ikt's Profile
Good cider donuts close to Boston?
Good news to report: I made the trek up to Cider Hill in Amesbury on Saturday, since it's one of those places that gets great reviews but I hadn't it tried yet, and their cider donuts are fantastic. Exactly what I was looking for, just like those you can find in Michigan (my place was Spicer Orchards in Fenton). We also got their cider and caramel apples, which were delicious as well. Plus, it turned out to be not much of a trek - it was only a 40 minute straight shot from Cambridge, taking Route 1 and 95 N, about a mile off the exit. : )
Good cider donuts close to Boston?
I'm also looking for great cider donuts close to Boston - even far from Boston I haven't found any that compare to the ones I used to get from cider mills in Michigan. I've tried the Copley Square farmers' market ones and wasn't impressed. They tasted kind of stale, and you couldn't really taste the cider. I also tried Wilson Farms' donuts (packaged) - they weren't being made fresh when I was there - and I wasn't impressed with those either. The taste just wasn't that great. I hear that Ohlin's in Belmont is supposed to have great cider donuts, but they were sold out by the time we got there last Saturday afternoon. I think she said they sold out around 10 am...
Where can I get a great brownie?
Go to Trader Joe's and buy the Truffle Brownie box mix. You add eggs and a stick of melted butter and bake. They are the best brownies I have ever had. Ever. And I'm a very picky chocoholic.
Falafel in Somerville?
Also not in Somerville, but in Cambridge there are two places that have excellent falafel wraps - Cafe Kiraz at Hampshire and Columbia and Kolbeh of Kabob at Cambridge Street and Highland Ave.
Otis Spunkmeyer
Does anyone know of any place in the Boston/Cambridge area that sells Otis Spunkmeyer cookies? I saw an Otis Spunkmeyer truck on State Street in Boston this morning, and thought there must be some nearby...
Harvard Square Lunch
There's an italian take-out place across from legal seafood, in the charles hotel courtyard called Pronto that is awesome. I think they're only open for breakfast and lunch.
confronting the cookie
I enjoy reading this website mostly for the baked goods recs - and I'm always on the lookout for a great cookie - especially the classic chocolate chip. So here are my reviews:
best ones i've had:
au bon pain - i like the chocolate chip and the oatmeal raisin. make sure you get the fresh ones and not the bagged ones (some locations only carry the bagged ones).
Rebecca's - again, a chain, but their chocolate chocolate chip (I think they're called Mocha chip b/c they have coffee in them) are pretty darn good. I don't think their other cookies are worth it.
Boston Chipyard in faneuil hall - these are not big, but they are ooey and gooey and fresh. i actually don't like the plain chocolate chip - the cookie portion is too bland, but the chocolate chocolate chip is awesome.
paradise bakery - these are usually delish, although one time i had them they were not that great - so i'm not sure how consistent they are. i loved the choc chip and the coconut chocolate chip.
Flour - I tried the chocolate chocolate chip, which was soooo good.
Carol Ann's Bake Shop in Fanueil Hall - this is the first place on the left, next to Starbuck's, and a very recent find of mine. The chocolate chip is excellent, as is the M&M (which is just the chocolate chip one coated in M&Ms). The chocolate chocolate chip is really good, but not as good as the choc chip (and not as good as the Chipyard's choc choc chip).
not worth it:
Rosie's - I know people like this place, but i thought the chocolate chip cookie was just okay. not worth going back to.
Petsi Pies - Some people highly recommended this place as well, so my husband and i tried one of each of their cookies. Although they are huge and weighty and crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside, they're just not great. The cookie portion of the chocolate chip was too bland, the chocolate chocolate chip outright bad. The ginger was pretty good, but not great. The peanut butter was the best of the lot, but it just tasted like a regular, make from a box peanut butter cookie. Nothing special.
Pete's coffee - I tried their chocolate chip cookie right after we moved to Boston. It was so bad, I returned it.
Hi Rise - I think most of their baked goods are blah. They look so good, but they always disappoint. The chocolate chip cookie here has delicious, good quality, huge chocolate chunks, but again, the cookie portion of the cookie is super bland. It just tastes like flour.
Max's Deli Cafe, Milk Street, Sebastian's, Whole Foods (from the bakery section where you can buy one at a time - i've only tried the chocolate chip) - all not good.
The best cookie i've ever had is from a place in NYC. So if you're ever on the upper west side, go here: http://www.levainbakery.com/product.html. The chocolate chocolate chip is to die for.
Looking for restaurant for client lunch in Wellesley/Newton/Needham area
Thanks for the recs thus far - just a note about the Met Club - it looks great to me, and I recommended it because of the opinions on this site, but my manager heard the above from a close colleague, so he wants to switch our reservation. Alas.
Looking for restaurant for client lunch in Wellesley/Newton/Needham area
Hi all,
I'm looking for recommendations for a business lunch with clients near 128 in the Wellesley/Newton/Needham area. Aquitaine Bis is booked, Capital Grill isn't open for lunch, and we heard that the Metropolitan Club is “stuffy” and the food is “bad". Any other places you could recommend? They really liked Blue Ginger, but wanted to try another place.
Thanks!
