Day 43, Easter dinner at Salvatore's Restaurant in the Theatre district of Downtown Boston

 Deviled egg appetizer (sooooooo good)

CARBONARA* 19 pancetta, sage, peas, garlic, parmigiano, egg sauce, linguine, topped

with a fried egg 

 Baked haddock piccata with rice pilaf and asparagus 

 FILET il CUSCINO*

black angus filet, topped with a jumbo bleu cheese ravioli, port wine reduction, chef’s potato, vegetable 

 Whoopie Pies 

Well for the first time in my families history we decided to not to stay home and cook a big Easter dinner, instead we decided to go into the city (Boston)  and enjoy the beautiful weather and also to embrace the love that was in the air for the Boston marathon that was happening the following day.

We made reservations at several places, because we just couldn't decide where we should go.  But after much deliberation we chose to go to Salvatore's on Washington street in Downtown Boston and we definitely made the correct decision. What a wonderful atmosphere and the food was amazing.

The staff was incredibly friendly and accommodating ( i can be slightly demanding). The prices are totally reasonable for Boston's theatre district. The bar has a great wine selection ( i had a glass of Pinot Grigio Zenato Veneto) , and is quite comfortable if you want to grab something to eat at the bar. 

I had the carbonara, i am a fanatic for this dish ever since i saw it featured on a Food Network program. A generous portion with a sunny side egg on the top , that when broken made a fabulous gravy and accompaniment to the extremely flavorful dish.

My dad had the Filet , and i have to say I would have a hard time finding a better steak in any "steak house" establishment. Cooked perfectly, beautifully seasoned (no salt or pepper needed) and the blue cheese ravioli…omg where has this been all my life. 

My mom had the haddock piccata, generous portion and served with a lovely sauce. The rice pilaf was the perfect side dish for this entree. ''.

For dessert they had a lot of incredible sounding options and we chose to share the whoopee pies,  the fresh whipped cream and moist and rich chocolate cake was amazing.  Good size portion perfect for sharing.  I would recommend a Baileys on the rocks to have with this dessert ( i did and it went very nicely together).

I highly recommend Salvatore's in Boston, and i can't wait to go back.  Also if you have plans to go to the Opera House in Boston, Salvatore's is right next door and this would be the perfect place to go before or after for a nibble or a cocktail.

Have a great night and a better meal.

Kevin B.

http://www.salvatoresrestaurants.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/FINAL-BostonDinner3-14.pdf

Day 42, dinner at Modern Apizza in New Haven,CT

 Large side salad

 1/2 Anchovie and 1/2 pepper pizza

 me

Well on a overnight visit to the city of New Haven with my friend Pablo, to visit his alma mater Yale University we went on a walking tour of the city.  I have to say its a lovely area and with quite a history for fabulous pizza places. But Pablo suggested we go to one of his favorite haunts, Modern Apizza. 

Well i was a little alarmed when we got there and the line waiting to get in at 7:00 PM was out the door with a 30 minute wait to get in to a table. So we put our name in , and went to a great Irish bar next to kill the 30 minutes.  When we got back , 30 minutes later we still had to wait a lil while longer.  But once seated, the wait staff is very attentative and brought us menus immediately and took our drink order. The above picture titled  "me" shows me drinking a Naughty Nurse Ale (yes thats the name, and yes i ordered it solely based on its name) , having said that it was quite delicious.

Pablo and i split the above large side salad, which was fine. Nothing extraordinary , but at the same time it was a side salad so what do you expect. It was all iceberg lettuce with hardly enough tomatoes or onions for my liking.  Although i will say i was a big fan of their blue cheese dressing. 

But …the main event, the headliner of our dinner…The Pizza.  Yowza talk about delicious. 

We got a 1/2 anchovy and 1/2 pepper pizza.  The pizza was cooked perfectly, the crust was thin and crunchy , the sauce plentiful but not overloaded  but the cheese was dairy perfection, i can't recall enjoying a pizza more. The anchovies added the perfect amount of salty to goodness and the peppers were cut to just the right size and cooked just the way i like them.

We managed to finish the whole thing which believe me is no small feat, since it was a generous portion.

The whole meal was fantastic, and very reasonably priced. 

I can't wait to go back to New Haven , and i am even thinking of enrolling at Yale just so i can go to Modern Apizza more often.

Have a great night and an even better meal.

Kevin B.

XOXO

http://www.modernapizza.com/menu.html

Day 41 Lunch at Zaftig's Delicatessen in Coolidge Corner Brookline

 Zaftig's own brand of Raspberry Lime Rickey

 *LENOX OMELETTE

Sun-dried tomatoes, chives and goat cheese. 10.95

 REUBEN

Grilled pumpernickel, corned beef, Swiss, sauerkraut, Russian dressing. 12.95

 bagel chips and cream cheese

this is a repeat review of one of my favorite places in Coolidge Corner, which is a fabulous neighborhood in Brookline with a lot of great dining options…also near the place of go for my Mani/Pedis , but enough about me.

I normally go to Zaftigs for breakfast (which i highly recommend) but in this particular meal we had the opportunity to have lunch/brunch.  After we ordered , they brought us the complimentary bagel chips. I am a huge fan of their bagels and they make their chips from them. A nice little treat to pick on while waiting for your meal.

I had the reuben and i have to say, as a huge fan of this particular sandwich having it at a jewish delicatessen is a rare treat. The meat was amazing , plentiful BUT not overwhelming ( something i hate). Just the right amount of russian dressing and sauerkraut, i can't recall the last time i enjoyed a sandwich so much. The french fries were good but nothing special, i had heard their steak fries were terrific which is what i meant to order. My friend got the Lenox omlete, which she liked but didn't love. Her one complaint was the amount of goat cheese inside the omelet, goat cheese has a powerful flavor and that much of it inside the omlete was just too much.  She thoroughly enjoyed the bagel and home fries that came along with it.

We both got a raspberry lime rickey , and i must say Zaftigs own brand of soda is better or on par with most brand name sodas. 

I always enjoy my trips to Zaftigs as the staff is friendly and attentive, but the food is what always brings me back every time.

Have a great night and an even better meal.

Kevin B.

xoxo

http://www.zaftigs.com/index.php/menu-2/daily-menu

Day 40 Dinner at Alba's Restaurant in Quincy Center

celery root bisque 

 salmon & risotto

 banana bread pudding with banana ice-cream drizzled with a carmel sauce

Everyone has a certain restaurant that has special meaning for them, for me this place is Alba's. I have loved this restaurant since day one , when many years ago i started coming here with a dear friend who has since passed away.  I tried so many different meals at Alba's over the years, enjoying their soups , entrees ranging from a fabulous hamburger to one of the nicest filets i have ever had. Alba's is also the place i tried chicken parmesan for the very first time, and i have to say if i had known how good they made it i would have ordered it there years ago.

The owner Leo, is a hands on old fashioned restaurant owner who checks on the customers to ensure they are satisfied and will even pour you a glass of wine if he notices you are running low. A classic touch that i always love, so many restaurants you never see who is running the show.

I recently went to Alba's with a friend and we both got the 3 course meal  for $25. A fabulous deal , that includes, an appetizer , and entree and a dessert.  I got the celery root bisque with lobster meat. It was delicious, very flavorful and creamy. For dinner i got the salmon with risotto, a beautiful piece of fish. Fresh without a fishy smell and the risotto was cooked perfectly  and was just the right accompaniment to the salmon. We shared a couple of bottles of pinot grigio that i very much enjoyed, one thing you will not be disappointed too at Alba's is their extensive wine list.

For dessert we both had the banana bread pudding with banana ice cream, it was delicious. The ice cream served on top of the warm bread pudding with a melted carmel sauce was a perfect ending to a fabulous meal. But a fabulous meal is something i have come to getting used too at Alba's and i look forward to going back for my next meal.

Have a great night and an even better meal.

Kevin B.

xoxo

http://www.albaquincy.com/wp-content/themes/Alba/Alba-Menu.pdf

Special Posting- My special Spicy Olive/Pepper Tapenade

Hi Folks, so i fancy myself someone who is handy in the kitchen. If you have the misfortune of being my friend on Facebook then you are familiar with my posting of every meal i order when i go out, or sometimes just a local treat (i.e. a cupcake or sticky bun from my favorite bakeries).
Well one of my favorite pastimes is to watch some of the cooking shows on The Food Network, and i get inspirations from certain chefs for things to try at home.

One of the things that caught my eye while watching Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives was how many chefs in small restaurants all over the country are making their own sauces from scratch for their signature sandwiches that are featured on the show.

Well i decided to run with one myself, that i call my Spicy-Olive/Pepper- Tapenade (but its not really a tapenade, stop judging me).
This sauce is not like a Hot sauce, but does have a kick to it. Goes well in wraps,  with chicken, deli meats( such as corned beef or roast beef), I personally have not used it on fish but my mother served it at a dinner she was hosting with salmon,  it can also be used as a dip for vegetables.

This is made in a food processor , i am giving the ingredients as i have made it the last time but obviously you can adjust anything for how much tapenade you need for serving.

2 tbsp of light mayonnaise
1 generous tbsp of sour cream
1 tea spoon of horseradish
2 tea spoons of extra virgin olive oil
3 pitted pimento olives (your choice of olive )
2 garlic cloves
2 small red roasted peppers
Paprika (i am a fan, so i give a generous dustin (1/2 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
pinch of sea salt
7 to 10 capers, your choice…but i go closer to 7.
2 slices of jalapeños (with seeds, i told you it had a kick)

This gets mixed in the food processor on Mix cycle for about 2 minutes ( stopping at 1 minute to scrape the bowl and make sure everything gets chopped up finely.)
Then put mixture into a bowl with a cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours to settle.

Then serve and enjoy….i sure do.

thank you,

Have a great night and an even better meal.

Kevin B.

Day 39 Dinner at Elephant walk in Cambridge

 Khar Saiko Kroeung

 Braised boneless short ribs, jasmine rice with scallion oil; garnished with daikon, cucumber and scallion

 An amazing bottle of wine

 Tarte Chocolat Au Caramel

 A pate brisee tartlet filled with semi-sweet chocolate and smooth caramel. Served with crème anglaise and vanilla ice cream

 Rouleaux (available vegan with Shiitake mushroom)

 Cambodian spring rolls filled with pork, peanut, noodles, carrot and onion; served with greens and herbs for wrapping and tuk trey for dipping

 Mousse Aux Fruits De Passion

Refreshingly tart & sweet passion fruit mousse served in an almond lace cup; garnished with fresh pineapple (gluten free if served without almond lace cup)

 Saumon Rôti aux Saveurs d'Automne

 Pan-seared​ Atlantic salmon on bleu cheese polenta topped with sautéed spinach, with a lightly spiced tomato, mushroom and chick pea ragout; served with savory whipped farmers cheese

 Creme brûlée

Tofu Et Legumes Grillés, Curry Vert Au Gingembre (vegan & gluten free)

Pan-seared organic tofu topped with grilled zucchini, buttercup squash, asparagus, portabella and eggplant; with green ginger curry

This evenings meal was a complete surprise for me,  as the dinner came about because my friend Paul had a Groupon (damn i love Groupons).  I had heard of the Elephant Walk from a few people but never had the pleasure. I arrived fashionably late, as i am known to do but the staff was very friendly and accommodating.  The restaurant is larger than i realized from the outside, as it has a spacious downstairs with a lovely bar.

We started our meal needing a cocktail or 2 after a strenuous week, and Yari and i decided to split a bottle of white wine. We had a delicious Gaillac, that i would highly recommend. It was crisp and flavorful. To start our meal we shared some delicious Spring Rolls that were packed & plentiful. What was different about them was that you wrapped them in a lettuce leaf for eating and a Tuk Trey for dipping, Tuk Trey is a Cambodian dipping sauce flavored with shallots and garlic.

For  his entree Paul had the Tofu Et Legumes Grilles, now i will have to take his word on this because it included a few things i don't eat. But he said it was very good and cooked perfectly. Yari had the Braised boneless short ribs , which she thoroughly enjoyed. Flavorful and great portions.
I had the salmon, the fish was fresh and delicious. A very generous portion and the blue cheese polenta was a beautiful accompaniment.

Because of the Grouon we decided to get dessert ( really we needed no motivation to order dessert but we'll blame the Groupon). Paul got the Creme Brûlée and it was rich and delicious. Yari ordered the Mousse Aux Fruits De Passion , which a part of me thinks she ordered it just so she could say its name. I was lucky to get a sample. The passion fruit mousse was refreshing and creamy. 
I ordered the Tarte Chocolat au Caramel , which was a chocolate mousse with a carmel topping inside a nice cookie like crust. So rich and decadent, a perfect ending to a wonderful meal.

I would highly recommend the Elephant walk to anyone in the Cambridge area.

Have a great day and a great meal.

Kevin M. Boyle

http://elephantwalk.com/cambridge-menu/

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