taste at all like "Asian" calamari. Plus, why would marinara sauce go with an Asian calamari anyway?

We also got crostini topped with pulled chicken and brie. These were not great, and not bad. The final appetizer was chicken wings with a cilantro sour cream dipping sauce. These were yummy, and seemed like they'd be easy to make at home. But of course, I am a cilantro-a-holic.

All in all, I would recommend CODA for a night out with friends where alcohol is the main priority. Their affordable and delicious drink menu and fun atmosphere makes for a great night out, as it was in our case. However, for foodies, I'd say you can find a better bar menu (can't speak to entrees as we only had apps) elsewhere, like The Franklin.

Or, instead of doing "Toro-style" you could always just head to Toro ;)

It's the Bloody Mary's 75th Anniversary!!

Ah!!!! How did Dish Gal miss this!? Dlisted.com just alerted me to the fact today NYC is celebrating the 75th anniversary of the bloody mary! My favorite beverage of all time!

If you're lucky enough to be in NYC today, lots of restaurants are serving them up at discounted prices. Learn more here.

For Bostonians, here's a list of some of Dish Gal's favorite spots to get a bloody mary around the hub.

Masa (pictured above)-- My favorite. Very spicy with a peppered rim. Yum.

Joshua Tree (Davis Square)-- during happy hour these spicy bad boys are only $3! Woohoo!

Stephanie's on Newbury - a classic, made with Absolut Peppar and with an "Old Bay rim"

McCormick & Schmick's -- random, I know, but I really enjoyed theirs. They are like a meal in themselves, but if you go during happy hour you get some really cheap and yummy bar food.

Toro in the South End

Can you believe Dish Gal had never eaten at Toro before? Once Z and I had stopped in for drinks late, late on a Saturday night. But the kitchen had closed, so we were technically still Toro virgins.

I thought Toro would be perfect for Z's birthday celebration, so we headed there "early" (for us) on Friday night, around 7 p.m. We were told (as I expected) there would be a 1 hour wait, so we squished our way into the packed bar. I managed to nab a stool, and we started the celebration off with some sangria. It was pretty potent, and not as refreshing as others-- much heavier on the booze, but who is complaining? I moved on to a glass of cava (champagne from Spain) and Z got my absolute favorite beer from Barcelona, Estrella Damm, which I've never seen in the States! It was emotional.

Finally, about an hour-plus later we were seated. We started with the foie gras with pear and bacon chutney. It was served on a small, crusty baguette slice. It was tiny, but so rich and decadent that one for the two of us was plenty! A tiny little bite packed so much flavor from the slippery and dense foie gras. Wow. Great start. (p.s. not only was my camera battery dying, I also felt since it was a special occasion the constant photography would be annoying-- so forgive me for the lack of photos).

Next up we got the spanish tuna belly with tomato tapenade and celery. This was also served on the slice of baguette. Now this might be my unsophisticated palate speaking, but this tasted like I had taken tuna out of a can and put it on a triscuit. Again, it's probably me, but I wasn't crazy about this at all.

Next came the hot green peppers with sea salt. These weren't very hot (have I gotten too accustomed to spicyness?) but were pretty nice. I'd enjoy them alongside a beverage at a bar. Probably not again as the main focus though.

The next dish to arrive was the skirt steak a la plancha with cabrales butter and red onion marmalade. Does "a la plancha" mean "a la delicious"? Because that's what it was. This tender skirt steak was glorious alone, and when paired with the soft butter and tart marmalade was amazing.

But then...the corn came. and HOLY CORN! was it AMAZING (yes, this requires Kanye West-style ALL CAPITAL LETTERS-- dlisted.com readers know what I'm talking about). This grilled cheese was smothered in aged cheese and alioli, and garnished with lime that I eagerly squeezed on top of it.

I had high expectations going in about this corn, and it not only lived up to those expectations, it blew them out of the water. Bravo, Toro.

p.s. Great job putting floss in the bathrooms-- it was definitely needed! ;)

Cocktail menus

Dear restaurant managers/owners:

I would like to talk menus. Not what you put on the menus, but how you hand them out.

Let me run through a common (well, for me; readers, feel free to chime in...) scenario for a night out. You get seated at a table with your girlfriends. The four of you are chatting it up, soaking in the scene, glancing at your menus. "Oo, the duck looks great!" one of you exclaims. Then your waiter comes over and asks what you'd like to start with to drink. As one of you pours over the extensive cocktail list, the waiter impatiently stands there, looking around, rolling his/her eyes the longer it takes for each of you to individually look through the cocktail list and decide. You finally, to spare the server, say we'd like a few more minutes. An awkward start to the night.

Does this sound familiar? Here's what I propose, dear restauranteurs: hand out more drink lists!! Imagine if they just handed out one food menu. It would take forever to order! Same goes for cocktails and wine. I think this simple step would help everyone out in the long run.

This isn't a rant against impatient waiters-- I certainly have been there, as in the past I've been made to awkwardly wait at the table while everyone reads over the menu. However, all of this can be solved by simply either allowing more time, or even better, handing out more menus!

Let's start a revolution, shall we?

Love,
Dish Gal

The Beehive - late night noshing

After a fun time at Tremont 647, Dish Gal and company headed down Tremont Street to The Beehive for some more cocktail fun. I figured this would be a good time to go, since it was relatively early in the night, and we wouldn't have to wait in line. FALSE.

We arrived around 9:45 p.m. and still had to wait about 10-15 minutes or so-- I was annoyed to say the least. However, once inside, all was forgiven; with a delicious dirty martini in hand and the sounds of live jazz bouncing off the walls, memories of the pretentious doorman and line-for-no-reason dissipated.

Z decided to join us after he got off work, and since he hadn't eaten yet, I reminded him that the Beehive serves food until quite late. So we parked ourselves at a table, and perused the menu. Usually at this time of night, several cocktails in, ANY menu looks amazing to Dish Gal, but this menu looked especially scrumptious.

Z was saddened to find out that the Moroccan Cigars (lamb-filled phyllo springrolls) were sold out. However, I pretty much forced him to order one of the grilled cheese sandwiches-- short rib with aged cheddar and fontina cheese ($13). HOLY CRAP am I glad he actually listened. I'm not sure if it was the martini talking, but that was possibly the best sandwich I've ever had. It positively melted in your mouth. It was so savory, so decadent...Clearly about 10 steps up from any grilled cheese I've ever had.

Maeve and I split the Beehive frites with sage and sea salt ($8). These were interesting as they were sliced paper thin; however, that made them a bit soggy, but again, at this time of night they tasted pretty darn great...but I suspect they would've been less popular a few hours earlier. But Z's was so great I swore to myself I'd write about it.

Sure, I still think the Beehive is wayyy too into itself. But after that sandwich, I'm starting to see why.

Tremont 647 - for dinner

I visited Tremont 647 for brunch recently with my brunch-loving, adorable SO with mixed results. We definitely enjoyed ourselves, but best brunch experience ever? Not really.

However, Tremont 647 stayed on my list of Places to Try for dinner. The restaurant has such personality, its hard to not like it. So this past Friday night, faced with trying to find a moderately priced, fun, yummy restaurant, I suggested Tremont 647 for a night out with Sebastian, Michelle, and Maeve.

When we walked in, I knew that it was a good decision. The buzzy, high-energy atmosphere could be felt even before stepping into the restaurant. Twinkly christmas lights at the bar lended a magical and whimsical feel.

We were seated right by the open kitchen which was fun, as we got to check out the super cute chefs working the line. Yum. We started off with some fun cocktails-- Michelle and Sebastian went with the Tremont Tang-- papaya infused vodka with "fruit juices and bubbles" ($7). This was delightful! Sort of like Fanta for adults.

Maeve tried the 647 Raspberry Vodka Gimlet ($7). I was expecting not to like this, as raspberry cocktails can sometimes be too sweet, but it was nicely sour from the fresh lime juice and very refreshing. I decided to try the Fabu-tini ($8.5) which the waitress aptly described as a sangria martini-- Absolut Ruby Red with Cointreau, fresh lemon juice, orange juice, and a splash Graham’s 6 Grapes Port.

After our festive drinks arrived, so too did a decadent and massive bread basket, filled with cornbread, carmelized onion bread, flatbread-- quite the options. Next up were our appetizers-- we started with the Momos ($9)-- fried dumplings with a sriracha sauce and soy dipping sauce. We also got two orders of the fontina stuffed tater tots ($6), which are a side dish we just had to try.

Both of these things were good... but reminded me of other restaurants who do it better. The dumplings made me recall those juicy and steaming hot Meyers + Chang's dumplings, and the tater tots reminded me of Will Gilson's heavenly tots at Garden at the Cellar. Sigh.

We decided instead of stuffing ourselves we'd be sensible and split entrees. Sebastian and I split the free-range 1/2 chicken, which came with Israeli cous-cous and Asian-style slices of eggplant. The side dishes on this one were the clear winners-- soft and silky eggplant and tart Israeli cous-cous.

Maeve and Michelle split the banana leaf-wrapped Chilean sea bass. They loved their choice, and it was a delicious piece of fish, moist and flavorful.

The best part about the meal? We each only paid around $30 a piece! True, the momos were free, since I had a coupon for them, but for a lot of food and drink it was quite the bargain. All in all, I wasn't blown away by the food. BUT I was in love with the fun atmosphere, great waitstaff, fabulous company, and of course, the cute cooks ;)

Masa, part deux

As I took the first sip of my bloody mary, I thought I had died and gone to brunch heaven. It was chunky and spicy, complex without being over-thought. One of the best I've ever had. A meal in itself.

But I'm getting ahead of myself...

Z and I had wandered around the South End, trying to find the perfect brunch spot, until finally I remembered that Elle (Dish This! character and reader) had raved about the Masa brunch. So down Tremont St we went. As soon as my eyes met the menu, I knew this was going to be a decadent meal.

I started with the aforementioned bloody mary. Our waitress brought over some cornbread to start-- so moist and delicious -- and it was accompanied by three different dips/butters -- a chipotle cranberry, a maple butter, and something with habanero I think? This was a GREAT start.

I chose the massive breakfast burrito for my meal, a flour tortilla stuffed with rice, potatoes, chorizo, vegetables, and cheese, and served with a side of beans and rice. AMAZING and so filling-- after the cornbread and bloody mary I felt like I could barely make a dent.

Z got "Sante Fe style" eggs benedict-- 2 poached eggs atop southwestern biscuits and avocado, smothered in a spicy Green chile hollandaise sauce. It was soft and smushy food-- the heat from the sauce was my favorite part. Masa is fast becoming one of my favorite Boston spots. A fun bar with great drinks, tapas for 50 cents during happy hour, and an amazing brunch, all in a fun and lively atmosphere? Sign me up.

Banq in the South End

Last Friday night Z and I had tickets to see Joel McHale at the Wilbur, err I mean, The Roxy (last minute venue change-bizarre). At first we wanted to do pre-show dinner at nearby Troquet-that is, until I looked at their prices. Okayyy, change of plans!

When Skylar and Michelle said they would come to dinner also, I knew the place we should go-Banq. Though not particularly close to the theatre district, I thought that trendy Banq would make for a fun Friday night dinner spot. We arrived around 8 pm; the front windows were open, leaving the front, bar area of the restaurant open to the warm summer breeze. Though I've seen the famed undulating wooden ceiling in photos, it really is quite striking in person.

We were seated right away at this very large banquette table. While quite an impressive table, it felt odd with just four people, and kind of isolated, as we couldn't see any other diners-which in some circumstances could definitely be viewed as a positive. The drink list was overwhelming, in a good way-I couldn't decide what I wanted among so many yummy sounding options! I settled on the watermelon mojito (I've really got to stop with the mojitos and venture out, but I can't help myself!). It was so yummy, with pureed fresh watermelon that tasted like actual watermelon, not artificial watermelon flavoring.

Next up, it was time to decide what to order. Here's where the night went downhill. We decided to start with two appetizers, and then each get an entrée. This took so long to decide on, that when our waiter declared "that's not going to be enough food," I wanted to give up and just order more cocktails. He informed us that these appetizers are very, very small, so would not work to share. He recommended we order two of each. Stupidly, we agreed.

When the appetizers finally came, the consensus was: "These are not too small to split!" Sure, they weren't "awesome blossom"-size by any means, but they were not one-biters like at Masa, either (which are also only $1 each). At around $12 for each appetizer, I could barely swallow the food without wanting to cuss out the waiter. But, I put my anger aside in order to accurately take note of how it actually tasted.

So how was it? Not that good. Our first choice was scallops with guava sauce and wasabi-cured cantaloupe. The scallops tasted good, but the description failed the dish, or vice versa. I did not taste any guava, and I did not taste any wasabi cantaloupe. Actually, I didn't even realize that WAS cantaloupe until right now, when I was forced to go back and double check the menu. The other appetizer we chose was the mung bean and mushroom crepe. I couldn't really discern any flavors at all. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good, either.

Our entrees arrived not too long later. I chose the zucchini and tofu steak with Thai basil. I was pretty excited for this, as I really enjoy vegetarian entrees (despite not being a vegetarian) and I LOVE love love Thai basil. So when it turned out to be a mushy and flavorless mess, I was beyond disappointed. Z's choice of muscovy duck was a better one- the duck was well-prepared and the cinnamon-jus was a nice accompaniment. Skylar and Michelle shared a pork dish that I only had a small nibble of, so can't really comment on. It was good, but I could sense they weren't thrilled (ladies, let me know if I'm wrong here).

We then rushed off to catch the show. I left with a bad taste in my mouth, from the weird tasting zucchini dish, the pushy waiter, but most of all, from the enormous bill that landed in our lap in the end.

With all this being said, I actually would return to Banq-- but only for drinks and to sit at the bar though. . .

(p.s. I tried to come up with some sort of pun with Banq and bank account, but decided to spare you all. )

(p.p.s. photo of the ceiling courtesy of www.boston.com )

Masa in the South End

I know I’ve mentioned that I think Masa is great before, when I talked about my birthday way back in March, but when I headed back last night I couldn’t help but wonder: Was the food really that good, or was it just my sangria margarita talking?

The first time I stepped into Masa I instantly thought, I have to bring Z here, he will love it. Finally last night I had the chance. We headed over right after I got off work so we arrived around 6. The bar area was already fairly crowded, but we managed to grab two seats at the copper bar. Though it was still light out, the bar was still the seductive and cozy space I had remembered.

Our long walk had left us parched; I ordered the habanero watermelon margarita ($9), and Z tried a mango margarita (around $9). Mine was a striking and unusual blend of sweet and spicy—the hot peppers stung my lips and throat, while the watermelon cooled and soothed. It was incredibly fresh and different—definitely not your average margarita. Z’s mango margarita was refreshing, but not overly-sweet.

Masa is famous (or should be!) for its $1 tapas menu at the bar, but I had forgotten that between 5-7 it’s only .50 cent tapas! Holy early bird special! We did the combo platter which is 10 of them ($5). While the word “tapas” might mislead you (they are very small, more like “nibbles” than small plates), when they arrive it is a beautiful sight. Each little tapas is arranged with love. I don’t want to bore you listing all ten, so I’ll just mention the cheesy jalapeno empanada, sweet potato chip topped with sweet onions, and shredded BBQ pork spring roll. Mmm mmm!

Still hungry (naturally) we ordered two appetizers—queso fundido con chorizo ($9) and roasted poblano and banana pepper spring rolls ($11). Both were like fancy/southwestern versions of classic bar food. The latter was like a jazzed-up mozzarella stick—crunchy, spring roll outside with a cheesy inside. It was sweet, a little greasy, and very delicious. The former tasted as if you scraped off the cheese and pepperoni topping of a pizza into a casserole bowl and served it with tortilla. That sounds disgusting, but it was delicious! At least for bar food—not the most dainty or palate cleansing appetizer.

To wash down this last round of food I got the “Masarita” ($8) which features apple juice and fresh squeezed orange juice. It was very good, but didn’t taste all that different from a standard margarita. Z, at my urging, got the sangria margarita ($9), which was just as good as I remembered. I made him switch halfway through. He kindly obliged. What a keeper ;)

I left the restaurant full and in love with life. Masa gets an A once again, even in a non-margarita induced state.

Myers + Chang = AMAZING

I'm very behind in blog posts (still need to write about Out of the Blue in Davis Square, dinner at Ruth's Chris, AND a veggie burger recipe!) but I had to skip ahead to write about the phenomenal experience I had last night at Myers + Chang.

I've been wanting to try this restaurant for so long, but the timing has never been right. Finally, last night the planets aligned though, as Z and I finally had the chance to head over to this much-talked-about South End restaurant.

Usually I recap the evening in chronological order, talking about the decor and the scene, etc, but for this restaurant I can't even wait to start writing about the food, so I'm skipping right to that. The food is designed to be shared, which is great, considering I wanted everything on the menu and would've ended up reaching across the table to steal some of Z's food anyway. We started with the edamame and celery slaw ($4) which I insisted on because I had heard good things. I could tell Z was a bit hesitant (celery is not the most exciting vegetable out there), but as soon as we took our first bites we were sold. It was SO refreshing-- the sesame oil and lemon dressing was like nothing I've ever tasted. So crisp and fresh.

Next up was the "tiger's tears" ($10)-- grilled skirt steak with thai basil, lime, and khao koor. The waitress had recommended this dish "if you like spicy food", which of course I'm obsessed with these days, so we had to try it. It came in a big pile of beautiful red and yellow gleaming bell peppers, thinly sliced skirt steak, and big leaves of mint and cilantro. Skirt steak often is too chewy if cooked improperly, and you're left awkwardly chewing for ten minutes or attempting to bite it in half with your teeth. However, this skirt steak melted in your mouth, and its softness complemented the hard and super-crunchy khao koor. (I just did a google search of khao koor, and apparently it's roasted rice. All I know is it kind of has the texture of finely ground bacon bits-- not the flavor though, of course). At first this dish was spicy, but then when I hit a hot pepper it was SUPER spicy! Thank god the waitress brought over some extra water, because I could feel the heat spread down my arms, and my lips were on FIRE. Z said I was even turning kind of red. But it was so good, I just had to delve right back in, ignore my body's reaction, and enjoy the firey flavors.

Following this up would be a challenge, I thought. Nothing could match this. However, our next dish was also ridiculously delicious, except it had such a different flavor profile it did not compete with the tiger's tears, but rather complemented it. After the spicy tigers tears, the soft and pillowy braised pork belly buns ($8) soothed my mouth and delighted my senses with sweet brandied hoisin sauce and pickled watermelon relish. I had never had pork belly before, but it was so soft and squishy.

Finally, our last dish arrived-- mama chang's pork and chive dumplings($11). These were the most traditional Chinese dish that we ate all night, but you could tell they were made with love. Usually dumplings can be a turn-off with their thick and doughy casing, but these were delicate, supple, and piping hot.

Z was still hungry after all this (they are fairly small portions) so he ordered the wok-charred udon noodles ($11) with oyster sauce, baby bok choy, and chicken. Of course I pilfered some of this. However, this dish was my least favorite. As Z very astutely pointed out, this had that usual Chinese food greasiness that was definitely not in the other dishes. It also seemed lacking in seasoning. HOWEVER, I'm very glad we ordered this as Joanne Chang herself brought the noodles to our table! I was so star-struck, I could barely muster a thank you, I just goofily smiled. I'm a foodie dork.

At the end of the meal, the waitress brought over a complimentary lemon and candied ginger custard that was light and fluffy and the perfect end to a nearly perfect meal.

A few words about ambiance: The restaurant is really eclectic in its decor-- a hot pink stencil lines the windows; mirrored-walls have cheeky sayings scrawled across them like, "Man who has one chopstick goes hungry. Woman who has one chopstick use fingers"; and placemats are Asian newspapers (actual newspaper). As I've mentioned, I love restaurants where the longer you look around, the more tiny details you notice-- like the iPod mounted in the wall that pumps the rock music into the restaurant. You can tell a restaurant is truly a labor of love with the details.

As you can see from my blabbing on and on about this restaurant, I had a fantastic time. ONE word of caution though: there is definitely a lot of sodium in the food, as when I got home I had the largest salt bloat I'd ever seen. It honestly looked like I was with child.

BUT in the morning that was gone, and in its place are the memories of pork belly, tiger's tears, and edamame dancing in my head.