Posted on Thu, Jul 23, 2009 @ 08:10 PM
Do a Google search for Portland Maine Italian and see what comes up.......
The first organic result is for Cinque Terre...no pun intended here....but this place is known for their use of organic, local farm ingredients and serving up Northern Italian food. So not only are they spot on with their SEO efforts, but they are also spot on with their food quality. I must say I was a bit nervous traveling out of my North End Boston comfort zone and having had Northern Italian food in Italy which is known as being bland especially for those used to spicy red sauces.
The Boston Food Critic traveled to Maine this past weekend and had a fantastic Northern Italian dinner in the Old Port and then sipped Allagash White for $3 a pop at Brian Boru's. I might move to Portland just for the cheap beer :)
Anyhoo, the dinner was fantastic. For starters we ordered the fried calamari and yummy oysters. The oysters are ordered invidually and you have your choice of either roasted with pancetta butter or raw with prosecco mignonette. I love raw oysters, but the roasted oysters were amazing....
For entrees, the lady and I shared in order to take full advantage of the Primi and Secondi without the calories. I ordered the Cacciuccio which was amazing. Typically when ordering some type of fish stew it is drowning in a thin broth of red sauce. Well this was not the case...clams, mussels, cod, smoked shrimp and scallops on top of crostini in a yummy thick spicy red sauce..FANTASTIC!
The lady had a fresh pasta dish complete with lots of fresh local organic veggies including but not limited to leeks, zucchini, olives, etc in a tomato cream sauce which was good, but by itself might have been disappointing.
We also had some wonderful Prosecco which paired nicely with the dinner. Our server was very nice and energetic, he also made some good recommendations.
Definitely recommend this place if traveling to the Old Port. Please check them out online at www.cinqueterremaine.com
Thanks to the Wells family for the wonderful dinner! Hope your reading.
Ciao!
Brian aka The Boston Food Critic
Posted on Mon, Jul 06, 2009 @ 08:13 PM
The Boston Food Critic recently traveled to the North End in Boston for a bit more expensive dinner than the traditional mid-level restaurants inspired by this blog. It was a special occasion though as we had guests in from LA so I wanted to bring the "A" game. I have always wanted to try Ristorante Fiore in the North End and have always wanted to sit on their roof deck which I believe to be the only one of it's kind in the North End Boston. Unfortunately, it was not open due to this wonderful weather we have been having lately in Seattle, I mean Boston. Perhaps I should change the site to The Seattle Food Critic.
One of my favorites things about eating in the North End is that the service is usually outstanding. You really have got to love the traditional Italian waiter who puts forth the extra effort. In addition to the service, the meal lived up the Phantom Gourmet like hype.
We started off with a calamari appetizer fried to perfection and covered with some spicy cherry peppers and complimented with a nice marinara dipping sauce.
For the entrees, we decided to order the signature dish, the Bombolotti alla Vodka Homemade signature pasta tossed with fresh tender lobster meat, shrimp and asparagus that has been sautéed in a vodka tomato sauce. We also ordered the Saltimbocca di Pollo consisting of Pan-seared boneless breast of chicken sautéed with mushrooms and marsala wine, topped with Parma prosciutto, fresh mozzarella and sage and baked to perfection.
Both dishes were fantastic and I would highly recommend you order them both and split them amongst a couple.
We also had some fantastic Cabernet as recommended by our waiter, it was on special by the glass and bottle, but I cannot remember the name and it is on not on their site. Let me ask the lady and get back to you ;)
http://www.ristorantefiore.com/
Posted on Sat, May 16, 2009 @ 07:13 AM
Last night the Boston Food Critic made it out to dinner in Watertown. A nice walk down the street to the patio at local Italian restaurant Stellina. Stellina is a moderately priced Italian restaurant next to Not Your Average Joe's. They have a nice patio out back which was perfect for last night's cool breeze.
After a long week, it was time to start off with a nice bottle of sparkling Italian wine from Veneto. I was pleased that the Prosecco they brought to the table was not the usual one they sell in every liquor store in Boston area.
We started off the meal with their famous "3 Time Best of Boston" Warm Tomato salad, a perfect mix of tomatoes, basil, goat cheese and olive oil drizzled toast. Plenty for 2 people to share at $13.
For the dinner entree, I was super tempted to try the soft shell crabs that are delivered fresh daily, Here is the description: First of the year Maryland soft shells sauteed with garlic, parsley, capers, white wine and lemon. served with asparagus and fresh fettucine. I decided upon the Boar Ragu having been reminded of some wonderful meals in Tuscany consisting of wild boar ragu. Now I was not expecting Tuscany, but I must say they came pretty damn close. This dish was amazing and I could not stop eating even though the portion could have fed a small family!
At $19, this was a great value as well. Here is the description: robust sauce of farm-raised boar simmered with garlic, chopped vegetables, olives, fennel seeds, cream, herbs and Sangiovese wine. Tossed with fresh Speccatella pasta and parmesan cheese. I added some crushed red pepper flakes for good measure.
The lady had one of their seafood specials, Grilled Jumbo Shrimp that also sounded and tasted delicious. Here is the description: Extra large marinated shrimp served with garlic, lemon, white wine, sweet peppers, broccoli, baked parmesan risotto and a cool salsa verde.
I must say I was really impressed with last night's meal at Stellina. The food was super fresh, served warm and the price was right at just over $100 including tip and a $30 bottle of prosecco.
check them out online: http://www.stellinarestaurant.com/dinner-menu
They also do many special events including wine tastings, beer tastings, etc. during the week.
Enjoy!
Brian aka The Boston Food Critic
Posted on Tue, May 12, 2009 @ 08:38 PM
So I got busy, got lazy, etc.(note to self, publish new content regularly!) and Chronicle stole my thunder last night with a feature on The Best Bang for your Buck traveling around to moderately priced Boston restaurants with Mr. Tim Zagat himself. I am huge fan of Chronicle(I actually DVR it every night) and also a huge fan of Zagat. I really enjoyed watching last night based on the topic and also really loved the content. It seems based on the economy people are eating out less, but those who are eating out are looking for a deal and are also less apt to order a bottle of wine. Hence, the inspiration behind the Boston Food Critic!
Some of the featured cheap eats were right up my alley and I gained some great insight of places I need to try and review on the Boston Food Critic.
Here are a few of the places featured:
B-Good-http://bgood.com/- Great burger joint for the somewhat health concious. It seems the burger joint is becoming super trendy, but these guys were one of the first, plus the founder is a friend of a friend and a super nice, down to earth guy. These guys also get Social Media and you can follow them on Twitter or you can become a fan on Facebook.com. Hubspot is also a huge fan.
Taqueria La Mexicana-http://www.lataqueria.us/Cantina_La_Mexicana/Welcome.html -hidden gem in union sq somerville. this place used to be primarily take-out but recently remodeled and now has a full bar and dinner menu. Chronicle even mentioned my favorite dish here, the Enchilada Rellenos Combo which it seems is a best seller! The owner, Jim Baab is a super nice guy and someone I root for. He not only makes great authentic cheap mexican food, but also totally gets the internet. He has a Facebook page and is always updating me on their special events. Jim, I promise I will be coming by real soon and I will be bringing some of my amigos.
check out this great blog with reviews and pics from here: http://www.burritoblog.com/massachusetts/taqueria_la_mexicana/
Punjabi Dhaba-http://royalbharatinc.com/royalbharatincwebsite_017.htm- This place is a little hole in the wall, but the Indian food is great and very authentic. It was adapted after the little Indian food cafes found on the side of the road in India. I have brought many visitors from Bangalore to this place and I am sure they felt right at home. Great place for a late night meal after a few pops in Inman Square at Bukoski's.
Il Panino Express-http://www.thebostonchannel.com/chronicle/19431679/detail.html-another great place for take-out sandwiches and Italian food. They make one of the best prosciutto subs and also have an outstanding chicken parm. Although they featured the North End location, you can also check out their location on Mass Ave in Cambridge between Harvard Sq and Central Sq.
Bottega Brookline-http://www.bottegabrookline.com/- another place they featured that I have not tried. This place looked outstanding and the value seemed amazing. Wonderful looking Pasta Al Pesce and Spinach Gnoccih.
Here is a link to last night's video segments in case you missed it:
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/chronicle/19394308/detail.html
Enjoy,
Brian aka The Boston Food Critic
Posted on Fri, Apr 24, 2009 @ 06:52 AM
Let's face it Boston cannot touch NYC in terms of being the deli capital of the world. Having worked in downtown Boston for many years and more recently Kendall Square, I have struggled to find a great sandwich, sub, hoagie, etc. As Warren Zevon said when faced with death, "Enjoy every sandwich". Local Cambridge eatery, All Star Sandwich Bar even has a "no wrap" policy!
Definition From Wikipedia: In the United States, a court in Boston, Massachusetts ruled that "sandwich" includes at least two slices of bread. [2], and "under this definition and as dictated by common sense, this court finds that the term "sandwich" is not commonly understood to include burritos, tacos, and quesadillas, which are typically made with a single tortilla and stuffed with a choice filling of meat, rice, and beans."
So where are the best places in Boston and beyond to enjoy every sandwich?
Here is a list of my favorites:
Best of Boston:
Al's State Street Cafe: http://www.alsstatestreetcafe.com/
The Italian Cafe: http://italian-cafe.com/
Both places above have similiar menu's. You cannot go wrong with the Italian's Italian, Prosciutto, or the Steak and Cheese. The subs are huge and very reasonably priced. The best part is their bread and the neatness of every morsel. Bonus pts if you know the story behind these places and which one is owned by WEEI caller "Al from Everett"
The Parish Cafe: http://www.parishcafe.com/index2.html- you cannot go wrong with a sandwich menu designed by all the best chefs around boston and a great selection of microbrews. the wings here are also amazing.
Chacarero: http://www.chacarero.com/ -you know the drill....if you don't well, I cannot help you.
Sorry Sam LaGrassa's......way overrated.
Outside of Boston:
Linden Deli in Wellesley: http://lindenstore.com/ -favorites here include the Linden Special, Hot Italian and The Dude Ranch. Runner Up: Roast Beef, Bacon, Swiss w/ Russian Dressing
All Star Sandwich Bar in Camridge: http://www.allstarsandwichbar.com/-another genius idea from celeb chef Chris Schlesinger who owns East Coast Grille right down the street. My favorite here is the Atomic Meatloaf Meltdown. Bonus pts and cholesterol if you order the Poutine.
Bob's of Medford: http://www.bobsfood.com/ -favorites here include the Imported Italian, Chicken Parm and the Prosciutto subs.
The Meat Spot in Watertown: http://mymeatspot.com/ the daily specials are always good, but I also love the chicken and greek salad sub.
Convenient FoodMart in Westwood: no website, doh! This place is a hidden gem! very creative menu with decorative signs on the wall explaining each mouth-waterting sub. my favorite is the Buffalo Bill's sub. Buffalo chicken, blue cheese and jalapenos!
Carl's in Waltham: http://www.thecheesesteakguys.com/ one of the best steak and cheese places around! Go for the small because the large will set you back a few days. I usually get the steak and cheese with peppers, onions, mushrooms and pepperoni. Typically referred to as the "Steak Bomb" in some places.
"Every every sandwich!"- Warren Zevon
Brian aka the Boston Food Critic
Posted on Wed, Apr 15, 2009 @ 05:51 AM
Wow.Wow.Wow...."All I can say is wow!" This place was amazing. Honestly, this place was so much better than I expected and lived up to all the hype. I had been wanting to go here for a long time based on all the local PR (Chef Chang's husband, Chris Myers is the front of the house and PR stalwart behind the Radius umbrella) I was given the opportunity a few months ago to go with a large group including my girlfriend, her parents and their friends. I would highly recommend going as a large party and just sharing amongst the group to avoid confusion since there are sooooo many yummy things to try and also because the food is served family style.
The owner/chef, Joanne Chang even delivered a dish to our table which I thought was very cool. I remember at one point in the meal hearing the band Dispatch being played which resulted in a perfect state of nirvana. The waitress was also really cool and very skilled at recommendations. rather than asking, "well, what do you like?" she just shot from the hip with some wonderful recommendations based on what people seem to order, even mentioning that people come from NH to get the fried chicken ! We tried so many things, but probably the most memorable would be the wok roasted mussels, charred udon noodles, and the tiger tears. 
Tiger Tears shown above
In fact, if I am to go back with just my girlfriend, this is probably what we would order. We also had this amazing whole fried black sea bass (crispy whole fish) that was so much better than I expected based on the fact that whole fish scares me!
Also noteworthy and very tasty were the tea smoked ribs and the braised pork belly buns. It was just one continuous wow as the food just kept pouring out.
http://www.myersandchang.com/
Check them out on Yelp: http://www.yelp.com/biz/myers-chang-boston
You can also join them on Facebook!
Enjoy,
Brian aka The Boston Food Critic
Posted on Fri, Apr 10, 2009 @ 12:31 PM
I had a few minutes to update my blog and wanted to tell you about a great place near my office in Kendall Square. I cannot believe I overlooked this place and their business model for 5 years while working at Akamai. For those who have not visited Kendall Sq or worked in Kendall Sq, aka the "Dude Ranch", there really is a shortage of good lunch places especially if you just want to grab a quick bite....
Zigo's tagline is "Good food for busy people" and I love it. No food court for this guy!
I have only been here a handful of times since starting my new job, but I am super impressed with the fact that they deliver on what they promise. In addition to being good, it is also pretty healthy which is something I find myself looking for especially since I am slowly being brainwashed by my girlfriend.
Yesterday I tried the Sesame Chicken over Soba noodles, added some soy sauce and was in heaven. I probably should have heated it up, but even cold, it was delicious. The food just seems so fresh.
As described on their website: Sesame crusted chicken, sliced and served over glass noodles, with napa cabbage, snow peas, broccoli, scallions, carrots, red peppers and a spicy Thai peanut sauce.
It seems Zigo really does well catering to local students from M.I.T and techies as they have 2 locations within Kendall Square. Speaking of catering, they also do that.
Ok, well as the tagline says, busy people......back to work now. If your not busy, get out there and try Zigo. http://www.zigo.biz/index.htm
Enjoy!
Brian aka The Boston Food Critic
Posted on Thu, Apr 09, 2009 @ 06:38 AM
It seems the North End in Boston is very hit or miss and the list of Italian restaurants goes on and on.....We have many restaurants leaving the North End for the South End, we have seen The Phantom feature the North End vs the South End. More recently even some boutique stores have opened up in the North End as well as a fish market. Is the North End more of a foodie haven then the South End? Well I think much of this debate depends on where you eat in The North End and whether or not you have tried Taranta on Hanover Street.
http://www.tarantarist.com/, Yet another one of my favorite Boston restaurants that is always consistent on all levels.
Taranta is home to Chef Jose Duarte who is not only a wonderful chef, but also a wonderful person. Just think "Green" restaurant!
Named for the Tarantella, the emblematic wedding dance of southern Italy, Taranta, blends Southern Italian and Peruvian cuisine.
Must try dishes include:
Start your meal with the Tavolloza di antipasti meridionali, a nice array of house made southern Italian antipasto then move onto these 2 dishes and be sure to share as the gnocchi is superfilling. Also, you will want your dining partner to try the pork chop otherwise they will have significant food envy. The pork chop has been voted a top dish and is the signature dish at Taranta.
Costoleta di maiale con canna di zucchero e rocoto
Brined double cut pork chop with a sugar cane - rocoto pepper glaze served with a yucca piatella and a sauté of giant Peruvian Corn, spinach and caramelized onions
Gnocchi di yucca con ragu verde stilo seco Peruviano
Cassava root gnocchi with a slow braised "Chicha de Jora" green lamb ragu and shaved parmesan (Spicy)
The Filet en costra de Cafe Espresso, Espresso coffee crusted filet mignon over a parsnip puree and sautéed escarole with algarrobina-vincotto sauce and the Tonno con la Bomba Peruviano-Calabrese Ortopiccante, Pan seared tuna served over braised leeks, and crispy potatoes with a sauce of sweet roasted peppers, capers and "Rocoto" (Spicy) are also amazing!
Another great thing about Taranta is their cooking classes. If you are looking for a great team building exercise or to gather friends, his classes are tons of fun. During the class you will work with many other local visiting chefs or culinary students to prepare a full meal from scratch while drinking lots of fine wine in the process. In addition to the team building, learning new recipes and how to cook, you are also provided with a cd-rom loaded with pictures from the event. This makes the event that much more memorable. Perhaps the Hubspot sales team will sign up in the near future ;) Here is the link: http://www.tarantarist.com/v5/classes.html
Oh and more recently Jose has even started gourment adventures to Peru! http://www.tarantarist.com/v5/adventures.html
Here are some pics from the cooking class at Taranta:
Making homemade gnocchi with brown butter and sage sauce
the finished product!
If you like the looks of the Gnocchi above, click here for a free recipe courtesy of local chef, Nicole Husen.
Gnocchi with Brown Sage Butter Sauce recipe, Click here:
Enjoy!
Brian aka The Boston Food Critic
Posted on Tue, Apr 07, 2009 @ 09:41 AM
The great thing about Opening Day being cancelled yesterday is that it gave me sometime to think about the best mid-level places to eat in the Fenway area. In addition to some tips on where to eat, I will also be providing some tips on what not to do and what not to eat upon visiting the Fenway area.
Opening Day Fenway 2009! The Tampa Bay Double A's are in town vs the hometown team. Please don't get me started on how the season ended last year. Blood still boiling.... Fists still pounding. ...Yes, I am still bitter!
Ok, so you come out of the T, get off the bus or just finish overpaying for parking in some shady lot around Fenway. Next question, where do we eat???!!!! or in some extreme cases, Where do we drink?
Here are some tips: First off do not show up 1hr or less than 1hr before first pitch. Rookie mistake. Secondly, plan to meet your friends at a time that is not on the hour or the 1/2 hour. In my freetime I study crowds and wait times and I have found it is best to show up at say 2:45 as opposed to 3pm for example. The reason being is that everyone meets up on the hour or 1/2 hour. Another rookie mistake!
Places to avoid prior to the game: Cask and Flagon, Boston Beerworks, Game On, and pretty much anything on Lansdowne street.
Places to frequent before the big game:
Audubon, http://www.auduboncircle.us/
Hidden Gem in my opinion, because it is located somewhat off the beaten path for most. They have a great draft beer selection and serve pitchers. For an appetizer, start with the pot stickers. For your main course, stick with the burger or if they ever bring back the jerky turkey sandwich, get that.
Lower Depths, http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-lower-depths-boston
Another somewhat hidden gem although right in Kenmore Sq. This place is owned by the same people that brought you Bukowski's. They have fenway franks for a buck that you can dress up with pretty much anything. Great draft beer and bottle selection. Try any of the sandwiches or the quesadillas. Be sure to bring cash as they are cash only.
Cambridge One, http://cambridge1.us/about.html
Another great place to hang out before the game. They have personal size pizzas that are very creative and are cooked up in minutes. Similar to their sister, Audobon, they have pitchers of beer. They also have a nice selection of TV's behind the bar so you can catch the pre-game show and the bartenders typically have their ipods hooked up to some good tunes. Bonus pts: my sister works here!
The Pour House, http://www.pourhouseboston.com/
This is probably my favorite place to frequent before a game due to the lack of crowds, large food portions coupled with low prices and "big beers"(may I suggest a Blue Moon?) I love their wings and also tend to stick with anything mexican with favorites being the chicken tacos and quesadillas. The steak tip combo is also very good if your are super hungry and want to get your fill on before sucking down multiple $8 beers at Fenway.
The Kenmore Square area has really come a long since the days of the Rathskellar aka "The Rat"(Aerosmith used to play there) and there are now some great trendy places to go when not attending to the Sox game. May I suggest Great Bay or Eastern Standard?
Enjoy the game and more importantly enjoy the food!
LETS GO RED SOX!
-Brian aka The Boston Food Critic
Posted on Mon, Apr 06, 2009 @ 08:56 PM
Just finished a wonderful dinner of baked cod encrusted with panko bread crumbs served over some greens and topped with a mixture of roasted red peppers, eggplant, onions, etc.
Did you just at dine at Oleana, you might ask? Nope, but I did just dine at the super economical, Kat's Kitchen. Now sipping on one of my favorite varietals(Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough region of New Zealand) and listening to Ellis Paul's newest album, Live at Eddie's Attic. Get it now as it is a limited edition. Did I mention I love music? Ok, Sorry. Story for another day, another blog, another website......
OLEANA. Another Kendall Sq. restaurant and winner of the James Beard Award in 2005. Arabic influenced foods of the Mediterranean. It is only my favorite restaurant in the Boston area.
I have eaten here about 3 times and each time, I have been "wowed". Every bite, Every sip of wine paired perfectly with the help of their super educated waitstaff.
The atmosphere can be very different depending on where you get sat and what time of year it is. Although I prefer sitting outside in the spring or summer on their newly designed patio, the inside in the winter can also be quite comforting especially if you get sat by the wood stove.
The menu also varies quite a bit depending on the season as they tend to use the freshest seasonal ingredients from their own local farm.
Ok, so I am sure you are wondering, what do I order?
For starters, you have to try the Fried Mussels, Hot Peppers & Turkish Tarator Sauce!
Dinner entrees tend to vary depending on season, but the specials always seem to be the way to go. I once had the most amazing mix of grilled pork, goat cheese, greens, etc.
Some staples that tend to stay on the menu include: Lamb Steak with Turkish Spices & Fava Bean Moussaka or Flattened Lemon Chicken with Za'atar & Turkish Cheese Pancake.
Oleana: www.oleanarestaurant.com
Although this place probably won't fit into the definition of a mid-level or moderately priced restaurant, you still have to EAT here!!
Enjoy!
-Brian aka The Boston Food Critic