wontonton's Profile
Boston Kitchen Nightmares... And the nominees are.....
Ken's Steak House. That would be a hoot.
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Ken's Steak House
95 Worcester Rd, Framingham, MA 01701
Best movie theater popcorn
The Brattle Theater uses real butter, and you can salt it yourself, or you can get it with nothing on it at all if you're on diet.
New York style pizza in the NW burbs
A few years back I used to work near the Burlington mall. Across the street there was a strip mall with a Taco Bell, Newbury Comics, (and a Tower Records, to give you a time period here). There was pretty decent pizza place next to Tower called Pizzeria Presti. It reminded me of the pizza I used to eat growing up in northern NJ, which is NY style. A quick google search leads me to believe it's still there. Check it out.
Restaurants everyone seems to love but you don't
Michael's Deli in Brookline, I believe has its fans, and I initially thought was a decent place to get an authentic deli sandwich, but the more times I returned, the more bad experiences I had. The deli meat can be incredibly fatty depending on the day. I know some fat can be desirable, depending on what you order, but the last prime rib sandwich I had wasn't just fatty, it was fat on a roll with bits of meat holding it together. The least fun sandwich experience had to be the homemade meatball sub, which was so overloaded with meat and sauce, it made itself inedible by falling apart. I just threw most of it away. Aside from the food, the vibe can be on the chilly side. Once, after a woman placed an order and tried to pay with a card, the register guy informed her it was "cash only" by pointing to the sign. I missed what she said back, but suddenly he took up all the soda bottles she had put in front of herself by the register and tossed them back into the soda bin.
Recession Gin
There's always Gordon's and Seagram's. Those are what I turn to when trying to save some cash.
I Just Ate the Lunch Special from Grain and Salt... and I'm Still Hungry!
Grain and Salt is an Indian restaurant in Allston that I've heard good things about. So, passing by today when I saw a sheet taped to the window "Lunch Special - Chicken Curry, Rice, Nan, and Salad - $7.95" I figure, good deal. I order it to go. I waited about 10-12 mins for it to be ready, but I figure if it's made to order, cool. When I'm handed the bag I note it feels a little light. I get it back to my office and open it. The food fills only half the styrofoam container. There's 3-4 pieces of chicken, a scoop of rice, 3 tomato slices and a couple wilted shreds of what looks like iceberg lettuce. Plus a small, "personal size" nan. I ate it in all of 3 minutes, opting to leave the "salad" alone. It WAS tasty, but not better than what I'd expect at most Indian buffets. And jeez, can't they at least keep up the pretense of a larger portion size with some extra rice?! With tax, this cost just over 9 bucks and now I'm needing a slice of pizza. Feeling cheated and just had to vent. Thank you.
What's up with the price of Plymouth gin?
It's also at Blanchard's in Allston, but it was around 38 bucks.
Retro cocktails for a party?
If you want to have a beer option you might consider brands that were widely popular back then, like Miller High Life, Schaefer, or Ballantine.
What's up with the price of Plymouth gin?
Yep, it was a 750. I had to check because I was so surprised by the price. It was also on the top shelf with pricier type stuff.
What's up with the price of Plymouth gin?
My local store doesn't stock it, so I may pick up a bottle now and then when I see it on the shelf, but the price tends to fluctuate more than any other booze I've bought lately. I've seen 750ml bottles priced anywhere from $15 to $20, etc. until last weekend, the store I was in was selling it for $31.99! What is the deal here? Is it growing hype? The price set by individual distributors? FYI, the same store was selling regular old Gordon's for $10.99, so I said hell, and bought that instead.
Why do we call G&Ts gin *and* tonics but VTs just vodka tonics?
In the UK, I've also heard "Whisky Soda".
Things I ate/drank in college that I will never eat again
If you haven't been back to Boston in a while, you may be interested to know that Buzzy's was bulldozed some years back, and the prison has since been converted into an upscale hotel.
Things I ate/drank in college that I will never eat again
- Dinty Moore Beef Stew - the chunks of fat in a fresh opened can are just nauseating.
- Chef Boyardee anything - used to eat it right out of the can unheated, because no one did dishes.
- Progresso New England Clam Chowder
- Minute Rice
- Stove Top Stuffing
- Lender's Frozen Bagels
- Milwaukee's Best - Six pack was maybe $2.85 at the time?
- Keystone - Maybe $3.50 a six.
- Black Label - About the same.
- Golden Anniversary Beer. It came in a gold can and was supposedly an "award winning" beer. Unsurprisingly, it tasted just like any other swill that could be bought for under four bucks.
- Blatz - $1.85 a six, if it was possible? Tried it once, never again.
- Colt 45 Tall Boys. Drank an entire six pack by myself when I was 18 and got so sick I have no memory of throwing it all back up, which based on evidence, I did a lot of.
What's the Shelf-life of Vermouth (if you keep it in the fridge?)
I don't make martinis too often at home, so the Vermouth bottle doesn't get much play, but how long is too long?
Every day Bourbon & Scotch
Grant's and John Barr are the cheapest brands of scotch I've found that are actually enjoyable to drink. I don't think they are off the mark much from Walker Red or Dewars, personally. They're both about $14 for a fifth, usually
peppermint pickle?
Jean Shepherd (narrator of A Christmas Story) used to mention sucking the juice out of a dill pickle through a peppermint stick on his radio show on WOR. He grew up in Hammond Indiana, which could be considered southern Chicago.
Trata-new pizzeria in Harvard Square-awful!!
Does anyone know the name of it? It's not really Trata-new pizzeria is it?
Colonnade Rooftop Bar?
Not to beat a dead horse, but to get an idea what I was talking about, here's choice quotes from their website "Described as an oasis in the middle of the city with an air of vintage Hollywood glamour...[It] is a pocket of pampering and style unlike anywhere else in Boston." or "Ride the elevator up to the 11th floor, ascend a couple of quick flights of stairs, and voila!: a shimmering sapphire oasis awaits..." That's so over the top, but it's funny anyway.
Colonnade Rooftop Bar?
My visit was a few years ago, so if they have spiffed it up since then I think that's great. My impression at the time was I didn't think it lived up to the secret-urban-oasis vibe that I'd been led to expect from various mentions in things like the Phoenix Summer Guide over the years. Also, since the pool is smaller than average size, I think it's worth a mention to expect less personal space in the water if you happen to draw a more crowded day. I'm not saying to anyone "don't go" but for $30.00 a head just to hang out, you may want to have a look before showing up in your bathing suit with a book.
Rotisserie Chicken (not from a supermarket)?
Try Artu's on Charles St. in Beacon Hill. When I order a whole chicken the go there, the guy usually throws in some fresh bread with it.
Colonnade Rooftop Bar?
My advice is to ride up in the elevator and take a peek before making the investment. I'd heard things about that pool for years, and was a little let down when I finally got a look. It's ok, but don't expect glamour. The pool is just big enough to dunk yourself, and it's surrounded by a worn out carpet of miniature golf grass. If it's filled with kids splashing around you may not be tempted to go near it. Let's just say it's not the LA Mondrian.
PF Chang --Disappointing meal
If you check out the PFC threads on this board the most universally praised menu item are the lettuce wraps. That's just weird that it seems to be the only thing they do consistently well.
Best Italian sandwich in Boston?
I never heard the term "Italian" much to describe this kind of sandwich until I moved to Boston. In northern NJ, or the NYC commuter suburbs of that area, "sub" is the most widely used expression, and a ham, salami, provolone combo is usually known as a "Number 1", since it's always the first on the menu over the counter. That said, I think Pace does a decent one, but it's best when it's made with shredded iceberg lettuce doused in oil and red wine vinegar with a dash of oregano.
Gin: Bombay Sapphire, Tanqueray and Beefeater?
I've noticed it's not easy to get at your random convenience store, but it's usually easy to find at the grocery stores I go to.
What's your hot weather cocktail favorite?
Or substitute whiskey and you've got Whiskey Sours with the same collins ingredients. Garnish with an orange and a cherry.
Gin: Bombay Sapphire, Tanqueray and Beefeater?
I have to admit as a regular gin drinker I haven't developed a real preference yet. If you want to save some money I think Gordon's or Seagram's taste just fine as regular "go to" brands for making gin and tonics at home. At a bar I'll order Plymouth, Beefeater or Bombay in a martini. Most gin and tonics made at bars taste cloying to me because the tonic water is usually too sweet. Schwepps seems to be the dryest I've had so far, so that's what I use at home.
Silvertone's downhill??
I had an unimpressive meal once about a year ago. I'm usually a fan and order the steak tips, but this time I ordered a half-chicken, which was served with fries. The chicken was not cooked as much as I would like. The skin wasn't really browned and was a tad on the rubbery side. Like I said, this was a while back.
if you don't like martini's...
Easiest thing to do if their comments really bother you is order a Manhattan straight up, or whatever whisky you like on the rocks, or with club soda. Anyway, a Whisky Sour is a classic cocktail. Personally I'm not much for mixing good booze with coke or ginger ale, but I don't think your drink preferences are that bad. It's a long way from the girl who makes an ass of herself ordering a sex on the beach, no matter where she is, or some people I know who are in their 30's and still drinking Mike's Hard Lemonade and Tequiza (shudder).
Foolproof drinks in the clubs
For what it's worth, I took a bartending class once and a whiskey and ginger ale combo was called a Highball, which I always thought was just a generic term for a mixed drink in a highball glass, but there you go.
Olive Garden's Culinary Institute in Tuscany?!
Sounds completely unappetizing. I wonder where the sauces come from originally. Some restaurant supply chain? Olive Garden World Headquarters? It must be demoralizing to cook in a place like that if you have any real culinary aspirations.
