Eddie Van Hungry's Profile
Hearth Wood Fired Bread
Thanks for the report back K. And for the pic TClark. The lighter, less crusty loaf was exactly what I was referring to. I must say I think the darker, crustier version is far superior. TClark, do you prefer the "newer" or the "older" version? I'm wondering if they're responding to customer request / demand or if it's an internal decision. Perhaps influenced by the need to get loaves in and out of that one oven more quickly. Hmmmm....
Hearth Wood Fired Bread
Look forward to your report back Klunco. As Gretchen notes below, they only sell their bread at the store. It seems to me that their product line is expanding. Also, fwiw, Chad Robertson of Tartine Bread states emphatically that wood fired ovens impart zero detectable flavors into breads vs. gas fired. He seems to know what he's doing;)
Thanks for the store guide Gretchen. will stop at Foodie's tonight!
Hearth Wood Fired Bread
Discovered these folks last year and absolutely loved the bread they were making, especially the French Country Loaf. I even took a trip down to their shop in Plymouth to check it out. A very friendly woman there happily talked to me about the place, even took me into the back to see the enormous wood bread oven. It's amazing. Really special product.
2 questions:
I was buying this bread regularly at the Fruitcenter in Milton, but they have stopped carrying it (lack of demand they claim). Does anyone know where Hearth bread can be purchased retail, either in Boston or the South Shore? It's not listed on their website.
Also, a month or so ago I bought one of their loaves at the Milton Farmer's Market and thought that the loaf was much different than I recalled eating when I first found them. Instead of a deep, very crusty, deeply slashed loaf with wonderful flavor and a beautiful creamy interior, this one was much more pedestrian...just lightly browned on the outside, thin crust and a bit of a dry, crumby interior. A bummer. Can anyone verify if they have changed their method / recipe? I certainly hope not.
Thanks.
EVH
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Hearth Wood Fired Bread
123-2 Camelot Dr, Plymouth, MA 02360
Why no love for Le's in Allston?
Wow...I'm simultaneously surprised and pleased to hear it. Any strong recommendations there? I know everyone loves Sakanaya...it was closed when I passed it last night. I think the Korean place around the corner on Harvard is liked too.
Would be happy to try more. Thanks.
Why no love for Le's in Allston?
or Pho Pasteur, whichever it is (that's what was printed on my bill). Anyway, I seldom see any mentions of this place, but it strikes me as an example of what 'chowhound' is really all about. Bit of a downtrodden space, ridiculously cheap and utterly delicious. Just by chance I've been in the neighborhood twice in the last couple of months and gotten a bowl of pho. The big one with everything in it. As I ate, I found myself wondering why there were only a few other tables occupied. Service was quick and friendly, broth was rich, deeply flavored, bowl was full of goodies...lots of noodles, bits of funky meat (in the good way). Beautiful, super fresh basil and bean sprouts. Just awesome. I threw down a 50% tip and strolled for $12.
Can't imagine a better value in town. Highly recommend.
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Pho Pasteur Restaurant
682 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111
Looking for Curing / Pink salt for charcuterie playtime
Not having much luck finding it. Does anyone know where I might find some? I'm looking for a good amount - curing 3 pork loins in a 5 gallon bucket.
Thanks in advance.
BBQ Tour 2. Soulfire
So I continue on my little BBQ measuring-up / comparison tour. Blue ribbon last night, Soulfire tonight. Soulfire got both very good and very mediocre reports in the previous threads, so I went there tonight to see for myself.
I've decided to try to get (as close as I can) the same meats at each different place I make it to. So, tonight was brisket, pulled pork and ribs. Same line-up as BR. Overall, the 'cue was excellent - very good, solid and better than BR. They have some language on the menu that describes their meats as definitively not "falling off the bone" - that is, left with a little tooth resistance. The important part is that someone is paying attention to these little, yet important, details and it shows.
The sliced brisket was moist, indeed not falling apart, and had a beautiful 1/8 in layer of smoky, firm fat left on the top. Nice deep brown spicy crust surrounded of a thin pink smoke ring. Very good. The ribs were less successful - they were the weakest offering of the three. I ordered the thicker spare ribs instead of baby backs. They were quite firm to the tooth, yet a little dried out. Generally they needed a little more cooking time along with some moisture. Pretty underwhelming.
The show-stopper was the pulled pork. Absolutely outstanding. Pulled, not chopped, meat tossed with a perfect amount of NC style vinegar sauce that included a little hot pepper kick. The pork mix was right on...soft interior mixed with some smoky, rendered fat as well as chewy, crusty, barky exterior bits. Great texture composition. The best thing about it was that it had a deep, intense pork flavor. Like pork flavor on steroids. Awesome.
Sides of baked beans and collard greens were also very good. I'd give the nod to BR with their beans, but Soulfire's were good - deep caramelized color and flavors with beans that were - again - not cooked mushy. Collard greens showed the same cooking-time restraint. Flecked with little bacon pieces, tender but not mushy and retaining good vegetable flavor. I typically find collard greens overrated...mushy, flabby, watery and a waste of time. I demolished the whole portion.
Finally, speaking of portions, I liked my platter's volume very much. 5 slices of brisket (about 3 inches wide), no more than a cup of pulled pork and 3 ribs. Quite a contrast from a lot of places. I like not overeating or leaving tons of food behind on a plate. It's much better to eat smaller quantities of excellent food than giant mega-portions of poor quality.
Hope to get somewhere else before the long weekend's over.
Blue Ribbon BBQ - Newton vs. Arlington
After a summer full of home barbecueing (not just grilling), I'm starting a little personal BBQ tour to see how I stacked up and how other places do their ribs, shoulders and briskets.
Anyway, I ate at the Blue Ribbon in W. Newton tonight. I enjoyed it - sides of baked beans and cucumber salad were very, very good, as was the cornbread. I got a triple combo - brisket, pulled pork and ribs. Mixed review from me; the ribs were pretty good, but all the meats really lacked any discernible smoke flavor and, similarly, had no smoke ring...that beautiful pink layer just at the edge of legitimate BBQ. I took a good look around the open kitchen and saw nothing resembling a smoker or wood barbecue. There were just a few Blodgett convection ovens. I even walked around behind the building after my meal to see if they were cooking outdoors but saw nothing.
Does anyone have any insight on this? Does the Arlington branch do things differently (I've never been)? Is it possible that they're doing "fake" bbq - cooking slow and low in the oven?
Finally, I know this subject has been exhausted, but here's my pretty short list of places I plan on going: Blue Ribbon Arlington, East Coast Grill, Soulfire (StriperGuy strong praise), Pit Stop, M&M
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East Coast Grill and Raw Bar
1271 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02139
Blue Ribbon BBQ
910 Massachusetts Ave, Arlington, MA 02476
It's small, it's regionally appropriate, it's exceptional quality...
I'm such a nerd I just saw that there are about ten thousand APDC reviews and duck in a can references here. Sorry to be so redundant. I really did love it tho.
It's small, it's regionally appropriate, it's exceptional quality...
Thank you all for your recommendations. Unfortunately, my plans changed a bit and I was only able to go out one night, a Sunday. I quickly learned that almost everywhere in Montreal is closed Sundays. Au Pied de Cochon was open. I couldn't secure a reservation, but on a whim, walked in around 9:00pm and scored a table for 2. Well...my meal will go down as an all-time memory. Absolutely crazy in every way - delicious, fun, super-creative and wildly free of any pretension. I saw (after the fact) Bourdain describe it as “trans-gressive”. I don't know if that's even a real word, but it fits perfectly.
We ordered a bottle of 2006 Chatauneuf du Pape – big time markup happening, but it was a fine quality wine that was presented correctly, decanted tableside and served at a perfect temperature in beautiful, appropriate glasses. Sounds like basic service, but it's actually so rare it deserves mention, especially in a place with such a casual vibe. Shared appetizers of cod fritters, fried zucchini flowers and pickled veal tongue were actually a bit underwhelming in hindsight. Standard fry job, although the flowers were an unusual and fun ingredient. We enjoyed them at the time, but more than anything, I remember clearly feeling genuinely excited by the vibe....it's loud, boisterous, fun yet somehow serious. And everyone is clearly having a good time. Quite unusual for my DC and I, we were drawn into conversations with both the tables that flanked us, everyone just expressing exuberance and excitement at such an over-the-top menu, atmosphere, everything.
For my main course, I chose the well-known “duck-in-a-can”. My DC ordered foie gras “tout nu”, which was actually designed as an appetizer, but given the ingredient and the portion, was just fine as a main. The foie dish was probably one of the more simple preparations on the menu...really just a nice slice seared medium over a crouton with deep red wine glace. Nothing fancy. Forgive me if my memory fails me about the dish, my mind is still blown to smithereens by my meal. My plate arrived simply adorned with a ¼ in. thick crouton with some cauliflower puree spooned over the top. Our waiter then presented my can (with very cool identifying label), poached for 27 minutes, opened the tin top, pried it back and ceremoniously (and yet unceremoniously) emptied the contents onto the plate. What emerged....a glorious vertical composition of silky puree and crisp toast drowning in intense veal and balsamic glace and melted duck fat that waited to kiss a cut of foie gras or duck breast...was so over-the-top that it defies my ability to describe it (do a YouTube search). What a concept! Then, the impossible – I sliced a bit of foie and duck breast and realized that they were both perfectly medium rare. Au revoir mind, see you later...impossible. Incomprehensible. Indescribably delicious.
We ordered dessert not because we could possibly eat one more bite, but because we just wanted to see what we might get (it's that kind of place). A summer fruit cobbler w vanilla ice cream. So simple, very well done..served in it's small baking dish, warm soft doughy top, sweet raspberries with some natural tartness left and very good vanilla ice cream. A little sniff of Chartreuse and away we went!
All told, our bill was just under $300, but around $100ish of that was the wine. We both agreed that the quality to price ratio was skewed steeply in the diner's favor – had we been more frugal with the wine (which would have been easy, it's a very good, wide ranging list with a lot of very inexpensive bottles), we could have been in the $75 pp range. If I lived in Montreal and hated my heart and liver, I'd go once a week. A meal that I'll remember forever. Merci!!!
"must-have korean business visitors - lunch in mission hill
My thought exactly. The gardner cafe is def. not high-end, but does do lunch (exclusively I think). Food is good, service quick and friendly. The plus = galleries either before the meal or after will blow the group's collective mind.
It's small, it's regionally appropriate, it's exceptional quality...
Thanks all - will check these out.
It's small, it's regionally appropriate, it's exceptional quality...
and I can enjoy a long-time-coming night out with my wife. We're driving from Boston and have arrangements to leave the (young) kids in the dust for one night. We'd like a chef driven, ingredient focused menu...$$ not really a concern, nor is location. Completely uninterested in pretension, "scene" and BS. Have a car, but would ideally like to be 20 minutes from the center of town. I have done some CH research here, but would like any strong / new ideas.
Thanks in advance.
Does the Butcher Shop (SE) still do retail meat sales?
and if so, can anyone comment on the quality, variety, availability and general cost? Right at the peak if bbq and grilling season, I'd like to up the ante with some special, heirloom / organic / special meats. Thanks.
Anybody know of a restaurant supply store that sells to the general public?
Much "professional grade" equipment at retail stores - al la C&B - is nothing like the real deal. This place, on the edge of the North End, has the real McCoy. If they don't have it, they'll order it for you.
Eastern Bakers Supply
145 North Washington Street
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: 617-742-0228
Dried Pappadums?
Yeah, thanks - I'm in Boston / South Shore. I'll make the haul if I can't find something closer.
Dried Pappadums?
Anyone know where I can find dried pappadums? I used to get them at Shaw's (Patak's brand), but can't find them there anymore. The ones they used to have were quite good - you cooked them quickly in a broiler or on the stovetop. Thanks.
*Red Alert* El Pelon is back!
Just passed by and discovered they had re-opened - wolfed down a much-missed chicken burrito. The place hasn't missed a beat. It was awesome. Staff was cool, decor unchanged. See you there tomorrow!
CSA Review
I've been very eager to get in on this as well. I live on the South Shore (Milton), work in Boston, but get to the "other" side of the Charles very infrequently. It seems as though most CSAs I've read about here have Cambridge / Somerville drop offs. Unfortunately, that isn't really going to work for me. Any info on Boston proper drop offs or south of town options?
p.s. - my jaw dropped and pooled saliva when I read the list of produce supplied by the farmer above!!
Rt. 9 Brookline mental block!
having a major brain cramp. Friends coming from out of town and staying near the intersection of rt 9 and Hammond st. I'm suggesting Aquitaine Bis, Oishii, Capital Grille or Legal......what is the restaurant on the right at that intersection as you go east? Figs was there for a while, but now??
Thanks!
Hope springs eternal..
Yeah, the Gardner's Cafe has a patio area in the back gardens. For my money, it's a pretty hard outdoor scene to beat. The real capper is that you don't have to pay admission to get back there. It's a covered little space with I'd guess about 10 tables.
I work in the area so go there often.
Critique the Critics [moved from Boston board]
As an admitted restaurant review junkie, I often wonder how the recipients of these critiques feel about the process. Not many industries have regular columns in multiple publications analyzing it’s service; a critic’s power to influence a restaurant’s bottom line is staggering. Oddly though, unlike most other written opinion, I seldom see a rebuttal of the critic’s position, either from the proprietor or someone who simply disagrees with the review. A quick glance at the editorial /letters to the editor page of any periodical will illustrate how any other column or article is open to public scrutiny. Of course, I have to use some generalizations below, but at least we’ll be on an even playing field........
Alison Arnett (Boston Globe): I think Ms. Arnett’s reviews are for the most part quite simple and uncontroversial. She typically hits all the appropriate notes, just touching on all aspects of the restaurant without getting mired down in strong analysis of any one particular. She is unquestionably guilty of worshipping at the altar of the “founding” chefs of Boston – Lydia, Jasper, Todd, etc. Any project touched with the hand of one of these club members receives a forgiving eye and often glowing praise. The same cannot be said of a mom-and-pop starter place that may be executing a similar concept. Also, her limited knowledge of cuisine not of Western European derivation is exposed anytime she is assigned to write about one. I would also like to see her flesh out her writing on the wines served with her meals. I guess it fits the bill for what it is - criticism for the masses.....general, simple and straight down the middle. Ever notice how 90% of Boston’s restaurants are 2 and1/2 stars?!
Mat Schaffer (Boston Herald): For my money, the best of the bunch. His overall food and wine knowledge is far superior than his peers’, and his straightforward style makes it both entertaining and informative to read. Mr. Schaffer’s strongest asset is his ability to rate food and service based on exactly what it is, without getting distracted by hype, attitude or pre-conceived notions. Similarly, he reviews based on the style offered; if a high check average establishment falls short of impeccable, they will get lambasted. One wouldn’t expect French service in an ethnic storefront in Allston, and such a place is never penalized for not having it. Unfortunately, this simple principle is often not applied in other columns. After eating at restaurants he’s reviewed, I almost always find myself in agreement with his opinion.
Corby Kummer (Boston Magazine): Here’s where I’ll need to consciously temper my strong unfavorable opinion of Mr. Kummer’s writing. While the simple premise of restaurant criticism is to give the public an informed glimpse of what a restaurant offers and how well they execute it, Mr. Kummer discards that paradigm and unabashedly promotes his own negative-mongering / self-promoting agenda. One of his favorite vehicles for marketing himself is an analogy between the restaurant / chef / dish being reviewed and another famous comparison. Typically, the other version is world class, even one of a kind. This technique accomplishes two things; it allows Mr. Kummer to boast how well informed he is, and then opens the flood gates for unbridled negativity. The question is always the same – how can one fully enjoy this rendition when I experienced such perfection somewhere else? Setting these impossible standards really rubs me the wrong way, and completely defeats the whole exercise. I’m quite confident that Mr. Kummer knows more about food, and has eaten at many more restaurants than I, but his opinion and his expression of it holds no value.
Zagat Guide: Another one of my pet peeves. Zagat’s supposed premise naturally insulates it from criticism of it’s rating system (0 – 30 point scale) – anonymous patrons give opinions to the Zagat database, which then simply churns out the figures. Unfortunately, a thorough examination of the numbers will show that clearly the books are being cooked. With only a small handful of exceptions (yes there are one or two), the formula goes like this – high check average = 25 points or higher, middle of the road check average = 20 – 25 points, low check average = below 20 points. This unbalanced rating is misleading and unfair. If one pays over $100 for a tasting menu at a gastronomic temple and isn’t anything short of blown away, should that warrant a score no lower than 25 just for trying? Conversely, if a hamburger stand produces a work of art on a paper plate served in a parking lot, shouldn’t that earn a high mark? Unfortunately, the obvious answer to these examples isn’t reflected in the Zagat system. Furthermore, the hand picked quoted text describing the restaurants is truly silly, and just underscores the fallacy in the publication’s “nonpartisan” stance. Just imagine the paragraph somebody could compose using three word snippets from this post!
I guess the moral of this missive is that we Chowhound contributors and readers are the most unbiased and reliable source of food and restaurant information around town. What more valuable voice could there be than one made up of dozens of experiences? Certainly not the singular opinion of one of the aforementioned.........
EVH
Rumba at the new InterContinental -- ick
MC,
As always, an entertaining and informative read. Too bad about Miel, I like the sound of the menu, and would have liked to hear youir opinion. Keep us posted.
EVH
milanesa/cotoletta alla milanese/wiener schnitzel
I give the Eastern Standard schnitzel a big thumbs up - as much for the sauce and the artichokes as for the meat (veal). Wednesday's Globe mentioned the Gardner Museum's pork schnitzel. I haven't been in a little while.
This thread had struck a chord with me as well for Friday night.....Vinny's? The last time I had a schnitzel / Milanese was early on at Sorrelina - I wasn't a huge fan of the pounded veal chop style ($$$). I'd rather have a chop grilled and juicy.
Perhaps Locke-Ober, MC?
Oishii Washington St report
Very excited about Oishii in the SE - thanks for the first (at least that I've seen) report, jfood Is the "chef's choice" you mentioned an "omakase" kind of thing?
Um, alice.....when reviewing a restaurant, a mention of the writer's opinion of the neighborhood and it's logistical / safety issues is completely normal. A note that the area could be considered "a bit scary" is appropriate and welcome. I wouldn't take my grandmother for a stroll after dinner there.
