Skylar and I shared two breakfast entrees-- she got an omelette with boursin cheese, avocado, and tomato. I got the coffee roll french toast-- which was basically two huge cinnamon rolls dusted with powdered sugar with syrup on the side. Clearly no complaints there!!
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After we stepped outside and basked in the sunshine, we decided we needed to get out of the city and enjoy the fresh air. So we spontaneously road tripped (isn't that the best kind?) to Salem, MA. 
After walking around for a bit, we ended up at -- big surprise-- another restaurant. Capt's Waterfront Grille was pretty quiet, so we got a seat outside. Jacques and Mick (new character alert! Mick is Jacques' roommate, and Mick comes from the fact that he adeptly DJed most of our car ride with the Rolling Stones) ordered some awesomely colorful cocktails-- the "full rig" amount (you could get smaller versions at "half mast," too, but what manly man would order a drink at half mast, I ask you?).jpg)
Skylar and I opted for some wine and beer.But the BEST part about it was that I got to try my first oysters!!! I have been waiting a long time to do this-- I wanted my first time to be perfect-- and I felt that it was: I was with oyster lovers (and experts) next to the ocean, on a beautiful day. Sounded good to me.
And the verdict?
And the verdict?I liked them!! I can't wait to try them again. Now I am really dying to go to Neptune Oyster.
We also got fried clams and fried calamari. Overall, great, great day.
I enjoyed the free-form lasagna, made up of black pepper pasta sheets tossed with plum tomatoes, ricotta, chicken, mushrooms, and spinach. The dish was successful, as it differed enough to justify ordering a classic, but didn't change so much that it lost its inherent charm. I thought the chicken was an unnecessary addition, though. True, I notoriously dislike chicken in general (chicken=zzzz to me most of the time), but it seemed to me like an afterthought in this dish, intended to placate those people who would never order a vegetarian dish. 
Runner-up: 
Noir Bar
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When we arrived at Jacques', I set to work. Sebastian helped out as my sous-chef for the evening—well, part of the evening. In the beginning, he deftly handled draining the artichokes (once I told him what “draining” meant), rubbed garlic on the bread like a true all-star, and read aloud the instructions when I didn't have a hand free to grab the recipe:
However, when I hit a mini-crisis when my pan got too hot and oil spurted everywhere, he was nowhere to be found! Couldn’t take the heat in the kitchen, apparently ;) Thankfully, Maeve swooped in, not only with a helping hand, but also with a delicious grapefruit gimlet for me! Woohoo! (Recipe to come later in the week on Dish This! Be sure to check back!) 
Here’s the recipe for Dish Gal's Artichoke Bruschetta, adapted from 
Artichoke Bruschetta
We finished off the night with some pies, courtesy of Whole Foods—strawberry-rhubarb and a lemon almond. Yummy, and nice not having to get the kitchen too hot! Perfect end to a perfect evening.
Our waiter was friendly, professional, and knowledgeable-- a welcome change from the notorious North End waiters who sometimes try to rush you along. We decided to start with the insalata pomodoro ($10), beefsteak tomatoes with shaved parmiagano, olive oil, fresh basil, pancetta, and gorgonzola. This was kind of blah-- but part of it is my fault for ordering an appetizer that is based around tomatoes in the dead of February. 
Luckily, the entrees made up for the less than stellar appetizer. We both chose classic Italian dishes, both of which Fiore presented very elegantly. Sebastian went with the saltimbocca di pollo, pan-seared chicken sautéed with mushrooms and marsala wine, topped with prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, and sage ($22). This was SO yummy. So savory, so salty, so delicious. 
I decided to go with my standby parmigiana di melanzane ($19)-- eggplant parmesan. I appreciated the fact that this didn't come smothered in breadcrumbs or dripping with grease. And even though some may complain about having to order a side of pasta to go along with this, in the end I think it's for the best it doesn't come with pasta-- it's substantial enough on its own.
Overrall, while Fiore is overpriced (that's typical with the North End though), when you factor in great service and nice overrall ambiance (especially in the summer months!), it is worth it. While there are other places I may recommend before I recommend Fiore, you definitely would be in for a good meal if you choose this spot. 
Dish Gal's FAVORITE pancakes come from Theo's Cozy Corner in the North End. These amazing pancakes are light and fluffy, and come in huge portions, in either plain, chocolate chip, or blueberry. I opted for blueberry. 
Like a well-run clothing boutique, Going Bananas goes for quality over quantity. It has everything you’d need for a quick weeknight dinner, with some fun extras thrown in. Feeling good? They have fresh salads, produce like bell peppers and tomatoes, small uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, yogurt, fruits, whole-grain cous cous (I couldn’t even find this at Shaw’s the other day) and FRESH herbs. They even have my favorite healthy item-- tofu. 
Feeling a bit more adventurous? Try some chicken sausage, or maybe one of their Asian-style sauces. Hosting an impromptu-gathering? Fresh cheese and crackers, as well as olives and oils. They even have pre-made pastas like pumpkin ravioli. Or, for a meal on the run, grab a fresh-fruit smoothie and a sandwich, made with Boar’s Head meats.
Ann started off with some bubbly prosecco; I opted to warm up with a glass of chianti. We both shared a special appetizer for the evening-- a bruschetta with burrata mozzarella, roasted tomatoes, drizzled with olive oil and balsamic. Trattoria di Monica has a sister store that sells meats and cheeses across the street (Monica's)-- Z and I used their delicious mozzarella for 
The cold and snowy night inspired hearty dishes for our entree choices. I went with the handmade spinach and ricotta gnocchi with a pork ragu ($18) while Ann went with veal stuffed with cheese, wrapped in proscuitto over fettucine ($24). Here's my dish:
Both were excellent, and perfect for such a night. Another plus for this restaurant? Very few entrees are more than $20. Which is a lot to say in the North End!
Saturday night I was tailgating at Boston College for the aforementioned football game. I wish I could say it was tons of fun, but Dish Gal was soaking wet (poor choices in rain gear!) and still struggling from Friday night. "Dinner" that night consisted of some of Skylar's guacamole (which I enjoyed thoroughly until she told me she mashed it up with her hands "that she had rinsed with water but no soap"-- haha nice image, Skylar...) and a cold hot dog. And of course, plenty of Coors Light. Blech. (
Oddly enough, we all got variations of eggs benedict. Sebastian went with the smoked salmon benedict:
I chose the eggs florentine. One cool thing was the options for "subbing in" for the traditional sides. For example, instead of homefries I got mixed greens, and instead of toast, a bagel. (They are about $2 extra for each though, keep in mind.) Sebastian got rosemary fries instead of homefries-- these were amazing!!
My eggs florentine were pretty good; nothing crazy or mind-blowing but good. Nothing to write home about...
The service was definitely spotty (took about ten times asking to get glasses of water), but they were definitely short-staffed, and it was similar to service you'd expect in a busy diner.
Ristorante Damiano serves tapas style Italian food ("piattini") which is a cool idea, and I was excited about. Our first tapas arrived in a cute little bronzed pot-- a risotto with proscuitto and peas. It was pretty good, but then anything loaded with parmesan cheese and butter usually is. 
But then it went downhill. The fried calamari, which was supposed to come with a spicy lemon aoli, was pretty tasteless and definitely not spicy. 
The beef carpaccio, a special that night, was also pretty tasteless, even with shaved parmesan cheese on top. 
And our final dish was the worst-- duck breast with a frangelico glaze and gnocchi. The gnocchi did not taste like any gnocchi I've ever had. It crumbled apart and was super dry. The duck was rubbery, and the sauce was gross. 
For Dish Gal not to finish food is rare; for me not to finish a small plate is unheard of! But I couldn't bring myself to finish, and instead we headed across to get dessert at Lucca, since this restaurant doesn't serve it.. Not that we would've stayed, anyway...
Now, when you head into Boston Beanstock Coffee Co. next weekend, excited to try my new recommendation, you might get a bit nervous when you don't see it on the menu. But make sure you ask for it-- they can make it for you. I discovered this because I had seen it on their online menu but it wasn't in the coffee shop. But having left my apartment specifically for this sandwich, I perservered and asked about it. So do the same!
