enhF94's Profile
age old question....
Pricey and not on your list, but O Ya.
(fair warning: it's $61 for two oz. that I loved, or $190 for 8oz. + frites that I haven't tried.)
Life Alive, Central Square, Cambridge
I think there are a few options here:
1. if they steam, they probably toss greens in Bragg's, or pour over, as they plate.
or,
2. if someone in the kitchen was trained French-ly, they blanch and shock the greens in salty water, which will season the greens.
I suspect #1.
Modernist Cuisine (book) now in area libraries
Hey! I hadn't heard about this, and their FAQ isn't updated. Got a link?
Modernist Cuisine (book) now in area libraries
this. also "this" at your response to the This American Life on Intellectual Ventures, who suddenly transformed from "cuddly geeks" into "dark lord of the Sith evil."
I'm a Certified Smart Person in my field, as well as a pro-trained chef, and I own the book. I could sit down for four hours and figure out the math for a 6d reduction in pathogens with quail that's 1.23"x2.12", while taking into account the effects of ultra-tex 3 on my sauce or I could just cook the damn bird and eat it. I now know how to find the "sweet spot" on my broiler but don't want to bother until my friend from MIT drops by and feels like doing math that day.
I pine for an Alton Brown-ish "translator" of Modernist Cuisine: nerdier than Emeril, but less work than MC.
MC feels like installing Linux: you can do anything with it! As long as you spend _weeks_ learning how.
Post Your Three Favorite Things You ate in Boston in 2011
I've been reading this thread for a couple weeks and the best I can do is a veggie platter du jour at Qingdao. All my best bites weren't in Boston, and some old favorites shut down (Tacos Lupita, Gargoyles), got tiresome (Troquet) or disappointed (Clio). Maybe I can use this list for inspiration for 2012. Sigh. Grump.
December 2011 Openings and Closings
couldn't find the article (link?) so asking here: 1880s or 1980s for Daddy Jones?
Gran Gusto found a sale on sea salt? :-P
I suspect they prep a lot of lobster meat and put it all in a bowl, then grab a handful when ordered. I'd be surprised if they keep each lobster separate so you get the identifiable-parts effect.
Montecristo Mexican on Huntington by Harv. Med. - Good?
I've been trying to ask the name of it for years - thanks! I owe you lunch.
(this name search second only to a decade searching out "shfu-ya-delle" as pronounced by Carmela Soprano, which turned out to be sflogliatelle, which earned me championship levels of amused-at-the-tourist glances)
Montecristo Mexican on Huntington by Harv. Med. - Good?
this, but re: Somerville on B'way. Look for a bold blue-and-yellow sign?
They've got a thing that's basically bacon cut the "other way" and deep fried, so the skin curls and leaves bacon pieces - the whole thing looks like a bike gear. So delicious I wouldn't swear _by_ it so much as _about_ it.
Soulfood at Magoun's Saloon
apropos of little, my vague memory is that Magoun's is a neighborhood gem when a particular guy is on staff to cook, but sometimes for personal reasons he is unavailable for week/months of time. So if your mileage has varied (mine has), this may be why.
Rosa Mexicano coming to Boston
I liked this place several years ago - hope they have the huitlacoche chicken thing on the menu.
Perfect Meal at O-Ya
I suspect the foie is plainly seared, but it certainly doesn't melt into the rice. Try googling "o ya foie gras" and limiting to images; several pix come right up (at least for us in Boston).
Perfect Meal at O-Ya
since the menu doesn't change much, you'll probably still get something useful from Frank Bruni's NYT review some years ago.
I personally never miss either oyster (one's raw and one's fried) or the foie/chocolate mentioned above. Oh, and I've been twice disappointed by the $18 potato chip and won't try that again.
If you think of yourself someone who's learning to link your palate with the language of food, I can't conceive a better lesson on "umami" than the mushroom sashimi dish. (I suppose you could try straight MSG, but this is much more pleasant.)
Stovetop smokers available in Boston?
Why not use a foil-salt-and-wood-lined pan with a cooling rack over it? You'll need a vented hood, but it works well for fish. I presume you're not doing bacon.
Gargoyle's in Davis Square Somerville shutting down?
This. The answerer sounded either exhausted or dejected.
a replacement for original-Craigie's atmosphere
Some months later - I was looking through old posts for something and realized I can report back on this.
Ten Tables - yep, it's the same space, but the waitstaff is less friendly and less personally attentive, despite seeing career waitstaff working there. I wonder if they're getting pushy pressure from the GM or shift manager and the stress leaks through to customers.
Gran Gusto, early - still a hit. Though they took the pasta with potatoes and carrots off the menu, they made it for me special one night. The owner is a dear.
Rialto, early - big hit with me, although the bar staff seem kinda standoffish and unfriendly. Which is not my experience at all of the dining room staff, Jody, or her cooks.
Bistro 5 - I'm so glad pemma suggested this. I've liked Bistro 5 in the past; they get good reviews from folks who go (though agreed, they're not Craigie), and I wonder how they stay in business. I've been twice since this post and got personal service every time. Since I walked in the moment they opened, I was also the only customer in the place both times, which meant quiet and private were a given.
Unpasteurized Apple Cider
Has the law against selling unpasteurized cider in MA been repealed or something?
September 2011 Openings and Closings
Rumor says Paul's considering opening his own place, and looking at Belmont.
September 2011 Openings and Closings
Davis Square LiveJournal (it's active and informative) reports that Zing Pizza, just around the corner from Porter Square, has closed indefinitely. Their website confirms and say's they'll still take catering orders. Rumor says they're looking for new owners, and the website doesn't dissuade that line of thinking.
Zing Café, which was intimated is owned by the same people, is still open (it's in Porter Square Books).
Recommendations for old school/divey/gritty Boston spots - restaurants and bars (w/ or w/o food)
Hey, yeah. Newtowne has surprisingly decent pizza.
Seeking delicious yellow layer cake with superior chocolate frosting to feed about 40.
I cannot tolerate any frosting but Italian meringue buttercream; for that with cheaper rates, I'd call Cambridge School of Culinary Arts and ask for any second-semester pastry student. (first-semester has the skills, but might as well get an extra bit of experience).
Somerville/Davis Square: 3 Superlative Dishes?
Had those Redbones fried pickles last night. I find them a near-miss since the batter is under seasoned compared to the pickle. A little more salt in that batter would be a great way to say "fried pickle" instead of "tasty pickle with bland coating."
Somerville/Davis Square: 3 Superlative Dishes?
They also fixed some critical HACCP problems, I hear.
Somerville/Davis Square: 3 Superlative Dishes?
I do like spaetzle, and hadn't found it anywhere else. Thanks.
Somerville/Davis Square: 3 Superlative Dishes?
Oh, I just remembered: spaetzle at Foundry on Elm.
Though I just checked the website to see which variety (side dish or entree) I preferred, and it's not on the website, so maybe it's gone.
Somerville/Davis Square: 3 Superlative Dishes?
The places I hate are pretty obscure; you've probably never heard of them... ;)
