About 2 months ago, I got a delicious recipe for Black Bean Soup from my friend Melanie. Seriously, delicious. Here it is:
1 can black beans (not organic, unless you want to simmer for 30 minutes to soften them up)
1/8 cup taco seasoning
1/4 cup salsa
Green Tabasco sauce (This is unbelievable. Spicy, not as painful as the red Tabasco, tangier. I can't get enough.)
Water (as much as you want to make broth)
Mix it up and simmer.
Add some shredded cheese, then a dollop of sour cream to serve. Eat with tortilla chips.
So, I've been spoiled with this homemade soup that I can customize to have as much kick as I want.
The other day I had the "You Pick Two" from Panera: Half a Turkey Artichoke, bowl of Black Bean Soup. The sandwich was good, though those paninis are kind of oily. Not really healthy. The soup was low-fat so I did feel like I was doing the right thing. I asked the cashier if they had any Tabasco. After a long, loooooong discussion with one of the sandwich makers, the cashier came back and said that they had "mumble mumble chipotle mumble mumble". He said it didn't have as much spice as Tabasco and it was what they used on the "mumble pork mumble". I just assumed it was some sort of sauce, since I had said I wanted the Tabasco for the soup. So, I said I'd like some on the side, paid, and got my receipt.
There on the receipt were the words "Chipotle mayo, side". Mayo?! This is what I was getting to put in my soup? Gross! Why would they think I'd want that? Well, as it turned out, when my order was up, they'd forgotten to put the side of mayo on the tray. I didn't bother complaining. Important to note is that the soup was super bland and going forward, I'll be bringing my own soup to work for lunch.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Friday, November 09, 2007
Panera
I swung by Panera in White City late this morning, on my way into work. I had my fingers crossed that they had Lattes. I'm used to going there for lunch, so I really had no idea what their breakfast drink menu looked like.
Lucky for me, they do have Lattes, and they are of a comparable price to other coffee joints, $2.99. It was pretty good, thought not as strong as I usually like. It was just kind of weak. I also got a Cobblestone, which is basically a cinnamon bun with raisins, apples, and glaze. Really tasty. So not healthy.
Lucky for me, they do have Lattes, and they are of a comparable price to other coffee joints, $2.99. It was pretty good, thought not as strong as I usually like. It was just kind of weak. I also got a Cobblestone, which is basically a cinnamon bun with raisins, apples, and glaze. Really tasty. So not healthy.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Apples
I went apple picking at Honey Pot Hill Orchards, in Stow, MA. I got some empires, cortlands, and a bag of winesaps for my sister. I made a pie with the cortlands. It was delicious. I recommend following the recipe, though and avoid putting in more apples than the recipe calls for. Otherwise, the liquid doesn't dissolve enough, and the apples don't cook all the way through.
The winesap apples are delicious! They taste like apple cider - crisp, sweet, and a little bit tangy. My sister made a pie out of them and it was unbelievable.
The winesap apples are delicious! They taste like apple cider - crisp, sweet, and a little bit tangy. My sister made a pie out of them and it was unbelievable.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
It's Pumpkin Season
It's pumpkin season and all the local coffee joints are serving up pumpkin this and pumpkin that. I'm into it. Here's what I've tried so far:
Dunkin Donuts Pumpkin Spice Latte: This was too sickly sweet. Much better was the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte, but with only 2 pumps of the pumpkin syrup. The syrup is sweetened and the standard 4 pumps would probably be disgusting.
Dunkin Donuts Pumpkin Donut and Pumpkin Spice Muffin. Both are incredibly delicious, moist, and pumpkiny. The donut tastes pretty much like the Pillsbury Pumpkin Quick Bread, which is really good.
Dunkin Donuts Pumpkin Spice Latte: This was too sickly sweet. Much better was the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte, but with only 2 pumps of the pumpkin syrup. The syrup is sweetened and the standard 4 pumps would probably be disgusting.
Dunkin Donuts Pumpkin Donut and Pumpkin Spice Muffin. Both are incredibly delicious, moist, and pumpkiny. The donut tastes pretty much like the Pillsbury Pumpkin Quick Bread, which is really good.
Friday, October 05, 2007
Calamari
I had some really excellent calamari and some pretty terrible calamari recently. First, the bad, to get it over with. I was at the Gardner Ale House and three of us split the calamari. It has half rings, and half tentacles. Now, does anybody really want the tentacles, or whatever they're called? I don't think so. I tried some just to be a good sport. They weren't that bad, but really, all I could taste was breading, which wasn't that tasty. The rings were kind of rubbery, which is always bad, and they weren't spicy. I prefer the hot and spicy calamari, like the appetizer at...
O'Connor's. That's right, the Irish restaurant makes a mean calamari. It comes hot and spicy, they were cooked perfectly, not at all rubbery, and no tentacles, or whatever they're called.
You can also get delicious spicy calamari at the Boynton on Highland Street.
O'Connor's. That's right, the Irish restaurant makes a mean calamari. It comes hot and spicy, they were cooked perfectly, not at all rubbery, and no tentacles, or whatever they're called.
You can also get delicious spicy calamari at the Boynton on Highland Street.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Cupcakes and Doughnuts, Oh My!
I think I'm going to make these this weekend.
http://cupcakeblog.com/index.php/2007/09/doughnuts-and-coffee-cupcakes/
http://cupcakeblog.com/index.php/2007/09/doughnuts-and-coffee-cupcakes/
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Trader Joe's Cheddar Puffs
This is a message of warning: Do not buy the Trader Joe's White Cheddar Puffs unless you are interested in eating flavorless, soft, air.
Monday, September 10, 2007
The Purple Cactus
On Centre Street in Jamaica Plain, you can get a huge, heavy, delicious burrito, chock full of fresh ingredients, for about $6 or $7, at The Purple Cactus. This place is so good, my brother asks us to bring home a Squash and Corn burrito and we live an hour away from the place.
I ordered a Grilled Chicken burrito with sour cream (lowfat, homemade) and guacamole. It probably weighed over a pound. I ate half for dinner, and had the rest for lunch today. The simmered black beans were great - not too mushy, a little bit of sauce. They were mixed with some brown rice, which was pretty mild in flavor but good. Not too dry, not too mushy. The guac was awesome. I know my descriptions are kind of generic - sorry. How about this: It was 1000 times better than the disappointing spinach and chicken burrito I had recently from Tortillla Sam's.
My mother loved the New Garden wrap on a wheat tortilla with grilled chicken. She also ate just half as it was HUGE.
I ordered a Grilled Chicken burrito with sour cream (lowfat, homemade) and guacamole. It probably weighed over a pound. I ate half for dinner, and had the rest for lunch today. The simmered black beans were great - not too mushy, a little bit of sauce. They were mixed with some brown rice, which was pretty mild in flavor but good. Not too dry, not too mushy. The guac was awesome. I know my descriptions are kind of generic - sorry. How about this: It was 1000 times better than the disappointing spinach and chicken burrito I had recently from Tortillla Sam's.
My mother loved the New Garden wrap on a wheat tortilla with grilled chicken. She also ate just half as it was HUGE.
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Octoberfest Season
It's time for Octoberfest beers. I've tried 2 so far, neither winners.
Magic Hat Jinx: This is a beer packaged to entice the ladies. Pretty packaging, cute pink chick winking on the front. The beer is just okay. It leaves sort of a tangy aftertaste which I don't really like. The beer won't rot in my fridge but I probably won't buy a second sixer.
Spaten Oktoberfest: This beer was described as tasting like an octoberfest mixed with Heineken, and that's exactly what it tasted like, heavier on the Heinie than the fest. I did not enjoy it.
Magic Hat Jinx: This is a beer packaged to entice the ladies. Pretty packaging, cute pink chick winking on the front. The beer is just okay. It leaves sort of a tangy aftertaste which I don't really like. The beer won't rot in my fridge but I probably won't buy a second sixer.
Spaten Oktoberfest: This beer was described as tasting like an octoberfest mixed with Heineken, and that's exactly what it tasted like, heavier on the Heinie than the fest. I did not enjoy it.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Made my day
At Friendly's, I ordered a 2-scoop cone, one scoop black raspberry, one scoop chocolate, on a sugar cone. The kid making the cone put one big scoop of black ras first, then the chocolate, and then topped it off with a cap of black ras. I felt like a little kid. The ice cream just made me smile! What great ice-cream-jockey. Or whatever they're called.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Start with Salsa, end with Joy-ful Peppermint
After a filling Mexican meal at Sierra's in Sudbury, I finished the night with a walk to Dairy Joy in Hudson from my friend's condo. I'll start with the Mexican.
Sierra's is on 117 in Sudbury, in what seems like the middle of nowhere. It's a small low building that looks sort of non-descript on the outside, but upon entering, it seems like you are in another world. The restaurant has a small bar, and several tables and booths in the main dining room. Chandeliers are made of large antlers, cast, I'm sure, not real bones, but you never know. On the walls are skulls with antlers, colorful ceramic plates, and small sconces. It's a very southwestern feel, but not cluttered like many restaurants. The tables are tile-top, and the booths are pew-like with cushions. Basically, I say that to let you know you need have good posture if you want to spend hours there.
We had chips and salsa to start, and I ordered totally delicious Raspberry Margarita (tequila, chambord, triple sec). The salsa was good - it tasted fresh but was mild. I prefer a spicier salsa, but this was still good.
I had the spinach and chicken burrito. It came with refried beans and rice, lettuce and stewed tomatoes. It was tasty. My two complaints are: It wasn't junk-foody enough, and wasn't spicy enough. The chicken was really moist and tender; it seemed like it had been poached in a seasoned broth. There were several fresh vegetables in the burrito as well: corn, red and green peppers, and onions. My friend had the chicken soft tacos and enjoyed them also. One think we noticed was that the guacamole doesn't come with everything so if you want it, be sure to order it as a side.
After dinner, we drove back to Hudson, a short drive, and walked to the Dairy Joy on Rt. 62. We both got the Peppermint Stick ice cream, mine in a cone, hers in a cup. The Peppermint Stick ice cream is like christmas. The sticks are red and green, with a pink colored ice cream. Totally creamy and delicious, it hit the spot.
Side note: Dairy Joy has awesome onion rings.
Sierra's is on 117 in Sudbury, in what seems like the middle of nowhere. It's a small low building that looks sort of non-descript on the outside, but upon entering, it seems like you are in another world. The restaurant has a small bar, and several tables and booths in the main dining room. Chandeliers are made of large antlers, cast, I'm sure, not real bones, but you never know. On the walls are skulls with antlers, colorful ceramic plates, and small sconces. It's a very southwestern feel, but not cluttered like many restaurants. The tables are tile-top, and the booths are pew-like with cushions. Basically, I say that to let you know you need have good posture if you want to spend hours there.
We had chips and salsa to start, and I ordered totally delicious Raspberry Margarita (tequila, chambord, triple sec). The salsa was good - it tasted fresh but was mild. I prefer a spicier salsa, but this was still good.
I had the spinach and chicken burrito. It came with refried beans and rice, lettuce and stewed tomatoes. It was tasty. My two complaints are: It wasn't junk-foody enough, and wasn't spicy enough. The chicken was really moist and tender; it seemed like it had been poached in a seasoned broth. There were several fresh vegetables in the burrito as well: corn, red and green peppers, and onions. My friend had the chicken soft tacos and enjoyed them also. One think we noticed was that the guacamole doesn't come with everything so if you want it, be sure to order it as a side.
After dinner, we drove back to Hudson, a short drive, and walked to the Dairy Joy on Rt. 62. We both got the Peppermint Stick ice cream, mine in a cone, hers in a cup. The Peppermint Stick ice cream is like christmas. The sticks are red and green, with a pink colored ice cream. Totally creamy and delicious, it hit the spot.
Side note: Dairy Joy has awesome onion rings.
Summer, Citrus, and Straight Up Country
Summer's coming to a close, and with it, the season of summer beers. As much as I'm looking forward to Octoberfests, I really do enjoy a nice cold summer beer. Last night, at a local favorite, O'Connor's Restaurant, I had a pint of Wachusett Summer Breeze (is it summer breeze, or is that just a song?). I was given the choice of lemon or orange; I went with lemon, and it was the right choice, though it would have been fine on its own. The lemon added the right amount of crispness. Here's a tip, though, that I learned a long time ago. Drink it fast enough so you don't end up with half a beer that tastes like lemon pledge.
I also had a Wachusett Country, always a favorite of mine.
My dining companion had a BBC IPA. I didn't hear any complaints from him and he ordered a second. Unfortunately, the keg went dry and foam splattered all over the bartender (face included). Was it funny? No, and yes. I didn't laugh, though. He ended up with a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.
O'Connor's had a number of other decent-looking brews on tap. They rotate their taps pretty frequently. I probably should have gone for something new or unusual but I was feeling like guaranteed satisfaction.
I also had a Wachusett Country, always a favorite of mine.
My dining companion had a BBC IPA. I didn't hear any complaints from him and he ordered a second. Unfortunately, the keg went dry and foam splattered all over the bartender (face included). Was it funny? No, and yes. I didn't laugh, though. He ended up with a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.
O'Connor's had a number of other decent-looking brews on tap. They rotate their taps pretty frequently. I probably should have gone for something new or unusual but I was feeling like guaranteed satisfaction.
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Cream Cheese and Scones
I recently discovered the olive and pimento cream cheese at Bagel Time on Park Ave in Worcester. I went in last week to get the usual (spinach garlic toasted with chive and bacon or veggie) and they thought I said olive. The got it right, but it intrigued me, so I tried it this week. It was delicious. Quite a bit of olives with pimentos, sliced, and a strong flavor.
This morning, I went for the always high-calorie cinnamon chip scone. I'd never had one there before and it was really good. Not really dry, lots of cinnamon flavor. Really, it hit the spot.
I also like their iced coffee.
On a side note, olives and pimentos are great on a green salad or in a pasta salad with a lemon and olive oil dressing.
This morning, I went for the always high-calorie cinnamon chip scone. I'd never had one there before and it was really good. Not really dry, lots of cinnamon flavor. Really, it hit the spot.
I also like their iced coffee.
On a side note, olives and pimentos are great on a green salad or in a pasta salad with a lemon and olive oil dressing.
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Yummy Pineapple Shortbread Cake
The Pineapple Shortbread Cake that you can purchase from the refrigerated section of the wonderfully-named Price Chopper grocery store is worth the money. It's a dense, moist yellow cake (one layer) with a real whipped cream topping, lightly sweetened. Crushed pineapple covers the top of the cake. This is quite delicious.
Monday, July 02, 2007
Food Philosophy
I really like this food philosophy. Here's an excerpt:
The more needs you have, the less you're bound to enjoy. Picky eaters convince themselves that they have needs--that they need to avoid anything salty or they'll get bloated, anything peppery or they'll choke, anything spicy or they'll schvitz. Dieters "need" to have three servings of fruit a day, ten glasses of water before they exercise, and forty bites of something green at least 80 times a week.
Needs can be exhausting.Sunday, July 01, 2007
50-50 - Tortilla Sam's
Tortilla Sam's has been around since I was in college, so at least 10 years. It was never as good as it was in it's original location, next to Mahoney's pub on Park Ave. They had a green chili that would take your eyebrows off, it was so hot. And delicious. Then, for some reason, they decided to dumb down the heat for the masses, and now the only way you can get a really hot meal there is if you douse it in napalm hot sauce. That's not really the way to do it. You really need to choose the right hot sauce for the meal and add it while cooking. But whatever. That's not the point of this post.
I ordered one of my all-time-favorites and was extremely disappointed. The spinach and chicken burrito is usually a nice tortilla filled with an equal blend of chicken and rice, with spinach chopped up really small and mixed in with the whole mix. There was some sort of mexican spice, I don't know what kind, but it was fragrant and added a really nice finish to the filing. This time, the filling was mostly rice, a small amount of tiny chunks of chicken, not really much seasoning, and the worst part, about 4 wilted spinach leaves. Whole leaves, with some of the stem too. Impossible to take a bite all the way through, because the spinach is such a stringy food. It mainly made me gag. I ended up eating all the spinach in about 3 bites, because instead of taking small bites of the spinach, I just pulled it all the way out. (burrito: $2.99)
The other item I ordered was actually really satisfying. The crispy potato wedges hit the spot. Basically, peeled, sliced potato wedges, deep fried and sprinkled with spices like paprika and salt. They were piping hot, crispy on the outside, and perfectly cooked on the inside. For $$2.99, you get about 2 potatoes worth of wedges. I ate about a third and saved the rest. They're going to be breakfast home fries - what a treat!
It's going to be a while before I venture back to Tortilla Sam's, unless I hear something good about the burritos.
I ordered one of my all-time-favorites and was extremely disappointed. The spinach and chicken burrito is usually a nice tortilla filled with an equal blend of chicken and rice, with spinach chopped up really small and mixed in with the whole mix. There was some sort of mexican spice, I don't know what kind, but it was fragrant and added a really nice finish to the filing. This time, the filling was mostly rice, a small amount of tiny chunks of chicken, not really much seasoning, and the worst part, about 4 wilted spinach leaves. Whole leaves, with some of the stem too. Impossible to take a bite all the way through, because the spinach is such a stringy food. It mainly made me gag. I ended up eating all the spinach in about 3 bites, because instead of taking small bites of the spinach, I just pulled it all the way out. (burrito: $2.99)
The other item I ordered was actually really satisfying. The crispy potato wedges hit the spot. Basically, peeled, sliced potato wedges, deep fried and sprinkled with spices like paprika and salt. They were piping hot, crispy on the outside, and perfectly cooked on the inside. For $$2.99, you get about 2 potatoes worth of wedges. I ate about a third and saved the rest. They're going to be breakfast home fries - what a treat!
It's going to be a while before I venture back to Tortilla Sam's, unless I hear something good about the burritos.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Life on the run: Nutrition Bars
This is not going to be an in-depth review of all the protein and nutrition bars out there. Instead, it's going to be a brief listing of the flavors of Clif and Luna bars I've had recently. Just so you know.
Yesterday, Brooks Pharmacy only had one flavor of Luna bar and the only other bars they had were in the Zone. I was in a rush, running from Pilates to knitting (oh the exciting life I lead), so I just grabbed it. Lemon Zest. A crunchy rice-y bar with lemon frosting on one side. It was so-so. Kind of tasted like Lemon Pledge, but not in a bad way. Didn't make me feel sick to my stomach with sweetness, like the Cranberry Almond Clif bar did.
Today, I stocked up on 5 flavors of Luna bar (on sale for $1.00 each). I had a Cookies and Cream with white frosting and am glad I only bought one. Didn't really taste like chocolate at all, just sort of flavorless. Didn't make me feel sick though, and I wasn't hungry for about 2 hours.
I don't like Power Bars - nasty consistency, and the Harvest ones just don't taste good. Clif bars are too sweet and also too big - I feel like I should eat the whole thing but then I get sick of it and it's wasted. Also, they have a consistency like extra-dense dates. Really, not what I need when I'm hungry.
So far, the Luna bars have the best consistency.
Yesterday, Brooks Pharmacy only had one flavor of Luna bar and the only other bars they had were in the Zone. I was in a rush, running from Pilates to knitting (oh the exciting life I lead), so I just grabbed it. Lemon Zest. A crunchy rice-y bar with lemon frosting on one side. It was so-so. Kind of tasted like Lemon Pledge, but not in a bad way. Didn't make me feel sick to my stomach with sweetness, like the Cranberry Almond Clif bar did.
Today, I stocked up on 5 flavors of Luna bar (on sale for $1.00 each). I had a Cookies and Cream with white frosting and am glad I only bought one. Didn't really taste like chocolate at all, just sort of flavorless. Didn't make me feel sick though, and I wasn't hungry for about 2 hours.
I don't like Power Bars - nasty consistency, and the Harvest ones just don't taste good. Clif bars are too sweet and also too big - I feel like I should eat the whole thing but then I get sick of it and it's wasted. Also, they have a consistency like extra-dense dates. Really, not what I need when I'm hungry.
So far, the Luna bars have the best consistency.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Road Trip: North Carolina
I recently spent a few days with some friends in Cary, North Carolina. This is near the Raleigh/Durham area. It was my first trip and our host made sure to take us to all the hot spots for both tourists and locals.
First stop, the City Limits in Cary. This place has it all: mechanical bull, line dancing, dollar Bud Light bottles, and a black light so every speck of lint shows up on your black shirt. If you've been reading this blog for a while, or if you know me, you know that this place isn't my usual speed. But, I was on vacation and I have to say, it was a sight to see. Pulling into the parking lot, we came upon a pickup truck waving Confederate flags and another that had "balls" hanging from the trailer hitch. The ultimate in classy.
This is where I had my first Jager Bomb (as described in an earlier post). My friend (caught the eye of some supposed cowboys, one of whom turned out to be a lawyer in disguise. Anyway, they bought us shots. It took me abut 10 sips to finish it, since I was stuffed from dinner and had already had a beer. As you know, I liked it. The rest of the night I stuck to the Bud Light, mainly because it was cheap, it was really hot in NC that night, and I didn't want to be too hungover the next day. If you're in NC, and want to hear music that ranges from hip hop to country line dancing and the Electric Slide, with a little Bon Jovi thrown in for good measure, check out the City Limits. I saw a Less-Than-D-List celebrity there. No, I didn't go up and talk to him. We also spent lots of time watching a group of 3 guys perform choreographed dances to just about every hip-hop song they played.
The next night, we went to the Red Room in Raleigh for tapas. We had the following:
Our last day was Monday and our host took us to Chapel Hill. We had a nice lunch at the Top of the Hill Restaurant, a brewpub. They have outdoor seating and you can people watch from this second floor patio. I had the Hugh Morton Mango Lager to drink. It was decent, with a hint of mango flavor - not too overpowering. I bought a sixer of cans of Rams Head IPS to bring home. On that note it turns out that a "Fragile" sticker put on the suitcase to protect the brew actually invites damage, as shown in the photo below.
For lunch, I had the Smoked Paprika Chicken sandwich with beer battered fries. Tasty.
The IPA was good too. Pretty strong (6.0%) and reasonably hoppy. I gave a few away and I have one left in the fridge.
Overall, a good eating vacation. I could write another whole post about all the delicious food that our host made us but I'll leave you with just one short description. Easy appetizer: Fresh mozzarella (the soft kind that comes in balls), sliced tomato, and balsamic vinegar for drizzling. You could reduce the vinegar to thicken it, but the vinegar we used seemed thick enough to start with. I guess it depends on what you buy.
First stop, the City Limits in Cary. This place has it all: mechanical bull, line dancing, dollar Bud Light bottles, and a black light so every speck of lint shows up on your black shirt. If you've been reading this blog for a while, or if you know me, you know that this place isn't my usual speed. But, I was on vacation and I have to say, it was a sight to see. Pulling into the parking lot, we came upon a pickup truck waving Confederate flags and another that had "balls" hanging from the trailer hitch. The ultimate in classy.
This is where I had my first Jager Bomb (as described in an earlier post). My friend (caught the eye of some supposed cowboys, one of whom turned out to be a lawyer in disguise. Anyway, they bought us shots. It took me abut 10 sips to finish it, since I was stuffed from dinner and had already had a beer. As you know, I liked it. The rest of the night I stuck to the Bud Light, mainly because it was cheap, it was really hot in NC that night, and I didn't want to be too hungover the next day. If you're in NC, and want to hear music that ranges from hip hop to country line dancing and the Electric Slide, with a little Bon Jovi thrown in for good measure, check out the City Limits. I saw a Less-Than-D-List celebrity there. No, I didn't go up and talk to him. We also spent lots of time watching a group of 3 guys perform choreographed dances to just about every hip-hop song they played.
The next night, we went to the Red Room in Raleigh for tapas. We had the following:
- Calamaris Fritos (delicious, cooked perfectly, great batter)
- Pan con Chorizo y Manchego (Chorizo flatbread with artichokes, peppers,tomatoes, Manchego and spanish paprika) My favorite. Basically a chorizo pizza. Chorizo is like, really rich, dense, and sort of sweet sausage, but with a hint of heat. Manchego is a mild flavored Spanish cheese.
- Quesadilla con Polo y Aguacate (Chicken and avocado quesadilla with pico de gallo and sour cream) Good, but nothing special.
- Patatas Bravas con Aioli (Fried potatoes in a spicy tomato sauce with garlic mayonnaise) OMG like the best home fries you've ever tasted!
- I had a glass of white sangria. So tasty and great for the summer. Sadly, I forgot to eat the maraschino cherry before the waitress (who sucked, by the way) took it away. Anyway, I'm thinking of making some over the weekend.
Our last day was Monday and our host took us to Chapel Hill. We had a nice lunch at the Top of the Hill Restaurant, a brewpub. They have outdoor seating and you can people watch from this second floor patio. I had the Hugh Morton Mango Lager to drink. It was decent, with a hint of mango flavor - not too overpowering. I bought a sixer of cans of Rams Head IPS to bring home. On that note it turns out that a "Fragile" sticker put on the suitcase to protect the brew actually invites damage, as shown in the photo below.
For lunch, I had the Smoked Paprika Chicken sandwich with beer battered fries. Tasty.
The IPA was good too. Pretty strong (6.0%) and reasonably hoppy. I gave a few away and I have one left in the fridge.
Overall, a good eating vacation. I could write another whole post about all the delicious food that our host made us but I'll leave you with just one short description. Easy appetizer: Fresh mozzarella (the soft kind that comes in balls), sliced tomato, and balsamic vinegar for drizzling. You could reduce the vinegar to thicken it, but the vinegar we used seemed thick enough to start with. I guess it depends on what you buy.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Delux, you did us wrong, but you saved it in the end
I went back, again, to Delux (in the South End, Boston, Chandler St). This time, the food was more of a miss than I hit. I got the BBQ pulled pork sandwich with a side of potato salad. My friend ordered the chicken special - boneless chicken breast with rosemary and other spices over saffron rice and beans. We shared and both had the same opinion. The potato salad was quite delicious, but the pulled pork was pretty dry. I've had much better. The chicken was delicious, but the rice was undercooked and quite crunchy. It was a shame. We ended up telling the waitress and she was very apologetic. She brought us the dessert special, on the house, which was really nice and totally appropriate. It was really good: marble cheesecake with buttescotch and chocolate and pecans on top, and a dollop of whipped cream. The perfect size slice to share.
We decided that we love the atmosphere and the beer is great (Tremont Ale on tap), and prices are right, but maybe we'll stick to the grilled cheese on future visits. I think I'd like to try the quesadillas sometime too.
We decided that we love the atmosphere and the beer is great (Tremont Ale on tap), and prices are right, but maybe we'll stick to the grilled cheese on future visits. I think I'd like to try the quesadillas sometime too.
Jager Bomb
I recently discovered the Jager Bomb, though I girled it up and had it as a mixed drink instead of the traditional shot form. Basically, it's Jagermeister and Red Bull. It's very tasty, sort of tastes like Dr. Pepper, and is good to have if you don't feel like drinking bottles and bottles of light beer, are too full to drink heavy beer, and are out waaaaay past your bedtime but have at least two hours to go before your head hits the pillow.
Cheers!
Friday, May 25, 2007
Almmmmmond Croissant
Running late today, and after the sad, sorry free coffee I had at work yesterday (watered down make your own iced coffee), I just had to get a delicious iced coffee from The Bean Counter (Highland Street, Worcester, MA). I also quickly decided to buy an almond croissant. They looked huge and delicious sitting in the counter-top case. The almond filling was just spilling out of the end, and there were tasty-looking bits of almonds and powdered sugar sprinkled on top. How could I resist?
The iced coffee was great, as usual. Medium-body. I started drinking it immediately, after I added milk (no sugar). I saved the sweet reward until I got to work. It was worth the wait. The amount of filling was very generous, compared to some other almond croissants I've had - not dry, quite buttery, and very decadent.
Now that I've had such a good almond croissant, I'm on a quest to try them at every bakery I swing by. I'll start this weekend and do a roundup after I've tried enough to make it worth writing about.
UPDATE The Bean Counter also does a delicious chocolate croissant.
The iced coffee was great, as usual. Medium-body. I started drinking it immediately, after I added milk (no sugar). I saved the sweet reward until I got to work. It was worth the wait. The amount of filling was very generous, compared to some other almond croissants I've had - not dry, quite buttery, and very decadent.
Now that I've had such a good almond croissant, I'm on a quest to try them at every bakery I swing by. I'll start this weekend and do a roundup after I've tried enough to make it worth writing about.
UPDATE The Bean Counter also does a delicious chocolate croissant.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Red Pepper Jelly
If you've never had red pepper jelly, I recommend you go right out and get some. It's basically, crushed red peppers in a sweet jelly. I know, it sounds like it would taste really gross, but it doesn't. The amount of red pepper is not over-abundant, and it's not like you'd spread it on a piece of toast and eat it for breakfast. I usually have it with a good sharp cheddar cheese and crackers. I do love cheddar cheese when it's been able to come to room temperature. The flavor is much stronger.
i buy my red pepper jelly at Cape Cod Crafters in Olde Shrewsbury Village, but you can pick it up at any good grocery store. I was in the Vermont Country Store last weekend and sampled some Red Raspberry Pepper Jelly - not as spicy as the plain Red Pepper Jelly.
On second thought, the pepper jelly might be good on rye pr pumpernickel toast alongside* 2 fried eggs.
*Ever watch Sports Night, by far one of the best TV shows ever? Ever night, the anchor would announce that he was "Dan Rydell alongside Casey McCall" or vice versa. I always loved that.
i buy my red pepper jelly at Cape Cod Crafters in Olde Shrewsbury Village, but you can pick it up at any good grocery store. I was in the Vermont Country Store last weekend and sampled some Red Raspberry Pepper Jelly - not as spicy as the plain Red Pepper Jelly.
On second thought, the pepper jelly might be good on rye pr pumpernickel toast alongside* 2 fried eggs.
*Ever watch Sports Night, by far one of the best TV shows ever? Ever night, the anchor would announce that he was "Dan Rydell alongside Casey McCall" or vice versa. I always loved that.
Dunkin Donuts
I recently had my first Dunkin Donuts Smoothie - wildberry flavor. It was pretty tasty and hit the spot as an afternoon pick-me-up. There was a lot of berry flavor, though it was vaguely reminiscent of Island Oasis. Basically, a virgin frozen multi-berry daiquiri. I ended up with a large, because they made a mistake. I wanted a medium, and as it turns out, I'd have been better off with a small. It was good, but after a while, too sickly sweet and I had a stomach ache at the end.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Delux Cafe, Again
I went back to Delux in the South End of Boston recently, and it was just as good as the last time. I had the rotating flavor of grilled cheese: fontina with sliced bear pear and tomato on sourdough. Delish.
On the side was the best cole slaw I've ever had! This slaw wasn't just green and red cabbage with carrot sticks. There was green cabbage, carrots sliced the wide way, kind of waffle cut, actually. Also, thinly sliced cauliflower! Awesome!
My dining companion had the lobster ravioli with a cream sauce on it. It came with a side salad that wasn't really much to talk about: basically, field greens and dressing. Boring, and kind of stemmy. The ravioli received praise, but the cheese that was shredded on top was not appreciated.
The menu rotates every 6 weeks; I'll try it again next month! The prices are good, the food's tasty, and it's got a cool atmosphere.
On the side was the best cole slaw I've ever had! This slaw wasn't just green and red cabbage with carrot sticks. There was green cabbage, carrots sliced the wide way, kind of waffle cut, actually. Also, thinly sliced cauliflower! Awesome!
My dining companion had the lobster ravioli with a cream sauce on it. It came with a side salad that wasn't really much to talk about: basically, field greens and dressing. Boring, and kind of stemmy. The ravioli received praise, but the cheese that was shredded on top was not appreciated.
The menu rotates every 6 weeks; I'll try it again next month! The prices are good, the food's tasty, and it's got a cool atmosphere.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Hebert Candies
One of my favorite, and sweetest, childhood memories, is of visiting my grandmother. She and my aunts lived over on the other side of the city, and we were frequent visitors. They had a giant TV that sat on the floor, encased in wood. And they always had multiple boxes of Hebert Candies chocolates, both white and milk. The chocolates were small solid squares, about 48 of them or so in a plastic sleeve, a little pocket for each piece of chocolate. Between the 5 of us kids, we'd eat probably two boxes in one sitting. Not the cheapest snack!
Hebert Candies was a family owned business since 1914, but in 2005 it was acquired by a larger company. They've saved the Hebert Candies name and have recently launched a new candy bar: The Fully Loaded line. They're on sale this week at CVS for $1.50 each. I bought one - dark chocolate, shaped into 12 squares, each filled with margarita lime liquid filling. Delicious. The filling offers a nice, tangy taste, and if you let the chocolate melt in your mouth, you will be able to appreciate the chocolate taste. I've had dark chocolate that has a stronger chocolate flavor, but I think this one is good blended with a filling. I ate the whole candy bar and it was only 10 grams of fat (or was it 15? - who cares? I never eat candy bars. It's better than eating the Pepperidge Farm Chocolate right off the styrofoam tray with a fork. When it's still partially frozen.)
Anyway. They also have apple, raspberry, and some other flavors.
Hebert Candies was a family owned business since 1914, but in 2005 it was acquired by a larger company. They've saved the Hebert Candies name and have recently launched a new candy bar: The Fully Loaded line. They're on sale this week at CVS for $1.50 each. I bought one - dark chocolate, shaped into 12 squares, each filled with margarita lime liquid filling. Delicious. The filling offers a nice, tangy taste, and if you let the chocolate melt in your mouth, you will be able to appreciate the chocolate taste. I've had dark chocolate that has a stronger chocolate flavor, but I think this one is good blended with a filling. I ate the whole candy bar and it was only 10 grams of fat (or was it 15? - who cares? I never eat candy bars. It's better than eating the Pepperidge Farm Chocolate right off the styrofoam tray with a fork. When it's still partially frozen.)
Anyway. They also have apple, raspberry, and some other flavors.
Friday, May 04, 2007
Bukhara Bistro - Yummy Indian Food
Twice, within three days, I had the pleasure of dining on food from Bukhara Bistro, located on Centre Street in Jamaica Plain. This Indian food is just superb. The first meal was takeout. We had samosas, chicken saag, chicken korma, and a lamb dish that I didn't try. Naturally, it came with delicious jasmine rice. The rice was cooked perfectly, and was not mushy at all. Each grain was separated from the rest, you know? The chicken saag was quite spicy, and the chicken was very tender. The korma had a great rich flavor, and the chicken here was tender as well. I love it when you don't need a knife to cut the chicken - it cuts easily with a fork. The samosas were filled with potatoes and peas, and came with that delicious sweet sauce. Overall, a filling, tasty meal.
A couple of days later, I was at the Wake up the Earth festival in JP and was starving. They had tons of food vendors set up and I could have chosen from a number of good burrito places, but it was Cinco de Maio and I was going out for Mexican that night. Then, I smelled the wonderful scent of curry and headed immediately to the Bukhara booth. For $8, I got enough food to feed two people: rice, chicken saag and vegetable korma. Really, quite delicious. I can't say it enough. I've seen Bukhara at an arts and music festival in Cambridge as well. If you see them, definitely try their food. I will certainly go back to Bukhara. I've actually eaten in the restaurant, for lunch, and it was great as well.
A couple of days later, I was at the Wake up the Earth festival in JP and was starving. They had tons of food vendors set up and I could have chosen from a number of good burrito places, but it was Cinco de Maio and I was going out for Mexican that night. Then, I smelled the wonderful scent of curry and headed immediately to the Bukhara booth. For $8, I got enough food to feed two people: rice, chicken saag and vegetable korma. Really, quite delicious. I can't say it enough. I've seen Bukhara at an arts and music festival in Cambridge as well. If you see them, definitely try their food. I will certainly go back to Bukhara. I've actually eaten in the restaurant, for lunch, and it was great as well.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
The Turkey Bacon
The Turkey Bacon sub is by far my (and my sister's) favorite sub. The best one around can be had at Steve's Pizza in West Boylston. I stopped by on my way home from work on the way to a class in Holden. I had about 40 minutes to get from Steve's to Main St, Holden, eat my dinner, and get to the class by 6:30. I didn't have the number programmed, so I ordered when I got there: Small Turkey Bacon with everything, plus pickles. It took about 10 minutes, cost $5.75, and was big enough (about 12 inches!) that I was full from half and the rest will be tomorrow's lunch. Sweet.
About the sub: plenty of turkey, good quality, not slimy, not too much that you feel sick chomping through a whole pile of turkey; good bacon, appropriately crispy, more meat than fat (yay!). Overall, a good deal.
Worst Turkey Bacon: The Boynton. Not much turkey, about 8 inches long, too much lettuce, hard, pale, tasteless tomatoes, and last time I ordered takeout, they forgot the bacon. Really. How can you forget the bacon on the freaking Turkey Bacon sub? I will never order it from there again. My friend ordered a BLT, and there were like two pieces of bacon on it. HOW RUDE.
About the sub: plenty of turkey, good quality, not slimy, not too much that you feel sick chomping through a whole pile of turkey; good bacon, appropriately crispy, more meat than fat (yay!). Overall, a good deal.
Worst Turkey Bacon: The Boynton. Not much turkey, about 8 inches long, too much lettuce, hard, pale, tasteless tomatoes, and last time I ordered takeout, they forgot the bacon. Really. How can you forget the bacon on the freaking Turkey Bacon sub? I will never order it from there again. My friend ordered a BLT, and there were like two pieces of bacon on it. HOW RUDE.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Panera Bagel
Running late to work and hungry, I stopped at Panera for a bagel and a coffee. I picked the Asiago cheese bagel with veggie cream cheese, and a medium hot coffee.
First, I found I had to pump my own coffee. I kind of don't like that. I'm okay with adding my own milk but I'd like to get the cup with the coffee already in it.
Second, the bagel was to go and they didn't spread the cream cheese. Now, if it's to go, wouldn't you think, maybe I'm getting in my car, so how would I spread the cheese while driving? So I did it myself in the place.
Third, the bagel wasn't really a good bagel. It actually seemed like it was made from butter roll dough. It was really greasy, nothing like those great Bagel Time bagels. I wish I had just gone there. It cost about $4. Too much, if you ask me.
First, I found I had to pump my own coffee. I kind of don't like that. I'm okay with adding my own milk but I'd like to get the cup with the coffee already in it.
Second, the bagel was to go and they didn't spread the cream cheese. Now, if it's to go, wouldn't you think, maybe I'm getting in my car, so how would I spread the cheese while driving? So I did it myself in the place.
Third, the bagel wasn't really a good bagel. It actually seemed like it was made from butter roll dough. It was really greasy, nothing like those great Bagel Time bagels. I wish I had just gone there. It cost about $4. Too much, if you ask me.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Satisfying the Mall Thirst
You have five dollars, you’ve been at the mall for four hours, and you’re really thirsty. You need a pick-me-up, and a water or a Coke just won’t do. You want a good, satisfying beverage. I’ve been in this situation twice recently, both times at the Providence Place Mall.
The second time, I was wiped out and had a long night ahead of me, so I opted for the caffeinated route. There’s a coffee shop right outside of Nordstrom’s. You can get normal coffee there, plus all the fancy stuff, and dessert. I went for the Iced Caffe Mocha. My shopping buddy got the Iced Caramel Mocha. Both were fantastic: just enough caffeine, the flavoring didn’t overpower the coffee flavor, and the grande was large enough to make it all the way home from Providence to Worcester (though, I sipped it kind of slowly, I’ll admit.) Price: about $9 for the two coffees.
(by the way, I think $4 is RIDICULOUS for an iced coffee, but I'll indulge if the occasion is right.)
The first time, I’d been to each and every shoe store twice, and bought some at the very first store I entered. This day called for an Orange Julius. Last time I had one was probably at least 5 years ago, at the Auburn Mall. The OJ tastes the same as it did back in the day: orangey, creamy, and slightly unnatural. This one wasn’t as foamy as I remembered, but it did the trick. Price: about $4.
The second time, I was wiped out and had a long night ahead of me, so I opted for the caffeinated route. There’s a coffee shop right outside of Nordstrom’s. You can get normal coffee there, plus all the fancy stuff, and dessert. I went for the Iced Caffe Mocha. My shopping buddy got the Iced Caramel Mocha. Both were fantastic: just enough caffeine, the flavoring didn’t overpower the coffee flavor, and the grande was large enough to make it all the way home from Providence to Worcester (though, I sipped it kind of slowly, I’ll admit.) Price: about $9 for the two coffees.
(by the way, I think $4 is RIDICULOUS for an iced coffee, but I'll indulge if the occasion is right.)
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Mmm Pudding
Today I had a chocolate pudding from the work cafeteria. For a mere 90 cents, I got a nice big cup of puddin' with a dollop of whipped cream on top. It it the spot, right about when I was getting sleepy at my desk.
This brings me to another pudding I had recently. It was Jell-o pudding snack cups from the refrigerated section of the grocery store. It was really pretty awful. Not creamy at all, kind of metallic tasting, and not low-fat. If it was low-fat, I'd be okay with it, because at least I would have saved some calories on bad flavor. But this was definitely not worth the calories. I think the Hunt's ones are good. But def not the Jell-o. Bleah.
This brings me to another pudding I had recently. It was Jell-o pudding snack cups from the refrigerated section of the grocery store. It was really pretty awful. Not creamy at all, kind of metallic tasting, and not low-fat. If it was low-fat, I'd be okay with it, because at least I would have saved some calories on bad flavor. But this was definitely not worth the calories. I think the Hunt's ones are good. But def not the Jell-o. Bleah.
Monday, April 16, 2007
O'Connor's
Saturday night, there were 2 of us for dinner, and we didn't do call-ahead seating for O'Connor's. The wait was about 30 minutes, which wasn't bad, considering the parking lot was almost full. At O'Connor's, there's no better place to wait than the bar. They have a great selection of beers on tap (Guinness, Wachusett, Harpoon, Bass, and revolving microbrews). I chose the Opa Opa IPA. Pretty tasty. Not as hoppy as Harpoon but good. My Dining Companion (DC for short) had the Guinness and said it was very good.
We were seated in practically the last table in the place - meaning, it was like, waaayyy in the back, around two corners, and in the corner. Not a bad table at all, really.
For dinner, I had the Tortellini and Chicken. Delicious breaded chicken sliced and placed atop a large bowl of tortellini swimming in a parmesan cream sauce, with peas and bacon. Really good. Before, I had a salad, which was also great. Fresh lettuce, good Italian dressing (I think it was a red wine vinaigrette). I might have ordered the soup instead of the salad but the choices were Broccoli and Cheese, Cream of Mushroom, and Clam Chowder. Why do restaurants do that? Put all cream soups on the same day? How about a broth soup, people?
DC ordered the Tom Brady, which is an 8oz filet with blue cheese on top, all on top of mashed potatoes and sauteed onions. I tried the filet and it was really flavorful. The blue cheese added just enough zest, and it was cooked exactly as ordered.
No room for dessert.
Two tips for the ladies:
1) Don't match your dining companion drink for drink if you don't want to forget your leftovers in the car.
2) Leave breadcrumbs when going to the bathroom. You might get lost going back to your seat.
We were seated in practically the last table in the place - meaning, it was like, waaayyy in the back, around two corners, and in the corner. Not a bad table at all, really.
For dinner, I had the Tortellini and Chicken. Delicious breaded chicken sliced and placed atop a large bowl of tortellini swimming in a parmesan cream sauce, with peas and bacon. Really good. Before, I had a salad, which was also great. Fresh lettuce, good Italian dressing (I think it was a red wine vinaigrette). I might have ordered the soup instead of the salad but the choices were Broccoli and Cheese, Cream of Mushroom, and Clam Chowder. Why do restaurants do that? Put all cream soups on the same day? How about a broth soup, people?
DC ordered the Tom Brady, which is an 8oz filet with blue cheese on top, all on top of mashed potatoes and sauteed onions. I tried the filet and it was really flavorful. The blue cheese added just enough zest, and it was cooked exactly as ordered.
No room for dessert.
Two tips for the ladies:
1) Don't match your dining companion drink for drink if you don't want to forget your leftovers in the car.
2) Leave breadcrumbs when going to the bathroom. You might get lost going back to your seat.
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Awkward Coffee Experience
I'm not a coffee snob. Quite the opposite. At work, there's coffee to buy (Seattle's Best but not really the best, in my opinion - too bitter) and there's coffee for free. I like good coffee, but I don't want to pay for it every day. I'd rather buy shoes than coffee. The free coffee is some no-name brand, and every day there's regular, decaf, and two flavored ones. The flavored ones are always gross, like mint chocolate or acid-stomach Irish Creme. In the summer, there's free iced coffee, but they stop making it around September. So, what I do is, fill a big cup with ice, pour some plain free coffee in the cup, add more ice, and top it off with skim. What I get is a big cup of watery iced coffee. Not delicious, but it gets me through the morning, I don't get really jittery from excess caffeine, and I avoid the coffee-withdrawal headache I'd get if I skipped it.
On the days I'm really late to work, I'll often stop at the Bean Counter on Highland Street. My theory is, if you're late, you're late. What's 5 more minutes? I either get an iced coffee, with milk (they don't have skim, so I have real milk), or a hot coffee, something with some flavor. The iced coffee at the Bean is good enough to drink black, and I always like the hot coffees as well. Recently, I started getting lattes, and you really can't go wrong with a latte. They're better at Starbucks than at Dunkin Donuts, and are also good at Bean and the new place in Holden, Sweets and Java.
To get to the point, usually I'm in the Bean Counter in the morning, and I'm in and out pretty quickly. It's always pretty busy, with people in line and sitting at tables. The other night, I met a friend for a coffee around 6 pm. It was Thursday (I know this because I had to get home for a new episode of The Office), and the first room (the one where you enter) was pretty empty. Just one person at the front table. We decided to sit in the second room, which I guess you could call the back, even though it's just as close to the street at the first room. Anyway, there was just one other party at first, and they were pretty quiet. Then a few more tables became filled up, with people either reading, on a laptop, or writing a paper or something. It was still really quiet, even with all these people. Except, of course, for me and my friend. We were catching up, and were talking at a normal volume, not loud or anything, but after a while, we felt like we should start - not quite whispering - but - talking more softly. There wasn't any music playing where we were. I think there was a radio on behind the counter but it seemed to be for the people working there, not for the customers. The lights were blazing bright, the walls were painted a light beige, and the tables were white formica-topped. There were paintings on the walls, but they were really small, and got lost on the sand-colored wall.
Basically, the atmosphere sucked. The coffee was good, but I wouldn't go there again for a sit-down coffee. This isn't the first time I've felt this vibe, and if it hasn't changed in two years, it's probably not going to. My suggestion: warm up the wall color, add some non-fluorescent lighting, some tablecloths or something, and definitely a little background music.
On the days I'm really late to work, I'll often stop at the Bean Counter on Highland Street. My theory is, if you're late, you're late. What's 5 more minutes? I either get an iced coffee, with milk (they don't have skim, so I have real milk), or a hot coffee, something with some flavor. The iced coffee at the Bean is good enough to drink black, and I always like the hot coffees as well. Recently, I started getting lattes, and you really can't go wrong with a latte. They're better at Starbucks than at Dunkin Donuts, and are also good at Bean and the new place in Holden, Sweets and Java.
To get to the point, usually I'm in the Bean Counter in the morning, and I'm in and out pretty quickly. It's always pretty busy, with people in line and sitting at tables. The other night, I met a friend for a coffee around 6 pm. It was Thursday (I know this because I had to get home for a new episode of The Office), and the first room (the one where you enter) was pretty empty. Just one person at the front table. We decided to sit in the second room, which I guess you could call the back, even though it's just as close to the street at the first room. Anyway, there was just one other party at first, and they were pretty quiet. Then a few more tables became filled up, with people either reading, on a laptop, or writing a paper or something. It was still really quiet, even with all these people. Except, of course, for me and my friend. We were catching up, and were talking at a normal volume, not loud or anything, but after a while, we felt like we should start - not quite whispering - but - talking more softly. There wasn't any music playing where we were. I think there was a radio on behind the counter but it seemed to be for the people working there, not for the customers. The lights were blazing bright, the walls were painted a light beige, and the tables were white formica-topped. There were paintings on the walls, but they were really small, and got lost on the sand-colored wall.
Basically, the atmosphere sucked. The coffee was good, but I wouldn't go there again for a sit-down coffee. This isn't the first time I've felt this vibe, and if it hasn't changed in two years, it's probably not going to. My suggestion: warm up the wall color, add some non-fluorescent lighting, some tablecloths or something, and definitely a little background music.
Saturday, April 07, 2007
The Flatbread Company Falls Flat
A group of 9 visited the Flatbread Company in Bedford, Mass. last week for a lunch. The food was simple and okay but the setup and functioning of the place was disgusting and annoying. More to follow . . . with pix.
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
I want to wash out my mouth with soap. It would taste better.
Recently, Price Chopper jumped on the organic foods bandwagon and introduced a brand called Wild Oats. They even had two coupons in their sale flyer recently, so I clipped them and went happily to the Chopper to pickup some discounted organic eats.One coupon was $1 off any Wild Oats brand item. I opted for this delicious looking Orange Tangerine natural soda. It was a nice orange color, decent packaging, and usually natural sodas are pretty tasty. Not this one. This nastiness tasted like old musty orange drink. Drink, not juice. It was gross, and a total waste of money on my part and effort on theirs. What a disappointment.
If you're looking for a natural soda, I'd say, try Hansen's. For orange soda, Polar Orange Dry is my pick any day. Regular, not diet.
Update!
I emailed Wild Oats with my complaint:
Dear Wild Oats,
I recently purchased Wild Oats Natural Orange Tangerine Italian Soda, and
was completely dissatisfied. The product tasted old, and didn\'t really
taste like tangerine at all. I only had one glass and discarded more than
half the bottle. I paid $.99 for it (priced at 1.99 - 1.00 off coupon.)
The cap says: Prod:052606, best by 082607. It is not out of date.
So...not sure if it's a bad batch, but the bottle says Satisfaction
Guaranteed and I am not satisfied.
Here's the reply (which came just three hours later):
Thank you for contacting Wild Oats with your comments. I am sorry to hear
about your poor experience with our soda. I would like to offer you a coupon
to replace this item. If you are interested, please reply with your address
and I will get one in the mail for you right away.
Thanks, Mom, for making the suggestion to contact them!
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Good Ice Cream
Ben and Jerry's on Newbury Street
Overall, a good experience here. The line was practically out the door when we got there, but it moved quickly and in no time, we were embarking on a sugar rush.
I paired the Phish Food (surf and turf edition, with both chocolate cows and fish) with Strawberry Cheesecake on a sugar cone. Both delicious. The SC tasted a lot like cheesecake, and the Phish Food was, as always, great. Chocolate ice cream, caramel swirl, chocolate fish. It was a beautiful day for a snack and we were even able to get a table outside in the sun.
My nephew got the Black Raspberry frozen yogurt. He's a Black Rasp connoisseur - gets it everywhere he goes. He seemed quite pleased with it and ate the entire thing before I'd even finished my first scoop. I noticed that there were real raspberry chunks swirled in. Impressive.
My brother got the new flavor, Creme Brulee. Custard ice cream with swirled caramelized sugar. The caramelized sugar was crunchy, not smooth or soft like caramel. He said it was good.
One final note: You know it's expensive. You could buy a pint for less than you pay for a small cone (2 scoops) but I don't think there's a 7 Eleven on Newbury Street.
Overall, a good experience here. The line was practically out the door when we got there, but it moved quickly and in no time, we were embarking on a sugar rush.
I paired the Phish Food (surf and turf edition, with both chocolate cows and fish) with Strawberry Cheesecake on a sugar cone. Both delicious. The SC tasted a lot like cheesecake, and the Phish Food was, as always, great. Chocolate ice cream, caramel swirl, chocolate fish. It was a beautiful day for a snack and we were even able to get a table outside in the sun.
My nephew got the Black Raspberry frozen yogurt. He's a Black Rasp connoisseur - gets it everywhere he goes. He seemed quite pleased with it and ate the entire thing before I'd even finished my first scoop. I noticed that there were real raspberry chunks swirled in. Impressive.
My brother got the new flavor, Creme Brulee. Custard ice cream with swirled caramelized sugar. The caramelized sugar was crunchy, not smooth or soft like caramel. He said it was good.
One final note: You know it's expensive. You could buy a pint for less than you pay for a small cone (2 scoops) but I don't think there's a 7 Eleven on Newbury Street.
Miracle of Science
Saturday night
Miracle of Science Bar and Grille
321 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge
Out for a few beers with a brother and a friend on Saturday night. Where to go in Boston when you're driving, don't want to pay for parking, want good beer on tap (you know, not clear beer like Bud light), and maybe a little snack? We tried the Miracle of Science. The parking was easy, just around the corner. We got there around 10 and were able to get a table with 1 chair and a bench, so room for 3.
It was pretty busy - great people watching at this bar.
The food menu is listed on a chalkboard, in a periodic table of elements. Element "Hb" was for a hamburger.
I shared a chicken quesadilla with my brother. It was delicious, reasonably priced ($4.95, I think), and large. They had 5 beers on tap, including Guiness, Ipswich Ale (I had it, it was good), Bass (also good), and HopDevil IPA.
I'd definitely go back here if I was looking for a casual dinner and good beer, with atmosphere.
Miracle of Science Bar and Grille
321 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge
Out for a few beers with a brother and a friend on Saturday night. Where to go in Boston when you're driving, don't want to pay for parking, want good beer on tap (you know, not clear beer like Bud light), and maybe a little snack? We tried the Miracle of Science. The parking was easy, just around the corner. We got there around 10 and were able to get a table with 1 chair and a bench, so room for 3.
It was pretty busy - great people watching at this bar.
The food menu is listed on a chalkboard, in a periodic table of elements. Element "Hb" was for a hamburger.
I shared a chicken quesadilla with my brother. It was delicious, reasonably priced ($4.95, I think), and large. They had 5 beers on tap, including Guiness, Ipswich Ale (I had it, it was good), Bass (also good), and HopDevil IPA.
I'd definitely go back here if I was looking for a casual dinner and good beer, with atmosphere.
Friday, March 23, 2007
Lookin' for a good turkey club?
Try Friendly's. The turkey club is fantastic. And right now, it's a special, so you get a free Happy Ending sundae with it. Yahoo!
Good Eats in Great Barrington
Barrington Brewery
I recently spent the afternoon in the lovely western Mass town of Great Barrington. This is a great little town, and it was my second visit there. The first time I went for lunch at Baba Louie, a for-real excellent pizza joint. That was before this blog, so there's no official review, but suffice it to say, the pizza with figs, mozzarella, and caramelized onions is to die for. And, they have Berkshire Brewing Co. beer on tap.
On my recent visit, four of us had lunch at the Barrington Brewery, which is on the same road as the Wonderful Things yarn shop, for you knitters out there. (We got there shortly after they closed, so didn't get to browse a giant yarn store, but there's always next time.)
The atmosphere at the Brewery is quite comfortable. High ceilings, lots of tables and booths, and large windows which let in a lot of natural light. Off the main restaurant room is a tavern, where they have tacked up hundreds of different beer coasters on the walls. It looks like a fun place to have a beer and an appetizer.
After rave reviews of the chili from one of my dining partners, 2 of us ordered the cup of chili and salad combo. This chili was delicious. Large pieces of ground beef, kidney beans, and smaller black beans. Great chili flavor, and none of the kickback I usually get from the chili at the work cafeteria. The salad was also delicious with romaine, mixed with some field greens, red onion, grape tomatoes, and scallion-herb creamy dressing. Since it was lunchtime, I decided against the beer, and instead had a pink lemonade. It hit the spot.
The rest of my party was similarly pleased with their meals: Vegetarian chili, Salad of the Day (toasted pecans, blue cheese, and grilled chicken on a green salad), and a half a corned beef sandwich.
We all shared a large order of hand-cut french fries. I'd come back just for the fries. And the chili.
So Co Creamery
5 Railroad Street
Ice cream at the So Co Creamery is pricey but delicious. I had the Take 5, which was chocolate ice cream, chocolate and peanut butter swirl, peanut butter cups, and pretzels. Though I didn't really notice the swirl, I did enjoy this flavor. Hugh chunks of the pb cups!
Others in the group had the mint chip and the snickerdoodle. Both received the thumbs up.
I recently spent the afternoon in the lovely western Mass town of Great Barrington. This is a great little town, and it was my second visit there. The first time I went for lunch at Baba Louie, a for-real excellent pizza joint. That was before this blog, so there's no official review, but suffice it to say, the pizza with figs, mozzarella, and caramelized onions is to die for. And, they have Berkshire Brewing Co. beer on tap.
On my recent visit, four of us had lunch at the Barrington Brewery, which is on the same road as the Wonderful Things yarn shop, for you knitters out there. (We got there shortly after they closed, so didn't get to browse a giant yarn store, but there's always next time.)
The atmosphere at the Brewery is quite comfortable. High ceilings, lots of tables and booths, and large windows which let in a lot of natural light. Off the main restaurant room is a tavern, where they have tacked up hundreds of different beer coasters on the walls. It looks like a fun place to have a beer and an appetizer.
After rave reviews of the chili from one of my dining partners, 2 of us ordered the cup of chili and salad combo. This chili was delicious. Large pieces of ground beef, kidney beans, and smaller black beans. Great chili flavor, and none of the kickback I usually get from the chili at the work cafeteria. The salad was also delicious with romaine, mixed with some field greens, red onion, grape tomatoes, and scallion-herb creamy dressing. Since it was lunchtime, I decided against the beer, and instead had a pink lemonade. It hit the spot.
The rest of my party was similarly pleased with their meals: Vegetarian chili, Salad of the Day (toasted pecans, blue cheese, and grilled chicken on a green salad), and a half a corned beef sandwich.
We all shared a large order of hand-cut french fries. I'd come back just for the fries. And the chili.
So Co Creamery
5 Railroad Street
Ice cream at the So Co Creamery is pricey but delicious. I had the Take 5, which was chocolate ice cream, chocolate and peanut butter swirl, peanut butter cups, and pretzels. Though I didn't really notice the swirl, I did enjoy this flavor. Hugh chunks of the pb cups!
Others in the group had the mint chip and the snickerdoodle. Both received the thumbs up.
Friday, March 09, 2007
It's Good To Go
There's a new coffee shop in Holden, called Sweets and Java. I decided to go there yesterday after I read about it in the Telegram.
First, a tip on where it is. If you're coming from Worcester, and take Reservoir Road, or Salisbury Street, take a left on Main. It's past the center, and it's on the left. I drove by it because I was looking for it on the right. Why, you may ask? Because as I was driving up Main Street, I noticed that the street numbers on the right were even. Like, Al Fresco is #680 Main Street. Somehow, the normal odd/even numbering conventions flipped as they traveled up Main Street.
I was short on time, so I ordered my sweet and my java to go. For me, a decaf latte. For my friend, a regular americano (house blend). To share, a peanut butter mousse chocolate square. The latte was delicious. Very hot, but not scaldingly hot, smooth flavor, and not burnt tasting at all. I don't take sugar in my coffee, and this coffee stood very well on its own. My friend was pleased with her coffee as well. It's the kind of place where you put your own dairy and sugar in, and since I use skim, and don't take sugar, I didn't know what "extra cream, regular sugar" meant. I asked the folks at the counter. They left a reasonable amount of room for the cream, and told me I should go with 2, maybe 3 sugars. There was skim, whole, and half and half, but no cream. I just went with the half and half.
The peanut butter square was awesome, imported from Modern Pastry in the North End, Boston. Oreo cookie crust, super peanut buttery mousse, and thick chocolate frosting on top. It was so good I could have eaten the whole thing, but I knew that it would be so I bought it with the intent to share. It was pretty big and really, a whole one would have been just a little sugarly irresponsible.
I plan to go back soon to have my coffee there and read a book, when I have more time. There are several chairs and a small leather couch in the front, and the walls are a deep red color reminiscent of my own living room (so I'll feel right at home). When that happens, I'll let you know if it's a good place to read.
First, a tip on where it is. If you're coming from Worcester, and take Reservoir Road, or Salisbury Street, take a left on Main. It's past the center, and it's on the left. I drove by it because I was looking for it on the right. Why, you may ask? Because as I was driving up Main Street, I noticed that the street numbers on the right were even. Like, Al Fresco is #680 Main Street. Somehow, the normal odd/even numbering conventions flipped as they traveled up Main Street.
I was short on time, so I ordered my sweet and my java to go. For me, a decaf latte. For my friend, a regular americano (house blend). To share, a peanut butter mousse chocolate square. The latte was delicious. Very hot, but not scaldingly hot, smooth flavor, and not burnt tasting at all. I don't take sugar in my coffee, and this coffee stood very well on its own. My friend was pleased with her coffee as well. It's the kind of place where you put your own dairy and sugar in, and since I use skim, and don't take sugar, I didn't know what "extra cream, regular sugar" meant. I asked the folks at the counter. They left a reasonable amount of room for the cream, and told me I should go with 2, maybe 3 sugars. There was skim, whole, and half and half, but no cream. I just went with the half and half.
The peanut butter square was awesome, imported from Modern Pastry in the North End, Boston. Oreo cookie crust, super peanut buttery mousse, and thick chocolate frosting on top. It was so good I could have eaten the whole thing, but I knew that it would be so I bought it with the intent to share. It was pretty big and really, a whole one would have been just a little sugarly irresponsible.
I plan to go back soon to have my coffee there and read a book, when I have more time. There are several chairs and a small leather couch in the front, and the walls are a deep red color reminiscent of my own living room (so I'll feel right at home). When that happens, I'll let you know if it's a good place to read.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Campbell's Chunky Grilled Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
Best canned soup ever: Campbell's Chunky Grilled Chicken and Sausage Gumbo. It's spicy, full of flavor, and filling. Perfect for a cool night, where you want to warm up and you're moderately. Toast up some sourdough bread and butter it with real butter, for best results.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Hunka Chunka PB Fudge
I went to lunch with E, a frequent dining companion. When asked what she felt like eating, E said "Something really bad for me." So, to Friendly's we went. (Tatnuck Square, Worcester)
E loved the barbecue cheddar chicken melt (hold the bacon), and I thoroughly enjoyed my medium-well All America burger (L,T,O, no cheese, but mayo! Yes!). They don't serve ginger ale, which is always a disappointment, but the fountain Coke was a good substitute. I also got a glass of ice water and it was pretty good. No nasty chemical or bleach taste.
The meal was capped off with a Happy Ending sundae for me (Hunka Chunka PB Fudge ice cream, hot fudge sauce) and a Reeses Peanut Butter sundae for E (vanilla ice cream, Reese's peanut butter cups, peanut butter sauce, and hot fudge). It was a chocolate and peanut butter day for us. Both sundaes were delicious. I'm craving another one now. But I'm making do with Trader Joe's milk chocolate cranberries (good in small doses - no need to eat more than 15 or so at a time.)
E loved the barbecue cheddar chicken melt (hold the bacon), and I thoroughly enjoyed my medium-well All America burger (L,T,O, no cheese, but mayo! Yes!). They don't serve ginger ale, which is always a disappointment, but the fountain Coke was a good substitute. I also got a glass of ice water and it was pretty good. No nasty chemical or bleach taste.
The meal was capped off with a Happy Ending sundae for me (Hunka Chunka PB Fudge ice cream, hot fudge sauce) and a Reeses Peanut Butter sundae for E (vanilla ice cream, Reese's peanut butter cups, peanut butter sauce, and hot fudge). It was a chocolate and peanut butter day for us. Both sundaes were delicious. I'm craving another one now. But I'm making do with Trader Joe's milk chocolate cranberries (good in small doses - no need to eat more than 15 or so at a time.)
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Haiku (again)
My trips to Haiku are looking like they might be a regular thing. I went a couple of weeks ago on a Sunday night with my Sushi Dining Companion (SDC for short). We sat at the bar; not the part where you can watch the sushi being made, but the part in front of the TV. The Grammys were on, so we watched as we, at and chatted with the bartender.
I had a Jameson and Ginger to start... not sure why but I was feeling the Jameson. I was turned onto this delightful drink at a friend's Christmas (not Holiday) Party. It was tasty.
In addition to some repeat maki from our last visit, we ordered the Veg and Shrimp Tempura appetizer. This was amazing. The breading was great, hot and crispy - probably panko breadcrumbs. The shrimp were about 4 inches long, and tasty. Zucchini, onion, and sweet potato were also included. A sweet soy sauce was included for dipping.
We tried something new this time: the Northboro roll. This was a roll filled iwth salmon, scallop, and another fish, rolled in breading, and fried quickly. The fish was fully cooked. This was delicious! I could probably make a meal out of the whole 8-piece serving alone, it was so chock full of fish.
Again, Haiku proved a good place for an adventurous dinner.
I had a Jameson and Ginger to start... not sure why but I was feeling the Jameson. I was turned onto this delightful drink at a friend's Christmas (not Holiday) Party. It was tasty.
In addition to some repeat maki from our last visit, we ordered the Veg and Shrimp Tempura appetizer. This was amazing. The breading was great, hot and crispy - probably panko breadcrumbs. The shrimp were about 4 inches long, and tasty. Zucchini, onion, and sweet potato were also included. A sweet soy sauce was included for dipping.
We tried something new this time: the Northboro roll. This was a roll filled iwth salmon, scallop, and another fish, rolled in breading, and fried quickly. The fish was fully cooked. This was delicious! I could probably make a meal out of the whole 8-piece serving alone, it was so chock full of fish.
Again, Haiku proved a good place for an adventurous dinner.
Hospital Food
Dairy Queen was recently a short-term resident of UMass Memorial Hospital, and had the opportunity to sample the delicious cafeteria offerings. Here, she'll review both the clear liquid diet and the regular diet provided by the Morrison Catering service.
Clear Liquid
Not much to say about this diet. At least there's variety. Apple juice, ginger ale, water, broth, coffee, tea (no milk), and Jell-O. I've learned that I don't really like orange Jell-O. Also, the containers they use to make the Jell-O and to serve fruit in are really difficult to open. (I should note, maybe not so difficult if you're not on morphine.)
Regular Diet
This diet was actually pretty good. On Saturday morning, I had scrambled eggs, a sausage patty, and a corn muffin for breakfast. Delish. The eggs definitely had salt in them and all the food was really hot. It comes in an insulated container with a lid. To drink, coffee and OJ. Both good. Now, it's possible that I loved the food so much because it was the first solid food I'd had since Wednesday night, but I don't think so.
Lunch was not as good. Chicken and rice soup was SO bland. The broth was water, no seasonings. I sent back the fruit cup because I was paranoid that the melon was tainted. I'm sure it wasn't, since I learned later that the Dole contaminated melons never made it to retail stores. Better safe than sorry, though. The banana that replaced it was good.
Dinner was chicken marsala, rice, and mixed vegetables. Very tasty. Dessert was vanilla ice cream. Yum.
Breakfast the next day was a scrambled egg, bacon and cheese breakfast wrap with a hash brown that looked like the Micky D's hashbrowns. Tasty! I didn't like the wrap, but I usually don't. I just ate the filling. Again, coffee and juice.
Lunch the next day was a fruit, cheese and turkey plate with a bowl of cream of broccoli soup and a chocolate brownie. The soup was really delicious. I was wary, but pleasantly surprised. The fruit plate had green grapes, strips of real turkey, not deli meat, and cubes of sliced orange cheese. It was odd but refreshing. The brownie was good.
Overall, I thought the food was good and the service was really good. If I wanted something else, they were happy to comply. If you have to eat hospital food, this is pretty good.
(That's not to say that I didn't totally enjoy the decaf dunkin donuts coffee that my friend gave me one night.)
Clear Liquid
Not much to say about this diet. At least there's variety. Apple juice, ginger ale, water, broth, coffee, tea (no milk), and Jell-O. I've learned that I don't really like orange Jell-O. Also, the containers they use to make the Jell-O and to serve fruit in are really difficult to open. (I should note, maybe not so difficult if you're not on morphine.)
Regular Diet
This diet was actually pretty good. On Saturday morning, I had scrambled eggs, a sausage patty, and a corn muffin for breakfast. Delish. The eggs definitely had salt in them and all the food was really hot. It comes in an insulated container with a lid. To drink, coffee and OJ. Both good. Now, it's possible that I loved the food so much because it was the first solid food I'd had since Wednesday night, but I don't think so.
Lunch was not as good. Chicken and rice soup was SO bland. The broth was water, no seasonings. I sent back the fruit cup because I was paranoid that the melon was tainted. I'm sure it wasn't, since I learned later that the Dole contaminated melons never made it to retail stores. Better safe than sorry, though. The banana that replaced it was good.
Dinner was chicken marsala, rice, and mixed vegetables. Very tasty. Dessert was vanilla ice cream. Yum.
Breakfast the next day was a scrambled egg, bacon and cheese breakfast wrap with a hash brown that looked like the Micky D's hashbrowns. Tasty! I didn't like the wrap, but I usually don't. I just ate the filling. Again, coffee and juice.
Lunch the next day was a fruit, cheese and turkey plate with a bowl of cream of broccoli soup and a chocolate brownie. The soup was really delicious. I was wary, but pleasantly surprised. The fruit plate had green grapes, strips of real turkey, not deli meat, and cubes of sliced orange cheese. It was odd but refreshing. The brownie was good.
Overall, I thought the food was good and the service was really good. If I wanted something else, they were happy to comply. If you have to eat hospital food, this is pretty good.
(That's not to say that I didn't totally enjoy the decaf dunkin donuts coffee that my friend gave me one night.)
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Quick Bites: Canyon Cafe, Cheesecake Factory
Location: Canyon Cafe, Westboro, MA
Meal: Dinner
Appetizer sampler: Calamari was really good. Very greasy though. Mushroom egg roll was kind of unusual, with the mushrooms and purple cabbage all falling out and being messy, but it tasted good. Chicken spring roll was delish.
My entree: Taco salad with grilled steak, snakebite beans (corn soaked until it's mushy but still bland), and salsa ranch dressing (bland). I substituted romaine lettuce. It was really nice and crispy, not brown, very fresh. Good salad but the steak could have used more seasoning. I like it spicy!
Strawberry margarita, frozen. Tasty!
Location: Cheesecake Factory, Burlington Mall, Burlington, MA
Appetizer: Lettuce wraps. As always, delicious and messy. Always recommended though.
My entree: SPICY CHICKEN CHIPOTLE PASTA: Honey Glazed Chicken, Asparagus, Red and Yellow Peppers, Peas, Garlic and Onions in a Spicy Chipotle Parmesan Cream Sauce.
It was delicious! Almost as good as the spicy pasta from Uno's.
Dessert: Chocolate mousse cheesecake. Pretty good. Not great. Too mousse-y, not cheesey enough.
Others at the table got chicken marsala (loved it!) and fish and chips ( great!). The ADAM'S PEANUT BUTTER CUP FUDGE RIPPLE (Creamy Cheesecake Swirled with Caramel, Peanut Butter, Butterfingers® and Reeses Peanut Butter Cups®) got the most votes.
Meal: Dinner
Appetizer sampler: Calamari was really good. Very greasy though. Mushroom egg roll was kind of unusual, with the mushrooms and purple cabbage all falling out and being messy, but it tasted good. Chicken spring roll was delish.
My entree: Taco salad with grilled steak, snakebite beans (corn soaked until it's mushy but still bland), and salsa ranch dressing (bland). I substituted romaine lettuce. It was really nice and crispy, not brown, very fresh. Good salad but the steak could have used more seasoning. I like it spicy!
Strawberry margarita, frozen. Tasty!
Location: Cheesecake Factory, Burlington Mall, Burlington, MA
Appetizer: Lettuce wraps. As always, delicious and messy. Always recommended though.
My entree: SPICY CHICKEN CHIPOTLE PASTA: Honey Glazed Chicken, Asparagus, Red and Yellow Peppers, Peas, Garlic and Onions in a Spicy Chipotle Parmesan Cream Sauce.
It was delicious! Almost as good as the spicy pasta from Uno's.
Dessert: Chocolate mousse cheesecake. Pretty good. Not great. Too mousse-y, not cheesey enough.
Others at the table got chicken marsala (loved it!) and fish and chips ( great!). The ADAM'S PEANUT BUTTER CUP FUDGE RIPPLE (Creamy Cheesecake Swirled with Caramel, Peanut Butter, Butterfingers® and Reeses Peanut Butter Cups®) got the most votes.
The key lime cheesecake was pretty tasty - very tart! Might be a good summer dessert.
Spago!
Location: Spago, Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada
Meal: Dinner
Of all the meals we ate in Vegas, this one was the best! It was the one really expensive meal that we ate and boy, was it. But really, every last bite was delicious!
We had reservations, and were seated immediately. Our waiter, John, was very friendly, and even took our picture for us. It came out really crappy, but still, he was nice. (more about him later)
Our table was not the best table - it was right by the door to the kitchen. But we aren't high rollers so we didn't expect the best table. And really, we had a view of the whole restaurant so it was fine.
We each started with a mango martini. These were very yummy, though they did taste mostly like juice. Here's a shot of it:
They brought some bread and I think dipping oil. It was delicious, but I did feel a little uncouth because I wanted to try two pieces, and the waiter had a big platter that he served us individual slices of bread from. Kind of odd. Would have preferred a small basket with a few pieces for the table.
For my entree, I ordered the Sauteed John Dory over Spaetzle, with 2 different delicious sauces. The John Dory is a white fish, like sole. It was wonderfully seasoned and sauteed so that it had a crispy coating of seasoning. I'd never had spaetzle and it was pretty good. It's crispy pieces of dough with cheese and onion mixed in.
My friend ordered the Black Truffle Crusted Irish Salmon with Sunchokes, Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Confit Bacon and Brussel Leaves. She loved it. She said it was really rich, cooked perfectly, and filling but she wasn't too full for dessert. I tried a tiny piece and found it very flavorful. The black truffle crust was unbelievable.
Here are some pictures. I had to adjust them so they aren't perfect, but I was trying to be classy in the fancy restaurant and didn't want to use the flash.
For dessert, we ordered a sampler that came with mini bites of apple tart, lemon lemon lemon custardy cake with berry sauce, creme brulee, and chocolate mousse. Also it came with an espresso martini shot and a Bailey's martini shot. The sampler was good, but we decided that we might have been happier sharing a full-size dessert. Now, back to John, the waiter. He liked us and gave us 2 free shots (same as what came with the dessert sampler). That was nice!
Overall, I really liked the food, and if I was near another Wolfgang Puck restaurant and had money to burn, I'd definitely eat there.
Meal: Dinner
Of all the meals we ate in Vegas, this one was the best! It was the one really expensive meal that we ate and boy, was it. But really, every last bite was delicious!
We had reservations, and were seated immediately. Our waiter, John, was very friendly, and even took our picture for us. It came out really crappy, but still, he was nice. (more about him later)
Our table was not the best table - it was right by the door to the kitchen. But we aren't high rollers so we didn't expect the best table. And really, we had a view of the whole restaurant so it was fine.
We each started with a mango martini. These were very yummy, though they did taste mostly like juice. Here's a shot of it:
They brought some bread and I think dipping oil. It was delicious, but I did feel a little uncouth because I wanted to try two pieces, and the waiter had a big platter that he served us individual slices of bread from. Kind of odd. Would have preferred a small basket with a few pieces for the table.
For my entree, I ordered the Sauteed John Dory over Spaetzle, with 2 different delicious sauces. The John Dory is a white fish, like sole. It was wonderfully seasoned and sauteed so that it had a crispy coating of seasoning. I'd never had spaetzle and it was pretty good. It's crispy pieces of dough with cheese and onion mixed in.
My friend ordered the Black Truffle Crusted Irish Salmon with Sunchokes, Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Confit Bacon and Brussel Leaves. She loved it. She said it was really rich, cooked perfectly, and filling but she wasn't too full for dessert. I tried a tiny piece and found it very flavorful. The black truffle crust was unbelievable.
Here are some pictures. I had to adjust them so they aren't perfect, but I was trying to be classy in the fancy restaurant and didn't want to use the flash.
For dessert, we ordered a sampler that came with mini bites of apple tart, lemon lemon lemon custardy cake with berry sauce, creme brulee, and chocolate mousse. Also it came with an espresso martini shot and a Bailey's martini shot. The sampler was good, but we decided that we might have been happier sharing a full-size dessert. Now, back to John, the waiter. He liked us and gave us 2 free shots (same as what came with the dessert sampler). That was nice!
Overall, I really liked the food, and if I was near another Wolfgang Puck restaurant and had money to burn, I'd definitely eat there.
Friday, February 02, 2007
Westside Steak and BBQ
Westside Steak and BBQ has opened up in the same location that a failed BBQ place resided, at 2 Richmond Ave in Worcester. Since I was really tired, due to a late return from Vegas last night (really, 2am this morning), I stopped by for some takeout. I was hoping that the food quality would be better than the now-defunct Casper's. I was pleased and if I used the star rating, I'd give them a 3.5 out of 5. But I'm not doing stars so I'll just tell you about the food.
I ordered a pulled pork sand with fries and slaw. The sandwich was huge; I wasn't able to finish it. The BBQ sauce was standard, zesty barbecue, not really hot. I prefer the N. Carolina sauce on pulled pork. (Try Tennessee's BBQ in Framingham and Franklin. Unbelievable.) The fries were nice and crispy but they're the kind that have that coating on them, like Burger King. They aren't my favorite. I was too full to eat the slaw so I'm saving it, but I tried a bite. It was very good. Crisp, fresh, cold, and not too mayonnaisey.
The meal was $6.99 plus tax.
The decor is nice. A mirror lines one wall and a large mural lines the other. The tables are wooden with comfortable cane-back chairs. There is real silverware, and food is served on ceramic plates. The last place that was there served on styrofoam and the tables had holds in them so the drinks sweated onto your clothes. It's byob.
For a quick dinner option, I'd say this place is pretty good. I'd like to go back and try the rest.
I ordered a pulled pork sand with fries and slaw. The sandwich was huge; I wasn't able to finish it. The BBQ sauce was standard, zesty barbecue, not really hot. I prefer the N. Carolina sauce on pulled pork. (Try Tennessee's BBQ in Framingham and Franklin. Unbelievable.) The fries were nice and crispy but they're the kind that have that coating on them, like Burger King. They aren't my favorite. I was too full to eat the slaw so I'm saving it, but I tried a bite. It was very good. Crisp, fresh, cold, and not too mayonnaisey.
The meal was $6.99 plus tax.
The decor is nice. A mirror lines one wall and a large mural lines the other. The tables are wooden with comfortable cane-back chairs. There is real silverware, and food is served on ceramic plates. The last place that was there served on styrofoam and the tables had holds in them so the drinks sweated onto your clothes. It's byob.
For a quick dinner option, I'd say this place is pretty good. I'd like to go back and try the rest.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Coming soon... Good eats in Las Vegas
Dairy Queen is at a conference in Vegas and is taking advantage of the good dining. She'll have photos and reviews when she returns!!
Monday, January 22, 2007
Pomodoro
Location: Pomodoro, Washington St, Brookline, MA
Meal: Sunday Brunch
Pomodoro is a small space in Brookline, 2 doors up from Matt Murphy's. I've been there for dinner before, and yesterday, I met the family for brunch. There were 3 adults and 2 kids (one in need of a high chair). Without reservations, we waited about 20 minutes for a table. The place was very busy and noisy as there was a jazz band playing, but it wasn't too noisy to talk without yelling.
The brunch menu offers more than 10 choices, each $10. Choices ranged from a yogurt, granola and fruit bowl to shrimp and asparagus bake. Two of us went for the Pork Confit with Roasted Vegetables and Scrambled Eggs. The pork was a confit because it was slow-cooked in duck fat. This made it quite savory and delicious. The pork was shredded, then mixed with vegs like potatoes, onions, green peppers, etc. and stacked, with scrambled eggs on top of the stack. We both loved this and ate the entire serving.
My brother ordered the Petite Steak with Poached Egg and Hollandaise. I tried a piece of steak and it was very flavorful. Lots of seasoning on the steak, and a really good hollandaise.
One of the kids ordered tortellini with butter. We could smell the butter from the other side of the table but this kid wasn't sharing. The other kid brought his own graham crackers.
I'm telling this out of order, but that's because I wanted to get right to the entrees. While I was waiting at the bar for the rest of my party, I snacked on some bread and olive oil. There was foccaccia and thick toasted italian bread, and a large plate of olive oil with green and black olives. Some of the olives were tiny, like the size of a pea. Pretty tasty. This was awesome.
The coffee was okay. Not awesome.
They also serve fresh-squeezed OJ, which was downed very quickly by my sister-in-law and nephew, and mimosas and bloody marys.
I'm definitely planning a return trip.
Meal: Sunday Brunch
Pomodoro is a small space in Brookline, 2 doors up from Matt Murphy's. I've been there for dinner before, and yesterday, I met the family for brunch. There were 3 adults and 2 kids (one in need of a high chair). Without reservations, we waited about 20 minutes for a table. The place was very busy and noisy as there was a jazz band playing, but it wasn't too noisy to talk without yelling.
The brunch menu offers more than 10 choices, each $10. Choices ranged from a yogurt, granola and fruit bowl to shrimp and asparagus bake. Two of us went for the Pork Confit with Roasted Vegetables and Scrambled Eggs. The pork was a confit because it was slow-cooked in duck fat. This made it quite savory and delicious. The pork was shredded, then mixed with vegs like potatoes, onions, green peppers, etc. and stacked, with scrambled eggs on top of the stack. We both loved this and ate the entire serving.
My brother ordered the Petite Steak with Poached Egg and Hollandaise. I tried a piece of steak and it was very flavorful. Lots of seasoning on the steak, and a really good hollandaise.
One of the kids ordered tortellini with butter. We could smell the butter from the other side of the table but this kid wasn't sharing. The other kid brought his own graham crackers.
I'm telling this out of order, but that's because I wanted to get right to the entrees. While I was waiting at the bar for the rest of my party, I snacked on some bread and olive oil. There was foccaccia and thick toasted italian bread, and a large plate of olive oil with green and black olives. Some of the olives were tiny, like the size of a pea. Pretty tasty. This was awesome.
The coffee was okay. Not awesome.
They also serve fresh-squeezed OJ, which was downed very quickly by my sister-in-law and nephew, and mimosas and bloody marys.
I'm definitely planning a return trip.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Haiku
Location: Haiku, Park Ave, Worcester, MA (formerly On the Rocks, next to El Basha West)Meal: Dinner
It's been a couple of years since I've had sushi and I was pleased to find out a new restaurant had opened up nearby. Haiku features the sushi stylings of Kenzo, who used to work at Zipango on Shrewsbury Street. I was excited to see that he brought the Tiger Eye roll to Haiku.
I met a friend for dinner on Monday night. It was busier than expected for a Monday but it was a holiday. We were able to get a table right away. They have a full bar and an extensive wine list but I was in the mood for a beer. I ordered a Stella; my friend ordered a Coors Light. After at least 10 minutes, the waitress returned, beerless, to tell me that they were out of Stella. I chose a Sam Adams. She returned after another 10 minutes, still empty-handed, to tell me they were out of Sam Adams, but they had Sam Light. I went for it. Mere moments went by before we both received our beers. Finally. I wonder why there was the wait for the Coors Light, though, since they had that.
We ordered four rolls: Philadelphia Roll (wrapped in smoked salmon), avocado roll, Tiger Eye, and The Worcester Roll. The Tiger Eye is delicious, fully cooked, light tempura on the outside, with a flavorful sauce. I love this roll. The Worcester Roll is rice, beef, sweet potato, and some green sprouty things. This was also good but I liked the Tiger Eye better. My friend really enjoys the avocado and philly rolls. Overall, we were both very happy with the meal.
One thing - there was a piece of hair on the tablecloth. Clearly not one of ours. We were at a four-person table, and it was on the side that we weren't sitting at, so it wasn't that bad, but if we'd been sitting there, I might have been skeeved out. The place is nicely decorated and other than the hair, it seems very clean. I would not let that put me off from going again.
The sushi, beautifully displayed on the plate, from front to back: Avocado roll, Tiger Eye, Philadelphia Roll, Worcester Roll.
A haiku
A winter dinner
Appetite sated by fish
Rice, seaweed, and more
Monday, January 15, 2007
Finder's Pub (again)
Location: Finder's Pub, West Boylston, MA
Meal: Dinner, Friday night
This was another good Finder's experience. I ordered the Waldorf Chicken Salad, which was chicken salad with cranberries and walnuts, on top of salad with green grapes and green apple slices. I substituted romaine/iceberg blend for the spring greens because I wanted the crunch. The waitress suggested the balsamic vinaigrette and it was a hit.
Buffalo Girl had the buffalo chicken salad, which was delicious. And large.
Steak and Potatoes had the baked haddock with rice pilaf and baby carrots and loved it. I've raved about the baked haddock at Finder's before and Steak and Potatoes seconds my review.
Meal: Dinner, Friday night
This was another good Finder's experience. I ordered the Waldorf Chicken Salad, which was chicken salad with cranberries and walnuts, on top of salad with green grapes and green apple slices. I substituted romaine/iceberg blend for the spring greens because I wanted the crunch. The waitress suggested the balsamic vinaigrette and it was a hit.
Buffalo Girl had the buffalo chicken salad, which was delicious. And large.
Steak and Potatoes had the baked haddock with rice pilaf and baby carrots and loved it. I've raved about the baked haddock at Finder's before and Steak and Potatoes seconds my review.
Uno Chicago Grille
Last night I met some friends to do some returns at the Blackstone Shoppes in Millbury. The mall was packed. It took 3 left turn light cycles for me to enter the mall road. This was around 6:15 pm. We put our names in at two restaurants because the waits were equally as long at both. We figured, we'd take the first page. Uno's won over Red Robin and boy, am I glad. I had the best meal. I ordered the Uno Firecracker Pasta. It's penne pasta with a spicy alfredo sauce, cheddar cheese, jalapenos, and sauteed chicken. When they say spicy, they really mean spicy. This was not that fake spicy that other places say, like when you order the "extra hot" buffalo wings and still need a tub of Frank's Red Hot to get some heat on those wings. The portion size was great, as I had leftovers for dinner tonight. The breadstick was also ideal. Buttery, with shaved parmesan cheese crisped on top. The side house salad with italian dressing was also good, but in a "salad is good for you so eat it" kind of way.
My dining companions were also quite happy with their meals. They shared the sausage flatbread pizza and a honey crisp chicken salad. This salad looked great. Tons of bacon and cheddar cheese. The dressing was given the thumbs up. The only comment I heard was that there could have been a little more lettuce. The pizza disappeared pretty quickly as well. Oh, and the 2 year old with us ate almost 2 whole pieces of cheese pizza so I'm going to say it was a success.
Sweetness alert: The BBQ sauce they use on the BBQ pizza is citrusy. We found this out because the staff puts out flatbread pizzas for the hordes of waiting patrons.
Question: There was a big bowl of red delicious apples by the door, right next to the tray of individually wrapped toothpicks (handy). Were these Uno's version of the after dinner mint? Should we have taken some?
My dining companions were also quite happy with their meals. They shared the sausage flatbread pizza and a honey crisp chicken salad. This salad looked great. Tons of bacon and cheddar cheese. The dressing was given the thumbs up. The only comment I heard was that there could have been a little more lettuce. The pizza disappeared pretty quickly as well. Oh, and the 2 year old with us ate almost 2 whole pieces of cheese pizza so I'm going to say it was a success.
Sweetness alert: The BBQ sauce they use on the BBQ pizza is citrusy. We found this out because the staff puts out flatbread pizzas for the hordes of waiting patrons.
Question: There was a big bowl of red delicious apples by the door, right next to the tray of individually wrapped toothpicks (handy). Were these Uno's version of the after dinner mint? Should we have taken some?
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Tostitos Scoops - Disappointing
I've had Tostitos Scoops several times, always from a big bag, and I've liked them. But yesterday at work, I bought a $.99 big grab to go with my sandwich and I was very disappointed. They were flavorless. There wasn't enough salt and they tasted like baked tortilla chips. Wasted calories. Of course, I saved about 1/3 of the bag and ate them today, with today's sandwich, hoping that they'd improved overnight. They hadn't.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
The Flying Rhino
Location: The Flying Rhino, Shrewsbury St, Worcester, MA
Meal: Lunch, Friday afternoon
Three of us went for lunch one Friday afternoon last month. It was around 1, and it was still really busy in there, but we were seated right away.
We started with an appetizer of goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and pesto, formed into a terrine. This was really tasty. The pesto had a lot of flavor. I don't like goat cheese but the others do, and found it delicious. The toasts that it came with were also good. Still warm and not too hard.
We each ordered a sandwich: Veggie Wrap, Cuban Panini, and Chicken Wrap. Two out of these 3 were good. The cuban panini was not really good. There was something in it that had a funny taste, sort of metallic. The sauce on the chicken wrap was yummy and creamy. The veggie wrap was chock full of good veggies, with quite a variety. All came with fries. They were good. I ate every one.
Here are some pictures of the food!
Meal: Lunch, Friday afternoon
Three of us went for lunch one Friday afternoon last month. It was around 1, and it was still really busy in there, but we were seated right away.
We started with an appetizer of goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and pesto, formed into a terrine. This was really tasty. The pesto had a lot of flavor. I don't like goat cheese but the others do, and found it delicious. The toasts that it came with were also good. Still warm and not too hard.
We each ordered a sandwich: Veggie Wrap, Cuban Panini, and Chicken Wrap. Two out of these 3 were good. The cuban panini was not really good. There was something in it that had a funny taste, sort of metallic. The sauce on the chicken wrap was yummy and creamy. The veggie wrap was chock full of good veggies, with quite a variety. All came with fries. They were good. I ate every one.
Here are some pictures of the food!
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Drinks and Dessert at Bertucci's
Location: Bertucci's, Atrium Mall, MA
Meal: Dessert, Friday night
One of my friends, a frequent dining companion, and I were looking for some dessert at the Atrium Mall. We had eaten dinner a few hours earlier at the Cheesecake Factory but had been too full for dessert so thought we'd window shop and then head back later. Well, at 8pm there was a 45 minute wait so we quickly turned around. There's not a large selection of eateries in this mall, so we headed over to Bertucci's to see if they had dessert. They did, and the bar was empty (there are only about 5 stools at the bar).
We were going to get a nice coffee drink to go with some dessert but it was really warm in the mall. My friend came up with the brilliant idea of White Russians! Yum! Bertucci's made this drink really well. 2% milk, vodka, and Kahlua. There was quite a kick to the drink. We also shared the chocolate mousse cake, which was a multi-layer cake with whipped cream and raspberry coulis. Delicious, really big, too much for us to finish, even while sharing.
Meal: Dessert, Friday night
One of my friends, a frequent dining companion, and I were looking for some dessert at the Atrium Mall. We had eaten dinner a few hours earlier at the Cheesecake Factory but had been too full for dessert so thought we'd window shop and then head back later. Well, at 8pm there was a 45 minute wait so we quickly turned around. There's not a large selection of eateries in this mall, so we headed over to Bertucci's to see if they had dessert. They did, and the bar was empty (there are only about 5 stools at the bar).
We were going to get a nice coffee drink to go with some dessert but it was really warm in the mall. My friend came up with the brilliant idea of White Russians! Yum! Bertucci's made this drink really well. 2% milk, vodka, and Kahlua. There was quite a kick to the drink. We also shared the chocolate mousse cake, which was a multi-layer cake with whipped cream and raspberry coulis. Delicious, really big, too much for us to finish, even while sharing.
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