Day 38 Lunch at The Palm in Boston , in International Place

 The lunch menu at The Palm

 bread basket

 Red snapper with pumpkin risotto and roasted butternut squash

 cheese burger with bbq sauce, gouda and fried shoestring onions

 hand cut seasoned fries

Well my vacation streak of fabulous lunches has continued with an amazing meal at The Palm in Boston's financial district in International Place. This is easily 1 of the most elegant but fun restaurants i have been too in a long time. The staff is efficient and eloquently dressed, very courteous and attentive. The ambiance of the restaurant is fun with the caricatures on the wall but don't let that lead you to believe this is anything but a 5 star establishment.

The beer, wine and cocktail selection is extensive. I had a Palm ale on tap, very tasty and a great companion to my meal. My dining companion had a SoCo manhattan and said it was perfectly made. The bread basket is a generous mixture of plain bread, a lovely raisin bread and bread sticks.

I had the steak burger with bbq  sauce, fried onions and gouda. Cooked perfectly, juicy and extremely flavor able. I would definitely order this again. It comes with a pickle, onion and tomato but you can get a generous basket of hand cut fries for just $1.95. I couldn't finish them there were so many and they were very nicely seasoned but not salty. 

My dining companion ordered the daily special , the red snapper with pumpkin risotto, pumpkin seeds and roasted squash. I did not sample the meal but she highly enjoyed the meal. The fish was fresh and perfectly cooked, the risotto was plentiful but flavorable and went nicely with the fish.  My feelings towards squash are well publicized but she said it was cooked perfectly and enjoyed it immensely. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this meal and look forward to going back to The Palm. 

I hope you have a great night and a great meal.

Kevin B,

xoxo

http://www.thepalm.com/Our-Menu/Lunch

Day 37, lunch at Abby Lane in Boston

 Cajun Oyster Po'Boy with potato salad $13

 New England Clam Chowder with bacon and buttered croutons

 another angle of the oyster po'boy (the sequel)

 Creamy Smoked Grits $5 

So a week ago i never heard of Abby Lane, and then my aunt mentioned it to me. I said i would have to look it up on line and check it out, but today as i had left an appointment on Tremont st. I look across the street and low and behold what do i see...Abby Lane. So i said Mary (thats my mom...i call her Mary) gurlfriend lets head over there for lunch.  It took very little persuasion to get Mary to agree, so across the street we went.  The ambiance inside is classic and very welcoming, the staff greeted us at the door and led us to a beautiful seat by the window. Our waiter  was very attentive, polite and he did  the 1 thing i just love a server to do...without me having to ask or look for someone, he brought me a new diet pepsi with a lime every single time he saw me get 3/4 of the way down. 

Mary had a bowl of chowdah ( i'm from Boston , thats how we say it) and she thought it was scrumptious. Creamy, loaded with clams, smoked bacon and nice cubed potatoes. It was just the perfect temperature and saltiness.  I had to sample some (for the blog's integrity ...wink wink).

I had the cajun oyster po'boy,  simply Cray-mazing. Huge oysters, a delicious buttery roll, just the right amount of crisp lettuce and a remoulade that was a great accompaniment to the oysters.  The side dish was a great red potato salad (with the skins left on , which i love), this was not overly mayo'd and nicely seasoned.  We split a side dish of creamy grits, and i have to say the grits are just fantastic.  Its a very generous portion ( we couldn't finish it, so i took it home for supper)  and it had a great seasoned flavor, i believe it had some rosemary mixed in. 

I can't wait to go back to Abby Lane, and i would highly recommend it to anyone who finds themselves near the Boston Theatre district. 

thats all for now folks, have a great night and a great meal.

Xoxo 

Kevin B.

http://www.abbylaneboston.com/menus/Abby_Main_Menu.pdf

Day 36 Dinner at Sip Wine Bar in Boston

 Dragon Maki

 tempura green beans

 Spicy tuna tempura rolls

 S'Mores sticks

 White grape martini

  Bread pudding

 Calamari

 Michael drinking a cougar

 Me drinking a cougar

Let me start off by saying i am not a fan of sushi, i don't dislike it but i can honestly say i have never craved it.  Sushi is one of those things that i feel i have to keep giving a chance because its such a trendy meal that so many people seem to love.  

On this particular night i was meeting my friends Michael and Kevin to go and see the amazing Broadway show Wicked at the Boston Opera House. So Michael had suggested we try to get into Sip which is just a few doors down from the Opera House.  It was a gorgeous late Summer evening and we chose to sit outside. Our waiter (who's name escapes me) came by our table to ask us about a cocktail and let me tell you that was no easy decision. They have an extensive wine list and a vast cocktail menu. So after much deliberation Michael and i both decided to get Cougars ( i think we both chose it because of the name). It was insanely good, and a great Summer cocktail.

I let Michael guide the ship as far as ordering because as i started off with, i am not a sushi expert. But with the fantastic suggestions made by our hilarious waiter. We had some of the best sushi i have ever had. The first thing we ordered was the Spicy Tuna tempura rolls. Wow....amazing, hands down the best Sushi i have EVER had but also 1 of the tastiest pieces of seafood i have ever had as well. Not to mention look at the presentation above, its gorgeous. Then we decided to order some Dragon Maki, easily the 2nd best Sushi i have ever had...and an even more beautiful presentation. 

Kevin joined us a little later and then we order some more food. The out of control roll, the calamari and the tempura green beans. All very delicious and generous portions. I am a huge fan of calamari and theirs did not disappoint. Huge portion and great flavor. Michael and Kevin raved about the Tempura green beans as well as the The Out of Control rolls.

For dessert this was unusual, normally i am out with people we all just split 1 dessert and each take a few forkfuls but after looking at the menu, we all knew we had to get our own.  Oh my God, how this place isn't packed with people just stopping for dessert is beyond me. They have some great options and some unique choices. I had something that sounds so simple, but it was just delightful. S'mores sticks, they gave me 4 perfectly toasted marshmallows with a raspberry sauce, a rich chocolate sauce and some crushed graham crumbs. Just the right amount of food, and the perfect ending to a glorious meal.  Michael got the bread pudding and he said it was absolutley delish. Kevin's dessert (pictured above) was a special and looked heavenly. He enjoyed it very much.

Overall i thoroughly enjoyed my dining experience at Sip, excellent food, friendly & helpful staff and reasonable prices for great quality food. I look forward to my next experience there.

Have a great night ya'll ( thats right  i said Ya'll, i am working on a Southern twang) and a great meal.

Kevin Boyle

xoxo

http://www.sipwinebarandkitchen.com/pdfs/SIP_DinnerMenu.pdf

Day 35 Dinner at Del Frisco's on the Waterfront in Boston

 12 oz Filet mignon

 Dessert menu

 Dinner menu

 Lobster mac & cheese

 Strawberry Romanoff

 Dinner menu part 2 (the sequel)

 8 oz Filet mignon

 6 layer lemon cake

 appetizer menu

 the most amazing onion rings

The VIP...clementine vodka infused with fresh Hawaiian pineapple

King crab gnocchi

I had never been to Del Frisco's before and i may never forgive myself for waiting this long. 

Simply put, this was one incredible meal. A friend was in town on Business so some dear friends and I all got together at Del Frisco's, a restaurant i had heard about but never visited....shame on me.

The restaurant has a classic elegance too it, the hostess team are friendly and polite. Just before being led to our table, our hostess asked us to wait one more moment as she walked over to the table to ensure it was 100% ready for us. Our waiter was personable and quite helpful in his suggestions to us about cocktails and food. 

This is a steak house and we all decided to try the house specialty. Wow...and wow again. Three of us got the filet and the fabulous Christina got the bone in rib eye.  The steaks are seasoned with salt & pepper unless you ask for additional seasoning. My steak was cooked perfectly, i asked for medium and it was just the right amount of pink in the middle. What i liked is that they asked me to cut into the middle right away to ensure its cooked all the way through, which it was. 

The side dishes are not just fabulous, but also enormous sized portions. Three side dishes did four people with enough left over to do my lunch the next day. The lobster mac & cheese was rich and with a generous portion of lobster. The king crab gnocchi was amazing, so tender and plump, i couldn't get over how much crab meat they give. Did you happen to see the onion rings pictured above. they are visually stunning when they arrive at the table and the breading is so light you can really get the taste of the onion, it doesn't fall apart after one bite which always annoys me when i order onion rings out.

After this enormous meal, i thought no way could i eat dessert...what a silly goose was i. 

I saw lemon cake on the website before we came to Del Frisco's and it was love at first site. This lemon cake is six layers, but very light and spongy. The icing had a nice tanginess to it but also kept its sweetness. A very flavorful burst of lemon in each bite. 

I did not try the strawberry romanoff but i was told it was nice and sweet with great strawberry flavor.

I would highly recommend Del Frisco;s to anyone looking for a nice evening out on the town. The evening views from the restaurant of the city adds to the amazing ambiance. 

Have a great night and a great meal.

Love,

Kevin Boyle 

http://delfriscos.com/menu/boston/

Day 34 Dinner at 88 Wharf in Lower Mills

 Menu at 88 Wharf

 Key Lime pie

 Strawberry Napolean

 Haddock dinner with lemon breadcrumbs, roasted potatoes and asparagus

 New York Sirloin with blue cheese and a merlot reduction, mashed potatoes and corn with garlic butter.

88 Wharf menu pt2

What a perfect ending to a lovely 3 day weekend, dinner at 88 Wharf in Lower Mills. What made this meal even better was the fact that we had a $60 groupon for dinner. Which gave us some flexibility in our ordering. The ambiance for 88 wharf is beautiful, the restaurant is hidden away under a luxury apartment building so there's not a ton of traffic or people walking by outside. You can dine inside or out on the patio, but either way the view of the water is just lovely.

They bread basket they give is quite dangerous because the parmesan encrusted french bread is quite addictive, and they are generous about bringing you refills. The wine selections are small but what they lack in volume they make up for in quality. I had a pinot grigio from Oregon (Anne Amiee) that was crisp and delicious, and they are not cheap with their servings.

I had the dinner special, a NY sirloin served with a merlot reduction and blue cheese on top. This was easily one of the most tender, perfectly cooked and seasoned pieces of meat i have ever ordered out. I savored every morsel. The corn on the Cobb with garlic butter was fabulous and a nice accompaniment to the steak (it was a little on the warm side and not as hot as i would have preferred, so i made sure i ate the corn 1st so it would not get cold). The mashed potatoes were creamy and beautifully seasoned, they gave a generous portion as well. Well worth the $29.

My friend had the Haddock, and it was absolutely delicious (  i stole a bite....stop judging me). Normally i prefer some sauce with a piece of fish but the secret to a nice piece of fish is that if it doesn't smell fishy or require a sauce for some flavor. The lemon flavored bread crumbs were just enough to make this haddock perfect. It came with roasted potatoes and asparagus, again generous portions and served well seasoned.

Now once again i am not a dessert person out, normally because i am totally full from my dinner. Tonight an exception was made, but i was hoping for a piece of their red velvet cake (thats not red) but alas my hopes were dashed when the waitress informed me the chef who made that cake has left the restaurant. When i stopped sobbing i decided to still reward myself with a piece of Key lime pie...WOW, quite possibly the nicest, most refreshing ,  fresh lime tasting Key Lime Pie i have ever had. Oh and did i mention they give 2 pieces per order !!  Some call my mama because that is just amazing.

My friend got the strawberry Napolean. Now i am not a fan of diminutive French Emperors, but the man certainly knew how to make a tasty dessert. The fresh cream with strawberry inside of (2 !! ) puff pastries was light and creamy but not lacking in flavor. I would highly recommend.

I found the staff to be very polite, helpful, but not hovering. 

I would recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a restaurant with great food, and great atmosphere.

Have a great night and a wonderful meal.

Thanks,

Kevin Boyle

http://www.88wharf.com/menus/dinner-menu

Day 33 Birthday dinner at Wicked Pizza in Dedham

 Arancini $ 7.95 Risotto croquettes filled with pancetta, fontina cheese and natural Italian sausage fried and served with marinara sauce

 

 Creekstone Farms Beef Brisket $ 22.95

Hickory-wood roasted, sliced and topped with a honey BBQ sauce with grilled corn bread
Cajun fries, and jicama slaw 

 Cedar Plank Salmon (GF) $ 25.95

Organic Black Pearl salmon, roasted at 700 degrees in our stone hearth oven, with a
raspberry chipotle glaze, accompanied by crispy polenta cake and chefs vegetables selection 

 Wicked Mini Doughnuts

House made and fried to order, served with crème anglaise and chocolate dipping sauce 

It was the best of time, it was the worst of time....  The best was the fabulous meal and the wonderful company , the worst...I turned 40.

I don't often find myself in Dedham's Legacy place, but after dinner the other night i might have to rectify that. Whats funny is Wicked wasn't even our original choice for dinner, but the restaurant we had planned was closed on Mondays (Super annoying). So my dining companions had made some suggestions to me, and after reviewing their menus online i thought Wicked Pizza sounded the most promising.  I was not wrong. 

I have heard for years how amazing Arancini's are, but the place i had to try them in is in the North End (Umberto's) but being that its only a lunch place i don't find myself there to often on a weekday. But Andrea recommended trying them at Wicked Pizza, and i must say they lived up to expectations. Beautifully cooked with the just the right mixture of rice,cheese and sausage. It had 2 flavorful dipping sauces and had a robust marinara under each rice ball. I will definitely add this to the list of appetizers i will order again.

Andrea had the cedar plank salmon and enjoyed it very much , she enjoyed the raspberry chipolte sauce as it was a perfect accompaniment to bring out the flavor of the salmon. I tried some of her palenta cake and i must say it was very tasty as well.  The portion was a good size, and filling.

Eric and I both had the brisket...WOW, delicious ! They gave a generous portion of meat and it was covered but not smothered in a nice tangy BBQ sauce. Every piece of meat was cooked just right and was very tender. The side dishes i was a little mixed about; the French fries were a very generous portion but i felt a little over seasoned (not salty, just too much cajun seasoning), i did not like the jicama slaw, it was a powerful flavor and i didn't like the texture. The corn bread on the other hand was fantastic, not a huge portion not dry and went very well dipped in the honey BBQ sauce. 

I was thrilled when they told me they don't sing Happy Birthday as a group by the waiter, but when we ordered a dessert to split they still managed to sneak a candle in the whipped cream.  For dessert we split the Wicked mini donuts, which they serve hot from the fryer. With 2 dipping sauces, crème anglaise and a hot chocolate sauce, this was the perfect ending to a fabulous meal. The donuts weren't heavy or served greasy. The dipping sauces were nice and creamy. My preference was the chocolate sauce, but dipping in both sauces and the whipped cream at the same donut was pretty terrific as well. In fact i wouldn't mind having a basket of those right now. 

The staff was very friendly and attentive, our waiter was helpful with recommendations. I also observed this would be a great restaurant to watch a ball game, as they had a lot of TV's positioned all over the bar area and some booths had small tvs in the booth.

I would recommend Wicked Pizza to anyone, and i can't wait to go back myself.

Have a great day and a great meal.

Kevin M. Boyle XOXO



Dinner
Menu.
http://www.wickedrestaurant.com/userfiles/dinner%20menu%205-6-13.pdf

Restaurant website.
http://www.wickedrestaurant.com/gourmet-artisan-pizza-main-menu.asp

Day 32- Dinner at Trattoria Il Panino in Boston's North End

Trattoria Il Panino

 Menu 

 1 of the best bread baskets with dipping oil i have ever had

 Shrimp Al Limoncello ( Jumbo shrimp with garlic & oil scented with Limoncello)

Mushroom ravioli's in a cream sauce

 Spaghetti Carbonara (Amazing )

I go to the North End not as often as i would like , I can't think of an area anywhere that has so many 5 star restaurants in a 3 block radius. I am a huge Italian food fan, and who wouldn't be, pasta with cream sauces and fresh bread. My dream meal come through.

Well my dear friend Pablo called and asked me to join them for dinner at a North End Restaurant i had yet to try out i just had to say yes. After a short walk through the North End we arrived at Trattoria Il Panino and got a nice table in the out side dining area. The wait staff is very attentive and friendly, and gave great recommendations for meal suggestions.

We started off with a great bread basket, now i know i am huge fan of bread but i don't normally rave about a bread basket,  but this was a good 1 worth waranting of a mention. The dipping oil is very flavorful, and they give plenty of freshly baked bread as well as refills. 

Then we decided to have an appetizer and were torn between the calamari, the mussels and the shrimp. We went with the shrimp because it sounded unusual, i have never had anything prepared with limoncello. Well i have to say we made a wise decision, the shrimp was cooked perfectly and the limoncello , garlic and oil combo was amazing. Just the right amount of lemon flavor , not too over powering. 

For our entree Pablo who is a vegetarian had the mushroom raviolis, and said the meal was delicious and very filling. Hutts and I had the spaghetti carbonara, I have to say it was one of THE best Italian dishes i have ever had. They serve the dish right in the frying pan that it was cooked it, so you get every ounce of sauce that the meal was prepared in. This is a dish i have made myself in the past, but wow i could not come anywhere near the quality of how they prepared it at Trattoria Il Panino. Just the right amount of cream and cheese, and the egg was cooked just right so that the sauce was covering the pasta completely but not not clumpy. Cleaning the leftover sauce in the pan with the delicious bread was the perfect ending of a sublime meal. 

We didn't have dessert but that was mainly because we were so full from our amazing meals. 

Would i go back to Trattoria Il Panino? Ohhhhh yes, in fact i look forward to my next visit and would love to introduce it to anyone interested in checking out the  North End in the near future.

Thats all i have for now, have a great night and a great meal.

love

Kevin M. W. Boyle

http://www.trattoriailpanino.com/content/menu.html

Special report- Dining in the Emerald Isle

Uncles Sam's cafe menu

 Roast Beef, onion marmalade, and rocket (a type of lettuce) and a cup of veggie soup

corned beef & cabbage with parsley sauce

 Lamb dinner with mashed potatoes 

 fried haddock

a typical Irish breakfast ( 2 eggs over easy, irish rasher, black and white pudding, 2 sausages and fried tomatoes and mushrooms)

coco cafe in Salt Hill, Galway

AMAZING carrot cake

coco cafe menu

Quay Street Kitchen menu

a local cider ale from Galway 

potted crab with fresh bakery bready and greens

sweet potato and ginger soup

a peroni beer

 KC Blakes in Galway city Ireland

fresh brown bread  (delicious )

 mussels in a cream sauce with garlic bread

Prawns (shrimp) with linguini and tomatoes 

rib eye steak with fingerling potatoes 

organic salmon

 sausage and cheese omlette with cucumbers & tomatos 

capucino and cream pastry

McDonaghs, Galway city

 seafood chowder with brown biscuit

grilled mackerel

fish n chips with mushy peas

key lime pie with raspberry compote ( Parks Hotel Galway City)

carrot cake, from Fellini cafe

Fellini Tea Room , Cork City 

Duck breast with ratatouille stuffed tomato

lamb chops

filet steak 

a 5,000 Euro bottle of whiskey

Ballymaloe Restaurant lunch menu

our reserved dining area

 seafood bisque

 white vegetable creamy soup with a dollop of fresh cream 

appetizer section of lunch buffet

4 carving meat carving station (pork, lamb, corned beef and Irish bacon)

 Veggie section of buffet

Ballymaloe House

 Dessert cart ( 5 different options)

Scoozi restaurant in Cork City

dessert options

 pizza with olives, sausage, anchovy, pepperoni and a fried egg

mars bar cheesecake

me eating a 99 ( vanilla soft serve with a flake chocolate bar)

 latte 

Isaacs Restaurant menu Cork City

 cream of pea & coriander soup

  Duck Confit

 NY Sirloin

Haddock with a lemon sauce

apple rhubarb crumble with fresh whipped cream

Sticky pudding with caramel sauce and fresh whipped cream

coffee cubana (with rum and condensed milk)

dessert menu Hotel Isaac Restaurant

The world is filled with misnomers and one that i feel i must correct is that the stereotype of Ireland being the land of potatoes and corned beef & cabbage. This is a European nation that is on the cusp of what is new and trendy.  First i must say i have a special fondness for Ireland as it is the birthplace for both my parents (Counties Limerick and Mayo). But having visited Ireland repeatedly has given me an outsiders view to see a country grow into an eclectic culinary utopia. 

 When people think of certain areas they can sometimes associate certain foods or restaurants with the area. When i think Paris France i think amazing white wines and cheese, when i think of Providence , Rhode Island i think of amazing Italian subs and calzones. When some people think of Ireland they think, beer, potatoes and corned beef, this does not even scratch the surface of what delicacies Ireland has to offer these days. 

I had some extremely flavorful creamy soups in many areas of Ireland, i love the creamy flavor and the brown bread that comes with ever bowl. My only criticism of these soups would be, i do not like the soups that have been run through the blender, They have a grainy taste which i do not enjoy,  I had a hard time getting used to dinner sized meals at dinner time. But i rather enjoyed eating the bigger meal in midday and having the smaller meal during supper time. 

I love the fresh fish you can obtain in Ireland, i had some really lovely prawns and cod. The key to any successful seafood restaurant is the lack of a fishy aroma, my mom always preaches to me is that fresh fish should never smell. While visiting Galway city I had the best fish n chips i ever had in Macdonaghs , the cod was amazing and with a perfect breading, not too heavy. The chips (French fries) and mushy peas made for a perfect accompaniment to the cod.  If you are a fan of salmon, then Ireland is the country for you. The irish Salmon is superior to most other places. Paired with a nice sauce or rice accompaniment it makes for a 5 star meal.  

If you find yourself in County Cork, then i can't recommend Ballymalone Restaurant/Hotel enough.  This establishment is run by the Allen family, Ireland's 1st family of culinary delights. They put on a luncheon buffet that would rival any 5 star restaurant. The staff is polite and attentive, the food hot ,flavorful and plentiful. They offer 4 carving stations, multiple starch options, and perfectly seasoned vegetable dishes. A dessert cart that you can get almost anything your sweet tooth would desire. 

No matter what county in Ireland you find yourself in, you can find some of the best pub foods you can imagine. You will see a lot of the same dishes from pub to pub but they are far superior to the normal chicken fingers and cheeseburgers you would find in any bar food menu in the states. 

I also would have to say i found the romanticized image of the irish pub is still in existence in many pubs in Ireland but mainly in those frequented by tourists. Don't get me wrong, i think that is where it should be, my favorite pub in Ireland is probably not frequented by many Irish customers, but mainly a tourist bar in Galway called the An Pucan (Irish for The boat) . The bar is known for its daily live music, and the musicians all play the style of Irish popular music that you would look for. 

If you are a fan of pastries or sweet desserts then you won't have a hard time finding some of the best bakeries with some amazing fresh baked pastries and pies(or tarts as they like to call them). My mom and i would often pop in to a bakery after taking a long walk and reward ourselves with a cappuccino or latte and split a lovely fresh cream filled pasty, like the 1 picture in the picture above. They make these pastries with fresh whipped cream, and because you can't have enough cream they also give you a side dish of whipped cream with almost all desserts....its the little touches that really make something good become great.

I know most people would not plan a vacation based on the cuisine of the area, but i would say if you are planning a trip to Ireland and assume you will only eat corned beef and cabbage, and drink Guinness then i would say you are in for a pleasant surprise. I myself look forward to my next visit to Eire, not just for the family i have there but also for the different surprises behind every corner pub.

I consider Ireland to be my 2nd home, and i look forward to my next visit. If you have any questions about places to visit or things to do i would be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Have a great day and a fabulous meal.

Kevin M. Boyle