In addition to the casual fare I was also indulging in some elegant foodie affairs while on holiday. This next post summarizes my summertime excursions in Boston and New York as some of the most consistently tasty restaurants that never fail to impress in the flavor department. First on the list is Stella restaurant in South Boston. I have been a regular at Stell on Washington street, since my good friend Kendy Amazon introduced me to it back in 2007. It can be classified as modern Italian fair with a touch of rustic here and there.
The dish below always lingers on my pallete, Spicy Mussels / saffron cream / roasted peppers / white wine / garlic, it's rich whoelsome cream base melding with the saffron make it one of the most mouth watering dishes I've ever had. The mussels are served out of shell and are easier to enjoy in this iressistable sauce. From the sweet peppers to the fresh herbs and the rustic grilled bread used to mop up all these gorgeous flavors is the perfect dish. I enjoyed it as a starter, but s double portion could easily be enjoyed as a main course.
Now onto dessert, at this point sharing was the only option, so the Warm Pecan Pie / Caramel Crème Anglaise / Vanilla Gelato seemed like the perect choice. The warm flavors of pecan and caramel were literally singing out to me, and the right choice it was! Crispy, crunchy, sweet and creamy, all the elements one looks for in a dessert and much much more!
Sushi is always a necessary culinary experience anywhere you go, and fortunately, Boston is know for it's fresh seafood, so there was no question about deciding on a dinner destination. This was my first Duozo (located on on Dartmouth street in Back Bay) experience, the maki rolls were great including a scallop kiwi, toro torch, and Boston Roll (with Lobster of course) however, the miso mushroom soup lacked the usual salty seaweed flavor i am used to enjoying and softshell crab tempura a little soggy and a littly too crabby, dissapointed, I just focused more on the maki instead. Overall, the restaurant has a fantastic vibe in a prime location, so as a destination, Iwould go back!
One of our regular places to hang out in Boston is the seaport area, with its colorful and abundant restaurant choices, there are plenty of things to see and do at this one stop partying stop. Temezcal always tops the list though in terms of price point, ambiance, and food selection. The Zuchini blossom stuffed empanadas was unusual, and flavorful. The egenrous portion was large enought o share, so my friend Elizabeth and I indulged in this yummy treatto start with. Some of the dinner choices includes a traditional Chicken Mole Poblano made with a mexican chocolate based sauce and chillie barised chicken.
It's Wedding Time! Summers are always popular for weddings, and this time, it was a classy affair to remember. With hibiscus bellinis and lobster cones to start off the evening, we knew it was going to be a marathon of decadence on this beautiful Saturday in early August. Sanya Fanous (the bride) and her family always throw a good party, from their 4th of July BBQ's to pool party's, and even casual gatherings at their beautiful Framingham home, the Fanous family is notorious for quality entertainment.
Below are just some of the treats we enjoyed at this gorgeous celebration of matrimony, and no summer time Boston wedding would be complete with out an abundance of seafood around!
Keeping with the seafood theme, we also had to make sure a Lobster roll was on the agenda. The best place to have one of these, other then harborside or in Glouceter, MA is B&G Oysters on Tremont in the South End. Barbara Lynch has revolutionized New England cuisine at this quaint little gem. Served in a buttered brioche along with salty and crispy double fried fries, I dream about this dish often:)
No seafood restaurant in New England, big or small, would be complete without a extensive selection of local oysters. This is as fresh as it gets! B&G Oysters takes pride in their fresh supply and keeps them neatly orgainzed in this little nook for their open kitchen concept.
Another meal to remember was the DelFrisco's experience. Known for their southern style hospitality and pricey steaks, eating a meal at this top notch restaurant was something we weren't prepaired for. Surprisingly elegant and consisitng of an array of flavors and proteins (other than steak) we thoroughly enjoyed this birthday celebration for Mr. Steve Sylvester. The Seared Scallops and Shrimp Scampi were classic steak house dishes, but had an extra dimension of flavor which added to the aroma of the restaurant.
The hearty Crispy Duck Steak with a Cherry Sauce was enjoyed by 9 month pregnant Asma Syed, but even she couldn't finish this generous portion size. There's nothing wrong with doggy bags in this part of town, so we all enjoyed left overs the follwing day as well.
Again, I am a sucker for anything with fresh corn, so the Tomatoes with Sweet Corn and Arbol Chile Vinaigrette salad was the obvious choice. The fresh ingredients, creamy cotija cheese, and spicy dressing made this lunch sstarter really stand out.
Amongst the taco selection were the Skirt Steak with Mojo de Ajo (toasted garlic, orange juice, cumin) Fish Tempura with Cabbage and Lime Mayonnaise,and Chicken with Crema and Salsa Verde (tomatillo, cilantro, serrano) The Skirt Steak was tender and juicy with all the rights notes, the fish tempura were a close second, but found it needed atouch more of the lime mayonnaise. In third place came the chicken taco, creamy and textured, but didn't really match up to balance and flavvor as the other 2 taco counterparts.
When you think of good food in New York, people often turn to Manhattan, but Brooklyn has proven to be up to par with it's sistering borough on the culinary front, but always boasts a more economical price point. I was fortunate to be amongst foodie friends that lived in the neighborhood for many years, and were enthusiastic about this traditional Italian spot in the heart of Park Slope on 5th Ave. We walked in early on this particular Sunday morning, and everything seemed to be working in our favor. The table for 6 was ready and waiting for us, as we sat down to our delicious Italian brunch feast. Below are a couple of starters to begin with we shared a gorgeous Insalata di Farro with fresh summer tomatoes, basil, olives, onions, and a touch of EVOO with a splash of lemon juice.
My choice was the sweet summer corn and tomato soup with torn bread and fresh basil. The soup was full of testure and aroma, however lacked a little salt for my liking. The freshness factor was present, but it could have used a few more hours to simmer to really develop a deeper flavor.
Because we were at an Italian restaurant, we had to have a couple orders of pasta on the table. The group decided on 2 different selections, one consisting of a home made tagliatelle al Ragu and the Ricotta Cavatelli with a lemony goat cheese and Parmigiano. Needless to say, both thos plates were wiped clean after 6 hungry diners had a go at them.
Some of the other entree selections included this succulent Duck Confit Hash seasoned with shallots, thyme, served with two poached eggs, Yukon gold potatoes, and crispy duck skin. My mouth is watering just writing about it. If only there was a way to fly this over to Dubai.....
This dish was a beauty, a cripsy polenta cake with two poached eggs, wilted spinach, tomato sauce topped with crispy bacon. Peter Sylvestri not only enjoyed his dish to the fullest, but also made it dance to the beat of his rumbling stomach (before getting stuck into it)! A feast to say the least, with plenty of satisfied customers.
Back to Boston's culinary adventures.......still thinking about the fabulous New York eateries, and it was brought to my attention that a very cool and kitsch spot was recently revamped in the outskirts of Boston. Still under its original ownership, Strip T's had been around in Watertown since 1986, but when the owner's son returned to his hometown after building his culianry portfolio with the likes of David Chang of Momofuku, they had no idea what was in store for them......
We started with an order of Fried Japanese Sweet Potatoe wedges topped with fresh herbs and sea salt and served wih a light mustard aioli mix. Crispy on the outside and mushy on the inside. These potatoes could have suffuced as my meal. We aslo ordered a mix of mushrooms lightly sauteed with garlic and fresh herbs. I don't know how they do it, but the crispy texture on the outside and soft inside is the only way to enjoy these beauties.
Even the classic burger had it's own twists with smoked miso, lemon aioli, and pickled onion, you can see where and how the momofuku training has come into play.
I decided to go with the mussels as my entree. I normally only take mussels as my starter, but on this particular day, they seemed to be calling out my name. Meticulously plated and seasoned to perfection, I am glad I went with this option, which allowed me to save room for the fantastic desserts that awaited.....
With it's quirky name and it's eclectic menu, Strip T's is now my new favorite spot in Bean town. The mains were all fantastic, and the desserts didn't dissapoint either. With the beautifully plated goat's milk panna cotta with raspberry and coconut cake and beside that the fried brioche donut with blueberry pastry cream, and lemon frosting.....yummy yummy in my tummy!!
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