Tag Archives: Dining

New restaurant to open in South End’s SoWa neighborhood

Posted on January 12, 2012 | 1 comment

MCSlimJB a Boston-based restaurant critic, tweeted that the Union Park Neighborhood Association was contacted by Deuxave / dbar owner with plans to open a steakhouse in the old Penny Savings building on Washington Street.

Back in August I listed this as a rumor that had been buzzing through the neighborhood in my post Dishing some South End gossip.  However, I thought Brian Piccini (owner of Deuxave and dbar) was unable to make this happen. There’s no word about what hurdles remain for this to happen or when the unnamed restaurant will open for business, but stay tuned.

Thanks to Adam and his hospitality blog for the tip.

1 Comment

Posted in Dining, South End, SoWa

Tagged , , , , , ,

Dinner w/ Opus One winemaker Michael Silacci

Posted on September 2, 2011 | 1 comment

Last week I was invited to join my friend at 40-something life blog for a dinner with Opus One winemaker Michael Silacci and France Posener, the winery’s East Coast Sales representative at one of Boston’s premiere restaurants, L’Espalier. I loved the Summer Degustation which we ordered. It included 4 savory courses, followed by their grand fromage, signature sorbet and dessert. All told the 6 plates each accompanied by a different wine took us approximately 5 hours to eat – if you’d like to read in more detail what we ate, please link to my friend Tracey’s blog, here.However, I would like to write a bit about the dining experience, starting with the exceptional service and attention we received due to Michael Silacci’s presence. The chef and proprietor of L’Espalier, Frank McClelland came over to meet us personally and chatted briefly with France and Michael. After seeing so many raging chefs on these quasi-reality cooking shows, chef McClelland’s calm, polite demeanor was a welcome dose of reality. We were also well tended by the sommelier, Erich Schliebe, who poured a new wine with each course and freely joined in our ongoing dinner repartee. Lastly, the restaurant’s Captain, Daniel Floyd, provided us with the most attentive service I can recall in recent memory. I know this was all for the benefit of the well respected winemaker to my right, but I enjoyed being privy to the opportunity.

One of the reasons Michael Silacci and France Posener were in Boston was to premier the Opus One 2008 vintage. It was pretty cool to be among the first to try this new vintage. They brought a bottle of the award winning 2007 and the new 2008 and poured both for us to try side-by-side. The picture to the left is of last year’s vintage. Between courses and wine, conversation flowed easily from start to finish. Michael is quite interesting and is equally comfortable talking about subject matter completely unrelated to his areas of interest or expertise. He is an attentive listener and has a dry wit. One of the things I really enjoyed learning about my dinner companion is that he’s allergic to chocolate – it causes him to sneeze. He joked the better the chocolate the more he sneezes. I was able to witness the reaction first hand when dessert was served and it caused all of us to laugh (again).

Dinner was filled with both personal stories from each of us as well as some interesting insights into the Opus One winery. I started my dinner not knowing the two guests who were treating my friend and me to this decadent dinner but left with a deeper appreciation for the work and attention they bring to their wines as well as some interesting insights into what makes them tick.
Should you be interested in visiting the beautiful Opus One estate and winery, make a reservation today here.

1 Comment

Posted in Back Bay

Tagged , , ,

Restaurant Review: Ten Tables

Posted on August 16, 2011 | 1 comment

Ten Tables has three locations; the newest opening earlier this year in Provincetown. Located near the center of town off Bradford Street, the Provincetown restaurant has more seating than its name would lead you to believe. There is a beautiful patio, a gregarious bar and two floors of dining in this cutely converted home.

For those unfamiliar with the Ten Tables philosophy, the restaurants maintain a smaller menu that is based upon handmade foods from home grown and local ingredients. You can read more about their philosophy on there website here.

Ten Tables offers vacationers another excellent dinner option and lives up to the reputation of its sister-restaurants back in Boston and Cambridge. Dinner for two, each having an appetizer, main course and sharing a dessert (not including drinks or tip) will cost $80-$90. First plates range in price from $9-$16; main dishes range in price from $21-$33; with desserts ranging from $9-$12. Diners can order from a full bar that includes some interesting selection of wines and locally brewed beers. I believe there is a separate bar menu on the second floor, but I did not have a chance to view this.

Our meal started with fresh lobster meat served on a bed of fennel and grapefruit flavored with pistachios and coriander as well as a cucumber gazpacho with thinly sliced apples and minced almonds. Both appetizers were extremely flavorful, but the lobster combined with the fresh citrus was so good I’m still obsessing over it.

First plates: Lobster $16 / Gazpacho $9

Our main plates soon arrived after our first course was cleared. We had ordered the striped bass plate which came with pancetta, frisee, potatoes and sauce, as well as handmade cavatelli with wild greens and sauce. The fish was cooked perfectly and the pancetta and sauce added so much flavor my partner who doesn’t eat fish couldn’t get enough. While the pasta was tasty and a good pick, it could not compare to the striped bass.

Main courses: Cavatelli $21 / Sea Bass $27

Although I was more than satisfied, for the sake of this review I soldiered on and we both ordered desserts including a chocolate terrine with vanilla ice cream and half of a peach slowly baked with crumble and vanilla ice cream. Both were beyond decadent and capped one of my more memorable dinners.

Desserts: Baked Peach Crumble / Chocolate Terrine

Ten Tables Locations:
133 Bradford Street, Provincetown (508) 487-0106
5 Craigie Circle, Cambridge (617) 576-5444 – Original location
597 Centre Street, Jamaica Plain (617) 524-8810                                                Reservations are strongly recommended for all locations.

1 Comment

Tagged , , , ,

Restaurant Review: Pigalle Boston

Posted on July 30, 2011 | 2 comments

Pigalleis conveniently located just blocks from the Boston Common and near where the Theater District and Bay Village meet. This weekend’s menu offers patrons the choice of a 3-course prix fixe menu for $40.00 or ordering a la carte. Dining prix fixe is the more economical choice with starters ranging from $14-$23 and main dishes ranging from $29-$44.

The staff is a bit formal but very helpful and the space is comfortable with ample sized tables and seats mixed with cozy banquettes all dimly lit with bossa nova playing in the background creating for a rather romantic setting.

Food was creatively prepared and delicious; exactly what I would expect from a French restaurant with entrees in this range. I started with gazpacho that was served in a teapot and poured into my bowl it came plated with grilled calamari, cherry tomatoes, avocado and basil infused oil. Sergio opted for the prix fixe and started with an arugula salad that exploded with flavor between the fingerling potato crisps, and fried (OMG!!) goat cheese croutons.I ordered the baked sole with potato gnocchi stuffed with horseradish potato on a bed of sautéed spinach and red onion with caper and buerre blanc.Sergio had a mushroom risotto with root vegetables and topped with pea tendrils. Although both meals were very flavorful, I think my meal was better. It was also one of the more creative I’ve had in a long time. We finished our dinner sharing Sergio’s dessert, vanilla bean crème brulee which was as consistently delicious as the rest of the food. Dinner is going to put a dent in your wallet, but I’ll come back again.             Pigalle is located at 75 Charles Street South (617) 423-4944                 Reservations strongly recommended.

Pigalle on Urbanspoon

2 Comments

Posted in Restaurant Review

Tagged , , , ,

Provincetown cheap eats

Posted on July 21, 2011 | 1 comment

Provincetown has some truly excellent dining options, but more often than not I eat outside on the remodeled deck shared by the Aqua Bar at 207 Commercial Street. You can access this deck through the Aquarium Marketplace (a mini arcade that includes a half dozen eateries serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner). Adding to the appeal of these food vendors is the very comfortable patio and deck overlooking the harbor complete with a bar that serves excellent drinks and a raw bar to satiate all those hankering for fresh seafood.

I’m most partial to Big Daddy’s Burritos and often order the Fish Burrito. Each year there are new eateries and this year a bakery and seafood vendor have opened for business. The half dozen eateries in this arcade all serve up good cheap eats and the view from the deck only enhances the dining experience. So should you find yourself in Provincetown looking for a quick and easy dining option that won’t place a dent in your wallet, consider checking out the Aquarium Marketplace at 247 Commercial Street, easily identifiable by the HRC store that faces the street.

Lightly battered Fish-N-Chips was excellent and filling; $10.95Big Daddy’s fish burrito in a bowl is filling and delicious; $8.50

1 Comment

Tagged , , ,

Restaurant Review: El Centro

Posted on July 21, 2011 | Leave a comment

Tonight I visited El Centro, a Mexican restaurant that opened this past May in Boston’s South End neighborhood. A few weeks ago when I posted a review of Zocalo, I admitted my lack of experience eating Mexican. I recognize a second visit to a Mexican restaurant does not make me an expert so take this review with a grain of salt.
First impressions of this restaurant are of a cozy, bustling place that is comfortable but not fancy. The staff was friendly and attentive despite being very busy. Main dishes cost between $15 – $23 and most starters cost from $5 – $10. A dinner for two including a shared appetizer, two main dishes and shared dessert is approximately $50 – $60 (drinks and tip not included).
The food was flavorful, good portions and arrived promptly. I’ve included pictures of both our main dishes (a traditional chicken plate and a chiles rellenos stuffed with ground beef). Although I like the look of El Centro and the food was good, I don’t feel like it was a great value. Prices were comparable to dinner at Zocalo which provides a far more elegant dining experience if you are hungry for a Mexican dinner. I’m sure I’ll end up going back (friends will inevitably want to try El Centro), but I won’t be the one making the suggestion.
Pictures of our dinner: chicken and rice in a mole sauce and chiles rellenos stuffed with ground beef were $18.00 each.
El Centro is located at 472 Shawmut Ave in the South End (617) 262-5708
Reservations: first come; first served
El Centro on Urbanspoon

Leave a comment

Tagged , , , ,

Boston announces 15 new food truck locations

Posted on July 12, 2011 | Leave a comment

According to Adam’s Hospitality and Tourism Industry Blog 15 new food truck locations will debut throughout Boston on Wednesday, July 13th.

New food truck locations will be located in Back Bay, Bay Village, South End, Fenway, Kenmore/BU, Dorchester, Boston Marine Industrial Park/South Boston Waterfront, and the Charlestown Navy Yard.
You can figure out where your favorite food truck is located or look online to see if there is a food truck near you by visiting the city of Boston website here.
Do you have a favorite food truck or does the idea of eating from a kitchen on wheels make you road sick? Boston has a fair amount of good options and there is always a large collection each Sunday at the SoWa Open Market so if you don’t have one of these kitchens on wheels near you during the day, come and check it out on Sunday at the Open Market in the south end.
Thanks for the tip Adam.

Leave a comment

Posted in Back Bay

Tagged , , , ,

South End cheap eats

Posted on July 3, 2011 | 4 comments

The South End is not a restaurant district, but it certainly has many options for Foodies and in my opinion some of Boston’s most interesting dining establishments. Unfortunately, it may cost you more than $50 to have a meal if you don’t know where some of the South End’s best cheap eats are located.

I thought I’d make a list of a few cheap eats that do this neighborhood proud. I only considered restaurants that are open for dinner and have table service.

ADDIS RED SEA is an authentic Ethiopian restaurant located in the heart of the neighborhood on Tremont Street. Ethiopian cuisine is surprisingly flavorful and a bit exotic at least by my standards. Main dishes range in price with most falling between $8-$15; sharing dishes will make a stop here even more affordable.

ANCHOVIES is nestled discretely on Columbus Avenue and it serves up good home style Italian-American cooking. Main dishes for dinner all come with bread and a house salad and range from $12-$15.

Columbus Cafe is located on the corner of Columbus Ave and Claremont Park. The cozy restaurant and bar also has a small street side patio for al fresco dining. The menu is filled with comfort food all reasonably priced with main dishes ranging from $11-$19.

ORINOCO is a rustic Venezuelan restaurant on Shawmut Avenue, just a few blocks up from Mass Ave. Their coooking nicely blends flavors I normally associate with Latin American and the Caribean cooking. If you are lucky, you can snag a seat outside at one of the few tables they have. Main dishes range from $8-$19.

PICCO Just across the street from ADDIS RED SEA is the Pizza & Ice Cream Co. (PICCO). The menu is mostly pizza, sandwiches and pasta. This place has a large patio that also provides excellent people watching. Main dishes range from $8-$14. For an even cheaper option; split a large pizza and delicious dessert. (I like the brownie sundae.)

What are some of your favorite cheap eats for dinner?

4 Comments

Posted in Dining, South End

Tagged , , , ,

Restaurant Review: : Zócalo Back Bay

Posted on June 29, 2011 | 1 comment

Zócalo, a Mexican restaurant recently opened in space previously occupied by Stix. The restaurant can accommodate 50+ inside but has a large patio for al fresco dining for lunch or dinner. Zócalo is owned by chef Erwin Ramos who also owns the very successful, Olé Mexican Grill in Cambridge.

Over the past year, Boston has seen several new Mexican restaurants open. Boston has not embraced Mexican cuisine and until recently, I could only name 2-3 Mexican restaurants in the area. So take my review with a grain of salt because my exposure to Mexican cuisine is limited at best. I’ve noted that the reviews of this new restaurant are very mixed, but my experience was pleasant from start to finish.

Dinner at Zócalo including an appetizer, main dish and dessert (no drink or tip included) will cost approximately $30.00 – $35.00 per person. Main dishes range from $17.00-$23.00.

Before our meal, I started with a delicious martini at the downstairs bar. My friends all indulged in a variety of margaritas; of which the passion fruit seemed the best. The service, starting with the bartender and including the patient waitress who helped us with our meal, was good from start to finish. While waiting for the main dishes to come out it was suggested we order sides of guacamole and salsa. These proved to be my favorite part of the meal. If dinner is not an option, grabbing some drinks and delving into the oversized portions of guacamole or homemade salsa is a great alternative.

For my main I opted for the chile rellenos. I thought the two roasted poblano peppers were very good. One was stuffed with cheese, spinach, raisins and almonds and the other with braised pork. The dinner also comes with a side of black beans and plantains, which strangely, I did not care for. The cheese on the beans tasted off and the plantains were too tough.

Chile Rellenos – $19.95

If you are looking to try someplace different or have a hankering for Mexican cuisine, give this place a try. The inside is very nice, the staff was friendly and in good weather you can make use of their oversized patio. Should you go, let me know your thoughts.

Zócalo is located at 35 Stanhope Street (617) 456-7849
Reservations not required but strongly recommended
Zocalo Cocina Mexicana on Urbanspoon

1 Comment

Posted in Back Bay, Restaurant Review

Tagged , , , ,

$2 Taco Tuesday Nights

Posted on June 15, 2011 | 5 comments

Every Tuesday, Tremont647 and adjoining Sister Sorel have a selection of $2.00 tacos you can order for dinner. Last night, I was going to join my friend and fellow blogger, 40Something Life, for dinner but plans changed when the weather did not cooperate so I opted to head over to Sister Sorel.

I’m a huge fan of cheap eats and one can have quite a dinner (beer included) all for about $10.00 on Tuesday’s at Tremont647 or Sister Sorel. That’s hard to beat. If you live in Boston or are visiting on a Tuesday night, its worth checking out. Although Tremont647 is larger and better known, I’m partial to eating at the shabby little sister restaurant, Sister Sorel and its candlelit bar.

What you see below are three tacos: lamb and yogurt; mushroom, cheese and poblano peppers; and finally fish and mango tacos. In addition, I ordered a delicious side of guacamole (paid extra for that bit) and my favorite redneck beer, PBR.

Tremont 647 on Urbanspoon

5 Comments

Posted in Restaurant Review

Tagged , , , , ,

Restaurant Review: Stephi’s on Tremont

Posted on June 12, 2011 | 1 comment

Almost without fail, every Sunday I go out for breakfast. It’s a routine that I very much enjoy and thanks to the neighborhood that I live, there are plenty of options all within just a few blocks.

Ever since Stephi’s on Tremont opened in March of 2009 it’s been embraced by the neighborhood. It was a welcome replacement to the predecessor, which had become run down. Stephi’s owners (also the owners of Stephanie’s on Newbury) transformed the space into a 60+ seat restaurant that is always busy.

The weekend brunch menu for Stephi’s will appeal even to the pickiest of eaters with an even number of breakfast and lunch options ranging in price from $10-$16. Portion size is large no matter what you order and service is consistent. If you make a reservation and don’t want to sit on their sidewalk patio, I always recommend requesting one of the oversized booths at the front of the restaurant that provide you a birds eye view of the pedestrian traffic that never seems to end and often is great for people watching.

My preferred breakfast item is Stephi’s 3-egg omelet filled w/ smoked salmon, fried capers and a side of home fries. I also ask for the cream cheese on the side (otherwise they stuff that in the omelet too – and its just too much for me).

Smoked Salmon Omelet from Stephi’s $12.00


Stephi’s on Tremont is located at 571 Tremont Street in the South End
Reservations: Not required but suggested (617) 236-2063
Stephi's on Tremont on Urbanspoon

1 Comment

Posted in Restaurant Review, South End

Tagged , , , ,

Food truck phenomenon

Posted on June 8, 2011 | 4 comments

The Boston Globe has a pretty cool listing on its Boston.com site today regarding the sudden popularity of food trucks. This trend first started out in southern California (as nearly all automotive trends seem to) and has over the past few years worked its way East. Starting a couple of years ago you’d have been hard pressed to name a food truck (unless your favorite ice cream truck counts). However, now they seem to be everywhere.

Beware, not all food trucks are equal either. Depending on your diet and preferences, some of these food trucks which often specialize in certain food preparations, can seem a bit kooky. I’m pretty lucky because there are always many food trucks attending SoWa Open Market. I have a couple of personal favorites now, but I’m curious to find out if you too have tried any of the food trucks you see around Boston. If you are not from Boston, do tell… Is this something you’ve noticed in your city or when I say food truck are you scratching your head wondering what the heck I’m referring to.

For more information about the phenomenon, check out Boston.com’s Guide to the best food trucks in Boston

4 Comments

Tagged , , , ,

Pop’s Restaurant continues to lack consistency

Posted on May 21, 2011 | 2 comments

One of the things I really like about my neighborhood is the variety of restaurants. The Boston Globe’s “Top Places to Live” said it best, “It’s not just the number, variety, and quality of restaurants that make Boston’s South End a mecca for food lovers; it’s also the array of specialty purveyors, such as the Five Seventy Market and South End Formaggio.”

Unfortunately, not all restaurants in this neighborhood are worth visiting. Such is the frustration I have with Pop’s Restaurant. This tiny little restaurant has so much going for it. First the service is consistently friendly, second the place is so cute (esp since they remodeled their bar), and third they have arguably the best patio for people watching in all of the South End.

The problem with Pop’s is its inconsistency. One meal can be good and the next a disappointment. Such was the case with breakfast today. After staying away from Pop’s for the past couple years, we opted to go in for a Sunday brunch last month. Our food was delicious…So today, when we decided we would like to have breakfast al fresco, we thought we’d give Pop’s another try. Both of us ordered the same exact meal we had the month prior but the food bore little resemblance to that previous visit. My order Pop’s breakfast: 3 eggs any style, potato hash, toast and side of ham was far more salty this time and plated very differently. The last time the presentation was so visually engaging I actually took a photo and tweeted it. Sergio’s order BBQ Pulled Pork sandwich was also significantly saltier and the bread this time was pressed making the sandwich both difficult to eat and not to his liking.

When the food served is to your liking the prices make the restaurant worthwhile with the average breakfast meal $9-$10; lunch items $12-$14 and dinner entrees ranging from $15-$25. The problem is the odds never seem to work in my favor and I’m not much of a betting man. There are simply too many other restaurants that are consistently good in this neighborhood so my suggestion would unfortunately be to keep walking.

Pop’s Restaurant is located at 560 Tremont Street in the South End.
Reservations are a good idea for dinner.
POPS on Urbanspoon

2 Comments

Posted in Restaurant Review

Tagged , , , , ,

Shhh… new Italian restaurant to open in South End

Posted on May 20, 2011 | 5 comments

The very successful Boston restaurant company, The Aquitaine Group is poised to open their fourth fifth restaurant in Boston’s trendy South End neighborhood in the space formerly occupied by Rocca.

When this new eatery will open in the South End is unclear, but plans to remodel to make it uniquely their own is underway. Lets just hope that they open soon enough that residents like yours truly can enjoy the fantastic private patio for some dinner al fresco.

News of this (although not official yet) makes me very happy. With Rocca, Pho Republique and Ginger Park all closing within the past 18-months SoWa was in need of some good restaurant news. To the Aquitaine Group’s latest venture I’d like to say benvenuti and buona fortuna.

5 Comments

Tagged , , , , ,

BosGuy cooks (again)

Posted on May 8, 2011 | 6 comments

Its no secret that I love food, but I only cook a meal 1-2 times a week. Last month I felt particularly adventurous and posted a write up about cooking artichokes for the first time in my entry, Chef BosGuy.

Earlier this week I marked another culinary first when I made eggplant parmigiana. I love eggplant parmigiana; my grandmother “Nana” perfected this meal and cooked it through out my childhood. More recently my mother has continued the tradition perhaps even surpassing Nana’s home recipe. My initial attempt was good but could not compare to either Nana’s nor Mom’s, but I was proud of the food I plated and it was savory enough that it barely lasted more than 24 hours; despite making a huge tray.

Here is a close up of my dinner plate. The eggplant is accompanied by linguine in a spicy marinara sauce I also made (covered with a healthy pinch of parmesan).
Dinner for one.

6 Comments

Tagged , ,