gourmaniac's Profile
Habanero's: Mixed-Response Mexican in Waltham
Thanks for the review OC. My favorite things about Fahey at Forest Cafe were his sauces. His pumpkin seed sauce and mole were outstanding and I haven't found these at his more recent efforts (e.g. the Tacqueria on Cypress). Anything like these on the radar at Habanero?
Guchi's Midnight Ramen
Add me to the list of the outraged and amused. It is a interesting business model but competing online for a bowl of ramen like a Beatles reunion concert in Purgatory is just silly. My favorite bowl was in a simple shop in Kyoto, and I've never had it's equal outside of Japan.
A feast at Fuloon in Malden
I do but part of this is i've been able to try more things at Mulan recently. The Sichuan fish fillet, Eel and sticky rice and the beef pancake are favorites. Taiwan Cafe I frequent for lunch where I generally have a single dish. Shangri-La I think is a step down from these though it has it's fans. I haven't been to JoJo Taipei and this needs to be rectified.
A feast at Fuloon in Malden
Sorry to lose you again Dave. I've enjoyed your posts and hope to chow with you here or there. Spot on review of Fuloon. Lately, I'm preferring the excellent Taiwanese places in town (Mulan especially).
Chinatown - non seafood?
I did a comparison recently of the xiao long bao at DC and GDH and find that DC is much better. The skins are more delicate at DC and I was actually disappointed in GDH. Also I like their grilled items (chicken leg is particularly good). Otherwise, I agree that main dishes are better at GDH.
Blue Nile Ethiopian...
I went there a couple of weeks ago. The hosts were very nice but still haven't got the speed up. Four of us shared the 6 veggie platter and added the chicken and one beef dish. Food was good and inexpensive and I'm glad to have it in my neighborhood. The injera was disappointing and lacked the bubbly sourness that distinguishes this bread for me. The veggies were a strength and well prepared but the spicing had a sameness throughout. The chicken had a nice dark sauce but the beef was uninteresting. Overall, not as good as the old Fasika and as I occasionally get to DC, not close to the many excellent Ethiopian places in our nation's capital. I haven;t been to the new Fasika or Habesha to compare.
Cheesecake in and around Cambridge
third this. I recall liking Alden Merrell two or three decades ago when they were in Coolidge Corner and was surprised to see they still have a Newburyport location. Sweetfern, with this and the Reuben thread, are you on the "maxing the cholesterol" diet?
Boston Chinatown--best chow fun
I'm a fan of Royal Pacific and New Golden Gate City for wok hai and both make a good dry fried beef chow fun.
Thai North in Brighton
I did make it here dining solo before a squad of chowhounds entered. I really liked the Khao Soi, good complex broth with pickled veggies and a building heat that didn't overwhelm the other spicing. Golden bags is an appetizer on the main menu that is just OK. corn and minced chicken wrapped in a wonton wrapper and deep fried. The long closed Swadasee used to have my paragon for this dish. Can't wait to try this place in my old neighborhood again.
Where are you still eating that you were 20 years ago and is still good?
Agree on Sam Woo. Still the best char siu and duck that i've had. BTW what happened to the original 20 years ago thread. it was the best one in a while.
Boston chow crawl
Thanks for the report. Never heard anyone complain that their serving of fried food was too large. I gotta leave NE before really blimping out. Nice to hear daily Catch is still good. Did you smell like fried calamari all day after that?
Moroccan Hospitality Restaurant in Malden
I agree with Tastu on this and sorry that Cassis' experience there wasn't better. My experience at MH was excellent and the quality for price was excellent. The lamb tagine with prunes was delicious and for $11.99 was impressive. The B'stilla ($14.99) was among the best things I've eaten and made me realize how great this dish can be. The fact that this dish came from a kitchen that looks like a pizza joint adds to the pleasure for me. I've not been to Morocco but MH was better than places that i've been to in Paris, which has a good reputation for Moroccan food. Nice tip on the cookies that i will try next time.
Post Your Three Favorite Things You ate in Boston in 2011
Thanks for the tip on kantin and I will try this. Yes, unagi is one of my favorite things and it was me who raved about the unagi on udon dish.
Post Your Three Favorite Things You ate in Boston in 2011
HI OC: I tried this dish last week and it's good but not great IMO. The eel is thin strips and not unagi. The sauce is a hot sweet sauce laden with peppers and onions. It is on the online as Taiwan style noodles with eel but i can't find it on their most recent printed menu. The now defunct Rainbow Cafe had an unagi and udon dish that was more like what you are describing.
Pizza delivery to DTX / State House / Government Center area?
We've used Viga and Alfredo's (South Boston) and both deliver to Tufts medical so i think they would to DTX as well. Also, very close to you is New York Pizze. None of them gourmet but decent.
Low calorie options in Arlington, Lexington, Woburn, Burlington, Winchester
I had a recent dinner with similar constraints and I used Shabu Zen for hot pot. While ethnic, it is healthy and nutritious (high sodium aside), filling and fun. We were able to linger for 2 hours and chat, which was the point of the dinner. Little Q in Arlington might work for you.
Open on Christmas-Near Children's Hospital?
That was a lovely reminder of what the holiday season is truly about. Best wishes for your son and a return to good health. He is blessed by having the family he has.
Dinner with the Swanks: Masa Update
Thanks for your report. You seem to be a easy grader. Batter heavy and Elmer's glue would put this in the C to D range for me. My one time there is concordant with your review. I found the food ordinary and the service surprisingly snooty given how downscale the food is.
Russo's type market near Quincy??
I haven't found anything like Russo's elsewhere. That said, Milton Fruit Center does a nice job and might be what you are looking for.
As I continue my comeback... (do I keep the Rendezvous reservation?)
Island Creek Oyster Bar also has several grown up sodas that are tasty. ICOB has a nice NYC oyster bar feel to it with good food to match. Nothing earth shaking though I like the lobster / short rib pasta dish, but quality on seafood is top notch. Good luck with your recovery, one day at a time.
Way down upon the Mekong River... a Lowell chow crawl
Hi Nab: I've added my email to my info. Happy to open this up to a group if you are so inclined.
Way down upon the Mekong River... a Lowell chow crawl
I'd be up for this, work willing. There's dozens of places I saw and didn't get to and I pretty much stuck to well covered ground. I like the Burlington-Billerica axis for Indian. What's in Nashua?
Way down upon the Mekong River... a Lowell chow crawl
Taking advantage of a Friday off, i ventured to Lowell to sample the richness of Southeast Asian places there and took advantage of previous posts by Galangtron, RoyRon and others. As I was dining solo, I used a similar strategy that i used recently for Malden, ordering way too much, sampling, and packing it for take out. On to the chow. Tepthida Khmer worried me a little as it was a little too white table cloth for me but the prices were similar to less elegant places. The Loc lac ($12) was tender and flavorful with deceptively complex spicing. The Amok luncheon ($8.00) was delicious and great value. I'm used to a pastier fish but this had chunks that I think added texturally and again the spicing was delicious. I peaked in the kitchen and appreciated that the chefs were actually tasting to adjust salt and seasoning. A stop at Battambang market was a little disappointing. It is large with a good variety of SE Asian produce and inexpensive (a huge amount of lemongrass for a dollar), but the meat and fish sections smelled a little off. I got a banana and sticky rice thing which was nice and a fried whole crab that was inedible though at 50 cents, no harm no foul. A break for Yankee food at Eliot's, a hot dog place that has been there since the 20s. A chilidog was good ($2.82) though not up to Simcos or Georges Coney Island with regard to snap and taste. Simply Khmer was more my kind of place and there I ordered the seafood drunken noodles and the hot wings (each $7.50). The noodles were great generous in seafood and that addictive Cambodian spicing. I requested spicy and it could have been more so. The wings are justly famous. They are reminiscent of the Bonchon Korean wings and 10 large pieces for $7.50 is good value. Heading out along Westford, I stopped at Phiens Kitchen for the purple rice and coconut custard, which was toothsome, tasty and a large serving was $5.00. I had hoped to hit Pho 88 for shrimp toast as well but missed it and as I related on another post, perhaps it was God's way of keeping me slim (snort). I did pass Priya an Indian place that looked promising but will save that for another day.
Post Your Three Favorite Things You ate in Boston in 2011
I had excluded BT as not in Boston environs, but otherwise, their killer beef brisket would have been on my list.
Thanks and a trip report
well done and thanks for the report. A nice focus on local seafood and Italian, which are our strengths relative to LA.
Tepthida Khmer, Lowell MA
I did make my solo chowcrawl last Friday and in addition to Tepthida Khmer, I tried Simply Khmer, and Phiens Kitchen with Eliot's hot dogs to cleanse the palate. Looked for Pho 88 but I think i turned off Westford Ave before getting there. Perhaps God's way to keep me slim. Good chowing and a report to follow.
Post Your Three Favorite Things You ate in Boston in 2011
Oooh, I'll play.
Pork gyro from Esperia Grill,
Haleem from Darbar,
B'stilla from Moroccan Hospitality
all for the first time this year.
Tepthida Khmer, Lowell MA
I was thinking of a Lowell chow crawl and your post inspires me. Other places you like? Galangtron, please chime in as well. Thanks.
Thai North in Brighton
wow. many of my favorite hounds love a place that I used to live 100 yards from. After many year, Oak Square has become a chow destination. I will have to try this soon.
