magz's Profile
Need help with a wedding reception
The Pleasantdale Chateau in West Orange. Delicious, beautiful, and accommodates 250. May bust the budget though.
Il Mondo Vecchio, Madison NJ
I ate there last night. We had a party of eight and were squeezed into a table more appropriate for six. The table was close to the wall on one side and close to tables on the other sides, so it was tight. In general, the restaurant was packed - we had an early seating (6:15) and it was already packed when we got there, and stayed that way until we left. There was a huge line of people waiting to be seated (I assume with reservations) as we walked out - made me glad we had an early reservation. I imagine it is better on a weeknight, although I hear it is always busy.
So - the atmosphere isn't the most relaxing, and I'd probably want to go back with two or four people next time, but the staff was pleasant and service was perfectly adequate. They didn't bring anything to keep the white wine we brought cool, but we also didn't ask - just seemed odd.
Portions were HUGE. Way too much food if you get three courses, especially because the bread basket includes foccacia with addictive sauteed onions and they also serve a complimentary antipasto plate with delicious brushchetta, thin zucchini and eggplant slices, and a slice of salumi. The chocolate torte dessert was really wonderful, though, so I was glad I saved room for it by not finishing my main. Ordering fish to eat light definitely didn't do the trick - the fish dishes were very substantial as well. Unfortunate as I don't normally like leftover fish - but everything else was nice for leftovers today for lunch.
I tried several of the dishes in the group and liked everything, some dishes more than others:
-Spinach salad - standard, not a reason to go here
-Scallop appetizer with mushrooms and asparagus (special) - very tasty but also very rich - tasted like it was loaded with butter
-Spaghettini alla Arrabbiata - delicious, pasta had great texture, good mushrooms - had order envy for the person who ordered this
-Arugula salad - buffalo mozzarella had nice texture
-Porcini ravioli (special) - intense mushroom flavor, nicely cooked pasta
-Branzino Livornese - slightly overcooked but still delicious - very flavorful sauce
-Salmon encrusted in pignoli nuts (special) - good
-Veal scallopine with porcini - another very nice sauce, though not my favorite dish overall - I think because the veal was overpowered
-Asparagus side - fine
-Broccoli rabe side - some liked quite a bit but it retained more bitterness than I prefer in broccoli rabe
-Chocolate torte - very rich but good balance with hazelnut gelato - would have liked a larger scoop of gelato (though not to finish on my own - dessert was large)
-Apple tart - not my favorite, ok, a little too much cinnamon between the apples and gelato
-Cannolocini w/fresh raspberries & raspberry chambord cream - least favorite dessert. Shell tasted fresh, was nice and crispy - but the cream inside fell flat
-Strawberries with fresh cold zabaglione - simple and very good
Overall all eight of us were pleased, and we agreed it was a good value. I hope you enjoy!
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Il Mondo Vecchio
72 Main St Ste 1, Madison, NJ 07940
Hazelnut flour?
Ben and Jerry's main offices are in South Burlington, and a fun place to visit (not sure if open to public though - their CEO is an alum of my b school so I went for a trip) but you can do the factory tour in Waterbury VT, which is closer to Norwich... about an hour or a little more away. If you go, do not miss Hen of the Wood in Waterbury - great food in a lovely setting, a former grist mill.
Turning 21 in Boston
Maybe I think of downtown differently than you... downtown but not Faneuil Hall area is a little confusing to me (in my mind most of the bars in the financial district would be lumped in with the Faneuil Hall area). Some non-Faneuil options not too far from what I think of as downtown are:
Beacon Hill - crawl down Cambridge Street on the edge of Beacon Hill. Usually filled with the 21-25 year old crowd. Bars range from a cheap frat-type dump with Golden Tee, etc (Beacon Hill Pub) to a bit nicer but crowded (Harvard Gardens) to basic pub (The Hill) to divey comfortable pub (Red Hat).
Back Bay, particularly Boylston St - several college and recent grad-type bars such as Dillon's, Whiskey's, Pour House. Can be crowded.
If you're willing to go further, try Cambridge - I'm less familiar with the specific bars but I have heard of crawls down Mass Ave. Bars will have less of the Faneuil Hall feel here in general.
North End parking?
It's possible the rain will mean the St. Anthony crowds will be smaller and you can find a garage spot in the North End, but if not, perhaps you could drive to a garage outside the North End and then take a short cab to dinner. I imagine there will be space in the financial district or elsewhere close by. I find this site helpful when directing friends who visit me in the North End.
http://boston.bestparking.com/index.php#1
I have also been told there are some large and inexpensive lots in the Seaport area, which is a short cab away.
Summer weekend in Boston
I'm not one to recommend a place for steamed lobster and clams but you can do a board search.
Also search for details on North End Italian. I would choose Prezza or Carmen, which can be done for $100 if you are careful. For big meat eaters, though, you might be on the pricier ends of both menus, and if you are big wine drinkers then $100 is probably not happening, so check them out and see what you think (prezza.com, carmenboston.com). Prezza is larger and its ambiance is more slick than cozy. Carmen is tiny, which can be a problem if there is a loud person or group in there. I've liked everything I have had at both places. Carmen does not have cocktails or dessert.
Less expensive North End Italian - I like Antico Forno (anticofornoboston.com) and Massiminos (massiminosboston.com). Massiminos doesn't take reservations for parties with fewer than six people. I also like Maurizio's (mauriziosboston.com), which is Sardinian.
That weekend is the St. Agrippina di Mineo feast in the North End (http://www.saintagrippinaboston.com/schedule.html).
Steak isn't my big thing but I've enjoyed Grill 23 - plenty of opinions on the board if you search for them.
Tomato Season
I will be precise... not as good flavor as the heirlooms I had last week, but nice.
Tomato Season
There was one farmer with heirlooms at the Govt Center market yesterday, and perhaps the same one with heirlooms at the Copley market last week. They were $6 a pound the first time I saw them, but I got some - delicious. They were either $5 or $6 yesterday, and there was a small selection, picked over by the time I got there. There was also another farmer with non-heirloom "field tomatoes," but I suppose they could have been from further south. I went with the "award winning" tomatoes (greenhouse?), at another stand, and they were ripe and good in my caprese last night. Not heirloom flavor, but still nice.
Neptune lunch menu?
Is it the same as the dinner menu? There is one menu online and I haven't found any mentions of a separate lunch menu.
Thoughts on dante?
I've eaten there half a dozen times and it has been more good than not, but there have been some misses - boring dishes, not awful. I second the bread basket and desserts. Beyond dessert, my most positive reactions have been to the salads (still salads, but fresh and interesting) and to fish dishes. Cocktails have been so-so - a few delicious, but most eh, so now I stick to the basics.
I think the decor is fine and it hasn't been too loud when we've gone - but I've never been there when it was completely packed.
Best Boston Burger
Had it last night off the bar menu at the SDLT near the aquarium. It comes with smoked onions, blue cheese, and aioli. It's on a fluffy roll, and the frites that come with it are the very thin kind, a little bit crispy, and served extremely hot, how I like them. My only gripe was the temp - ordered medium but it was cooked further than that - not pink at all. Still have to admit it was delicious. Next time I will order medium rare.
Any specific recommendations for ordering at Dante?
Also late but I enjoy the cremini and zucchini salad, which I think is always on the menu... it's a little different and quite good. I've also liked most of the entrees I've had there, including the fresh pasta dishes. I once had a very boring fish dish there - I think it was halibut, and it just didn't have much flavor. But that's the only negative experience I've had over probably 10 meals there.
Modern Pastry
I usually stick to cannoli and florentines at Modern but a friend told me to try the lemon cookies about a year ago, and they were great. No chocolate, which I also usually look for, but quite tasty. They look like anise cookies, small, round, with white icing, but they don't have the sprinkles that the anise cookies have. They are usually packaged in clear bags near the front of the store. When I haven't seen them I've asked and they are often out of them - I think they only make them a couple of days a week.
I had the strawberry cheesecake once a few years ago, and it was ok but I didn't like it enough to want to order it again.
Sunday lunch, N. End, group of 12 -- Help!
You could try L'Osteria on Salem St. 617-723-7847. Many of the North End restaurants don't serve lunch on Sunday - they offer the dinner menu starting at lunchtime. Should be fine if that is the case there -- L'Osteria is basic and has plenty of red sauce dinner items way under $20.
http://www.losteria.com/dinnermenu.html
Right next to them is Lo Conte's - also an option that has space for a group. A bit more expensive if they're only offering the dinner menu. I think the food there is better (although it's not particularly memorable either), and the setting is a little nicer.
http://www.locontes.com/dinner.html
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L'Osteria
104 Salem St, Boston, MA 02113
Lo Conte's Italian Cuisine
116 Salem St, Boston, MA 02113
Best Cupcakes, for sure!
Ditto - only one flavor, but Flour gets my vote for best cupcake I've tried in Boston. Dense chocolatey cake and a good ratio of cake to frosting.
North Street Grill
Agree with rds85. Breakfast is fine and a little expensive. I don't love the pancakes - usually get an omelet. Have only had non-breakfast once, a salad along the nuts-fruit-goat cheese theme, and it was quite good with flavorful homemade dressing. Previous chef I think though. It's a nicer setting than some of the other breakfast options in the neighborhood if that matters to you.
If you are looking for something else nearby, I am a big fan of the potatoes at Theo's Cozy Corner. I wouldn't call the rest of the breakfast food amazing but it's solid and reasonable, and I like the staff. They recently spruced it up a bit but the decor is still basic and it's a bit cramped.
Forté di Asprinio (West Palm Beach)
Went last night (a Friday) and contrary to zenana's experience, it was deserted. We were early but even as we left around 8 there were only a few tables full. Perhaps that's because it's out of season. I hope they continue to get enough business because the meal was great.
The tuna-based amuse and the house made foccacia were indicators of good things to come. I started with pumpkin soup, which included a few small marshmallows with five spice powder. I'm not one for marshmallows but these were wonderful. A companion had the ceaser, which was one of the best I've had - I don't mind the whole romaine leaves. For main, I chose salmon. I enjoyed the farro with it and the fish was done nicely - not particularly memorable like the soup was, but a good dish. My husband had the veal burger. Very flavorful - heirloom tomato, good fresh bun, cooked perfectly. Others had the carbonara, which they enjoyed (I didn't taste it). Desserts were well-executed and enough to share - we each got one and only one of the four of us finished.
Service was fine - we had a professional and friendly waiter. The gap between appetizers and main course was longer than many restaurants, but this actually suited me. We were dressed on the preppy side and felt a bit out of place in the club-style decor when we walked in, but the other patrons looked more like us and nobody gave us snooty looks, so it was fine. I second the "go, go, go"!
Restaurant Week 2008
I like Oceana for an outdoor drink - it's not usually crowded and there's a lot of outdoor space - but the one time I ordered food it was very average.
I went to Miel at the Intercontinental for RW last night and was pleasantly surprised... the options were regular menu selections so in that sense it was a good deal. The scallop appetizer was delicious, my husband and I agreed. With greens, very good mushrooms, and a touch of honey, yum. His main (veal with fresh peas and favas) was better than mine (baked halibut - good idea / sides, but fish overcooked). Flourless chocolate cake with olive oil ice cream was fine, not the best I've had but the ice cream was great.
Cost of Wedding Rec at State Room and Boston Harbor Hotel
I priced both of those venues for 200 2.5 years ago and they were around $40 K each, give or take.
Parziale's or Bova for fresh bread?
I don't know when Parziale's opened by my old North Ender neighbor does claim it's where everyone he knows goes and has always gone... I have tried both Bova's and Parziale's and neither is my taste. I think I'd give the slight edge to Parziale's though.
Parziale's or Bova for fresh bread?
Salumeria Italiana also carries B&R and Clear Flour (some bread is not available on all days, and I tend to go early on Saturdays to get the B&R baguette because it can sell out).
No. 9 Park, Mistral, Union...???
I love Via Matta. May be a bit scene-like (it's the only place in Boston I've ever sat next to a major celebrity), but the servers are nice and the food is great. Have only been less than excited by one dish in 5 visits -- a fish dish. I've mostly ordered and loved pasta dishes. I enjoyed the pesto in particular. And I had burrata there once that was great. Cocktails were not memorable, not like the No. 9 cocktails certainly, but I don't remember them being bad either.
For another option, I enjoy the cocktails at Sibling Rivalry, and they have a nice bar area where you can eat. It's more modern / trendy in design than No. 9, and can be a bit loud depending on where you sit. But the food is great.
