Eating and Drinking in Boston

Theatre District Dining

2010-05-18T09:31:00.005-04:00

A good friend recently asked me for suggestions on where to eat before a show at the Wang Theatre, I thought my email response might be a helpful (albeit abbreviated) guide. A few thoughts on each place listed below.

Pigalle is excellent, its the sister restaurant of Marco. Its a pricey menu and French food is something I enjoy but have very little exposure to (meaning I'm hesitatnt to drop a lot of $ on food I dont understand). They used to do a theatre night menu which was a $40/person 3 course pre fixe menu, if they still do its a great deal. Inside, the place is quaint and cute. Marc Orfaly, the chef/owner, still actually cooks there and his wife is usually hostessing, which I think is pretty cool.

Not too far from there, and easily walkable in a hurry, is Mistral which is widely considered the king of fine dining in Boston (http://www.mistralbistro.com/). It's pricey, but very, very, good and more accessible cuisine in my opinion. By that I mean French/mediterranean ispired food, recognizebale dishes with classic method and interesting twists rather than 'what the hell is that'. Its easily one of the sexiest restaurants in Boston. I'd bet they do pre fixe on theatre night also. Their sister restaurants are Sorrellina (my bar-none fave in the enitre city), Moo and...

Teatro; total stud of a restaurant meant to attract theatre crowd and about 2 minute walk from the Wang. Very reasonable prices, very high quality food, very sexy atmospehre. Its in a cool space formerly occupied by a Jewish temple. Great menu, good service. This place is an absolute no-lose. Consistent, interesting, cant say enough good things about it. The only forewarning, it gets very loud and very packed on theatre nigts. http://www.teatroboston.com/#/home

Also, Ivy is a pretty cool spot and very close. Interestng and upscale Italian small plates style menu, meant to share and experiment. Very intimate upscale feel. I've had good experiences here. They do a cool wine concept too, meant to make you not worry about price. They have soemthing like 50 different wines for $26/bottle. Food is reasonably priced, but again, intended to be small plates and encourage multiple courses. http://www.ivyrestaurantgroup.com/

Market is in the new W hotel, right by the theatre (http://www.marketbyjgboston.com/). Its been branded by Jean Georges Vongerichten of Jean Georges Manhattan fame. His NYC spot has long been considered among the top restaurants in the US. To be honest, I really dont know much about this place othen than to say I'm sure itll be about as trendy/modern as you will find in Boston. Prices look reasonable (relatively speaking) and its definitely a nightlife scene/culinary hot spot. I worry it could just be an established chef resting on his laurel's, because I really havent heard any firm critiques either way.

Other names that might pop up are Erbaluce, BiNA and Rustic Kitchen. Personally, I'd suggest staying away from these places. I dont have much positive to say about them other than the fact they are indeed, restaurants near the Wang. I particularly hate Erbaluce.

Mike's Pastry vs. Modern Pastry

2008-09-17T10:44:00.005-04:00

Make no mistake, choosing between Mike's and Modern is a win-win. But, if forced to pick, there is no question in my mind which side of Hanover street I'm walking on.

For decades the two bake shops have stood diagonal from one another on the North End's main drag, each glimpsing out of the corner of his eye to keep the enemy in sight. Neither a flinch by change of menu nor a blink by commercialization in roughly 70 years.

Mike's, unquestionably the bigger name, occupies a huge space at 300 Hanover St. If you have the patience to push through the throngs on the neighborhoods busiest block, then wait in line at the neighborhoods busiest confectioner, the interior is a site to behold. The amount of sweets on display and volume of goods that are on hand is staggering. This place makes Willy Wonka's digs look like a slop bucket at Denny's.

Lines start on the sidewalk and become a jumbled, unruly mess inside. People jockey for position, surrounding the cafe tabes on the left wall and L shaped counter on the right and back walls. Behind the counter there are floor to ceiling shelves and refrigerators containing two bakers dozen of every Italian treat you've ever seen, and two bakers dozen more of things you've never seen.

Of all the breads and biscotti, mascarpone and marzipan, there is nothing that surpasses the splendor of Mike's Pistachio Macaroons. Each is an electric green square cookie, crisp and hard on the outside but gooey like a marshmallow on the inside. Large pieces of pistachio add a strong crunch and intensify the the salty, sweet and nutty taste. A dusting of powdered sugar tops off the decadent desert.

A close second is the Lobster Tail at Mike's. The cornucopia shaped pastry is a flaky, airy shell filled with a weightless sweet cream filling. The crackling crust crunches as you bite down and expels sugary vanilla center. The texture differential is utopian and the flavor, sensational.

I don't often meet a cannoli I don't like, and Mike's is no exception. They offer several variations (think standard, chocolate coated, chocolate chips, chocolate filled and every permutation thereof). I've had a handful of other treats and have rarely been disappointed.

The way I judge my Italian bakeries comes down to two things; Biscotti and Ricotta Pie (which is actually more of a cake). That said, Modern takes the cake...or pie in this case.

Modern is on the same stretch of Hanover as Mike's, but is slightly more demure. The storefront is smaller, the space is smaller and the lines are smaller. Despite the recent interior upgrades, the facade has remained unchanged since the 1930's. Modern indeed.

I've tried each and every cookie and biscotti (several times over) but my two favorite are the Almond Biscotti and the Anise Biscotti. The Almond variety is a pale straw color, with many cross sections of nut exposed on the surface walls. The cookie snaps and crunches hard when you bite it, making the almonds themselves a softer bite in each mouthful. Its density is impressive.

The Anise cookie is darker in color, similar to the crust of Wonder bread after being in the toaster. The texture is slightly softer and significantly more airy. When you bite it, the feeling is much like biting into a piece of crostini or bruschetta. Both are a prefect compliment to your espresso or Sambuca.

What settles the discussion, leaving no room for debate, is the Ricotta Pie at Modern. The Pie, which is much more like a cake, is a perfect golden color. It has the sheen indicative of a well applied egg wash before baking. The contents of the pie are not apparent when it is entact. Once a piece is cut you can see the fabled opaline filling. Its coarse sweet cheese contents stand surrounded by the buttery cake on its top, bottom and back. With a dusting of powdered sugar, the pastry is complete.

It's a good day anytime you have a chance to go to either Mike's or Modern. I doubt you will be disappointed with either. The Pistachio Macaroons, Lobster Tails and Cannoli's at Mike's are legendary, but to satiate my post-pasta appetite I go for the Ricotta Pie and Biscotti at Modern.

Bin 26 Enoteca

2008-01-15T09:21:00.000-05:00

You know how sometimes you can meet somebody and decide right away that you don't like them? Then, you get to know them a little better and try your best, and even start to like them a little bit, but soon thereafter realize your initial assessment was correct. Well, if it makes any sense, that's how I feel about Bin 26.

By all accounts, it should be a place I become a regular at. I've been bitching for quite a while now that Boston needs an enoteca and here one falls right into my lap and what do I do? I reject it.

First, it should come as no surprise that a wine bar in Beacon Hill is wrought with shitty attitudes and pretense, and it is, but it's not that simple. Bin 26 seems to operate on the artifice that their establishment is inviting and welcoming. If they were just plain arrogant, I'd be fine with that. Honestly, given their business and where they're located, I'd expect it. But, they very meekly attempt to mask it and that frustrates the hell out of me.

I stopped in on the early side, maybe 6-ish, on a Friday to check the place out. It was empty. The decor is impressive. A well retained classic Beacon Hill element meets lighter colors and sleeker lines. The result is perfectly fitting for their business. The design projected the comfort of old Boston and an unmistakable style imparted by sampling a variety of wines while sitting in a progressive Beacon Hill bar. Before I could even take it in, we were hastily greeted by a man who will undoubtedly spend his summer on Martha's Vineyard.

Despite the room being vacant, save for two folks at the bar and a dining party of three, he asked "Were we expecting you?" as if we were the annoying in-laws showing up at his house unannounced. I impetuously responded by telling him that we'd be sitting at the bar, which is currently 3% occupied. He then asked us if we'd like to hang our coats and when I offered him mine to take he pointed across the room, back to where we'd entered, to a common coat rack. I hung my coat on the back of my chair.

The first page of their wine menu pays homage to those libations with which most aspirant sommelier's palates began to develop (or decay); Boones Farm and Thunderbird. Yes, you read that right.

The gesture of humility on the part of the enoteca is pleasant and indicated to me that while they enjoy wine and take it seriously, they want it to be fun.

Upon further review, the wine menu seems affected and counter intuitive, mostly because of it's awkward set-up. Each page starts with a little background or description of each choice and is then followed by several wines of that region or varietal. Some of the descriptions are helpful, though most tail off into some sort of unrelated exposition about whoever wrote them.

This portion of the menu, which takes up most of the binder, is followed by a more traditional menu structure of all wines previously listed. By the time I got to it, I was so pissed off that I had spent 20 minutes thumbing through the last bullshit portion I almost just ordered a beer.

Bin 26 offers over 50 wines by the glass and over 200 by the bottle. Anything that they offer by the glass, they also offer in 250 ml, 500 ml and 750 ml (standard bottle size). The wine we ordered ended up being mediocre, it was a young Syrah-Nero D' Avola blend ($36). The color was a deep purple, eggplant even. The body exposed no indication of Nero D'Avola, and only a meek indication of it's presence on the finish. It was a lot of what I dislike about Syrah. Poor balance, little complexity and limited structure. Only the Nero hint on the tail end offered a distinguishable interest in taste, with it's lively, ripe berry tinge. When I asked what the proportions of each grape were the bartender spouted off something completely irrelevant, indicating that the extent of her wine knowledge consisted of what she seemingly memorized before her shift. It sounded like the words she was saying meant nothing to her, as if she were just imitating sounds that she thought I might glean some meaning from. I reciprocated with a frozen gaze, my question simply remained unanswered.

The food sounded very good, which makes me wonder why they'd list it on a diner-style paper place mat instead of a bound menu. We ordered appetizers, and enjoyed each of them thoroughly. Marinated Olives with Marcona Almonds were a great bar snack. The olives were ripe and plump. A light herb seasoning and toss in olive oil gave the heaping portion a fresh, clean taste, while the almonds provided a crunchy texture differential to liven up the dish ($7). The White Anchovies with Piquiello Peppers were of particular interest. The tiny fish, with their fabled salty flavor, had a lemon-citrus note that set them apart. Sweet fire engine red strings of piquiello pepper were strewn atop the small sea treat ($7). The Risotto Balls Stuffed with Pecorino were golf ball sized, and fried with a light, yet crunchy coating. One bite revealed a velvety, milky cheese center ($8). The rest of the industry, apart from Applebee's maybe, refers to the latter item as Arancini.

The menu includes portions dedicated to soup, salad, charcuterie, cheese, pasta, meat and fish. There was almost nothing that sounded unappealing to me, including the prices, which range from $5 sorpressata and bresola to a $35 veal chop with grilled with lentils and chiggias beets. Most entrees are priced in the low to mid $20's and include things like yellow fin tuna wrapped in pancetta with aromatic herbs and fennel ($21) and cocoa tagliatelle with porcini ragout, scented with nepitella ($16).

I suspect my experience would have been different had I ventured into the land of meat and pasta, I bet I would have enjoyed myself more, but I didn't go that route. While the appetizers were very good, and the wine selection was solid, I couldn't shake my frustration with the person who greeted us or my shock at the callowness of the bartender. I was put-off immediately upon entering, which is no small feat considering how much I enjoy the space visually and have yearned for this concept to materialize locally. I was frustrated with the service and left confused as to what the true tenet is at Bin 26.

Fall Dinner: Pork Tenderloin with Nutmeg Sage Cream Sauce, Sweet Potatoes and Brussel Sprouts

2007-09-14T11:58:00.001-04:00

This is one of my favorite seasonal dishes. I'm usually in the mood to make it for the first time every year once we have one of those quintessential fall days. It's also a great hearty meal to make throughout the entire winter.

You will need:

-Pork Tenderloin (1 1/2 lb)
-3 Medium Sweet Potatoes
-Brussels Sprouts (3/4 pound)
-Walnuts
-Heavy Cream (1 pint)
-Sage (6 oz)
-Nutmeg
-Salt
-Black Pepper
-Brown Sugar (one table spoon)
-Olive Oil

Serves Two

Instructions:

Start by preheating your oven to 310 degrees and filling a stock pot with water to boil potatoes. Peel potatoes and cut them into roughly 1/2" cubes. Place in boiling water and allow roughly 15 minutes to soften. Remove potatoes form water and place in metal bowl or mixer. Roughly mash or whip and season with salt and pepper.

Cut brussels sprouts in half and place in mixing bowl. Add 1-2 table spoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Lightly toss and spread seasoned brussels sprouts on baking sheet. Place in oven for roughly 20 minutes. Brussels Sprouts should be tender but not mushy and retain some give and crunch when bitten.

While the oven is warming up begin trimming any excess fat from the tenderloin, at bottom is a helpful trimming guide. Heat large skillet over medium-high heat and coat pan with olive oil. Season pork with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Once the pork has reached room temperature and is no longer chilled and the pan has come up to medium-high, place pork in the pan and lightly brown on all sides to sear. Remember, you are searing the tenderloin, not cooking it through. This means there should be only a thin layer of medium-brown on the outside of the tenderloin but it should be raw all the way through. Once seared, remove from pan and place on a rack in a roasting pan. Tenderloin will take roughly 30 minutes to cook, meat thermometer reading of 150-155 degrees farenheit. Remove from oven and allow roughly 15 minutes for pork to rest so that the juices do not run out when you cut in and it will remain tender.

Begin sauce by slicing 3 sage leaves in strips, length wise. Using the pan that you seared the pork loin in, add heavy cream, salt, pepper, 1/2 tea spoon of nutmeg and sage to a sauce pan. Once ingredients have combined and the sauce pan has come up to temperature over medium heat, allow time to reduce, roughly 5 minutes. Once the sauce has thickened and reduced by approximately 1/2 it will be done.

In a separate pan add 1/3 stick of butter over medium heat. Once melted add 1 tbs. brown sugar, stirring together with a wooden spoon. Be very careful with heat control, brown sugar can burn very quickly. Once the mixture is combined and coats the pan add walnuts. Toss the walnuts in the mixture and keep over medium heat to bring out the toasty, nutty flavor. This will take around 3 minutes. Once walnuts are thoroughly coated, remove from pan and place on top of sweet potatoes to garnish.

Start plating by placing mashed potatoes in the center of the plate and garnish with candied walnuts. On one side place brussels sprouts in half moon area that's available. Slice pork on a bias in roughly 1/4"-1/2" pieces. Place them offset on one another in a half ring pattern on the open portion of the plate. Use table spoon to liberally ladle sauce over pork.

I would choose an earthy, medium to full bodied red wine with this meal. In fact, it would be a perfect excuse to spend a little extra dough on an older nebbiolo or barbaresco.

Carlo's Cucina Italiana

2007-09-05T11:10:00.001-04:00

I've lived about one mile from Carlo's for nearly 7 years and never noticed it, it's been there for nearly 10. Just last month I received three totally unrelated recommendations for the Italian dive within 2 weeks of each other. Once I finally made note of its location, in the heart of the college ghetto, I couldn't help but assume that it, like the social scene in the rest of the neighborhood, is not as "authentic" as the obligatory moniker intends. After all, across the street is Mitti's (formerly Rednecks Roast Beef) and Sunset Tap. Has anyone ever gone to Mitti's and expected legitimate barbecue or gone to Sunset assuming there would be actual Mexican food? Harpers Ferry, just across the intersection, is a hipster hot spot for live bands; cover bands. In retrospect, I think one of the main reasons that I eventually made a point of eating there was because it bothered me to not know what it was like, even though I had already decided it would probably suck. As it turns out, Carlo's was one of the most gratifying meals that I've ever had.

After waiting fifteen minutes I was seated so close to our neighbors that I could count the cloves of garlic in their red sauce, which, I had to admit, looked very good. Tables are in rows of four along each side of the space with one row of two-tops down the middle. This creates two narrow waitress paths, one to the kitchen and one to the seatless bar used for waitress cocktailing and take-out orders. The Room is dim, with windows only where you enter the restaurant. The murals on the walls, reminiscent of those at Papa Gino's Pizza, and Sistine Chapel rip-off on the ceiling raise further speculation as to the self proclaimed authenticity of the cuisine.

Service, like the menu and space, is unpolished. Our waitress, in a black Carlo's t-shirt and black jeans, moved intently and did not make small talk. Her hair was pulled back and it was clear she was working. Despite her lack of polish, she wrote nothing down and simply nodded when I placed an order. Still, everything came promptly and exactly how I asked for it.

Specials were limited but each one was enticing. I took advantage of an appetizer from this menu. Fresh, plump figs were baked to a soft, honey flesh finish. They were then quartered and topped with a dollop of moist and tangy goat cheese in the prefect proportion. In the middle of the plate was a bed of crisp, forest green arugula lightly tossed in a savory balsamic vinaigrette ($7.95). It was the perfect precursor to Melanzane Ripiene ($8.95). The eggplant was sliced thin and covered with a golden, buttery breading and wrapped around creamy, basil ricotta. The cheese gently oozed out and met the reservoir of carmine hue plum tomato sauce which collected after spilling over the top and down the sides of the rolatini. Both appetizers were a large enough portion to share, but I don't foresee allowing a morsel to escape my fork on my next visit.

Entrees provided a legitimate touch of home style authenticity. Potatoes, vinegar peppers and thinly sliced white mushroom buttons were sauteed in the juices of lean strips of tender chicken and sweet italian pork sausage. A pungent brown gravy, rich with pan drippings and vinegar, finished the plating. The spice from the peppers was cut perfectly by the starchy potatoes and freshness from the fennel in the sausage. There must have been two whole sausage, an entire chicken breast, a half dozen peppers and two potatoes on the dish ($16.95). Still, I was disappointed that ordering from the house specials section of the menu doesn't entitle you to a side of rigatoni marinara like the rest of the dinner menu.

The wine list is limited, barely passable. Between the house wines and reserve list there are roughly 20 choices, the most expensive is $85, a Stags Leap Cabernet. Most wines fall between $21 and $25. I had a very forgettable Masciarelli Montepulciano. The bouquet was particularly acidic, even for a Montepulicano, and did not soften. The ruby color held a dry, smokey libation with little depth that still managed to be rough around the edges ($23.95).

Deserts were limited to tiramisu, cannoli, flan and spumoni, all are $4.95. The cannoli was fresh and cool. Crisp, well entact flakey shell sheltered a sweet, milky, mascarpone filling. A dusting of powdered sugar garnished the traditional Italian desert and reminded me there's a reason why some things are deemed classics.

Restaurants Like Carlo's make up for so much highly touted mediocrity throughout the city. I was thrilled to have a mistaken impression and dissapointed that I've let so much time pass while I could have been eating at Carlo's. The food is the real deal, pretty much the only authentic anything in the neighborhood.

...Some Wines I've Had in the Past Month

2007-08-31T08:51:00.000-04:00

-Stefano Farina 2006- Barbera D'Asti ($8): The '06 is the first vintage from this Piedmont winemaker that I have not thoroughly enjoyed. The nose is acidic and off putting. The brilliant ruby color typical of a Barbera D'Asti shines and pours huge, fruit forward berry flavor. There is a touch of leather but the fruit is really what stands out. It lacks the depth and velvety refinement I've come to love from this wine.

-Il Bastardo 2004-Sangiovese ($10): The dark cranberry color and upfront black cherry notes coat your tongue with the unmistakable reminder that you are drinking a Sangiovese. There's a little bit of roughness and slight touch of vinegar that may remind you of what you drink at your favorite hole in the wall Italian joint. Overall, it's endearing, drinkable and something you don't have to think too hard about.

-Lamura 2004- Nero D' Avola ($8): Beware, this Sicilian grape may take over the world. The aroma is subtle but pleasant, with a mild floral bouquet. The dark color is striking, nearly an eggplant shade in your glass. The taste is distinct, complex yet surprisingly drinkable. Notes of blueberry and spice stand out, complimenting the velvety malolactic finish.

-Elio Grasso 2002- Barolo ($40): A true Barolo in every sense. This wine, from the Nebbiolo family of grapes, is bold and broad. The bouquet is spicy and floral. One conservative sip may overwhelm your palate with earth, berries, tobacco and anise. It's beautifully lush and a libation for a special occasion.

A Few Noteworthy Wine Picks

2007-08-30T09:44:00.001-04:00

-Michelle Chiarlo 2004 Le Orme-Barbera D'Asti ($13): The wine is velvety but remains light and crisp. There is a touch of leather secreted by a plum nose and big, berry fruit flavors up front. It is a brilliant ruby color.

-Dry Creek 2005 Old Vines- Zinfandel ($16): Full bodied and buttery, hints of oak, plum and vanilla. Would work best with a hearty dish like steak and potatoes or meatballs with a simple red sauce.

-Big House Red-Blend ($11): Don't be alarmed by a screw top. Interesting blend which changes every year but often contains 6 or more grapes including Syrah, Petite Syrah, Carignan, Barbera, Zinfandel, Malbec and Mourvedre. I have rarely seen this many grapes in one bottle, but it works for me. Very acidic nose initially, which gives way to a ripe fruit bouquet. Hints of prune and black pepper.

Pan Seared Pork Chops with Vinager Peppers and Potatoes

2007-08-30T08:41:00.000-04:00

I've ordered this dish, or variations of, many times. I had a great version a few weeks ago and liked it so much I've made it for dinner a couple times since. Here goes...

You Will Need:

-2 Thin sliced center cut pork chops, bone in (you can get these at ANY grocery store)
-3 Large Red Potatoes
-1 Jar cherry peppers in vinegar
-6 oz Dry white wine
-Salt
-Pepper
-Olive oil
-Butter

Serves Two

Instructions:

Start by boiling a pot of water, liberally salted. Prepare potatoes by dicing into home-fry size (about 1/2" x 1/2") pieces. Boil potatoes until the are about half way done, but still retain shape and will not easily mash. Remove from water and place in a bowl.

In a sautee pan or skillet, pour olive oil to coat the entire surface of the pan, but not enough to have any depth. Turn heat up to medium high and allow time for surface to come up to temperature. Lightly season pork chops with salt and pepper and place them in pan, ensuring as much surface as possible is touching the pan for browning. Be sure to consistently shake pan gently during browning to ensure pork chops do not stick. Allow roughly 4 minutes per side or until pork chops are sufficiently brown. Just before removing pork chops from the pan pour in roughly 4 oz of vinegar from the jar of peppers, allow time to reduce (roughly 2 minutes) and remove pork chops.

In the same pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil and allow time for pan to come back up to temperature. Add the potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Once the potatoes start to brown (roughly 3 minutes) add approximately 5 cherry peppers that have already been cut in half. You can leave the seeds in, but please note it will make the dish significantly spicier. Allow time for cherry peppers to come up to temperature (roughly 2 minutes) and add 4 ounces of vinegar from jar, allow time to reduce (roughly 3 minutes). Remove potatoes from pan by plating them on top of pork chops.

Add 6 oz white wine and a pat of butter to deglaze the pan. By doing this you will capture and concentrate the flavor of what has cooked off from the pork, potatoes and peppers. Keep over high heat for roughly 3 minutes or until this liquid has reduced, thickened and become a caramel color. Remove from heat and pour equally over each plate.

How Can You Not Love Pizza?

2007-08-29T14:19:00.001-04:00

There's something about pizza that makes me resort to acting like an 8 year old. I almost never get sick of it, though I do have my favorites, and would eat it almost any time of day (cold pizza for breakfast with a glass of milk is my hang over go-to). I routinely drive 45 minutes each way on a Sunday night to get pizza at one of my two favorite spots. I'm from the school of thought that different styles of pizza really qualify as different foods.

Consider Greek style pizza for example. This is the type of pizza that most people, particularly New Yorkers in my experience, associate with Boston. It's cooked in a steel oven, in a pan, at a very high temperature. The crust is doughy, wheat colored and flakes almost like pastry. The crust creates another flat surface perpendicular to the bottom of the slice from where the dough sat in the pan. The bottom is also a golden wheat shade and has a round pattern of slightly darker blotches, also an effect of cooking in a pan. The sauce is very thin, with no chunks, its often bitter and has noticeable amounts of garlic and oregano. The cheese is a milky mozzarella and has an inconsistent dark pattern of crispier cheese on top. The restaurant that I worked at in college as a pizza cook serves this style. The following website shows pictures of the exact type of pizza that I'm talking about: http://www.sarpinos.com/pages/menu/

Italian style pizza is what New Yorkers pride themselves on, though I think New jersey can give them a run for their money. It is cooked in a brick surface oven, usually with an open flame. Its cooked right on the brick at a relatively low temperature with no pan or tray. The sauce tends to be sweeter and is known as a plum sauce. It's thicker and contains large chunks of tomato. The cheese is less dense than Greek pizza and tends to stay paler in color and less crisp due to the lower cooking temperature. The crust still has a dusting of flour when removed from the oven, a remnant of the dough flattening process which is done by hand. The crust finishes with a brown color similar to Autumn leaves or a graham cracker, with darker brown areas usually by the edge. The crust is somewhat thin and should be very crispy on the bottom. Sicilian pizza essentially follows the same rules, but has 1/3-1/2 more dough by weight and comes in a square. Occasionally you will see it cooked in a pan, in which case it is basically focaccia bread with sauce and cheese. My favorite place to go for Italian pizza is Pushcart Cafe, on Salem street in the North End. This website shows the style of that I am talking about at the place where Italian pizza was made famous in Boston: http://www.pizzeriaregina.com/pizzeriaregina.htm

There are certainly variations on the aforementioned pizzas, as well as several other distinctly different kinds of pizza. I grew up eating a very little known creed: bar pizza.

Truth be told, I don't know of anywhere, outside the south shore of Massachusetts that has this kind of pizza. The Capeway Manor served it, Venus Cafe in Whitman serves it and the Cape Cod Cafe in Brockton serves it. If you haven't experienced it, you need to do your best to try it at least once in your life. The sauce is probably closer in style to Greek sauce, slightly tangy and rarely thick or chunky. The crust is dense but still thin and the pies are always cooked in a pan. There is almost no crust to hold on to at the edge. The cheese typically yields slightly more oil than Italian or Greek pizza. The top two purveyors of bar pizza are listed below.

CHRISTO'S
Christo's is known as the "the home of the Greek salad king". It is, in fact, the best Greek salad that I've ever had, with no close second. The pizza is what I described above only slightly doughy crust. The restaurant, which has been open since the 1960's, attracts an older crowd. The patrons, many of whom are elderly, can spread out in the sprawling space comprised of the bar, bar mezzanine, green room and gold room. You can see the hawk eyed owner, immcaulately dressed in tailored designer suits even in his 80's, keeping a close eyes on each dining space. If you have any inkling to stray from the pizza and salad menu, be advised. All you'll be getting is a TV dinner dumped on to a plate. Salads come in various sizes and can be prepared with or without almost anything you want, though I advise ordering it in standard form. Your best choice for pizza is to get their white pizza with spinach and feta.

*NOTE* Greek style pizza refers to the methods and ingredients described above, not simply a pizza with spinach and feta for toppings.

LYNWOOD CAFE
The conversation starts and ends here. At the Lynwood Cafe you can find bar pizza in it's purest form. Decor from the 1950's remains untouched, the ceiling and walls tinged an off white from years of patrons smoking in dim light. Bar seating can accommodate roughly 10 guests at a time and there are roughly a dozen 4-top tables. Witnessing the sheer volume of pizza that these folks pump out during the course your visit is mind boggling. It seems impossible that they can produce so much food from a single, modest kitchen. Before you pass judgement on their signature pizza, the Bean Special, talk to someone who has tried it. Finely diced ham, chopped onion and baked beans cover every square centimeter of the pizza's top surface, secreting the cheese and crisp oily crust. Rarely have I experienced such a satisfying combination on a pizza. It's sweet and salty, crispy and voluptuous.

The menu is minimalist, it consists of only pizza and a handful of toppings. Asking for salad, or Lord forbid silverware, will earn you a deathly scowl or perfectly placed verbal jab from weathered, diner-car waitress type women servers. $2 beers allow you the freedom to liberally imbibe and consider your conduct for the next time you visit Lynwood Cafe.

The Publick House

2007-08-29T09:13:00.001-04:00

The Publick House in Brookline's Washington Square seems to constantly find ways to disrupt consistency, its a lucky thing for patrons that they seriously deliver on the tenants they stick to.

When they changed the name from Anam Cara a few years ago I don't recall an explanation or grand opening. As to be expected at a beer bar, their beverage selection is always being tweaked, but it's still hard to get a particularly rare beer on consecutive occasions. They are constantly making changes to their menu, both in format and content, and have never produced a user friendly or intuitive guide to order from. Even the staff, which the restaurant holds in high esteem for their beer knowledge, seems to have a high turn over.

The impressive beer menu, albeit one predicated on Trappist and Belgian style brews, has some of the most interesting selections that I have ever seen. My taste tends to lean toward malty, amber beers, and away from the hoppier bitter stuff that The Publick House prides itself on. Even still, there are selections to suit my taste. I typically go with a Whales Tale Pale Ale, a micro brew from Nantucket rich in caramel color, still hoppy, but balanced enough to accommodate great drinkibility. When I move slightly out of my comfort zone to a nitro beer I go with Old Speckled Hen or Belhaven. Both have the rich and creamy heads that you would expect from a nitro. I enjoy the golden, honey color and notes of wheat from the former but can't resist the bold amber-caramel hue and smoked malty finish of the latter. The prominent signage indicating refusal to serve pitchers or shots is like mase in the eyes of local students and hoodlums, so don't expect much of a frat crowd. Beer prices range from $4-$20 per pour and vary significantly in size of pour and alcohol content.

The food is evolved bar fair, with a wink and nod to a few Irish and English classics. It would be impossible for the name of this establishment to come up without discussing their macaroni and cheese ($10). The 5 cheese blend finishes crispy and bronzed on top while softly clinging to the circular orecchiette pasta that it's baked with. I recomend exercising your option to add andouille sausage (add $3) with its tangy, smokey bite to balance the lavish, velutinous dish. Be warned, the dish comes to your table around the same temperature as the sun's surface.
The calamari, which the presentation of changes almost nightly, is a solid appetizer in the $10 range. It's fried with jalapeno peppers and comes on a bed of arugala tossed in a house vinagrette. Fried stoemp ($10) is filling and a perfect choice of sustenance if you plan on making any progress down the line of taps. It comes in a portion of five clementine sized balls of whipped potato mixed with subtle herb seasoning and onions. The mixture is then coated with japanese style bread crumbs and deep friend to a medium brown. I often get the Cubano panini ($11) as an entree and am never disappointed. The hand cut fries are served in heaping side portions after being cooked dark and crispy, then lightly salted.

Based on the staff, you would think The Publick House held job fairs on the campuses of Berklee School of Music and Mass College of art. Servers typically have a condescending tone and pseudo intellectual disposition to compliment their non perscrpition thick rimmed glasses and body suit of tattoos. The staff can be helpful, but are often aloof and smug. Just recently I described some characteristics of beers that I like and asked for recomendation from a bartender. He rolled his eyes, thought for a moment and without asking any questions or saying a word he left and returned with a beer. He didn't offer a name or sample, which is bartending 101 when your serving anything more interesting than Miller Lite. The beer he brought was very good, but one that I've had many times before, which is precisely what I was trying to avoid.

The decor is Gothic, supplemented with beer advertisements and signs for brands that you've never heard of, some not in english, but nonetheless evoke a sense of nostalgia from their retro composition. The recent expansion opened up an entire new room of seating with more than a half dozen tables and a bar that can entertain 10-15 people. The slanted sidewalk on Beacon street allows for 6-8 picnic tables to accommodate outdoor seating, weather permitting. The added space may be the reason they've decided to nix the seat-yourself policy and go with traditional hostess service.

Despite some inconsistencies, The Publick House can offer certain draws without fail. The macaroni and cheese is not be missed and there's a winning beer choice for everyone. The chef makes various barbecue and chili sauces in-house to accompany gratifying paninis and a few winning appetizers. Expect service to be mediocre at best, but a food and beer selection that stands alone.

The Federalist

2007-08-28T15:27:00.000-04:00

In a city where the fame of our chefs is surpassed only by that of our shortstops you would think that when a chef has a good thing going, he'd stick with it. I'm not one of those yahoos that seeks out the strangest ingredients or regional/ethnic cuisines I can find and then shits on people who are unfamiliar with them. At the same time, I like to be adventurous by making and eating interesting things. The Federalist in the XV Beacon Hotel offered all of the above and I loved it.

I don't know if you heard, but The Federalist no longer exists. Chef/Owner Jamie Mammano has decided to follow the trend of top American chefs and open "A new concept in steakhouse dining". The best part? He is naming it Mooo.

For starters, I would like to know who suggested there was anything wrong with or outdated about the concept of the traditional American steakhouse. The simplicity of their menus and lack of hoopla around preparation is precisely what makes them so satisfying. Wolfgang Puck, Charlie Palmer, Ken Oringer and Jamie Mammano, to name a few, beg to differ.

CUT, a Wolfgang Puck invention opened in June of 2006 and is widely considered the best steakhouse in America. The focus is on interesting sides and an excessive number of options for steak. I get that your choice between a Wedge and a Caesar for salad, baked or mashed for starch and spinach or asparagus for a vegetable has been done many times, but some things you just don't mess with. At CUT you can choose your steak between Wagyu, American Kobe, corn fed, grass fed an a number of other options that....and thats only the grades of steak choices, let alone the variety of cuts. Remember, this is a menu that prides itself on interesting sides. KO Prime by Ken Oringer and Charlie Palmer Steakhouse are essentially the same concept.

I think what upsets me even more than opening a restaurant claiming unprecedented forward thinking when its actually part of a trend is that Mammano is closing what is arguably the best restaurant in Boston.

***This piece has little to no critical evaluation or culinary content, it is just my background as it relates to food

2007-08-28T11:55:00.001-04:00

As a disclaimer, if the title were not enough, this article is not about food per se. It is not a restaurant review, wine review or recipe. It is my background as it relates to food, thats it.
I'm just a guy who likes food and drink. A lot of my friends have suggested that I start writing down all of the places that I like to talk about and go to as well as all of the things that I cook.
My life has largely revolved around my interest in food and beverage since I was very young. I started cooking for large groups of friends and family when I was 15 or 16 and have been doing it ever since.

I started working as a bus boy at a country club restaurant near my house when I was 13. At the time, the place was my metric for upscale food at an expensive restaurant. The owner had a mini empire of mediocre seafood restaurants around the area that I grew up in (the South Shore of Massachusetts). In reality, they probably aren't significantly better than Applebee's or Friday's. I'm sure they're all still around, but even though I live only 45 minutes away I don't make it over to that area much and when I do I have other favorites *more on that to follow. Entrees were probably in the $11-18 range and I don't recall anything on the menu being more interesting that baked Schrod with a lemon butter sauce. All I knew was that it excited the hell out of me.

One night, after working there only a few months, a guy who did light prep work and made salads called out sick. I lied and told them that I had that experience and could fill his spot. After all, the job entailed cutting tomatoes and heads of lettuce before assembling them on a plate, the place was a factory. I stayed for a few more months but had a good opportunity elsewhere.
My friend Tommy landed me a job at the now defunct (and site of a parking lot) Capeway Manor, a Brockton legend (*read: Capeway Manor is not to be confused with Cape Cod Cafe, which is less than a mile down the road and has arguably the best pizza I've ever had). The restaurant was in this old Mansion, it was one of the creepiest/coolest places that I've ever seen, it had to be well over 100 years old. Tommy's unlce, also named Tommy, had worked there on and off for twenty or more years. He is probably the one that really landed me the job. I started out doing prep, pizza, salads and sandwiches and absolutely loved it. I did not love having to do the dishes. I continued to work there one or two days a week throughout my last two years of high school and made almost no money, but I didn't care.

I still attest that the Capeway Manor wasn't bad but I think my parents would beg to differ. It may very well have been my younger naive perception, I was only 16 or 17 years old. The prime rib was their cash cow (get it, see what I did there?). They had a scampi pizza that was to die for. The Capeway was one of only a handful of places that does south shore style pizza. It came personal size, relatively thin crust, always cooked in a pan (similar to Greek style) and usually greasy as hell. The Scampi came with no sauce, a little garlic, sea scallops and plump shrimp.
Aside from that, it was a lot of old school Brocktonites and alcoholics; people who are not typically on the cutting edge of culinary inquisition.

There was something about seeing the owner, Rosemary, work so diligently to run the place. Her father, Carlo, was the original owner and she took over when he died.
Yes, cliched story, but it was nice to see people fighting hard to keep their place open. I stopped working there when the kitchen caught fire, it took them months to reopen and I had already moved out to go to college. The Capeway didn't stay open for too long after that anyway, I'm pretty sure they sold the place knowing it was going to be knocked down and made a parking lot.

When I moved to Boston for college my brother had already been in the area for a few years. I was going to be a freshman at BC while he was going to be a senior. He got me a job as a pizza cook at a popular bar and grille near campus that also had a separate pizza and sub shop next door. I had limited pizza experience from The Capeway but it didn't even come close to preparing me for the style and volume that my new job at Rogggies required. Truth be told, Roggies pizza absolutely sucks. It's inconsistent in the thickness of the crust and in done-ness.The sauce is bitter and laden with oregano that tastes like the dried stuff you can get at CVS, you know the ones. The rest of their food, which can be ordered from an almost endless menu and delivered until 3 AM (think anything from chili cheese fries to filet and shrimp). I cooked on their grille once in a while and eventually left the kitchen to bartend there my final two years of college.

During summers between college I had a few interesting gigs. I noticed a "Help Wanted" sign in the window at a really popular breakfast place near where I lived. Bob's Big Breakfast had recently moved into a gigantic new space where a profusion of restaurants had failed over the past 20 years. In fact, not long before I started working at Bob's they returned to a breakfast only menu, whereas when they opened in the new location they served a full menu. Anyway, the place was a mess. It was a breakfast joint on one wing and a night club (no bullshitting you, an effing night club for Bridgewater State kids) on the other, separated by a kitchen. So, when I arrived for work at 4 AM this little troll of a man, who slept on a couch in the owners office and worked for a bar tab, was finishing cleaning up puke from the night before. I could write a book about that place, nothing I could fictionalize would be as tragically comical as that dump. It eventually closed because the owner was tens of thousands behind on back taxes and in a nasty debate with the town and because there was a pretty hardcore drug dealing and drug use scene. The place that opened in the same location right after it, which I never worked at, did a nice job giving the space a face lift but closed very quickly. I think the building has been vacant since, that was about 3 years ago.

My favorite job was working for a catering company on the same country club grounds as the restaurant I started out as a bus boy at. The chef and owner was a great guy with great credentials. The majority of the time I worked there, which was on and off for three summers, was doing clam and lobster bakes. We had some huge clients and I really loved working there. At the beginning of every summer we did an event for a few hundred people at the Kennedy compound with thousands of lobsters and and endless supply of Dom and Grey Goose. Steve, the chef/owner pretty much convinced me to get into food and beverage for a living.

I worked for Steve for the last time during the summer after I graduated college. I had a tough time finding a job for a few months. I was in a dual bachelors degree program but really no idea what I wanted to do.

It took me a little while to focus on what direction I wanted to go within the industry. Eventually I got a job with the evil empire of food and beverage, Aramark. Aramark's flagship campus services account is at Boston University, a school I considered to be a group of douche bags since I visited a friend when I was a junior in high school. I got hired as a Manager in their Catering department. It ended up being exactly what I wanted at the time, but it got old fast. The work was long hours, odd hours and weekends. Most of our clients were self righteous Junior Varsity level professor and administrators. After about a year I got a promotion.

I took over as the Director for their Faculty Dining program. Basically, it was a facility for faculty and staff that opened for lunch only and served significantly better food than any of the dining halls. There were also three small conference spaces that could seat about 25 people for special events with a great view of the Charles River. The job got old quick, like the catering job it became more tedium than challenge.

I left the industry completely in April of 2007. I work for a financial consulting firm as a Client Relations Manager now. It's a great change of pace and a very good fit for me...for now. I do miss being around the food everyday and having talented culinary people to work with.
In addition to spending copious amounts of time and money dining out and cooking for friends I hope to have found a new outlet in discussing food and beverage in my life. I don't anticipate any readership, if people stumble upon my words, great. If I'm the only one who ever reads this blog that's fine by me too, I would just like to write it all down.

About Me

2007-08-28T11:08:00.000-04:00

I am a guy who loves to eat and drink. I love talking about it with friends and acquaintances almost just as much. The thing is, rarely have I found sources of literature that satiate the range of my literary and culinary needs. I think I fall between the cracks in both categories. I hope that people can find this blog and enjoy reading about my love for food and beverage.

I don't enjoy reading most food pieces. Too often pieces on food and beverage become the writers forum to showcase their knowledge rather than create something accurate and relevant. Too often articles come off as though the writer has an axe to grind. I suppose by bashing them I'm simply doing what I can't stand to read. My point is simply that they're often pretentious. Feel free to email me if I sound like an A hole. It's one thing to be informed, its another to just be a jerk. The only thing worse than pretense is what you read on the other end of the spectrum.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not everyone is an expert. You can decide for yourself if I am.