Runningmom's Profile
Pizzeria Posto
BackBayGirl couldn't have said it better. Sometimes it's just not worth it to send something back under certain conditions, and frankly, I didn't care enough about this particular restaurant to bother. If this had happened in a restaurant that I felt invested in--which is a combination of the vibe, the service, and the food--I would have said something as a constructive heads up to management. In other words, if you show you care about me as a customer, then I'll show you that I care by returning, by spreading the word, and by politely calling to your attention any issues that I know you'd want to know about. End of sermon.
Pizzeria Posto
I ate there last night with a friend at the bar. We ordered the caesar salad and the spring ramp pizza. The caesar salad was bright and lemony and ample for two to share. The lettuce is chopped, which is ok with me. The ramp pizza was disappointing because of two critical things: the bacon on it was limp, cold and basically raw and the egg in the center of the pizza was cold, almost uncooked. Do you know when when the white part, the albumen, is clear and water liquidy? That was the egg. I realize that these components must be added towards the end of the cooking process, otherwise the egg would be hardboiled and the bacon charred. But this was way undertimed. The pizza part itself, however, was quite good. Now that I'm thinking about this, what is the point of the egg? It is not integral to the dish, like egg in a pasta carbonnara. We would have overlooked it completely had it not been for the leaking albumen.
There were timing issues for our food as well. We had to wait a very long time for the pizza, and asked the bartender twice about it. I think he was preoccupied with dealing with the bar. OK.
I would go back there and try them again, because everybody deserves a second chance, but I'm going to be wary.
Where to find Serrano Ham in MetroWest?
Central Bottle Wine + Provisions on Mass. Ave in Cambridge has serrano as well as iberico, sliced to order.
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Central Bottle
196 Massachusetts Ave, Boston, MA 02115
Local vent hood/duct cleaning question
Hope this is a kosher topic for this board. it's food related and local.
Can anyone recommend a service that will come to my house in the metro-Boston area to clean the gunk out of the vent hood and, more importantly, air duct over my 6-burner stove that leads to an outside blower? It has never been cleaned in 15 years of hardcore use and I have recurrent nightmares that the house will burn down from a grease fire in the walls. Thanks cook-at-home Chowhounders!
Over-budget already
Thank you all for these great recommendations. We're on our way now with a pit stop in Pescardero...I hope Durante's lives up to its write up in the CA Rough Guide.
Over-budget already
Arriving in SF tomorrow (staying in hotel in Union Sq) with 2 teenagers (one who could easily bankrupt me if I let her with her sushi habit and the other whose idea of the perfect meal would be an in n out burger followed by a Denny's chaser) after 4 days in Monterey area and points south. We are already seriously over budget food-wise. Can anyone make recommendations for very reasonable fare (burgers, pizza, Thai, pasta, roast chicken, etc., wish it could be Zuni, but that's not in the cards for this trip). I knew even before we left Boston that food could not be the focus given the cost of travel, tickets to the sights, hotels, etc. etc. I feel guilty that I didn't do more research on this in advance...
Abbondanza vs Maggio's?
I've eaten at Abbondanza but not Maggio's. Can anyone give me an idea of how they compare? Also, there's a place in Medford I've forgotten the name of...
Food souvenirs from Beloit area?
Thanks. My daughter told me about these, including the squeaking part. Guess I'll have to buy some.
Food souvenirs from Beloit area?
I am visiting my daughter at Beloit College next weekend. Not much of a restaurant town, I know. I'd like to bring back some food stuffs for the rest of the family that are regional specialties not available in New England. Shopping is pretty limited to supermarkets, I guess although I will have a rental car. Any suggestions? Last time I was there I discovered CoCo Wheats--chocolate cream of wheat, which is a complete--and welcome--novelty here. Any other suggestions? Prosaic is fine.
Aria olive oil?
I sent an email to Aria to find out where else it retails in the area. Then I'll do some price comparisons. Will let the board know what I turn up.
Aria olive oil?
I tasted this at Boston Wine Expo last weekend. I thought Whole Foods would carry it, but no. Anyone seen it locally? It's quite good. From Crete. Sometimes Greek oils can be overpowering. This was very flavorful but light.
Sour Cream & Brown Sugar (Prefer Dark)
Sliced bananas covered with sour cream and dark brown sugar heavily sprinkled on top. The sugar "melts" into the sour cream and creates a sauce. This is a good, fast brunch dish when you need a fruit component.
Time-Life's "Great Meals in Minutes" Cookbooks
Gee, that's embarrassing. Well, as I said, it's been a long time since I last looked at them and evidentially my memory is more deteriorated than I thought it was...
report on Tryst in Arlington--long
I have not eaten at Flora in a really long time, mostly because of the price. Most of their entrees hover at or above the $25 mark, which makes it difficult for a weekday night. I don't know if they have a bar or "lighter fare" menu like Tryst does, but if they do, I would definitely try them again.
Time-Life's "Great Meals in Minutes" Cookbooks
I had most of the whole Great Meals series, and in a rare moment of sanity years ago, I donated all of them to our high school's cooking program to make room for new acquisitions. When you own 900+ cookbooks, you can stand to recycle a few every decade or two. They were in no way in the same league as the Good cook and Foods of the World series, both of which I own and wouldn't part with. I'm sorry that I can't be more specific about their content because it's been a really long time since I gave them away. I do remember, however, that they were not edited or written by the illustrious group of food writers involved in the other two series, nor did they contain the superb technical explanations and cultural histories that distinguished those collections also.
report on Tryst in Arlington--long
You're probably right about the dining room layout. Maybe I thought it looked better than it did because I had the trystini and then several medicinal glasses of wine. It's a difficult cavernous space no matter what. I think the ladies sportswear collection was situated there when the building was Cherry Webb/Touraines. It's just that I so much want to like and support a local independent restaurant that is competing against the relentless wave of mediocrity, eg, Not your average joes, which, if you've been around Arlington long enough, you'll recognize as this generation's version of Garrons.
Looking for an Asian-spiced roast chicken recipe
I do something similar. I make a sludgy paste of five-spice powder combined with canola oil, with a tiny squirt of sesame oil. I rub that over, in, and under chicken skin. Midway through roasting I brush on a little hoisin sauce to glaze the bird.
report on Tryst in Arlington--long
We ate dinner there last Thursday, arriving around 6:30. The place was virtually empty, at least in the dining area in the back. We choose to sit up front by the bar, which was full with happy people. I noticed a woman sitting by herself in last seat of the bar, enjoying a glass of wine and a book. It's that kind of place.
The waiter/bartender came right away and took our drink order. For me, the best martinis in the area are at the West Side on Mass. Ave outside of Harvard Square. My SO had an apple martini, I had the Trystini. I thought both of them were too sweet,but maybe that's the nature of the beast. I always order them "dry" at the West Side, which, by the way, has the most unbelievable ginger martinis, served only during the cold months.
We ordered a very limited menu, so these comments are based only on a small sampling...I was in the mood for pasta so I ordered the entree portion of the squash ravioli in sage butter, and my SO had the grilled pork chop served with a lady apple stuffed with dates and sweet potato puree with a cider glaze. We could have ordered from the three course tasting menu, which is a very good deal for under $30. That includes a starter (fried oysters served on a nice sounding salad or the pear/bleu cheese salad--see below). Entree choices were either wild salmon or short ribs with choice of any dessert.
The pork presentation was very pretty, all components mounded up against each other. The pork was tender and just past slightly pink, the way it should be IMO. The raviolis were on the small side (like the kind you can buy frozen at the supermarket) and therefore the filling was skimpy. The browned butter with sage they were sauced with was perfect and not overly copious, and the shower of chives on top gave the plate some color, as well as a slight bitterness which worked in counterpoint to the sweetness of the squash. I've had lighter pasta at other places, but it was at least toothsome and not flabby. I'd work on making the pasta thinner and the raviolis larger to contain more filling--more of the Mario Batali look. Still, they were good, but I was a little hungry afterwards. To compensate, I ordered another glass of wine, which we were drinking at that point.
I just checked their menu online and noticed that the raviolis were to be served with radicchio and amaretti crumbs. Evidentially they ran out of both and substituted the chives. Now I'm annoyed that the waiter didn't tell me about the substitution.
Before the meal we had a salad with bleu cheese, roasted pear and sugared pecans. That was good and I'd order it again. It was dressed sparingly--thank you thank you--with a mild vinaigrette and the pear slices were served warm which was very nice contrast to the salad and the cheese.
We didn't have dessert because I knew my SO had bought a bag of peanut m&m's for me and I was really looking forward to eating them during the drive back home. They do, however, have a popular and really good carmelized banana tart. I had it when the restaurant first opened, which was the only other time I'd been there, and it was so delicious my table ordered two more of them. If I remember, it was served warm.
By the time we left the place was hopping. All the bar area tables were filled as was the dining area (or at least it sounded like it was). I will definitely go back and I've fantasized that this will become my neighborhood restaurant. They have really covered their bases on the repetoire of choices: a casual bar menu: flatbread with carmelized onions and bleu cheese, fancy hamburger, etc.; sophisticated and pricier entrees; and then the good value tasting menu if you want the whole shabang. The interior design is sophisticated, inviting, and cozy--it made me want to say, We're not in Arlington anymore Toto.
New Asia = New Taste of Asia ( East Arlington)?
There were rumors this summer on this board that New Taste of Asia was moving to Arlington from Brookline. I just got a very spiffy menu in the mail from New Asia in east arlington. Is this an old place reinventing itself with new graphics or is this the Brookline place?
Has Anyone Tried Buddy's in Arlington Yet?
I wonder what the story is with that place. I remember it started as Buddy's, never opened, became something now forgetable, and is reincarnated as Buddy's. Hmmmmm. Haven't been there yet.
Demos
I know this dressing well. Before they bottled it they would sell it to you in a plastic takeout container. So yes, they do still sell it, but they don't always have it because it gets sold out. I recommend calling ahead so you won't be disappointed.
Chocolate honey cake: Keep for 3 days or freeze?
By the way, what Joan Nathan book is the cake from? Sounds good.
mac & cheese made ahead
This is my theory: it all has to do with the ratio of sauce to noodle. The noodle continues to absorb the sauce the longer it is in contact with it--like a sponge. That's why, in my opinion, 2nd day mac and cheese is never as creamy as the first day. I've done it two ways--(1)as bitsubeats suggests, separating the components until ready to cook, or, (2) combining it altogether the day before but using extra sauce, or conversely, less pasta. Just so it's really on the soupy side. Cooking the noodles al dente and rinsing them in cold water to stop the cooking really helps to maintain the integrity of the pasta also (a noodle's integrity? guess it's getting late...)
Chocolate honey cake: Keep for 3 days or freeze?
I just pulled a honeycake (with apricots and walnuts) out of the oven to serve on Saturday as well. I definitely will not be freezing mine. A honeycake should remain moist for quite a few days because of the moisture from the honey--in fact, it improves as it ages as long as it doesn't dry out. After it's completely cooled, I would recommend double wrapping it in plastic wrap, and then wrapping that in foil. I leave mine out at room temperature in a cool place in the kitchen.
About matzo balls. I've never done this, but if I did, I would freeze the soup and balls separately. I wouldn't want to risk the soup getting cloudy with disintegrating balls. I make my matzo balls in water and reheat them at serving time in the soup. Matzo balls get heavier even just in the refrigerator overnight. Guess if they were light enough to begin with, you'd have half a chance of not shattering a tooth when you bit into it after they thawed. L'shana tova!
Ok, different question - your favorite recipe using boxed JELL - O
Ok, I can't resist. I got the proportions from my mother on her deathbed--well, almost. She made it every Thanksgiving, and I now do too. It called Cranberry Mold (sorry):
2 3 oz packages rasperry jello
2 c boiling water
1 15 oz can crushed pineapple, with juice
1 can whole cranberry sauce
1 large stalk celery, chopped
1/2 - 1 cup chopped walnuts (I use 1 cup)
1 T lemon juice
Dissolve jello in boiling water. Add cranberry sauce and stir to break up. Stir in rest of ingredients. Chill until set. I double, or even triple this recipe and use a decorative mold, usually a ring shape. Great with roast turkey and ham.
Low calories lemonade--citric acid?
The aftertaste of just one sweetener alone has always bothered me, so combining two is a really interesting suggestion. Also, I'll experiment with unsweetened KoolAid as well as different brands of bottled lemon juice. Plus the citric acid. Now I remember--it was to give the stuffed cabbage sauce a sweet/sour component. Thanks to all who have answered.
Low calories lemonade--citric acid?
I hate to admit this publicly, but to save money, not to mention elbow grease, I use RealLemon, or whatever it's called, in a bottle. This is embarrasing, but true. I thought if I added citric acid (and I don't even know where to buy this anymore--last time I used it it was to make stuffed cabbage and I can't remember why I did that either) it would make it more "lemony." Remember, I'm serving this to kids who think Kool Aid is good. Crystal Light contains citric acid, that's why I thought of it...
Low calories lemonade--citric acid?
I know, I know this is anathemas to purists, but I need to replicate the tart taste of Crystal Light for the gallons I serve my kids during the summer, who definitely don't need the additional calories from sugar. The standard recipe is lemon juice, sugar substitute, H2O. But it's not tart enough, like the ersatz stuff. Any suggestions?
Columbo frozen yogurt
Does anyone know where this is served besides Quincy Market and the Mass General cafeteria?
