May 26, 2015 Coffee Obsession
You might miss the driveway for Coffee Obsession in Falmouth if you don’t know where to look. This little coffee shop shares a driveway with a few other cute shops. The hours in the off season can be a bit wonky – but generally they close tat 5:30. They have an extensive coffee menu along with non coffee options as well. Check out their pastry case, you won’t be sorry.
Along with sweets (coffee cake muffin pictured above), they also offer some savory options – they had some great looking quiche options when we were there. Generally we always get our food to go, but there is ample seating inside (and a few seats outside) for you to just hang out.
My favorite dessert if the Almond Florentine (two cookies shown above). Almond cookie on one side and dark chocolate on the other. A little crunch, a little sweet, super delicious.
Coffee Obsession
110 Palmer Ave, Falmouth, MA
http://www.coffeeobsession.com/
Tags: cape cod, casual dining, coffee, outdoor seating, restaurant
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May 21, 2015 Cape Cod Bagel
We were down in Falmouth this past weekend – first time of this season, avoiding the Memorial Day rush. It’s my favorite time to go (in the off season). You can still get into restaurants, you can drive down Main Street without traffic and the beaches are empty. The calm before the storm…
Of course when we come here, our first stop for breakfast is Cape Cod Bagel. My breakfast choice, plain bagel with veggie cream cheese. Not sure what they put in it (crack?), but I’m addicted.
They have great breakfast sandwiches, wraps and bagel sandwiches for lunch and delicious baked goods.
There is ample seating inside and out. Be prepared to wait during peak season as this place gets packed!
Cape Cod Bagel
419 Palmer Ave, Falmouth, MA
Tags: bagels, cape cod, casual dining, outdoor seating, restaurant
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May 18, 2015 MA Farmers Market Farm to Glass Mixology Throwdown
I was invited to take photos at the MA Farmers Market event held at the W Hotel this year. Bartenders from local restaurants mixed up cocktails and guests voted on their favorites. The top three bartenders then went on to a CSA mixology throwdown later in the afternoon.
Joy Flanagan from Armsby Abbey mixed up a “Garden of Eden” cocktail using GrandTen South Boston Irish Whiskey, apples and pear fruit vinegar.
They definitely had the best looking table!
Fairsted Kitchen’s Will Isaza mixed up a “Gable’s Lean” using Privateer Rum and carrots. Here’s the recipe:
1 oz. Privateer True American Amber Rum
3/4 oz. Carrot Za’atar Syrup
1/2 oz. Rye Whiskey
1/2 oz. Sweet Vermouth
1/4 oz. Fresh lemon juice
2 Dashes Hellfire bitters
Combine ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake for 10-15 seconds. Strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with grated cinnamon.
The guys at La Brasa having a little fun!
Peter Polselli and Will Jovel of La Brasa mixed up the “Baby Root”, using Amber Rum, carrots and beets.
David Spielberg of the Salty Pig mixed up a drink named “The Gilded Age”, featuring Privater Reserve Rum, Amber Rum, purple top turnips, cranberries, lemon thyme ginger – and check out those campari gummies!
Bartenders were able to use super fresh ingredients, check out these good looking cranberries!
Jason Sadoian from Kirkland Tap and Trotter mixed up the “South Boston Smash” made with GrandTen South Boston Irish Whiskey, cranberries and white peach vinegar.
GrandTen located in South Boston, and on Friday nights they do a fun thing called “Friday Night Flights”. For $20 you get a tour of the facility and are about the taste their full line of products (along with special, limited-run spirits not available anywhere else). You get to keep your tasting glass as a souvenir! Space is limited as they try to keep the event intimate (20 people). Check out their website for more details.
GrandTen makes vodka, whiskey, rum and other spirits. Check out my previous post on GrandTen here.
“South Boston Smash”.
Nadia Heredia from the W mixed up “The Poma” using Dirty Water Distiller Nosh Vodka and rainbow carrots. I love the carrot rim!
The food was delicious as well. The beet mousse deviled eggs were delicious.
Apple tarts were quick to disappear!
The goat cheese tarts were also a crowd favorite.
My favorite were the truffle mushroom grilled cheeses.
Didn’t have a chance to try the arancini, but they looked delicious.
Lonnie from GrandTen Distillery.
DJ Deja and Modern Gramma’s Justin Burke Samson (MA Farmers Market Chair). Make sure to check out Justin’s pop ups – his desserts are to die for!
The crowd anxiously waiting to hear who won the raffle items!
Venette (MFM Board of Director) and Will from Fairsted Kitchen competing in the cocktail throwdown competition.
Kirkland Tap and Trotter’s final drink in the throwdown competition.
Fairsted Kitchen won the event with the “Sexy Kumquat”. As the winner of the competition, Will will be back next year as the head judge. Here’s the winning recipe:
1 1/2 oz. Privateer Silver Reserve Rum
3/4 oz. Clove Turmeric Syrup
1/2 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
1/4 oz. Apple Cider
2 Kumquats
1 Thumb of Ginger
Slice thumb of ginger. Muddle half of the ginger with kumquats. Add muddled ginger and kumquats to shaker with rum, syrup, lemon juice, and ice. Shake for 10-15 seconds. Pour contents of shaker into a rocks glass Garnish with a halved kumquat and ginger.
W Hotel’s final drink in the throwdown competition.
The judges for the throwdown were Dan Whalen, The Food in my Beard, Megan, and Michael Ratty.
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May 15, 2015 Elephant Walk
I was invited to brunch at the Elephant Walk in the South End with the Blog and Tweet Boston group. Executive Chef Nadsa de Monteiro came out to greet us and told us about the her family and the restaurant. She told us that her father was a diplomat and when they had to leave Cambodia, when the Khmer Rouge took over, her mother, at age 45, with no experience, opened a restaurant in France. They moved to the US in the early 90’s and proceeded to open three restaurants. The restaurant is a family business with Nadsa running the South End location and her brother in law running the Cambridge location. The Brookline location recently closed, so I am glad I had the chance to check out the South End location. There is definitely a different vibe here – laid back atmosphere with exposed brick walls and windows that open out to the street.
My favorite thing here are the Rouleaux, filled with ground pork and noodles, they are served with greens and fresh herbs. The dipping sauce tuk trey — traditionally made with prahok, or fermented fish sauce, along with lime, garlic, and peanuts — lends distinctive Cambodian flavor to the dish.
Loclac Frites à la Cambodgienne ($15) Beef tenderloin caramelized in black pepper, garlic and mushroom soy are served with homemade French fries and dressed baby greens. Think of this as the Cambodian version of steak frites! The meat is so tender and flavorful, making it another one of my favorites.
Pain Perdu au Sirop d’Erable au Cidre ($11) French toasts with brioche, Wood’s Cider Mills cinnamon cider maple syrup and fresh fruit. Personally I would have liked the syrup on the side, but the dish was delicious. The syrup’s flavor made this French toast stand out.
MeeSiem ($10) Rice noodles in a sauce of salted soy beans, tofu, PT Farm pork belly, garlic, chilies, pickles shallot; Chinese chive, bean sprouts, red bell pepper, omelet garnish. When we ordered this, I couldn’t imagine what an omelet garnish would look like, so I was pleasantly surprised. This was a really nice dish, it felt light and crisp.
Of course I had no room after brunch, but had to have dessert! The crepe special was delicious – it was filled with ice cream!
My personal favorite is the Le Pèché au Chocolat ($8.50) A rich creamy chocolate truffle cake perfectly paired with raspberry coulis. Hit me with anything raspberry coulis and I am in love – this dessert is decadent, the cake is dense so the raspberry pairs with it nicely.
Disclaimer: The Elephant Walk invited me to be their guest for brunch and provided me with a complimentary meal. All opinions are my own.
Elephant Walk
1415 Washington Street, Boston, MA
Tags: brunch, casual dining, gluten free, restaurant, south end, vegan, vegetarian
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May 14, 2015 Nix’s Mate
Nix’s Mate is located in the Hilton Hotel in the Financial District. It has a modern interior with a chic club vibe. We ventured out for dinner on a Monday night so it was relatively quiet. We started with the braised short rib tacos ($12) served topped with black beans, green apple slaw and goat cheese fondu.
The clam chowder ($6) served with bacon and chives had a creamy texture and a smoky flavor.
The cheeseburger sliders ($12) came topped with sharp cheddar, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickled cucumber and special sauce on a sesame seed bun.
Not generally on the dinner menu, but I had been there for lunch and requested it (and they kindly accommodated), the caprese salad ($12). Probably one of the better caprese salads I’ve had, this one is beefsteak tomatoes and mozzarella di bufala served on a bed of arugula and topped with basil pesto and aged balsamic.
For dessert, the three of us split the mini ice cream sandwiches ($10) served with a side of salted caramel sauce and chocolate sauce. Vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream sandwiched between two delicious chocolate chip cookies.
Nix Mate
89 Broad Street, Boston, MA
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May 11, 2015 Alden and Harlow
In lieu of holiday gifts for one another, a group of us got together and went out for dinner at Alden and Harlow. We sat all the way in the back of the restaurant on the far side of the bar – which on a weekend night was a tough spot – it was right next to the door so we felt a cold draft every time someone left and the door didn’t close all the way so we would have to pull it tight each time. In addition, the bar was packed, so we were constantly getting our chairs bumped and people were hovering over our table. That being said, I love the food at Alden and Harlow. We started with the chips and dip ($8) that satisfied our salty snack craving!
I had the burrata that was so creamy and delicious, a really nice texture when paired with the crispy toast.
The Verrill Farm corn pancakes never disappoint – they come whimsically topped with popcorn and shishito peppers ($13).
The charred broccoli with butternut squash, hummus, bianco sardo and cashew was delicious ($13).
Even though it was a weekend night, the service was excellent, our dishes came out promptly and our waiter was on top of the ball.
Trust me when I say “oh my gravy”…it was really delicious!
As a side note, who can’t wait for Scelfo’s Naco Taco to open in Central Square?
I loved the cauliflower dish – maybe even more than the broccoli…
The great thing about Alden and Harlow is that they have tapas style plates – you can order a bunch of things for the table and share – allowing you to try a little bit of everything.
They were out of the secret burger that night, so we went with the steak instead, which came beautifully plated and the flavor did not disappoint.
For dessert we had the smoked chocolate bread pudding with Jacobsen Salt ice cream ($9). The smokey flavor definitely pulled through and the salt just elevated the dish to another level.
My favorite dessert of the night was the buttermilk and lemon pound cake with torched blackberry compote and almond whip ($9). The flavors were simple and clean and yet after licking the plate clean I found myself craving more!
Alden and Harlow
40 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA
Tags: cambridge, casual dining, harvard square, restaurant
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May 8, 2015 Good Ones: Spring Fever – Spotlight on Martina Blazeska
Meet #Goodone Martina Blazeska, a 20 year old student attending Berklee College of Music. Originally from Ohrid, Macedonia she is an up and coming musician who came to perform at a recent Good Ones event held at Limelight Stage and Studios. While everyone else was singing karaoke, Martina played two cover songs and an original. To hear her sound, check her out on YouTube.
I had a chance to interview Martina after the event:
D: You’re originally from Macedonia, what made you decide to come to Boston?
M: I really like the United States in general. I chose Boston because I was accepted at Berklee College of Music. The city turned out to be great, even though I’m more of a West Coast fan.
D: How long have you been singing?
M: I started playing guitar and have been at it for only 5 years! Two years after I started playing guitar, I started to sing and it developed naturally from there paired with the guitar.
D: Is your family musically inclined as well?
M: No one in my family does music professionally, but they are true music lovers. In fact, my mother used to play accordion when she was a little. I think I have her genes.
D: Who are your biggest musical influences?
M: From contemporary to jazz, blues, funk, disco and pop, I have a lot of influences. When it comes to guitar I’m a fingerstyle player, but I compose music in mixed styles.
D: If you could meet any musician, alive or deceased, who would it be and why?
M: If I could meet one person, that would definitely be John Mayer. I am fully inspired and affected by his music. His music, personality and style plays a huge role in my career in general.
D: Where do you get your inspiration for your original pieces?
M: The inspiration for my original music comes from the actions and daily events around me. I get inspired by people, nature and the music I listen to. If something touches my emotions strong enough, my reaction easily becomes music.
D: Do you play other instruments besides the guitar?
M: I have trained in classical music on the piano for years.
D: What are you studying at Berklee?
M: I’m a guitar performance major at Berklee, which means the main focus is on my guitar playing. Other than Guitar and Ensembles, I take Harmony and Arranging and Ear Training classes which help me improve my music understanding and knowledge.
D: What are some of your other passions besides music?
M: I love traveling and exploring. I usually do it with my family and closest friends.
D: Do you have any shows coming up where people can see you play?
There are no shows scheduled at the moment but I encourage people to follow my YouTube and Facebook page to keep up with the news.
The rest of the evening was a blast as well! Good Ones Eric Kramer and Heloisa Fitzgerald gave George Michael a run for his money with their rendition of “Faith”.
Co-founders of the Good Ones Jennifer Brook (left) and Carolyn Kim (right) also gave stellar performances that evening.
If you are interested in a Good Ones membership, check out their website here. Memberships include 3 party invitations per month with a complimentary guest at each event.
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May 7, 2015 underFiRE
For me, when I think of FiRE + iCE, I think tourists. Restauranteur Jim Miller and Rafael Barbosa opened a new restaurant located under FiRE + iCE called underFiRE. Miller and Barbosa were looking to fill a niche – a casual neighborhood space where people could come and relax after work. Even though they are hoping for a casual vibe, the attention to detail that Barbosa put into the space is impressive – everything from the lights to the tabletops.
The drinks are handcrafted, check out the strawberry basil margarita made with Don Julio Blanco Tequila, house-made sour mix, simple syrup, and muddled strawberries, and garnished with fresh basil leaves.
The specialty of underFiRE are the tacos: The Club (Peruvian style grilled chicken, braised pork belly and cheddar), Spicy Idaho (chorizo and diced potato) and Chimi-Rib (braised beef short rib and chimichurri). Other menu items will include chips and guacamole, a build-a-burger selection featuring beef, turkey and veggie burgers, buffalo calamari (where the buffalo sauce has been dehydrated and added to the batter), and quesadillas.
underFiRE
205 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA
Check out their Facebook page here.
Tags: back bay, bar, casual dining, restaurant
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May 4, 2015 HoneyBaked Ham
We tried to get a ham around Easter time (big mistake, after all, it is the unofficial ham holiday!), but couldn’t get in the parking lot at the HoneyBaked Ham store. Plan B – wait until Mother’s Day. HoneyBaked ham has a sweet, crunchy glaze and a smokey flavor. We picked up a 3 pound bone in ham for $32.90. This is the perfect size for 3 people.
They also had a deal on sides, 3 for $25 – so we picked up the cornbread dressing (right), the sweet potato souffle (left) and the broccoli rice casserole. What is great about the sides is that you heat them all up at the same temperature! One oven, one temperature, one cook time – so easy! The sweet potato souffle was great, it tasted almost like a dessert. The cornbread dressing was great, a little crunch on top just the way I like it. The broccoli casserole was a bit of a mess for us, it didn’t come out the way it looked on the box – it was super watery. But by the time the second day rolled around, the sauce had thickened up and when we reheated, it was perfect.
While you can get HoneyBaked hams for special occasions, you can also stop by their stores and pick up a ham for a weeknight dinner, they have bone in and boneless hams that you can order and reserve in store (or just drop in). They have other options I didn’t know about like thick cut bacon, beef pot roast, pork roast, and bbq baby back ribs. Did you also know the store in Framingham offers lunch (pick up in store) and catering – sandwiches (not just ham, they have turkey too), soups and salads. So stop in and take another look at HoneyBaked Ham…you will be pleasantly surprised.
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. HoneyBaked Ham provided me with gift cards to sample their products. All opinions are my own.
HoneyBaked Ham
240 Worcester Street, Framingham, MA
Tags: events
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April 30, 2015 Vine Brook Tavern
I was invited to have lunch the other day at Vine Brook Tavern, located in historic Lexington. Vine Brook Tavern is owned and run by Marcus Palmer, who has worked with an amazing array of talented chefs, most notably, Jean Georges Vongerichten. Palmer has worked in some of the top restaurants in Boston, including: Market in the W Hotel in Boston, Smith and Wollensky, Morton’s, Olive’s and Legal Sea Foods. The kitchen is run by Executive Chef Chris Frothingham, who has worked at places like Sel de la Terre, Bonfire and Kingfish Hall.
Vine Brook Tavern has two floors and offers a number of different dining options: shown above are two of the upstairs dining rooms, perfect for a private party.
Top left, one of the upstairs semi private dining rooms; top right, the large bar located downstairs (they have several tvs so you can come in and catch the game while grabbing a bite); pictured on the bottom are the upstairs windows that face the street.
Vine Brook Tavern will serve lunch 7 days a week, with an express lunch Monday – Friday, a menu focused on those that only have an hour for lunch, with a spotlight on salads, panini press sandwiches and burgers. Pictured on the right is the “secret” pizza menu, offered at dinner time only, and only available for pickup – you can choose from 4 options or choose to create your own.
Pictured on the top left: the cast iron eggs ($12), loaded breakfast potatoes, caramelized onions, bacon, two eggs over easy, topped with sausage gravy. The gravy is what did it for me, really flavorful – it made this dish special. Pictured top right: the crispy challah French toast ($11) served with maple pecan butter, blueberries and maple syrup. Here is what makes this dish so delicious, the custard cream center of the toast and the “crispy” is frosted flakes cereal…just to add a little extra sweetness. Pictured on the bottom is a flat bread with proscuitto, fried eggs and pea tendrils. The dough is delicious, stop in and pick up a pizza today, you don’t want to miss it!
Other great things about Vine Brook Tavern: they have a chef’s table, once a month, on a Tuesday or a Wednesday, you and 8 of your friends can come in for a 6 course meal, complete with pairings, for $99 per person. Vine Brook Tavern also offers a wine class once a month, each one focusing on a different varietal. The classes are $30 per person. They have previously had beer and tequila classes too – stop in and check out a class, they last about 2 hours.
Disclaimer: Vine Brook Tavern invited me to be their guest and provided me with a complimentary lunch. All opinions are my own.
Vine Brook Tavern
20 Waltham Street, Lexington, MA
Tags: brunch, casual dining, restaurant
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